Originally Published September 2025

By Christina Cundiff

Hello Jupiter Farms family!

Happy September!

As I scratch my head and wonder how it’s already September (did summer break disappear for you, too, or was it just me?), I’m reminded how time in Jupiter Farms always seems to slip by, unless you’re a sandhill crane blocking traffic, or a turtle making his best Frogger moves across the road. Nothing says “Jupiter Farms” quite like being forced to pause your day for wildlife at 7:30 a.m.

In those moments, we really do have a choice: we can enjoy the sight and let ourselves smile, or get frustrated because we’re now 90 seconds behind schedule. One choice brings a little peace, the other just adds stress. It’s a small moment, but it’s still our choice.

Honestly, sometimes I think those cranes are onto something. While the rest of us are racing from one thing to the next, they just take their time, completely unbothered by the rush around them. Maybe that’s the lesson we all need right now: slow down, take up space, and don’t let anyone, or any trend, rush you, especially when it comes to your health. This is your lane, after all, and your life. You get to craft it.

If you’ve ever Googled “how to be healthy” (which, for the record, is still better than googling that weird rash on your kid’s arm) and immediately felt your brain short-circuit, you’re not alone. One minute, kale is the answer to everything; the next, someone’s telling you kale is overrated and you should be drinking celery juice at sunrise, standing on one leg, reciting your perfect mantra. Meanwhile, your neighbor swears by pickleball, your cousin is doing intermittent fasting, and your phone is sending you “10,000 steps or you have failed as a human!” reminders at 9:00 p.m.

It’s a lot. Honestly, most of us are just trying to get through the day without realizing at 5:30 that we forgot to defrost the chicken for dinner, or wandering the Publix parking lot (again) wondering where on earth we parked.

Why Wellness Feels So Overwhelming

We’re living in the golden age of wellness information, and confusion. There’s a new “miracle” every week, and for every piece of advice, there’s a counter-argument. Are weight-loss injections safe or not? Should you eat breakfast or skip it? And if you skip it, will your cortisol rise to the moon and never be found again (I’m talking to you, my perimenopausal women)? Is coffee an antioxidant or going to tax your adrenals into hiding? What even is a macronutrient, and do you need to track it?

I do think it’s helpful to have a basic understanding of what macronutrients and micronutrients are, and how the food we eat supports our bodies. But I never want anyone to get lost in the weeds or feel pressured to chase perfection.

Science evolves slowly, trends come and go, and social media makes it all feel urgent and personal. But you don’t need to do it all. In fact, you shouldn’t.

The Real Reason You’re Stuck

Most people I work with aren’t lacking information; they’re drowning in it. The real challenge is knowing what to trust, what to ignore, and how to start making changes that feel good in the life you are living, without losing your mind or your sense of humor.

Why Small Habits Work (and Big Overhauls Don’t)

It’s tempting to make a huge change and get that rush of motivation, but research shows that small, repeatable habits are what actually last. Tiny changes are easier for your brain to turn into routines. Each small win builds your confidence and helps you keep going. Over time, your brain starts to believe, “I’m the kind of person who makes healthy choices.” Big overhauls might feel exciting at first (and the dopamine surge that accompanies them feels very compelling), but when real life gets busy, they’re hard to maintain. If you focus on small, sustainable steps, you’ll build real momentum, no perfection required.

Step One: Get Clear on What Matters to You

Not every tip is meant for you. Before you try another “hack,” pause and ask:

• What do I want more of in my life? (Energy? Sleep? Less stress? More time with my family?) And why do I want it?
• 
  What’s actually realistic for my schedule, budget, and personality?

· You get bonus points if you ask yourself why you’re seeking out “hacks” in the first place

Wellness isn’t one-size-fits-all. If you hate running, you don’t have to run. If you love a nightly piece of chocolate, keep it. The best plan is the one you’ll actually do. (I mentioned this a couple of months ago, and I’m repeating it here because it’s that important.) But you do have to give yourself permission to take care of yourself, and experiment with food, tips, and exercise until you find the “recipe” that works for you.

Step Two: Start Small, Like, Really Small

As I say every single month, A one-degree change lands you in a totally new destination. Forget the huge dopamine hit you get from deciding that today is the last day a carb will touch your lips for the rest of your life. That kind of thinking is more dangerous than we give it credit for, as it often leads to reinforcement of self-abandonment when we “fail.”

Right now is a great time to start. We’re on the edge of that seasonal shift, kids’ sports are about to ramp back up, the holidays are peeking around the corner, and everyone’s schedules are about to get wild(er). Adding in a few micro habits now gives you a little extra steadiness before life speeds up again. And they’ll be your habits, not the latest influencer’s.

Here are a few bite-sized ideas. Think of this as a choose-your-own-adventure(remember those books?) menu. Pick one, or none, or invent your own:

• Add a glass of water first thing in the morning.
• Take a ten-minute walk after dinner (bonus points for stopping and chatting with your neighbor. We need each other more than ever these days).
• Prep one extra healthy meal a week.
• Aim for enough protein at meals. About 0.6 to 1 gram per pound of your desired body weight is a good target, especially as we get older.
• Load up on fiber from veggies, fruits, and whole grains. Your gut and your mood will thank you.
• Aim for whole foods (meats, vegetables, fruits in their natural form) over packaged stuff.
• Try a minute of slow, deep breathing when you feel frazzled. Breathwork can seriously reset your mood and your physiology.
• Leave your phone in another room for the first ten minutes after you wake up.
• Write down one thing you’re grateful for before bed.
• Remember, rest is not a luxury. Even a short evening wind-down helps your brain and body recover. What does true recovery look like for you? Find out, try different approaches.

These are just ideas. Take what helps, leave what doesn’t. Wellness isn’t a competition, it’s an experiment.

Step Three: Experiment and Leverage Curiosity

Try thinking of your wellness like a science experiment, not a pass-or-fail test. Try something for two weeks and notice how you feel. If it helps, keep it. If it doesn’t, toss it and try something else. No guilt, just curiosity. Curiosity is a powerful tool for anyone aiming for physical and emotional wellness. I challenge you to pick one area where you feel stuck (with food or with habits that hurt you), and approach it with curiosity and an experimental mindset. See what answers you discover. Sometimes, the best insight comes from simply asking, “What would happen if I tried this a little differently?” or “What feeling am I avoiding by doing this behavior, and what would happen if I allowed myself to feel it instead of avoiding it?”

Step Four: The Consistency Challenge

Here’s something I see all the time: people are careful all week, eating balanced meals and maybe even landing in a calorie deficit, but then the weekend hits. Eating extra pizza, a few beers, or cupcakes at the party can quickly undo the progress made over the week. It’s frustrating (and it admittedly feels unfair, but I don’t make the metabolism rules, I just remind myself and others of them). Get curious about your patterns. Maybe it’s time to loosen your grip during the week, so you don’t feel the need to go wild on the weekend. Alternatively, experiment with matching your weekend habits to your weekday ones for a set period and see how you feel. The goal isn’t more rules, but more self-awareness, consistency, and kindness to yourself as you figure out what truly works.

Step Five: Tune Out the Wellness Noise

You don’t need to follow every influencer, subscribe to every newsletter, or buy every supplement (honestly, we need only a few supplements if our nutrition is dialed in). Pick a few trusted sources (bonus points if they’re grounded in real science or real-life experience) and let the rest go. If something feels too extreme or too good to be true, it probably is.

If you want the simple formula for figuring out what to eat for your goals, email me. It’s not hard. What is hard is interrupting old patterns (and implementing new ones). Simple is not always easy.

Step Six: Give Yourself Grace

You’re not a robot. Life in Jupiter Farms is busy, complex, and sometimes a little wild, kind of like trying to make a left turn out of the Publix parking lot without a major incident. Some days you’ll nail your nutrition, and other days you might end up eating ice cream for dinner. That’s okay. Health isn’t about being perfect or doing everything right. It’s about building a life you enjoy, one choice at a time.

A few months ago, I mentioned that most of us eat about 21 meals a week. What if 17 of those meals were mostly whole foods instead of packaged stuff? It might take a little extra thought at first, but give it a try. Soon enough, it can start to feel like second nature.

Final Thought

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by wellness advice, or by the latest neighborhood debate, know you’re in good company. The best thing you can do is start with one small, meaningful step, and keep going, even (especially) when it feels imperfect. And remember, approach every step with curiosity.

If you want help sorting through the noise, or just want to talk about what’s working (or not!) for you, my inbox is always open: [email protected]. Here’s to a season of less overwhelm, more joy, and finding your own version of healthy, whatever that looks like for you.

Be well, Jupiter Farms family!