My countdown to confidence at 60 and why I'm rebooting my health and wellness journey in 2026!

A few months ago I read Kate Muir's book 'How to Have a Magnificent Midlife Crisis' and it really inspired me.  I hope to share some of her wisdom with you but most importantly I need to use her advice to motivate me to get my own shit together!  It's been a long time coming.

Nearly ten years ago, I started Fifty & Fab as I approached 50, a space to share my journey towards feeling fabulous and living life with confidence. And I did feel confident, I achieved so much but in the last few years, life distractions, menopause, and a changing body have knocked me slightly off track.  I have been feeling lost and a bit unsure about what's next.

​Honestly 50 was easy although I didn't appreciate that at the time but now I am soon to be 59 I realise that was the simple bit. I was full of energy, ideas, enthusiasm and time was on my side.  Right now, not so much, there is a real sense of time running out and I am scared of the possibility of dementia (for very personal reasons I will touch on later).

It's time to reboot and get myself back on track!  It is only 60!  I have many more fabulous years ahead of me.  

I will be 59 in December and 60 in December 2026, the countdown starts now!

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"In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
​Abraham Lincoln

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Countdown to confidence at 60!

An exciting new phase of my midlife journey

Kate Muir says in her book 'when I talk to women in their thirties, forties, fifties and sixties, often their main emotions around midlife are the three Fs: frazzlement, frustration, and fear of the future.' It's a similar story from my friends, we're all frazzled (post pandemic frustration) and not many of them have it all figured out.  I did ten years ago but now now.

Have you ever felt like just running away?  Yeah me too!  Of course I didn't but I had some very tempting moments, I just wanted to escape from all the responsibility - caught between still caring for my children but also needing to look after ageing parents.

In her book, Kate Muir references Avivah Wittenberg-Cox, she is an author on gender and generational balance and she is advocating new ways of looking at maturing rather than ageing and with our life expectancy increasing she has come up with dividing our lives into four quarters.  Q1 up to 25 years old is GROW, Q2 up to 50 is ACHIEVE, Q3 up to 75 is BECOMING and Q4 up to 100 is HARVESTING.  I really liked this concept so instead of feeling like my time has passed I am only just becoming, a much kinder way to reframe approaching 60.

My current feeling is that I am exhausted.  I feel worn down by responsibility, I want to write (my blog) but feel the pressure to always be present on social media (Instagram), I am trying to do the best for my parents (my mother has advanced Alzheimer's) but I want to support my adult children and more importantly have fun and enjoy this time with my husband and family,

​I want to find a new exciting phase in my life and yet I am not sure what that is yet.  The classic empty nest scenario - what is next for me?  Go back to university, retrain for a new career, take up volunteering, travel the world, climb mountains, it is time for me to navigate this new phase in my life with joy, fun and maybe a little bit of rebellion?

Of course there are things we all want regardless of age - good health, improved fitness, a slimmer body, plenty of energy, fabulous friends, a balanced social life and opportunities to do exciting things like travelling but also to just be, to sit in the garden and enjoy summer days, to relax on the sofa and binge the latest mini-series.  

When we’re young, we always think there’s plenty of time for everything. But now, as I approach 60, I know I can’t just keep talking about it, it’s time to make sure I truly have the life I want. My mum’s diagnosis at around 70 has made me even more aware of how important it is to make the most of right now.​

It's time to get serious about my health and fitness again!

What does confidence at 60 look like for me?

It's not about perfection but it is about reclaiming my energy and enthusiasm for life, finding joy in the everyday, and making self-care a non-negotiable.  Learning to finally say NO and mean it.

Feeling strong, wearing what I love including my bikinis, visiting exciting new destinations, meeting friends for lunch, challenging my brain, and saying yes to living life to the full.

​You may have noticed I used the term 'a slimmer body' - a phrase that can be criticised for being outdated (and non PC) these days. We’re encouraged to focus on being strong and healthy, rather than getting caught up in the diet culture that was so damaging to our generation. But the truth is, I do want to feel a little slimmer again or perhaps find a realistic, comfortable weight that suits my age and lifestyle. I was always a size 8–10, and these days I’m more of a 10–12. I know I’m carrying a bit more fat and a bit less muscle than I’d like, and while I don’t have a goal weight, I do have a goal of feeling better in my clothes.

Where am I going to focus my energy as I countdown to 60?

Fitness - I currently do two 'snackable' strength workouts a week with my online PT, usually about 20 minutes of weights but at home which does limit access to the bigger weights but I believe the 'best workout' is the one you can stick to.  And this is realistic and achievable for me.  Yes I'd like to do more but neither do I want it to take over my life.  I am currently trialing a weekly Pilates Reformer class and I am trying to fit in more Fitness Walks to allow me to increase my heartrate (in preparation for skiing).

Nutrition - I don't eat badly but I lack imagination and the culinary skills to experiment, mostly I just can't be bothered to cook!  I am a classic collector of recipes and recipe books with every well-meaning intention to try new dishes.  Then fail to buy the right variety of ingredients and run out of time.  I am trying to set myself small goals - try one new lunchtime recipe a week, how hard can it be?  And of course good nutrition really feeds into the brain health goal for dementia prevention.

Menopause management - I am planning to stay on my HRT forever!  I am a big believer in the long terms benefits for women's health.  And was especially emotional to see that the USA have announced recently that the black box warnings are to be removed from body-identical HRT.  It is long overdue.  If you are not sure what this is all about pop over to this Instagram post to learn more.  HRT is safe and effective and hugely beneficial for the vast majority of women.  It offers protection from dementia, heart disease and osteoporosis and can add up to 10 healthy years to our life.

Style - it is time to get the capsule wardrobe sorted and dress in a way that makes me feel good again.  I need to go back to my core beliefs that less is more, quality over quantity and taking my time to find the right outfits even if that means less online purchases and more time actually going to real shops!

Mindset and motivation - none of these will be possible without some serious mindset work, creating daily habits i can stick to, journalling my thoughts and making sure I include mental wellbeing tools into my everyday routine.

Mental wellbeing - I accepted earlier this year that HRT alone was not going to help my tendency to struggle with low mood and anxiety.  I had come off antidepressants a couple of years back but I had slowly gone downhill again and despite my determination I didn't need them, I realised (the hard way) I do need them.  I was very lucky to do a blog collaboration with a private GP practice in Henley-on-Thames and Dr Mike Thomas spent time really listening to me.  I am back on a low dose antidepressant and feel much more positive and less anxious.

Brain health - I will also be working on optimum brain health to reduce my risk of developing dementia, this will include taking the right supplements, continuing with HRT and keeping. my mind active by learning new things and making sure I socialise and keep busy.  

Omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA, play a vital role in supporting brain health throughout life. For women in midlife and beyond, topping up omega-3 levels can be a simple way to nourish the brain and support long-term cognitive wellbeing.  Two supplements I recommend, for plant based omega 3, try Brain Feed (and get 20% off your first order using FIFTYFAB20) and Bare Biology have a comprehensive selection of Omega-3 products for all round health.

Strength training is super important in midlife but I also feel like my cardio needs some atttention!

How will I stay accountable?

Back in 2016 and my 50th birthday, I used my writing to keep me accountable, I shared the ups and downs of my journey on here and also on a specific instagram account (now deleted). I want to create a plan for the year with mini goals and share monthly updates.  Please do follow along - or join me if you are also coming up to a milestone birthday!  You can subscribe to my email updates here.

In 2016 it was joining The Body Coach SSS Plan that made all the difference.  I was told what to eat and how to exercise.  I did it over 3 months then extended for another 3 months but inevitably following a strict plan comes to a natural end.  I did maintain for a good while afterwards but not as long as I would have liked (i.e. permanently)!   

I am not sure I have the mental determination to follow a strict plan again.  I am going to mull that one over in the coming weeks!

And I am going to do another boudoir photoshoot with Alex at FYEO!  I did this at about 47, then again at 55 and I will be doing another one in 2026 for my 60th year.  I want to look and feel my best - motivation and accountability right there.

My second boudoir photoshoot, when I was 55!

Final thoughts on my countdown to confidence at 60!

I might not have all the answers (yet) but I am excited about finding them and getting back to the confident me I so loved a few years ago.  Can I do it?  Subscribe to my email updates and join me!

​And finally I plan to keep my blog name the same, I have had lots of suggestions including Sexy at 60 (but that will attract the wrong kind of follower especially on Instagram)! 

Love from
Michelle xx


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