The Midlife Feast

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: • the core question that changes everything: what if your body wasn’t a project to solve? • the moving finish line and why “enough” never arrives • the audit mode where meals and movement become performance metrics • how tracking, wearables, and nonstop data can disrupt body attunement • the betrayal narrative and my own reminder that these thoughts can show up even after years of intuitive eating • shifting from project manager to partner and the questions that create ease Related Episodes The One Thing Menopause Dietitians Want You to Know About Nutrition with Laura Clark, RD Why You Don't Trust Yourself Around Food (and How to Rebuild It) with Fiona Sutherland How to Appreciate Your Changing Menopause Body with Dr. Charlotte Ord Want more support? Free Un-Diet Your Mindset Guide→ https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/undietyourmindset Join my Group Coaching Community free for 7 days → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Book a no-strings connection call (virtual coffee with me) → https://p.bttr.to/3DQX9SF 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.

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: Un-Diet Your Mindset → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/undietyourmindset Food Guilt Decoder → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder Want more support? Try the Midlife Feast Community free for 7 days → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Book a no-strings connection call (virtual coffee with me) → https://p.bttr.to/3DQX9SF Related episodes: Day 1 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19715276 Day 2 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19720938 Day 3 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19721372 Day 4 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19728345 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.

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: Un-Diet Your Mindset → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/undietyourmindset Food Guilt Decoder → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder Want more support? Try the Midlife Feast Community free for 7 days → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Book a no-strings connection call (virtual coffee with me) → https://p.bttr.to/3DQX9SF Related episodes: Day 1 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19715276 Day 2 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19720938 Day 3 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19721372 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.

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: Un-Diet Your Mindset → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/undietyourmindset Food Guilt Decoder → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder Want more support? Try the Midlife Feast Community free for 7 days → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Book a no-strings connection call (virtual coffee with me) → https://p.bttr.to/3DQX9SF Related episodes: Day 1 — How to Un-Diet in Midlife and Menopause → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19715276 Day 2 → https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19720938 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.

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: Un-Diet Your Mindset → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/undietyourmindset Food Guilt Decoder → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder Want more support? Try the Midlife Feast Community free for 7 days → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Book a no-strings connection call (virtual coffee with me) → https://p.bttr.to/3DQX9SF Related episodes: Day 1 — How to Un-Diet in Midlife and Menopause → https://themidlifefeast.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19715276-day-1-how-to-un-diet-in-midlife-and-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.

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. Free support to get you started: Un-Diet Your Mindset → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/undietyourmindset Food Guilt Decoder → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder If you need some support: Try the Midlife Feast Community free for 7 days → https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/7daytrial Book a no-strings connection call (virtual coffee with me) → 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.

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: #105 Dear Diet Culture Diary: What the 80s Taught Us About Food: https://themidlifefeast.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/14680165-105-dear-diet-culture-diary-what-the-80s-taught-us-about-food #147 How to Stop the Cycle of "Starting Over" Every Monday: https://themidlifefeast.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/16816700-147-how-to-stop-the-cycle-of-starting-over-every-monday #199 Why you Don't Trust Yourself Around Food with Fiona Sutherland: https://themidlifefeast.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/19377509 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.

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. Learn more: The Midlife Feast Community : https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/themidlifefeastcommunity Related Episodes: # 197 Menopause and Body Image: How to Accept Your Changing Body with Alli Spotts-De-Lazzer, LMFT, CEDS-C # 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.

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: Book a call Become a Feaster Send me your question for a future Q&A episode! Related episodes you'll love: #132: Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion & Self-Care on the Menu #147: Why You Keep Starting Over Every Monday #136: Health vs. Weight: Debunking the Biggest Wellness Myth with Val Schonberg, RD 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.

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: #57 - Story Session: What this therapist wants you to know about making midlife meaningFULL with Alli Spotts-De Lazzer #141 - Trusting Your Body: Finding Peace Through Grief with Nina Manolson #92 - From Body Grief to Body Acceptance: The Way Forward with Amanda Mittman, RD #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.

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. Why the "one size fits all" fitness world was never designed for bodies that cycle, fluctuate, and change (like ours) How metrics like step counts and Apple Watch data may be creating noise instead of information The difference between being a baker (give me a formula!) and a cook (I'll figure it out), and why both are valid starting points What it actually looks like to work with someone on movement from a somatic, body-centered approach How to know if you're doing "enough," and why your body's cravings are more reliable than any tracker Why joy and play might be the most underrated missing ingredients in midlife fitness culture 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: How to Un-Diet Your Relationship with Movement in Midlife with Christine Chessman New Moves in Menopause with Dr. Maria Luque 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.

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: #114 - Beyond the Metrics: Getting Intuitive About Bone Health with Rebekah Rotstein #65 - The Impact of Movement on Bone Health in Menopause with Niamh Daly 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.

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: Why the fitness space has become a swamp of misinformation, and how to spot it The Sally story (a composite of so many women I talk to) and why feeling behind is keeping you stuck Why capacity, not willpower, is the real conversation, and why "we all have the same 24 hours" makes both of us want to punch a wall Movement snacks, lowering the bar, and Maria's even better idea of throwing the bar away Why functional goals (lifting your dog, getting up off the toilet at 80, playing with grandkids) are far more sustainable than weight-loss goals How to celebrate the small wins so you actually want to keep going The missing ingredient in midlife, and it might not be what you think 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: The Feaster Community (where our Joyful Movement Coordinator Christine Chessman shares no-pressure movement support): www..menopausenutritionist.ca/themidlifefeastcommunity Related Episodes You'll Love: #25: Redefining Strength with Dr Maria Luque #59: Menopause, Movement and Body Image with Dr Maria Luque #69 How to Un-Diet Your Relationship with Movement in Midlife with Christine Chessman 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.

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: Why the point of a picture is the moment, not your good side Reframing photos as time capsules rather than auditions How to stop letting selfie culture (and the 99 deleted shots) shape how you see yourself The reframe I borrowed from a recent guest that I cannot stop thinking about: visibility is generosity Why staying in the picture is one of the most powerful things you can do for the women coming up behind yo I’m sure you have a friend who needs to hear this, so I’d love if you’d share this episode with them! And if this episode helps you keep a photo instead of deleting it, I would love to hear that too. You can always send me fan mail through the podcast website. 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: #182: Visibility as Generosity, Rethinking Photos, Aging and Confidence with Kristen Vallejo #190: Menopause and Body Image: How to Feel Like Yourself Again 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.

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: When Perimenopause Unmasks ADHD with Dr. Jen Wolkin ADHD and The Messy Middle with Diana Reid Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine Chessman Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & 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.

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: Ep 190: Menopause and Body Image: How to Feel Like Yourself Again Ep 141: Navigating Body Grief in Midlife with Nina Manolson Ep 182: Visibility as Generosity: Rethinking Photos, Aging & Confidence with Kristen Vallejo 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.

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 Join the Midlife Body Image Lab :https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/bodyimagelab 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.

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: Episode 160: Season 5 Finale: The Midlife Glow-Up You Didn't See Coming Episode 81: Unlocking the Joy of Creativity in Midlife with Meryl Cook 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.

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: The difference between body positivity (a social justice movement) and body acceptance (a personal practice) Why body acceptance isn't resignation, it's actually the path to real change How to move through body grief instead of staying stuck in it Why your body isn't betraying you, even when it feels that way What's underneath our resistance to body changes in midlife (spoiler: it's not about the weight) How to stop sourcing your worth externally and start finding safety within yourself Connect with Kristina: Instagram: @kristinabruce_coach Website: kristinabruce.com Podcast: Unlearning Beautiful Related Episodes You'll Love: Episode 47: Why Changing Your Body Isn't the Body Image Fix You're Looking For with Kristina Bruce Episode 109: The Body Acceptance Mistake That Keeping You Stuck Episode 134: What Every Woman Needs to Know About Body Image in Midlife with Summer Innanen Episode 141: Navigating Body Grief in Midlife with Nina Manolson 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.

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: Why cravings are normal and everyone is an emotional eater to some degree The difference between physical hunger, taste hunger, and emotional hunger How estrogen and progesterone influence appetite (and why perimenopause amplifies cravings) Why restricting foods you enjoy intensifies cravings for those exact foods The critical skill of pressing pause without saying no Real examples of decoding evening cravings, weekend patterns, and alone-time eating Related Episodes You Might Enjoy: #147 - How to Stop the Cycle of “Starting Over” Every Monday #70 - From Dieting Rock Bottom to Intuitive Eating - 3 Common Mistakes 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.