The Midlife Feast

Celebrate with me as we toast to the 100th episode of the Midlife Feast! As you know, on every episode of the podcast, I ask my guests what they think the missing ingredient in midlife is. After revisiting the answers in 100 episodes, I want to share with you the top five insights that have reshaped our understanding of midlife and menopause.  As we clink glasses to this journey, I’m celebrating a...

In addition to the emotional and physical changes that can come with midlife, have you ever felt discouraged when you realized that your relationship with your spouse or partner was having its own midlife crisis? If so, you’re not alone, but you don’t have to stay stuck. Since we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day this week, I thought it would be the perfect time to invite relationship expert Carrie C...

If you have recently been told that you have high blood pressure, (perhaps for the first time ever) there are a couple of things you should know. First, this is not your fault! Second, don’t panic - because Dr. Alex Verge ND is back to help us understand why you’re not alone when it comes to understanding why blood pressure (among so many other things) changes in midlife. Your blood pressure might...

Today we’re tackling a topic we haven’t yet devoted an entire episode to but certainly deserves one!  I’ve invited Nutrition & Body Relationship Coach, Deb Benfield to help us explore the subtle but profound impact of ageism on body image in midlife. We cover so much in this one conversation including aging body liberation, what it means to carry internalized ageism, and how that intersects wi...

One of the biggest challenges of midlife is the fact that so many of us feel flat-out exhausted, even after 8 hours of sleep!  That’s why I invited the Fatigue Fixer, Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, ND to help us understand why this chronic exhaustion is so common but also more complex than just having low iron levels.  Sarah will share the four areas you need to explore to discover what's zapping yo...

Everyone comes from somewhere. It’s a simple, perhaps obvious statement, but one that is more relevant than we might realize. In this episode, I’m joined by psychologist, speaker, and author, Dr. Jody Carrington. Jody believes that finding the courage and the safe places to tell our stories is what we need most as we navigate a distracted and disconnected world. While I haven’t known Jody for long...

If the pressure from wellness culture leaves you feeling fearful and anxious because of its unattainable standards, it's probably safe to say that it's not truly promoting well-being. And if you've invested time, money, or energy in the myths and promises of wellness culture, you probably haven't seen much ROI on those either.  In this episode, I’m kicking off 2024 with a guest...

As we bid farewell to 2023, I’d like to help you redirect the panic and pressure of New Year’s resolutions that may feel like they are waiting around the corner for you. I’m popping in to offer you some super practical tips for a healthier and more peaceful connection with food and your body, especially this time of year.  I challenge you to give me sixteen minutes to help you see how the peace yo...

You know the overwhelming and even sometimes paralyzing feelings you battle when you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror or a photo? It’s when the image we see in front of us doesn’t match the image in our brain. That’s body grief.  In this episode, I’ve invited Registered Dietitian, Amanda Mittman to tackle this subject with me. We’re calling out why body grief has so many layers you might...

Do you ever have days where you start out eating fat-free for breakfast, go vegan for lunch, and end up eating keto for dinner? Food rules are so appealing and yet so confusing. The problem is that there’s no “best” diet and they all have the same predictable result. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Sylvi Martin who will help us expose why so many elements of wellness culture are getting in the...

Welcome to the third of a series of bonus episodes of The Midlife Feast, where we're flipping the script! Today, I’m in the hot seat and my podcast manager, Dee-Anna (who just turned 40) will be asking some of the questions asked by those of you in this community! I had an overwhelming response of fabulous questions, so we are serving the answers to you in a series of bite-sized episodes desi...

In this episode, I  invite you to listen as I sit down with Midlife Feast Community member, Laura, a veteran dieter who's now embracing life as an intuitive eater. Laura generously shares her 40-year dieting journey, beginning at age 11, and why it’s so easy to buy into the lie that if you’re not seeing results on a diet, well, you simply aren’t trying hard enough.  We debunk common myths lik...

While you probably know that pelvic floor therapy can help if you struggle with leaking or postpartum challenges, as you'll discover in this conversation, your pelvis has a much bigger impact on your overall well-being, especially in midlife.  I know because I had the privilege of being treated by my guest today, Erika Burger. She is a highly regarded Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist from Dartmou...

Welcome to the second of a series of bonus episodes of The Midlife Feast, where we're flipping the script! Today, I’m in the hot seat and my podcast manager, Dee-Anna (who just turned 40) will be asking some of the questions asked by those of you in this community! I had an overwhelming response of fabulous questions, so we are serving the answers to you in a series of bite-sized episodes des...

Ever found yourself locked in the diet mentality, labeling food as 'good' or 'bad', and feeling the pressure to achieve perfection with every bite? You're not alone! In this episode, I've invited a fellow certified intuitive eating counselor, Alana Van Der Sluys to help us unpack the insidious role of perfectionism in our eating habits and diet culture. Together, we s...

In this episode, weight-inclusive endocrinologist, Dr. Gregory Dodell joins me as we continue the conversation we’ve started on the podcast (with Val Schonberg and Danielle Bubblitz) about managing diabetes in midlife Dr. Dodell emphasizes that diabetes doesn't discriminate based on body size. He advocates for a personalized, intuitive approach to eating, highlighting the importance of listen...

Welcome to the first of a series of bonus episodes of The Midlife Feast, where we're flipping the script! Today, I’m in the hot seat and my podcast manager, Dee-Anna (who just turned 40) will be asking some of the questions asked by those of you in this community!  I had an overwhelming response of fabulous questions, so we are serving the answers to you in a series of bite-sized episodes des...

Have you ever taken a moment to press pause just before you reach for your favourite salty snack, sweet treat, or glass of wine when a strong feeling bubbles to the surface? It’s a very human thing to “emotionally eat or drink” but do we know why? Or if that habit is actually helping us to resolve anything??   Today on the podcast psychotherapist and certified alcohol coach, Emma Gilmour will help...

When I did an open call in our Midlife Feast Community for anyone who was willing to do a story session, I was thrilled when long-time member Melissa jumped at the chance to share her story. She shares how she has transitioned from lifetime member of Weight Watchers and all the tracking, measuring, and counting that came with it, to enjoying the freedom of being an intuitive eater. Melissa also sh...

Midlife is notorious for bringing burnout, but I’d like to flip the script and propose it's actually the perfect time to rediscover joy in midlife! To help us, I’ve invited my friend Meryl Cook to share her passion for helping others find healing through creativity and self-compassion.  Meryl will share her unique creative process that starts with journaling and is a unique blend of writing,...

When you hear the word “exercise”, what’s the very next word that comes to mind? Pain? Sweat? No thanks?  It’s incredibly common to make these associations with movement because we’ve been conditioned to believe that unless we are miserable, it doesn’t count.  In this episode, I’m talking with weight-inclusive fitness trainer, Jamie Carbaugh who will share why she is so passionate about choosing m...

When it comes to the diabetes conversation, have you ever felt like common sense was the missing ingredient? If so, you’re 100% correct. The fear-based messaging like “you’re just one donut away from diabetes” indicates how out of control it’s become. What I want you to walk away with is knowing that you can make peace with food, even with diabetes- and one of the best ways to do that is through a...

Are you convinced that with your welcome to midlife and menopause letter, you’re also doomed to develop insulin resistance? It’s not much different from believing that every pregnant woman will also develop gestational diabetes. Is it possible? Sure. Does it happen to everyone? Definitely not.  In this episode, I’ve invited Registered Dietitian, Val Schonberg back on the show to help challenge som...

If you’ve been around here for a season or two, you know that I’ll never be in favor of taking anything off the menu when it comes to nutrition- with one exception: information overload. These days, the problem with making decisions about food in midlife is not due to lack of information. It’s a lack of awareness of the other things that influence our decisions about food!  So in this season, you...

Wondering why in the world would a naturopathic doctor and dietitian would suggest that food is not medicine. It’s a great question and one I wanted to tackle for the last episode of season 3. There’s no doubt about it-food does incredible things for our bodies. It fuels, supports, and nourishes us every day. But here’s a little secret: broccoli alone can’t save your life. Food is just food! The p...