What 42 Looks Like
(and what I wish I’d known at 32)
Friend,
In one week — May 31 — I turn 42.
I’ve been sitting with that number for a few days now. Not because I’m dreading it. The opposite.
This might be the first birthday in my adult life that I’m walking into without a single ounce of dread about my body.
That feels worth writing about.
. . .
The woman I used to be
If you’ve followed me for a while, you know me as the macro coach. The mom of two. The PA. The girl who’ll tell you to eat your protein and not skip breakfast.
But 10, 15 years ago, I was somebody completely different.
I was the woman who ate as little as possible. The one who thought more cardio was always the answer. The one who’d restrict all week and then completely lose control on the weekend — and call that “being good” Monday through Friday. I was at war with food. Every meal was a math problem. Every party was a stress event. Every photo was a moment of analyzing my body before I could even remember the day.
I told myself I was being healthy. I wasn’t. I was exhausted, anxious, and stuck on a wheel that never went anywhere.
I share this because if you’re reading this and any part of that sounds familiar — I see you. I was you. And I want you to know it doesn’t have to stay that way.
The biggest shift in my life wasn’t a number on the scale. It was the day food stopped being the loudest thing in my head.
What freedom actually looks like
Here’s what 42 looks like for me right now.
May has been packed. Communions. Family functions. Track meets. Travel. The kind of month that used to completely undo me — because if I couldn’t control every meal, I felt like the whole thing was falling apart.
This May, I kept living my life. I went to every event. I ate the food. I’m proud to tell you I stayed in my healthy lifestyle the entire time — not by being perfect, but by leaning on two things I’ve learned actually work:
| 1. The ideal plate. Protein. Veggies. A reasonable starch. Same framework every time, anywhere — communion brunch, restaurant, party tray.2. Limiting alcohol. I’m not anti-alcohol. But I’m just happier when I don’t. It holds me back from my goals, from my sleep, from my workouts the next day. Knowing that took me years. |
And here’s the thing about the scale this month — it didn’t move for 4 weeks.
Four weeks of eating around 1650–1700 calories, focused on protein, fiber, and healthy carbs. Four weeks of strength training. Four weeks of doing everything right. And the number on the scale didn’t budge.
Old Grace would have spiraled.
New Grace kept going.
Because I could see what was happening even when the scale couldn’t. My midsection was getting leaner. My arms were changing. I was lifting heavier in the gym. My energy was up. And this week? The scale finally moved. Down 2 lbs.
I’m honestly amazed at what my body can do at 42. I’m stronger than I was at 32. I’m leaner than I was at 35. And — most importantly — I’m not afraid of food.
June, and the 1-mile challenge
June is going to be a big month for our family.
My oldest is graduating 8th grade. Which means a calendar full of ceremonies, dinners, end-of-year functions, and all the moments that go with it. I’ll be eating my way through it, smiling, present, not stressed about food.
And I’m starting something I want to invite you into:
The 1-Mile-A-Day Challenge. Every day in June, I’m doing 1 mile. Some days I’ll run it. Some days I’ll walk it. The pace doesn’t matter. The non-negotiable matters. One mile a day. I do this every time I want to turn up the movement without overhauling my entire life. It’s small enough to never miss, and big enough to compound.
I’ll be posting daily in our Skool community. Come join me.
. . .
The takeaway
If 32-year-old Grace could see me now, she would not believe her eyes.
She would not believe that food could feel this easy. That a calendar full of communions and graduations and travel could happen without panic. That getting stronger in your 40s is real. That a body could feel this good, this often.
Life can change in an instant. The version of you 10 years from now is being built by what you choose this month. I don’t say that to scare you — I say it to free you. Because if I could go from where I was to where I am, anybody can.
You deserve to feel good in your body. You deserve to walk into a birthday — or a graduation, or a beach week — without dread. You deserve the freedom I’m describing.
And I want to help you get there.
