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Breast cancer screening after 40 means more than a yearly mammogram. It means knowing your own breasts with a monthly self-exam, understanding what dense breasts do to a mammogram, and asking for more testing when something feels off. If you have ever been told a lump is probably nothing and walked out unsure, or you just found out you have dense breasts and have no idea what that means, this conversation is for you. You do not need a medical degree to advocate for yourself. You need to know what to ask for. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Kristin Collins, menopause nutrition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, sits down with Dr. Tiffany Troso-Sandoval, a medical oncologist who spent 25 years at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and author of Calming the Cancer Chaos. Dr. Troso walks you through how to do a breast self-exam, the warning signs worth a call, and why an ultrasound is the minimum to request if you have dense breasts. You will learn the questions to ask after a breast cancer diagnosis, what triple negative and HER2 positive actually mean, and why she believes every woman should ask for genetic testing. That belief got personal when her own DNA test revealed a high-risk ovarian cancer gene at 57, with no family history. She also unpacks whether sugar or stress causes cancer. Know your body. Ask the question. Demand the test. In this episode, you’ll discover: Breast cancer screening after 40, including why Dr. Tiffany Troso recommends a mammogram once a year, every year, starting around 40, or as early as 35 with a family history. How to do a breast self-exam, the at-home half of breast cancer screening after 40: once a month in the shower, spokes-of-a-wheel style, with the knuckle-versus-thumb test for lumps. What dense breasts are, why a tumor can hide on a regular mammogram when breast tissue and tumors both show up white, and why an ultrasound is the minimum to ask for. What to do when your doctor says a lump is probably nothing, and why asking for an ultrasound or diagnostic mammogram is the step that could catch a cancer earlier. The questions to ask after a breast cancer diagnosis: what type it is, whether estrogen positive, HER2 positive, or triple negative, and what stage it is. Who should get genetic testing for breast cancer, and why Dr. Troso says everyone should ask after her own test found a high-risk ovarian cancer gene with no family history. Does sugar cause cancer? Why Dr. Troso says not directly, how insulin resistance and inflammation fit in, and why she would rather you eat the apple than drink the apple juice. We talk about: 00:00 Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Dr. Tiffany Troso 02:27 Why an oncologist wrote Calming the Cancer Chaos 04:46 Breast cancer screening after 40 starts at home 10:08 What are dense breasts and do you need more screening 13:34 Breast cancer warning signs to watch for at home 16:21 How often should you get a mammogram 17:12 When your doctor says it's probably nothing 19:33 Questions to ask after a breast cancer diagnosis 25:34 Triple negative and HER2 positive breast cancer explained 28:14 Who should get genetic testing for breast cancer 33:00 Does sugar cause cancer 36:42 Does stress cause cancer Know a woman who is due for her mammogram? Send her this episode, and grab Dr. Troso's free list of questions to ask your oncologist at https://drtiffanytroso.com/ Connect with Dr. Troso Website and free questions checklist: https://drtiffanytroso.com/ Book, Calming the Cancer Chaos: https://drtiffanytroso.com/calming-the-cancer-chaos-1503 Podcast: https://drtiffanytroso.com/podcastStore for cancer patients: https://store.empoweredcancerpatient.com/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/drtiffanytroso YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drtiffanytroso LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drtiffanytroso/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #BreastCancerAwareness #BreastCancerAwarenessMonth #BreastCancerScreening #DenseBreasts #Mammogram #BreastSelfExam #KnowYourBreasts #BreastHealth #EarlyDetection #PatientAdvocacy #AdvocateForYourself #GeneticTesting #TripleNegative #HER2Positive #CancerMyths #WomenOver40 #MidlifeWomen #MidlifeHealth #CalmingTheCancerChaos #EatTheFuckingFood

How many carbs should a woman eat a day? For most women, a general range of 150 to 250 grams, and far more if you are training hard or building muscle. If that number makes you nervous, you are not alone. Diet culture taught you that carbs make you gain weight, so when the scale ticks up after a bowl of pasta, it feels like proof you failed. It is not. Carbs pull glycogen and water into your muscles. That is your body finally getting fed, not fat gain. Kristin Collins, menopause nutrition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, sits down with Emma Kirchner, a holistic and functional nutrition coach, former Division I water polo athlete, and host of the Fit Habit Life podcast. Emma, who once did keto as a college athlete, shares how one petite client ate over 400 grams of carbs a day to build five pounds of muscle, why the protein hype has some women eating 150 grams of protein and barely 100 grams of carbs, and why she now fuels her runs with 60 grams of carbs per hour. You will also walk through Emma’s simple health checklist, from waking up rested to recovering well after workouts, and learn how daily weigh-ins can turn the scale back into a data point, not a verdict on your worth. Healthy has nothing to do with your size. Go eat the carbs. In this episode, you’ll discover: How many carbs a woman should eat a day, including Emma Kirchner’s general range of 150 to 250 grams, and why women eating only 70 to 115 grams keep crashing every afternoon.Why the scale goes up when you eat more carbs, and how glycogen and water weight explain the jump, so you stop reading a normal fluctuation as fat gain or failure.Why eating 150 grams of protein and barely 100 grams of carbs can backfire, and how years of protein hype left so many women short on the fuel they need most.Should you weigh yourself every day? How Emma Kirchner used daily weigh-ins to take the emotion out of the scale and treat the number as data, not self-worth.How to know if you’re healthy without the scale, using Emma’s simple health checklist: waking up rested, recovering well, managing stress, and feeling strong and capable in your body.How many carbs it takes to build muscle, including the petite client who ate over 400 grams of carbs a day and gained five pounds of muscle.How fueling your workouts with carbs changes recovery, including Emma’s shift to 60 grams of carbs per hour on long runs with no injuries and no lingering aches. We talk about: 00:00 Meet Emma Kirchner, holistic nutrition coach 01:00 Why are women so scared of carbs 03:00 Why the scale goes up when you eat carbs 05:00 Should you weigh yourself every day 10:00 Late-night carbs and the next-morning scale number 12:00 Why women over 40 probably need more food 13:00 How protein hype left women short on carbs 14:00 How many carbs should a woman eat a day 21:00 Emma’s simple health checklist beyond the scale 25:00 Sore all the time and what carbs do for recovery 30:00 Lost periods and under-fueling in young athletes 33:00 Fueling runs with 60 grams of carbs per hour Connect with Emma Kirchner: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fit-habit-emma/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emma.allegrucci/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fit.habit.emma/ Substack: https://fithabitemma.substack.com Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #CarbsForWomen #EatTheCarbs #CarbsAreNotTheEnemy #HowManyCarbs #FearOfCarbs #ScaleIsJustData #WaterWeight #ProteinAndCarbs #FuelYourWorkouts #WorkoutRecovery #BuildMuscleWomen #WomenWhoLift #WomenWhoRun #MidlifeNutrition #WomenOver40 #AntiDietCulture #HealthChecklist #NutritionCoaching #FitHabitLife #EatTheFuckingFood

Constant fatigue, trouble sleeping, frequent injuries, and a shorter fuse than usual can all be signs you're not eating enough. When American tennis player Emma Navarro shared in 2026 that she had been diagnosed with Hashimoto's and RED-S, or relative energy deficiency in sport, it put a name to what happens when you chronically burn more energy than you take in. You don't have to be a pro athlete for this to apply to you. If you're a midlife woman playing tennis or pickleball, running, doing Pilates, ferrying kids everywhere, and running your job, your house, and your family, you may be under-fueling for the life you're actually living. Kristin Collins, nutrition and body composition coach for midlife women and host of Eat the F****g Food, explains what RED-S is, the real-world symptoms of under-fueling, and why she believes women are hit harder after a lifetime of messages that tie our worth to the number on the scale. She defines maintenance calories, the amount of food you need every day to meet your energy needs without the scale moving, and shares how she went from eating 1,400 to 1,600 calories a day to adding 400 to 600 more. Her sleepless nights and digestive issues disappeared, her menopause symptoms eased, and she recovers faster on the tennis court. If you're tired of feeling sick and tired, it's time to eat the f****g food. In this episode, you’ll discover: What RED-S, or relative energy deficiency in sport, actually is, and why burning more energy than you eat leads to fatigue, injuries, poor sleep, and mood changes in women.The signs you're not eating enough to watch for in midlife, from constant tiredness and trouble sleeping to anxiety, rage, brain fog, and hair loss, even if you're not a competitive athlete.What maintenance calories are, and why knowing how much food keeps your weight steady, your sleep solid, your digestion happy, and your hands and feet warm is the foundation of any goal.Why cutting calories or carbs based on a feeling instead of your actual numbers can cost you fiber, heart health, and thyroid health, and makes healthy eating impossible to sustain.How Kristin Collins added 400 to 600 calories to her old intake of 1,400 to 1,600 a day, and what changed for her sleep, digestion, menopause symptoms, and tennis game.Why under-fueling affects female athletes more than male athletes, and how decades of tying worth and health to body size keep midlife women eating less than their bodies need.A quick body check-in that reveals signs you're not eating enough, and why fueling your real energy needs is how you stay strong and independent as you age. We talk about: 00:00 Why this tennis story applies to every woman 00:42 Emma Navarro shares her Hashimoto's and RED-S diagnosis 02:05 What is RED-S and how does under-fueling happen 02:55 Signs you're not eating enough, from fatigue to rage 04:00 Why busy midlife women need more fuel, not less 04:50 What are maintenance calories and why do they matter 06:10 Kristin's story of eating 1,400 to 1,600 calories 07:23 What changed when she ate 400 to 600 more calories 08:24 Why cutting carbs and calories blindly backfires 09:51 Why does under-fueling hit women harder than men 11:37 A quick body check-in to spot under-fueling 13:22 Why the holidays are the best time to start Ready to find your maintenance calories before the holidays? Email Kristin at [email protected] or send her a message on Instagram to get started. Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #MidlifeNutrition #UnderFueling #REDS #RelativeEnergyDeficiency #EmmaNavarro #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #MaintenanceCalories #EatMore #AntiDiet #AntiDietCulture #MenopauseNutrition #WomensTennis #PickleballLife #WomenWhoLift #FuelYourBody #WomensHealth #MidlifeWomen #EatTheFuckingFood

Is bloating normal? A little bit is. Your belly is meant to push out more by evening than it did first thing in the morning, because food has volume and digestion takes time. The bloating that signals a real gut problem is different: hard, painful, visibly pregnant, and there from your first sip of water. If you have been cutting gluten, dairy, and everything else trying to find the food behind your bloating, constipation, or rushed trips to the bathroom, this episode will save you time, money, and a lot of sad salads. Kristin Collins, menopause nutrition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, sits down with Brittany Carpenter, MS, RDN, a functional medicine dietitian who healed her own severe gut issues after a bout of food poisoning. With gut health and fibermaxxing everywhere in 2026, Brittany cuts through the noise: why food sensitivity tests are not a reliable guide, why a low FODMAP diet manages symptoms without fixing the cause, what SIBO and dysbiosis actually are, and why most probiotics stop working the moment you stop taking them. She also shares the simple daily combo she swears by for constipation: two kiwis, skin on, plus two to three tablespoons of chia seeds or ground flax. Stop asking which food is the villain. Start asking why your gut is reacting at all. In this episode, you’ll discover: Is bloating normal? Why your belly naturally pushes out more by evening, and how to tell everyday expansion apart from painful, all-day bloating that signals a real gut problem worth investigating.What your stool says about your gut health, from pebbly and incomplete to loose, oily, or mucus-covered, and why you should always turn around and look before you flush.Why food sensitivity tests may be a waste of money, and why Brittany Carpenter asks why your body is reacting to foods instead of which foods you should cut.Why cutting gluten and dairy can make you feel better for reasons that have nothing to do with gluten or dairy, and why it might be time to add the cookie back in.Do you need a probiotic? Why Brittany says probiotics do not repopulate your gut long term, and why a label that just says lactobacillus tells you almost nothing about what you are getting.What a normal bowel movement looks like, why not eating enough is the number one cause of constipation Brittany sees in women, and how two kiwis plus chia or flax daily can help.Is bloating normal when you add more fiber? Not if symptoms get worse. Why that means healing your gut comes before weight loss, and which foundations to check first: alcohol, sleep, food, and movement. We talk about: 00:00 Getting into gut health, literally 01:34 What does a healthy gut actually look like 05:00 Is bloating normal or a real gut problem 09:45 Are food sensitivity tests worth the money 12:22 SIBO, dysbiosis, and leaky gut explained simply 14:49 Why cutting gluten and dairy made you feel better 18:46 Food restriction and your kids' relationship with food 22:16 Do you actually need a probiotic 27:39 What normal poop and constipation really look like 29:31 Why not eating enough causes constipation in women 30:54 Kiwi, chia, and when more fiber backfires 32:50 Gut health foundations and when to get help Connect with Brittany Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dietitianbrittany/ Website: https://dietitianbrittany.net/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #GutHealth #Bloating #Constipation #GutHealthForWomen #Probiotics #SIBO #LowFODMAP #FoodSensitivity #FiberMaxxing #DigestiveHealth #HealthyGut #FunctionalNutrition #MidlifeNutrition #MenopauseNutrition #WomenOver40 #AntiDiet #FoodFreedom #EatTheFuckingFood

How to stop emotional eating starts with understanding that it was never a willpower problem, it is an automatic loop your brain runs on autopilot. If you have ever stood in front of the freezer at nine o'clock reaching for something to make yourself feel better, then judged yourself for it the next morning, you are not broken and you are not alone. Emotional eating is a learned pattern wired into your nervous system, often starting in childhood, and it intensifies in midlife as hormone shifts make emotional regulation harder. Food noise, stress eating, and reaching for wine or sweets to self soothe are all part of the same loop, and that loop can be spotted, interrupted, and changed. Kristin Collins, nutrition and body composition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, welcomes back Dr. Kristine Gravino, a licensed psychologist with over 24 years of experience helping midlife women untangle emotional eating patterns. Dr. G walks through her SHIFT Method, a five-step framework for spotting the trigger, hearing the thought, interrupting the spiral, feeling through the discomfort, and trying a new response, plus the science behind why sitting in a hard feeling for ninety seconds lets it crest and pass. You will also learn why thirty grams of protein at breakfast can lower anxiety, and how to tell real hunger from food noise. If you have ever felt ashamed of reaching for chips at nine o'clock, press play and stop blaming yourself for a pattern that was never your fault. In this episode, you’ll discover: What actually separates emotional eating from physical hunger, and why most women can't tell the difference until they learn to spot their own trigger pattern first.Why emotional eating is never a willpower problem, and how it functions as an automatic, learned loop that gets programmed into your nervous system starting in childhood.How Dr. Kristine Gravino's SHIFT Method interrupts the pattern in five steps: spotting the trigger, hearing the thought, interrupting it, feeling the discomfort, and trying a new response.Why sitting in a hard feeling for ninety seconds lets the emotional wave crest and fall, and why white knuckling a craving without this step rarely holds past a night or two.The real signs that separate physical hunger from food noise, and why under fueling during the day is often the hidden reason you are starving by nine at night.Why starting your day with thirty grams of protein can lower anxiety and depression, and what skipping breakfast for coffee alone does to your stress response instead.Why midlife hormone shifts make emotional regulation harder, and how naming what actually triggers you, exhaustion, loneliness, feeling underappreciated, is the first step to changing it. We talk about: 00:00 Why Dr. G is back to talk about emotional eating 01:04 What actually counts as emotional eating versus eating 03:00 How emotional eating gets programmed as a child 07:26 The first thing to know, it is not your fault 09:53 Why your nervous system blocks logical thought 12:38 Introducing the SHIFT Method for breaking the loop 15:00 How to interrupt the thought before you reach for food 16:26 Why sitting in discomfort for 90 seconds works 17:36 Why no change ever comes from comfort 22:38 What is the real difference between emotional and physical hunger 25:41 Why 30 grams of protein at breakfast lowers anxiety 29:13 How burnout led Dr. G to build the SHIFT Method Connect with Dr. Kristine Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkgravinowellness Website: https://drkgravinowellness.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #EmotionalEating #StressEating #FoodNoise #NotYourFault #ShiftMethod #MidlifeWomen #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #PerimenopauseSupport #AntiDietCulture #NervousSystemRegulation #EmotionalRegulation #ComfortEating #MentalHealthMatters #HormoneHealth #NoMoreShame #WomensHealth #DietCulture #BodyImage #EatTheFuckingFood

Nervous system regulation for women means teaching your body that it no longer has to stay braced for the next crisis, and if you have spent years being the strong one, the fixer, the one everyone counts on, your nervous system has likely forgotten how to fully come back down. You feel guilty resting. You snap at small things that should not bother you. You have read about eldest daughter syndrome and felt seen in an uncomfortable way. That baseline of always being slightly activated is not a personality trait, it is sensitization, and it has real consequences for your hormones, your gut, and your immune system. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, sits down with Ali Damron, certified personal trainer and neuroplastic symptom practitioner, to break down the difference between a nervous system that is dysregulated for a moment and one that is sensitized as a baseline. Ali explains why self-abandonment often masquerades as strength, why discipline backfires on a nervous system that already feels unsafe, and how to tell the difference between your anxious brain and your wise brain before you make a decision. You will walk away with simple, non-time-consuming ways to recalibrate your nervous system starting today, no supplements or magic pills required. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why being the strong one and the over-functioner is a coping mechanism learned in childhood, not a personality trait, and how it quietly raises your baseline stress response.The real difference between nervous system dysregulation and sensitization, and why never fully returning to rest and digest is the actual problem for so many women.Why eldest daughter syndrome and repressed anger show up as autoimmune disease, thyroid imbalance, and gut issues, and what is actually driving that connection.Why discipline and eat less move more backfire in perimenopause, and what to do instead when self-criticism becomes a danger signal to your nervous system.How to tell your anxious brain from your wise brain in the moment, and why doing the opposite of what anxiety tells you is the fastest way to regulate.Why guilt is not a direction you have to follow, and how allowing yourself to feel guilty and do the thing anyway retrains your nervous system over time.Three broad stroke, non-time-consuming ways to regulate your nervous system today, from slowing down transitions to noticing how much stimuli you let in. We talk about: 00:00 Meeting Ali Damron and why being the strong one is not always a good thing 02:44 Why self-abandonment and over-functioning are coping mechanisms, not personality traits 05:43 What is eldest daughter syndrome and why rage shows up in perimenopause 07:45 The Red Tent, postpartum recovery, and what other cultures still get right 12:59 Why Ali trains for life after losing both parents young 16:00 Grip strength, quad strength, and the two real measures of aging well 17:33 How overloaded women can start regulating their nervous system today 21:06 The real difference between nervous system dysregulation and sensitization 25:37 How to recalibrate your nervous system with small daily resets 29:31 Anxious brain vs wise brain and how to tell them apart 34:34 Why discipline is not the golden nugget for your changing midlife body 41:45 Where to find Ali Damron and her nervous system coaching work Connect with Ali Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alidamron YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AliDamronWomensHormoneExpertFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/alidamron Website: https://www.alidamron.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #NervousSystemRegulation #EldestDaughterSyndrome #OverFunctioner #SelfAbandonment #MidlifeWomen #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #Perimenopause #MenopauseSupport #MomGuilt #BurnoutRecovery #AnxiousBrain #NervousSystemHealth #HormoneHealth #SelfCareIsNotSelfish #StrongWomen #RegulateYourNervousSystem #HRTSupport #GripStrength #EatTheFuckingFood

How much protein do midlife women really need is one of the most confusing questions in women's nutrition, and the honest answer is more than the government recommends and less than the internet is selling you. If you have your protein memo, your shakes, and your bars, and you are still crashing at 3pm, waking up at night, or not building muscle despite your workouts, the amount you are eating is probably the problem, not your effort. Protein is not just a muscle nutrient. It stabilizes blood sugar, supports better sleep, and keeps estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone working the way they are supposed to as your hormones shift through the menopausal transition. Kristin Collins, nutrition and body composition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, breaks down the exact math behind your personal protein target using 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, the RDA of 50 to 60 grams that only keeps you at neutral, and why 100 grams is where most women should be aiming if strength training is not part of the plan. She covers the thermic effect of food, why whole food protein digests slower and keeps you fuller than a shake, and the hip fracture statistic that makes undereating protein a longevity issue, not a vanity one. Grab a pen and do the math with her, then press play. In this episode, you’ll discover: How much protein midlife women actually need per day, and why the RDA of 50 to 60 grams only keeps your body at neutral instead of helping it thrive.How to calculate your personal protein target using 1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight, plus the simple math to find your own number today.Why protein prevents the 3pm energy crash by stabilizing blood sugar, and how a normal post meal spike becomes a problem when carbs stand alone.How adequate protein supports better sleep and keeps estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone working through the menopausal transition.Why whole food protein keeps you fuller longer than shakes and bars, and when processed protein sources are still a smart backup.The connection between protein, muscle mass, and bone strength, including the statistic on hip fractures in women who lose muscle.Why protein has the highest thermic effect of any macronutrient, and how that translates into real calories burned from digestion alone. We talk about: 00:00 Why your protein needs are more confusing than you think 01:00 What does 30 grams of protein actually look like on your plate 02:00 How protein prevents blood sugar crashes and afternoon energy dips 04:00 Why protein is the key to better sleep in midlife 05:00 How protein supports estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone 07:00 The RDA versus what you actually need to thrive 08:00 How do you calculate your own protein number 10:00 Why more muscle means stronger bones and less fracture risk 12:00 Whole food protein versus protein powders and bars 16:00 The thermic effect of food and why protein burns more to digest 19:00 Why protein is the hardest macro to hit and how to start Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #ProteinForWomen #MidlifeNutrition #MenopauseNutrition #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #PerimenopauseNutrition #HormoneHealth #ProteinIntake #WholeFoodProtein #MuscleMassWomen #BoneHealth #BloodSugarBalance #AntiDiet #AntiDietCulture #NutritionCoaching #WomensHealth #StrengthTrainingForWomen #EatTheFuckingFood

Using GLP-1s and HRT together in midlife is one of the most confusing topics facing perimenopausal and menopausal women right now, and Karen Martel is here to clear it up. If you have been told you have to wait until you are officially in menopause before you qualify for hormone therapy, or you are scrolling GLP-1 ads wondering if they are safe for your changing metabolism, this episode breaks down exactly what your body needs and when. Perimenopause can start as early as your late 30s, symptoms get dismissed for years, and by the time most women finally get help, they have already suffered far longer than necessary. Kristin Collins, nutrition and body composition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, sits down with Karen Martel, certified hormone specialist, transformational nutrition coach, and CEO of Midlife Solutions, for a no-nonsense breakdown of HRT, peptides, and GLP-1s. Karen explains why bioidentical hormones differ from old-school Premarin, why the ten-year post-menopause window is not a hard stop on starting HRT, and why a half pound to a pound a week is the appropriate rate of weight loss on a GLP-1. She also shares her personal biohacking toolbox, from her PEMF mat to her Eight Sleep cover, and why more women need to hear that suffering through perimenopause is not required. If you have ever wondered whether you already qualify for HRT, or whether your GLP-1 dose is doing more harm than good, press play. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why HRT is not just for women in full blown menopause, and how starting hormone support in your late 30s can prevent the metabolic storm that hits later.Why bioidentical hormones and old school Premarin are not interchangeable, and what the research actually shows about the ten year post menopause window for starting HRT.Why GLP-1s work differently for midlife women than for a 20 year old or a 40 year old man, and the exact weekly weight loss rate that signals you are losing too fast.Why suffering is a choice according to Karen Martel, and how women downplay symptoms like anxiety, night sweats, and insomnia until they can no longer function.Why estrogen loss and collagen loss move on the exact same trajectory, and what that means for your skin, your bones, and your brain long before menopause hits.What Karen's top biohacking tools actually are, from a PEMF mat to an Eight Sleep cover, and why sleep tracking data does not always match how you actually feel.Why the Wild West of peptide prescribing means most providers get titration wrong, and what a properly managed GLP-1 or peptide protocol should look like instead. We talk about: 00:00 Why suffering through perimenopause is a choice 02:00 What HRT actually is and who needs it 05:00 The shocking stat on how few women use HRT 08:00 Karen's own blindsided perimenopause story 09:00 Why 25 percent of women get severe symptoms 14:00 How perimenopause symptoms creep in during your late 30s 18:00 Whether you can start HRT years after menopause 24:00 Why peptide prescribing is the Wild West 27:00 How GLP-1s work differently for midlife women 34:00 What the appropriate rate of weight loss is on a GLP-1 36:00 Karen's favorite biohacking tools including her Eight Sleep cover 43:00 Where to find Karen Martel and The Hormone Solution Podcast Connect with Karen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karenmartelhormones/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfWWN_4IhMZJOXjvj8FDKIQ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karenmartelhormones Website: https://karenmartel.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #HRTforWomen #Perimenopause #Menopause #GLP1 #BioidenticalHormones #PeptideTherapy #MidlifeWomen #WomensHealth #HormoneReplacementTherapy #MenoBelly #Biohacking #WeightLossJourney #HotFlashes #EstrogenMatters #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #AntiDietCulture #HormoneHealth #NoMoreSuffering #EatTheFuckingFood

Why dieting doesn't work comes down to one thing: it only ever addresses food, and most midlife women have spent decades restricting without ever touching the mental, emotional, or spiritual pieces that actually keep them stuck. If you have done everything right, tracked, restricted, worked out harder, and still feel exhausted, bloated, or stuck in your body, you are not imagining it and you are not failing. The problem was never just what was on your plate. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, sits down with Lizzie Ens, functional health coach and founder of Undiet You, for a conversation that goes way past food. Lizzie breaks down why chronic dieting is more likely to wreck your thyroid than help you lose weight, how she reversed her own Hashimoto's diagnosis by learning to speak up instead of staying silent, and why walking for ten minutes after a meal does more for insulin resistance than most supplements ever will. You will walk away with a new way to think about the food, the self talk, and the silence that might be keeping you stuck. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why gluten sensitivity symptoms like bloating, brain fog, and joint pain trace back to zonulin, a protein that breaks down your gut lining and lets inflammation leak into your bloodstream. How the seven day inflammation cycle works, and why eating gluten or drinking every few days keeps your body stuck in a constant state of chronic inflammation without you realizing it. Why chronic dieting and undereating are more likely to wreck your thyroid and hormones than help you lose weight, according to functional health coach Lizzie Ens. The surprising connection between suppressing your voice growing up and developing thyroid problems as an adult, and how Lizzie reversed her own Hashimoto's diagnosis. Three free lifestyle changes, walking after meals, drinking filtered water, and prioritizing sleep, that move the needle more than any supplement or expensive protocol. Why you cannot hate your body into a smaller one, and how negative self talk gets stored in your body the same way chronic stress does. How to tell the difference between giving yourself grace and making excuses, and why real accountability without shame is the fastest path to lasting change. We talk about: 00:00 Meet Lizzie Ens and her Undiet You method 01:57 What does undiet actually mean 05:11 Why dieting never solved the real problem 09:22 Why food is such a small part of healing 10:18 How negative self talk gets stored in your body 12:23 Why chronic dieting causes thyroid and hormone issues 14:42 The truth about deficits and maintenance calories 17:01 What is the seven day inflammation cycle 18:13 The hidden symptoms of gluten sensitivity 23:00 Why suppressing your voice can hurt your thyroid 29:27 The free lifestyle changes that matter most 33:18 Where to find and work with Lizzie Connect with Lizzie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizzieens_wellness/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lizzieh_wellness YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvO1U_kCjEO1o_cbaFpZFLg Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lizzie.ens Website: https://undietyou.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #WhyDietingDoesntWork #FunctionalHealthCoach #UndietYourself #ThyroidHealth #ChronicInflammation #GlutenSensitivity #MidlifeWomen #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #AntiDietCulture #EatingDisorderRecovery #FindYourVoice #SelfTalkMatters #HealingJourney #PerimenopauseSupport #NoMoreDieting #WomensHealth #GILabTesting #EatTheFuckingFood

Your lowest weight is not automatically your healthiest weight, and if you got the most compliments during the season of your life you now recognize as your worst, this episode explains exactly why. If you have ever chased a smaller number on the scale only to end up exhausted, not sleeping, and dealing with new perimenopausal symptoms, you are not imagining it. Undereating does not just stall your results, it can wreck your digestion, your sleep, and your hormones, and most women do not connect the dots until years later. Kristin Collins, nutrition and body composition coach and host of Eat the F*cking Food, sits down with Kylie Larson, a nutrition, strength, and mindset coach for midlife women navigating perimenopause without dieting themselves into worse symptoms. Kylie breaks down the real math behind maintenance calories, including her own jump from 1,600 calories a day to 2,250 before her metabolism, sleep, and body composition actually improved, and why progressive overload strength training builds muscle in ways group fitness classes cannot. She also introduces her six-week program, Lift Beyond Lean, where women learn to eat and train for change that lasts. You will walk away knowing the difference between group fitness for fun and strength training for results, why a rising scale number can mean you are getting healthier, and how to find your own maintenance calories instead of guessing with an app. If you have been falling apart while everyone keeps telling you how great you look, press play. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why your lowest weight is not automatically your healthiest weight, and how compliments during your hardest season can keep you chasing a body that was never sustainable to begin with.Why undereating is quietly common in midlife women, and how living on 1,500 calories a day can stall your results instead of speeding them up.How to find your maintenance calories, and why increasing intake from 1,600 to 2,250 calories can improve your metabolism, sleep, and body composition over time.Why lifting weights does not make you bulky, and what actually happens to your body when you build real muscle instead of fearing the number on the scale.The real difference between group fitness and progressive overload strength training, and why one is for fun while the other is for measurable results.Why an app or a chatbot cannot replace a coach, and what human factors like stress, sleep, and emotional eating a calculator will never account for.Why commenting on another woman's weight or body is never as harmless as it sounds, and what those compliments are actually reinforcing. We talk about: 00:00 Why we should not comment on other women's bodies 02:00 Your lowest weight is not your healthiest weight 04:00 What undereating actually looked like in her own body 08:00 Why perimenopausal women make symptoms worse by restricting 09:00 The scale number versus how your life actually feels 16:00 Her first build phase and carrying weight differently at midlife 18:30 How long does it really take to change your body 20:30 Why you cannot diet your way into someone else's physique 24:00 Why nutrition coaching is an investment worth making 27:30 Group fitness versus progressive overload strength training 32:00 How to protect your workout time on a busy day Connect with Kylie Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thekylielarson Lift Beyond Lean Waitlist: https://www.theelementalcoaching.com/LBL_Waitlist Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thekylielarson Website: https://www.theelementalcoaching.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #MidlifeNutrition #AntiDiet #AntiDietCulture #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #PerimenopauseNutrition #MaintenanceCalories #StrengthTrainingForWomen #ProgressiveOverload #UndereatingAwareness #NutritionCoaching #WomensHealth #DietCulture #BodyImage #MidlifeWomen #WomenWhoLift #HormoneHealth #NoMoreDieting #BodyComments #EatTheFuckingFood

Are carbs bad for menopause? Not even close. If you have spent years cutting carbohydrates to chase a smaller number on the scale, this episode explains why that restriction has been working against you, not for you. Carbohydrates are your body's preferred source of energy, and going without enough of them can leave you exhausted, hangry, and unable to sleep through the night. That drop on the scale after cutting carbs is mostly water weight, not fat, and the crash that follows in your energy, mood, and digestion is real. Kristin Collins, a certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, breaks down exactly why midlife women need carbohydrates now more than ever, not fewer of them. She explains how carbs protect your muscle mass by giving your body glucose to burn instead of pulling energy from muscle, how low carb eating raises cortisol and can lower thyroid function, and how carbohydrates support progesterone during the menopause transition. You will also learn the simple pairing trick, carbs with protein or fat, that keeps blood sugar steady and energy consistent all day. If you are ready to stop fearing food and start building a plate that actually works, this episode is your permission slip to eat the f*****g food. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why carbohydrates are your body's preferred source of energy, and how eating too few carbs leads to afternoon energy crashes, poor sleep, and constant hunger.How carbohydrates protect your muscle mass in midlife by giving your body glucose to burn instead of pulling energy from the muscle you are trying to build.Why low carb diets raise cortisol and can lower thyroid function, since women are already far more likely than men to develop hypothyroidism.How eating enough carbohydrates supports progesterone during perimenopause, helping with bloating, fluid retention, and the calming effect progesterone has on your body.Why high fiber, slow digesting carbs like oats and whole grains can improve your sleep by preventing the blood sugar drops that wake you up at 2 or 3 in the morning.Which carb sources to add back to your plate first, including potatoes, rice, oats, fruit, and whole grains, and why pairing them with protein or fat matters.Why the 80/20 approach to eating, not perfection or restriction, is what actually makes a nutrition plan sustainable for midlife women. We talk about: 00:00 Why are midlife women so afraid of carbs 00:35 The low carb era and what it did to your body 02:39 What actually counts as a real carbohydrate 04:25 How carbs help you keep and build muscle 06:22 Are carbs bad for your thyroid 07:37 Why low carb diets raise your cortisol 09:20 How carbs support progesterone in perimenopause 11:00 Why carbs are key to sleeping through the night 13:40 How fiber from carbs protects your heart 15:09 The best carb sources to add back to your plate 17:33 How to pair carbs with protein and fat 20:19 Why 80/20 beats all or nothing eating Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #CarbsAreNotTheEnemy #MenopauseNutrition #PerimenopauseSupport #MidlifeWomen #AntiDietCulture #NutritionCoach #ThyroidHealth #BloodSugarBalance #MuscleOverMonths #HormoneHealth #SleepAndNutrition #FiberForWomen #EatEnoughToThrive #DoneWithDieting #MaintenanceCalories #WomenOver40 #GutHealthWomen #NoMoreRestriction #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins

Why women don't start nutrition coaching usually has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with timing myths, body fear, and stories they have told themselves for years. If you have ever said, "I'm too busy right now," or "I need to lose weight before I can maintain it," you are not lazy, you are stuck in a narrative Kristin hears constantly from midlife women. Every month you wait for a quieter season is a month you could have spent learning how to actually feed your body. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, breaks down the three objections she hears most before women ever start working on their nutrition: not having enough time, needing to lose weight before learning maintenance, and believing their body is simply built to feel this way. She explains why finding your true maintenance calories usually means eating 100 to 400 more calories a day, not less, and why perfectionism, not busyness, is the real thing standing between you and feeling good in your body. This is your permission to stop waiting for a better week to start. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why "I'm too busy" is not actually the barrier keeping you from starting nutrition coaching, and what to ask yourself instead of waiting for a slower season of life.Why you do not need to lose weight before learning your maintenance calories, and why maintenance is often the missing piece women skip entirely.What actually happens when you find your true maintenance calories, including why most women end up eating 100 to 400 more a day, not fewer.Why "this is just how I am" is only half true, and the difference between genetics you cannot change and habits you have never questioned.Why the fear of gaining weight keeps so many women stuck, and what maintenance actually looks like when it is done slowly and correctly.Why there is no such thing as the perfect time to start eating better, and what months of waiting actually costs you.How to stop chasing a scale number before you address how you actually feel, your energy, your sleep, and your everyday joy. We talk about: 00:00 Why so many women hesitate to start nutrition coaching 01:00 Excuse one, I'm too busy right now 03:28 What happens when life falls apart mid program 06:30 The client who waited five years to start 08:02 Why maintenance calories are the missing link 10:12 Do you need to lose weight before learning maintenance 10:47 Excuse two, this is just how I am 14:19 How learning to eat changed how Kristin feels every day 14:41 Excuse three, fear of gaining weight in maintenance 17:33 Why energy and sleep matter more than the scale Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #NutritionCoaching #MidlifeNutrition #MaintenanceCalories #AntiDietCulture #WomenOver40 #MenopauseNutrition #EatEnough #FoodFreedom #StopDieting #NutritionCoachForWomen #HealthyHabitsMidlife #PerimenopauseNutrition #NoMoreStartingOver #BalancedPlate #WomensHealthCoach #DietCultureRecovery #EatTheFood #MidlifeWellness #NutritionMindset #StopWaitingStart

Midlife weight loss mistakes usually come down to four sneaky habits, not a lack of willpower. If you have cut calories, skipped meals, and still are not seeing results, your body may be stuck in survival mode instead of fat-loss mode. This snack-sized solo episode breaks down the exact patterns keeping midlife women plateaued, exhausted, and frustrated with the scale. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, walks through the four mistakes she sees most often in coaching, from undereating and treating weekends as a free-for-all, which is 42 percent of your week, to trading consistency for perfection. She shares how learning her own maintenance calories inside her Game On Nutrition method ended years of yo-yo dieting and helped her build visible muscle after six years of consistent strength training. Give yourself permission to be boring, and watch what changes. In this episode, you’ll discover: Learn why eating too little is one of the most common midlife weight loss mistakes, and how undereating trains your body to store fat instead of releasing it.Find out why the weekend makes up 42 percent of your week, and why treating Friday through Sunday like a free-for-all quietly stalls your progress.Discover why consistency beats perfection every time, and how one small daily habit compounds faster than an intense workout you only do once a month.Understand what maintenance calories actually are and why learning yours is the missing link that makes any weight loss sustainable long term.Hear why building muscle in midlife takes years, not weeks, and how three years of progressive overload finally created visible definition.Get the honest signs you are undereating, including waking up tired, crashing at 3pm, and dealing with worsening perimenopausal symptoms you may be blaming on something else.Learn why giving yourself a full year, not five days, to build new habits is what actually makes lifestyle change stick. We talk about: 00:00 Welcome back and an update on the current cohort 01:44 Why eating too little is a common midlife mistake 03:34 Are you undereating? Signs to check on your plate 07:00 Why weekends make up 42 percent of your week 09:16 Consistency over perfection, the real key to progress 11:47 Learning your maintenance calories the boring way 15:24 Six years of strength training and finally seeing muscle 18:16 Recap of the four biggest nutrition mistakes 19:23 Are one-size-fits-all diet programs failing you 21:29 Why giving your body time changes everything Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #MidlifeNutrition #AntiDietPodcast #WomensHealthMidlife #EatTheFuckingFood #MaintenanceCalories #MidlifeWeightLoss #StopDieting #PerimenopauseNutrition #ConsistencyOverPerfection #BalancedPlate #NutritionCoach #KristinCollins #GameOnNutrition #WomenOver40 #DietCultureRecovery #StrengthTrainingWomen #UndereatingSymptoms #MidlifeWomen #FoodFreedom #EatTheFckingFood

Non-negotiables for busy women start with the one thing most entrepreneurs skip first: eating enough. If you are running a business, a household, or both, and you keep pushing lunch, skipping snacks, and telling yourself you will rest once things calm down, this episode is the wake-up call. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, sits down with health and wellness coach Relle Dixon of Be Well with Relle, who works with female entrepreneurs to keep their bodies from becoming the last thing on the to-do list. Relle breaks down the body audit she runs with clients, why sitting all day quietly wrecks blood sugar even after a good morning workout, and why sustainable beats extreme every time. You will walk away with a short list of non-negotiables that fit into a real schedule, not a fantasy one. In this episode, you’ll discover: Non-negotiables for busy women look different every season, and Relle explains how to build a flexible routine around protein, movement, and water instead of chasing a perfect oneWhy the promise women break first is the one they made to themselves, and what that pattern quietly costs energy, mood, and business performanceWhat a body audit actually checks, sleep quality, daily steps, and how long you sit still, before any conversation about food even startsWhy being sedentary after a morning workout still spikes blood sugar and undoes the benefit, and the 20-squat fix that changes itHow under-fueling shows up as brain fog, low patience, and a stalled creative mindset, not just a rumbling stomachWhy letting go of rigid, all-or-nothing routines actually builds more consistency than chasing a perfect one ever will We talk about: 00:00 Welcome and why busy women put themselves last 01:26 Kristin's free maintenance masterclass for July 02:32 Meet Relle Dixon, coach for entrepreneur health 03:12 What happens when you break your own promises first 04:41 What happens when women stop taking care of themselves 06:05 Why routine beats rigidity for eating enough 08:36 The hunger cue and ADHD connection entrepreneurs miss 11:48 The non-negotiables that shift with every season 14:57 Why letting go of rigidity lowers your stress 19:34 How fueling your body changes your business capacity 22:43 How a body audit actually works 26:54 Why sitting all day can undo a morning workout Connect with Relle Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bewellwith_relle Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/relle.dixon/ Website: https://bewellwithrelle.com/ Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #NonNegotiablesForWomen #FemaleEntrepreneurs #BusyWomenSelfCare #BurnoutRecovery #BodyAudit #MidlifeWomen #AntiDietCulture #EntrepreneurHealth #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #RelleDixon #SelfCareIsntSelfish #NervousSystemRegulation #ProteinForWomen #BusinessOwnerBurnout #StopUndereating #WomenWhoDoItAll #BoringBasics #HealthyIsntHard #SustainableOverExtreme

Optimal vs normal thyroid levels is not just a technicality, it is the reason you can have "normal" bloodwork and still feel exhausted, foggy, and stuck in your midlife body. If your hair is thinning, your sleep is wrecked, your weight will not budge, and you are constipated more than you would ever admit out loud, your thyroid and your gut may be the missing piece your last doctor never fully investigated. On this episode of Eat the F*cking Food, Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, sits down with Ashley Cruz Arata, a board certified integrative health practitioner, to break down why a TSH between 0.8 and 6 is technically normal but 1 to 1.5 is where most women actually feel their best. Ashley shares the three day stool testing she uses to catch root cause gut and hormone imbalances, why constipation is one of the most overlooked signs of low thyroid function, and the two limiting beliefs, "I don't have time" and "I'm not ready," that keep women stuck longer than they need to be. Press play and stop settling for normal when optimal is possible. In this episode, you’ll discover: The difference between normal and optimal thyroid lab ranges, including why a TSH of 0.8 to 6 is considered normal but 1 to 1.5 is where most women actually feel their best.Why functional medicine testing goes beyond a basic TSH and T4 panel to look at gut health, nutrient status, and whole body patterns most conventional doctors never test.Why constipation, defined as fewer than one to two complete bowel movements a day, is one of the most overlooked signs of an underactive thyroid.Why Kristin Collins and Ashley Cruz Arata both point to gut health as the piece conventional care skips when women complain of stubborn weight, mood swings, and poor sleep in midlife.Why "I don't have time" and "I'm not ready" are the two limiting beliefs Ashley sees holding women back most, and how to work around both.How daily journaling and scripting in the present tense helped Ashley shift her mindset and health outcomes before she even got her lab results back. We talk about: 00:00 Welcome back and the free maintenance calories masterclass 01:01 Meet Ashley Cruz Arata, board certified health practitioner 02:45 Ashley's burnout, thyroid nodules, and life at Amazon 07:14 What functional medicine really means 09:30 Two questions to ask before choosing a provider 11:41 Why normal thyroid labs are not the same as optimal 17:00 Why your gut controls your entire hormone system 18:44 What counts as a drama free bowel movement 22:40 How to choose the right gut and hormone testing 24:50 Journaling and scripting to change your health story 28:30 The two limiting beliefs holding women back 34:25 Where to find Ashley Cruz Arata and The Reveal Connect with Ashley Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleycruzarata/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ashleycruzarataWebsite: https://ashleycruzarata.com/ Check out the free guide! Normal Isn't Optimal: The Essential Hormone Lab Guide That Shows You What "Normal" Labs are MISSING. ➜ Download here: https://ashleycruzarata.myflodesk.com/normalisntoptimal Connect with me Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collinsWebsite: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ #ThyroidHealth #FunctionalMedicine #GutHealth #HormoneBalance #MidlifeWomen #RootCauseHealing #ThyroidLabs #WomensHealthAfter40 #EstrogenDominance #IntegrativeHealth #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #AshleyCruzArata #HormoneHealth #ThyroidNodules #NormalVsOptimal #GutHormoneConnection #WomensHormones #FunctionalMedicinePractitioner #MenopauseSupport