#56. What 186 Women Taught Me About the Female Body

#57. Why Traditional Fat Loss Stops Working After 40 with Emily Spurling | Strength, Nervous System Health & Perimenopause

Are you eating healthy, exercising regularly, and still struggling to lose weight after 40? In this episode of the Nourished Alive Podcast, I sit down with Emily Spurling, a 40+ fat loss, strength, and nervous system mentor and creator of the Calm, Strong, Lean Method. After years of helping women improve their health, Emily found herself facing the same frustrations many women experience in their late 30s and 40s: stubborn weight gain, poor sleep, rising stress levels, and a body that no longer responded to the strategies that once worked. Together, we explore why traditional dieting, excessive cardio, fasting, and pushing harder can actually work against women during perimenopause and beyond. Emily shares how understanding nervous system regulation, muscle preservation, stress management, and proper nutrition helped her transform her own health—and has since helped thousands of women do the same. ✨ Why fat loss becomes more challenging during perimenopause ✨ The connection between cortisol, stress, and stubborn weight gain ✨ Why "eat less and exercise more" often backfires for women over 40 ✨ The importance of building and maintaining muscle for long-term health ✨ How fasting may impact active women differently in midlife ✨ Why protein becomes even more important as we age ✨ Nervous system regulation and its role in metabolism, recovery, and resilience ✨ Common mistakes health-conscious women make when trying to lose weight ✨ Practical ways to feel stronger, calmer, and more energized Emily Spurling is a 40+ Fat Loss, Strength & Nervous System Mentor, certified holistic health coach, yoga teacher, author, documentary filmmaker, and retreat host. With more than 16 years of experience and over 20,000 women served worldwide, Emily helps women navigate midlife with evidence-based strategies that support sustainable fat loss, strength, and nervous system health. Emily's Website link ⁠https://www.karmabeing.com/⁠ [https://www.karmabeing.com/]  Emily's Roadmap Call link: ⁠https://www.karmabeing.com/roadmap-call-application/⁠ [https://www.karmabeing.com/roadmap-call-application/] Discount offer: Mention codeword ‘Vesna’ on your Roadmap call and receive 10% off Gold or Platinum Mentorship  If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a friend who needs encouragement on her health journey. Because thriving after 40 isn't about doing more—it's about nourishing your body, supporting your nervous system, and working with your changing physiology instead of against it.

#56. What 186 Women Taught Me About the Female Body

I have been running the 5-Day Gut & Hormone Reset for over 4 years — 17 consecutive rounds, more than 100 women. What I have never done, until now, is sit down and actually look at the numbers. This episode changes that. In this episode, I walk you through the aggregate data from 186 participant surveys — collected before, during, and after the cleanse. 86% of women improved their sleep. 74% experienced positive weight release outcomes. 68% reported reduced brain fog. And 82% with significant hormonal symptoms — PMS, hot flashes, night sweats — that responded meaningfully to 5 days of real food. But more than the numbers, this episode is about what the data reveals: what the female body is asking for, what modern life is taking away, and why a 5-day whole-food reset produces results that most women say they have never experienced anywhere else. Whether you are considering the Reset, on your GLP-1 journey, navigating perimenopause, or simply exhausted and looking for answers — this episode is for you. gut health, hormone reset, women over 40, sleep improvement, weight loss natural, GLP-1 foods, perimenopause, brain fog, 5-day reset, NourishedAlive, real food results, integrative nutrition Take the free 60-second Symptom Score Assessment [nourished-alive.com/assessment] ® Join the Reset [nourished-alive.com/cleanse] ®| GLP-1 Companion Bundle [nourished-alive.com/shop] ®

#55. ApoB & Lp(a): The Heart Tests Every Woman Over 40 Needs

93% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy — and women over 40 are especially at risk as estrogen declines in perimenopause. In this episode, Vesna breaks down two critical heart health markers most doctors never test for: ApoB and Lp(a). You'll learn why these numbers matter more than LDL, how your hormones are directly connected to your cardiovascular risk, the insulin connection most doctors overlook, and exactly what to ask for at your next lab visit. Full blog post: https://www.nourished-alive.com/post/apob-lpa-women-over-40 How to Lower Cholesterol Naturally: https://www.nourished-alive.com/post/how-to-lower-cholesterol-naturally Book your free Lab Prep Consult: https://www.nourished-alive.com/booking --- KEY TOPICS COVERED * Why 93% of Americans are not metabolically healthy * What ApoB measures and why it's more accurate than LDL * What Lp(a) is and why 1 in 5 women has elevated levels without knowing * How declining estrogen in perimenopause changes cardiovascular risk * Why insulin resistance is the upstream driver of elevated ApoB * The plant-forward foods that lower ApoB — backed by clinical trials * The 6 action steps to take this week LABS TO REQUEST — MENTIONED IN EPISODE * ApoB — target <70 mg/dL with risk factors, <100 mg/dL low risk * Lp(a) — target <30 mg/dL, test once * Fasting insulin — optimal <5–7 µIU/mL * HOMA-IR — optimal <1.5 * Triglyceride:HDL ratio — optimal <1.5 * Fasting glucose — optimal 72–85 mg/dL DISCLAIMERThis episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or medical treatment.

#54. Your Gut Makes Your GLP-1 | Why Healing Your Microbiome Is the Foundation of Everything

Links & Resources * Free guide: Your Body Already Knows How [nourished-alive.com/glp1] * Book a free 20-minute consultation [nourished-alive.com/booking] * Revitalize Your Metabolism — Early bird ends March 31 · Program starts April 6 [nourished-alive.com/rym] * Episode 1: Your Body’s Secret Weight Loss Hormone [https://www.nourished-alive.com/podcast/episode/6262a6fe/52-your-bodys-secret-weight-loss-hormone-and-why-you-dont-need-a-prescription-to-activate-it] * Episode 2: The Muscle Crisis No One Is Talking About [https://www.nourished-alive.com/podcast/episode/203f7cdf/53-the-muscle-crisis-no-one-is-talking-about]

#53. The Muscle Crisis No One Is Talking About

Show Notes Links & Resources * Free guide: Your Body Already Knows How [nourished-alive.com/glp1] * Book a free 20-minute consultation [nourished-alive.com/booking] * Revitalize Your Metabolism [https://nourished-alive.com/rym] — Early bird ends March 31 · Program starts April 6 nourished-alive.com/rym * Episode 1: [https://www.nourished-alive.com/podcast]Your Body’s Secret Weight Loss Hormone — And Why You Don’t Need a Prescription to Activate It * Follow NourishedAlive on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/vesnarysdale] and LinkedIn [linkedin.com/in/vesna-rysdale] Chapter Markers * 00:00 — Introduction * 02:30 — Segment 1: The Muscle Crisis — What the Research Shows * 07:00 — Segment 2: Why Muscle Loss Hits Women Over 40 Harder * 12:00 — Segment 3: The Protein Truth — How Much, What Kind, When * 17:00 — Segment 4: Intuitive Movement — Strength as Medicine * 21:00 — Segment 5: The Intuitive Nourishment Approach * 25:00 — Segment 6: Closing — The Invitation