The Forties Formula – Details, episodes & analysis

Is your 40s a crisis… or the most powerful reset of your life?

In this milestone Episode 100 of The 40s Formula, we flip the script and answer the question we’ve asked every guest: What actually works in your forties? After 100 episodes and countless expert insights, we distill everything into one clear roadmap: the Body Fix, the Mind Fix, and the Life Fix.

We cut through diet culture, burnout, people-pleasing, and overwhelm to focus on what really builds strength, resilience, and clarity in this decade. If you’re tired of doing too much of the wrong things and ready to refine what truly matters, this episode is your ultimate cheat sheet.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 – Episode Snippet

01:16 – Episode 100: The 40s Formula (Body, Mind, Life)

02:44 – The Body Fix: Muscle over weight

03:59 – Breaking free from diet culture

06:33 – Protein, nutrition, and muscle basics

07:37 – Sponsor Break: The Meat Club

08:36 – Hormones in your 40s: What’s really happening

10:36 – The full picture: Sleep, stress, lifestyle

12:09 – The Mind Fix: Burnout, boundaries, and rebranding “busy”

13:52 – Sponsor Break: Cozy Earth

16:56 – Peace, presence, and expression

19:20 – Connection over loneliness

20:57 – Sponsor Break: Love, Indus

22:02 – Movement as medicine

24:10 – The Life Fix: Edit and curate your life

25:26 – Friendship in your 40s: Quality over quantity

27:01 – Micro-bravery and small wins

28:11 – Pivots, health scares, and reinvention

30:07 – Rethinking alcohol and boundaries

32:35 – The big question: Body, Mind, or Life?

👩‍❤️‍👩 ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Jasmin Dhillon (@eat.with.jasmin) is an Integrated Health Strategist dedicated to helping women navigate their wellness journey with clarity.

Amanda Lim (@coachamandalim) is a certified Women’s Health Coach and nutritionist passionate about strength and vitality.

Together, they are the voices behind The Forties Formula, your destination for unfiltered conversations about thriving in your 40s and beyond.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

🥩 The Meat Club – Get $20 off with code TFF20

🛏️ Cozy Earth – Sleep comfortably with soft bamboo sheets and cozy pajamas. Use code TFF for 41% off. Free shipping in Singapore over $560 and in the US over $50.

❤️ Love, Indus: Get 21% off luxury skincare with code TFF

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Stay Connected:

📩 Join our mailing list for exclusive content, our weekly Forty Tude newsletter, expert tips, and early access to giveaways!

📘Free Guide — The Forties Formula Ebook: Your simple, honest guide to what’s changing in your 40s — hormones, cravings, energy, strength and more.

Is the "Tiger Mom" approach actually damaging, or is Western parenting too permissive? In this episode of The Forties Formula, we sit down with conscious parenting coach Cornelia Dahinten and Anabel Chew to dismantle the myths surrounding Asian parenting versus Western styles.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 – Episode Snippet

03:38 – Traditional vs Modern Parenting Styles

13:48 – Sponsor Break: Cozy Earth

18:49 – What “Tiger Mom” parenting really means

25:10 – Sponsor Break: Love, Indus

32:14 – Letting kids be kids

42:47 – Fuel Your Forties

43:40 – The 40s Formula: Strong relationships and clarity

🎙️ ABOUT OUR GUEST

CORNELIA DAHINTEN is a parenting educator focused on conscious, relationship-centered parenting. We explore how traditional and modern parenting differ — and why respect, boundaries, and repair matter in raising confident kids.

Connect with Cornelia: @corneliadahinten.familycoach

ANABEL CHEW is a mother and founder of the Tiger Moms Club, a community supporting modern parents. We explore what “tiger mom” parenting really means, how to balance effort and expectations, and how to keep parenting goals centered on the child rather than just outcomes.

Connect with Anabel: @anabel.chew

👩‍❤️‍👩 ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Jasmin Dhillon (@eat.with.jasmin) is an Integrated Health Strategist dedicated to helping women navigate their wellness journey with clarity.

Amanda Lim (@coachamandalim) is a certified Women’s Health Coach and nutritionist passionate about strength and vitality.

Together, they are the voices behind The Forties Formula, your destination for unfiltered conversations about thriving in your 40s and beyond.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

🥩 The Meat Club – Get $20 off with code TFF20

🛏️ Cozy Earth – Sleep comfortably with soft bamboo sheets and cozy pajamas. Use code TFF for 41% off. Free shipping in Singapore over $560 and in the US over $50.

❤️ Love, Indus: Get 21% off luxury skincare with code TFF

______________

Stay Connected:

📩 Join our mailing list for exclusive content, our weekly Forty Tude newsletter, expert tips, and early access to giveaways!

📘Free Guide — The Forties Formula Ebook: Your simple, honest guide to what’s changing in your 40s — hormones, cravings, energy, strength and more.

💇‍♀️“Your hair isn’t just about style; it’s deeply connected to identity, confidence, and the season of life you’re in.”

In this insightful episode of The Forties Formula podcast, hosts Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim sit down with TONI OVENDEN , a seasoned hair expert, educator and Founder of Love Hair HK & SG, to unpack the powerful relationship between hair, hormones, life transitions, and self-expression in your 40s and beyond.

We explore why big life moments like breakups, pregnancy, postpartum, and perimenopause often trigger the urge for drastic hair changes, and when those changes help versus when they hurt. Tony breaks down the science behind hair loss, shedding cycles, postpartum regrowth, and scalp health, while offering grounded advice on how to decide if a transformation is intentional or purely emotional. The conversation also dives into generational beauty trends, confidence, and why working with your hair’s natural patterns matters more than chasing what’s trending.

Tune in to learn how to make hair choices that support your real life, protect your confidence, and evolve with you, not against you. This episode is a must-listen for women who want their hair to feel aligned, healthy, and empowering in this decade and beyond.

Together, they break down:

• Why “age-appropriate” hair is a thing of the past and how personalized choices boost confidence

• How hormones, stress, lifestyle, and climate influence texture, shedding, and frizz

In midlife, hair often becomes a canvas where life’s changes are visibly reflected. Yet, the key to embracing hair in this season of life lies not in following trends or rigid rules but in understanding, caring for, and celebrating what works best for each individual.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 – Episode Snippet

02:26 – Does “age-appropriate” hair still exist?

06:42 – Gray blending vs. permanent color

10:44 – Healthy hair: The foundation of timeless hair

12:09 – Fuel Your Forties: Nutrition, hormones, and hair health

15:48 – Scalp care mistakes to avoid

23:26 – Natural vs. salon-quality products

34:34 – Advertisement: Cozy Earth

35:26 – The “Big Change” Test

37:04 – Identity loss after major life shifts

39:19 – Hair loss science explained

41:46 – Generational aesthetics come and go

45:29 – You know your hair best

47:34 – Hot or Hype: Hair health

51:35 – Styling skills build confidence

52:57 – The 40s Hair Formula: Invest in understanding your hair needs

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

🥩 The Meat Club – Get $20 off with code TFF20

🛏️ Cozy Earth – Sleep comfortably with soft bamboo sheets and cozy pajamas. Use code TFF for 41% off. Free shipping in Singapore over $560 and in the US over $50.

❤️ Love, Indus: Get 21% off luxury skincare with code TFF

______________

📩 Join our mailing list for exclusive content, our weekly Friday FOURPlay newsletter, expert tips, and early access to giveaways!

Free Guide — The Forties Formula Ebook: Your simple, honest guide to what’s changing in your 40s — hormones, cravings, energy, strength and more.

Midlife health, perimenopause symptoms, anxiety, sleep issues, burnout and hormone imbalance — why women in their 40s feel “off” even when tests are normal.

In this episode of The Forties Formula, hosts Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim sit down with Dr Olivia Lesslar to unpack why so many women in their 40s feel like something has shifted in their body — yet struggle to get clear answers.

If you’ve experienced lighter sleep, rising anxiety, unpredictable energy, weight changes, or a sense that your body isn’t responding the way it used to, this conversation connects the dots.

Dr Olivia Lesslar is an Australian medical doctor and an expert in psychoneuroimmunology and longevity medicine. Her work focuses on understanding how stress, hormones, the nervous system, and the immune system interact — particularly when symptoms don’t fit neatly into one diagnosis.

Together, we explore:

• Why “normal” test results don’t always reflect how you feel

• The symptoms women dismiss but shouldn’t

• How perimenopause amplifies stress and reduces resilience • Why your body may be trying to protect you, not work against you

• The impact of modern life on an already overloaded system

• GLP-1 medications, wearables, and the confusion around health trends

• Why self-compassion becomes essential in midlife

Chapters

0:00 Introduction — Why women feel “off” in their 40s

2:00 Why women are under-researched

4:30 When tests are “normal” but symptoms aren’t

8:30 Losing connection to your body and identity

13:00 Your body is trying to protect you 16:00 Ancient biology vs modern life

22:00 GLP-1 medications explained

27:30 Wearables and health anxiety

40:00 HRT and perimenopause conversation

44:00 Why women “fall off” in perimenopause

46:45 Self-compassion and the real shift in midlife

About your hosts

Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach specialising in gut health, hormone balance and nutrition for women in midlife.

Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health coach passionate about helping women build strength, resilience and confidence in their 40s and beyond.

Thank you to our sponsors

The Meat Club Use code TFF20 for $20 off your first order

Love Indus Use code TFF for 21% off

Cozy Earth Use code TFF for 21% off

Subscribe and follow The Forties Formula for more conversations that help you feel better, think clearer and live stronger.

Tags: perimenopause, midlife health, hormone imbalance, womens health 40s, anxiety in women, burnout, fatigue, sleep issues, gut health, longevity, psychoneuroimmunology, stress, nervous system, GLP1, HRT, fitness trackers, muscle health

Struggling with metabolism, belly fat, or low energy in your 40s? Wondering if your protein intake is actually helping — or making things worse? In this episode we unpack how protein influences metabolism, hormones, muscle, and body composition in midlife.

Many women in their 40s are unknowingly under-eating protein, eating it at the wrong times, or relying on “high-protein” marketing that doesn’t actually support muscle health, metabolic health, or fat loss. We explore what’s really happening in your metabolism during perimenopause, why the popular “30g of protein per meal” advice isn’t always a magic fix, and how to eat in a way that works with your changing body.

This conversation is for women navigating perimenopause, stubborn belly fat, energy crashes, and confusing health advice — and who want science-backed insight rather than quick fixes.

🔔 Subscribe for more unfiltered conversations on health, wellness, and thriving in your 40s.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why metabolism often feels “broken” in your 40s — and what’s actually happening

• The truth about genetics vs lifestyle in women’s health

• How protein intake impacts muscle, fat gain, and hormones

• Why many women are under-eating protein without realising it

• Whether “30g of protein per meal” is enough for you

• How protein timing affects energy, strength, and fat loss

• Simple ways to build a metabolism-friendly plate

Chapters

00:00 – Trailer

03:12 – Genetics vs lifestyle: what shapes your health

07:45 – Protein and women’s metabolism in midlife

12:30 – Signs you’re under-eating protein

17:05 – The truth about the “30g protein” rule

22:18 – Protein timing, muscle and belly fat

27:40 – Building a metabolism-friendly plate

33:10 – Protein myths keeping women stuck

38:25 – How to eat for healthy metabolism

43:00 – Easy high-protein ideas for real life

48:15 – Key takeaways

About Our Guest

Associate Professor Reshma Merchant is a geriatric medicine specialist at the National University Hospital Singapore whose research focuses on healthy ageing, muscle loss, and the role of protein and strength in metabolic health.

About Your Hosts

Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist helping women navigate midlife health with clarity and practical strategies.

Amanda Lim is a certified Women’s Health Coach and nutritionist focused on strength, metabolism, and longevity.

Together they host The Forties Formula, a podcast for honest, science-based conversations about health, hormones, and thriving in your 40s and beyond.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors

🥩 The Meat Club – Get $20 off with code TFF20 ❤️ Love, Indus – Get 21% off luxury skincare with code TFF

Stay Connected

📩 Join our mailing list for exclusive content, the weekly Forty Tude newsletter, expert insights, and giveaways.

📘 Free Guide — The Forties Formula Ebook A simple, honest guide to what’s changing in your 40s — hormones, cravings, energy, strength and more.

If this episode helped you rethink how you’re eating in midlife, share it with a friend who keeps saying, “My metabolism just isn’t what it used to be.”

What if the fear you keep avoiding is actually the clearest sign you are meant to grow?

In this episode of The Forties Formula, we sit down with Bhavna Toor to explore the power of conscious choice and why you are only one decision away from a new direction. From leaving a secure corporate career to starting over in a new country, Bhavna shares how choosing courage over comfort reshaped her life and leadership.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 – Episode Snippet

00:17 – Leaning into fear and taking the leap

02:08 – Courage vs fearlessness

10:45 – Sponsor break: Love, Indus

12:20 – Micro steps vs focusing on the gap

15:17 – The bonsai metaphor: How small goals limit growth

18:48 – Manifestation and neuroscience: Why action matters

31:06 – Can women lead without becoming cutthroat

34:57 – From fear to founder: A real transformation story

37:38 – Sponsor break: Cozy Earth

38:47 – Inner critic vs inner coach

40:19 – The power of a supportive outer coach

42:05 – Hot or hype: Vision boards, meditation retreats, soft life

45:56 – The power of pause

48:05 – The 40s as a launch pad, not a finish line

🎙️ ABOUT OUR GUEST

BHAVNA TOOR is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, and Founder & CEO of Shenomics. An award-winning conscious leadership consultant and positive psychology practitioner, she helps women lead with courage and compassion. Bhavna challenges women to rise with clarity, confidence, and alignment.

Connect with Bhavna: @shenomics_com

👩‍❤️‍👩 ABOUT YOUR HOSTS

Jasmin Dhillon (@eat.with.jasmin) is an Integrated Health Strategist dedicated to helping women navigate their wellness journey with clarity.

Amanda Lim (@coachamandalim) is a certified Women’s Health Coach and nutritionist passionate about strength and vitality.

Together, they are the voices behind The Forties Formula, your destination for unfiltered conversations about thriving in your 40s and beyond.

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

🥩 The Meat Club – Get $20 off with code TFF20

🛏️ Cozy Earth – Sleep comfortably with soft bamboo sheets and cozy pajamas. Use code TFF for 41% off. Free shipping in Singapore over $560 and in the US over $50.

❤️ Love, Indus: Get 21% off luxury skincare with code TFF

______________

Stay Connected:

📩 Join our mailing list for exclusive content, our weekly Forty Tude newsletter, expert tips, and early access to giveaways!

📘Free Guide — The Forties Formula Ebook: Your simple, honest guide to what’s changing in your 40s — hormones, cravings, energy, strength and more.

Struggling with weight loss after 40? Perimenopause weight gain, hormonal shifts, and a slower metabolism after 40 make midlife weight loss feel impossible — but it's not just your metabolism. In this clip from The Forties Formula in Focus, Laura Phillips joins Amanda & Jasmin to break down why weight loss for women over 40 requires a completely different approach — and what actually works.

☕ Buy us a coffee — buymeacoffee.com/thefortiesformula

🎧 Watch the full conversation: https://youtu.be/7tUjPyn8Dz8

Or search for Laura Phillips and The Forties Formula wherever you get your podcasts.

keywords

menopause, health, self-empowerment, boundaries, autoimmune, stress management, weight loss, hormonal health, personal responsibility, wellness key topics Menopause and hormonal health Setting boundaries for self-care The role of personal responsibility in health

Takeaways

- You are responsible for 99% of your health problems.

- Boundaries are essential for self-care and health.

- Menopause amplifies your baseline health, so proactive habits matter.

Chapters

00:00 Understanding Perimenopause and Its Impact

02:48 Self-Worth and Body Image

06:11 Setting Boundaries and Taking Responsibility

Have you spent years thinking you're "too emotional," "too lazy," or "just anxious"… only to wonder if it might actually be ADHD?

You're not alone. ADHD in women is massively underdiagnosed — especially for women over 40 who've spent decades masking their symptoms just to keep up. In this episode, clinical psychologist Dr. Emma Waddington breaks down WHY women's ADHD looks so different, how it gets mistaken for anxiety and depression, and what the connection between ADHD and perimenopause really looks like.

If your mind feels like a popcorn machine, if you swing between "meerkat mode" and "sloth mode," or if you've ever whispered "what's wrong with me?" — this conversation will change how you see yourself. If you’ve ever thought, “How can I be this exhausted and still feel like I’m not doing enough?” – this one is for you.

Watch the full episode here: ADHD in Women: Burnout, Perfectionism & the Invisible Struggle https://youtu.be/yFbUU50KDRk

CHAPTERS

0:00 — Why girls learn to hide their ADHD

0:41 — How hyperactivity goes INTERNAL in women

1:21 — The social & emotional toll on teenage girls

1:54 — Perfectionism, piles & rigid coping strategies

2:27 — Why women get diagnosed in their 30s & 40s

3:00 — "What's wrong with me?" — Self-criticism & burnout

6:00 — Is it modern-day overwhelm?

7:08 — The neuroaffirmative approach

9:04 — The ADHD energy crash cycle

🔑 KEY TAKEAWAYS

✅ ADHD in women often looks like anxiety, depression, or burnout — not the "hyperactive boy" stereotype

✅ Masking starts in girlhood and leads to decades of self-blame

✅ Perimenopause can unmask or intensify ADHD symptoms

✅ Your brain isn't broken — it's wired for interest, novelty & challenge

✅ Recognizing the "meerkat and sloth" cycle is the first step to managing your energy

📌 WHO THIS IS FOR

→ Women who suspect they might have undiagnosed ADHD

→ Mums juggling everything and wondering why it feels so much harder for them

→ Women in perimenopause experiencing brain fog, emotional dysregulation, or burnout

→ Anyone who wants to understand the female ADHD experience

📩 Have a story or topic suggestion? DM us on Instagram — we love hearing from you.

☕ If you enjoy these conversations and want to support the show, you can buy us a coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefortiesformula

Dr Emma Waddington is a clinical psychologist with a special interest in ADHD and neurodivergence in women. She supports women who’ve spent years feeling “too much” or “not enough” to finally understand their brains, reduce burnout and build lives that work with – not against – their wiring. https://www.instagram.com/dremmawaddington_/

Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach who helps women move from burnout and survival mode into strength, energy and confidence through training, nutrition and lifestyle.

Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist focused on simplifying health for busy women. She blends nutrition, lifestyle and mindset so you can actually implement change in real life – not just on paper.

Stay Connected https://www.instagram.com/thefortiesformula

#ADHDinWomen #ADHDWomen #ADHDandPerimenopause #UndiagnosedADHD #WomenOver40 #ADHDBurnout #ADHDMasking #EmotionalDysregulation #MentalHealthForWomen #NeurodivergentWomen #TheFortiesFormula #WomensHealth #ADHDAdult #AttentionRegulation #MidlifeWomen

What really happens to a woman’s body, mind, and identity in her 40s?

The answers are rarely discussed openly.

Hosted by Jasmin Dhillon, an Integrated Health Strategist specialising in gut health, hormones and midlife wellbeing, and Amanda Lim, director of Lift Clinic and a leading expert in female strength and metabolism, The Forties Formula explores the real shifts women experience in midlife.

From metabolic health and muscle loss to career transitions, relationships, and redefining purpose, this podcast brings together leading experts, doctors, entrepreneurs and thought leaders to unpack the science and the lived experience of women navigating their 40s and beyond.

Each episode delivers practical insights on health, longevity, mindset and lifestyle so women can better understand their bodies and make informed decisions about how they live, work and age.

If you’re a woman in your late 30s, 40s or 50s wondering why things feel different — and what to do about it — this podcast is for you.

🎧 Search for The Forties Formula wherever you get your podcasts and follow the show so you never miss a new episode.

“Stress isn’t always the culprit; sometimes the problem is literally right under your tongue 👅.”

In this inspiring episode of The Forties Formula podcast, hosts Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim sit down with VERONICA ONG, a nutritionist, bodywork practitioner, and founder of Nourish Naturally and The Holistic Space by Nourish Naturally to uncover a surprising culprit behind fatigue, stress, poor sleep, and midlife discomfort: the jaw.

We explore why women in their 40s are particularly prone to jaw issues, how hormones, posture, and even tongue tension play a role, and why clenching and grinding is more than “just stress.” Veronica shares practical strategies for relief, including jaw and tongue exercises, sleep testing, posture adjustments, and when mouthguards or even Botox can help.

Tune in to learn how something as small as your jaw can have a huge impact on energy, mood, and overall well-being and walk away with actionable tips to reduce pain, restore function, and improve your quality of life. This episode is a must-listen for anyone ready to stop ignoring their jaw and start feeling better from the inside out.

Jaw health is often overlooked, yet it affects so much more than we realize. By paying attention to posture, diet, sleep, and proper exercises, women in their 40s can regain comfort, improve sleep, and maintain a higher quality of life.

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CHAPTERS

00:00 – Episode Snippet

01:31 – Why midlife women experience more jaw pain and tension

04:23 – Hormonal changes and their impact on jaw tightness

07:39 – Tongue ties and their connection to jaw issues

09:04 – TMJ vs TMD: Understanding the difference

12:11 – Why jaw pain is often misdiagnosed

14:06 – Telltale symptoms that shouldn’t be ignored

16:17 – The role of mouth guards

19:19 – What can help relieve the pain and discomfort of TMD?

22:25 – Botox helps but does not treat the root cause

27:27 – Fuel Your Forties

29:06 – Chewing is necessary exercise

30:16 – Childhood Chewing & Teeth Spacing

32:12 – Can face shape change?

33:23 – Hot or Hype: Jaw & Facial Tools

36:47 – Quick relief for jaw & neck pain

38:09 – Understanding the Jaw as a Joint

39:23 – The 40s Formula: Nourish the body and mind

Special Thanks to Our Sponsors:

🥩 The Meat Club – Get $20 off with code TFF20

🛏️ Cozy Earth – Sleep comfortably with soft bamboo sheets and cozy pajamas. Use code TFF for 41% off. Free shipping in Singapore over $560 and in the US over $50.

______________

📩 Join our mailing list for exclusive content, our weekly Friday FOURPlay newsletter, expert tips, and early access to giveaways!

Free Guide — The Forties Formula Ebook: Your simple, honest guide to what’s changing in your 40s — hormones, cravings, energy, strength and more.