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:

• What I mean by “weight neutral” (and why it’s not the same as “anti-weight loss”)
• Why menopause weight changes can create so much urgency, fear, and pressure
• How to support weight-neutral conversations even when cholesterol, blood sugar, or blood pressure change
• The “Mediterranean pattern,” and why nutrition strategies can help without turning into restriction
• GLP-1s: what they can do well (and what they cannot do)
• Why a lot of expectations about weight loss are shaped by culture, not medicine
• Why “I want to avoid meds” is often about something deeper than the medication

About my guest, Dr. Mara Gordon
Dr. Mara Gordon is a family physician in Camden, New Jersey. She’s also a writer, including NPR’s Real Talk with a Doc column, and she writes a Substack newsletter called Your Doctor Friend, about healthcare being a mess and how we can figure it out together. She’s also working on a book about diet culture and medicine, expected in 2027.

Links & resources

• Dr. Mara Gordon’s Substack: Your Doctor Friend
• NPR column: Real Talk with a Doc
• My website + free resources + coaching: menopausenutritionist.ca

If this episode hit home
Share it with a friend who’s feeling the pressure to “fix” her midlife body. And if you have a question you want me to tackle on a future episode, send it my way.

Enjoying the show?
Follow The Midlife Feast and leave a review. It helps more midlife women find evidence-based, weight-neutral support that doens't feel like a diet.

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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
Instagram: @therapyrockspodcast
Website: www.signedarpinian.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine Chessman
• How to Cancel Your Clean Plate Club Membership with Emily Sucher, RD
• How to Stop the Cycle of “Starting Over” Every Monday
• 3 Reasons Why Intuitive Eating Might Feel Hard with Abbie Attwood

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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:

• Defining internalized ageism and why it starts early
• Separating facts of aging from fear-based stories
• Naming patriarchy, sexism and ableism in appearance pressure
• How wellness trends can trigger relapse and obsession
• Autonomy vs pressure in skincare, movement and food
• Her book's framework for untangling systems and mending body trust
• Practical steps to notice, name and unlearn ageist thoughts
• Choosing freedom and values over perfection

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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:

• Non-soy protein swaps from beans, lentils and pulses
• Flax lignans as a phytoestrogen alternative
• Metabolism as a system of gears, not a dial
• Hormones’ indirect impact through symptoms and routines
• Defining food noise and why it returns after GLP-1s
• Permission-based eating to rebuild trust and satisfaction

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

Join the live book club Q&A: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/bookclub

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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
• Why sleep hygiene helps but won’t cure insomnia
• Rethinking the “eight hours” rule and normal wakeups
• HRT benefits and limits for midlife sleep
• CBTi basics: wake time, stimulus control, time-in-bed tweaks
• Letting go of sleep anxiety 
• Practical first steps and when to get help

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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:

• why chasing a single fix creates stress not change
• how Laura’s practice shifted from weight-centric targets to nuance
• protein without perfection and what steadies your morning
• fiber and microbiome benefits without counting or 30-plant pressure
• simple plate-building: protein, carbs you enjoy, and some crunch
• escaping on-it off-it thinking and perfectionism loops
• social comparison traps and giving yourself permission
• redefining progress as small choices that stack
• adding fun back into food and midlife

If you're ready to take the next step towards thriving in midlife, head to www.menopausenutritionist.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.
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!

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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. 

We also get real about dopamine seeking, emotional hunger, and the link between ADHD and binge patterns. The antidote isn’t restriction, it’s regulation and pleasure. Learn how to prevent primal hunger with predictable protein and fiber, add texture and heat for sensory satisfaction, and plan pleasure on purpose! 

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!

• Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & Menopause
• Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine Chessman
• Listen to Episode 167 - Part 1 of ADHD and Midlife with Dr Jen Wolkin.

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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!

• Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & Menopause
• Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine Chessman

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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:

• Why words matter
• Behavior change  vs chasing an outcome
• Redefining healthy eating 
• A plant-forward and fiber focused approach
• Persistence vs consistency as a food strategy
• Mindful eating to boost satisfaction and awareness
• Forecasting meals to reduce decision fatigue
• Capsule menus and targeting tough meal times
• Personalization over perfection in menopause care
• Community resources and ongoing support

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.

Please share this episode with a friend who needs to hear this and a review wherever you listen to podcasts is always appreciated!

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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
Instagram: @jenbutlerwrites
Website: jenbutlerwrites.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Navigating Motherhood and Perimenopause: Embracing Identity Shifts with Jessie Harold
• Unfiltered Motherhood in Midlife with Tova Leigh
• Story Session: The Mindset Shifts Laura Needed to Embrace Food Freedom
• Why You're So Tired in Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, 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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

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
Instagram: @dr.alisondanby
Website: www.alisondanby.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• What Every Woman Needs to Know About Cholesterol, Heart Health, & Menopause with Dr. Alex Verge ND
• Is it Hunger, Food Noise, or Hormones?
• Gut Health & Hormones in Midlife: What You Need to Know with Dr. Kim Bretz ND
• Intuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole  

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

“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
Watch This Time of the Month on YouTube: @TTOMcommunity

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• How to Appreciate Your Changing Midlife Body
• Cooking for Pleasure Not Perfection with Chef Andrea Buckett
• Beating the Brain Fog of Menopause
• Story Session: How Early Menopause Led to Food Freedom with Sarah Dosanjh
• Q&A Episode: Food Tracking, Plant Proteins, and Collagen

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

Ever walk into a room and instantly forget why you’re there? Or struggle to find words you know are on the tip of your tongue? I have good news for you! You’re not losing your mind.  Your brain is simply changing.

In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Sarah McKay reveals what’s really behind midlife “brain fog” and why it’s part of a powerful transformation. From hot flashes and sleep struggles to surprising cognitive strengths we gain in menopause, she shares what’s happening inside the brain, as well as how to support it through the transition.

You’ll walk away with science-backed strategies, a fresh perspective on midlife cognition, and maybe even a laugh or two (yes, we talk creatine and the importance of laughing at ourselves in this season). This is a conversation that will leave you feeling reassured, informed, and ready to support and embrace your evolving brain.

Connect with Dr. Sarah McKay

Grab the Brain Health Books
Instagram: @drsarahmckay
Website: www.drsarahmckay.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Beating the Brain Fog of Menopause
• 5 Things My Sister Wants You to Know About Perimenopause
• When Mental Health Meets Menopause with Dr. Stephanie Bayliss ND
• ​​Why Healthcare Needs to Break Up with Diet & Wellness Culture with Dr. Sylvi Martin  

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

This week’s episode is extra special for TWO reasons! For one, we are kicking off Season 6, and my sister Friedel is interviewing me! We’re diving into my new book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, and why I felt called to write it after my own surprising start to perimenopause at 37.

Instead of talking about what to cut out, I share why I focus on what to add, such as fiber, phytoestrogens, and carbs that actually satisfy. We also bust some common menopause myths and talk about how intuitive eating can help you feel at peace with food in this season of life.

Friedel shares some of her favourite recipes from the book  (pumpkin flax muffins, anyone?) along with some of her behind-the-scenes memories of me while I was writing it! 

Join us for a sweet conversation about food, midlife, and finding joy in this season of life.

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• 5 Things My Sister Wants You to Know About Perimenopause
• Intuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole
• What to Do When Intuitive Eating Doesn't Work with Julie Duffy Dillon
• 5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years Ago

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

What if menopause wasn’t something to endure, but something to embrace? After asking my Instagram community about the unexpected gifts of midlife, their answers revealed just how liberating this season can be. From deeper friendships and renewed creativity to freedom from dieting and people-pleasing, their stories echoed a powerful shift, and one rooted in self-awareness, strength, and permission to live more authentically.

These insights inspired my new book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, which blends intuitive eating with symptom-supportive nutrition. No tracking, no rules, just nourishment. Even though this is the Season 5 finale, this episode invites you to see menopause not as an ending, but as a new beginning.

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

8 Things I Wish I'd Known About Perimenopause Before My Last Period
Feasting with Gentle Nutrition in Midlife with Rachael Hartley, RD
Dear Diet Culture Diary: What the 80s Taught Us About Food
You Are More Than What You Eat with Dr. Emma Beckett, PhD

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

In this story session, April MacKinnon, founder of Anointment Natural Skin Care, opens up about nearly a decade of navigating perimenopause. From the early waves of anxiety and disrupted sleep to the surprising strength she found through resistance training, she shares her very relatable experience. 

We explore how resistance training helped April through anxiety when running no longer worked, how skincare evolved from function to connection, and why saying “no, thank you” with no explanation might be one of the best midlife skills of all.

This honest conversation is a reminder that growing into ourselves doesn’t always mean doing more. It often means redefining what matters most.

Connect with April

🏷 Save 20% on Anointment products with the code FEAST20 

The Website: anointment.ca
Magnesium Products:  nourishedmagnesium.com
Instagram: @anointment

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

Rest to Reset: Redefining Rest and Self-Care
How to Stop the Burnout Train in Midlife with Dr. Leigha Saunders, ND
Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu
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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

Have you ever hesitated to open up with other women because you feared judgment, competition, or being labeled as “too much”? If this hits home, I’ve got good news: you are not the problem. 

In this episode, author and comedian Tova Leigh shares stories from her new book Good Girls  Gossip and explains why reclaiming gossip, as deep, truth-sharing connection among women, is revolutionary. We talk about letting go of the “good girl” roles we’ve outgrown and what it means to live more authentically in midlife.

Tova introduces her powerful “and also” mindset, which allows space to be both messy and wise, uncomfortable and growing. It’s a simple shift that invites freedom from perfection and black-and-white thinking.

This is a conversation about real talk, shared wisdom, and the beauty of being witnessed by women who see you as you really are.

Connect with Tova

Good Girls Gossip is available now!
Instagram: @tova_leigh
Website: www.tovaleigh.com

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

Unfiltered Motherhood in Midlife with Tova Leigh
We Need to Stop Pretending We Don't Have Time for Self-Care with Heather Chauvin
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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

In this episode, I sat down to chat with our very own Joyful Movement Coordinator in the Midlife Feast. At 49, Christine received an ADHD diagnosis after years of masking. She shares how perimenopause brought long-overlooked symptoms into focus.

We unpack how midlife hormonal shifts can amplify ADHD traits and why rigid fitness plans rarely work for neurodivergent brains. As a movement coach, Christine offers a refreshing approach to movement in trading consistency for persistence, flexibility, and self-compassion.

We also bust the motivation myth and share simple mindset shifts that make movement feel doable, even on low-energy days.

If traditional routines haven’t worked for you, Christine’s approach might be the reset you’ve been looking for. And if you love what you hear, don’t forget she shares more inside The Midlife Feast community, including videos and tips for all fitness levels.

Connect with Christine

Website: hellofitnesschristine.com
Instagram:@hellofitnesschristine

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! 

• Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & Menopause
• Why We Binge: Unpacking the Restrict-Binge Cycle with Toni Rudd, RD
• How to Un-Diet Your Relationship with Movement in Midlife with Christine Chessman
• How to Fall in Love with Movement While Rejecting Anti-Fat Bias with Louise Green

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

If you’ve ever felt guilty for not finishing your plate, even if you’re full, and you’re not 100% sure why, you might be a member of the Clean Plate Club.

In this episode, I invited registered dietitian Emily Sucher to explore how messages from childhood are still impacting our food decisions today. Whether you grew up hearing about starving children or just hate the idea of wasting food, this conversation offers a fresh perspective. 

Emily shares compassionate ways to tune back into your body’s cues, reframe what food waste really means, and help the next generation build a healthier, more intuitive relationship with eating.

Connect with Emily

The Website: www.livewelldietitian.com
Instagram:@livewelldietitian_

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! 

How to Decode Your Cravings in Menopause
Cooking for Pleasure, Not Perfection with Andrea Buckett
What to Do If Intuitive Eating Doesn’t Work with Julie Duffy Dillon
The Capacity Crisis: Why Women Feel Emotionally Exhausted in Midlife with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, RD
Parenting Without Diet Culture with Oona Hanson

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

In this solo Q&A episode, I am tackling some of the most recent questions shared with me about the sneaky ways diet culture creeps in, what protein adequacy really looks like (especially for plant-based eaters), and whether collagen is fact or hype.

If you want to get your questions answered in the future, submit them here! 

Links Mentioned

The Substack Article Mentioned: Read it here
Try the Midlife Morning Makeover Email Challenge: Join for free
Explore the Midlife Feast Community: Start your 7-day free trial

Related Episodes You’ll Love:

• Clean Eating Pitfalls in Midlife & Menopause with Dr. Morgan Francis, Psy.D, LPC
• 5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years Ago
• Why Diets Don’t Work with Dr. Amy Porto
• Intuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole
• 5 Tips for Spotting Nutrition Misinformation with Dr. Emma Beckett
• Is it Hunger, Food Noise, or Hormones?

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

Our bodies change in midlife and menopause, and many times in ways that feel confusing or frustrating. But what if those changes aren’t a problem to fix, but an invitation to reconnect with ourselves?

In this conversation, Dr. Charlotte Ord, psychologist and body image expert shares a refreshing take on body appreciation. It’s not about pretending to love every wrinkle or roll. It’s about noticing what your body does for you, and learning to meet it with care, not criticism.

We also explore a powerful question: Who benefits when we hate our bodies? The answer reveals just how deeply diet culture and the wellness industry profit from our insecurities.

Dr. Ord offers simple, grounding practices to help you feel more at home in your body, including media literacy tips and ways to gently shift your focus toward gratitude and self-trust. 

Connect with Dr. Charlotte

The Website: https://www.charlotteord.com
Instagram: @drcharlotteord
📚Grab the Book: Body Confident You, Body Confident Kid

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu
• The Problem with Perfectionism with Alana Van Der Sluys
• What Every Woman Needs to Know About Body Image in Midlife with Summer Innanen
• 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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

Standing in your closet thinking, "Nothing fits anymore?" It’s not the best feeling, but can I let you in on something? You don’t have to hold onto your “lose weight wardrobe”. In this encouraging conversation, stylist Dacy Gillespie helps us reframe how we think about style in midlife, especially when our bodies, styles, and preferences have changed.

Together, we explore why comfort isn’t “giving up,” how style can help you reconnect with who you are now, and why that “lose weight wardrobe” may be doing more harm than good. You’ll also get a big dose of validation: most clothes aren’t made to fit you—and that’s a design flaw, not a personal one.

If getting dressed has felt frustrating or disconnected lately, this episode offers a refreshing new lens: style as self-care, self-expression, and an invitation to show up for yourself just as you are today.

Connect with Dacy: 

The Website: https://www.mindfulcloset.com
Instagram: @mindfulcloset
Substack: Unflattering

Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes!

• Redefining Personal Style in Midlife with Dacy Gillespie
• The Body Acceptance Mistake That’s Keeping You Stuck in the Suck
• Trusting Your Body: Finding Peace Through Grief with Nina Manolson
• From Body Grief to Body Acceptance: The Way Forward with Amanda Mittman, 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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist

In this episode, I get to bring you a very special guest, someone whose work has transformed my whole practice, and who has been helping people heal their relationship with food and their bodies through intuitive eating for three decades! 

In this conversation, Intuitive Eating co-founder Evelyn Tribole shares why this compassionate, research-backed framework is more relevant than ever—especially during menopause.

We explore how symptoms like sleep disruption can throw off hunger cues, why decades of dieting create a fear of "losing control," and how that fear is actually your body trying to protect you. Evelyn breaks down the biology behind these patterns and offers a deeply freeing perspective for anyone tired of blaming themselves.

You'll also hear why intuitive eating works even with midlife health conditions, and how shifting from restriction to "nutrition by addition" can make food feel joyful again. Most of all, this episode is an invitation to stop fighting your body—and start finding what truly lights you up.

Connect with Evelyn:

The Website: https://www.evelyntribole.com/
Instagram: @evelyntribole
📚Grab any or all the books!

Links Mentioned: 

EP 70: From Dieting Rock Bottom to Intuitive Eating: 3 Common Mistakes
EP 138:  5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years Ago
EP 146: What to Do When Intuitive Eating Doesn’t Work with Julie Duffy Dillon

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.

Looking for more about midlife, menopause nutrition, and intuitive eating? Click here to grab one of my free guides and learn what I've got "on the menu" including my 1:1 and group programs. https://www.easy.link/menopause.nutritionist