Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in Midlife: Asking for a Friend

If you’re a midlife woman who feels like you’re doing everything right — lifting weights, eating well, walking, managing stress — and your body still isn’t responding, this episode is for you.

In this powerful, myth-busting conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, a triple board-certified endocrinologist, obesity medicine specialist, author, and early adopter of GLP-1 therapies in the U.S. Dr. Salas-Whalen helps us unders...

Midlife fitness for women 45+ is not about trying harder—it’s about training smarter for perimenopause and menopause physiology. In this powerhouse episode of Asking for a Friend, host Michele Folan sits down with Dr. Stacy Sims—exercise physiologist, TEDx speaker behind “Women Are Not Small Men,” and author of ROAR and Next Level—to break down exactly why your old workouts and “eat less, do more cardio” strategies stop working in ...

If you care about protein quality, metabolic health, inflammation, and long-term strength, this episode will change the way you shop for meat.

On this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan pulls back the curtain on the modern meat industry with Cloe Parker, CEO of Parker Pastures, to expose the truth behind misleading meat labels—and why most consumers are unknowingly getting it wrong.

Cloe explains what labels like grass-fed...

What if healthy aging isn’t just about adding years to your life—but adding energy, clarity, and purpose to the years you already have?

In this episode of Asking for a Friend, host Michele Folan sits down with Eric North (aka “The Happiness Warrior”), a wellness speaker and coach who’s redefining what it looks like to be strong—emotionally and physically—at 61. Eric is the creator of the Happiness Workout, a simple daily practice th...

Midlife can feel like a perfect storm—menopause, stubborn weight gain, bone loss, shifting identities, and an unexpected rise in loneliness. In today’s episode of Asking for a Friend, we’re digging into one of the most overlooked drivers of women’s health in their 40s, 50s, and 60s: disconnection—and why rebuilding community may be as powerful as lifting heavy or optimizing your hormones.

My guest, Terry Tateossian, is a Harvard-tra...

If you can talk about hot flashes and wrinkles but freeze up when the conversation turns to sex, this episode is for you.

This week I’m joined by Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first female board-certified urogynecologist in the U.S., to talk about everything we don’t discuss enough in midlife: pelvic floor health, recurrent UTIs, vaginal dryness, low libido, pain with sex, and what’s really going on with your microbiome and your mojo.

We ...

Absolutely no one warned us that midlife would be this loud—hot flashes, achy joints, bone density, belly fat, all competing for attention at once. And yet the message women still get is, “This is just how it is.”

In this episode, I’m joined by orthopedic sports surgeon and longevity visionary Dr. Vonda Wright, author of Unbreakable: A Woman’s Guide to Aging with Power. We dig into what it really takes to stay strong, mobile, and in...

A lot of women in midlife are walking around feeling like they’re broken. You’ve done the labs, seen the specialists, tried the supplements… and you’re still exhausted, inflamed, and wondering if this is just your new normal. My guest today says absolutely not.

Dr. Karyn Shanks is a physician, author, and pioneer in whole-person healing whose work sits at the intersection of cutting-edge science, trauma-informed care, and what she c...

In this episode of Asking for a Friend, we’re getting real about what’s happening inside your body in midlife—far beyond diet culture, quick fixes, or another “Motivation Monday.”

I’m joined by Christa Tyler, functional nutritionist, founder of Your Gut Goddess, and breast cancer survivor whose near-fatal sepsis and reconstructive surgery complications sent her on a mission to rebuild health from the inside out. From a hospital bed ...

Urinary (and yes, bowel) leakage isn’t “just part of getting older”—it’s a signal from your core and pelvic floor. In this straight-talk episode, physical therapist Christina Walsh, co-founder of Tighten Your Tinkler, joins me to dismantle the shame around pelvic health and lay out a functional path forward that goes far beyond “just do more Kegels.” 

We cover what’s really driving leaks, pressure, prolapse, urgency, and painful sex...

Your bones, brain, and muscles are having the same conversation—and nutrition is the translator. Duke orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein breaks down how midlife hormone shifts accelerate bone loss, cartilage wear, and muscle decline, and why training + food choices can improve all three at once. 

We cover earlier DEXA timing, the bone–brain crosstalk (osteocalcin, agility, balance), and a practical plan: progressive strength, ...

Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without injury, confusion, or intimidation.

We bust common fitness myths (“just lift heavy,” “bash your bones,” “jump every day”) and replace them with smarter, safer strategies that protect joints, support bone densit...

Hitting a metabolic wall in midlife? You’re not alone — and you’re not broken. In this episode, Michele Folan, midlife health coach and former diabetes industry insider, breaks down the science (and the truth) behind microdosed GLP-1 and peptide therapy for women 40+.

Drawing on many years in diabetes and cardiovascular health, Michele explains how incretin hormones like GLP-1 and GIP regulate appetite, satiety, and insulin sensitiv...

Ever feel like you’re doing everything for everyone—and slowly disappearing from your own life?

In this raw and relatable episode, host Michele Folan sits down with writer and coach Jen Butler, author of the forthcoming memoir Mom Rediscovered, to talk about the messy, brave work of finding yourself again—after kids, after moves, and after the coping habits that promised relief but delivered fog.

Jen opens up about her seven-year alc...

Reigniting Desire in Midlife with Dr. Diane Mueller: Stress, Hormones & Real-World Intimacy Fixes

Desire doesn’t vanish in midlife—it evolves. In this episode of Asking for a Friend, certified sexologist Dr. Diane Mueller joins host Michele Folan to unpack what really happens to libido, intimacy, and connection as hormones shift, stress piles up, and long-term relationships get comfortable.

We explore the science of midlife desir...

What’s the Real Cost of That Evening Glass of Wine? A Sobriety Journey with Kate Vitela

Kate Vitela, a registered nurse, shares her powerful journey from physical alcohol dependence to over seven years of sobriety. Her story isn’t defined by a dramatic rock-bottom moment but by a gradual awakening to how daily drinking eroded her sleep, career, and relationships. Now, Kate offers a hopeful perspective on recovery through neuroplasti...

Unlocking the Oral-Systemic Connection with Dr. Mark Burhenne

Did you know your mouth may be the first place chronic disease, hormone imbalances, poor sleep, and even accelerated aging show up? In this powerful episode of Asking for a Friend, functional dentist and bestselling author Dr. Mark Burhenne explains why oral health is the true gateway to whole-body wellness—and why traditional dentistry often overlooks these critical conn...

Steffani LeFevour shares that manifestation isn’t magic—it’s mindset. Learn how to create life on your terms. 

Why do some prayers go unanswered while others manifest with ease? The difference may surprise you. Manifestation mentor and happiness coach Steffani LeFevour joins me on Asking for a Friend to share how women in midlife can stop asking and start becoming—rewriting their stories to create the life they truly desire.

Steffani...

 Hashimoto’s, Hormones, Neck Checks & the Future of Thyroid Screening 

Thyroid cancer is on the rise among midlife women—and most don’t even know they’re at risk. In this eye-opening episode of Asking for a Friend, Dr. Rashmi Roy, Director of Thyroid Surgical Services at the Clayman Thyroid Center and one of the world’s most experienced thyroid surgeons, explains why traditional blood work often misses thyroid cancer completely—...