The Dana Lee Project

07/19/2026

This one is for my ladies going through the challenge of navigating peri/menopause symptoms.

I'm excited to explore HRT together on ZOOM with Nurse Cris.

Nurse Cris Amato is the Nurse Practitioner that I am working with to help me balance my perimenopause symptoms vs what my blood work says about my estrogen, progesterone and testosterone levels (and more!). It can be A LOT to understand, and every single woman is not only different, but also at various stages of this major life transition, so how do you put it all together for YOU?

She was in-studio last month to deliver this very presentation for all of us and I received such a positive response from it, that both Nurse Cris & I wanted to extend it to those who weren't able to make it on that day, in person - and maybe even get to invite and share it with a friend, sister, or family member who might be interested in getting a holistic point of view on the subject.

When is it? Wednesday, July 22nd at 7pm & there will be plenty of time for Q & A afterwards too.

Register here:

This free live Empowered Midlife Webinar, sponsored by the Dana Lee Project, features Nurse Cris Amato from Grace Concierge.

06/18/2026

Twenty years ago, Steve and I stood on a beach in the Bahamas and got married.

We had 21 of our closest friends and family with us... including my VERY pregnant sister! We chose an extended weekend at the all-inclusive Radisson Hotel, which sat across from Atlantis on Cable Beach.

We were young, excited, and had absolutely no idea what the next two decades would hold.... nor did we care. I knew I wanted to marry Steve by our 2nd date!

Fast forward to 2026.

To celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary and my 50th birthday, we booked a 4-day cruise on the MSC Seashore and stayed in the Yacht Club with two of our favorite adventure buddies, Dave and Brittany.

One mission became clear:

Find the exact stretch of beach where we got married and recreate one of our wedding photos.

The challenge? The Radisson is long gone. In its place stands the massive Baha Mar resort. Fortunately, Dave had been there before and helped us piece together the clues from our original wedding photos. We studied landmarks in the background, made a plan, and set out on our little anniversary treasure hunt.

Mission accomplished!

Twenty years later, we found the spot.

Standing there together brought back so many memories. The years have added a few wrinkles, a whole lotta stories, and countless adventures, but somehow that photo felt familiar in the best possible way.

C'mon now...

How cute are we? 😍

[side note: my mom made my wedding dress]

And can we talk about that water? 🩵

No filter. No editing. Just the most unreal shades of blue and turquoise I've ever seen.

The entire trip was a blast. Flying first class while still putting my trusty Coffee Carry-On to work. Exploring the Yacht Club. Spending a perfect day on Ocean Cay. Laughing with our friends. Celebrating a marriage that has carried us through two decades of living our best life, even in times when we had no heat or hot water…. We had us. And that has clearly stood the test of time. 🥰

Here's to 20 years, 50 years, great friends, big adventures, and never passing up an opportunity to recreate an old photo when life gives you the chance.

06/15/2026

If you are on a GLP-1 or have heard about the pill version that is about to hit the market, this video is a MUST WATCH because doctors and providers are not explaining the bigger picture as to what is happening metabolically in the body without adequate protein intake per meal PLUS lifting 2-3x a week (walking, pilates, and yoga is awesome! But, not the same in regards to feeding muscle tissue)

It is quite possible for your body to be WORSE OFF metabolically after losing significant weight.

Side note: You may have heard me say this to you- “weight loss” is a flawed term.

1. “Weight” - we DO NOT want to lose weight. We do want to “lose” fat. Visceral (around the organs) + subcutaneous (under the skin). We want to hold onto muscle & bone, and BUILD it.

2. “Loss” - the word loss implies that it is seeking to be found. Like, you lost your car keys and you want to find them. So if you experience the roller coaster gain… loss… gain more… loss… Try changing your word choice.

It’s more appropriate and accurate to say “release body fat.” Or “let go of body fat.”

There’s no shame in exploring your options ❤️ I just want you to be informed.

Also, it needs to be said (he does not discuss this part in the video) neither the shot nor the pill addresses the mental and emotional reasons for overeating.

I offer both of these support systems if you do decide to go this route. Just send me a DM or and I’d be happy to talk more about the big picture, long term plan with you.

Click to watch on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/hapsXPhYyFw?is=ay-0hFQGn_EZaSYi

06/10/2026

I turned 50 on Saturday 🥳 and had an incredible day celebrating with the person I wanted to spend it with most - My husband, Steve.

I’m not much into parties or grand gestures where I am the center of attention, and everyone close to me knows this: Don’t EVER throw a party for me. Luckily Steve feels the same way.

I much prefer things on the quieter side. After all, I am celebrating myself, in my own way that’s meaningful to ME which includes contemplations on thoughts, perspectives, and reflections - so getting out on our motorcycles exploring some great food spots and being able to talk to each other through our intercoms for our first ride of the season couldn’t have been more perfect for me.

Truly, an ideal day.

Even though we have been riding together for 12 seasons now and maybe that makes it nothing special. But, to us, it is.

It’s in the regular, average stuff we do together that has built us this beautiful life we have.

I don’t give AF how cheesy this sounds, but it really didn’t matter to me WHAT exactly we did on my birthday. If the weather was crappy we would have found something else to do and that would have been a different adventure with a different story attached to it. What mattered to me is that I was with Steve for my birthday.

I didn’t have expectations of the particular day I turned 50.

Not because I am afraid of being disappointed - not at all. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. I am really good at making the most of pretty-much anything in front of me. I can roll with it because I know I can create the memory of what I want to hold in my mind. I decide what perspective I want to take away.

When we pushed the bikes out of the garage, geared up, helmets on and ready to head out, Steve’s bike wouldn’t start.

Even though he made sure that the batteries in both our bikes were charged ahead of time, knowing we planned to take em out for the first time after sitting all winter.

So, he jumped it and took the jump box with us in case it wouldn’t start back up after our stops on our little restaurant tour.

This was my idea:
🍤 Apps at the Mountain House right on the water.
🥗 Dinner overlooking a lake somewhere
🍦 Ice cream at sunset, maybe coordinating with some friends if possible.

That was the plan. 🏍️🏍️

Fun, right?

Well, as soon as we pulled into the Mountain House parking lot & shut off the bikes, he immediately tried to start up again and… nothin’. DEAD.

The fact that we had to stop at Advance Auto Parts to change out his battery while on my birthday ride or that we had to cut it short after dinner because a MASSIVE storm was about to roll through (hence the squinty faces 👇 because my hair was whipping around & getting into my husband's eye balls 😂) was actually part of what makes my life so amazing.

I don’t put all this energy and expectation into ONE particular day being a certain way. I am here for it! The key chain for my bike key literally says “adventure awaits” That includes batteries dying and needing to figure out and problem solve. These things happen and what it demonstrates to me is that I have become the person who can handle it, whether that’s on my birthday or not.

I feel SO GOOD about my age and who I have become to get here.

I’m fu***ng proud of hitting this milestone and looking back, part of what makes it, is that I’m a girl who FU***NG WENT FOR IT! I have zero regrets. No wishing, wondering or dreaming “what if…”

This path has definitely come with a lot of losses along the way, but because I just kept going anyway - while getting better and better at listening to my gut and intuition - I am now reaping the benefits of living a life I feel really good about in a body that can carry me through all of it. I mean - I just curled 35 pound dumbbells in my workout last week. 💪🏼💪🏼 Like… whaaaa?! The human body never ceases to amazes me when given the proper environment, inside and out, to thrive. (Menopause INCLUDED!)

Since I do take really good care of myself, this next decade (and beyond) is incredibly exciting for me to think about.

I’ve got so much good stuff going on in my businesses (currently have 3 of them! Unrelated to one another) and in my life, including such incredible relationships - my family, friendships, and especially the one with my sister.

Which btw, we didn’t take even one picture when her & I were celebrating together on Sunday 😆 which is very typical for both of us and neither of us really care to change that (for those into Human Design, we are BOTH Manifestors and also introverts lol), the day was for US anyway and we loved it. And that's all that matters. 🥰

06/09/2026

RIP Gilad Janklowicz 💔

Before I ever became a trainer… before group fitness classes, studios, certifications, and certainly long before coaching women through midlife n menopause… there was little ol me, half awake in the early morning hours before high school, working out in my bedroom with Gilad on cable TV. My friends thought I was nuts. But wow - look at where it started … and how it’s going! 🤯

There’s something really special about realizing a person you never actually met was part of shaping the direction of your life.

Last year I wrote a post talking about those early morning workouts and one of my clients surprised me with this throwback tank top. I remember laughing when I opened it because it instantly brought me back to those days and it warmed my heart. Now it feels even more meaningful. Thank you Jen! 🥹

What a legacy to leave behind — getting people moving, building confidence, and becoming part of so many of our stories without even knowing it.

Rest easy, Gilad. ❤️

05/21/2026

Ladies… we need to talk about sneezing.

Somewhere along the way, women collectively decided that crossing our legs while sneezing, peeing “just in case,” avoiding jumping at all costs, and pretending pelvic pain is normal was simply part of adulthood.

Respectfully… NO. 😂

Melissa Morgan, OTR/L, CFPHP, TIPHP and I are hosting a live Zoom session all about pelvic floor health and I promise this conversation is going to be equal parts eye-opening, helpful, and incredibly validating.

We’re talking about things women whisper about in parking lots after workouts:
• leaking
• urgency
• constipation
• prolapse
• painful in*******se
• core weakness
• postpartum recovery
• pelvic pain
• and why your body might feel disconnected even when you’re “doing all the right things”

You’ll learn practical tools that actually fit into real life such as breathing, posture, pressure management, relaxation strategies, strengthening exercises, and ways to support your core + pelvic floor without fear or confusion.

And honestly? One of the best parts of attending LIVE is being able to ask the questions women usually keep to themselves.

No shame. No awkwardness. No pretending everything is fine while secretly mapping every bathroom location from Target to Starbucks just trying to run weekend errands.

The replay will be available for a limited time only to those who register, in case you can’t make it live. But the live conversation is where the magic happens!

Come hang out with us.... Your pelvic floor would like a word.

Tuesday, May 26th
3pm ET / 12pm PT
90 minutes
Location: Zoom (link will be sent the day of)

Comment “respectfully NO” 😂 below and I will get you the registration link. 👇

05/19/2026

Last week I had a private call with a client where we had one of those smaller conversations inside a bigger conversation that kind of stuck with me afterward.

And honestly, this is exactly why I think spaces like the MidLife Evolution Society are so important for us. Because sometimes these little moments, these reflections, these tiny pieces of wisdom that come up in real life conversations… they’re worth sharing and talking about while they’re fresh.

We somehow got onto the topic of overexplaining.

You know, when you make a decision and then suddenly you find yourself in this weird defensive energy explaining why you’re doing the thing you’re doing?

And I asked her, “Do you think you’re explaining because you actually don’t fully trust your own decision yet? Or is the other person not even asking you to explain and you’re just volunteering all of it?”

And we both kind of sat with that for a minute.

Because I’ve definitely caught myself doing this too.

I was sharing with her how over the last year or two I’ve become way more self-reflective around moments where I notice myself explaining things when nobody even asked.

A real example of this was when I decided to finally learn Facebook ads.

Which honestly felt terrifying to me because that is SO not how my brain works. I joke around all the time that I have no idea how I’ve had an online business this long while being as non-techy as I am. Like… I’m super basic. 😂

But I had this bigger vision in me. I wanted to reach more women. I wanted women who were searching for another answer to be able to find me.

Not another diet.
Not another round of shame.
Not another place where they feel like they are failures.

So I decided to do the harder thing and learn Facebook ads and campaigns and all the stuff that felt intimidating and overwhelming to me.

And what’s interesting is that when I talked about it with people, I noticed I was explaining myself a LOT.

Meanwhile… nobody was even giving me pushback.

People were basically like, “Okay Dana, sounds great.”

But I was still over-explaining.

And that really taught me something.

Because now when I catch myself explaining something that nobody even questioned, I pause and ask myself if maybe I’m not fully rooted in my own intuition yet.

As in… did I actually make this decision from a deep place of knowing it was the right direction?

Or am I still looking outside myself a little bit?

And the other thing I think is worth talking about is how exhausting over-explaining can be.

Because if you’re constantly feeling like you need to explain yourself to family… explain yourself at work… explain your boundaries… explain your choices… that’s an energy leak.

And interestingly enough, the very first thing she said to me when we got on the call was:

“Dana, I’m so tired.”

This is part of why.

It takes energy to constantly feel like you need to prove yourself, defend yourself, soften yourself, justify yourself.

And lately, the more I trust myself, the less explaining I do.

Not because I’m closed off or because I don’t care or I just want to be a bitch.

No - It just feels like I’m leaning more into my own feeling of certainty.

And honestly… it feels really good. Quieter and more peaceful inside.

So this has definitely been something I’m sitting with lately:

Where am I explaining myself when I don’t actually need to?

Where am I leaking energy?

Where can I reel it back in and trust myself more?

I think there’s something really important for us there.

05/17/2026

FREE ONLINE WORKSHOP:
Pelvic Reset with Melissa Morgan

Tuesday, May 26th
3pm / 90 minutes
Location: Zoom

Most women were never taught how their pelvic floor actually works — which is why so many silently deal with leaking, urgency, pelvic pain, constipation, prolapse symptoms, painful in*******se, or feeling disconnected from their core.

Join Dana Lee + Melissa Morgan, OTR/L, CFPHP, TIPHP for a supportive online workshop designed to help you better understand your body, improve pelvic floor + core function, and feel more confident in movement, exercise, and everyday life.

You’ll learn practical tools for breathing, posture, pressure management, relaxation, strengthening, and pelvic floor coordination through a whole-body approach that actually makes sense.

Attend live to ask questions in a safe, supportive environment. Replay included for all who register.

If you are part of The MidLife Evolution Society, you are automatically registered and the replay will live in the member portal for you.

Register here:

Join Dana Lee + Melissa Morgan, OTR/L, CFPHP, TIPHP for a supportive online workshop designed to help you better understand your body, improve pelvic floor + core function, and feel more confident in movement, exercise, and everyday life.

05/14/2026

Lately I’ve been noticing changing dynamics in friendships.

Not dramatic falling-outs. Not necessarily conflict. I am just becoming more aware.

I had two different experiences fairly recently with women I’ve known for years (from completely different parts of my life) where I walked away realizing something felt different. In both situations, the conversation was almost entirely centered around them for hours. And I found myself sitting there observing it in real time thinking, this is interesting.

Not from a place of harsh judgment either.

I genuinely care about these women. I want to hear about their lives. Their kids. Their marriages. Their work. Their stories matter to me.

But I also noticed there wasn’t much curiosity about mine.

And I started wondering:...Was it always this way and I’m only now noticing it? Or am I changing?

Because when you start doing deeper work on yourself, you become more aware of your needs. I mean, that really is the whole point - getting your needs met after spending most of your life sacrificing them (or... let's be honest, not even acknowledging them in the first place). You start recognizing what drains your energy and what actually feels nourishing. You start paying attention to reciprocity. Ease. Presence. Genuine interest. Mutual care.

One of my friends actually surprised me in the best way. A few days later she messaged me and apologized on her own. She recognized she had been dominating conversations lately because of social anxiety. We ended up having a really meaningful exchange about it, and the next time we got together everything felt easy again, like we hadn’t skipped a beat.

The other situation didn’t resolve that way. And maybe it won’t. That's ok. I don't have expectations about it.

Some interactions with certain friends just become fewer and farther between.

And I don’t even mean that in a sad or bitter way. I think friendships evolve the same way we do. Some are for a season. Some deepen. Some slowly drift. Some require grieving even when nobody did anything wrong.

I’m also realizing social media probably changes some of this too. People feel caught up on my life because they watched my vacation highlights or saw my anniversary post, so maybe they don’t think to ask me deeper questions anymore.

I don’t know for sure.

What I do know is this: The older I get, the more I value quality over quantity in every area of my life. Friendship included.

I’d rather have a handful of friends where there’s mutual effort, thoughtful check-ins, easy conversation, and genuine care than constantly trying to force connection where it no longer fits naturally.

Some of the friendships I value most at this stage of my life feel easeful, yet have a conscious effort both of us want to - and do - make.

And I think that’s the difference for me now.

I am grateful for this level of awareness and also, for not feeling bad admitting to myself when a friendship (or relationship in general) has run its course.

Time and energy are too precious at this stage of the game. Don't you agree?

A more thorough and thoughtful conversation about how we navigate it together as women found in the comments.

05/10/2026

Happy Mother’s Day to all the mamas in here! 💕 Wishing you a beautiful day 🌿

Although I do not have children myself, I am honored to be a place where moms can come to plug back into themselves.

To get grounded, recharge and get what is needed when the rest of the world is pulling at you 10 different ways from Tuesday. Our little studio is such a sanctuary like that. ❤️‍🩹

Yes, we workout, but as you are well aware, it's far greater than that. People ask me about it, and it's not something to put into words, only something to experience.
You can come and be yourself.
Wearing makeup or not.
Being in a good mood or not.
Nothing to hold together, take charge of or to perform.
Nothing is demanded of you (except for planks lol) and the biggest decisions you have to make are which dumbbell you're gonna pick up that day or what station you want to start at.

You make enough decisions for your life and your family day in and day out, often sacrificing your own needs in the process, I am a place you can come to lean on, knowing I look out for your best interests and I am someone to help make good decisions WITH you, and sometimes for you - like what exercises to put together in what order and why.

*breathes a sigh of relief for something important you can check off your list ✔️*

But tides are changing 🌊 putting everyone else's needs before your own all the time is wearing you down in undeniable ways that can no longer be ignored. And especially after my menopause certification I can draw clear and distinct parallels in the hormonal waves and shifts happening inside our bodies as we are opening our eyes and being honest about angry feelings to finally say "ENOUGH." Drawing lines and healthy boundaries maybe for the first time ever in your life.

This is uncharted territory and it's sure to p**s some people off.

Some call that menopause, I call it a catalyst for our own personal evolution. The tide shifting is inevitable. You are indeed meant for more. But not in the "doing" sense of the word.

There was a YouTube video I did awhile back with Mandy where she asked me,

"after being a fitness professional for 30 years, what is ONE THING everyone should be doing on a daily basis to dramatically improve their health?"

My answer?

Not "drink water."
Not "get proper sleep."
Not "focus on getting enough protein."
Not even "strength train!"

My answer without hesitation -

"Pay attention to the quality of your thoughts and emotions because they DRIVE all of the physical stuff happening or not happening in your body and your life."

It's one thing you can do that makes everything else in your life easier.

However, I completely recognize that changing your thinking is not easy, not easy at all. It takes repetition, just like your glutes.

Wanna grow your peach? 🍑 Ya gotta commit to consistent glute strengthening actions.

Same goes for the mind. What you feed it daily, consistently, MATTERS.

You trust me to create new workout programs every 6 weeks (online livestreams + in studio programming), now I have the main "thinking" driver handled too -

It’s called The MidLife Evolution Society and although I am only 1 week + 2 group zoom conversations in, my heart is so freakin' full! The women have already shared how much they feel heard, supported, understood and already getting major behavioral breakthroughs. Just by listening and talking. That's it.

No, I am not a therapist. But, I have figured out what women want and more importantly, I give them what they NEED. That's my job as a trainer. That's my job as the leader of my community. It's my responsibility. And much like motherhood, I understand the assignment.

Enroll in The MidLife Evolution Society TODAY 🌊 Register here:
https://www.realfit.tv/offers/SssGvvnM/checkout

It’s honestly and truly one of the best gifts you can give yourself as a mother 💕 This is the mental and emotional health support I always dreamt of creating (in addition to physical well-being) for my community... and it's finally all coming together 💞 The Dana Lee Project winning combination and I'm just not gonna be shy about it - I want you to benefit from being in the M.E. Society!

See you in there. ❤️‍🔥