017: BMI Is Broken. The Truth About Weight, Health, and What Doctors Aren’t Telling You | Dr. Mara Gordon

023: 5 Diet Myths Holding You Back in Midlife | Kristin Collins

Diet myths for women over 40 are keeping you tired, stuck, and frustrated, and most of them have been baked into your brain since childhood. If you've been cutting back when the scale creeps up, avoiding carbs because they're "bad," beating yourself up for cravings, or waiting for the scale to move before you trust the process, this episode is going to shift something for you. Kristin Collins, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist, breaks down five of the biggest diet lies midlife women are still holding onto. She covers why chronic undereating trains your body to slow down and cannibalize muscle, why your brain alone needs 125 grams of carbohydrates a day, why willpower is a finite resource (not a character flaw), why scale stagnation doesn't mean nothing is changing, and why the cookie might actually be the healthy choice. This is a snack-size solo episode with zero fluff and five things you can let go of today. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL DISCOVER: * Why eating less in midlife backfires: chronic undereating slows your metabolism, causes afternoon crashes, and leads your body to burn muscle for fuel instead of fat. * The truth about carbs and your brain: your brain alone needs 125 grams of carbohydrates daily, and cutting them causes brain fog, fatigue, and the cravings you've been blaming on weakness. * Why the scale not moving is not a red flag: during the first 12 weeks of eating up to your needs, the scale stays put while your sleep, energy, hunger cues, and body composition all improve. * Why willpower has nothing to do with it: cravings and overeating at night are almost always a sign of undereating earlier in the day, not a lack of discipline or self-control. * How removing moral value from food is the first step to sustainable eating: no food is good or bad, and variety, satisfaction, and abundance are just as important as any macro count. We talk about: 00:00 Welcome and today's topic: diet myths in midlife 01:13 Myth 1: Eating less is always better 02:38 Why muscle loss is the real cost of undereating 03:32 Myth 2: Carbs are the enemy 05:33 Myth 3: If the scale isn't moving, you're doing it wrong 08:02 Myth 4: You just need more willpower 09:25 Myth 5: Healthy eating has to be boring and restrictive 12:08 Which myth are you holding onto? Kristin wants to know Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #DietMythsDebunked #MidlifeNutrition #EatingLessBackfires #CarbsAreNotTheEnemy #WillpowerMyth #WomensHealth #Perimenopause #AntiDietCulture #MaintenanceCalories #ScaleNotMoving #BodyRecomposition #FoodFreedom #MidlifeWomen #HormoneHealth #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #NutritionCoach #IntuitiveEatingMidlife #MenopauseNutrition #UndereatingSymptoms

022: What 11 Weeks of Real Nutrition Coaching Looks Like | Kristin Collins

Nutrition coaching for women in midlife is not about another set of rules. It is about learning how to eat enough, build real energy, and stop starting over every time life gets messy. In this episode of Eat the F*cking Food, certified nutrition coach and menopause coaching specialist Kristin Collins sits down with her actual client Laura Dumont, a teacher, runner, and self-described child of the "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" era. Laura shares what made her finally reach out for help after years of restrictive programs that worked until they didn't. They talk through what 11 weeks inside Kristin's Game On Nutrition program actually looked like, from reintroducing carbs and eating breakfast earlier to watching her energy stabilize and her body composition shift without the scale budging. The biggest surprise? She did not have to blow up everything she was already doing. If you have been afraid to hire a coach because you feel like you should be able to figure out eating on your own, this episode is for you. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why nutrition coaching for women in midlife works differently from a standard program, and what it actually looks like inside 11 weeks of working with a coach * How Laura went from fearing carbs her entire adult life to eating them at every single meal and feeling more energized and satisfied than ever before * Why your body composition can change dramatically without the scale moving, and why that is actually the goal * What maintenance calories are, why Kristin starts every client there first, and why that approach feels completely counterintuitive until it suddenly clicks * How eating as a teacher with an unpredictable schedule requires a different strategy than any rigid program can give you * The mindset shift that helped Laura stop calling imperfect weeks a failure and start recognizing them as progress * Why restricting the foods you love the most is the exact reason you keep thinking about them We talk about: 00:00 Meet Laura: a real client's story and why she finally reached out 03:00 What made hiring a coach feel scary even when you know what healthy eating looks like 05:30 Why one-size-fits-all programs stop working in midlife 07:00 How eating as a teacher makes fueling your body a daily challenge 09:30 What 11 weeks inside Game on Nutrition actually changed about Laura's eating 11:00 Reintroducing carbs at every meal and what happened to her energy 13:00 Why are women so afraid of carbs? The diet culture history behind it 16:00 Learning what an actual serving looks like without measuring forever 18:00 Why Kristin starts every client in maintenance, not a deficit 21:00 What does maintenance actually mean and why it is the foundation for everything 24:00 The moment Laura stopped waiting to lose weight and started trusting the process 27:00 Body recomposition: why your pants fit better even when the scale doesn't move 29:00 Food is energy: the mindset shift that changes everything Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #NutritionCoachingForWomen #MidlifeNutrition #EatTheFuckingFood #AntiDietPodcast #DietMentalityDetox #CarbsFearNoMore #WomensNutrition #MidlifeWellness #BodyRecomposition #MaintenanceCalories #PerimenopaueNutrition #NutritionCoach #EatingForEnergy #WomenOver40 #BalancedPlate #StopDietingStartEating #MidlifeHealthCoach #NutritionPodcast #GameOnNutrition #EatTheFuckingFoodPodcast

021: Why Women Keep Quitting Their Health Goals (And How to Finally Stop)

If you have ever had a hard week, decided you failed, and quit everything you were doing to feel better, this episode is for you. In this solo episode, Kristin gets back to basics and breaks down exactly why midlife women keep abandoning their health goals, and why perfectionism is not a personality trait, it is a product of decades of diet culture telling you that anything less than 100 percent does not count. She walks through the simplest version of what a balanced plate actually looks like, no tracking, no calorie math, no rules. Just a practical framework built around the three macronutrients your body needs most: protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fat. She covers why carbs are not your enemy, why your brain cannot function without them, how fiber protects your heart as estrogen drops through the menopausal transition, and why lean muscle mass is the most important longevity investment you will ever make. That gap between what we expect of ourselves and what we actually do is where most women quit. This episode closes it. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why midlife women keep quitting their health goals and what is actually driving the all-or-nothing cycle * What a balanced plate looks like and why the plate method is the simplest place to start * Why carbohydrates are your body's preferred energy source and the threshold that changes everything for energy, mood, and sleep * How much protein women need and why lean muscle mass is your best longevity strategy * What healthy fats actually do for your brain, skin, hair, and hormones * Why fiber matters more than most women realize, especially for heart health after estrogen drops * How to build a snack that holds you over and keeps your energy stable * How to stop the quit spiral and keep going even when the week falls apart We talk about: 00:00 - The perfectionism trap: why midlife women believe if it is not perfect it does not count 03:00 - It is what you do consistently over time, not what you do perfectly for 30 days 03:30 - How to build a balanced plate: protein, carbs, vegetables, and healthy fat without overthinking it 06:00 - Why carbs are not the enemy: the 150 gram threshold and what changes for your energy, mood, and sleep 07:00 - Why losing lean muscle is the real longevity risk and how protein protects against it 09:00 - Healthy fats at every meal: what they do for your brain, skin, and hair 10:00 - Three meals a day minimum, how to build a snack that actually works, and why skipping meals is working against you 11:30 - Why fiber matters more than most women think, especially for heart health as estrogen drops 13:00 - Why women quit mid-program and what Kristin sees happen every single week in her practice 15:00 - The client who thought she had a terrible week and had actually done really well 16:30 - Good enough gets the job done: how to reframe a hard week instead of throwing it all away 20:00 - Detox from Diet Mentality: Kristin's upcoming masterclass on June 17th and how to sign up Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #WhyWomenQuit #AllOrNothingThinking #MidlifeWomen #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #AntiDiet #AntiDietCulture #DietMentality #NutritionForWomen #BalancedPlate #MacrosForWomen #ProteinForWomen #CarbsAreNotBad #FiberForWomen #HealthyEatingHabits #MidlifeNutrition #HormoneHealth #MenopauseNutrition #LeanMuscleWomen #EatTheFuckingFood

020: Take Back ‘Old Lady’: Why Strong Is the Real Anti-Aging After 50 | Kim Munoz

What if the strongest version of you is on the other side of 50, and the only thing in the way is a lifetime of being told to take up less space? In this episode, Kristin sits down with Kim Munoz, founder of the strength-and-aging apparel brand Old Lady Gains, to talk about getting strong after 50 and reclaiming the words old lady on your own terms. They get into how to start strength training when you have no idea where to begin, why your workout hour is non-negotiable and how to protect it without guilt, and the mindset shift from punishing exercise to movement you actually enjoy. Kim shares how she went from couch to triathlete to CrossFitter, why no is a complete sentence, and the truth most women never hear: you have to eat to build muscle, and the diet-culture rules have been working against you the whole time. This is the episode for the woman who has spent decades trying to shrink. There is another way, and it is a whole lot stronger. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why strength training is one of the most powerful things a woman over 50 can do for a long, independent, and active life * How to start when you do not know where to begin, and why finding your workout is a lot like dating * The non-negotiable boundary that protects your training time and how to hold it when the people around you push back * Why showing up at 40 percent on a hard day still counts as giving 100 percent, and how to modify a workout instead of quitting it * The truth about getting bulky and why one hour in the gym will never do it * How much you actually have to eat to build muscle, and why there are no good or bad foods * How to let go of the Gen X diet mentality you were raised on and redefine what aging is allowed to look like We talk about: 00:00 - Meet Kim Munoz and the story behind Old Lady Gains 03:30 - Reclaiming old lady and redefining what aging is allowed to look like 07:00 - What aging well actually looks like: independence, travel, golf, pickleball, and never declining on the couch 10:30 - Making yourself a priority: the non-negotiable gym hour and the corporate pushback around it 15:00 - No is a complete sentence: setting boundaries with family and coworkers without guilt 19:00 - Red Rover survivors and letting go of the Gen X diet mentality we were raised on 22:30 - How to start when you do not know where to begin, and treating fitness like dating 27:00 - Finding community and joyful movement instead of punishment 30:30 - Why half-assing a workout still counts, and giving 100 percent of what you have that day 35:00 - Strong is the new attractive: pushing back on the get small message 38:30 - You have to eat to build muscle: protein, balance, and the no good or bad foods truth 43:00 - Owning your voice and where to find Old Lady Gains Connect with Kim * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/oldladygains [https://www.instagram.com/oldladygains] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@oldladygains [https://www.youtube.com/@oldladygains] * Website: https://oldladygains.com/ [https://oldladygains.com/] Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #StrengthTrainingForWomen #WomenOver50 #BuildMuscleAfter50 #StrengthAfter50 #AntiDiet #AntiDietCulture #MidlifeWomen #GenXWomen #WomensFitness #AgingWithStrength #JoyfulMovement #CrossFitWomen #ProteinForWomen #StrongNotSmall #EatTheFood #BoundariesMatter #OldLadyGains #WomensHealth #FitnessOver50 #MidlifeStrength

019: Who Are You When You Stop Letting the World Define Your Body? Body Image, Yoga, and Living Your Truth in Midlife | Alia Khan

What happens when the system meant to protect your health is the one that plants the seed of shame in your body? In this episode of Eat the F*cking Food, Kristin sits down with body-inclusive yoga instructor and studio owner Alia Khan. Alia was told she was obese at seven years old by doctors using BMI as gospel. That early message shaped decades of shame and comparison. As a curvy South Asian woman who entered yoga spaces not built for her body, she turned that frustration into a mission: making yoga accessible for every body, not just the slim, flexible ideal modern Vinyasa was built around. This conversation is for every woman who has ever told herself yoga is not for her. Because the practice was never about the pose. It was always about coming home to yourself. In this episode, you’ll discover: * Why being called obese at seven set off decades of body shame and what Alia found when she looked back at photos of that little girl * The truth about BMI and why it was never meant to be used as an individual medical standard * How modern Vinyasa yoga was designed for a preteen boy's body and why that explains so much about why curvy women feel excluded * Why yoga props are not cheating and how Alia teaches so every student feels like they belong * The moment she joined Yoga with Adriene's teacher community and was brought to tears by people who finally felt seen on a mat * What the Yoga Sutras actually say yoga is and why touching your toes has almost nothing to do with it * How ego and comparison rob us of joy and the Sanskrit principle that connects body image to living your truth * The questions to ask before walking into a yoga studio for the first time * What ahimsa (non-harming) has to do with the way you talk to yourself in the mirror We talk about: * 00:00 Introduction to Alia Khan and what brought her to body-inclusive yoga * 02:00 Being called obese at age seven and the body shame that followed * 05:00 The truth about BMI and why it's the "bullshit mass index" * 08:30 From lawyer to yogi: leaving the path she was supposed to follow * 11:00 Living your truth and what it actually means beyond the wellness cliche * 14:00 How modern yoga was designed for a preteen boy's body and what that costs curvy women * 17:30 Using props in yoga: why it's not cheating, it's intelligent practice * 22:00 The Yoga with Adriene moment that made Alia cry and why belonging on the mat matters * 25:00 How to find a yoga studio that's actually right for you * 28:00 What yoga is actually for: calming the mind, not perfecting the pose * 33:00 Ego, comparison, and how much joy we lose paying attention to other people's standards * 38:00 Ahimsa: the yoga principle that applies to the way you talk to yourself * 41:00 Alia's full offering: studio, on-demand library, Zoom classes, and where to find her Connect with Alia * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliajkhan [https://www.instagram.com/aliajkhan] * Substack: https://aliajkhan.substack.com/ [https://aliajkhan.substack.com/] * Website: https://yogawithalia.vhx.tv/ [https://yogawithalia.vhx.tv/] * Personal website: https://www.aliajkhan.com/ [https://www.aliajkhan.com/] Connect with me * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/ [https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/] * YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins [https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins] * Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/ [https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/] #BodyInclusiveYoga #CurvyYoga #BodyImageHealing #YogaForEveryBody #MidlifeWomen #BodyConfidence #IntuitiveMovement #BMIMyth #LivingYourTruth #YogaBeginners #BodyDysmorphia #SelfTalkMatters #AhimsaInAction #YogaWithAlia #EatTheFuckingFood #KristinCollins #AliKhan #InclusiveWellness #BodyNeutrality #YogaSutras