😌 What Does it Mean to be “Well”?

The term “health and wellness” gets tossed around a lot. Heck “wellness” is an entire billion dollar industry these days. While I’d say we have a pretty good idea of what it means to be healthy, it’s harder to pin down what it really means to be “well”? Now a global study published in Nature Mental Health led by Adelaide University and Be Well Co has attempted to answer just that.

After surveying 122 experts around the world across 11 disciplines, including economics, medicine, psychiatry, psychology, public health, sociology, and theology, the researchers came to near‑unanimous agreement (90%+ consensus) on six factors that are essential to positive mental health:

Meaning and purpose – feeling life is worthwhile and goal‑directed
Life satisfaction – overall evaluation that your life is good
Self‑acceptance – positive and non‑judgemental view of self
Connection – close, caring relationships with others
Autonomy – feeling in control of choices and self‑expression
Happiness – frequent positive mood and cheerfulness

Their ultimate goal is for the definition to inform how mental wellbeing is measured, supported, and promoted across healthcare, workplaces, and public policy. (Though I’m going to guess anything still goes on the internet…)

“By agreeing that positive mental health isn’t a single feeling, but a combination of how we feel, how we function and how we connect with others, the study brings much‑needed clarity to the field,” said Adelaide University researcher Dr Matthew Iasiello in a press release.

“For too long, mental wellbeing has been defined in different ways across research, healthcare and government, making it almost impossible to compare evidence or design effective policy,” he said. “Imagine if there were 150 different ways of measuring blood pressure – the results would be meaningless. That’s why it’s important to agree on what positive mental health is, and what it isn’t.”

What does this mean on an individual level? Being “well” like being “healthy” is a multi-factorial system. It’s not all about “am I happy?” though that’s a factor. It’s something you can work on from many angles to achieve a positive result.

Though neither the study nor the news release said this specifically, looking at the list, it also feels like if you start at the top and work your way through the other five, you’re more likely to feel positive moods. It’s also a reminder that you can “train” for your life like you train for events, taking deliberate steps to invest in factors like connection, purpose, self-acceptance, and autonomy. Because being healthy is really just half the equation.

👀What Caught My Eye

Our thinking of what is “aerobic” or “anaerobic” exercise was just upended by a systematic research review that found that the point at which the body switches over to an “aerobic” (meaning, as the name suggests, using oxygen) energy system is much sooner than you (and millions of others) probably think–roughly 75 to 80 seconds of max effort.

To give the full picture: you have different energy systems that work together to meet the demands of exercise. Most of us have learned that short sprints and brief hard efforts are anaerobic (without oxygen) and that longer efforts–your typical runs, rides, etc.--are aerobic. That working definition changes if we’re leaning into the aerobic system before we hit the 90 second mark. This also explains why athletes who develop an aerobic base have better results during activities like CrossFit or circuit weight training. It’s all more “hybrid” than we think.

Support Your Gut Health With Fiber

When people talk about energy, recovery, and performance, they usually jump straight to training, protein, or supplements. But one of the most overlooked pieces is gut health. If your gut is not dialed, everything else struggles to work the way it should. That is where Momentous Fiber+ comes in.

Momentous Fiber+ is a complete, 3-in-1 formula with soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, and a prebiotic resistant starch. This combination is designed to support gut health from start to finish by feeding beneficial gut bacteria, improving digestion, and helping stabilize blood sugar for steady energy without spikes or crashes.

Shop here and use code 40PLUS at checkout to get up to 35% off your first order!

🔥Badass Athlete of the Week Goes To…

It’s been fun to watch legendary runner and Boston Marathon champ Des Linden take on new challenges–most notably of late the notoriously brutal Marathon des Sables (MdS), often dubbed the toughest footrace on Earth, covering 168 miles over six stages in the unforgiving, broiling hot, sandstorm ridden landscape of the Moroccan Saraha.

Des earned a 3rd place podium spot in her first go a few weeks ago with a cumulative time of 30:16:32–an incredible feat considering you have to carry all of your food, sleeping kit, and safety gear and this was just her second trail marathon ever.

Oh, and not for nothing, but just a little over a week after finishing this feat, Des ran a 2:35:49 at the Boston Marathon, which qualifies her for the 2028 US Olympic Marathon Trials. Incredible!

Can’t wait to see what you do next, Des!

👉Want a chance to be featured? Click here to share your badass story

Join the Grand Traverse Training Program

An adventure on one of the most beautiful trails in the country, with a group of women who get it. Choose your distance, choose your locomotion, and let's get after it together.

The Grand Traverse takes place on the Superior Hiking Trail near Duluth, MN — and in early October, surrounded by fall color and like-minded women, it's genuinely unforgettable. Whether you want to hike 10 miles with friends or take on a 27-mile trail run, we'll get you ready and be right there with you on race day.

This is a virtual training program that brings you together with a team of women working toward the same event — then culminates in an in-person adventure weekend in Duluth on October 3

👩🏻‍💻 Hit Play Research Round Up

We spend a lot of time scouring the latest research for news you can use to stay strong and feisty forever. Here’s what’s making waves this week:

🧠 Being optimistic is linked to a 15% reduced risk in dementia, according to a recent study of nearly 9,100 people. The researchers can’t say whether fostering a sunnier outlook can definitely protect your brain, but it sure can’t hurt.

🫘 A higher intake of plant protein is associated with a reduced risk of overall and specific cancers, including lung, renal, and colorectal cancer, according to a prospective cohort study including more than 192,000 adults in the UK. Those eating the most plant protein had a 9% reduction in overall cancer risk, a 14% lower risk of lung cancer, a 31% lower risk of renal cancer, and an 11% lower risk of colorectal cancer. Each 10% increase in the ratio of plant protein to total daily protein was associated with a 3% lower overall cancer risk. It’s an observational study, so can’t prove causality, but it’s fair to say plant protein is good for your health.

🦴 Low bone density is linked to higher death risk, according to a study of nearly 3,000 postmenopausal women. Lower femoral bone mineral density—especially in the osteoporotic range—was associated with about a 47% higher risk of death over time, suggesting femoral BMD is a marker of overall health, not ‘just’ fracture risk. Because this is observational, it can’t prove that boosting BMD directly prolongs life, but it reinforces the value of early screening plus basics like bone-building nutrition, regular resistance and impact exercise, and considering hormone therapy when appropriate.

What's On My Mind...

Femtech. The industry has caught on to the fact that most of the first generation wearable tech was built on male data and design. Brands like Oura were quick to adjust and from what I can see, we’re about to see a lot more following suit. The future of tech is definitely female.

Listen to this week's episode of Hit Play Not Pause - Mindset Mastery for Midlife Athletes with Sonya Looney.

Feisty 40+ is written by Selene Yeager. Editing and ads by Ella Neumann.

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