Many of our listeners are on a quest to improve their menopause symptoms and overall health, trying this and trying that. But as we all know, making lasting lifestyle changes can be tough—especially after cancer treatment. In this conversation, we explore how to turn good intentions into real, lasting habits that will help improve your health, reduce the risk of recurrence, and manage menopause symptoms.

I speak with Nienke Lees, a GP who is passionate about lifestyle medicine and helping her patients succeed. We discuss the power of SMART goals and the three essential components of behaviour change that can help you build healthier routines in your daily life. If you’ve ever struggled with making changes to your diet, exercise, or overall habits, this episode is for you.

Key Topics Covered:

• The challenges of making lifestyle changes after cancer treatment
• Nobody teaches us HOW to make changes
• The importance of lifestyle medicine in managing menopause symptoms
• How to set SMART goals to create lasting habits
• The three components of successful behavior change

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro.

06:07 Overcoming Barriers to Healthy Eating

12:52 Fixed vs. Growth Mindset

14:35 Building Confidence Through Lifestyle Changes

18:17 Overcoming Small Anxieties

20:23 Understanding and Changing Deep-Rooted Behaviours

32:12 Make your goals SMART

34:42 Habit Rewards Must Align with Goals

41:23 Climbing Your Health Ladder

44:18 Prioritise Impactful Changes

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

For more information on Dr. Nienke Lees, who is a medical doctor who offers health coaching alongside her work in the NHS, including a breast cancer recovery program, go here: https://www.thewholehealthmedic.co.uk/ or here on Instagram @thewholehealthmedic