The Midlife Feast

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 mor...

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 patte...

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...

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 •...

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, a...

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 doabl...

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...

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 tur...

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 r...

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...

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...

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 glu...

“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 ma...

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 s...

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 c...

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...

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...

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...

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, Chri...

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 con...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Feeling hungry all the time? Or do you feel like fullness just doesn’t land the way it used to? You’re not imagining things—and it’s not about discipline either. Hormonal changes in menopause can change how you experience hunger, and that can be disorienting. In this episode, we answer a listener’s honest question about feeling constantly hungry, and explore how biology, behavior, and hormones all...