Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces, just good food from fresh ingredients.
[00:00:08] Julia Child you can't out train a poor diet. You've probably heard that phrase before, and in midlife it becomes truer than ever.
[00:00:19] While exercise is crucial for building muscle and improving insulin sensitivity, what you put on your plate determines whether your glucose stays steady or swings wildly, pulling your hormones along for the ride.
[00:00:33] The Glucose Food Connection here's the science in plain English. When you eat carbohydrates, they break down into glucose.
[00:00:43] Your body uses insulin to shuttle that glucose into your cells for energy.
[00:00:49] But when carbs are eaten alone in large amounts or as refined sugars, glucose spikes. Hard insulin follows, often overshooting, and the result is a crash, hunger, fatigue, cravings and fat storage.
[00:01:07] But when you eat carbs alongside protein, healthy fats and fiber, the glucose rise is slower and smaller.
[00:01:15] Insulin doesn't surge as high. Your energy stays steady and your body can continue burning fat instead of storing it.
[00:01:23] This is why nutrition is less about elimination and more about pairing, timing and balance.
[00:01:31] Protein your midlife powerhouse Protein isn't just for bodybuilders. It's the anchor of a midlife woman's diet.
[00:01:43] Why?
[00:01:44] It blunts glucose spikes. It supports muscle repair and growth. After strength training, it increases satiety so you feel fuller for longer.
[00:01:55] Studies consistently show that women who eat 25 to 30 grams of protein per meal preserve more lean mass during weight loss and maintain stronger bones postmenopause.
[00:02:07] Protein quality matters, too. Lean meats, fish, eggs, dairy and plant proteins like lentils and beans all count.
[00:02:17] Supplements like whey or collagen can help when life gets busy.
[00:02:23] Protein POWER rule aim for 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight per day.
[00:02:31] If you weigh 150 pounds, aim for approximately 150 grams of protein.
[00:02:38] Don't stress if you fall short, think of it as a goal to work toward, not not perfection.
[00:02:45] Even getting closer will help preserve muscle, control glucose and boost satiety.
[00:02:52] Protein powder isn't just for bodybuilders.
[00:02:55] Protein shakes, powders or collagen can be a convenient way to hit your daily protein target.
[00:03:02] They're not a crutch, they're a tool, especially useful for busy mornings, travel or post workout recovery.
[00:03:10] Carbs aren't the enemy.
[00:03:13] Low carb and keto diets have gained popularity, but here's the Women don't need to cut carbs completely.
[00:03:21] Carbohydrates provide energy for workouts and help regulate mood. The key is choosing the right carbs and eating them strategically prioritize whole food carbs, vegetables, fruit, legumes, oats, quinoa Pair carbs with protein or fat to control glucose spikes.
[00:03:42] Try eating carbs later in the meal instead of first.
[00:03:46] Research shows this simple sequencing reduces glucose excursions for some women, Reducing refined carbs or trying time restricted eating like a 12 to 14 hour overnight fast works wonders for glucose control.
[00:04:03] For others, the Mediterranean style diet, rich in plants, fish and olive oil is ideal. The point is personalization.
[00:04:12] Find what stabilizes your glucose while still fueling your lifestyle.
[00:04:19] Carbs are the enemy Cutting carbs completely isn't the answer the real key choose quality carbs whole fruits, veggies, legumes, oats, quinoa and pair them with protein or fat to prevent glucose spikes.
[00:04:35] Carbs aren't evil, they just need supervision.
[00:04:39] Meal SEQUENCING HACK Eat protein plus veggies before carbs.
[00:04:46] Research shows this simple swap lowers glucose spikes by as much as 30 to 40%.
[00:04:52] Salad and chicken before pasta is better than pasta. First, your body will thank you.
[00:04:58] Fat and FIBER the UNSUNG HEROES Healthy fats Avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fatty fish slow down digestion and make meals more satisfying.
[00:05:12] Fiber, especially from vegetables and whole grains, feeds your gut microbiome and lowers post meal glucose.
[00:05:19] Together, they act like brakes on the glucose rollercoaster buster Skipping meals saves calories Skipping meals often backfires glucose crashes, results in cravings, which leads to overeating. Later, balanced meals with protein plus fiber keep glucose steady, hormones happy and your willpower intact.
[00:05:47] Elena, 50 Balancing carbs and protein changed everything Elena had always eaten healthy by conventional standards Cereal for breakfast, a salad with fruit at lunch, pasta for dinner. But at 50, her weight climbed and her doctor warned her about rising A1C levels.
[00:06:10] After learning about glucose control, she made one change, prioritizing protein.
[00:06:16] Breakfast shifted to Greek yogurt with berries and chia seeds.
[00:06:21] Lunch became grilled chicken over greens with beans.
[00:06:25] Pasta nights stayed, but only after a plate of vegetables and lean protein first.
[00:06:31] Within three months, Elena's energy soared, her cravings calmed and her A1C dropped back into the normal range.
[00:06:41] She didn't eliminate carbs she learned how to balance them.
[00:06:45] Fat plus fiber equals glucose breaks avocado. Healthy fats plus veggies slow digestion and lower glucose spikes.
[00:06:57] Add avocado to eggs, olive oil to salads or nuts to yogurt. Every meal needs a brake pedal.
[00:07:05] Calories aren't the whole story. A 300-calorie candy bar and a 300-calorie chicken breast and have radically different effects on Your glucose and hormones.
[00:07:17] It's not just about calories in, calories out.
[00:07:21] It's about what those calories signal your body to do.
[00:07:24] The Science of Joy Joy might be the most underrated metabolic enhancer on the planet.
[00:07:31] Laughter lowers cortisol. Gratitude increases dopamine and serotonin.
[00:07:37] Meaningful connection releases oxytocin, a hormone that not only softens stress but improves insulin sensitivity.
[00:07:46] The irony the very emotions we associate with pleasure are the ones that support fat loss, hormonal balance and longevity.
[00:07:57] When you eat with joy, not guilt, your digestive enzymes activate more fully, your blood sugar response stabilizes, and your nervous system shifts into balance.
[00:08:09] When you move in ways that make you smile, not suffer, your consistency becomes effortless and your body begins to trust that movement means freedom, not punishment.
[00:08:21] Joy is chemistry in motion.
[00:08:23] Find it in the warmth of sunlight on your morning walk, in the rhythm of your favorite song, in the laughter shared with friends, or in a quiet exhale at the end of a long day.
[00:08:35] Each moment tells your body you're safe.
[00:08:39] You can thrive now.
[00:08:41] Science calls it neuroendocrine balance. You'll feel it as joy.
[00:08:46] Joy is not frivolous. It's hormonal alignment disguised as happiness.
[00:08:53] Chapter 5 Summary Chapter Reflection Nutrition for hormone Balance and glucose control if there's one truth this chapter revealed, it's that food is far more than fuel. It's communication.
[00:09:12] Every bite you take tells your body what to do next. Store energy or burn it? Repair muscle or break it down? Stabilize hormones or send them into chaos.
[00:09:23] Here you learned that nutrition isn't about deprivation. It's about direction.
[00:09:29] When protein takes center stage, glucose stabilizes, cravings fade and energy levels rise.
[00:09:36] Carbohydrates aren't the enemy, but unmanaged ones can send your blood sugar on a rollercoaster that leaves you tired, hungry and inflamed.
[00:09:46] The key isn't cutting them out.
[00:09:49] It's learning how to pair them wisely and time them intentionally.
[00:09:53] You also discovered that women's bodies respond differently to popular diet philosophies.
[00:09:59] Low carb, Mediterranean, intermittent fasting.
[00:10:03] Each can work, but not all work for you.
[00:10:08] The secret isn't in following a rulebook. It's in learning how your body feels and responds.
[00:10:14] Reinvented isn't about restriction.
[00:10:17] It's about refinement.
[00:10:19] Elena's story brought the science home by simply rebalancing her plate.
[00:10:25] More protein, fewer refined carbs, and better timing.
[00:10:29] She didn't just lose belly fat. She lowered her A1C and gained steady, sustainable energy.
[00:10:37] Her shift wasn't dramatic. It was deliberate, and that made all the difference in the end. This chapter reminded us that nourishment is not a moral test, it's a relationship.
[00:10:50] Food is how we speak to our metabolism, soothe our hormones, and honor the vessel we live in.
[00:10:58] When you eat with awareness and respect, your body listens and it rewards you with balance, vitality and strength that radiates from the inside out.
[00:11:10] Hormone harmony.
[00:11:13] Your hormones are not unpredictable. They are responsive.
[00:11:17] They are the rhythm your body has been dancing to all along.
[00:11:21] These reflections are a chance to tune in to that rhythm, to honor the messages your body sends and find compassion for its ebb and flow through every stage of womanhood.
[00:11:32] Reflect and reinvent how does your energy shift through your monthly or weekly rhythm? What signs tell you your body might be under stress?
[00:11:42] What does balanced feel like for you in energy, mood and mindset?
[00:11:50] When do you feel most in tune with your body and when do you feel disconnected?
[00:11:56] How can you honor your natural cycles instead of resisting them?
[00:12:01] Balance isn't found in control.
[00:12:03] It's found in conversation with your body.
