Everyday Wellness: Midlife Hormones, Menopause, and Science for Women 35+

BONUS: Body Image, Training, and Nutrition in Middle Age with Sal Di Stefano

Dec 15, 2025

Sal Di Stefano, a fitness and health expert known for his practical coaching, dives into the limitations of using scales for measuring health success. He discusses the harm of body image struggles and advocates for self-care through exercise and nutrition. Sal emphasizes sustainable changes over quick fixes, highlighting the importance of strength training in midlife. The conversation also touches on adjusting workout routines during hormonal changes, reverse dieting for metabolic health, and the role of authenticity in personal coaching.

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INSIGHT

Scale Is A Poor Success Metric

The scale only measures weight and often misleads by ignoring body composition and performance.
Sal recommends ignoring the scale for 3–6 months and tracking strength, energy, and how clothes fit instead.

ANECDOTE

Trainer Weight Guessing Demonstration

Sal shared a gym story where clients wildly underestimated a trainer's weight due to dense muscle.
The example illustrated how muscle size and body composition distort scale-based assumptions.

ADVICE

Ditch The Scale Temporarily

Throw your scale away or hide it and avoid weighing for months to break unhealthy fixation.
Use performance, energy, libido, skin, hair, nails, and digestion as success metrics instead.

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Today, I am privileged to connect with Sal Di Stefano. Sal is a sought-after fitness and health expert with a straightforward, uncomplicated communication style. He is also a co-host of the immensely popular Mind Pump Podcast.

In our discussion, we explore why the scale is an ineffective measure of success in our culture, particularly for women. We dive into the effects of body image and dysfunctional relationships with our bodies, contrasting self-hate patterns with self-love patterns. We look at ways to train differently in middle age with the challenges of perimenopause and menopause, and consider the impact of physiological changes during pregnancy and the postpartum period. We also cover signs of overtraining and intuitive nutrition and address many listeners' questions about reverse dieting, hormetic strategies, and authenticity.

I am sure you will love this conversation, and I look forward to having Sal back on the show in 2024.

IN THIS EPISODE YOU WILL LEARN:

The limitations of relying solely on weight as a measure of success in health and wellness
Why we should focus on the full scope of fitness and diet rather than a specific number or metric
How patterns of self-hatred can lead to unhealthy behaviors
How to practice self-care with exercise and a healthy diet
Why exercise routines should be founded on factors like sleep, stress, fitness levels, and diet
The importance of starting with small, manageable steps toward self-care and weight loss
Why strength training is the most effective exercise for women in perimenopause and menopause
How high-performing athletes prioritize recovery and rest to prevent burnout and injury
Post-pregnancy muscle recruitment patterns and exercises
Diet and nutrition for improved mental clarity and physical performance
The benefits of strength training for muscle growth and hormone balance

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Connect with Sal Di Stefano