Explore every episode of the podcast The Midlife Feast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strong Bones in Menopause with Rebekah Rotstein | 26 oct. 2026 | 00:43:13 | |
October is a full month around here, and I didn't want World Osteoporosis Day to slip by without bringing Rebekah Rotstein back to the table. Rebekah is the founder of Buff Bones, and she has been living with osteoporosis since her diagnosis at 28, so she knows this topic from both sides. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause Inflammation Myths: Sugar, Seed Oils & Pain | 19 oct. 2026 | 00:19:58 | |
This year's World Menopause Day theme is chronic pain in midlife, so I'm following up my conversation with Robyn Kievit NP RD (ep 209) on hormones and joint pain by walking you through the differences between pain and inflammation, and sharing five evidence-based tips for managing pain in midlife and menopause. I also share why I'm cautious about the collagen, turmeric and eggshell membrane supplements filling so many cupboards. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Body Image in Midlife and the GLP-1 Era with Dr. Charlotte Markey | 12 oct. 2026 | 00:36:53 | |
For most of my life, I believed that changing my body was the answer to how I felt in it. As a teenager, after my pregnancies, and again in perimenopause, I was sure that losing weight would finally let me stop thinking about my body. It didn't, and the research tells us I'm far from alone. Episode 109: The Body Acceptance Mistake That’s Keeping You Stuck in the Suck What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause Joint Pain: Estrogen, Hormones & Food Myths | 05 oct. 2026 | 00:45:54 | |
Joint pain, stiffness and those tin man mornings are some of the most common symptoms of menopause, yet they don't get the same air time as hot flashes and mood swings. With World Menopause Day on October 18 focusing on chronic pain this year, I invited Robyn Kievit, NP, RD, CEDS, MSCP, the first dietitian to become a nurse practitioner, to help me unpack what is going on in our joints and muscles. Start your 7-day trial: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial
Episode 142 Non-Hormonal Alternatives to HRT with Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz: What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause and Disordered Eating: A Midlife Reality Check | 24 sept. 2026 | 00:30:12 | |
If you've ever wondered whether your "healthy eating" has started to feel more like anxiety, this episode is for you. This week I'm joined by Jessica Thiefels, host of Nope, That's Not Normal, to talk about disordered eating. That's the wide, often invisible space between a relaxed relationship with food and eating disorders. Jess shares how a restrictive healing protocol in her twenties slowly turned into a decade of rigid eating, and the moment she said out loud, "I think I'm straddling the line." I open up about my own story too, including the food lists I once handed out to my patients. Together we talk about some of the signs to watch for like rigidity, anxiety, and a "cleaner" standard you can never reach. We also get into why midlife is such a vulnerable time: a lifetime of body dissatisfaction meets intense menopause nutrition messaging, and women are praised for the very behaviours that are wearing them down. Jess is hosting the first Disordered Eating Awareness Week, October 19 to 23. I'm on the midlife panel on October 20, and it's free to join. If this conversation stirs something up, please be gentle with yourself. You don't have to figure it out alone. Join Disordered Eating Awareness Week (free): https://disorderedeatingawarenessweek.com Want support?
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Midlife, Body Image, and the Ads that Influenced GenX with Lu Chekowsky. | 21 sept. 2026 | 00:42:50 | |
Most of us can still remember the diet ads from our youth. We can't remember why we walked into the kitchen, but we can remember the jingle. My guest this week is Lu Chekowsky, an Emmy Award winning creative director who spent her career inside the industry, spending time at MTV and Facebook, all while quietly struggling with her own body. Her memoir, Don't Buy What I'm Selling, traces the origin of how those messages shaped her, and how she found her way back out. We talk about the ads that shaped Gen X, what really happens in the room when a campaign gets built, and why Lu says we are outnumbered. She means that as a kindness. If you have ever wondered why the food noise is so loud, and why diet culture is everwhere, this one will explain a lot. Learn more about Lu and where to buy her book at https://www.lchekowsky.com/ Related episodes:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| From Project Manager to Body Partner in Midlife and Menopause | 14 sept. 2026 | 00:21:18 | |
Welcome to a new season of The Midlife Feast! I'm kicking off this season by naming the mindset that might be making things harder: treating your body, midlife, and menopause like an ongoing project to manage. I walk through what that costs, how it shows up in real life, and how we can shift from obsessive optimization to a steadier partnership with our bodies, including:
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And if you've loved today's conversation and found it helpful, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Day 5: The Middle Ground Between Dieting and Giving Up | 01 sept. 2026 | 00:18:28 | |
Welcome to Day 5, the final episode of the Midlife & Menopause Un-Dieting Mini-Series! Over the last four days, we've explored four pillars that can help you build a more trusting, flexible relationship with food: understanding, self-compassion, attunement, and gentle nutrition. But what happens when you put them all together? In this episode, we're looking at the fear that stops many people from letting go of food rules: If I stop dieting, does that mean I stop caring about my health? The answer is no! You'll learn how to use nutrition knowledge without turning it into another set of rules, and how to care for your health without making food a full-time job. Because the alternative to dieting isn't giving up. It's finding a way of eating that actually works for real life. Free support to get you started:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Day 4: Add, Don't Subtract - A Better Way to Think About Menopause Nutrition | 31 août 2026 | 00:10:00 | |
Welcome back to Day 4 of my Midlife and Menopause Un-Dieting series. Yesterday I asked you to sit with one question: what do I want? It's sometimes easier to outsource "what should I eat?" than to honestly ask what you want. Today we add the other half: what do I need? And that's where gentle nutrition comes in. Un-dieting doesn't mean throwing nutrition out the window. It means bringing it in as information, not another set of rules. The trap is that diet culture has made weight loss a proxy for everything, and I firmly believe that your health should not become a full-time job! So we come back to the question of this series: what would taking care of myself look like if I didn't require my body to get smaller in return? That widens the lens. That's what I love about gentle nutrition: instead of asking what to cut out, you get to ask what you can add. Your practice for today: ask what do I want, then add what do I need, and see what happens when you let both into the conversation. Tomorrow is Day 5, where we bring all four pillars together so food and eating feel easier. Because menopause is hard enough. Food shouldn't be! Free support to get you started:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Day 3: What Do You Actually Want? How to Stop Overthinking What to Eat | 30 août 2026 | 00:10:53 | |
Welcome to day 3 of the Midlife & Menopause Un-Dieting Series. If you’ve spent years following food rules, tracking what you eat, or being told you can’t trust yourself around food, “just listen to your body” can feel like a foreign language. In today’s episode, we’re talking about attunement - what it actually means, why your hunger and satisfaction cues may feel hard to hear, and how to start reconnecting with them. I also share a very real-life reminder that capability and capacity are not the same thing, plus a simple 10-second practice to try before your next meal. Free support to get you started:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Day 2: "I Know What to Do, I Just Don't Do It" - Why Diets Fail in Midlife | 29 août 2026 | 00:08:45 | |
Welcome back to Day 2 of my Midlife and Menopause Un-Dieting series. Yesterday we talked about the diet cycle - the plan, the tracking, the promise that this time you'll have more discipline… until life gets lifey and it all falls apart. Today I want to gently blow up the story we tell ourselves next: that we failed because we don't have enough willpower. Here's what I hear all the time: "I know what to do, I just don't do it." And I get it! You do know that protein matters and that eating nothing all day leaves you eating crackers out of the box at 9pm. The problem was never that you don't care enough. The real question is: what are you actually asking yourself to do? In this episode I redefine self-compassion (hint: it's not about being nice to yourself), unpack why all-or-nothing thinking keeps the cycle spinning, and remind you that health does not require perfect eating. Tomorrow: attunement, and how to listen to your body without turning intuitive eating into another set of rules. Free support to get you started:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Day 1 - How to Un-Diet in Midlife and Menopause | 28 août 2026 | 00:09:20 | |
Half a million downloads. I'm still a little speechless! To celebrate, I'm doing a five-day un-dieting mini-series, and Day 1 starts with the one question I want you to carry into every episode: What would taking care of myself look like if I didn't require my body to get smaller in return? In this short episode I explain why un-dieting isn't the same as "not dieting." Un-dieting is unlearning, letting go of the default programming that says your body has to shrink in exchange for eating a vegetable, moving your body, or adding more protein to your plate. I walk you through the diet cycle I see so many of us stuck in, why it stops working, and how even "weight-neutral" goals can quietly pull you right back in. No download or signup required, just a few minutes a day for the next 5 days.
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Oatmeal, Overthinking, and Why Food Feels So Complicated in Menopause | 01 juil. 2026 | 00:27:20 | |
This is the 200th episode and the season finale, and I'm closing out the season by defending the most controversial breakfast on the internet: oatmeal. I'm only half joking. Yes, I answer all of your oatmeal questions in this episode. Steel cut versus rolled, how to add protein, cooked versus overnight, and whether it deserves its reputation as a heart-healthy food. But the real conversation is about something bigger. If a humble bowl of oatmeal can make us anxious, then we have some food noise to untangle. I share why so many of us are overcomplicating food and what information overload does to our confidence. My hope is that you finish this one feeling calmer, more confident, and ready to spend less time thinking about food and more time living your life. Grab my 5 easy Build-A-Bowl Oatmeal recipes Related episodes you'll love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Why You Don't Trust Yourself Around Food (and How to Rebuild It) with Fiona Sutherland | 22 juin 2026 | 00:51:39 | |
Whenever I talk about intuitive eating, women tell me the same thing: "I love the idea, but I don't trust myself around food." And when I talk to dietitians who help people shift from a weight-centric to weight-neutral or inclusive practice, they find it hard to communicate the idea of self-trust. If you can relate to either of these, this conversation is exactly what you need! This week I'm joined by Fiona Sutherland, an accredited practicing dietitian, author, and mentor from Melbourne, and one of the most thoughtful and experienced voices in the world of nutrition. Together we explore why self-trust feels so hard in midlife, especially when your body, hunger, and energy seem to be changing overnight. Fiona and I unpack how years of dieting can chip away at your confidence, why outsourcing your food decisions to a plan feels safer (and what it costs you), and what gently rebuilding trust actually looks like, starting with curiosity instead of control. We also talk about why reaching for support is a sign of courage, and the surprising ingredient Fiona believes most of us are missing in midlife. If you've ever wondered whether you can trust yourself again, I think you'll leave this one feeling a little more hopeful. Listen now. Connect with Fiona: Website: https://www.themindfuldietitian.com.au/ Instagram: @the.mindfuldietitian If this episode resonated with you, come join us inside The Midlife Feast Community. It's where women in midlife come for evidence-based menopause nutrition, intuitive eating support, live coaching, and a community that understands what this season of life is really like. I'd love to welcome you there. Related Episodes: #147 How to Stop the Cycle of "Starting Over" Every Monday #154 How to Appreciate Your Changing Menopause Body with Dr. Charlotte Ord What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Perimenopause Mood Swings, Metabolism Myths, & Fasting - 5 Questions I Get All The Time | 15 juin 2026 | 00:23:56 | |
Is it perimenopause, or are you just finally fed up with the world? Honestly, it might be both. In this listener Q&A, I'm answering the questions so many of you have been sending me, and they're the kind that probably sound familiar. We start with mood, because so many of us feel more irritable, less patient, and a lot less willing to tolerate things we used to put up with. I'll walk you through what's happening with your hormones and neurotransmitters, and why your reasons for feeling done are still valid even when biology is part of the picture. From there, I tackle the big one: the belief that decades of dieting have "broken" your metabolism. I talk about what's really driving the lose-it-gain-it cycle, why intermittent fasting leaves so many women feeling awful, and the food guilt that shows up over something as ordinary as two slices of bread. I also answer a question that pulled at my heart, from a parent who overheard their daughter say she needed to "walk off" her dessert. If you've ever heard your own voice come out of someone you love, this one is for you. If any of this lands, I'd love to keep the conversation going. You'll find a link in the show notes to send me your questions for the next Q&A, and if you're ready for support: Send me your question for a future Q&A episode! Related episodes you'll love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause and Body Image: How to Accept Your Changing Body with Alli Spotts-De-Lazzer, LMFT, CEDS-C | 08 juin 2026 | 00:45:38 | |
What is acceptance is the requirement for growht? What would life look like if you just stopped trying to fix yourself? That's the question at the heart of this conversation with returning guest Alli Spotts-De Lazzer, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Certified Eating Disorders Specialist who has spent nearly 20 years working with people around eating, body image, and the experience of living in a body. We dig into why self-esteem is a shaky foundation in midlife, when opinions of ourselves rise and fall with every hormonal shift and identity change. Alli's working definition of self-acceptance cuts deeper: choosing to stay with yourself even when shame, judgment, ego, or fear try to pull you away. It's knowing yourself, plus self-compassion, plus the willingness to face reality. The biggest misunderstanding we tackle: acceptance is not resignation. Resignation says "it is what it is, there's nothing I can do." Acceptance says "it is what it is. What's next?" One keeps you stuck. The other creates the conditions for growth. We also do a live, unscripted experiment using my own belly and body image history, which turned into one of the most unexpectedly moving moments I've had on this podcast. Alli also shares news about her new book, My Child Has an Eating Disorder: An Essential Guide for Parents of Kids, Teens, and Adults (Bloomsbury Academic, 2026). Connect with Alli: Website: allispottsdelazzer.com Instagram: @allispottsdelazzer Related episodes:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| How to Know If You're Moving Enough (Without the Rules or the Tracker) with Cadence Dubus | 01 juin 2026 | 00:50:24 | |
I sat down with Cadence Dubus, founder of Brooklyn Strength, host of the Busybody Podcast, and we talked about why midlife movement gets so complicated when you’ve been trained to chase fitness rules, perfect routines, and a specific body. We unpack how to rebuild trust so movement supports real life, not a pass-fail scoreboard.
About Cadence Dubus: Cadence Dubus is the founder of Brooklyn Strength, a 16-year-old fitness and wellness company offering movement coaching and courses virtually and in person. She is also the host of the Busybody Podcast. Cadence's work is rooted in somatic movement, body autonomy, and helping people find sustainable fitness practices that fit their actual lives. Find her on Instagram at @brooklynstrength and at www.brooklynstrength.com Related episodes you'll love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Second Helping: Your Bones Are More Than A DEXA Score with Rebekah Rotstein | 25 mai 2026 | 00:43:30 | |
I'm bringing back one of my favourite conversations this week because May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month, and this topic is too important to let it gather dust in the archive. If you've ever left a bone density scan feeling more confused than when you walked in, or got a result that said "osteopenia" and weren't quite sure whether to panic or carry on as normal, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I'm joined by Rebekah Rotstein, Pilates instructor, movement educator, and founder of the Buff Bones method. Rebekah was diagnosed with osteoporosis at 28, which means she has been living with and studying this topic for nearly two decades. She brings a perspective that is part patient, part expert, and very relatable. We get into what bone density testing actually measures and where it falls short, why osteopenia is not something to brush off or ignore, what strength training for your bones really looks like (and why you do not need to be standing in front of a weight rack to do it), and the important difference between your bone density conversation and your fracture risk conversation. They are parallel, but they are not the same thing. I also share my own take on calcium and why the "just take a supplement" approach has underperformed, and what it really means to nourish your bones with the whole capsule, not just one ingredient. About Rebekah Rotstein: Rebekah Rotstein is a Pilates instructor, integrated movement educator, and founder of the Buff Bones method, a medically endorsed exercise system for bone and joint health with certified instructors in more than 30 countries. She serves on the Society for Women's Health Research Bone Health Roundtable and has been advocating for earlier bone screening since her own diagnosis at 28. Find her at buff-bones.com or on Instagram at @gotbuffbones. Related Episodes You'll Love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause Movement Myths and What Actually Helps with Dr. Maria Luque | 16 mai 2026 | 00:38:52 | |
If you're feeling confused by all the menopause fitness advice, this episode will clear that up for you! I am so glad to welcome Dr. Maria Luque back to The Midlife Feast. Maria is a menopause fitness expert with a literal PhD in this space, and she is one of the very few people I trust to cut through the noise in the increasingly crowded menopause fitness world. And there is a lot of noise. Self-proclaimed experts, clickbait advice, "you must lift heavy four times a week or your bones will crumble" fear-mongering. No wonder so many of the women I work with feel paralyzed before they even start. In this conversation, we get into:
This is the conversation I wish every woman in perimenopause and menopause could hear before another fitness influencer convinces her she is failing at something that was never designed for her in the first place. If clients come to me because they are out of capacity, not out of knowledge, this episode is the same conversation in fitness form. You already know enough. You just need permission to trust yourself. About Dr. Maria Luque: Dr. Maria Luque is a menopause fitness expert, health science professor, US Air Force veteran, and mother. She holds a PhD in Health Sciences focused on quality of life in menopause, and her work brings a weight-neutral, evidence-based perspective to the often confusing world of fitness in midlife. Her new book, New Moves inMenopause is out now - https://newmovesinmenopause.com You can also find her on Instagram @drmarialuque. Mentioned in this episode:
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Order Maria's book here: What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Be in the Photo: A Midlife Body Confidence Practice for Summer | 11 mai 2026 | 00:08:50 | |
I noticed a three-year stretch where I’m barely in family photos, even though I was there., and I don’t want that for you. In this episode, I share 3 practices to shift away from chasing "flattering" and choosing presence instead, so you can be visible in midlife and stop letting pictures decide how you feel about your body. I talk about:
This summer, your only assignment is to be in the photo. You don't have to love it. You don't have to feel beautiful in it. You just have to be in it. The moment matters. The world needs more pictures of midlife women living in their bodies. If this episode resonates and you want real support around body image before summer hits, there are still a couple of spots left in my six-week Midlife Body Image Lab if you're listening before May 16th. Related Episodes You'll Love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause, ADHD & the Hidden Cost of Masking: What Every Midlife Woman Needs to Know with Dr. Helen Wall | 04 mai 2026 | 00:35:50 | |
I'm joined by Dr. Helen Wall, a GP and registered menopause specialist from England, and author of the new book ADHD and Menopause (May 14th, 2026). Dr. Wall speaks out about the intersection of ADHD, neurodivergence, and hormonal changes in women. In this episode, we get into the science behind why estrogen fluctuations destabilize dopamine signaling in the brain, and why that matters so much more for women with ADHD (diagnosed or not). We talk about masking, the hidden costs of over-functioning, why women and girls are still being missed for decades, and how progesterone sensitivity can make things even more complicated. We also explore the connection between ADHD and PMDD, and what options exist for women who are navigating both menopause and neurodivergence. This episode offers the science, the validation, and the compassion to help you understand what's going on. I also share my own experience being diagnosed with ADHD at 19 and then watching it "unmask" when perimenopause crash-landed at 37. This one gets personal, and I think you'll feel seen. About Dr. Helen Wall: Dr. Helen Wall is a GP and registered menopause specialist with the British Menopause Society. She advocates for neurodivergent women who have been misdiagnosed, mislabeled, and left to burn out without understanding what's going on. Her awareness of the ADHD-menopause connection grew through her daughter's neurodivergent journey and the patterns she began recognizing in her own menopause clinics. Her new book, ADHD and Menopause, is available on May 14th (and for pre-order) wherever books are sold. Connect with Dr. Helen Wall: Instagram: @doctorhelenwall Website: www.drhelenwall.com Related Episodes You'll Love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Taking Up Space in Midlife with Lise Thorne | 27 avr. 2026 | 00:42:52 | |
Have you ever talked yourself out of wearing something, going somewhere, or simply being seen because of what your body looks like? This episode is one you're going to want to save and share! I sat down with Lise Thorne, who you might know as @walking_this_way on Instagram, after one of her reels stopped me mid-scroll. In it, she walked into the ocean in a bikini on a family vacation, no filter, no preparation, no waiting for a "better" version of herself. That video went around the world because women everywhere saw themselves in it. Lise is 49, a mum, a triathlete, and she is loudly on a mission for women to take up space. We talk about the moment she looked at a photo of her 16-year-old self and realized her body was never the problem, it was the story she was telling herself. We get into how our Gen X generation was taught there was one right way to have a body, why the critical voice in our heads isn't protecting us anymore, and why tiny steps toward being seen are where the real magic happens. This is one of those conversations that will leave you feeling like you just got a pep talk from a friend who truly gets it. Connect with Lise: Instagram: @walking_this_way Related Episodes You'll Love:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Menopause and Body Image: How to Feel Like Yourself Again | 20 avr. 2026 | 00:13:47 | |
Have you ever been having a perfectly good day, feeling comfortable in what you're wearing, and then caught a glimpse of yourself in a mirror and you suddenly feel the floor fall out from under you? That moment of being yanked out of your body is something I hear all the time. Meet the comparison lizard, the part of our brain wired for social comparison. It used to be a survival skill. Now it's a make-work project that fuels body dissatisfaction, especially in menopause when both the scale and the shape are changing in ways that feel unfamiliar. Here's what I want you to know: food work and body work are not the same. I've worked with hundreds of women who feel great about their relationship with food but are still getting pulled into bad body image moments that send them right back toward the diet cycle. When I sent a newsletter about this recently, the responses flooded in. You're not alone, and your body is not the problem. In this episode, I'm sharing the research on body dissatisfaction and intuitive eating in midlife, why body appreciation is the evidence-based path forward, and details about the Midlife Body Image Lab, a six-week program built around guided experiments to test and change the belief that your body is the problem. This isn't a course with videos and worksheets. It's coached, community-based work where we do the experiments together. If you're listening in April or early May 2026, you can join us. Otherwise, hop on the waitlist for the next time doors open. The Midlife Body Image Lab
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| Permission to Be Seen: Creativity, Resilience & Recording Your First Album at 50 with Becca Kidwell | 13 avr. 2026 | 00:22:09 | |
What if the dreams you thought you missed the deadline on are the ones you're meant to follow now? Becca Kidwell spent her 30s teaching high school English, convinced it was too late to pursue a creative career. She'd learned what so many of us Gen X women can relate to: if you didn't lock in your path by 30, the door was closed. But then something shifted and she started noticing older artists who were just beginning their careers and thriving. She met her now-husband, who encouraged her to move to New York and start a theater company, and on her 40th birthday, she performed her first cabaret show. Ten years later, Becca is releasing her debut album, What You Don't See, on her 50th birthday. And the title track? It's about something so many of us feel in midlife but rarely say out loud: I'm tired. I'm tired of performing, of smiling through exhaustion, of pretending I have endless capacity. But what you don't see is how tired I really am. In this Story Session, Becca shares her journey from being afraid of being seen to stepping fully onto the stage as herself. We talk about the permission piece that midlife gives so many of us, the resilience it takes to keep showing up for your dreams, and why creativity isn't just for the young. If you've ever felt like it's too late to follow a passion, chase a dream, or try something new, this episode is for you. Related Episodes:
Guest Bio: Becca Kidwell is a singer-songwriter and cabaret performer from New York. After spending her 30s as a high school English teacher, she began her creative career at 40 and has spent the last decade performing in cabarets across New York. Her debut album, What You Don't See, releases on her 50th birthday, May 1st. You can find her at beccackidwell.com and on Instagram. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #188 - Turning Down the Critical Voice: Body Acceptance in Your Midlife Body with Kristina Bruce | 06 avr. 2026 | 00:37:59 | |
You know that moment when you catch your reflection unexpectedly and think, "Who is that?" Not in a curious way, but in a way that feels like you don't recognize yourself? If you've had that moment, this episode is for you. In this episode, we're talking about the evolution of body positivity and acceptance, the challenges of embracing body diversity in a culture that's currently shrinking, and how we can find peace with ourselves right now, in the bodies we're in today. Kristina brings such clarity to the difference between body positivity and body acceptance, and why acceptance isn't resignation. She shares her own story of body grief, what it felt like to lose the identity that came with being thin, and how she found freedom on the other side of that grief. We also talk about the contraction and expansion happening in our current cultural moment (hello, GLP-1 era) and why this might be the final push before more of us say "enough." If you've been stuck in body grief, if you feel betrayed by your changing body, or if you're exhausted from fighting yourself, this conversation will meet you right where you are. In this episode, you'll learn:
Connect with Kristina:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #187 - Second Helpings - Decoding Cravings & Emotional Hunger in Midlife & Menopause | 30 mars 2026 | 00:27:52 | |
If your cravings feel more intense than ever, you're not alone. In this second helping (my creative take on replay 🤣) of episode 117, I'm tackling one of the most-asked questions in my inbox: why do cravings feel so out of control in perimenopause and menopause, and what can you do about it? Spoiler alert: it's not about cutting out sugar or having more willpower. I break down the three types of hunger (physical, taste, and emotional), explain why perimenopause symptoms like sleep disruption and hot flashes amplify emotional hunger, and share a framework for decoding your cravings instead of fighting them. Whether it's the 7pm snacking spiral, the weekend binge, or those intense drive-thru cravings when you're alone in the car, I walk you through how to press pause without judgment and respond in a way that addresses what you need. This episode is for anyone who has ever felt hijacked by a craving, blamed themselves for lack of control, or wondered if menopause is making everything harder. Because yes, your hormones matter, but the solution isn't another restrictive food rule. In this episode, we talk about:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #186: GLP-1s, Intuitive Eating & Finding Food Freedom: A conversation with Sam Previte RD | 23 mars 2026 | 00:38:10 | |
Food freedom is permission to say yes to cake, but it's also permission to say no to dessert because you're full, satisfied, and know you can have it anytime you want. That's the level of trust and attunement I'm talking about in this conversation with Sam Previte, registered dietitian and founder of Find Food Freedom. Sam is one of those dietitians whose passion for intuitive eating comes through in everything she does. From her popular social media accounts to her private practice, Sam has built her career on helping people make peace with food and their bodies. But she wasn't always an intuitive eating dietitian. Like so many of us, she came out of school steeped in weight-centric nutrition and personally struggling with disordered eating. In this episode, Sam shares her journey from diet culture dietitian to becoming one of the loudest advocates for food freedom. We talk about what it really takes to unlearn decades of diet rules, how to build interoceptive awareness when your signals feel unreliable (hello, perimenopause), and the question on everyone's mind right now: where do GLP-1 medications fit into intuitive eating work? In this episode, you'll learn:
About Sam: Sam Previte is a registered dietitian, certified intuitive eating counselor, certified personal trainer, and the founder of Find Food Freedom, a virtual private practice with 11 registered dietitians serving clients across 29 states. Find Food Freedom accepts over 100 insurance plans, making intuitive eating and Health at Every Size care more accessible. Sam is also the host of the Find Food Freedom Podcast. Connect with Sam:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #185: The Science and Symptoms of Burnout: How to Build Capacity in Midlife with Dr Ashley Margeson ND | 16 mars 2026 | 00:45:10 | |
Almost every day, someone tells me they're exhausted, tired, or completely burnt out. But burnout isn't just another word for tired - it's a medical diagnosis with real science behind it. It relates to your capacity, your ability to recover, and importantly, it's deeply impacted by your environment and your hormones. In this conversation with Dr. Ashley Margeson, a naturopathic doctor and burnout expert, we dive into what burnout really is, how it's different from everyday stress, and why women in midlife are especially vulnerable. If you've ever felt like you're carrying a backpack that gets heavier and heavier but you can't put it down, this episode is for you. Dr. Margeson breaks down the four stages of burnout using a brilliant bank account analogy, explains why our declining progesterone levels in perimenopause shrink our stress buffer, and shares her practical ripples, waves, and currents framework for building capacity when you're already depleted. We also tackle the hard question: how do you recover from burnout if you can't quit your job? In this episode, you'll learn:
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Ready to reduce decision fatigue and increase your capacity with food? If you're feeling overwhelmed by food decisions and decision fatigue is contributing to your burnout, grab my free Menopause Nutrition Capsule Wardrobe guide. It includes 10 recipes and a framework to make deciding what to eat so much easier. About Dr. Ashley Margeson: Dr. Ashley Margeson is a naturopathic doctor in Nova Scotia whose mission is supporting individuals and organizations in preventing and recovering from burnout. She hosts her own podcast, The Superwoman Code, and is known for her practical, science-backed approach to capacity building and stress management. Connect with Dr. Ashley:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #184: Pelvic Floor Freedom: Why Kegels Aren't the Answer & What Works Instead with Lauren Ohayon | 09 mars 2026 | 00:40:59 | |
Laughing, coughing, sneezing... if these everyday moments have started feeling a little less carefree and a little more leak-prone, you're not alone. And despite what you've been told, the answer isn't just "do more Kegels." In this conversation, movement teacher and pelvic floor expert Lauren Ohayon shares why the pelvic floor doesn't just "squeeze." It dances, responds to gravity, and works as part of a whole-body system involving your breath, core, and nervous system. We talk about why menopause brings new pelvic floor challenges (spoiler: it's not just estrogen), how belly-gripping and chronic tension patterns create downstream problems, and why feeling safe in your body is foundational to pelvic floor health. If you've been living with light leakage, pain with intimacy, or that uncomfortable feeling of prolapse, this episode offers a refreshing, shame-free perspective on what's happening and practical ways to support your pelvic floor that go way beyond squeezing. About Lauren: Lauren Ohayon is a longtime movement teacher who has spent decades helping people reconnect with their bodies. After a back injury in her early 20s led her deep into biomechanics and anatomy, she created Restore Your Core, an online functional strength program focused on core and pelvic floor health. Lauren's approach blends somatic movement, storytelling, and nervous system work to help people feel at home in their bodies again. Connect with Lauren:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #183: Decision Fatigue and Menopause: Why "What's for Dinner?" Makes You Want to Scream | 02 mars 2026 | 00:23:14 | |
Decision fatigue isn't about willpower - it's about how many decisions you're being asked to make when your capacity is already maxed out. And if you've been caught in the diet cycle for years (or decades), you know exactly what I'm talking about. After 25 different diet plans competing for space in your head, every meal becomes another minefield of "am I doing this right?" questions that leave you exhausted before you even start cooking. In this solo episode, I'm sharing Sarah's story (with her permission), who spent the last year working with me to finally break free from diet mentality and decision fatigue. She's having regular, balanced meals without stress, her cholesterol and blood pressure are down, and for the first time ever, she didn't spiral in the bathing suit change room. I walk you through exactly how we got there, including the biological layer that makes decision fatigue even more challenging in midlife when brain fog, and hormone fluctuations that are all competing for your mental bandwidth. But here's the good news: there are gentle framework strategies that can actually reduce the number of decisions you have to make, help you enjoy the process (not just chase the outcome), and keep you moving forward at your own pace. In this episode, you'll learn:
Related Episodes:
Ready to reduce your decision fatigue? If you're tired of overthinking every meal and want a framework (not more rules) to guide you, I'd love to welcome you to The Feaster Community. This month we're focusing on gentle framework strategies that make it easier to decide what's for dinner. Try it free for 7 days: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Or if you're looking for more focused 1:1 support, I have a few spots open this spring. Book a no-strings-attached 20-minute call to see if I'm the right Sherpa for you: https://p.bttr.to/3DQX9SF What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #182: Visibility As Generosity: Rethinking Photos, Aging, And Confidence With Photographer Kristen Vallejo | 23 févr. 2026 | 00:35:36 | |
If you've ever hidden in the back of a family photo, skipped a headshot session, or cringed when you saw a candid picture of yourself, this episode is for you. I sat down with Kristen Vallejo, a portrait and branding photographer based in upstate New York, who has made it her mission to help women feel comfortable and confident being seen. In this conversation, we unpack why so many of us (especially women navigating midlife) have such a complicated relationship with being photographed. We talk about the role social media has played in making us feel like every picture has to be perfect, why menopause can make it even harder to recognize yourself in photos, and how we can start to shift that. One of the most powerful reframes Kristen shares is this: visibility is generosity. When you hide from the camera, you're also withholding yourself ( your gifts, your presence, your relatability) from the people who need to see you. That hit me in a deep way, and I think it will for you too. We also talk about body diversity and representation, why photographers aren't looking at you with the critical lens you're using on yourself, and some practical tips to make any photo session feel less like a pressure cooker. Kristen's missing ingredient in midlife? Novelty. And I love that answer. In this episode, we cover:
About Kristen Vallejo: Kristen Vallejo is a portrait and branding photographer based in upstate New York, specializing in entrepreneurs, small business owners, and those with animals in their work. She's passionate about capturing the real person behind the lens — not just a polished pose. You can find her at kristenvallejo.com and on Instagram at @kristenvallejophotography. Related Episodes:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #181: The Political Hot Potato of Menopause: Cutting Through Noise with Fiona Clark | 16 févr. 2026 | 00:37:33 | |
Feeling overwhelmed by conflicting advice about menopause and HRT? You're not alone, and you're not imagining it. In this eye-opening conversation, journalist and author Fiona Clark (MenoWars: Why Menopause's Moment Has Gone Horribly Wrong) joins me to unpack why the menopause conversation has become so polarizing. What started as a grassroots movement of women advocating for better care has evolved into a confusing battlefield of conflicting claims, FOMO-inducing headlines, and monetized advice that leaves women more overwhelmed than empowered. Fiona brings her unique background, which includes a degree in anatomy and physiology, decades as a journalist, and her own experience navigating menopause to help us understand how we got here. We explore the "menopause wars," from the rise of influential voices making claims that science doesn't always support, to the gatekeeping accusations that emerge when medical professionals push back, to the dangerous erosion of trust in evidence-based medicine. In this episode, we talk about:
Fiona's message is clear: it's not about being pro- or anti-HRT. It's about cutting through the noise, understanding what science actually supports, and reclaiming your right to make informed decisions about your own body without FOMO, fear, or unsolicited opinions. If you've felt confused, frustrated, or exhausted by the menopause information overload, this conversation will help you find your footing. About Fiona: Fiona is an award winning investigative journalist who spent the first 20 years of her career in the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. She covered the 1991 coup in Soviet Union, the Balkans War and went on to be supervising producer of its current affairs equivalent of the BBC Newsnight. Her degree is in Sports Medicine and some 20 years ago she went into medical publishing. She has written for The Lancet and various other medical publications. For the past 8 years she has been working in the menopause space and is the co-founder of the Menopause Research and Education Fund and the author of MenoWars - a look at the state of women’s health through the lens of the current debates in menopause. Connect with Fiona:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #180: Seed Oils, Protein Obsession & Nutrition Misinformation: Cutting Through the Noise with Colleen Christensen, RD | 09 févr. 2026 | 00:39:45 | |
Ever feel overwhelmed by conflicting nutrition advice? One influencer swears by seed oils while another demonizes them. Your feed is flooded with "80 grams of protein" meal challenges, and you're left wondering: what should I actually believe? In this episode, I sit down with Colleen Christensen, registered dietitian, recovering perfectionist, and the compassionate voice behind the wildly popular @No.Food.Rules Instagram account. Colleen shares her personal journey from competitive dietetics student to her struggle with eating disorders, and ultimately to becoming one of the leading voices helping people unlearn decades of diet culture programming. This conversation is a masterclass in cutting through nutrition misinformation. Colleen breaks down why seed oils have become the internet's latest villain, what's really happening with the protein obsession, and why authority bias keeps us trusting the wrong "experts." But more importantly, she shares the one thing that changed everything for her recovery: learning to experiment with food instead of following rigid rules. In this episode, you'll learn:
Connect with Colleen:
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What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #179 - Fiber Without The Fuss in Midlife and Menopause | 02 févr. 2026 | 00:21:09 | |
If you’ve been told you should get more fiber but feel confused by the fiber-maxing trend and don’t want it to become a full-time job, this episode is for you. In this episode, I explain why fiber matters in midlife and menopause, how it truly supports digestion, energy, heart health, and satisfaction, and why you don’t need to count every gram or chase perfection. This episode offers clear, practical ways to think about soluble and insoluble fiber, bust common myths, and add more fiber to your eating in ways that feel doable, not overwhelming. This episode gives you permission to focus on patterns, not pressure. Get the Mediterranean Salmon Smash recipe here: https://www.jennsalibhuber.ca/blog/fiber-without-tracking-in-menopause Episodes mentioned: 🎙Episode 39 — What Every Woman Needs to Know About Heart Health, Cholesterol, and Menopause with Dr. Alex Verge, ND. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #178 - Perimenopause Without Panic: Body Changes, Food Freedom, And Real Support | 26 janv. 2026 | 00:37:29 | |
Perimenopause can feel unpredictable, emotional, and deeply disorienting, especially when your body changes quickly and nothing seems to work the way it used to. In this story session, I'm joined by Britney, a 49-year-old therapist navigating late perimenopause, who shares her honest experience with weight changes, fatigue, mood swings, and the fear that often shows up alongside them. Together, we talk about what it’s really like to move from panic and food rules into trust, attunement, and food freedom in midlife. This episode explores how stepping out of diet culture, wearing clothes that fit your today body, and finding supportive community can free up mental space and help you feel more like yourself again, even in the middle of uncertainty. If you’re in perimenopause and struggling with body image, confusing symptoms, or your relationship with food, this conversation will help you feel less alone and more hopeful about what’s possible next. Learn more about Britney's work here: www.lecofva.com If you'd like to join the Feaster community, learn more at https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/themidlifefeastcommunity What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #177 - Reclaiming ‘Selfish’ as a Midlife & Menopause Power Move with Suzy Reading | 19 janv. 2026 | 00:25:09 | |
If the word “selfish” still triggers guilt for you, this episode is the permission slip you didn’t know you needed. I’m joined by the ever-wise Suzy Reading to explore why so many of us in midlife struggle to receive support, set boundaries, and prioritize our own needs — even when we know better. We unpack the deep roots of people-pleasing, the pressure to be endlessly self-reliant, and how we can start to reclaim selfish as something powerful, not shameful. If you’ve been doing all the “right” self-care things and still feel depleted, this conversation will help you connect the dots — and offer a new, more compassionate way forward. Learn more about Suzy Reading and her new book How To Be Selfish here: https://www.suzyreading.co.uk/ Did you enjoy this episode? #58 - Rest to Reset - Redefining Self-Care with Suzy Reading #132 - Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #176: Anti-Diet Menopause in the Age of Ozempic With Dr. Mara Gordon | 05 janv. 2026 | 00:55:49 | |
Welcome to 2026, where it suddenly feels harder than ever to talk about menopause, health, and nutrition without the conversation getting hijacked by weight loss. In this longer-than-usual episode, I’m joined by family physician and writer Dr. Mara Gordon (who proudly describes herself as an “anti-diet doctor”) to talk about the question that's been on my mind lately: Is a weight-neutral menopause still possible? Mara and I unpack what weight neutrality actually means in real-world healthcare, why the “weight loss fixes everything” narrative has gotten louder again, and whether GLP-1 medications can fit into an informed, values-based, body-autonomy-first approach to care. In this episode, we talk about:
About my guest, Dr. Mara Gordon Links & resources
If this episode hit home Enjoying the show? What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #175: Food Guilt in Midlife: Why Your Alarm Keeps Going Off (Even When It’s Just Toast) | 15 déc. 2025 | 00:20:13 | |
What if the loudest voice at your meals isn’t hunger, but an overactive alarm telling you you’re doing it “wrong”? In this episode, I dig into the link between food guilt and relentless food noise, and show how midlife shifts, hormones, sleep, mood, and capacity can crank that alarm even higher. Instead of doubling down on rules, I'll walk you through the 3-step process that replaces food morality with neutrality. Grab The Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder Episodes mentiond: Episode 172: https://themidlifefeast.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/18238090 Episode 151:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/17038620 What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #174: How to Rebuild Your Habits in Midlife: A Kinder, Science-Backed Approach with Signe Darpinian, LMFT | 08 déc. 2025 | 00:50:35 | |
Sometimes the routines that feel the hardest to change are the ones that once helped us cope. In this episode, therapist and eating-disorder specialist Signe Darpinian breaks down how those patterns get wired into the brain, why diet culture reinforces them, and how midlife is actually an ideal time to reshape habits with clarity and compassion. We dig into what it really takes to unwind the patterns that feel automatic, especially the ones that show up at the end of a long day or week. You’ll hear how small, well-timed shifts can loosen the grip of old routines and create space for choices that actually feel good. We also explore simple tools for calming the mental swirl that fuels cravings and second-guessing, along with a gentler approach to movement and nourishment that supports energy, mood, and a steadier sense of self. It’s all about building habits that fit your real life, not forcing yourself into rigid rules. If you’re stepping away from dieting and looking for routines that feel kinder, more sustainable, and more you, this conversation offers encouragement, clarity, and a practical path forward. Connect with Signe Darpinian Grab the Book: A Woman's Guide to Menopause, Body Image, and Emotional Well-being at Midlife Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #173 - How To Age Without Apology with Deb Benfield RDN | 01 déc. 2025 | 00:30:53 | |
What if the fear of “looking older” isn’t really about wrinkles at all, but about relevance, visibility, and power? I welcome registered dietitian and author Deb Benfield to dig into internalized ageism and the subtle ways culture teaches us to distrust our future selves. We walk about how it gets tangled up with diet culture, wellness trends, and perfectionism. Together we unpack why compliments like “you haven’t aged a bit” keep youth on a pedestal, how patriarchy and ableism shape appearance pressure, and what it takes to build a truly age-affirming life. We talk about:
Learn more about Deb's work:https://www.debrabenfield.com Order Unapologetic Aging: https://www.debrabenfield.com/book If you've loved today's conversation and found it helpful, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts If you're ready to take the next step towards thriving in midlife, head to menopause nutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #172 Q&A Episode: Soy, Metabolism, And Food Noise | 24 nov. 2025 | 00:22:02 | |
I'm answering three questions this week: how to get soy’s benefits if it bothers your gut, what really shifts in metabolism during menopause, and how to quiet food noise. We'll cover: Episodes mentioned: #151 - Is it Hunger, Hormones or Food Noise? #155 - Q&A: Food Tracking, Plant Proteins & Collagen Supplements #127 - The Truth About Soy in Midlife #84 - On The Menu - Part 1 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions #87- On The Menu - Part 2 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions #90 - On The Menu - Part 3 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #171: Sleep in the Messy Middle of Midlife and Menopause with Dr Shelby Harris | 17 nov. 2025 | 00:30:09 | |
Feel like your sleep has gone missing in midlife? Join me and my guest Dr Shelby Harris as we break down why sleep changes in perimenopause, how culture has overhyped “perfect sleep,” and the tools that actually help. Dr. Shelby Harris also explains CBTi in plain language so you can stop chasing hacks and start building steady, restful sleep. We talk about: • The perfect storm of hormones, mood, and social load Learn more about Dr Harris at: www. drshelbyharris .com Follow her on Instagram: @ SleepDocShelby Check out her books: The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: Get a Good Night’s Sleep Without Relying on Medication The Essential Guide to Children’s Sleep: A Tired Caregiver’s Workbook for Every Age and Stage Looking for better sleep solutions in the kitchen? My book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, has an entire section on sleep - Order wherever books are sold or visit www.menopausenutritionist.ca/Book. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #170: The One Thing Menopause Dietitians Want You to Know About Nutrition | 10 nov. 2025 | 00:38:39 | |
We all want to simplify nutrition (and life!) but are we going down the wrong path when it comes to finding "one thing" for nutrition in menopause? Laura Clark RD and I talk about how real progress in midlife comes from flexibility, self-trust, and simple, satisfying meals. We break down the hype around protein, fiber, and even the microbiome so food feels calmer, kinder, and more doable. In this episode you'll hear: You can learn more about Laura at https://www.lecnutrition.co.uk/ and on Instagram at @menopause.dietitian. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #169: Style, Not Size: Dressing for the Life You’re Living with Jacquelyn Prattipati | 02 nov. 2025 | 00:33:47 | |
If your closet feels like a battlefield and getting dressed has turned into a daily reminder that your body isn’t the same as it used to be, you’re not alone. In this episode, I’m joined by personal stylist Jacquelyn Prattipati, who helps women in midlife rediscover confidence and comfort through clothes that fit the body (and the life) they have now. We’re talking about what “feeling put together” really means, why style has nothing to do with size, and how to stop waiting for a smaller body to wear what you love. You’ll walk away with practical tips for finding clothes that fit today’s body, letting go of the “someday jeans,” and remembering that your body isn’t the problem, your clothes just need to catch up. Want to learn more about body image in midlife? 🎙Episode 109 - The Body Acceptance Mistake That's Keeping you Stuck in The Suck Learn more about Jacquelyn at www.jgpstyledme.com and on Instagram at @jgpstyledme What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #168: ADHD, Menopause, and The Messy Middle with Diana Reid RD | 27 oct. 2025 | 00:40:37 | |
Menopause can scramble your mood, planning, memory, and appetite cues, especially if you’re living with ADHD. My guest this week is Diana Reid, RD and we dive into how shifting estrogen affects dopamine in the brain and why that can make meal planning feel impossible, grocery stores overwhelming, and evenings vulnerable to emotional hunger and snacking. Together, we map the hidden steps that turn “what’s for dinner?” into a 30-step project and show how to lower the cognitive load and decision fatigue. Think forecasts instead of rigid schedules, two to three-day meal windows, and a “nutrition capsule wardrobe” you can refresh monthly for novelty. If this conversation helps you feel seen, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more midlife listeners can find food freedom and confidence. Learn more about Diana at www.theglobaldietitian.com and on Instagram at theglobalrd. Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #167 - When Perimenopause Unmasks ADHD with Dr. Jen Wolkin | 20 oct. 2025 | 00:47:31 | |
Midlife brain fog and overwhelm aren’t signs of falling apart. It’s really just your biology getting louder. Dr. Jen Wolkin, a Harvard-trained neuropsychologist, explains how perimenopause can reveal ADHD that’s been there all along and why compassion, not willpower, brings clarity. We unpack how estrogen shifts dopamine and norepinephrine, why hormone swings magnify time blindness and emotional reactivity, and how perfectionism and people-pleasing crumble under midlife’s mental load. You’ll walk away with simple tools for clearer focus and steadier mood, including protein-forward meals, grazing stations to beat decision fatigue, and scripts for asking for help. This episode is science, validation, and relief all in one. Connect with Dr. Jen Instagram: @adhd_with_drjen, @drjenwolkin Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #166: What if “healthy” is a pattern, not a prescription? Redefining lifestyle medicine in menopause | 13 oct. 2025 | 00:17:25 | |
The words “diet and exercise” often feel like a trap door into diet culture and the diet mentality. Given that the theme for this year's World Menopause Day is lifestyle medicine, I wanted to explore lifestyle medicine through a behavior-first lens and share compassionate, doable choices that actually fit your life. Starting with real stories—a cholesterol scare that triggered a Google spiral and a breast cancer survivor who felt she “failed” exercise—we'll explore why language carries weight and how reframing goals can lift the pressure without losing the science. I reframe lifestyle medicine as behavior change medicine and share practical ways to support menopause with flexible food patterns, mindful eating for satisfaction, and low-capacity day forecasting. We'll cover:
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #165- Mom Rediscovered: Jen Butler on Breaking Up with Diet Culture and Drinking to Find Herself Again | 06 oct. 2025 | 00:32:15 | |
Isn’t it wild that you can do everything “right”-be the devoted mom, caregiver, spouse, or friend, and yet still feel like you’ve lost touch with the “real” you? That’s where our conversation with writer, speaker, and coach Jen Butler begins. It’s a candid look at how midlife cracks open our default scripts around food, alcohol, and identity, and how choosing peace can be much more fulfilling than trying to take up less space in the world. Jen shares her early entry into diet culture, the moment a nutritionist prescribed restriction that stole her period and presence, and the turning point when she stopped paying for being smaller with health and joy. We also talk about alcohol as a coping mechanism, how honesty sparked change, and why removing the fog made room for deeper work: food freedom, identity beyond motherhood, and creative ambition. Now, as a coach and author of Mom Rediscovered, Jen invites women to reclaim their space and redefine midlife on their own terms. If you’re ready to trade perfection for presence and roles for a richer identity, this conversation will resonate. Connect with Jen Grab the Book: Mom Rediscovered Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #164 - Autoimmune Disease in Midlife: Beyond Diet Culture Myths with Dr. Alison Danby ND | 29 sept. 2025 | 00:41:18 | |
Feeling lost in a sea of conflicting advice about autoimmune disease? It can be especially tricky during perimenopause and menopause when hormones throw everything off. Dr. Alison Danby, a naturopathic doctor who specializes in autoimmune health, is here to break it all down with clear, science-backed guidance that feels like a sigh of relief. What you won’t hear is any ideas about cutting out gluten, dairy, or sugar, or following strict AIP protocols. Dr. Danby explains why those extreme diets can actually hurt your gut and why a Mediterranean-style approach supports your microbiome, heart, bones, and overall wellbeing, without the stress. We also chat about the surprising role of stress in triggering autoimmune flares and how simple things like better sleep, gentle movement, and stress management can be more powerful than complicated food rules. Whether you’re just starting to figure out your autoimmune journey or have been managing it for years, this episode gives you permission to relax around food and focus on what really helps your body heal. Connect with Dr. Alison Danby Listen to the Podcast Autoimmune Simplified Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||
| #163 - Story Session: From Scientist to Menopause Advocate: Dr. Béatrice Séguin's Unexpected Journey | 22 sept. 2025 | 00:32:15 | |
“How could I, an educated scientist married to a doctor, not know this was happening to me?” At 45, Béatrice Séguin was floored to realize she was already in menopause, after years of missing the signs. In this honest and energetic story session, Béatrice shares how that wake-up call turned her into a menopause advocate and led to her podcast This Time of the Month (TTOM). We talk about why so many women are caught off guard, how old research still shapes today’s care, and the new pressure to “do menopause right” with the perfect diet, supplements, or hormones. But there’s good news. We encourage trying what works for you! From hormone therapy and vaginal estrogen to lifestyle shifts and antidepressants, this episode opens up the full menu of options. Most importantly, it’s a reminder you don’t have to figure this out alone. Whether you’re in perimenopause, menopause, or supporting a friend, this conversation brings validation, real talk, and community to the midlife transition. Connect with Dr. Béatrice: Website: www.thistimeofthemonth.com Instagram: @ttomcommunity Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!
What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 I wrote a book! Eat To Thrive During Menopause is out now! Order your copy today and start thriving in midlife. | |||