#188 - Turning Down the Critical Voice: Body Acceptance in Your Midlife Body with Kristina Bruce

The Midlife Feast

The Midlife Feast
#188 - Turning Down the Critical Voice: Body Acceptance in Your Midlife Body with Kristina Bruce
Apr 06, 2026 Season 6 Episode 188
Jenn Salib Huber RD ND

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:

What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!

🎉 The wait is over! Doors to The Midlife Body Image Lab will open soon - get on the wait list here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/waitlist

📚 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

Episode Artwork #188 - Turning Down the Critical Voice: Body Acceptance in Your Midlife Body with Kristina Bruce 39:02 Episode Artwork #187 - Second Helpings - Decoding Cravings & Emotional Hunger in Midlife & Menopause 28:55 Episode Artwork #186: GLP-1s, Intuitive Eating & Finding Food Freedom: A conversation with Sam Previte RD 39:12 Episode Artwork #185: The Science and Symptoms of Burnout: How to Build Capacity in Midlife with Dr Ashley Margeson ND 46:12 Episode Artwork #184: Pelvic Floor Freedom: Why Kegels Aren't the Answer & What Works Instead with Lauren Ohayon 42:01 Episode Artwork #183: Decision Fatigue and Menopause: Why "What's for Dinner?" Makes You Want to Scream 23:14 Episode Artwork #182: Visibility As Generosity: Rethinking Photos, Aging, And Confidence With Photographer Kristen Vallejo 36:38 Episode Artwork #181: The Political Hot Potato of Menopause: Cutting Through Noise with Fiona Clark 38:35 Episode Artwork #180: Seed Oils, Protein Obsession & Nutrition Misinformation: Cutting Through the Noise with Colleen Christensen, RD 40:47 Episode Artwork #179 - Fiber Without The Fuss in Midlife and Menopause 22:11 Episode Artwork #178 - Perimenopause Without Panic: Body Changes, Food Freedom, And Real Support 38:31 Episode Artwork #177 - Reclaiming ‘Selfish’ as a Midlife & Menopause Power Move with Suzy Reading 26:12 Episode Artwork #176: Anti-Diet Menopause in the Age of Ozempic With Dr. Mara Gordon 56:52 Episode Artwork #175: Food Guilt in Midlife: Why Your Alarm Keeps Going Off (Even When It’s Just Toast) 21:15 Episode Artwork #174: How to Rebuild Your Habits in Midlife: A Kinder, Science-Backed Approach with Signe Darpinian, LMFT 51:37 Episode Artwork #173 - How To Age Without Apology with Deb Benfield RDN 31:56 Episode Artwork #172 Q&A Episode: Soy, Metabolism, And Food Noise 23:04 Episode Artwork #171: Sleep in the Messy Middle of Midlife and Menopause with Dr Shelby Harris 31:11 Episode Artwork #170: The One Thing Menopause Dietitians Want You to Know About Nutrition 39:42 Episode Artwork #169: Style, Not Size: Dressing for the Life You’re Living with Jacquelyn Prattipati 34:49 Episode Artwork #168: ADHD, Menopause, and The Messy Middle with Diana Reid RD 41:40 Episode Artwork #167 - When Perimenopause Unmasks ADHD with Dr. Jen Wolkin 48:34 Episode Artwork #166: What if “healthy” is a pattern, not a prescription? Redefining lifestyle medicine in menopause 18:27 Episode Artwork #165- Mom Rediscovered: Jen Butler on Breaking Up with Diet Culture and Drinking to Find Herself Again 33:17 Episode Artwork #164 - Autoimmune Disease in Midlife: Beyond Diet Culture Myths with Dr. Alison Danby ND 42:21