September 25, 2025 • 37 mins
What used to work for your body in your 30's doesn't seem to work anymore. The skipped meals, low-fat foods, and calorie cutting that once helped you bounce back now leave you tired, hungry, and struggling with your weight. There's a reason for this – your midlife body requires a different approach to nutrition.
The midlife plate isn't another restrictive diet or complicated eating plan. It's a framework built on four essential pillars that support your changing hormones, metabolism, and energy needs. Protein becomes non-negotiable, serving as the anchor for every meal to maintain precious muscle mass. Fiber from colorful vegetables and fruits supports digestion and hormone processing. Healthy fats – yes, fats! – provide sustained energy and crucial building blocks for hormone production. And vibrant colors on your plate deliver a spectrum of nutrients your body craves.
After decades of being told to eat less, count calories, and fear food groups, this approach flips the script. Instead of asking what to cut out, we focus on what to add in. This mental shift transforms eating from a source of stress to a form of self-care. The result? Steadier energy, fewer cravings, better sleep, and a more peaceful relationship with food.
I've lived through the frustration of restriction-based dieting. I've blamed myself when those approaches inevitably failed. But when I finally understood what my midlife body truly needed – nourishment, not deprivation – everything changed.
That's why I'm opening the doors to my new cooking and food membership on November 1st, creating a space where women can learn to implement the midlife plate in real life, with real recipes and real support.
Don't let this be another episode you listen to and then forget. Take one small step today: look at your next meal and ask yourself – do I have protein, fiber, healthy fats, and color? And when you're ready to go deeper, join me in the membership where we'll transform your relationship with food, one nourishing plate at a time.
Info about the membership coming soon!
I would love to hear from you! What did you think of the episode? Share it with me :)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi everyone and welcome back to the Real Food
Stories podcast and happy fall.
Wow, did summer go fast and Imiss the energy of summer.
But, in all honesty, I love thefall because it gives me a
moment to breathe and slow down.
That's what fall is all about.
(00:20):
Right, days are getting shorter, it's getting a little darker
out, a little cooler out and weare naturally inclined, I think,
to just want to slow it downand reset and just rethink and
reevaluate what's going on inour lives.
So I'm excited to shift gearsand start making more
(00:43):
slow-cooked stews and soups andpumpkin everything.
I grow sugar pumpkins everyyear and I just roasted them all
and made pumpkin puree, dividedall that up and froze
individual portions that I canuse for muffins, smoothies and
whatever has a need for pumpkinpuree.
(01:04):
It's so good when it's maderight from your own garden.
I can't tell you the differencebetween Surabot canned pumpkin
and something that comes out ofyour own garden.
So, anyway, welcome back to thepodcast.
And today we're diving in toone of the most important and
sometimes overlooked foundationsof midlife health what actually
(01:29):
belongs on your plate.
Now, before we jump in, I haveto tell you something I am so
excited about On November 1st, Iam opening the doors to my
brand new membership and,honestly, I cannot wait to
welcome you inside.
This is a space created justfor women in midlife who want to
(01:52):
feel more confident in thekitchen, more clear about what
to eat and more supported inthis stage of life.
So if you've ever felt stuck inthe endless what's for dinner
cycle or confused about how toeat and menopause, this
membership is going to be a gamechanger for you.
You'll get real recipes, realstrategies and a real, true
(02:16):
community of women who get it.
I'm going to be teachingcooking classes in there.
Be teaching cooking classes inthere.
We were just going to be reallydiving into food that is
stress-free and maybe evenenjoyable to make.
Now here's the best part If yousign up early, you'll lock in a
(02:38):
special founder's price plussome exclusive bonuses that
won't be offered again, or justfeeling like I'm done with
cooking because kids have grownand flown and are not part of
(03:07):
your house.
This is the time to jump backin.
So the link to the membershipand all the information is in my
show notes, so please justcheck out that link.
You could just take a lookaround if you want to, and I
hope that I see you in themembership.
It's going to be great.
(03:30):
Now, what we're talking abouttoday, the midlife plate, is
really the foundation ofeverything you'll learn and
practice inside of themembership.
So let's talk about why thismatters.
So let's talk about why thismatters.
If you're in your 40s or 50s60s, you've probably noticed
that what used to work with fooddoesn't work anymore.
(03:51):
Maybe skipping meals or, quote,eating light, helped you bounce
back in your 30s and lose acouple pounds really quickly,
but now those same habits leaveyou tired, hungry or even
gaining weight.
Sometimes.
Maybe your metabolism feelslike it's slowed down or your
energy isn't what it used to be.
(04:12):
The truth is, your body isdifferent now, and that's not a
bad thing.
It just means you need toapproach your plate differently,
and once you learn the basicsof the midlife plate, food stops
being confusing and startsbeing the tool that fuels your
energy, your mood, your healthand your confidence.
(04:36):
So let's talk about the midlifeplate and why this matters so
much.
When we get to midlife, so muchis changing inside of our bodies
.
Our hormones are shifting, ourmuscle mass is naturally
declining and our metabolismjust isn't as forgiving as it
once was.
You can be eating the same wayyou did at 35, but at 50, the
(05:00):
results feel completelydifferent, and that can be
incredibly frustrating andreally confusing if you don't
know what's going on inside ofyour body.
Now, for years, diet culturetold us that the answer was to
just eat less, cut carbs or skipmeals.
And I'll be honest with you, Ibought into that too.
(05:22):
I used to think that the onlyway to feel better in my body
was to cut more and more out ofmy diet.
I would skip meals, trying tobe good, avoid whole categories
of food.
What always happened?
I was starving, I craved sugar,I felt I had no energy to do
the things that I wanted to do,I was kind of miserable and,
(05:46):
worst of all, I felt like I wasfailing because I couldn't stick
to the rules.
And I know so many of you havefelt the same way.
Because the truth is,restriction does not work, not
in midlife and not really in anystage of life.
Restriction leaves us hungrier,moodier.
It robs us of our joy of eating.
(06:07):
What our bodies are reallyasking for now is not less, it's
more, it's more nourishment,it's more support.
So this is where the midlifeplate comes in.
When you build your meals withintention, with protein, fiber,
healthy fats, with color on yourplate, everything starts to
(06:31):
shift Suddenly.
Your energy might feel morestable.
You're not crashing at threeo'clock in the afternoon or
desperate for coffee or a cookieto keep you going.
Your muscles, your metabolism'sbest friend.
We talked about this last weekon the podcast.
If you haven't listened to that, please go back and take a
(06:53):
listen to that episode.
Get the fuel they need to staystrong and your digestion, which
can really feel off in thisstage of life, starts to settle
down.
Even your sleep and your moodimprove when your plate is
working for you, not against you.
So when I say the midlife plate,I'm not talking about a diet,
(07:16):
right?
You probably know by now, ifyou've been listening to me for
long enough, that I'm veryanti-diet.
This is not a diet I'm talkingabout.
I'm just talking about whatshows up on your plate of food
every single day for breakfast,lunch and dinner.
So I'm talking also about theway of eating that finally works
(07:36):
with your body.
Instead of fighting against itand I know you and I know so
many other women we have beenfighting against our bodies for
years it's time to startsupporting ourselves and
thinking about this asnourishment and our health.
It's about shifting frompunishment to partnership, from
(08:00):
eating less to nourishing more,and once you start to see food
through that lens, everythingelse starts to feel possible
again.
So let's break this down,because I want you to actually
see what the midlife plate lookslike in real life.
I want you to think of theplate as having four pillars,
(08:22):
and once you know these fourthings, you don't have to second
guess yourself every singletime you sit down to eat.
Okay, so pillar number one, thefirst pillar, is protein.
I cannot say this enough, and Iknow you have heard it ad
nauseum on social media, but I'mgoing to say it again Protein
(08:44):
is the anchor of every singlemeal in midlife.
If you only take one thing awayfrom this episode, it's this.
Protein is what helps youmaintain muscle, and muscle is
your metabolism's best friend.
Now, the more muscle you have,the more calories you burn, even
when you're just sitting stilland here's the kicker Most women
(09:09):
in midlife are not eatingnearly enough protein.
Now, we're not starving forprotein.
I know that we all in thiscountry get a decent amount, but
we want to make sure that weare just consistently throughout
the day, eating protein atevery single meal.
I used to think that I wasgetting plenty.
(09:30):
Now I want to.
Before I even finish my thoughthere, I want to just say that
there's a lot of buzz out on theinternet to get 100 grams of
protein every single day, andthat's not easy sometimes to get
.
Now we don't have to get 100grams of perfectly proportioned
protein every single day.
(09:51):
For the most part we just wantto make sure that we are getting
a serving of protein atbreakfast, a serving of protein
at lunch and a serving ofprotein at dinner.
That should be enough to helpyou feel satisfied through the
day and help your muscles, which, in terms, helps your
(10:12):
metabolism.
So I used to think that I wasgetting plenty.
This is before I was trackingmy food.
Ever I would eat oatmeal atbreakfast, and I still do.
But now I add in some extrathings.
Or yogurt at breakfast, a saladwith some chicken at lunch.
(10:33):
But when I actually tracked it,I have had days where I was way
under.
No wonder I felt tired andhungry all the time on those
days.
But once I started making sure,I was hitting about 25 to 30
grams of protein at each meal.
It was like night and day.
(10:54):
I had more energy, I had fewercravings, I felt stronger, and
this doesn't mean complicatedfood.
I mean it can mean eggs in themorning, some beans or lentils
at lunch, salmon at dinner.
It's not complicated and it'snot that difficult to get the
protein.
You just have to be mindfulabout it and it's pretty simple.
(11:16):
But it can be a pretty powerfulmove for your midlife plate.
All right, the second pillarthat I want to talk about for
your midlife plate is fiber.
Now, fiber is your hormonehelper and your gut's best
friend.
And let's be real, digestionand midlife can feel a little
(11:38):
unpredictable sometimes.
I know for many women this is atime where suddenly we're very
regular and now all of a sudden,we're not.
Now we can blame our estrogenpartially on that.
We can blame a lot of things.
I mean it's personal foreverybody, but fiber is one of
(11:58):
the most important things youcan do for your gut.
Fiber is what of the mostimportant things you can do for
your gut?
Fiber is what keeps thingsmoving.
It keeps your blood sugarsteady, along with that protein
right, these fiber and proteintake a long time to digest, and
so it keeps you satisfied forlonger and it even helps your
body process estrogen.
(12:21):
Now, when I say fiber, I'm nottalking about a supplement in a
jar.
I'm talking about food.
Today, I am talking aboutvegetables, fruits, beans,
lentils, whole grains.
These are the foods that havefiber and the most amount of
fiber.
I like to think of it visuallyHalf your plate should be filled
(12:45):
with colorful plants.
Okay, half your plate should beplants.
So when you're visualizing aplate and you have one corner
with protein, half your plateshould be plants.
If you can do that most of thetime, you're in a really good
place, all right.
The third pillar I want to talkabout today for your midlife
(13:07):
plate is healthy.
Fats is a pillar that I knowstill makes many, many women
nervous, because for most of uswe grew up in the low-fat 80s or
non-fat.
I mean, remember those fat-freecookies and fat-free yogurt
cups we thought were healthy?
(13:27):
Well, we were taught to fearfat right and to be very wary of
it and to not eat it if wedidn't have to.
We were taught to water saute.
Remember that Water sauteing isnot sauteing, that's just
steaming vegetables.
The truth is, the right kinds offat are absolutely essential in
(13:50):
our diet.
They keep you full.
They help your brain, they helpyour hormones.
They play such a vital role inhormone production.
They play such a vital role inhormone production.
Foods like olive oil, avocados,nuts, seeds, fatty fish these
foods don't make you fat, theymake you thrive.
(14:10):
Now the thing is, fat does havemore calories per gram than
protein or other carbohydrates.
Okay, nine calories per gramversus carbohydrates and protein
have four calories per gram.
Calorie per calorie.
Yes, they're a little more, butyou're not eating a plate full
of fatty foods, right?
(14:32):
What I'm talking about is adrizzle, a salad dressing, a few
slices of avocado on your plate.
Okay, I'll never forget, wayback when I added avocado back
into my meals after years ofpretty much avoiding it because
I was taught to think thatavocados were fattening foods,
(14:55):
and I remember feeling howsatisfied I felt.
Avocados not only have a goodamount of really healthy, good
for you fats, but they're alsofull of fiber.
So, as a result, adding in somefats like that and the fiber
and the protein, you might feellike you don't need to snack all
(15:18):
afternoon, that at threeo'clock you're not craving a
cookie or a cup of coffeebecause your body is finally
getting what it needs.
All right, the fourth pillarthat I wanted to talk about for
the midlife plate is color.
This is one of my favorites,because color on your plate
(15:39):
makes your plate exciting.
Right Now, every color infruits and vegetables does
something unique for your health.
Red foods like tomatoes andberries are rich in antioxidants
.
Orange foods like carrots andsweet potatoes support your eye
health.
Green foods like kale andcollard greens are packed with
(16:01):
vitamins and minerals.
All of them have fiber.
But beyond the science, colormakes eating fun again.
Okay, a plate of beige foodfeels heavy and boring.
A plate with bright greens,purples, reds and yellows feels
alive, and food should feelalive.
(16:24):
It should bring you joy as muchas it brings you nourishment.
So when you make your platetonight for dinner, I want you
to sit and pause for a secondand look at what's on it.
Is it pleasing to you?
Does it look like somethingthat's nourishing and colorful
and a joy to eat?
Take that experiment and tellme what you think.
(16:46):
All right, so when you put allfour of these pillars together
protein, fiber, healthy fats,colorful foods you've got a
midlife plate that works withyour body, not against it.
And the best part is this isn'tcomplicated.
You don't need special productsor exotic ingredients that you
(17:07):
have to buy online from somewellness influencer.
You just need to build yourmeals with intention and a
little bit of awareness.
All right, so now, before we goany further, I want to clear up
what the midlife plate is.
Not because this is reallyimportant.
The midlife plate is notbecause this is really important
.
The midlife plate is notanother set of rigid rules.
It's not about eliminatingentire food groups.
(17:30):
It's not about eating as littleas possible or punishing
yourself for enjoying food, andit's definitely not about being
perfect.
I used to fall for all of thoserules.
I grew up again in thatfat-free era when we thought
margarine was better than butterand snackable cookies were
basically health food.
Remember those.
(17:51):
I ate them, believing it wasmaking the right choice.
I remember reading the foodlabels on them and just thinking
, okay, these are better thanthose.
And disaster.
I used to skip meals, thinkingif I just cut enough calories, I
would somehow outsmart my body.
I can't tell you how many timesI ate a plain salad for lunch
(18:15):
and then ended up raiding thekitchen later because I was
literally starving.
And every time I failed atthose diets, who was to blame.
But me, I would blame myself.
I would have thoughts of I justdon't have enough willpower.
But the truth was, it was neverme failing, it was the diets
(18:38):
failing me.
Restriction works against ourbiology, especially in midlife.
It ramps up our cravings, itslows your metabolism and it
leaves you feeling worse, notbetter.
So the midlife plate is theopposite of that.
It's about building meals thatfuel your body, not deprive it,
(18:58):
and it's about consistency, notperfection.
If you have a meal that's notperfectly balanced, that's okay.
If you go out to dinner andorder a dessert, that's okay too
, it's fine.
One meal does not define yourhealth.
It's the pattern, the overallapproach that makes the
difference.
So when I say the midlife plate, I don't want you to hear
(19:24):
another set of rules orrestrictions.
I want you to hear freedom.
Freedom from obsessing, freedomfrom guilt, freedom from the
all or nothing mindset, becausewhen you focus on nourishment
instead of restriction, foodbecomes supportive instead of
stressful, and we need all thesupport we can get right now as
(19:44):
women in midlife and goingthrough the menopause transition
.
So all right, let's take thisfrom theory into practice.
What does it actually look liketo build a midlife plate Now?
For me, it always starts with avisual.
I picture my plate like this Itake a plate, I cut it in half.
(20:04):
Half of it is filled withvegetables or fruits.
I cut the other half in halfagain.
So then I have two quarters.
A quarter of the plate is asolid source of protein, of
(20:27):
protein chicken, salmon, beans,tofu, whatever you like and a
quarter of the plate the otherquarter is a whole grain or a
starchy vegetable.
So whole grains brown rice,quinoa, farro starchy vegetables
would be sweet potatoes, cornand then I drizzle some healthy
fats, maybe some olive oil,maybe a few slices of avocado,
(20:49):
maybe a sprinkle of nuts andseeds.
It's pretty simple, but whenyou start looking at your meals
this way, it changes everything.
Now let me walk you through afew examples, because I know
this is where it really clicksIn the morning.
If you're used to grabbing abagel or a muffin, I want you to
try something different.
(21:10):
Imagine instead you scrambletwo or three eggs, toss in some
spinach and peppers and serve itwith a slice of whole grain
toast and a half an avocado.
And serve it with a slice ofwhole grain toast and a half an
avocado.
That plate has protein, fiber,healthy fat, color and I
(21:33):
guarantee you you'll feel fullerand more energized than if you
had started your day with just acarb-heavy meal like a white
flour bagel.
And if you've ever wondered whyyou're starving at 10 am after
eating a bagel at eight in themorning, it's probably because
your plate doesn't have thatprotein anchor Right.
(21:53):
You're eating mindless food ina way.
All right, let's go on to lunch.
At lunch, one of my go-tos is abig salad.
I also am a very big supporterof making dinner and having that
for next day's lunch too.
But somewhere in there isprobably you know a salad within
(22:15):
my week.
Now here's the catch it's notjust lettuce and cucumbers.
I'll build it with a base ofgreens and then I'll add roasted
chickpeas or grilled chicken.
I'll throw in some quinoa, ahandful of other colorful
vegetables, maybe some pumpkinseeds, and a drizzle of olive
oil and lemon.
(22:35):
That's a midlife plate inaction Protein from the
chickpeas or chicken, fiber andcolor from the vegetables, whole
grains for sustained energy andhealthy fats from the seeds and
the olive oil.
And dinner.
Honestly, I'm a huge fan ofsheet pan meals, not all the
(22:55):
time, but in a pinch.
If these are one of my go-toswhen I am maybe a little shorter
on time, or I just know thatlife is going to be busy that
day.
I love sheet pan meals becausethey're easy and they hit all
the marks.
So picture this salmon filletson a sheet pan with sweet
potatoes and broccoli, tossed insome olive oil, some salt and
(23:19):
pepper.
You roast that all together andyou've got protein, fiber,
healthy fat and color in one pan.
No overthinking, no complicatedsteps.
It doesn't have to be Instagramworthy, it doesn't have to be a
picture, a five-star photo.
It just checks off all theboxes and it tastes good.
(23:43):
Now here's where the mindsetcomes in.
Instead of asking what do Ineed to cut out tonight, which
is what diet culture trained usto do, I want you to flip that
question and ask what can I addin to make this plate more
nourishing?
Do I have protein?
Do I have colorful vegetablesand fruits?
(24:05):
Do I have fiber?
Do I have some healthy fats?
Because when you build mealsthis way, you don't check off
nutrition boxes, you feeldifferent, you feel steady, you
feel less hungry, you stopobsessing about food all day
long, and I can't tell you howmany clients have said to me
(24:25):
Heather, I don't even thinkabout snacking anymore because
my meals are finally satisfying.
That's the power of awell-built plate.
And listen, your plate doesn'thave to be perfect every single
time.
I'm going to say this over andover again.
Some days you're going to graba quick sandwich or you'll eat
leftovers that aren't perfectlybalanced.
(24:47):
That's life, it's okay.
But if most of your mealsfollow this midlife formula,
you're going to notice a hugedifference in your energy, your
mood and even how your bodyfeels.
This is another good thing tojust notice.
When you do eat a meal thatisn't balanced which is okay,
(25:09):
because sometimes life gets inthe way just take a moment and
notice how that meal made youfeel.
Were you hungry, then again at10 am because you didn't have
enough of the right componentsat breakfast.
That's okay.
Just notice, it's just alearning lesson and move on and
(25:32):
go on to your next meal.
So, for me, building a midlifeplate isn't about adding rules.
It's about simplifying.
It's about having a frameworkyou can lean on, no matter
what's going on in your day,because the truth is, midlife is
busy.
We are so busy, right?
We're juggling work andfamilies.
We're caregiving.
(25:53):
There's a lot of stress goingon in our lives and in the world
and there's a lot to worryabout.
So the last thing we need isfood, adding more confusion or
stress, and the midlife platetakes away the guesswork.
Now I want to pause here andtalk about something that so
many of us have struggled withthe difference between
(26:16):
restriction and nourishment.
Because if you're anything likeme, you've probably spent years
in that restriction mindset.
I can't tell you how many timesI thought the answer was to eat
less, cut out more powerthrough hunger, just to have
more willpower.
That was the soundtrack in myhead for years.
(26:37):
I mean, this is years ago, butit's still.
It's something that has reallyalways stuck with me and I know
sticks with a lot of women.
This is how we grew up, right,we grew up learning to restrict
and to be on diets.
So I would say no to bread, I'dskip dessert, I'd maybe even
skip entire meals and, sure,sometimes I'd lose a couple of
(27:02):
pounds, but it always came at acost.
I was tired, I was moody, I washungry and eventually I'd end
up back where I started,sometimes even worse off,
because that's unsustainable.
No one can sustain that for toolong.
And the worst of it all is Ialways blame myself.
I thought I was the problem andthought if I could just stick
(27:26):
with it, if I could just havethe willpower, I'd finally have
the body, the energy and thehealth that I wanted.
But the truth is it wasn't mefailing, it was the diet's
failing me.
Restriction is wired to backfire.
When you starve your body, itpushes back with cravings,
(27:49):
slower metabolism and totalfrustration.
So nourishment is a completelydifferent story.
Nourishment asks what does mybody actually need right now to
thrive?
It shifts the focus from lessto more More protein to support
muscle, more fiber for digestionand hormone health, more
(28:09):
healthy fats to keep mesatisfied, more color to bring
in all of those nutrients andantioxidants.
It's about adding, it's notsubtracting.
And let me tell you, when Imade that shift in my own life
and also added in the compassion, the kindness and the
forgiveness and the mindfulness,it was like flipping a switch.
(28:31):
I went from feeling like foodwas my enemy to realizing that
food could be my ally.
From feeling like food was myenemy to realizing that food
could be my ally.
Instead of obsessing about whatI couldn't have, I started
asking what can I add to makethis meal more nourishing?
And the changes were almostimmediate.
I've said this before I've hadmore steady energy, my sleep has
(28:53):
been better, less hunger, lessguilt.
That's why I want you to hearme on this.
Nourishment isn't just about thefood on your plate.
It's about how you feel in yourbody and in your life.
Restriction shrinks you downphysically and emotionally and
(29:14):
nourishment builds you up.
Restriction makes foodstressful.
Nourishment makes foodsupportive, and I know for so
many women this is the hardestshift to make because diet
culture has drilled therestriction mindset into us for
decades.
But midlife is actually theperfect time to flip that script
(29:34):
, because this is the seasonwhen your body needs and
deserves more care, more fueland more love.
So the next time you catchyourself thinking I need to eat
less or I don't know what to do,I've gained weight and I can't
figure this out.
And why am I gaining weight?
And I understand it's astressful time of our lives Ask
(30:00):
yourself what can I eat morethat will truly support me.
And that little mindset shiftis where the real magic can
happen.
And this is exactly why Icreated my new membership,
because I don't want this to beanother podcast episode you
listen to and think, well, thatsounds nice, I should try that
(30:22):
someday, or I get it.
I know I should be nourishingmyself and being kind to myself,
but I don't know how to do thatand I'm used to doing it this
way, and so I'm going to juststick to what I have always been
doing.
I want you to have a spacewhere we can take these ideas,
like the midlife plate, andactually bring them into your
(30:43):
real everyday life and make iteasy for you.
Because here's the truthKnowing what to eat is only half
the battle.
The harder part is figuring outhow to make it doable when
you're busy, you're stressed,you're just not in the mood to
cook or you don't really feelcomfortable cooking.
(31:05):
I hear it all the time.
I know it's healthy, I know howto eat, I know what to eat.
I just don't know how to put itinto practice, and that's why
this membership exists.
So inside the membership, we'regoing to cook together, we'll
share recipes, we'll talkthrough real life challenges
like feeding picky eaters,husbands included, cooking for
(31:29):
one or two after your kids haveleft home, or just figuring out
how to get dinner on the tablewithout literally losing your
mind.
You'll get inspiration, yes,but you'll also get really
practical tools to make foodsimpler and more joyful again
and I want you to know again I'mgoing to say this over and over
(31:50):
again this isn't about beingperfect.
I'm not perfect in the kitchen.
You're not perfect.
None of us are.
That word has to just leave theuniverse.
This is about progress, notperfection.
It's about consistency and,absolutely more importantly, I
think, it's about community.
We need each other because foodis so much easier and so much
(32:14):
more fun when you're not doingit alone.
Food is so much easier and somuch more fun when you're not
doing it alone.
And because this is a brand newmembership, if you join early,
like I said at the beginning,you'll be part of my founding
members group.
That means you'll lock in aspecial founder's price and get
access to some of the mostexclusive bonuses that I'll
never offer again, and it's myway of saying thank you for
(32:36):
trusting me and coming along onthis journey from the very
beginning.
So if you've ever felt likeyou're done with cooking or if
you've lost touch with how tomake food exciting, I want you
to know this membership is goingto help you bring the joy back
to food, because food isn't justfuel, it's self-care, it's
(32:58):
connection, and in midlife it'sone of the most powerful tools.
We have to feel energized,strong and supported.
So here's what I want you totake away from today, in midlife
.
It's not about shrinkingyourself, eating less or
following the old rules of dietculture.
Those things might have workedin your 20s or 30s, but they
(33:21):
don't serve you now.
What does serve you is buildinga plate that actually works
with your body, a plate thatgives you energy, supports your
metabolism, steadies your moodand helps you feel strong and
resilient.
And that plate isn'tcomplicated.
It's built on four simplepillars protein, fiber, healthy
(33:44):
fats and color.
And when you start thinkingabout your meals this way,
everything shifts.
Food stops being the enemy andit becomes your ally.
It stops being about punishmentand it becomes about
partnership.
It stops being about punishmentand it becomes about
partnership.
I know this because I've livedit.
I have spent years in the olddiet mindset, way back when,
(34:07):
skipping meals, cutting carbs,feeling like I was failing.
Every time I couldn't stick tothe plan.
But once I shifted tonourishment, once I focused on
what to add to my plate insteadof what to take away, that's
when food started to feelsupportive again.
That's when I finally feltsteady, energized and free, and
(34:30):
I want that for you, too.
This is the heart of the workwe'll be doing together inside
my new membership, which openson November 1st, and if you've
been listening today andthinking, yes, this is exactly
what I need, I would love foryou to join me.
You'll learn how to put themidlife plate into practice in
your own kitchen, with recipes,strategies and support every
(34:55):
step of the way, and if you signup early, you'll lock in that
special founder's price plussome amazing bonuses that I've
put together just for this group.
So here's my invitation Don'tlet this be just something you
hear today and forget abouttomorrow.
Take one small step.
(35:16):
Look at your plate at your nextmeal and ask yourself do I have
protein, do I have fiber, do Ihave some healthy fats?
Do I have color?
And then, when you're ready togo deeper, join me inside the
membership, where we can do thistogether, meal by meal, week by
week.
Thank you so much for joiningme today on Real Food Stories.
(35:38):
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with a
friend.
We need more women in midlifeto know that food is not the
enemy, it's the answer.
And don't forget to subscribeso you don't miss the next
episode in the series leading upto the membership launch.
All right until next time, takecare of yourself.
(36:00):
Eat well, one nourishing plateat a time.
Hi everyone and welcome back to the Real Food
Stories podcast and happy fall.
Wow, did summer go fast and Imiss the energy of summer.
But, in all honesty, I love thefall because it gives me a
moment to breathe and slow down.
That's what fall is all about.
(00:20):
Right, days are getting shorter, it's getting a little darker
out, a little cooler out and weare naturally inclined, I think,
to just want to slow it downand reset and just rethink and
reevaluate what's going on inour lives.
So I'm excited to shift gearsand start making more
(00:43):
slow-cooked stews and soups andpumpkin everything.
I grow sugar pumpkins everyyear and I just roasted them all
and made pumpkin puree, dividedall that up and froze
individual portions that I canuse for muffins, smoothies and
whatever has a need for pumpkinpuree.
(01:04):
It's so good when it's maderight from your own garden.
I can't tell you the differencebetween Surabot canned pumpkin
and something that comes out ofyour own garden.
So, anyway, welcome back to thepodcast.
And today we're diving in toone of the most important and
sometimes overlooked foundationsof midlife health what actually
(01:29):
belongs on your plate.
Now, before we jump in, I haveto tell you something I am so
excited about On November 1st, Iam opening the doors to my
brand new membership and,honestly, I cannot wait to
welcome you inside.
This is a space created justfor women in midlife who want to
(01:52):
feel more confident in thekitchen, more clear about what
to eat and more supported inthis stage of life.
So if you've ever felt stuck inthe endless what's for dinner
cycle or confused about how toeat and menopause, this
membership is going to be a gamechanger for you.
You'll get real recipes, realstrategies and a real, true
(02:16):
community of women who get it.
I'm going to be teachingcooking classes in there.
Be teaching cooking classes inthere.
We were just going to be reallydiving into food that is
stress-free and maybe evenenjoyable to make.
Now here's the best part If yousign up early, you'll lock in a
(02:38):
special founder's price plussome exclusive bonuses that
won't be offered again, or justfeeling like I'm done with
cooking because kids have grownand flown and are not part of
(03:07):
your house.
This is the time to jump backin.
So the link to the membershipand all the information is in my
show notes, so please justcheck out that link.
You could just take a lookaround if you want to, and I
hope that I see you in themembership.
It's going to be great.
(03:30):
Now, what we're talking abouttoday, the midlife plate, is
really the foundation ofeverything you'll learn and
practice inside of themembership.
So let's talk about why thismatters.
So let's talk about why thismatters.
If you're in your 40s or 50s60s, you've probably noticed
that what used to work with fooddoesn't work anymore.
(03:51):
Maybe skipping meals or, quote,eating light, helped you bounce
back in your 30s and lose acouple pounds really quickly,
but now those same habits leaveyou tired, hungry or even
gaining weight.
Sometimes.
Maybe your metabolism feelslike it's slowed down or your
energy isn't what it used to be.
(04:12):
The truth is, your body isdifferent now, and that's not a
bad thing.
It just means you need toapproach your plate differently,
and once you learn the basicsof the midlife plate, food stops
being confusing and startsbeing the tool that fuels your
energy, your mood, your healthand your confidence.
(04:36):
So let's talk about the midlifeplate and why this matters so
much.
When we get to midlife, so muchis changing inside of our bodies
.
Our hormones are shifting, ourmuscle mass is naturally
declining and our metabolismjust isn't as forgiving as it
once was.
You can be eating the same wayyou did at 35, but at 50, the
(05:00):
results feel completelydifferent, and that can be
incredibly frustrating andreally confusing if you don't
know what's going on inside ofyour body.
Now, for years, diet culturetold us that the answer was to
just eat less, cut carbs or skipmeals.
And I'll be honest with you, Ibought into that too.
(05:22):
I used to think that the onlyway to feel better in my body
was to cut more and more out ofmy diet.
I would skip meals, trying tobe good, avoid whole categories
of food.
What always happened?
I was starving, I craved sugar,I felt I had no energy to do
the things that I wanted to do,I was kind of miserable and,
(05:46):
worst of all, I felt like I wasfailing because I couldn't stick
to the rules.
And I know so many of you havefelt the same way.
Because the truth is,restriction does not work, not
in midlife and not really in anystage of life.
Restriction leaves us hungrier,moodier.
It robs us of our joy of eating.
(06:07):
What our bodies are reallyasking for now is not less, it's
more, it's more nourishment,it's more support.
So this is where the midlifeplate comes in.
When you build your meals withintention, with protein, fiber,
healthy fats, with color on yourplate, everything starts to
(06:31):
shift Suddenly.
Your energy might feel morestable.
You're not crashing at threeo'clock in the afternoon or
desperate for coffee or a cookieto keep you going.
Your muscles, your metabolism'sbest friend.
We talked about this last weekon the podcast.
If you haven't listened to that, please go back and take a
(06:53):
listen to that episode.
Get the fuel they need to staystrong and your digestion, which
can really feel off in thisstage of life, starts to settle
down.
Even your sleep and your moodimprove when your plate is
working for you, not against you.
So when I say the midlife plate,I'm not talking about a diet,
(07:16):
right?
You probably know by now, ifyou've been listening to me for
long enough, that I'm veryanti-diet.
This is not a diet I'm talkingabout.
I'm just talking about whatshows up on your plate of food
every single day for breakfast,lunch and dinner.
So I'm talking also about theway of eating that finally works
(07:36):
with your body.
Instead of fighting against itand I know you and I know so
many other women we have beenfighting against our bodies for
years it's time to startsupporting ourselves and
thinking about this asnourishment and our health.
It's about shifting frompunishment to partnership, from
(08:00):
eating less to nourishing more,and once you start to see food
through that lens, everythingelse starts to feel possible
again.
So let's break this down,because I want you to actually
see what the midlife plate lookslike in real life.
I want you to think of theplate as having four pillars,
(08:22):
and once you know these fourthings, you don't have to second
guess yourself every singletime you sit down to eat.
Okay, so pillar number one, thefirst pillar, is protein.
I cannot say this enough, and Iknow you have heard it ad
nauseum on social media, but I'mgoing to say it again Protein
(08:44):
is the anchor of every singlemeal in midlife.
If you only take one thing awayfrom this episode, it's this.
Protein is what helps youmaintain muscle, and muscle is
your metabolism's best friend.
Now, the more muscle you have,the more calories you burn, even
when you're just sitting stilland here's the kicker Most women
(09:09):
in midlife are not eatingnearly enough protein.
Now, we're not starving forprotein.
I know that we all in thiscountry get a decent amount, but
we want to make sure that weare just consistently throughout
the day, eating protein atevery single meal.
I used to think that I wasgetting plenty.
(09:30):
Now I want to.
Before I even finish my thoughthere, I want to just say that
there's a lot of buzz out on theinternet to get 100 grams of
protein every single day, andthat's not easy sometimes to get
.
Now we don't have to get 100grams of perfectly proportioned
protein every single day.
(09:51):
For the most part we just wantto make sure that we are getting
a serving of protein atbreakfast, a serving of protein
at lunch and a serving ofprotein at dinner.
That should be enough to helpyou feel satisfied through the
day and help your muscles, which, in terms, helps your
(10:12):
metabolism.
So I used to think that I wasgetting plenty.
This is before I was trackingmy food.
Ever I would eat oatmeal atbreakfast, and I still do.
But now I add in some extrathings.
Or yogurt at breakfast, a saladwith some chicken at lunch.
(10:33):
But when I actually tracked it,I have had days where I was way
under.
No wonder I felt tired andhungry all the time on those
days.
But once I started making sure,I was hitting about 25 to 30
grams of protein at each meal.
It was like night and day.
(10:54):
I had more energy, I had fewercravings, I felt stronger, and
this doesn't mean complicatedfood.
I mean it can mean eggs in themorning, some beans or lentils
at lunch, salmon at dinner.
It's not complicated and it'snot that difficult to get the
protein.
You just have to be mindfulabout it and it's pretty simple.
(11:16):
But it can be a pretty powerfulmove for your midlife plate.
All right, the second pillarthat I want to talk about for
your midlife plate is fiber.
Now, fiber is your hormonehelper and your gut's best
friend.
And let's be real, digestionand midlife can feel a little
(11:38):
unpredictable sometimes.
I know for many women this is atime where suddenly we're very
regular and now all of a sudden,we're not.
Now we can blame our estrogenpartially on that.
We can blame a lot of things.
I mean it's personal foreverybody, but fiber is one of
(11:58):
the most important things youcan do for your gut.
Fiber is what of the mostimportant things you can do for
your gut?
Fiber is what keeps thingsmoving.
It keeps your blood sugarsteady, along with that protein
right, these fiber and proteintake a long time to digest, and
so it keeps you satisfied forlonger and it even helps your
body process estrogen.
(12:21):
Now, when I say fiber, I'm nottalking about a supplement in a
jar.
I'm talking about food.
Today, I am talking aboutvegetables, fruits, beans,
lentils, whole grains.
These are the foods that havefiber and the most amount of
fiber.
I like to think of it visuallyHalf your plate should be filled
(12:45):
with colorful plants.
Okay, half your plate should beplants.
So when you're visualizing aplate and you have one corner
with protein, half your plateshould be plants.
If you can do that most of thetime, you're in a really good
place, all right.
The third pillar I want to talkabout today for your midlife
(13:07):
plate is healthy.
Fats is a pillar that I knowstill makes many, many women
nervous, because for most of uswe grew up in the low-fat 80s or
non-fat.
I mean, remember those fat-freecookies and fat-free yogurt
cups we thought were healthy?
(13:27):
Well, we were taught to fearfat right and to be very wary of
it and to not eat it if wedidn't have to.
We were taught to water saute.
Remember that Water sauteing isnot sauteing, that's just
steaming vegetables.
The truth is, the right kinds offat are absolutely essential in
(13:50):
our diet.
They keep you full.
They help your brain, they helpyour hormones.
They play such a vital role inhormone production.
They play such a vital role inhormone production.
Foods like olive oil, avocados,nuts, seeds, fatty fish these
foods don't make you fat, theymake you thrive.
(14:10):
Now the thing is, fat does havemore calories per gram than
protein or other carbohydrates.
Okay, nine calories per gramversus carbohydrates and protein
have four calories per gram.
Calorie per calorie.
Yes, they're a little more, butyou're not eating a plate full
of fatty foods, right?
(14:32):
What I'm talking about is adrizzle, a salad dressing, a few
slices of avocado on your plate.
Okay, I'll never forget, wayback when I added avocado back
into my meals after years ofpretty much avoiding it because
I was taught to think thatavocados were fattening foods,
(14:55):
and I remember feeling howsatisfied I felt.
Avocados not only have a goodamount of really healthy, good
for you fats, but they're alsofull of fiber.
So, as a result, adding in somefats like that and the fiber
and the protein, you might feellike you don't need to snack all
(15:18):
afternoon, that at threeo'clock you're not craving a
cookie or a cup of coffeebecause your body is finally
getting what it needs.
All right, the fourth pillarthat I wanted to talk about for
the midlife plate is color.
This is one of my favorites,because color on your plate
(15:39):
makes your plate exciting.
Right Now, every color infruits and vegetables does
something unique for your health.
Red foods like tomatoes andberries are rich in antioxidants
.
Orange foods like carrots andsweet potatoes support your eye
health.
Green foods like kale andcollard greens are packed with
(16:01):
vitamins and minerals.
All of them have fiber.
But beyond the science, colormakes eating fun again.
Okay, a plate of beige foodfeels heavy and boring.
A plate with bright greens,purples, reds and yellows feels
alive, and food should feelalive.
(16:24):
It should bring you joy as muchas it brings you nourishment.
So when you make your platetonight for dinner, I want you
to sit and pause for a secondand look at what's on it.
Is it pleasing to you?
Does it look like somethingthat's nourishing and colorful
and a joy to eat?
Take that experiment and tellme what you think.
(16:46):
All right, so when you put allfour of these pillars together
protein, fiber, healthy fats,colorful foods you've got a
midlife plate that works withyour body, not against it.
And the best part is this isn'tcomplicated.
You don't need special productsor exotic ingredients that you
(17:07):
have to buy online from somewellness influencer.
You just need to build yourmeals with intention and a
little bit of awareness.
All right, so now, before we goany further, I want to clear up
what the midlife plate is.
Not because this is reallyimportant.
The midlife plate is notbecause this is really important
.
The midlife plate is notanother set of rigid rules.
It's not about eliminatingentire food groups.
(17:30):
It's not about eating as littleas possible or punishing
yourself for enjoying food, andit's definitely not about being
perfect.
I used to fall for all of thoserules.
I grew up again in thatfat-free era when we thought
margarine was better than butterand snackable cookies were
basically health food.
Remember those.
(17:51):
I ate them, believing it wasmaking the right choice.
I remember reading the foodlabels on them and just thinking
, okay, these are better thanthose.
And disaster.
I used to skip meals, thinkingif I just cut enough calories, I
would somehow outsmart my body.
I can't tell you how many timesI ate a plain salad for lunch
(18:15):
and then ended up raiding thekitchen later because I was
literally starving.
And every time I failed atthose diets, who was to blame.
But me, I would blame myself.
I would have thoughts of I justdon't have enough willpower.
But the truth was, it was neverme failing, it was the diets
(18:38):
failing me.
Restriction works against ourbiology, especially in midlife.
It ramps up our cravings, itslows your metabolism and it
leaves you feeling worse, notbetter.
So the midlife plate is theopposite of that.
It's about building meals thatfuel your body, not deprive it,
(18:58):
and it's about consistency, notperfection.
If you have a meal that's notperfectly balanced, that's okay.
If you go out to dinner andorder a dessert, that's okay too
, it's fine.
One meal does not define yourhealth.
It's the pattern, the overallapproach that makes the
difference.
So when I say the midlife plate, I don't want you to hear
(19:24):
another set of rules orrestrictions.
I want you to hear freedom.
Freedom from obsessing, freedomfrom guilt, freedom from the
all or nothing mindset, becausewhen you focus on nourishment
instead of restriction, foodbecomes supportive instead of
stressful, and we need all thesupport we can get right now as
(19:44):
women in midlife and goingthrough the menopause transition
.
So all right, let's take thisfrom theory into practice.
What does it actually look liketo build a midlife plate Now?
For me, it always starts with avisual.
I picture my plate like this Itake a plate, I cut it in half.
(20:04):
Half of it is filled withvegetables or fruits.
I cut the other half in halfagain.
So then I have two quarters.
A quarter of the plate is asolid source of protein, of
(20:27):
protein chicken, salmon, beans,tofu, whatever you like and a
quarter of the plate the otherquarter is a whole grain or a
starchy vegetable.
So whole grains brown rice,quinoa, farro starchy vegetables
would be sweet potatoes, cornand then I drizzle some healthy
fats, maybe some olive oil,maybe a few slices of avocado,
(20:49):
maybe a sprinkle of nuts andseeds.
It's pretty simple, but whenyou start looking at your meals
this way, it changes everything.
Now let me walk you through afew examples, because I know
this is where it really clicksIn the morning.
If you're used to grabbing abagel or a muffin, I want you to
try something different.
(21:10):
Imagine instead you scrambletwo or three eggs, toss in some
spinach and peppers and serve itwith a slice of whole grain
toast and a half an avocado.
And serve it with a slice ofwhole grain toast and a half an
avocado.
That plate has protein, fiber,healthy fat, color and I
(21:33):
guarantee you you'll feel fullerand more energized than if you
had started your day with just acarb-heavy meal like a white
flour bagel.
And if you've ever wondered whyyou're starving at 10 am after
eating a bagel at eight in themorning, it's probably because
your plate doesn't have thatprotein anchor Right.
(21:53):
You're eating mindless food ina way.
All right, let's go on to lunch.
At lunch, one of my go-tos is abig salad.
I also am a very big supporterof making dinner and having that
for next day's lunch too.
But somewhere in there isprobably you know a salad within
(22:15):
my week.
Now here's the catch it's notjust lettuce and cucumbers.
I'll build it with a base ofgreens and then I'll add roasted
chickpeas or grilled chicken.
I'll throw in some quinoa, ahandful of other colorful
vegetables, maybe some pumpkinseeds, and a drizzle of olive
oil and lemon.
(22:35):
That's a midlife plate inaction Protein from the
chickpeas or chicken, fiber andcolor from the vegetables, whole
grains for sustained energy andhealthy fats from the seeds and
the olive oil.
And dinner.
Honestly, I'm a huge fan ofsheet pan meals, not all the
(22:55):
time, but in a pinch.
If these are one of my go-toswhen I am maybe a little shorter
on time, or I just know thatlife is going to be busy that
day.
I love sheet pan meals becausethey're easy and they hit all
the marks.
So picture this salmon filletson a sheet pan with sweet
potatoes and broccoli, tossed insome olive oil, some salt and
(23:19):
pepper.
You roast that all together andyou've got protein, fiber,
healthy fat and color in one pan.
No overthinking, no complicatedsteps.
It doesn't have to be Instagramworthy, it doesn't have to be a
picture, a five-star photo.
It just checks off all theboxes and it tastes good.
(23:43):
Now here's where the mindsetcomes in.
Instead of asking what do Ineed to cut out tonight, which
is what diet culture trained usto do, I want you to flip that
question and ask what can I addin to make this plate more
nourishing?
Do I have protein?
Do I have colorful vegetablesand fruits?
(24:05):
Do I have fiber?
Do I have some healthy fats?
Because when you build mealsthis way, you don't check off
nutrition boxes, you feeldifferent, you feel steady, you
feel less hungry, you stopobsessing about food all day
long, and I can't tell you howmany clients have said to me
(24:25):
Heather, I don't even thinkabout snacking anymore because
my meals are finally satisfying.
That's the power of awell-built plate.
And listen, your plate doesn'thave to be perfect every single
time.
I'm going to say this over andover again.
Some days you're going to graba quick sandwich or you'll eat
leftovers that aren't perfectlybalanced.
(24:47):
That's life, it's okay.
But if most of your mealsfollow this midlife formula,
you're going to notice a hugedifference in your energy, your
mood and even how your bodyfeels.
This is another good thing tojust notice.
When you do eat a meal thatisn't balanced which is okay,
(25:09):
because sometimes life gets inthe way just take a moment and
notice how that meal made youfeel.
Were you hungry, then again at10 am because you didn't have
enough of the right componentsat breakfast.
That's okay.
Just notice, it's just alearning lesson and move on and
(25:32):
go on to your next meal.
So, for me, building a midlifeplate isn't about adding rules.
It's about simplifying.
It's about having a frameworkyou can lean on, no matter
what's going on in your day,because the truth is, midlife is
busy.
We are so busy, right?
We're juggling work andfamilies.
We're caregiving.
(25:53):
There's a lot of stress goingon in our lives and in the world
and there's a lot to worryabout.
So the last thing we need isfood, adding more confusion or
stress, and the midlife platetakes away the guesswork.
Now I want to pause here andtalk about something that so
many of us have struggled withthe difference between
(26:16):
restriction and nourishment.
Because if you're anything likeme, you've probably spent years
in that restriction mindset.
I can't tell you how many timesI thought the answer was to eat
less, cut out more powerthrough hunger, just to have
more willpower.
That was the soundtrack in myhead for years.
(26:37):
I mean, this is years ago, butit's still.
It's something that has reallyalways stuck with me and I know
sticks with a lot of women.
This is how we grew up, right,we grew up learning to restrict
and to be on diets.
So I would say no to bread, I'dskip dessert, I'd maybe even
skip entire meals and, sure,sometimes I'd lose a couple of
(27:02):
pounds, but it always came at acost.
I was tired, I was moody, I washungry and eventually I'd end
up back where I started,sometimes even worse off,
because that's unsustainable.
No one can sustain that for toolong.
And the worst of it all is Ialways blame myself.
I thought I was the problem andthought if I could just stick
(27:26):
with it, if I could just havethe willpower, I'd finally have
the body, the energy and thehealth that I wanted.
But the truth is it wasn't mefailing, it was the diet's
failing me.
Restriction is wired to backfire.
When you starve your body, itpushes back with cravings,
(27:49):
slower metabolism and totalfrustration.
So nourishment is a completelydifferent story.
Nourishment asks what does mybody actually need right now to
thrive?
It shifts the focus from lessto more More protein to support
muscle, more fiber for digestionand hormone health, more
(28:09):
healthy fats to keep mesatisfied, more color to bring
in all of those nutrients andantioxidants.
It's about adding, it's notsubtracting.
And let me tell you, when Imade that shift in my own life
and also added in the compassion, the kindness and the
forgiveness and the mindfulness,it was like flipping a switch.
(28:31):
I went from feeling like foodwas my enemy to realizing that
food could be my ally.
From feeling like food was myenemy to realizing that food
could be my ally.
Instead of obsessing about whatI couldn't have, I started
asking what can I add to makethis meal more nourishing?
And the changes were almostimmediate.
I've said this before I've hadmore steady energy, my sleep has
(28:53):
been better, less hunger, lessguilt.
That's why I want you to hearme on this.
Nourishment isn't just about thefood on your plate.
It's about how you feel in yourbody and in your life.
Restriction shrinks you downphysically and emotionally and
(29:14):
nourishment builds you up.
Restriction makes foodstressful.
Nourishment makes foodsupportive, and I know for so
many women this is the hardestshift to make because diet
culture has drilled therestriction mindset into us for
decades.
But midlife is actually theperfect time to flip that script
(29:34):
, because this is the seasonwhen your body needs and
deserves more care, more fueland more love.
So the next time you catchyourself thinking I need to eat
less or I don't know what to do,I've gained weight and I can't
figure this out.
And why am I gaining weight?
And I understand it's astressful time of our lives Ask
(30:00):
yourself what can I eat morethat will truly support me.
And that little mindset shiftis where the real magic can
happen.
And this is exactly why Icreated my new membership,
because I don't want this to beanother podcast episode you
listen to and think, well, thatsounds nice, I should try that
(30:22):
someday, or I get it.
I know I should be nourishingmyself and being kind to myself,
but I don't know how to do thatand I'm used to doing it this
way, and so I'm going to juststick to what I have always been
doing.
I want you to have a spacewhere we can take these ideas,
like the midlife plate, andactually bring them into your
(30:43):
real everyday life and make iteasy for you.
Because here's the truthKnowing what to eat is only half
the battle.
The harder part is figuring outhow to make it doable when
you're busy, you're stressed,you're just not in the mood to
cook or you don't really feelcomfortable cooking.
(31:05):
I hear it all the time.
I know it's healthy, I know howto eat, I know what to eat.
I just don't know how to put itinto practice, and that's why
this membership exists.
So inside the membership, we'regoing to cook together, we'll
share recipes, we'll talkthrough real life challenges
like feeding picky eaters,husbands included, cooking for
(31:29):
one or two after your kids haveleft home, or just figuring out
how to get dinner on the tablewithout literally losing your
mind.
You'll get inspiration, yes,but you'll also get really
practical tools to make foodsimpler and more joyful again
and I want you to know again I'mgoing to say this over and over
(31:50):
again this isn't about beingperfect.
I'm not perfect in the kitchen.
You're not perfect.
None of us are.
That word has to just leave theuniverse.
This is about progress, notperfection.
It's about consistency and,absolutely more importantly, I
think, it's about community.
We need each other because foodis so much easier and so much
(32:14):
more fun when you're not doingit alone.
Food is so much easier and somuch more fun when you're not
doing it alone.
And because this is a brand newmembership, if you join early,
like I said at the beginning,you'll be part of my founding
members group.
That means you'll lock in aspecial founder's price and get
access to some of the mostexclusive bonuses that I'll
never offer again, and it's myway of saying thank you for
(32:36):
trusting me and coming along onthis journey from the very
beginning.
So if you've ever felt likeyou're done with cooking or if
you've lost touch with how tomake food exciting, I want you
to know this membership is goingto help you bring the joy back
to food, because food isn't justfuel, it's self-care, it's
(32:58):
connection, and in midlife it'sone of the most powerful tools.
We have to feel energized,strong and supported.
So here's what I want you totake away from today, in midlife
.
It's not about shrinkingyourself, eating less or
following the old rules of dietculture.
Those things might have workedin your 20s or 30s, but they
(33:21):
don't serve you now.
What does serve you is buildinga plate that actually works
with your body, a plate thatgives you energy, supports your
metabolism, steadies your moodand helps you feel strong and
resilient.
And that plate isn'tcomplicated.
It's built on four simplepillars protein, fiber, healthy
(33:44):
fats and color.
And when you start thinkingabout your meals this way,
everything shifts.
Food stops being the enemy andit becomes your ally.
It stops being about punishmentand it becomes about
partnership.
It stops being about punishmentand it becomes about
partnership.
I know this because I've livedit.
I have spent years in the olddiet mindset, way back when,
(34:07):
skipping meals, cutting carbs,feeling like I was failing.
Every time I couldn't stick tothe plan.
But once I shifted tonourishment, once I focused on
what to add to my plate insteadof what to take away, that's
when food started to feelsupportive again.
That's when I finally feltsteady, energized and free, and
(34:30):
I want that for you, too.
This is the heart of the workwe'll be doing together inside
my new membership, which openson November 1st, and if you've
been listening today andthinking, yes, this is exactly
what I need, I would love foryou to join me.
You'll learn how to put themidlife plate into practice in
your own kitchen, with recipes,strategies and support every
(34:55):
step of the way, and if you signup early, you'll lock in that
special founder's price plussome amazing bonuses that I've
put together just for this group.
So here's my invitation Don'tlet this be just something you
hear today and forget abouttomorrow.
Take one small step.
(35:16):
Look at your plate at your nextmeal and ask yourself do I have
protein, do I have fiber, do Ihave some healthy fats?
Do I have color?
And then, when you're ready togo deeper, join me inside the
membership, where we can do thistogether, meal by meal, week by
week.
Thank you so much for joiningme today on Real Food Stories.
(35:38):
If this episode resonated withyou, please share it with a
friend.
We need more women in midlifeto know that food is not the
enemy, it's the answer.
And don't forget to subscribeso you don't miss the next
episode in the series leading upto the membership launch.
All right until next time, takecare of yourself.
(36:00):
Eat well, one nourishing plateat a time.
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