131. Stop Restricting, Start Nourishing: The Midlife Plate Formula

What used to work for your body in your 30's doesn't seem to work anymore. The skipped meals, low-fat foods, and calorie cutting that once helped you bounce back now leave you tired, hungry, and struggling with your weight. There's a reason for this – your midlife body requires a different approach to nutrition.

The midlife plate isn't another restrictive diet or complicated eating plan. It's a framework built on four essential pillars that support your changing hormones, metabolism, and energy needs. Protein becomes non-negotiable, serving as the anchor for every meal to maintain precious muscle mass. Fiber from colorful vegetables and fruits supports digestion and hormone processing. Healthy fats – yes, fats! – provide sustained energy and crucial building blocks for hormone production. And vibrant colors on your plate deliver a spectrum of nutrients your body craves.

After decades of being told to eat less, count calories, and fear food groups, this approach flips the script. Instead of asking what to cut out, we focus on what to add in. This mental shift transforms eating from a source of stress to a form of self-care. The result? Steadier energy, fewer cravings, better sleep, and a more peaceful relationship with food.

I've lived through the frustration of restriction-based dieting. I've blamed myself when those approaches inevitably failed. But when I finally understood what my midlife body truly needed – nourishment, not deprivation – everything changed. 

That's why I'm opening the doors to my new cooking and food membership on November 1st, creating a space where women can learn to implement the midlife plate in real life, with real recipes and real support.

Don't let this be another episode you listen to and then forget. Take one small step today: look at your next meal and ask yourself – do I have protein, fiber, healthy fats, and color? And when you're ready to go deeper, join me in the membership where we'll transform your relationship with food, one nourishing plate at a time.

Info about the membership coming soon! 

Chapters

• 1:20 Welcome to Fall & New Beginnings
• 2:50 Introducing the Midlife Membership
• 5:00 Why Your Midlife Plate Matters
• 9:20 The Four Pillars of Midlife Nutrition
• 18:38 From Restriction to Nourishment
• 22:55 Building Your Midlife Plate in Practice
• 27:37 Breaking Free from Diet Culture
• 32:38 Membership Details & Final Thoughts

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:40

Hi everyone and welcome back to the Real Food Stories podcast and happy fall. Wow, did summer go fast and I miss the energy of summer. But, in all honesty, I love the fall because it gives me a moment to breathe and slow down. That's what fall is all about. Right, days are getting shorter, it's getting a little darker out, a little cooler out and we are naturally inclined, I think, to just want to slow it down and reset and just rethink and reevaluate what's going on in our lives. So I'm excited to shift gears and start making more slow-cooked stews and soups and pumpkin everything. I grow sugar pumpkins every year and I just roasted them all and made pumpkin puree, divided all that up and froze individual portions that I can use for muffins, smoothies and whatever has a need for pumpkin puree. It's so good when it's made right from your own garden. I can't tell you the difference between Surabot canned pumpkin and something that comes out of your own garden. So, anyway, welcome back to the podcast. And today we're diving in to one of the most important and sometimes overlooked foundations of midlife health what actually belongs on your plate. Now, before we jump in, I have to tell you something I am so excited about On November 1st, I am opening the doors to my brand new membership and, honestly, I cannot wait to welcome you inside. This is a space created just for women in midlife who want to feel more confident in the kitchen, more clear about what to eat and more supported in this stage of life. So if you've ever felt stuck in the endless what's for dinner cycle or confused about how to eat and menopause, this membership is going to be a game changer for you. You'll get real recipes, real strategies and a real, true community of women who get it. I'm going to be teaching cooking classes in there. Be teaching cooking classes in there. We were just going to be really diving into food that is stress-free and maybe even enjoyable to make. Now here's the best part If you sign up early, you'll lock in a special founder's price plus some exclusive bonuses that won't be offered again, or just feeling like I'm done with cooking because kids have grown and flown and are not part of your house. This is the time to jump back in. So the link to the membership and all the information is in my show notes, so please just check out that link. You could just take a look around if you want to, and I hope that I see you in the membership. It's going to be great.

Speaker 1: 4:10

Now, what we're talking about today, the midlife plate, is really the foundation of everything you'll learn and practice inside of the membership. So let's talk about why this matters. So let's talk about why this matters. If you're in your 40s or 50s 60s, you've probably noticed that what used to work with food doesn't work anymore. Maybe skipping meals or, quote, eating light, helped you bounce back in your 30s and lose a couple pounds really quickly, but now those same habits leave you tired, hungry or even gaining weight. Sometimes. Maybe your metabolism feels like it's slowed down or your energy isn't what it used to be. The truth is, your body is different now, and that's not a bad thing. It just means you need to approach your plate differently, and once you learn the basics of the midlife plate, food stops being confusing and starts being the tool that fuels your energy, your mood, your health and your confidence. So let's talk about the midlife plate and why this matters so much.

Speaker 1: 5:22

When we get to midlife, so much is changing inside of our bodies. Our hormones are shifting, our muscle mass is naturally declining and our metabolism just isn't as forgiving as it once was. You can be eating the same way you did at 35, but at 50, the results feel completely different, and that can be incredibly frustrating and really confusing if you don't know what's going on inside of your body. Now, for years, diet culture told us that the answer was to just eat less, cut carbs or skip meals. And I'll be honest with you, I bought into that too. I used to think that the only way to feel better in my body was to cut more and more out of my diet. I would skip meals, trying to be good, avoid whole categories of food. What always happened? I was starving, I craved sugar, I felt I had no energy to do the things that I wanted to do, I was kind of miserable and, worst of all, I felt like I was failing because I couldn't stick to the rules. And I know so many of you have felt the same way.

Speaker 1: 6:34

Because the truth is, restriction does not work, not in midlife and not really in any stage of life. Restriction leaves us hungrier, moodier. It robs us of our joy of eating. What our bodies are really asking for now is not less, it's more, it's more nourishment, it's more support. So this is where the midlife plate comes in. When you build your meals with intention, with protein, fiber, healthy fats, with color on your plate, everything starts to shift Suddenly. Your energy might feel more stable. You're not crashing at three o'clock in the afternoon or desperate for coffee or a cookie to keep you going. Your muscles, your metabolism's best friend. We talked about this last week on the podcast. If you haven't listened to that, please go back and take a listen to that episode. Get the fuel they need to stay strong and your digestion, which can really feel off in this stage of life, starts to settle down. Even your sleep and your mood improve when your plate is working for you, not against you.

Speaker 1: 7:51

So when I say the midlife plate, I'm not talking about a diet, right? You probably know by now, if you've been listening to me for long enough, that I'm very anti-diet. This is not a diet I'm talking about. I'm just talking about what shows up on your plate of food every single day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So I'm talking also about the way of eating that finally works with your body. Instead of fighting against it and I know you and I know so many other women we have been fighting against our bodies for years it's time to start supporting ourselves and thinking about this as nourishment and our health. It's about shifting from punishment to partnership, from eating less to nourishing more, and once you start to see food through that lens, everything else starts to feel possible again.

Speaker 1: 8:50

So let's break this down, because I want you to actually see what the midlife plate looks like in real life. I want you to think of the plate as having four pillars, and once you know these four things, you don't have to second guess yourself every single time you sit down to eat. Okay, so pillar number one, the first pillar, is protein. I cannot say this enough, and I know you have heard it ad nauseum on social media, but I'm going to say it again Protein is the anchor of every single meal in midlife. If you only take one thing away from this episode, it's this. Protein is what helps you maintain muscle, and muscle is your metabolism's best friend. Now, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you're just sitting still and here's the kicker Most women in midlife are not eating nearly enough protein.

Speaker 1: 9:53

Now, we're not starving for protein. I know that we all in this country get a decent amount, but we want to make sure that we are just consistently throughout the day, eating protein at every single meal. I used to think that I was getting plenty. Now I want to. Before I even finish my thought here, I want to just say that there's a lot of buzz out on the internet to get 100 grams of protein every single day, and that's not easy sometimes to get. Now we don't have to get 100 grams of perfectly proportioned protein every single day. For the most part we just want to make sure that we are getting a serving of protein at breakfast, a serving of protein at lunch and a serving of protein at dinner. That should be enough to help you feel satisfied through the day and help your muscles, which, in terms, helps your metabolism.

Speaker 1: 10:54

So I used to think that I was getting plenty. This is before I was tracking my food. Ever I would eat oatmeal at breakfast, and I still do. But now I add in some extra things. Or yogurt at breakfast, a salad with some chicken at lunch. But when I actually tracked it, I have had days where I was way under. No wonder I felt tired and hungry all the time on those days. But once I started making sure, I was hitting about 25 to 30 grams of protein at each meal. It was like night and day. I had more energy, I had fewer cravings, I felt stronger, and this doesn't mean complicated food. I mean it can mean eggs in the morning, some beans or lentils at lunch, salmon at dinner. It's not complicated and it's not that difficult to get the protein. You just have to be mindful about it and it's pretty simple. But it can be a pretty powerful move for your midlife plate.

Speaker 1: 12:02

All right, the second pillar that I want to talk about for your midlife plate is fiber. Now, fiber is your hormone helper and your gut's best friend. And let's be real, digestion and midlife can feel a little unpredictable sometimes. I know for many women this is a time where suddenly we're very regular and now all of a sudden, we're not. Now we can blame our estrogen partially on that. We can blame a lot of things. I mean it's personal for everybody, but fiber is one of the most important things you can do for your gut. Fiber is what of the most important things you can do for your gut? Fiber is what keeps things moving. It keeps your blood sugar steady, along with that protein right, these fiber and protein take a long time to digest, and so it keeps you satisfied for longer and it even helps your body process estrogen.

Speaker 1: 13:01

Now, when I say fiber, I'm not talking about a supplement in a jar. I'm talking about food. Today, I am talking about vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, whole grains. These are the foods that have fiber and the most amount of fiber. I like to think of it visually Half your plate should be filled with colorful plants. Okay, half your plate should be plants. So when you're visualizing a plate and you have one corner with protein, half your plate should be plants. If you can do that most of the time, you're in a really good place, all right.

Speaker 1: 13:44

The third pillar I want to talk about today for your midlife plate is healthy. Fats is a pillar that I know still makes many, many women nervous, because for most of us we grew up in the low-fat 80s or non-fat. I mean, remember those fat-free cookies and fat-free yogurt cups we thought were healthy? Well, we were taught to fear fat right and to be very wary of it and to not eat it if we didn't have to. We were taught to water saute. Remember that Water sauteing is not sauteing, that's just steaming vegetables.

Speaker 1: 14:26

The truth is, the right kinds of fat are absolutely essential in our diet. They keep you full. They help your brain, they help your hormones. They play such a vital role in hormone production. They play such a vital role in hormone production. Foods like olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish these foods don't make you fat, they make you thrive.

Speaker 1: 14:51

Now the thing is, fat does have more calories per gram than protein or other carbohydrates. Okay, nine calories per gram versus carbohydrates and protein have four calories per gram. Calorie per calorie. Yes, they're a little more, but you're not eating a plate full of fatty foods, right? What I'm talking about is a drizzle, a salad dressing, a few slices of avocado on your plate. Okay, I'll never forget, way back when I added avocado back into my meals after years of pretty much avoiding it because I was taught to think that avocados were fattening foods, and I remember feeling how satisfied I felt. Avocados not only have a good amount of really healthy, good for you fats, but they're also full of fiber. So, as a result, adding in some fats like that and the fiber and the protein, you might feel like you don't need to snack all afternoon, that at three o'clock you're not craving a cookie or a cup of coffee because your body is finally getting what it needs.

Speaker 1: 16:07

All right, the fourth pillar that I wanted to talk about for the midlife plate is color. This is one of my favorites, because color on your plate makes your plate exciting. Right Now, every color in fruits and vegetables does something unique for your health. Red foods like tomatoes and berries are rich in antioxidants. Orange foods like carrots and sweet potatoes support your eye health. Green foods like kale and collard greens are packed with vitamins and minerals. All of them have fiber. But beyond the science, color makes eating fun again.

Speaker 1: 16:49

Okay, a plate of beige food feels heavy and boring. A plate with bright greens, purples, reds and yellows feels alive, and food should feel alive. It should bring you joy as much as it brings you nourishment. So when you make your plate tonight for dinner, I want you to sit and pause for a second and look at what's on it. Is it pleasing to you? Does it look like something that's nourishing and colorful and a joy to eat? Take that experiment and tell me what you think.

Speaker 1: 17:27

All right, so when you put all four of these pillars together protein, fiber, healthy fats, colorful foods you've got a midlife plate that works with your body, not against it. And the best part is this isn't complicated. You don't need special products or exotic ingredients that you have to buy online from some wellness influencer. You just need to build your meals with intention and a little bit of awareness. All right, so now, before we go any further, I want to clear up what the midlife plate is. Not because this is really important. The midlife plate is not because this is really important. The midlife plate is not another set of rigid rules. It's not about eliminating entire food groups. It's not about eating as little as possible or punishing yourself for enjoying food, and it's definitely not about being perfect.

Speaker 1: 18:19

I used to fall for all of those rules. I grew up again in that fat-free era when we thought margarine was better than butter and snackable cookies were basically health food. Remember those. I ate them, believing it was making the right choice. I remember reading the food labels on them and just thinking, okay, these are better than those. And disaster. I used to skip meals, thinking if I just cut enough calories, I would somehow outsmart my body. I can't tell you how many times I ate a plain salad for lunch and then ended up raiding the kitchen later because I was literally starving. And every time I failed at those diets, who was to blame. But me, I would blame myself. I would have thoughts of I just don't have enough willpower. But the truth was, it was never me failing, it was the diets failing me.

Speaker 1: 19:19

Restriction works against our biology, especially in midlife. It ramps up our cravings, it slows your metabolism and it leaves you feeling worse, not better. So the midlife plate is the opposite of that. It's about building meals that fuel your body, not deprive it, and it's about consistency, not perfection. If you have a meal that's not perfectly balanced, that's okay. If you go out to dinner and order a dessert, that's okay too, it's fine. One meal does not define your health. It's the pattern, the overall approach that makes the difference. So when I say the midlife plate, I don't want you to hear another set of rules or restrictions. I want you to hear freedom. Freedom from obsessing, freedom from guilt, freedom from the all or nothing mindset, because when you focus on nourishment instead of restriction, food becomes supportive instead of stressful, and we need all the support we can get right now as women in midlife and going through the menopause transition. So all right, let's take this from theory into practice. What does it actually look like to build a midlife plate Now?

Speaker 1: 20:37

For me, it always starts with a visual. I picture my plate like this I take a plate, I cut it in half. Half of it is filled with vegetables or fruits. I cut the other half in half again. So then I have two quarters. A quarter of the plate is a solid source of protein, of protein chicken, salmon, beans, tofu, whatever you like and a quarter of the plate the other quarter is a whole grain or a starchy vegetable. So whole grains brown rice, quinoa, farro starchy vegetables would be sweet potatoes, corn and then I drizzle some healthy fats, maybe some olive oil, maybe a few slices of avocado, maybe a sprinkle of nuts and seeds. It's pretty simple, but when you start looking at your meals this way, it changes everything.

Speaker 1: 21:39

Now let me walk you through a few examples, because I know this is where it really clicks In the morning. If you're used to grabbing a bagel or a muffin, I want you to try something different. Imagine instead you scramble two or three eggs, toss in some spinach and peppers and serve it with a slice of whole grain toast and a half an avocado. And serve it with a slice of whole grain toast and a half an avocado. That plate has protein, fiber, healthy fat, color and I guarantee you you'll feel fuller and more energized than if you had started your day with just a carb-heavy meal like a white flour bagel. And if you've ever wondered why you're starving at 10 am after eating a bagel at eight in the morning, it's probably because your plate doesn't have that protein anchor Right. You're eating mindless food in a way. All right, let's go on to lunch.

Speaker 1: 22:40

At lunch, one of my go-tos is a big salad. I also am a very big supporter of making dinner and having that for next day's lunch too. But somewhere in there is probably you know a salad within my week. Now here's the catch it's not just lettuce and cucumbers. I'll build it with a base of greens and then I'll add roasted chickpeas or grilled chicken. I'll throw in some quinoa, a handful of other colorful vegetables, maybe some pumpkin seeds, and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon. That's a midlife plate in action Protein from the chickpeas or chicken, fiber and color from the vegetables, whole grains for sustained energy and healthy fats from the seeds and the olive oil. And dinner.

Speaker 1: 23:31

Honestly, I'm a huge fan of sheet pan meals, not all the time, but in a pinch. If these are one of my go-tos when I am maybe a little shorter on time, or I just know that life is going to be busy that day. I love sheet pan meals because they're easy and they hit all the marks. So picture this salmon fillets on a sheet pan with sweet potatoes and broccoli, tossed in some olive oil, some salt and pepper. You roast that all together and you've got protein, fiber, healthy fat and color in one pan. No overthinking, no complicated steps. It doesn't have to be Instagram worthy, it doesn't have to be a picture, a five-star photo. It just checks off all the boxes and it tastes good.

Speaker 1: 24:24

Now here's where the mindset comes in. Instead of asking what do I need to cut out tonight, which is what diet culture trained us to do, I want you to flip that question and ask what can I add in to make this plate more nourishing? Do I have protein? Do I have colorful vegetables and fruits? Do I have fiber? Do I have some healthy fats? Because when you build meals this way, you don't check off nutrition boxes, you feel different, you feel steady, you feel less hungry, you stop obsessing about food all day long, and I can't tell you how many clients have said to me Heather, I don't even think about snacking anymore because my meals are finally satisfying. That's the power of a well-built plate.

Speaker 1: 25:15

And listen, your plate doesn't have to be perfect every single time. I'm going to say this over and over again. Some days you're going to grab a quick sandwich or you'll eat leftovers that aren't perfectly balanced. That's life, it's okay. But if most of your meals follow this midlife formula, you're going to notice a huge difference in your energy, your mood and even how your body feels. This is another good thing to just notice. When you do eat a meal that isn't balanced which is okay, because sometimes life gets in the way just take a moment and notice how that meal made you feel. Were you hungry, then again at 10 am because you didn't have enough of the right components at breakfast. That's okay. Just notice, it's just a learning lesson and move on and go on to your next meal.

Speaker 1: 26:14

So, for me, building a midlife plate isn't about adding rules. It's about simplifying. It's about having a framework you can lean on, no matter what's going on in your day, because the truth is, midlife is busy. We are so busy, right? We're juggling work and families. We're caregiving. There's a lot of stress going on in our lives and in the world and there's a lot to worry about. So the last thing we need is food, adding more confusion or stress, and the midlife plate takes away the guesswork.

Speaker 1: 26:50

Now I want to pause here and talk about something that so many of us have struggled with the difference between restriction and nourishment. Because if you're anything like me, you've probably spent years in that restriction mindset. I can't tell you how many times I thought the answer was to eat less, cut out more power through hunger, just to have more willpower. That was the soundtrack in my head for years. I mean, this is years ago, but it's still. It's something that has really always stuck with me and I know sticks with a lot of women.

Speaker 1: 27:26

This is how we grew up, right, we grew up learning to restrict and to be on diets. So I would say no to bread, I'd skip dessert, I'd maybe even skip entire meals and, sure, sometimes I'd lose a couple of pounds, but it always came at a cost. I was tired, I was moody, I was hungry and eventually I'd end up back where I started, sometimes even worse off, because that's unsustainable. No one can sustain that for too long. And the worst of it all is I always blame myself. I thought I was the problem and thought if I could just stick with it, if I could just have the willpower, I'd finally have the body, the energy and the health that I wanted. But the truth is it wasn't me failing, it was the diet's failing me.

Speaker 1: 28:22

Restriction is wired to backfire. When you starve your body, it pushes back with cravings, slower metabolism and total frustration. So nourishment is a completely different story. Nourishment asks what does my body actually need right now to thrive? It shifts the focus from less to more More protein to support muscle, more fiber for digestion and hormone health, more healthy fats to keep me satisfied, more color to bring in all of those nutrients and antioxidants. It's about adding, it's not subtracting. And let me tell you, when I made that shift in my own life and also added in the compassion, the kindness and the forgiveness and the mindfulness, it was like flipping a switch. I went from feeling like food was my enemy to realizing that food could be my ally. From feeling like food was my enemy to realizing that food could be my ally. Instead of obsessing about what I couldn't have, I started asking what can I add to make this meal more nourishing? And the changes were almost immediate. I've said this before I've had more steady energy, my sleep has been better, less hunger, less guilt. That's why I want you to hear me on this.

Speaker 1: 29:39

Nourishment isn't just about the food on your plate. It's about how you feel in your body and in your life. Restriction shrinks you down physically and emotionally and nourishment builds you up. Restriction makes food stressful. Nourishment makes food supportive, and I know for so many women this is the hardest shift to make because diet culture has drilled the restriction mindset into us for decades. But midlife is actually the perfect time to flip that script, because this is the season when your body needs and deserves more care, more fuel and more love. So the next time you catch yourself thinking I need to eat less or I don't know what to do, I've gained weight and I can't figure this out. And why am I gaining weight? And I understand it's a stressful time of our lives Ask yourself what can I eat more that will truly support me. And that little mindset shift is where the real magic can happen.

Speaker 1: 30:51

And this is exactly why I created my new membership, because I don't want this to be another podcast episode you listen to and think, well, that sounds nice, I should try that someday, or I get it. I know I should be nourishing myself and being kind to myself, but I don't know how to do that and I'm used to doing it this way, and so I'm going to just stick to what I have always been doing. I want you to have a space where we can take these ideas, like the midlife plate, and actually bring them into your real everyday life and make it easy for you. Because here's the truth Knowing what to eat is only half the battle. The harder part is figuring out how to make it doable when you're busy, you're stressed, you're just not in the mood to cook or you don't really feel comfortable cooking. I hear it all the time. I know it's healthy, I know how to eat, I know what to eat. I just don't know how to put it into practice, and that's why this membership exists.

Speaker 1: 31:58

So inside the membership, we're going to cook together, we'll share recipes, we'll talk through real life challenges like feeding picky eaters, husbands included, cooking for one or two after your kids have left home, or just figuring out how to get dinner on the table without literally losing your mind. You'll get inspiration, yes, but you'll also get really practical tools to make food simpler and more joyful again and I want you to know again I'm going to say this over and over again this isn't about being perfect. I'm not perfect in the kitchen. You're not perfect. None of us are. That word has to just leave the universe.

Speaker 1: 32:41

This is about progress, not perfection. It's about consistency and, absolutely more importantly, I think, it's about community. We need each other because food is so much easier and so much more fun when you're not doing it alone. Food is so much easier and so much more fun when you're not doing it alone. And because this is a brand new membership, if you join early, like I said at the beginning, you'll be part of my founding members group. That means you'll lock in a special founder's price and get access to some of the most exclusive bonuses that I'll never offer again, and it's my way of saying thank you for trusting me and coming along on this journey from the very beginning. So if you've ever felt like you're done with cooking or if you've lost touch with how to make food exciting, I want you to know this membership is going to help you bring the joy back to food, because food isn't just fuel, it's self-care, it's connection, and in midlife it's one of the most powerful tools. We have to feel energized, strong and supported. So here's what I want you to take away from today, in midlife.

Speaker 1: 33:51

It's not about shrinking yourself, eating less or following the old rules of diet culture. Those things might have worked in your 20s or 30s, but they don't serve you now. What does serve you is building a plate that actually works with your body, a plate that gives you energy, supports your metabolism, steadies your mood and helps you feel strong and resilient. And that plate isn't complicated. It's built on four simple pillars protein, fiber, healthy fats and color. And when you start thinking about your meals this way, everything shifts. Food stops being the enemy and it becomes your ally. It stops being about punishment and it becomes about partnership. It stops being about punishment and it becomes about partnership. I know this because I've lived it.

Speaker 1: 34:42

I have spent years in the old diet mindset, way back when, skipping meals, cutting carbs, feeling like I was failing. Every time I couldn't stick to the plan. But once I shifted to nourishment, once I focused on what to add to my plate instead of what to take away, that's when food started to feel supportive again. That's when I finally felt steady, energized and free, and I want that for you, too. This is the heart of the work we'll be doing together inside my new membership, which opens on November 1st, and if you've been listening today and thinking, yes, this is exactly what I need, I would love for you to join me. You'll learn how to put the midlife plate into practice in your own kitchen, with recipes, strategies and support every step of the way, and if you sign up early, you'll lock in that special founder's price plus some amazing bonuses that I've put together just for this group. So here's my invitation Don't let this be just something you hear today and forget about tomorrow.

Speaker 1: 35:54

Take one small step. Look at your plate at your next meal and ask yourself do I have protein, do I have fiber, do I have some healthy fats? Do I have color? And then, when you're ready to go deeper, join me inside the membership, where we can do this together, meal by meal, week by week. Thank you so much for joining me today on Real Food Stories. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend. We need more women in midlife to know that food is not the enemy, it's the answer. And don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss the next episode in the series leading up to the membership launch. All right until next time, take care of yourself. Eat well, one nourishing plate at a time.