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If you’ve been told you should get more fiber but feel confused by the fiber-maxing trend and don’t want it to become a full-time job, this episode is for you. In this episode, I explain why fiber matters in midlife and menopause, how it truly supports digestion, energy, heart health, and satisfaction, and why you don’t need to count every gram or chase perfection. This episode offers clear, practical ways to think about soluble and insoluble fiber, bust common myths, and add more fiber to your eating in ways that feel doable, not overwhelming. This episode gives you permission to focus on patterns, not pressure. Get the Mediterranean Salmon Smash recipe here: https://www.jennsalibhuber.ca/blog/fiber-without-tracking-in-menopause Episodes mentioned:  🎙Episode 39 — What Every Woman Needs to Know About Heart Health, Cholesterol, and Menopause with Dr. Alex Verge, ND. 🎙Episode 98 — High Blood Pressure in Menopause and Midlife (The Estrogen Connection) with Dr. Alex Verge, ND.  What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

Perimenopause can feel unpredictable, emotional, and deeply disorienting, especially when your body changes quickly and nothing seems to work the way it used to. In this story session, I'm joined by Britney, a 49-year-old therapist navigating late perimenopause, who shares her honest experience with weight changes, fatigue, mood swings, and the fear that often shows up alongside them. Together, we talk about what it’s really like to move from panic and food rules into trust, attunement, and food freedom in midlife. This episode explores how stepping out of diet culture, wearing clothes that fit your today body, and finding supportive community can free up mental space and help you feel more like yourself again, even in the middle of uncertainty. If you’re in perimenopause and struggling with body image, confusing symptoms, or your relationship with food, this conversation will help you feel less alone and more hopeful about what’s possible next. Learn more about Britney's work here: www.lecofva.com If you'd like to join the Feaster community, learn more at https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/themidlifefeastcommunity What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

If the word “selfish” still triggers guilt for you, this episode is the permission slip you didn’t know you needed. I’m joined by the ever-wise Suzy Reading to explore why so many of us in midlife struggle to receive support, set boundaries, and prioritize our own needs — even when we know better. We unpack the deep roots of people-pleasing, the pressure to be endlessly self-reliant, and how we can start to reclaim selfish as something powerful, not shameful. If you’ve been doing all the “right” self-care things and still feel depleted, this conversation will help you connect the dots — and offer a new, more compassionate way forward. Learn more about Suzy Reading and her new book How To Be Selfish here: https://www.suzyreading.co.uk/ Did you enjoy this episode? #58 - Rest to Reset - Redefining Self-Care with Suzy Reading #132 - Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the Menu What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

Welcome to 2026, where it suddenly feels harder than ever to talk about menopause, health, and nutrition without the conversation getting hijacked by weight loss. In this longer-than-usual episode, I’m joined by family physician and writer Dr. Mara Gordon (who proudly describes herself as an “anti-diet doctor”) to talk about the question that's been on my mind lately: Is a weight-neutral menopause still possible? Mara and I unpack what weight neutrality actually means in real-world healthcare, why the “weight loss fixes everything” narrative has gotten louder again, and whether GLP-1 medications can fit into an informed, values-based, body-autonomy-first approach to care. In this episode, we talk about: What I mean by “weight neutral” (and why it’s not the same as “anti-weight loss”)Why menopause weight changes can create so much urgency, fear, and pressureHow to support weight-neutral conversations even when cholesterol, blood sugar, or blood pressure changeThe “Mediterranean pattern,” and why nutrition strategies can help without turning into restrictionGLP-1s: what they can do well (and what they cannot do)Why a lot of expectations about weight loss are shaped by culture, not medicineWhy “I want to avoid meds” is often about something deeper than the medicationAbout my guest, Dr. Mara Gordon Dr. Mara Gordon is a family physician in Camden, New Jersey. She’s also a writer, including NPR’s Real Talk with a Doc column, and she writes a Substack newsletter called Your Doctor Friend, about healthcare being a mess and how we can figure it out together. She’s also working on a book about diet culture and medicine, expected in 2027. Links & resources Dr. Mara Gordon’s Substack: Your Doctor FriendNPR column: Real Talk with a DocMy website + free resources + coaching: menopausenutritionist.caIf this episode hit home Share it with a friend who’s feeling the pressure to “fix” her midlife body. And if you have a question you want me to tackle on a future episode, send it my way. Enjoying the show? Follow The Midlife Feast and leave a review. It helps more midlife women find evidence-based, weight-neutral support that doens't feel like a diet. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 morality with neutrality. Grab The Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder Episodes mentiond: Episode 172: https://themidlifefeast.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/18238090 Episode 151:https://www.buzzsprout.com/1851576/episodes/17038620 What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 patterns that feel automatic, especially the ones that show up at the end of a long day or week. You’ll hear how small, well-timed shifts can loosen the grip of old routines and create space for choices that actually feel good. We also explore simple tools for calming the mental swirl that fuels cravings and second-guessing, along with a gentler approach to movement and nourishment that supports energy, mood, and a steadier sense of self. It’s all about building habits that fit your real life, not forcing yourself into rigid rules. If you’re stepping away from dieting and looking for routines that feel kinder, more sustainable, and more you, this conversation offers encouragement, clarity, and a practical path forward. Connect with Signe Darpinian Grab the Book:  A Woman's Guide to Menopause, Body Image, and Emotional Well-being at Midlife Instagram: @therapyrockspodcast Website: www.signedarpinian.com Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! Finding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine ChessmanHow to Cancel Your Clean Plate Club Membership with Emily Sucher, RDHow to Stop the Cycle of “Starting Over” Every Monday3 Reasons Why Intuitive Eating Might Feel Hard with Abbie Attwood What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 like “you haven’t aged a bit” keep youth on a pedestal, how patriarchy and ableism shape appearance pressure, and what it takes to build a truly age-affirming life. We talk about: Defining internalized ageism and why it starts earlySeparating facts of aging from fear-based storiesNaming patriarchy, sexism and ableism in appearance pressureHow wellness trends can trigger relapse and obsessionAutonomy vs pressure in skincare, movement and foodHer book's framework for untangling systems and mending body trustPractical steps to notice, name and unlearn ageist thoughtsChoosing freedom and values over perfectionLearn more about Deb's work:https://www.debrabenfield.com Order Unapologetic Aging: https://www.debrabenfield.com/book If you've loved today's conversation and found it helpful, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts If you're ready to take the next step towards thriving in midlife, head to menopause nutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 • Defining food noise and why it returns after GLP-1s • Permission-based eating to rebuild trust and satisfaction Episodes mentioned: #151 - Is it Hunger, Hormones or Food Noise? #155 - Q&A: Food Tracking, Plant Proteins & Collagen Supplements #127 - The Truth About Soy in Midlife #84 - On The Menu - Part 1 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions  #87- On The Menu - Part 2 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions  #90 - On The Menu - Part 3 Your Menopause Nutrition Questions Join the live book club Q&A: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/bookclub What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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, and social load • Why sleep hygiene helps but won’t cure insomnia • Rethinking the “eight hours” rule and normal wakeups • HRT benefits and limits for midlife sleep • CBTi basics: wake time, stimulus control, time-in-bed tweaks • Letting go of sleep anxiety  • Practical first steps and when to get help Learn more about Dr Harris at: www. drshelbyharris .com Follow her on Instagram: @ SleepDocShelby Check out her books: The Women’s Guide to Overcoming Insomnia: Get a Good Night’s Sleep Without Relying on Medication  The Essential Guide to Children’s Sleep: A Tired Caregiver’s Workbook for Every Age and Stage  Looking for better sleep solutions in the kitchen? My book, Eat to Thrive During Menopause, has an entire section on sleep - Order wherever books are sold or visit www.menopausenutritionist.ca/Book. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 doable. In this episode you'll hear: • why chasing a single fix creates stress not change • how Laura’s practice shifted from weight-centric targets to nuance • protein without perfection and what steadies your morning • fiber and microbiome benefits without counting or 30-plant pressure • simple plate-building: protein, carbs you enjoy, and some crunch • escaping on-it off-it thinking and perfectionism loops • social comparison traps and giving yourself permission • redefining progress as small choices that stack • adding fun back into food and midlife If you're ready to take the next step towards thriving in midlife, head to www.menopausenutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause. If you've loved today's conversation and found it helpful, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts! You can learn more about Laura at https://www.lecnutrition.co.uk/ and on Instagram at @menopause.dietitian. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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” really means, why style has nothing to do with size, and how to stop waiting for a smaller body to wear what you love. You’ll walk away with practical tips for finding clothes that fit today’s body, letting go of the “someday jeans,” and remembering that your body isn’t the problem, your clothes just need to catch up. Want to learn more about body image in midlife? 🎙Episode 109 - The Body Acceptance Mistake That's Keeping you Stuck in The Suck Learn more about Jacquelyn at www.jgpstyledme.com and on Instagram at @jgpstyledme What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 turn “what’s for dinner?” into a 30-step project and show how to lower the cognitive load and decision fatigue. Think forecasts instead of rigid schedules, two to three-day meal windows, and a “nutrition capsule wardrobe” you can refresh monthly for novelty.  We also get real about dopamine seeking, emotional hunger, and the link between ADHD and binge patterns. The antidote isn’t restriction, it’s regulation and pleasure. Learn how to prevent primal hunger with predictable protein and fiber, add texture and heat for sensory satisfaction, and plan pleasure on purpose!  If this conversation helps you feel seen, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more midlife listeners can find food freedom and confidence.  Learn more about Diana at www.theglobaldietitian.com and on Instagram at theglobalrd. Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & MenopauseFinding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine ChessmanListen to Episode 167 - Part 1 of ADHD and Midlife with Dr Jen Wolkin. What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 reactivity, and how perfectionism and people-pleasing crumble under midlife’s mental load. You’ll walk away with simple tools for clearer focus and steadier mood, including protein-forward meals, grazing stations to beat decision fatigue, and scripts for asking for help. This episode is science, validation, and relief all in one. Connect with Dr. Jen Instagram: @adhd_with_drjen, @drjenwolkin Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! Story Session: Navigating ADHD in Midlife & MenopauseFinding Your Movement Rhythm with ADHD & Perimenopause with Christine ChessmanWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 and a breast cancer survivor who felt she “failed” exercise—we'll explore why language carries weight and how reframing goals can lift the pressure without losing the science. I reframe lifestyle medicine as behavior change medicine and share practical ways to support menopause with flexible food patterns, mindful eating for satisfaction, and low-capacity day forecasting.  We'll cover: • Why words matter • Behavior change  vs chasing an outcome • Redefining healthy eating  • A plant-forward and fiber focused approach • Persistence vs consistency as a food strategy • Mindful eating to boost satisfaction and awareness • Forecasting meals to reduce decision fatigue • Capsule menus and targeting tough meal times • Personalization over perfection in menopause care • Community resources and ongoing support Head to menopause nutritionist.ca to learn more about my one-to-one and group coaching programs, free resources, and where to get your copy of Eat to Thrive during menopause. Please share this episode with a friend who needs to hear this and a review wherever you listen to podcasts is always appreciated! What did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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

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 trying to take up less space in the world.  Jen shares her early entry into diet culture, the moment a nutritionist prescribed restriction that stole her period and presence, and the turning point when she stopped paying for being smaller with health and joy. We also talk about alcohol as a coping mechanism, how honesty sparked change, and why removing the fog made room for deeper work: food freedom, identity beyond motherhood, and creative ambition.  Now, as a coach and author of Mom Rediscovered, Jen invites women to reclaim their space and redefine midlife on their own terms. If you’re ready to trade perfection for presence and roles for a richer identity, this conversation will resonate.  Connect with Jen Grab the Book: Mom Rediscovered Instagram: @jenbutlerwrites Website: jenbutlerwrites.com Like what you learned? Check out these other episodes! Navigating Motherhood and Perimenopause: Embracing Identity Shifts with Jessie HaroldUnfiltered Motherhood in Midlife with Tova LeighStory Session: The Mindset Shifts Laura Needed to Embrace Food FreedomWhy You're So Tired in Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, NDWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know! 📚 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