The Midlife Feast

In this solo Q&A episode, I am tackling some of the most recent questions shared with me about the sneaky ways diet culture creeps in, what protein adequacy really looks like (especially for plant-based eaters), and whether collagen is fact or hype. If you want to get your questions answered in the future, submit them here! Links MentionedThe Substack Article Mentioned: Read it hereTry the Midlife Morning Makeover Email Challenge: Join for free Explore the Midlife Feast Community: Start your 7-day free trialRelated Episodes You’ll Love:Clean Eating Pitfalls in Midlife & Menopause with Dr. Morgan Francis, Psy.D, LPC5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years AgoWhy Diets Don’t Work with Dr. Amy PortoIntuitive Eating in Menopause: A Conversation with Evelyn Tribole5 Tips for Spotting Nutrition Misinformation with Dr. Emma BeckettIs it Hunger, Food Noise, or Hormones?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

Our bodies change in midlife and menopause, and many times in ways that feel confusing or frustrating. But what if those changes aren’t a problem to fix, but an invitation to reconnect with ourselves?In this conversation, Dr. Charlotte Ord, psychologist and body image expert shares a refreshing take on body appreciation. It’s not about pretending to love every wrinkle or roll. It’s about noticing what your body does for you, and learning to meet it with care, not criticism.We also explore a powerful question: Who benefits when we hate our bodies? The answer reveals just how deeply diet culture and the wellness industry profit from our insecurities.Dr. Ord offers simple, grounding practices to help you feel more at home in your body, including media literacy tips and ways to gently shift your focus toward gratitude and self-trust. Connect with Dr. CharlotteThe Website: https://www.charlotteord.comInstagram: @drcharlotteord📚Grab the Book: Body Confident You, Body Confident KidLike what you learned? Check out these other episodes!Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the MenuThe Problem with Perfectionism with Alana Van Der SluysWhat Every Woman Needs to Know About Body Image in Midlife with Summer InnanenThe Body Acceptance Mistake That’s Keeping You Stuck in the SuckWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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

Standing in your closet thinking, "Nothing fits anymore?" It’s not the best feeling, but can I let you in on something? You don’t have to hold onto your “lose weight wardrobe”. In this encouraging conversation, stylist Dacy Gillespie helps us reframe how we think about style in midlife, especially when our bodies, styles, and preferences have changed.Together, we explore why comfort isn’t “giving up,” how style can help you reconnect with who you are now, and why that “lose weight wardrobe” may be doing more harm than good. You’ll also get a big dose of validation: most clothes aren’t made to fit you—and that’s a design flaw, not a personal one.If getting dressed has felt frustrating or disconnected lately, this episode offers a refreshing new lens: style as self-care, self-expression, and an invitation to show up for yourself just as you are today.Connect with Dacy: The Website: https://www.mindfulcloset.comInstagram: @mindfulclosetSubstack: UnflatteringLike what you learned? Check out these other episodes!Redefining Personal Style in Midlife with Dacy GillespieThe Body Acceptance Mistake That’s Keeping You Stuck in the SuckTrusting Your Body: Finding Peace Through Grief with Nina ManolsonFrom Body Grief to Body Acceptance: The Way Forward with Amanda Mittman, RDWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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

In this episode, I get to bring you a very special guest, someone whose work has transformed my whole practice, and who has been helping people heal their relationship with food and their bodies through intuitive eating for three decades! In this conversation, Intuitive Eating co-founder Evelyn Tribole shares why this compassionate, research-backed framework is more relevant than ever—especially during menopause.We explore how symptoms like sleep disruption can throw off hunger cues, why decades of dieting create a fear of "losing control," and how that fear is actually your body trying to protect you. Evelyn breaks down the biology behind these patterns and offers a deeply freeing perspective for anyone tired of blaming themselves.You'll also hear why intuitive eating works even with midlife health conditions, and how shifting from restriction to "nutrition by addition" can make food feel joyful again. Most of all, this episode is an invitation to stop fighting your body—and start finding what truly lights you up.Connect with Evelyn:The Website: https://www.evelyntribole.com/Instagram: @evelyntribole📚Grab any or all the books!Links Mentioned: EP 70: From Dieting Rock Bottom to Intuitive Eating: 3 Common Mistakes EP 138:  5 Things I Wish I Had Known About Intuitive Eating 10 Years Ago EP 146: What to Do When Intuitive Eating Doesn’t Work with Julie Duffy DillonWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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

Feeling hungry all the time? Or do you feel like fullness just doesn’t land the way it used to? You’re not imagining things—and it’s not about discipline either. Hormonal changes in menopause can change how you experience hunger, and that can be disorienting.In this episode, we answer a listener’s honest question about feeling constantly hungry, and explore how biology, behavior, and hormones all intersect. We break down the three types of hunger—physical, emotional, and taste—and why food noise can feel especially loud right now.You’ll hear how estrogen impacts fullness signals, how sleep and brain energy play a role, and most importantly, how to work with your changing body, not against it. We share ways to build satisfying meals, spot emotional hunger with compassion, and reconnect with your body's wisdom.This one’s for anyone in or around menopause who’s ready to stop fighting hunger—and start listening to it.Links Mentioned: EP 117: How to Decode Your Cravings in Menopause🙋🏻‍♀️ Got a question for another episode? Drop it HERE!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

Why are we SO drained in midlife? Dr. Sarah Vandeboncoeur returns to unpack the exhaustion so many women feel—not just from perimenopause, but from decades of overgiving.Most of us enter this phase already running on empty, juggling work, family, and endless to-dos. Add hormonal shifts, and let’s be honest- something has to give. That irritability and bone-deep fatigue? They’re signals, not flaws.We break down the "energy budget"—because just like money, energy isn’t unlimited. Sarah shares practical ways to escape the exhaustion trap: setting one true priority, doing daily "capacity checks," and sprinkling joy into your day before burnout hits.If you’re caught in the cycle of perfectionism and depletion, this episode offers both relief and a way forward. It’s time to reclaim your energy for what truly matters.Connect with SarahThe Website: www.drsarahv.ca/Instagram: @sarahvadeboncoeur Podcast: The Fatigue FixerLinks Mentioned: EP 62: How to 'Do Less' and 'Be More' in Midlife with Wendy McCallumEP 96: Why You're So Tired in Perimenopause and Menopause with Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur, NDEP 99: How to Make Room for Connection in Your Relationship in Midlife with Carrie CohenEP 112: How to Stop the Burnout Train in Midlife with Dr. Leigha Saunders, NDEP 132: Why You Need to Put Capacity, Self-Compassion, & Self-Care on the MenuWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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

Feeling uninspired with your go-to menu lately? Chef Andrea Buckett is here to bring the joy back to your kitchen. With 20 years of experience, she shares her refreshingly simple approach to food—because cooking should be fun, not stressful!Andrea’s five-ingredient meals, pantry hacks, and creative condiment tips (wait until you hear what mustard can do for salmon!) will help you break free from boring weeknight dinners. Plus, she challenges the guilt we attach to food, reminding us that pleasure is essential to a healthy, sustainable way of eating.We also dive into her journey from corporate life to professional cooking, and her new book The Essential Cottage Cookbook! Connect with Andrea: The Website: https://andreabuckett.com/Instagram: @andreabuckettcooks/📚Grab the Book: The Essential Cottage CookbookWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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

Did you know science shows that mindfulness can do more than just help you relax? It can improve sleep, reduce anxiety, and might even slow brain aging? That’s more than just symptom relief!Diana Winston, director of UCLA Mindful, joins me to explore how meditation can support your menopause experience. She makes mindfulness accessible for everyone, even those who feel too busy or think it’s not for them.Diana shares practical tips for beginners, like starting with just five minutes a day using free apps like UCLA Mindful, or the Happier app, which has just released a new mindful guide to menopause. She also introduces the simple STOP technique to help ease anxiety and break the cycle of rumination. Instead of viewing menopause as a loss, meditation can help reframe this season as an opportunity for greater authenticity, power, and freedom. Why not start here? Connect with DianaThe Website: https://dianawinston.com/Instagram: @uclamindfulLinks Mentioned: Happier Mindful Menopause GuideWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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

Do you find yourself vowing to “start fresh” every Monday, only to feel like you’ve fallen off the wagon by the time the weekend (or lunch) rolls around? The Monday reset cycle keeps so many of us trapped in an exhausting loop of restriction, indulgence, and shame—making food feel like a constant battle.But what if Monday was just another day? In this episode, we explore why this cycle gets stuck on repeat and how to break free. Diet culture has convinced us that we need rules and resets, but the real path to food freedom comes from food neutrality, flexibility, and satisfaction—not perfection.I’ll share practical ways to rebuild trust with your body, let go of all-or-nothing thinking, and stop feeling like you have to “make up” for anything you ate. If you’re ready to step off the dieting rollercoaster and into a more peaceful relationship with food, join me! Links Mentioned: EP 70: From Dieting Rock Bottom to Intuitive Eating: 3 Common MistakesEP 76: Food Is Not Medicine & Other Ways to Lower the BarEP 77: How to Press the Easy Button on Midlife & Menopause NutritionWhat 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

After years of dieting, the advice to "eat when you’re hungry, stop when you’re full" can feel frustrating and oversimplified-especially if you’ve been trying to “get” intuitive eating This week, fellow intuitive eating dietitian Julie Duffy Dillon joins me to help us understand some of the common roadblocks that keep us “stuck" and why reconnecting with your body’s natural cues takes patience. Most importantly, that healing is possible at any age, size, or health condition.We explore why dieting’s pull is so strong and why there’s so much value in naming why diets have given you a spark of feeling hopeful or empowered.With intuitive eating, weight gain can feel like failure, but Julie reminds us it's normal for our bodies to change — and why accepting this is key to healing and feeling like you’re making progress. Julie also shares insights from her new book, Find Your Food Voice, and encourages us to let go of diet culture so we can focus on healing from the trauma it’s caused.If you feel stuck, this conversation is a powerful reminder that you are not the problem in the intuitive eating equation! Connect with Julie The Website: https://julieduffydillon.com/📚Grab the Book: Find Your Food VoiceLinks Mentioned: EP 45: What Happens When PCOS Meets Midlife? with Julie Duffy DillonWhat did you think of this episode? Click here and let me know!Ditch the food guilt for a more peaceful (and nourishing!) relationship with food.  Grab my free Food Guilt Decoder here: https://www.menopausenutritionist.ca/FoodGuiltDecoder📚 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