The 28-Day Midlife Experiment: Can Small Changes Really Make a Difference?

I recently decided to spend 28 days eating fewer carbohydrates, less sugar and more quality protein. Not because I am chasing the perfect body. Not because I believe in miracle diets. But because I am curious.

At 61, after menopause, breast cancer treatment and learning to rebuild my strength in the gym, I have become far more interested in feeling healthy than simply being lighter. I want to know whether a few small, sustainable changes can make a noticeable difference. As I prepared for my little experiment, however, I made a rather startling discovery. Not only did I have four packets of Liquorice All Sorts hidden around the house, but one of my actual passwords contained the word "allsorts".

It was at that exact moment I realised I might have a problem.

The Great Rusk Crisis

On the very first morning of my experiment, I stood in my kitchen with a steaming cup of coffee in one hand... and no rusk. If you are not from South Africa, let me explain. A rusk is a hard, twice-baked biscuit that you traditionally dunk into your tea or coffee. It is one of life's ultimate simple pleasures. I never imagined that skipping my morning rusk would feel like such a heartbreaking deal.

Instead, I reached for a bowl of Greek yoghurt. Let us just say it was not quite the same.

But that little moment in the kitchen taught me my very first lesson. This experiment is not really about sugar or carbohydrates. It is really about habits.

The Autopilot Trap

For years, my mornings have started with coffee and a rusk or two. In the evenings, my husband and I settle down to watch television and, almost without thinking, my sweet tooth arrives right on cue. The funny thing is, I am not even hungry. It has simply become part of my daily routine.

We often hear that we are creatures of habit, but we do not truly appreciate just how much of our lives runs on autopilot. Coffee becomes linked to a rusk. Television becomes linked to something sweet. Before we know it, these little routines quietly become part of who we are.

Why I Am Doing This (At 61)

So, for the next 28 days, I am running a small experiment. I am not doing this to lose a massive amount of weight. I am definitely not searching for a miracle diet or striving for perfection. I am far more interested in feeling healthy, energetic and strong than chasing an unrealistic number on the scale.

I have already worked hard to build some wonderful habits. Exercise is a regular part of my life now. In fact, on the first day of this experiment, I completed an hour of strength training, 30 minutes on the StairMaster and an hour of incline walking on the treadmill. My current VO₂ Max is 38.

This experiment is not about exercising more. It is about discovering whether better fuel can support all the hard work I am already putting into my body.

Keeping It Real

To keep myself accountable, I will be sharing an update here every Friday. I promise to share the victories, the frustrations, the cravings and the honest results.

These numbers are not here because I am obsessed with the scales. They are simply my starting point. Over the next four weeks, I am curious to see what changes, not just on paper, but in how I feel.

Here is where I am starting:

• Age: 61

• Height: 1.65 m

• Starting Weight: 60.4 kg

• Waist: 71 cm

• Hips: 97 cm

• Right thigh: 54 cm

• Right upper arm: 30 cm

• VO₂ Max: 38

  
  

I suspect my biggest challenge will not be giving up bread or potatoes. It will be changing the familiar, comforting routines that quietly soothe us without us even noticing.

Perhaps the biggest change will not be the number on the scale at all. Perhaps it will be discovering that small, consistent choices really can become new habits. And who knows... maybe those Liquorice All Sorts will actually stay hidden!

Whether this experiment changes my weight by half a kilogram or five kilograms is not really the point. What I hope to discover is whether small, sustainable changes, repeated day after day, can lead to lasting results.

If you are also trying to make healthier choices in midlife, I would love you to join me. Let us find out together what happens when we stop chasing perfection and simply focus on making one better choice at a time.

💌 Before You Go

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— Frannie ☕

I would love to hear from you! What is your own version of the "morning rusk"? What is that one comforting little habit that your day automatically runs on without you even thinking about it? Let me know in the comments below!