The Next Phase
I used to be fun. I used to be driven. I used to be sexy. I used to be...young. What happened?
Dear Millennial moms in your late 30s or 40s -- former forces of nature,
Are you burned out, overwhelmed, and wondering where your energy (and your old self) went? You’re not alone.
The Next Phase is the podcast for overachieving moms navigating perimenopause who are dying to take back their energy, their bodies, and their magic. Here, we will not pummel you with hormone treatment plans or talk about perimenopause as if it's a diagnosis. Instead, we're going to celebrate it. We're going to use it as an excuse to really start taking care of ourselves. As a matter of fact, we're going to find ourselves in our perimenopause era.
Hosted by Stacey Hutson—certified health coach, wellness chef, former co-host of the Mother Plus Podcast, and mom of two—you’ll learn how to: Understand what’s really happening in perimenopause and how to work with your changing body, use nutrition, supplements, and sleep as medicine to restore your energy, get in tune with your cycle and learn practical ways to sync your life with your hormones, and create rituals (with a little woo) that help you slow down, listen inward, and reconnect with yourself.
Each episode blends personal stories, expert insights, and actual doable steps you can take right away.
✨ Subscribe now to The Next Phase and join a community of millennial moms redefining wellness in their 40s. Let’s make perimenopause your most magnetic chapter yet.
The Next Phase
#12: Why Your Belly Is Changing in Perimenopause — And What Actually Helps
After watching K-Pop Demon Hunters, my daughters asked me if they “should want abs”… and that moment changed the entire direction of this episode.
Today we’re talking about meno belly — why your belly is changing in perimenopause, what’s actually happening biologically, and the stories we’ve carried since growing up as millennial girls raised on Friends, Ally McBeal, The O.C., and the Victoria’s Secret angels.
This episode isn’t about flattening your stomach.
It’s about healing your relationship with it — so we don’t pass our body shame down to our daughters.
Inside, we cover:
- What “meno belly” really is
- How hormones, stress, sleep, and muscle loss affect your midsection
- The moment I caught myself judging my own body on the mat
- A cultural reframe inspired by Pulp Fiction and Sarah Landry (@thebirdspapaya)
Next week, we’ll talk about how to support your metabolism in your 40s — without restriction or punishment.
👉 Download my Cycle Syncing Food Guide + Cycle Syncing Map here.