We're halfway through 2026 and it's time to get honest. In this episode, Christy and Bethany sit down for a real mid-year check-in covering what's changed, what's grown, and what they've had to let go. From Boston Marathon memories and Grandma's Marathon training, to Grace Wellness moving and building smarter systems, to the personal shifts that come when you're actually living your words for the year - this one's a full audit.

If your word for 2026 was Build or Obey (or both), this conversation will hit home.

Topics covered:

• Words for 2026 and how they're holding up at mid-year
• Running updates: recovering smarter, staying healthy over chasing numbers
• Life updates: Darby's graduation, family, and Grace Wellness's move
• What they've changed their minds on this year
• Business growth: hormone optimization, regenerative medicine, muscle-focused weight loss, and more
• The biggest lesson: you cannot scale chaos — healthy things grow with alignment

"Discipline builds what motivation cannot."

Connect with us:🎙️ Instagram: @gritgrace13 | fb.com/profile.php?id=61580909242474💪 Christy: @christydunton | Bethany: @starks.bethany🌿 Grace Wellness: grace-wellness.net/contact

Everyone's talking about GLP medications — but the conversation usually stops at weight loss. In this episode, Christy and Bethany go deeper. We're breaking down what's actually happening inside your body on these medications, why inflammation is the missing piece of the conversation, and why muscle preservation isn't optional — it's everything.

If you've been told GLPs are just a "quick fix," this episode will change how you think about them.

We cover:🔥 What GLPs actually do beyond appetite suppression🔥 The real impact of chronic inflammation on energy, hormones, mood, and recovery🔥 Why visceral fat is more dangerous than most people realize🔥 The non-negotiables: protein, strength training, and body composition monitoring🔥 How to use GLPs as a tool — not a crutch

At Grit & Grace, we're not chasing skinny. We're chasing strong, healthy, and optimized — for life.

📲 Connect with us:Instagram (Christy): https://www.instagram.com/christydunton/Instagram (Bethany): https://www.instagram.com/starks.bethany/Grit & Grace: https://www.instagram.com/gritgrace13/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580909242474Grace Wellness: https://www.grace-wellness.net/contact/

What happens when you say yes before you have the full picture? In this episode, Christy and Bethany walk through the real timeline of how Grace Wellness and Grit & Grace were built — not through a perfect plan, but through radical obedience, deep friendship, and faithfulness in the small things.

From a February 2025 turning point to going full-time in March 2026, they trace every milestone that shaped what this is today — the runs, the trips, the conversations that turned into a calling, and the moments where saying yes out loud came before knowing the outcome.

This episode is for anyone who's waiting for clarity before they move. Spoiler: the blueprint rarely comes first.

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine…" — Ephesians 3:20

Bethany ran Boston. And we have ALL the thoughts.

In this episode, Christy and Bethany take you from the qualifying journey all the way to the finish line — the expo, the 5K, the sightseeing (yes, the Boston Tea Party made the itinerary), and Ramsey's legendary subway moment. Then the real talk: a 3:23 finish, what went right, what went sideways, and the fueling and pacing lessons that are already shaping Bethany's Grandma's Marathon prep.

But more than a race recap, this one is about why we show up, on the good days AND the hard ones. Stewardship. Friendship. Faith. Discipline. Boston humbles everyone, and that's kind of the point.

🎙️ Follow us: @gritgrace13🌿 Grace Wellness: grace-wellness.net/contact

GLP-1 medications like semaglutide and tirzepatide are changing the weight loss conversation — but what's actually happening in real patients doesn't always match what's being marketed.

In this episode, Bethany Starks (DNP, FNP-C) and Christy Dunton pull back the curtain on what they're seeing in practice at Grace Wellness: rapid weight loss paired with muscle loss, under-fueling, fatigue, and long-term metabolic consequences that no one's talking about.

They break down:

• Why GLP-1s work — and why that same mechanism can create problems
• The critical difference between weight loss and fat loss
• What happens to your metabolism when intake drops too low
• Why muscle preservation is the real goal (and why it's non-negotiable)
• How Grace Wellness approaches GLP patients differently — with InBody tracking, nutrition coaching, and clinical oversight
• The mindset shift that separates short-term results from long-term success

The medication can be a powerful tool. But without the right foundation — nutrition, strength training, and hormonal support — you're building on sand.

"You don't need another shortcut. You need a better foundation."

Instagram (Christy)

https://www.instagram.com/christydunton/

Instagram (Bethany) https://www.instagram.com/starks.bethany/

IG (Grit & Grace)

https://www.instagram.com/gritgrace13/

FB (Grit & Grace)

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580909242474

If you've ever felt like your body is working against you — exhausted despite doing everything right, training hard but not seeing results, or just feeling off in a way no one can explain — this episode is for you.

Women are not small men. Our hormones are not our enemy. And the way most of us have been trained to push through, ignore our cycles, and treat every week the same is costing us performance, mood, and health.

In this episode, Bethany Starks (DNP, FNP-C) and Christy Dunton sit down to talk about what most doctors still aren't saying — and what every woman who trains, competes, or simply wants to feel like herself again needs to know.

WHAT WE COVER:

→ Why hormones are the missing piece for so many women

→ The hormonal symphony: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, and thyroid and how they work together

→ Your menstrual cycle as a built-in performance blueprint

→ Phase-by-phase breakdown: what to train, when, and why

→ What perimenopause actually does to your training and mood

→ The truth about menopause, body composition, and what's NOT a willpower issue

→ How under fueling and overtraining destroy your hormones

→ What you can actually do — starting today

Whether you're 25 or 55, this conversation applies to you.

CONNECT WITH US:

Grace Wellness: www.grace-wellness.net/contact/

Instagram — Grit & Grace - www.instagram.com/gritgrace13/

Instagram — Christy - www.instagram.com/christydunton/

Instagram - Bethany - www.instagram.com/starks.bethany/

ABOUT YOUR HOSTS:

Bethany Starks is a Doctor of Nursing Practice and Functional Nurse Practitioner specializing in hormone optimization, regenerative medicine, and root-cause wellness at Grace Wellness in Bullard, TX.

Christy Dunton is a nutrition coach, personal trainer, life coach, former Marine, and 4X Deka World Champion. She coaches women through Breaking Barriers Online Training and co-leads Grace Wellness alongside Bethany.

New episodes drop weekly. Follow Grit & Grace wherever you listen.

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We've all said it — "I'd eat better but my husband likes junk food." "I can't work out, my kids have sports." "I just don't have time." Excuses don't feel like excuses. They feel reasonable. Responsible. Even loving. And that's exactly what makes them dangerous.

This week Christy and Bethany are calling it out with grace and zero apology. We're breaking down the most common diet and exercise excuses real women use every day, what they actually mean beneath the surface, and why identity, not motivation, is what changes everything.

The life you say you want requires the habits you're currently avoiding. Ownership is available today.

🔗 Follow us:Instagram (Grit & Grace): https://www.instagram.com/gritgrace13/Facebook (Grit & Grace): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61580909242474Instagram (Christy): https://www.instagram.com/christydunton/Instagram (Bethany): https://www.instagram.com/starks.bethany/Grace Wellness: https://www.grace-wellness.net/contact/

Christy and Bethany get personal in this episode, reading letters written to their younger selves and unpacking the hard-won wisdom they wish they'd had sooner. From the Austin Half Marathon recap to the real talk about self-sufficiency, fear, trust, and the seasons of life that quietly build you — this conversation is honest, convicting, and deeply encouraging. If you've ever wished you could go back and do it differently, this episode is your reminder that it's not too late to anchor yourself in what actually matters.

Breathe deep. Trust deeper. Don't waste it.

You don't have to choose between loving your body and wanting to change it.

In this episode, Christy Dunton and Bethany Starks challenge the false narrative that self-love means settling or that wanting more means you hate yourself. We explore how to honor your body as it is while pursuing the strength, energy, and confidence you deserve—without punishment, guilt, or shame.

Topics covered:

• Why people feel stuck between body positivity and discipline
• What loving your body actually looks like in practice
• The role of discipline as an act of love, not control
• Common traps that sabotage progress
• How grace and grit work together for lasting change
• Practical mindset shifts and language to adopt

If you're ready to pursue growth from a place of respect instead of criticism, this conversation will help you move forward.

Your next step: Choose one habit this week that honors your body and supports the future you're building.

Follow Grit and Grace for more conversations on faith, fitness, and living intentionally.

Join Christy Dunton and Bethany Starks as they unpack their Houston Marathon experience - from pre-race nerves to post-race revelations. This honest conversation goes beyond pace and finish times to explore what it really takes to show up when the miles get hard. Whether you're a runner or just someone chasing a big goal, you'll find encouragement in the grit it takes to keep moving forward and the grace to honor the journey. This is about friendship, faithfulness, and what happens when you refuse to quit on yourself.