Midlife Nutrition Tips for Belly Fat, Brain Fog and Sleep

If you’ve hit your 40s and suddenly feel like your body got swapped out for someone else’s…I’m right there with you. For many midlife women, uninvited menopause belly fat shows up overnight, brain fog makes you lose your train of thought mid-sentence, and you’re wide awake at 3am pondering disasters that will probably never happen. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Barbara Sobel, a board-certified nutritionist with a master’s in clinical and functional medicine nutrition. Barb specializes in midlife and menopause nutrition and helping women in perimenopause and menopause figure out what actually helps us feel better at this stage of life.

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Ayurveda Says Perimenopause Is Your Golden Goddess Era

Perimenopause doesn’t have to feel like the end of your fire. In Ayurveda, this stage of life is actually called your Golden Goddess era.

In this episode, Jessica talks with Heather Grzych, Ayurvedic doctor-level practitioner, bestselling author of The Ayurvedic Guide to Fertility, and former president of the National Ayurvedic Medical Association. Heather explains how Ayurveda sees midlife as a shift from the fiery stage of life into the air and space stage — a transition that brings both challenges and new possibilities.

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How Early Menopause After Hysterectomy Inspired Julie Parana’s New Career 

When Julie Parana had a hysterectomy at 42, she expected relief from years of pain—which she got. What she did not expect was the immediate launch into menopause a decade earlier than planned. Even with her ovaries intact, Julie found herself dealing with symptoms like brain fog, forgetfulness, and sleep struggles that were affecting her work. But, it wasn’t until the hot flashes showed up that she connected the dots. 

In this episode, Julie shares how she pieced together the truth, and how the experience inspired her to become The Menopause Occupational Therapist — helping women and employers navigate this transition with confidence.

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A Midlife Surrogate on Pregnancy, Perimenopause and Letting Go

In this episode, I’m joined by Heather Nelson to discuss her very personal story that sheds light on a topic that feels like a black box to many of us—surrogacy. 

Heather is a mother, wife, business coach and podcaster who became a surrogate five years ago. Now at 43 and navigating perimenopause, she’s preparing to do it again. 

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When the Patriarchy Pushes You Out, Chart a New Course: Cheyenne Richards on Starting Over in Midlife

In this episode, Cheyenne shares how she went from VP of Marketing at a tech startup to award-winning historical fiction author and full-time adventurer. We talk about midlife reinvention, imposter syndrome, creative courage, sailing as self-discovery, and what it really means to live authentically.

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Midlife Relationships: You’re Evolving. He’s Not. Now What?

Relationships are always complicated. But in midlife, they often get even more layered—especially for women who are doing the deep inner work of growth, healing, and change.

In this episode of the Belong Wellness Podcast, I’m joined by licensed psychotherapist Jessie Curtner, who specializes in helping couples navigate the emotional complexity of long-term love. 

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Your Body Isn’t the Problem—A Midlife Health Reframe

This week, I’m joined by Courtney Townley, host of the Grace & Grit podcast and a total truth-teller when it comes to midlife women’s health. She’s here to help us stop waging war on our bodies, stop doing everyone else’s emotional labor, and start rebuilding a life that actually works for us.

We’re talking burnout, hormone shifts, people-pleasing, body image, boundaries—and how to stop patching the cracks and start pouring a new foundation.

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Laughing Through the Midlife Sh*tshow: Divorce & Reinvention with Donna Johnsen

What happens when divorce, single motherhood, turning 50, and perimenopause all hit at once? You get a full-blown midlife dumpster fire. But today’s guest, Donna Johnsen, found a lifeline in laughter. In this episode, she shares how journaling, community, and humor helped her survive the hardest season of her life—and how her Instagram account became an unexpected source of healing for herself and others.

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Midlife Book Recs (and How to Actually Find Time to Read Them)

We met in preschool. Now we’re in perimenopause. And somehow, my oldest friend Alexis Lynch is reading six books a month while running her own law firm, parenting an 8-year-old, and doing alllll the things.

In this week’s episode, Alexis shares how she reignited her love of reading in the middle of all the midlife madness—and how you can too. She also shares her summer reading list curated just for YOU.

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How to Fit Strength Training Into Your Day—Even Without a Gym, Childcare, or Time to Spare

You’ve heard the message loud and clear: strength training is crucial in midlife. But when are you supposed to fit it in between work, parenting, errands, and maybe trying to sleep??

In this episode of the Belong Wellness podcast, Jessica talks with Judy Truong, a longtime fitness instructor and midlife mom who’s made it her mission to show that strength training can actually work with your life—not against it.

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How Pilates Pro Jill Harris Became an Inventor and Built a Brand

Ever had a big idea… but no idea where to start?

This week’s podcast episode is for every woman who’s ever thought, “There has to be a better way.” Because that’s exactly where Jill Harris started.

Jill is a longtime Pilates pro who turned a frustration into a full-blown product. She invented Fit Springs—a spring-resistance workout system now used by athletes, celebrities, and clients in their 70s.

She shares her story of how she brought her idea to life, and let’s just say it wasn’t all easy street.

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