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Dr. Stacy Sims: The Science of Changing How Women Should Eat & Exercise After 40
2 november 2026 · 1 uur 35 min
Doing everything right but still exhausted, waking at 3 am and gaining weight after 40? Dr. Stacy Sims explains what is really going on. Lees meer
In this episode, I sit down with someone whose work has changed how I fuel, train, and protect my body for the decades ahead: the incredible Dr Stacy Sims. I asked the questions my community sent in, and Stacy went deeper than ever on why so many midlife women feel like they’re failing when their bodies simply need something different.
We talk about why skipping breakfast can throw out your circadian rhythm and wreck your sleep, why alcohol hits a woman’s sleep harder than a man’s, and why your wearable might be telling you the wrong story. Stacy also shares exactly how she’d structure a training week for a woman in her 40s or 50s, why marathon and zone 2 training can add belly fat, how much protein we really need after 40, and why so many of us are under eating without realising it.
Key Takeaways:
-Why a small amount of food soon after waking can help steady your energy, cravings and sleep-How strength training supports your brain, bones, muscle and gut as you age-Why under fuelling can stall muscle gain and affect your metabolic health in perimenopause-How to read your wearable data as a woman, and why trends matter more than daily scores
About the Guest:Dr Stacy Sims, PhD, is an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who has spent her career researching female physiology, and she is the author of ROAR and Next Level. Her work challenges the idea that women should train and eat like small men. She has worked on the Women’s Health Initiative at Stanford and is now building Collective X, a platform that brings vetted female health research into wearables and AI.
Website: https://www.drstacysims.comCollective X: https://collectivex.healthInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/drstacysims
Timestamps
Introduction (00:00)
Why You’re Exhausted and Waking at 3 am (01:07)
How to Sleep Better in Perimenopause (14:12)
Why A…
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How to Stop Fearing Ageing and Start Embracing Your Best Years Yet
26 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
Most of us were handed three stages of womanhood and then silence. There is a fourth one, and midlife sits right in the middle of it. Lees meer
In this episode I sit down with Ali Knight to talk about the four stages of womanhood, and the one most of us have never been told about: Maga, the years between motherhood and elderhood. Ali explains why this stage can feel like losing yourself when it is actually a return to yourself, why midlife anger is valid rather than just hormonal, and why we are not a problem that needs fixing. This conversation changed how I feel about aging, and I think it will do the same for you.
Key Takeaways
-Anger in midlife is information, not a symptom to be managed. It usually points at injustice, and putting everything down to hormones lets everyone else off the hook.
-Two opposite things can be true at the same time. You can grieve a version of your life and feel excited about the next one without having to choose between them.
-Resentment is the signal that a boundary has been crossed, and usually crossed a long way back.
-Ali’s daily practice: ask what is happening in my head, what is happening in my heart, what is happening in my body. Three answers give you something to act on.
Timestamp:
The Four Stages Of Womanhood Explained (00:00)
Motherhood Burnout And Lost Boundaries (07:00)
What Is The Maga Phase (08:55)
When Alcohol Stops Working In Midlife (18:32)
Midlife Is Not A Decline (26:29)
Why Am I Angry In Midlife (39:20)
Perimenopause Is Not A Problem (53:38)
How To Navigate Midlife Change (58:11)
Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit?
Join Thrive after 40, starting 9th November. Learn the protein and nutrition requirements your body needs in perimenopause and post menopause, and how to build a plate that keeps you full for hours.
Grab your place → https://bit.ly/4hxbWHA
Ali Knight is a coach and facilitator who works with women through the natural phases of womanhood, drawing on the work o…
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Eating Less Isn’t the Answer: What Women Over 40 Need to Know About Weight Loss
19 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 18 min
Eating less is the fastest way to gain fat around the middle in perimenopause. Ange Clark explains what to add before you take anything away. Lees meer
In this episode I sit down with Angelique Clark, advanced sports dietitian and exercise physiologist, to answer the questions you have been sending me about weight gain in perimenopause. Ange explains why declining estrogen shifts fat to our middle, how much protein we actually need, and what a day of eating looks like for muscle, gut health and steady energy. We also bust the biggest midlife weight loss myths and cover her first three steps for a busy woman who feels stuck.
Key Topics Covered
- Ask what you need to add before you remove anything. More protein, more fibre and more resistance training do more than another calorie cut.
- Ask what you need to add before you remove anything. More protein, more fibre and more resistance training do more than another calorie cut.
-Four ingredients or less is a quick supermarket test. A protein label on an ultra processed food does not make it a protein food.
-Stress and sleep come before another diet. White space in the calendar, breathwork and screens off in the evening often shift more than food changes do.
Timestamps Why Eating Less Backfires In Perimenopause (00:00)
Insulin Resistance And Why Cutting Carbs Backfires (09:24)
Protein Labels, Bread And The 4 Ingredient Rule (19:01 )
Gut Health, Fibre And Belly Fat (25:53)
How Much Protein Women Need And DEXA Scans (35:21)
Plant Protein And A Perimenopause Day Of Eating (45:34)
Intermittent Fasting In Midlife (53:30)
Myths: Lifting Heavy, Cardio, Abs And Protein (59:23)
3 First Steps For A Busy Woman Who Feels Stuck (1:06:20)
Body Dissatisfaction And A Digital Detox (1:12:21)
Join Thrive after 40, starting 9th November. Learn the protein and nutrition requirements your body needs in perimenopause and post menopause, and how to build a plate that keeps you full for hours.
Grab your place → https://bit.ly/4hxbWHA
A…
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Why You Crave Wine Every Evening: The Stress Loop Behind the Habit | Sarah Rusbatch
16 oktober 2026 · 7 min
Why does that evening glass feel so hard to give up? Lees meer
I explore the stress and nervous system patterns behind drinking to switch off, and share practical ways to start changing the habit.
For 29 years, alcohol was my way to unwind. Then, in my 40s, I found myself waking at 3 a.m., feeling anxious and watching my life get smaller. In this solo episode, I share why I look beyond the evening glass when helping women change their relationship with alcohol. We cover the build-up of daily stress, how drinking becomes linked with relief, and why I start with what happens in the morning. From phone-free time and a protein-rich breakfast to calming breaks and alternative evening rituals, this is about understanding what you need from that drink and finding other ways to meet that need.
Key Topics Covered:
- Why your evening wine can feel like the only way to switch off.
- How daily stress can build from the moment you wake up.
- The connection between your nervous system, stress and alcohol cravings.
- Building a personal list of ways to unwind without alcohol.
Timestamps
My Experience With Grey Area Drinking (00:00)
Why You Crave Wine in the Evening (02:05)
Changing Your Evening Habit Starts in the Morning (03:00)
Taking Calming Breaks Throughout the Day (03:45)
Finding Other Ways to Unwind Without Alcohol (05:20)
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbeing Coach and one of Australia’s leading experts on grey area drinking. Her podcast, Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, is the go-to space for women who are questioning their relationship with alcohol, navigating life alcohol-free, or simply curious about what life could look like on the other side of the bottle.If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you haven’t already, subscribe so you never miss an episode, and leave a review to help more women find this community.
Explore Reset, my app designed by women, for women, to help you change your drinking habit…
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Can You Build Muscle After 40 Without Heavy Weights? | Ashley Selman
12 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
Lift heavy or lose the fight against aging is the default advice for midlife women, and it leaves too many of them injured or on the sidelines. There is another way to build muscle, and it takes 20 minutes and light dumbbells. Lees meer
In this episode I sit down with Ashley Selman, a strength coach of more than 30 years and the founder of Seli Strength, to talk about blood flow restriction training. Ashley explains why heavy lifting gets harder as our estrogen declines, and how light weights with BFR bands build muscle in 15 to 20 minutes. We cover the results of her six month study with midlife women, and exactly what week one looks like if you have not been in a gym for years.
Key Takeaways
-Professional cuffs are an investment at around 500 dollars, though they come with a 30 day money back guarantee. Wrapping straps or belts around your limbs is not the same thing and is not safe.
- A 2025 meta-analysis of adults over 50 found BFR matched heavy lifting for bone mineral density. Adding gentle impact work builds the bone architecture that density alone does not cover.
-You do not need to understand the science to do this. You need to learn what your burn feels like and what band pressure gets you there.
- Consistency beats intensity. The women in the study trained two more days a week than before, simply because the workouts were short and did not leave them in pain.
Timestamps
Why Lift Heavy Advice Fails Midlife Women (00:00)
What Is BFR Training And Is It Safe (06:30)
How Light Weights Hit Type 2 Fibres (11:57)
Fast Results And Why BFR Is Not Mainstream (15:17)
What A Full BFR Week Looks Like (23:06)
4.5 Inches Off Her Waist In 6 Months (33:07)
Bone Density Results And Your First Week (37:36)
How To Mix BFR With Heavy Lifting (46:23)
Band Cost And The 30 Day Guarantee (50:06)
Free Workout Plan And Why 6 Minutes Works (55:05)
Join Thrive after 40, starting 9th November. Learn the protein and nutrition requirements your body needs in perimenopause and po…
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The First 30 Days Without Wine: What Nobody Warns You About
9 oktober 2026 · 6 min
Taking 30 days off alcohol in midlife rarely feels the way social media promises. Boredom, flatness and broken sleep often come first, and none of it means you're doing it wrong.In this video I share the five most unexpected things women discover in their first 30 days without wine, from the 5 to 7pm boredom to the friend who suddenly goes quiet. I explain why your brain can feel flat once alcohol stops lighting up your dopamine reward centre, and why sedation is not the same as restorative sleep. Most importantly, I explain why all of it settles.Key Topics Covered- Why boredom hits hardest between 5 and 7pm when you stop drinking, and why taking alcohol out means adding something in, like an evening walk, a class or a hobby.- Feeling flat after quitting alcohol: how years of drinking dysregulate your dopamine receptors, and why it evens out with time.- What to do when friends get weird about you not drinking, and why talking to your closest friends first helps.- Why sleep without alcohol can get worse before it gets better, and how to ride the emotional rollercoaster of the early weeks.Timestamps What Happens When You Stop Drinking For 30 Days (00:00) Thing 1: Boredom Between 5 And 7pm (00:40) Thing 2: Feeling Flat After You Stop Drinking (02:01) Thing 3: When Friends Get Weird About You Not Drinking (02:44) Thing 4: Why Sleep Gets Worse Before It Gets Better (03:37) Thing 5: Feeling Emotional Over Nothing (04:40) Free Support To Change Your Drinking (05:20)Also Watch My Previous Episodes:- Seven Signs You Are a Grey Area Drinker- Six Reasons Successful Women Are Quietly Quitting Alcohol- Three Reasons Women Cannot Metabolise Alcohol as Effectively as Men***Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit?Download my free guide "100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking", a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wine.Get your free guide → https://bit.ly/4qOiGUw***Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbe… Lees meer
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Should I Stay or Should I Go? How to Know If Your Marriage Is Really Over with Betsy Pake
5 oktober 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
Nobody walks into a marriage planning to leave it, yet so many midlife women are quietly asking whether to stay or go. Your body often knows the answer first. Lees meer
In this episode I sit down with Betsy Pake, certified master coach and founder of The Navigate Method, to unpack the question so many midlife women are asking: should I stay or should I go? We talk about why women are choosing peace over partnership, the purgatory of indecision, and how an unhappy marriage so often sits underneath a woman's drinking. Betsy shares her Mirror, Mend or Move method and how to tell a hard season from a marriage that is not coming back. This conversation won't tell you whether to stay or leave, but it will give you the clarity to decide for yourself.
Key Takeaways
-If he only wants to work on the marriage once you are ready to leave, look at why. It is often because he doesn't want his own life to change, not because of your unhappiness.
-Find a witness. Saying out loud how bad things really helps you see what is real when your brain has been minimizing it for years.
-Surrender sounds like "I don't know what I'm going to do, but it's not this." From there, ask what would need to change for you to feel whole again.
-The women who rebuild best after divorce own it: this isn't what I wanted, but it's what I have, and it's the best thing for me.
Timestamps
Why Women Initiate Most Divorces After 55 (00:00)
The Purgatory Of Indecision In Your Marriage (03:49)
Doing It All And Still Not Feeling Seen (06:25)
Is Your Marriage The Reason You Drink? (10:07)
How Women Shrink To Save A Marriage (13:04)
He's A Good Man, So Why Am I Unhappy? (25:23)
How To Know If Your Marriage Is Over (27:10)
Can A Roommate Marriage Be Saved? (29:50)
Your Body Knows Before Your Brain Does (32:15)
Breaking Free From Good Wife Shame (38:08)
Mirror, Mend Or Move: The 3 Door Method (43:25)
Should I Leave? You Already Know The Answer (49:51)
Can You Trust Divorce Decisions In Perimenopause? (53:53…
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6 Reasons Why Successful Women Are Quietly Quitting Alcohol After 40 | Sarah Rusbatch
1 oktober 2026 · 9 min
Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit? Lees meer
Download my free guide "100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking", a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wine.
Get your free guide → https://bit.ly/4qOiGUw
The women quitting alcohol are not at rock bottom and they do not call themselves alcoholics. They are running businesses and raising teenagers, and they have simply reached the point where drinking no longer works for them.
In this episode I share the six reasons successful women are quietly quitting alcohol, and what they get back when they do. I explain the tipping point most of us reach in midlife, the research on sleep, cortisol and next day anxiety, and what our drinking quietly models to our daughters. I also talk about the hours we reclaim and the cognitive edge that shows up once alcohol is out of the equation.
Key Takeaways
-Alcohol cuts sleep quality by up to 40 percent, even on one or two drinks.
-Hangover anxiety is real, caused by a cortisol spike once the alcohol wears off.
-Mothers drinking more than 14 units a week raise their daughters' risk of alcohol use disorder.
-Women who quit alcohol in midlife report clearer skin, sharper focus and their evenings back.
Timestamps:
Why Successful Women Are Quitting Alcohol (00:00)
The Drinking Tipping Point In Midlife (00:58)
Why Alcohol Stops Working After 40 (02:12)
Reason One: Alcohol And Sleep Quality (02:58)
How Alcohol Destroys REM Sleep (03:43)
Reason Two: Hangover Anxiety And Cortisol (05:05)
Reason Three: Skin, Collagen And Glow (05:45)
Reason Four: What Your Daughters Learn (06:20)
Reason Five: Reclaiming Your Evenings (07:12)
Reason Six: Focus, Clarity And Confidence (07:56)
Also Watch My Previous Episodes:
- Seven Signs You Are a Grey Area Drinker:
https://youtu.be/Q7i68xjrKVo
- Three Reasons Women Cannot Metabolize Alcohol as Effectively as Men:
https://youtu.be/6JuvFGhth7U
***
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited H…
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What Women Need to Know About Perimenopause, Hormones & Birth Control | Lara Briden
28 september 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit? Lees meer
Download my free guide "100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking", a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wine.
Get your free guide → https://bit.ly/4qOiGUw
Perimenopause is not a medical condition and you are not broken. Dr Lara Briden explains what is really happening to your hormones after 40, and why alcohol makes all of it harder.
In this episode I sit down with Dr Lara Briden, naturopathic doctor and author of Period Repair Manual, Hormone Repair Manual and Metabolism Repair for Women. Lara reframes perimenopause as a second puberty and pushes back on the fear-based messaging filling our feeds. We cover alcohol as the bigger hidden hormone disruptor, the iron deficiency being mislabelled as brain fog, what the pill really does to a teenage cycle, and why insulin resistance locks women out of their own energy stores. This is the kind of knowledge that lets you walk into your doctor's office and advocate for yourself.
Key Topics Covered
- Why periods go chaotic after 40, and what ovulation winding down really looks like.
- Perimenopause as second puberty, not a medical condition, with many symptoms temporary.
- The iron deficiency hiding behind brain fog, and why heavy bleeding needs full iron studies.
- Alcohol as the bigger hormone disruptor, raising estrogen and steepening the drops.
- What the pill does to a teenage cycle, and the twelve years it takes to mature ovulation.
- Hormonal IUDs and heavy periods, the real wins, the androgen side effects, and keeping your uterus.
- The rethink around endometriosis, and why experts want to stop cutting young women open.
Timestamps
Dr Lara Briden On Chaotic Perimenopause Periods (00:00)
Second Puberty, Low Iron And Brain Fog (04:37)
Estrogen Swings, Alcohol And Fear Marketing (12:00)
What The Pill Does To Teen Cycles (20:32)
Pill Bleeds, Hormonal IUDs And Real Periods (25:29)
Should You Get En…
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Why Alcohol Hits Women Harder After 40 + 3 Ways to Drink Less
24 september 2026 · 10 min
Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit? Lees meer
Download my free guide "100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking", a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wine.
Get your free guide → https://bit.ly/4qOiGUw
If you cannot bounce back from two glasses of wine the way you did in your twenties, you are not imagining it. There are three biological reasons women process alcohol less effectively than men, and all three get stronger as we age.
In this solo episode I walk you through the three reasons women cannot metabolise alcohol as effectively as men. I cover the body composition difference, the enzyme we produce less of than men and less again as we age, and the hormonal piece almost no one talks about. I also share what I learnt in my menopause coach training about shrinking liver volume in midlife, and the health risks that arrive faster for women. Then I give you the three tips I use with the twelve thousand women I have supported through my alcohol reset challenges. I was a grey area drinker for twenty-nine years, so none of this comes from a place of judgement.
Key Topics Covered
-Less water and more body fat, and why a man dilutes the very same drink far more effectively than you do.
- The enzyme that clears alcohol, and why men produce more of it than women do from the start.
- Why aging stacks the odds, as we make less of that enzyme every decade that passes.
- The harms that arrive faster for women, from liver disease and stroke to addiction and breast cancer.
- Oestrogen and where you are in your cycle, and why two glasses can feel like nothing one week and floor you the next.
- The shrinking midlife liver, and what that means for the organ doing most of the work.
- Adding something in when you take alcohol out, because a break with no plan for stress and fun rarely holds.
- Awareness first, then thirty days of data, tracking sleep, mood, energy and anxiety so the decision is yours.
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Sa…
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Is Alcohol Keeping You Stuck? The Questions Every Woman Who Drinks Should Ask | Jen Hirst
21 september 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
Feeling like alcohol has quietly become your default way to unwind, reward yourself, or take the edge off? Lees meer
Join my October Reset Challenge, a supportive, guided reset to help you break the daily drinking habit, reconnect with yourself, and prove you can feel good without the glass of wine.
Join the October Reset → https://bit.ly/4gJyKSY
What does it really take to walk out of the "sober closet" and let go of the shame we carry around drinking? In this episode of Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, I sit down with sobriety coach Jen Hirst to trace her journey from hidden, high-functioning drinking to lasting recovery, and to talk about the tools that actually work.
Jen shares how her drinking escalated from teenage experimentation to using alcohol to numb heartbreak, anxiety and the weight of perfectionism, and how wedding stress pushed her to rock bottom. She walks us through the secrecy, the failed attempts at moderation and recovery, the mouthwash and dangerous substitutes, the two DWIs, hospitalisation and detox, and the day she finally surrendered. We talk about how alcohol fuels anxiety, how perimenopause and hormones shape our vulnerability, and the practical tools that ease cravings and stress, from breathwork, walking and affirmations to protein, blood-sugar stabilisation and her bedtime "protein pudding" trick for those 3am wake-ups.
Key Topics Covered
How Jen's drinking escalated from teenage experimentation to hidden, high-functioning dependence
Why perfectionism, heartbreak and wedding stress fuelled the drinking
What "coming out of the sober closet" meant, and how sharing her story dissolved shame
How alcohol worsens anxiety, and the role of perimenopause and hormones in midlife
Why blood-sugar stabilisation and a bedtime protein snack ease 3am wake-ups
The warning signs of cross addiction and why moderation so often fails
Jen Hirst is a sobriety coach who has been alcohol-free since 24 April 2013. After years of hidden, high-functioning drinking that…
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Am I Drinking Too Much? The 7 Signs of Grey Area Drinking Every Woman Over 40 Should Know | Grey Area Drinking Coach Sarah Rusbatch
17 september 2026 · 11 min
Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit? Lees meer
Download my free guide "100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking", a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wine.
Get your free guide → https://bit.ly/4qOiGUw
Most women who recognize themselves in this episode do not identify as alcoholics, and that is exactly why the term grey area drinking exists. It is the space between the every now and then drinker and physical dependency, and it is where a whole generation of midlife women are quietly living.
In this solo episode I explain what grey area drinking actually is and walk you through the seven signs that you are sitting in it. I was a grey area drinker for twenty-nine years and I now work with women aged forty to seventy, so I know how normal this looks from the outside and how loud it feels on the inside. I cover the rules we make and break, how alcohol arrives as a solution long before it ever looks like a problem, and why alcohol hits women so much harder through perimenopause and beyond. If you have ever silently asked yourself am I drinking too much, this one is for you.
Key Topics Covered
- What grey area drinking really means and where you sit on the one to ten scale. - The drinking rules we keep breaking and the counting, justifying and rewarding that keep us stuck. - Why alcohol-free breaks like dry January never seem to stick. - How alcohol affects midlife women differently, from 3am wakeups to anxiety and rising tolerance.
Timestamps:
Not An Alcoholic? You Could Be A Grey Area Drinker (00:00)
What Is Grey Area Drinking?(00:35)
The 1-10 Scale For High Functioning Drinkers(01:20)
Sign 1 Counting And Justifying Your Drinks(02:18)
Sign 2 You Keep Breaking Your Own Drinking Rules(02:34)
Sign 3 Wine Has Become Your Reward(04:33)
Sign 4 Your Dry January Never Sticks(05:57)
Sign 5 You Keep Asking Am I Drinking Too Much(06:38)
Sign 6 Alcohol Takes More Than It Gives(07:37)
How Alcohol Hits Wo…
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How to Protect Your Brain After 40: A Brain Scientist’s Guide for Women | Tommy Wood
14 september 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
Struggling to know what to do when stress, boredom or big emotions hit? Lees meer
Download my free guide "100 Things to Do Instead of Drinking", a toolkit for sitting with those feelings instead of reaching for a glass of wine.
Get your free guide → https://bit.ly/4qOiGUw
Your brain is knackered by 5pm because you've been stuck in middle gear all day, and that exhaustion is exactly why the wine starts calling.
In this episode I sit down with Dr. Tommy Wood, neuroscientist and author of The Stimulated Mind, to unpack the three cognitive gears (high, middle, low) and why constant task switching leaves midlife women depleted and reaching for a drink. We cover what a real low gear brain break looks like, why so many of us have lost the ability to rest, and the link between perimenopause, brain health and dementia risk in women. We finish on the most hopeful message of all: it's never too late to protect your brain.
Key Topics Covered
- The three brain gears (high, middle, low) and how each feels day to day
- Why middle gear quietly exhausts you, since the brain can't truly multitask
- The 5pm wine trigger, and why alcohol is the fast but costly off switch
- What a real low gear break looks like (green space, breathwork, one thing at a time)
- Time blocking and why feeling out of control drives poor cognitive outcomes
- Perimenopause and the brain: verbal memory, estrogen, and vasomotor symptoms
- Why dementia risk is higher in women, and the factors behind the gap
- Why it's never too late, with evidence people in their late 60s still improve
Dr. Tommy Wood is a neuroscientist and Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neuroscience at the University of Washington, where his research focuses on brain health across the lifespan. He holds an undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of Cambridge, a medical degree from the University of Oxford, and a PhD in Physiology and Neuroscience from the University of Oslo. Alongside his academic work he is a perfor…
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Do You Have a Sweet Tooth or a Sugar Addiction? The 6 Signs with Dr. Jen Unwin
7 september 2026 · 1 uur 18 min
Feeling like alcohol has quietly become your default way to unwind, reward yourself, or take the edge off? Lees meer
Join my October Reset Challenge, a supportive, guided reset to help you break the daily drinking habit, reconnect with yourself, and prove you can feel good without the glass of wine.
Join the October Reset → https://bit.ly/4gJyKSY
Is sugar addiction real, and why do so many women swap alcohol for sugar the moment they stop drinking? In this episode of Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, I sit down with clinical psychologist Dr. Jen Unwin, a leading expert on sugar and ultra-processed food addiction, to answer exactly that.
We unpack why sugar is the hardest addiction to quit, how it wires the brain's reward pathways from childhood, and why willpower was never the problem. Jen walks us through her CRAVED self-assessment for spotting food addiction, explains food noise, GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and the damage of decades of low-fat diet culture, and shares the practical steps to break the sugar cycle for good. From trigger foods and protein-rich breakfasts to sleep, exercise, hormones and HRT in midlife.
Key Topics Covered
Why sugar is the hardest addiction to break, and how childhood exposure wires the brain for it
Why women who quit alcohol so often swap it for sugar and secret pantry binges
The CRAVED framework: a simple 6-point test to know if you have a food addiction
How ultra-processed "triple threat" foods (salt, sugar, fat) override your natural off switch
Why being overfed but undernourished drives cravings, and how protein and fat switch them off
Practical steps to quit sugar: clear trigger foods, rebuild breakfast, protect sleep and exercise
Dr. Jen Unwin is a consultant clinical health psychologist with over 30 years in the NHS and a leading voice on ultra-processed food and sugar addiction. With her GP husband Dr. David Unwin, she pioneered drug-free type 2 diabetes remission programs featured in the BBC's "The Truth About Carbs". A food addict in …
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7 Ways to Handle Stress Without Wine (When Everything Feels Like Too Much)
31 augustus 2026 · 56 min
By 5pm the kids are screaming, you've had 77,000 tabs open in your brain all day, and a voice says you deserve a glass of wine. That voice isn't weakness, it's your brain reaching for the fastest exit it knows. I take you deep into what's actually happening in your body when stress hits, and why alcohol keeps showing up as the solution even when you know it isn't serving you. Lees meer
I walk you through nervous system 101, the fight or flight trap so many of us are living in, and the biology of GABA and why perimenopause leaves us more depleted and reaching for wine. Then I share my seven favourite tools for handling stress without alcohol, the exact practices that helped me and the thousands of women I've supported. Whether you're sober, curious, newly alcohol-free, or just want better strategies for managing stress, this one is for you.
What We Cover:
- Understanding the fight or flight stress response and why so many women are living there for years rather than hours.
- The open tabs and middle gear phenomenon, the chronic low-grade activation that keeps you wired but tired all day long.
- Why alcohol works as a GABA agonist in the short term and quietly makes you more deficient over time.
- The perimenopause and GABA connection that leaves women naturally more anxious and reaching for a drink to cope.
- How drinking raises your baseline cortisol and creates the next-day anxiety loop most women never connect to alcohol.
- Seven practical tools including low gear breaks, walking, breathwork, alcohol-free rituals, the "of course" exercise, shaking to discharge adrenaline, and calming hands-on activities.
Timestamps
Nervous System 101 (00:00)
The 5pm Wine Trap (04:46)
Living In Middle Gear (09:34)
Why We Seek Oblivion (15:16)
How Alcohol Hijacks GABA (17:42)
Alcohol Borrows Calm From Tomorrow (23:05)
The Research On Women And Anxiety (28:38)
Rewiring The Stress Loop (32:12)
Seven Tools For Stress Without Wine (34:38)
Your Personal Toolkit (51:44)
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Sa…
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Want to Live Longer? A Female Longevity Expert Says Focus on These 3 Things | Zora Benhamou
25 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 15 min
Ageing isn't decline, it's the beginning of something incredible, and the choices you make today are quietly building the woman you'll be at 80. Lees meer
I sat down with gerontologist and biohacker Zora Benhamou, host of the Hack My Age podcast, who has interviewed more than 200 women across 50 countries about how they experience menopause. We got into why so many of us reach for alcohol in perimenopause without realising it's a short-lived fix for a real hormonal shift, and why removing it changes almost everything. Zora walked me through the three phases of the menopause transition, the levers that protect our long-term health, and why building your 80-year-old self starts decades before you get there. This one is packed with practical, hopeful information about movement, bones, nutrition, and taking your health into your own hands.
Zora Benhamou is a gerontologist and biohacker on a mission to disrupt menopause stigma and ageist stereotypes. She holds a Master of Gerontology from the University of Southern California, has traveled to over 50 countries interviewing women about their menopause experience, and hosts the Hack My Age podcast.
She is the author of the Longevity Master Plan and the cookbook Eating For Longevity.
Connect with Zora Benhamou:
Website: https://hackmyage.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/hackmyage
Free menopause guide at https://hackmyage.com/biohacking-menopause-101/
Other resources:
Free book: Fracture Proof Your Bones by Dr. John Neustadt https://www.nbihealth.com/fractureproof/
The list of 103 symptoms of menopause https://wearemorphus.com/blogs/signs-and-symptoms
Timestamps
What Menopause Looks Like in 50 Countries (00:00)
The 3 Stages of Menopause Explained (03:06)
103 Menopause Symptoms Doctors Never Mention (05:19)
Why Women Turn to Alcohol in Perimenopause (09:47)
How Quitting Alcohol Transforms Menopause Symptoms (16:10)
How to Build Your 80-Year-Old Self Now (20:04)
Exercise: The Biggest Longevity Lever for Women (24:…
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The Mum Wine Lie: Why Alcohol Never Made Motherhood Easier
17 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
You woke up on the bedroom floor swearing this was the last time, and by Friday you were hovering over that party invite knowing exactly how the night would end. This is the episode about the moment you finally step off the merry-go-round. Lees meer
I sit down with my dear friend Victoria Vanstone, host of the award-winning Sober Awkward podcast. Vic shares the raw truth of her journey from binge-drinking party girl to eight years alcohol-free, including the "one hangover too far" that changed everything and the therapy visualisation that finally set her free.
Timestamps
Introduction (00:00)
The Morning Everything Changed (01:56)
Why "I Can't Do This Anymore" Hits Home (04:11)
Parenting Present, Not Hungover (09:10)
How Mummy Wine Culture Targeted Us (14:23)
Alcohol Is Addictive By Design (24:23)
The Merry-Go-Round That Set Her Free (28:22)
Losing The Party Girl Identity (30:09)
The Rejection That Started It All (38:49)
The Coping Strategy That Stopped Working (49:55)
Finding Joy In The Simple Life (54:26)
Why Sober Retreats Change Everything (59:00)
Final Words For The Woman Questioning (01:04:50)
Victoria Vanstone is the host of Sober Awkward, the award-winning comedy podcast that follows two former party animals navigating life without booze, now with more than 7 million downloads. She started writing the day she gave up alcohol and became a much-loved over-sharer through her blog Drunk Mummy Sober Mummy. She is the author of the memoir A Thousand Wasted Sundays and Mumming: A Year of Trying and Failing to Be a Better Parent, and she is now on a mission to help others break free from normalised social binge drinking.
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/sober-awkward/id1565657975
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drunkmummysobermummy/
If Vic's story resonated with you, grab her memoir A Thousand Wasted Sundays 👉https://a.co/d/080IDnnV
Check out her sober retreats over at 👉https://www.soberawkward.com/
***
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited …
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Why Your Coping Strategies Stopped Working in Perimenopause - with Faye Lawrence
10 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 12 min
If you've spent your whole life feeling like you're failing at things everyone else finds easy, your ADHD may only be surfacing now because perimenopause has pulled back the curtain on it. This episode shows you why, and exactly what you can do about it. Lees meer
Faye Lawrence, a counsellor, psychologist and ADHD coach who also specialises in grey area drinking, unpacks why so many women are only discovering they have ADHD in their 40s and 50s. She shares the lifestyle tools and supplements her clients lean on alongside or instead of medication.
I loved this conversation because I know so many women listening are finally going to feel seen.
Timestamps
How Faye Lawrence Went From Addiction To ADHD (00:00)
Why Perimenopause Hormones Trigger ADHD Symptoms (04:03)
Why Doctors Missed ADHD In Women For Decades (06:13)
Why 43% Of ADHD Develop Addiction (12:11)
Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria Explained (14:38)
Why Late ADHD Diagnosis Causes Grief And Rage (20:20)
The 3 Types Of ADHD Explained (28:18)
Why ADHD Causes Time Blindness (33:55)
How ADHD Burnout Affects Your Physical Health (37:51)
How To Get Screened For Adult ADHD (43:30)
Best Supplements For Managing ADHD Symptoms (55:31)
How Your Cycle Affects ADHD Symptoms (1:01:15)
The Hidden Strengths Of An ADHD Brain (1:04:06)
Where To Find Faye Lawrence (1:07:55)
Faye Lawrence is a counsellor, psychologist, and ADHD coach based in Australia who also works as a grey area drinking coach. After her own recovery from alcohol in 2017 and a later ADHD diagnosis in 2022, she now specialises in helping women in midlife understand the overlap between ADHD, perimenopause, and their relationship with alcohol, drawing on both lived experience and clinical training in psychology and counselling.
Website: https://fayelawrence.com.au
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_fayelawrence_/
What to do if you suspect you have ADHD: https://fayelawrence.com.au/blog/i-think-i-have-adhd
Free ADHD self-screener: https://psychol…
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What's Really Keeping You Stuck? (And How to Create a Life You Truly Love) | Craig Harper
3 augustus 2026 · 1 uur 10 min
Change doesn't happen because you finally feel ready. It happens because you decide, then follow through, whether you feel ready or not. Lees meer
I'm sitting down with behavior change expert and exercise physiologist Craig Harper, host of The You Project podcast, for a conversation I've wanted to have with him for a long time. We dig into why we keep repeating the habits we know aren't serving us, from grey area drinking to self-sabotage, and why willpower alone was never going to fix it. Craig shares how he manages his own mind, body and behavior, why most of us are chasing "magic" instead of just making a decision, and how becoming the scientist of your own life is the real path to change. We also talk about why so many women are quietly turning to alcohol just to cope, and what it actually takes to build a life you don't need to escape from.
Timestamps
Why You Keep Self Sabotaging Your Goals (00:00)
How One Glass Of Wine Becomes Two Bottles (04:37)
Why Ownership Is Key To Change (07:00)
How To Manage Your Own Mind (11:34)
The Chocolate And Dogs Mind Trick (15:56)
How To Build Confidence Through Action (20:59)
When Success Doesn't Feel Like Success (24:23)
Craig Harper's 3 Questions To Find Your Values (30:21)
3 Non Negotiables To Actually Change (36:36)
Why A Wish Isn't A Real Plan (39:36)
What Real Change Actually Demands (42:08)
Why Exercise Works Better Than Prozac (45:46)
Building The You Project (48:08)
Why Generic Health Advice Fails You (50:49)
Turn Your Life Into An Experiment (56:04)
Craig Harper's Daily Morning Routine (01:01:09)
Where To Find Craig Harper Online (01:05:30)
Craig Harper is one of Australia’s leading presenters, writers and educators in the areas of health, high-performance, resilience, self-management, leadership, corporate change, communication, personal transformation and more broadly, human behaviour. Craig has worked as an Exercise Scientist, Corporate Speaker and Consultant, University Lecturer, AFL Conditioning Coach, …
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6 Things Happy Women do Differently | How to Create your Happiest Life after 40
27 juli 2026 · 52 min
Women today have more freedom, choice, and opportunity than any generation before them, yet happiness has been declining since the 1970s. Lees meer
I'm sharing six principles that have genuinely changed how I experience my own life, and I believe they can change yours too. I unpack why women's happiness has been declining since the 1970s despite having more freedom and opportunity than ever.
This episode is packed with practical, science backed ways to feel more alive in this next chapter of life.
What We Cover:
- Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable trains the brain's AMCC and builds the resilience that supports happiness and longevity.
- BDNF and mental health explains why exercise, sleep, nature, and connection are the real foundations of a good mood in midlife.
- Big P and little P purpose shows that meaningful purpose doesn't require a grand life calling, only daily moments of value.
- Intrinsic versus extrinsic values reveals why chasing status, money, and approval leaves so many women feeling empty.
- Glimmer moments and joy prove that small, frequent pleasures do more for wellbeing than the big holiday once a year.
- Presence and self-audit encourage women to notice what's working and what isn't instead of living on autopilot.
- Structural unhappiness reframes women's declining mental health as a systemic issue, not a personal failing.
Timestamps:
6 Principles for a Happier Life After 40 (00:00)
Principle 1: Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable (04:39)
Principle 2: Protect Your Physical Health First (13:37)
Principle 3: Big P and Little P Purpose (24:51)
Principle 4: Create Daily Joy and Glimmers (31:33)
Principle 5: Be Present and Notice Your Life (37:02)
Principle 6: Women's Unhappiness Is Structural (40:02)
How to Feel Alive in Your Life Again (47:26)
***
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbeing Coach and one of Australia's leading experts on grey area drinking. Her podcast, Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, is the go-to space for wo…
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Discovering Who You REALLY Are Without Booze with Sober Dave
20 juli 2026 · 1 uur 16 min
Sober Dave quit drinking after 40 years and discovered that stopping was the easy part - the real work was figuring out who he was without it. In this conversation with Sarah, he and Sarah unpack the identity void that follows sobriety, why moderation almost never works, how to grieve the "relationship" you had with alcohol, and what to say to a partner who won't admit their drinking is a problem. Lees meer
What We Cover:
Why the hardest part of quitting drinking isn't the quitting, it's figuring out who you are afterward
The toxic relationship pattern that explains why alcohol feels like your best friend and worst enemy at the same time
Why moderation almost never works, and the day-by-day bargaining cycle that keeps you stuck trying
The non-negotiable rule that shuts down the voice in your head that talks you into "just one"
Why old triggers and cravings can still catch you off guard years into sobriety
How to process grief and loss without reaching for alcohol
Why you don't need to hit rock bottom or call yourself an alcoholic to decide you've outgrown drinking
Sober Dave is a UK-based sobriety coach and the voice behind the brand Sober Dave, after spending 40 years drinking before quitting alcohol for good in January 2019. He now works with people navigating the emotional side of sobriety, drawing on internal family systems and attachment theory, and hosts his own podcast, One For The Road, where he shares ongoing conversations about life beyond alcohol.
Website: https://soberdave.co.uk/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soberdave/
Timestamps
Introduction: What Comes After You Stop Drinking (00:00)
Dave's Story: 40 Years Of Drinking And The Year It All Fell Apart (01:05)
The Pink Cloud And The Slump That Follows It (04:47)
Why Sobriety Feels Like Grieving A Relationship (09:00)
Why Old Triggers Still Catch You Years Later (15:44)
Why You Can't Just Moderate (18:08)
The Non-Negotiable Rule That Ends The Bargaining (22:40)
Understanding Your Attachmen…
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The Menopause Weight Gain Nobody Explains, and the Hormone Truth Behind All of It with Karen Martell
13 juli 2026 · 1 uur 12 min
Your body isn't failing you. It's running out of the hormones it needs, and no doctor told you that was coming. Lees meer
I sit down with Karen Martel, certified hormone specialist and transformational nutrition coach, to pull back the curtain on what perimenopause and menopause are actually doing to women's bodies and minds. Karen shares her own journey through hormonal collapse in her early 30s, early menopause at 42, and how she rebuilt her health from the inside out. Together, we walk through the full hormonal picture, from the first drop in progesterone to the metabolic storm of estrogen loss, and what women can do about it.
Timestamps
How to Spot Hormonal Imbalance Before It Gets Worse (00:000
Karen's Journey From Burnout to Hormone Specialist (04:00)
Why Doctors Miss the Root Cause of Women's Symptoms (09:00)
Why Progesterone Is the First Hormone to Disappear (13:00)
Heavy Periods, Anxiety, and the Signs of Perimenopause (18:00)
How Estrogen Loss Triggers the Metabolic Storm (24:00)
How Hormones Wreck Mood, Brain, and Relationships (36:00)
Who Should Start Bioidentical HRT and When (42:00)
Estrogen, Breast Cancer, and the Myths That Harm Women (50:00)
Strength Training and Protein for Menopausal Weight Loss (56:00)
Why GLP-1s Work So Well for Menopausal Women (01:03:00)
How to Thrive in Midlife and Where to Find Karen (01:06:00)Karen Martel is a certified hormone specialist and transformational nutrition coach based in North America. After experiencing hormonal collapse in her early 30s and again at 42 when she went into early menopause, Karen returned to study and became one of the leading voices in women's hormone health and midlife wellness. She now runs a clinical hormone program helping women across the US and Canada decode their symptoms, replace what they have lost, and reclaim their energy, confidence, and quality of life.
Website: https://karenmartel.com/
Midlife Solutions Shop: https://midlifesolutions.org/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@karenmarte…
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The Best Sex of Your Life Could Still Be Ahead of You. Here's Why with Sex Therapist Jacqueline Hellyer
6 juli 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
What if the "lost libido" you've been blaming on age, hormones or your relationship was never actually about desire at all? Lees meer
In this episode I sit down with renowned sex and relationship therapist Jacqueline Hellyer to talk about one of the most common things I hear from women in my community: "I just don't want sex anymore." Jacqueline breaks down the myth of spontaneous desire, why so many of us have only ever known unsatisfying sex, and how real intimacy starts long before you ever get to the bedroom. It is an honest, eye opening and at times very funny conversation about reclaiming pleasure, connection and power at any age.
Timestamps
Spontaneous vs Responsive Desire (00:00)
The Pressure on Men Nobody Talks About (04:19)
The Real Reason Humans Have Sex So Much (09:32)
Why Couples Never Talk About Sex Anymore (16:38)
The Connection Thermostat: Why You Need 70 Degrees Before Sex (22:10)
Why Sex Gets Better After Menopause (30:15)
Stop Hating Your Body: What Aging Actually Looks Like (35:17)
What Men Actually Want in Bed (40:00)
How to Start the Intimacy Conversation with Your Partner (45:26)
Owning Your Sexual Power in Midlife (54:39)
Jacqueline Hellyer is a sex and relationship therapist with over two decades of experience helping individuals and couples build deeper intimacy and more fulfilling sex lives. She runs couples retreats and an online program called The Couples Intimacy Masterclass, and is known for her warm, no nonsense approach to topics most people are too embarrassed to talk about. Jacqueline writes a weekly essay called The Erotic Provocateur on Substack, has nearly 400 articles on her blog, and is currently working on a book of the same name.
Website: https://www.thelovelifeclinic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacqueline.hellyer/
***
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbeing Coach and one of Australia's leading experts on grey area drinking. Her podcast, Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, is the go-to space for w…
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Why Are You Waking Up at 3AM? The Real Reasons Women Can't Sleep Through the Night with Annika Carroll
29 juni 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
If you're waking up at 3am every single night feeling wired, anxious and exhausted, this episode is about to change the way you think about sleep forever. Lees meer
In this episode I'm joined by Annika Carroll, women's sleep and health coach and CEO of Sleep Like a Boss, to unpack one of the most under-discussed topics in women's health: sleep. We dive into why so many of us start struggling with sleep in our 40s, what's really going on during those dreaded 3am wake ups, and how hormones, stress, blood sugar and alcohol all play a role.
Timestamps
Why Can't You Sleep Through the Night? (00:00)
Why Women's Sleep Gets Worse After 40 (02:28)
How Alcohol Destroys Your Deep Sleep (06:34)
Why You Wake Up at 3am Every Night (15:20)
Does HRT Actually Improve Your Sleep? (19:00)
Why Couples Are Choosing a Sleep Divorce (25:21)
Sleep Apnea in Women: Signs You're Missing (30:15)
Common Sleep Myths Keeping You Awake (36:55)
Morning Light and Nutrition Tips for Better Sleep (43:35)
Recap: The Best Sleep Strategies for Women (57:17)
Annika Carroll is the CEO of Sleep Like a Boss and a women's sleep and health coach who has spent nearly a decade helping women in perimenopause and menopause who have tried everything and still can't sleep. After 15 years in corporate HR at a Fortune 50 company and her own journey through burnout, Annika now uses functional testing to uncover what's really going on in each woman's body and creates a personalised path back to deep, restorative sleep.
Website: https://www.sleeplikeaboss.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_annikacarroll/
***
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbeing Coach and one of Australia's leading experts on grey area drinking. Her podcast, Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, is the go-to space for women who are questioning their relationship with alcohol, navigating life alcohol-free, or simply curious about what life could look like on the other side of the bottle.
If this episode resonated with you, please share i…
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"Am I Drinking Too Much?" If You've Ever Asked Yourself That, You Already Know the Answer
22 juni 2026 · 56 min
Have you ever quietly asked yourself, "Am I drinking too much?" If that question has ever crossed your mind, even for a second, this episode is for you. Lees meer
In this solo episode, I'm walking you through the 11 diagnostic criteria clinicians use to identify mild, moderate and severe alcohol use disorder, and I promise this isn't about slapping a label on yourself.
What We Cover:
- The 11 diagnostic criteria I use to help women recognize alcohol use disorder
- Why grey area drinking has no magic number, just a spectrum most of us live on
- How the alcohol industry deliberately targeted women with pink drinks and "sophisticated" marketing
- The six root causes behind problem drinking, and why none of it comes down to willpower
- How women's bodies process alcohol differently as we age, and why it hits harder in perimenopause and menopause
- My five practical first steps for anyone curious about changing their drinking
- Why you don't need to hit rock bottom to give yourself permission to outgrow alcohol
Timestamps
How To Know If Your Drinking Is A Problem (00:00)
What Is Grey Area Drinking Exactly (01:21)
Why Alcohol Brands Target Women With Pink Drinks (03:13)
Where You Fall On The Drinking Scale (08:26)
11 Signs Of Alcohol Use Disorder (14:30)
More Signs You Can't Control Your Drinking (25:09)
6 Reasons You Develop A Drinking Problem (35:58)
5 Steps To Change Your Relationship With Alcohol (44:12)
How To Know If You've Outgrown Alcohol (50:42)
How To Get Support To Quit Drinking (52:48)
***
Sarah Rusbatch is an accredited Health and Wellbeing Coach and one of Australia's leading experts on grey area drinking. Her podcast, Stronger, Bolder, Wiser, is the go-to space for women who are questioning their relationship with alcohol, navigating life alcohol-free, or simply curious about what life could look like on the other side of the bottle.
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it. And if you haven't alrea…
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Is Your Marriage Over or Does It Just Need Work? with Relationship Coach Lisa Miller
15 juni 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
Staying isn't always fine. And leaving isn't always the answer. But staying stuck in the middle? That's what this episode is here to help with. Lees meer
Lisa Miller is a relationship and divorce coach, and in this episode we talk about what the silent divorce actually looks like, how alcohol can mask just how unhappy you really are, and what it finally takes to get honest with yourself about what you want.
What We Cover:
- The warning signs your marriage is struggling beneath the surface
- Why resentment is one of the biggest killers of a long-term relationship
- How your nervous system keeps you stuck and how to regulate it
- The connection between alcohol, resentment, and avoiding the truth
- What to do when you want to save your marriage but your partner won't do the work
- Why women in their 40s are initiating divorce more than ever before
- How to start finding your own happiness no matter what you decide
Timestamps:
The Truth About Divorce: Statistics, Signs, and Why Leaving Is Never Simple (00:00)
Are You Just Staying Together for the Kids? The Silent Divorce Signs Women Miss` (08:16)
What Removing Alcohol Reveals About Your Marriage (15:50)
Why Women Leave First: Divorce Patterns, Grey Area, and Nervous System Explained (33:10)
How to Regulate Your Nervous System to Make Clearer Decisions (40:41)
What to Do When You Know You Are Unhappy But Do Not Know What to Do Next (51:49)
Beyond the Financial Fear: How to Start Finding Your Own Happiness (56:14)
Lisa Miller is a certified relationship and divorce coach who has helped over 1,000 women decide whether to stay or leave their marriage and navigate what comes next. She specialises in nervous system regulation, emotional clarity, and helping women break free from the fear and guilt that keeps them stuck. Using her Proven Clarity Framework, Lisa guides women to make the biggest decision of their lives from a place of calm rather than chaos.
Lisa is a relationship coach - if you'd like to connect with …
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What Happens to Your Life When You Change Your Drinking | Andy Ramage
8 juni 2026 · 1 uur 4 min
You already know something needs to change. This conversation might be the nudge that finally makes you do something about it. Lees meer
I sat down with Andy Ramage, co-founder of One Year No Beer and someone I genuinely consider the godfather of the alcohol-free world, for one of the most honest and wide-ranging conversations I've had on this podcast. Andy went from burnt-out city broker to thriving alcohol-free coach, and together we unpack exactly why so many people stay stuck in the middle lane of drinking, and what it actually takes to get out.
If you've ever told yourself "I just need to cut back," "wine helps me relax," or "I'm not that bad", this episode is for you..
What We Cover:
- Why alcohol and anxiety are more connected than most women realize
- Why alcohol and anxiety are more connected than most women realize
- Why moderation fails for grey area drinkers
- How alcohol creates the exhaustion and anxiety driving you to drink
- What the WHO says about safe alcohol limits and cancer risk
- How going alcohol-free rebuilds confidence in midlife women
- Why removing alcohol accelerates self-discovery
- The one question to ask if you are a middle lane drinker
Timestamps:
00:00 Andy Ramage: Pro Footballer to Alcohol-Free Coach
07:04 Lost 42 Pounds and Beat Anxiety Without Alcohol
10:34 Why Alcohol Creates the Problems It Claims to Solve
17:11 Turning 50 Feeling Better Than Ever
25:13 What Cortisol and GABA Do When You Drink
29:16 Why Going Alcohol-Free Improves Every Area of Life
33:12 Why Alcohol Is the Last Habit People Address
36:17 The Simple Experiment to Test Alcohol's Effect on You
43:45 Why Moderation Fails and Grey Area Drinking
47:13 What Heavy Drinking Really Means
50:17 The Biggest Benefit of Going Alcohol-Free
57:11 The One Question If You're Stuck in the Middle Lane
01:00:28 Find Andy Ramage and One Year No BeerAndy Ramage is the co-founder of One Year No Beer, a global alcohol-free behaviour change platform, and author of The 28…
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Nobody Taught Us This: The 3 Boundary Types Every Woman Needs to Start Thriving
1 juni 2026 · 1 uur 3 min
Are you exhausted, resentful, and running on empty…but still saying "I'm fine"? Lees meer
In this episode I talk about something most of us were never taught: how to set boundaries. Not the cold, wall-building kind. But boundaries that actually protect your mental, physical, and emotional wellbeing and creates more time, more energy, and more joy in your life.
I break down the three types of boundaries, the six areas of life where you can start setting them right now, and the surprisingly simple ways to begin… even if you're terrified of disappointing people.
You don't need more resilience. You don't need more hours in the day. You just need better boundaries. Let's talk about it.
Key moments:
00:00: Nobody ever taught us how to have boundaries. And we’ve been paying for it
4:39: 10 signs your boundaries need work.
5:16: Boundaries aren’t punishment. Here is what they actually are…
7:01: The 3 types of boundaries and why women are stuck in the wrong one
8:21: How did we get here? The good girl conditioning that wried us to abandon ourselves
21:29: What is the real way to build self-confidence… and why it’s not what you think
21:52: How a 9:30pm bedtime teaches you to trust yourself again
28:21: How do you know if you’re over-functioning and what to do about it
34:31: Your phone is costing you more than you realise. Here is what to do about it
43:16: How do you know when a friendship has run its course
48:18: What is stopping us from delegating and how it is keeping us stuck
55:25: The bath, the candles and the moment i knew i’d done something right
58:41: How to keep a promise to yourself and set 1 boundary this week
Follow along and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en
Join my latest Free Challenge here and find out more about my other programs here https://sarahrusbatch.com/
If you want to join a space where women feel safe to be seen, ask the questions they don’t always say out loud and connect with others go…
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Your Vagina After 40: What's Normal, What's Not, and What to Do with Dr. Sara Reardon
25 mei 2026 · 58 min
Leakage when you laugh… Dryness that makes sex uncomfortable. Your vagina is telling you something… Lees meer
Nobody explained to us what happens to our bodies when estrogen drops. Nobody taught us what normal actually looks like and we have accepted it. But here’s the good news. Most of it is treatable.
This week I chat with Dr Sara Rearden, board certified pelvic floor floor therapist and known to many as the Vagina Whisperer, for the most honest, practical and genuinely important conversation about our vaginal and pelvic floor health.
I wish I'd had this conversation ten years ago. And I want you to hear this before we start.
None of this is normal. It's common. And almost all of it can be fixed.
Key moments:
00:00: What pelvic floor health actually is, and why so many women are suffering in silence
3:23: Leakage, dryness, soreness… the most common pelvic floor issue and why they happen
4:49: Leaking when you laugh is not normal. It’s just common. And you can fix it
6:45: What is a fragile vagina actually is and whether you have one
8:57: The solutions for vaginal dryness that actually work
12:09: Why vaginal estrogen is not the same as HRT…and why you likely need both
18:05: Every peri-menopausal woman should be using vaginal estrogen. And this is how
20:47: What optimal pelvic floor health actually looks like
28:37: Coffee, alcohol, sugar. What to avoid to protect your bladder health
32:40: Why vaginal dryness has nothing to do with arousal
39:21: 75% who do pelvic floor training can fix their leakage… this is not just kegels
48:14: How pelvic floor health directly improves your sex life
50:13: How to keep your vagina healthy without a partner
54:12: The one thing Dr Sara wants women to know about their pelvic floor health
To continue learning about pelvic floor health, you can find Dr. Sara Rearden via:
Website: thevaginawhisperer.com
Instagram: @thevaginawhisperer
App: The V Hive. Download free for one week on Apple or Google
Book: Floored: A W…
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Is your Brain Fog Menopause or Early Dementia? Dr Helena Popovic explains how to tell the difference.
18 mei 2026 · 1 uur 27 min
Every three seconds, someone in the world receives a dementia diagnosis. And two thirds of them are women. Lees meer
In Australia, dementia is now the number one cause of death. And most women have no idea how much power they have to change that.
This week I'm sitting down with Dr. Helena Popovic, medical doctor, bestselling author and one of the world's leading experts on brain health. This conversation stopped me in my tracks.
We talk about why women are so much more vulnerable than men, what the drop in estrogen is actually doing to your brain, and most importantly, what you can start doing today to protect it.
Because here's what Dr. Helena wants every woman to know before we even start. Your decisions are more powerful than your genes. And it is never too early or too late to improve the health of your brain.
Key moments:
00:00: Why women are more vulnerable to dementia than men
3:09: What is the difference between Dementia and Alzheimer, and why it matters
10:16: The statistics every woman needs to know about
11:57: Is it menopause brain fog or something else? How to tell the difference
14:32: What estrogen is actually doing to your brain
23:08: What your gynaecologist might not know about the link between a hysterectomy and dementia
27:52: What it means to carry the APOE4 gene and do your genes determine your destiny?
35:28: How to check your medications aren’t exposing you to a higher risk of Alzheimer’s
38:10: Sugar, Alcohol and your brain.. Which is worse?
54:38: These are the three types of exercise you should be doing to support your brain health
1:06:42: Why connection is so important for your brain
1:12:26: This is the simplest guide to eating for your brain
1:18:01: How small changes you make can reverse symptoms
Follow along and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en
Is it possible to feel energised, strong, light and full of life in midlife? Absolutely! Join my Science-Backed Program Thrive After …
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Why your Gut Health Matters more than Ever After 40 with Stephanie Grosvenor
11 mei 2026 · 1 uur 23 min
You know that exhausted, bloated or anxious feeling that just won’t shift? It might not be stress, it might not be your hormones… It might actually be your gut… and it could be trying to tell you something important. Lees meer
This week I sat down with Functional Nutritionist & Health Coach Stephanie Grosvenor from Unlimited You Coaching, who spent years sick without the answers before finally listening to her gut and healing herself. Now, Stephanie wants to help others to heal too.
We’re talking about why gut health becomes extra critical in peri-menopause and menopause, what leaky gut actually is and why 70% of people have it without realising… and the practical steps you can start taking this week to feel a real difference that don’t include spending hundreds of dollars on tests.
Key moments:
00:16: Are you listening to your gut? Why your gut health is the missing piece in how you feel every day
3:20: The truth about living with symptoms you’ve just accepted as normal
13:47: What gut microbiome actually is and how it runs everything
18:16: Anxiety, brainfrog.. The symptoms most women never connect back to their gut.
19:51: Why your skin issues might have nothing to do with your skincare and everything to do with you gut
21:53: The bowl movement truth no one talks about
24:54: 70% of people have leaky gut right now and don’t even know it
26:02: Why prei-menopuase is the worst time to ignore your gut
26:26: Leaky gut.. What is it?
35:28: The everyday habits quietly destroying your gut
43:06: The simplest way to make better food choices every single day
51:46: The number 1 tip to start healing your gut today!
1:09:11: How within five days for early signs of changing your diet you will start to feel a change
1:16:06: How to make healthy eating feel like self-love instead of restriction
If you want to keep learning about your gut from Stepahnie, please connect with her via her instagram @unlimitedyoucoaching, Website www.unlimitedyoucoaching.net or email her …
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How the Food Industry Tricks Us Into Eating More with Matty Lansdown
4 mei 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
Matty Lansdown started out in cancer research, where he found that 90 - 95% of cancers are related to diet and lifestyle and decided to switch paths to become a nutritionist. Lees meer
Now he’s working with hundreds of women on their emotional and binge eating journey to heal their relationship with food.
We’re sitting down today to really unpack the cycle of emotional eating, emotional binge eating, why we do it, how to stop it, and why it's actually not about willpower.
So many of the things Matty spoke about today shocked me… from the flavour industry manipulating your appetite, to foods that make you keep eating without ever feeling satisfied, to the amount of sugar hiding in places you wouldn’t expect (including your spices).
Key moments:
0:00 - Why so many women feel out of control with food (and what’s actually driving it)
5:50 - The hidden patterns behind emotional eating that keep you stuck in guilt cycles
11:39 - Why you can’t “just have one” (and the food industry tactic designed to keep you eating)
18:24 - How much sugar we used to consume versus how much we are consuming today (you’re not ready for this one)
23:19 - Thy you keep going back for another biscuit or chip even if you don’t want to
25:33 - How your body is being tricked into “storing fat for winter” all year round
29:33 - What’s really behind the rise in chronic disease and where food fits in
35:19 - The “healthy” foods that are actually working against you
37:28 - Options for breakfast that will stop you from reaching for sugar 2 hours later
41:11 - Why moderation feels so hard with food
45:36 - Do you need to cut sugar completely? + what supermarket bread isn’t telling you
48:58 - What a healthy relationship with food actually looks like without restricting or dieting
57:07 - Myth vs truth: everything you’ve been told about food, cravings and willpower
59:22 - The most important mindset shift that can help women break free from battling food and their body after years
Read Chris V…
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It’s not your fault! 5 Ways to break free of the self-sabotage cycle
27 april 2026 · 49 min
If you've ever found yourself doing the exact thing you promised yourself you wouldn't, and then spent the next day beating yourself up about it… I want to help you break that cycle. Lees meer
Because here’s what I want you to know before we even start: You’re not weak. You are not broken and it’s not your fault. Our brains are biologically programmed to keep us safe and we fall back into old patterns because we are building a new version of ourselves we haven’t met before.
In this episode, I breakdown the self-sabotage cycle. What it actually is, why incredibly capable women keep doing it, and most importantly, what you can do to break the cycle for good.
Key moments:
00:00: What self-sabotage actually is and the reframe that changes everything
3:24 The real reason why your brain default to familiar patterns
6:21: When who you want to be outpaces who you believe you, the science behind your mindset
7:06: Scrolling, Sugar, Alcohol. The science behind why it’s so hard to “just have one”
15:26: How to track your triggers in your self-sabotag loop
17:08 The non-negotiables for creating a good sleep routine
26:02: SImple tips to help you regulate your nervous system
26:41 How the middle gear is destroying us and why most women are stuck there
33:51: How to become a woman who keeps her promises to herself, the mindset shift that help build better habits
41:54: How to remove temptation… keep the ritual but change the ingredient and why it works
45:47: Ask yourself these questions if you’re stuck in the self-sabotage loop
The Big Leap, Gay Hendricks (upper limiting concept)
Atomic Habits, James Clear (reducing friction)
Yoga Nidra with Yogi Bryan, find him on Insight Timer (search: Bryan)
App Blocker to reduce phone scrolling at night
Previous episode: Interview with Jay Fields on Nervous System Regulation
Follow along and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en
Join my latest Challenge and find out more about my other p…
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What If It’s Not Hormones? Iron Deficiency Could Be the Missing Piece with Dr Libby Weaver
20 april 2026 · 1 uur 5 min
55% of women have some degree of iron deficiency. Lees meer
And it turns out… a lot of the symptoms you might be experiencing are connected.
So today I’m sitting down with Dr Libby Weaver to unpack what midlife women actually need to understand about iron… and why it might be the missing piece you haven’t looked at yet.
Dr Libby is a nutritional biochemist, author of 13 bestselling books, and someone who has spent decades helping women understand how their bodies actually work.
In this conversation, we go way deeper than “just take a supplement” and really break down what’s going on under the surface.
Key moments:
0:00 - The moment that completely shifted how Sarah understood her body thanks to Dr Libby
6:15 - Why iron became Dr Libby’s focus (and why it underpins more than you think)
10:03 - What’s actually happening inside your body when iron is low
23:07 - The signs most women brush off as “just being tired”
29:07 - What changes in perimenopause that can quietly drain your iron levels
32:43 - Why you can be eating well… and still not building your iron stores
36:43 - The hidden challenge for vegetarians and vegans when it comes to iron
40:26 - Where iron actually comes from in plant-based foods (and what makes a difference)
43:11 - Habits that could be blocking your iron without you realising
44:41 - Tips on getting enough iron across your day
46:35 - Navigating the red meat conversation (and when supplements make sense)
49:26 - The role of iron infusions, and why they’re often over-relied on
54:45 - “Normal” vs optimal: how to read your results properly
57:12 - When to start thinking about iron for your daughters
59:22 - What women notice when their iron finally improves
If you want more from Dr Libby you can visit her at www.drlibby.com or find her on IG @drlibby.
If you’re interested in Dr Libby’s Iron supplement ‘Iconic Iron’ or any of her other supplements, you can visit Bio Blends at www.bioblends.com
Follow along and see the behind the scenes…
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Neuroscientist: “We are in the Great Dumbing Down of Humanity.” What every Woman (and parent) needs to hear with TJ Power
13 april 2026 · 1 uur 9 min
The first time I interviewed TJ, I felt like I had learned more about myself in 45 minutes than I had in seven years of therapy. Lees meer
And I don’t say that lightly.
Because what TJ does so well is take something that feels complicated, like your brain, your habits, your lack of motivation, and make it make sense. In a way that instantly clicks.
In this conversation, we’re talking about dopamine, but not in the way you’ve probably heard it before.
TJ Power is a neuroscientist and the founder of Dose Lab, where he studies what he calls “stimulation addiction”, how modern life, from our phones to sugar to alcohol, is rewiring our brains.
And more importantly, how to actually reverse it.
Key moments:
0:00 - Why understanding your brain could change how you experience your entire life
3:06 - What dopamine actually is and why it controls your motivation, focus and mood
5:19 - Why modern life is overwhelming your brain and leaving you feeling flat, distracted or unmotivated
7:26 - How our ancestors earned dopamine and why life felt more satisfying because of it
10:01 - The “great dumbing down” of humanity and what it’s doing to your attention, memory and thinking
16:15 - Why scrolling, alcohol and sugar leave you feeling worse from a neuroscience perspective
24:01 - Why some people constantly chase stimulation but others feel more steady and regulated
29:25 - Why you keep reaching for your phone, food or alcohol even when you know it’s not helping
36:28 - What constant stimulation is doing to kids’ brains and attention spans
40:38 - Why we keep choosing quick relief over what actually makes us feel better
46:28 - The signs your dopamine is dysregulated
50:13 - Ways to rebuild your dopamine so you feel motivated, focused and more like yourself again
56:48 - How quickly your brain can reset when you reduce stimulation
1:03:18 - Why your life can feel like it’s speeding up
Grab TJ’s best selling book, The Dose Effect here.
And if you want more of TJ you can f…
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Why changing the state of your nervous system can change your life (and how to do it)
6 april 2026 · 1 uur 9 min
What if the reason you feel overwhelmed, reactive or completely drained isn’t about willpower at all? Lees meer
Today’s guest has taught me how to recognise what’s happening in my body and stop trying to think my way through everything… and the results have been incredible.
I’ve become more patient, more playful, less in my head and more present with my loved ones. And because of that - my relationships have improved SO much.
I want this for you too - so today I’m chatting with Jay Fields, the coach that taught me how to have a good experience being myself.
Key moments:
0:00 - Why so many women reach midlife feeling exhausted, disconnected and like they’re not enjoying being themselves
10:28 - Why you keep saying yes to things you don’t want to do even when you promised yourself you’d start setting boundaries
19:24 - How to recognise when your body is gearing up for conflict before you even realise it
21:28 - Why constantly staying busy and productive can actually be a sign your body is stuck in stress mode
25:56 - Why some days you feel flat, foggy and completely unmotivated no matter how much you try to push through
29:55 - Why people-pleasing feels automatic and how your body learns to prioritise everyone else over you
32:46 - What it actually feels like when you are calm, clear-headed and fully yourself
37:33 - How to identify the things that reliably bring you back to your most calm and connected self
47:20 - Ways to shift how you feel in your body when you’re overwhelmed, reactive or shut down
1:02:00 - How learning this changes the way you respond to stress, relationships and everyday life
If you want to connect with Jay, head over to her website www.jaymoonfields.com or over on IG @heywaitwithjay
You can listen to Hey Wait! Podcast here.
Follow along and see the behind the scenes over at @sarahrusbatch
Join my latest Alcohol Free Challenge here - https://programs.sarahrusbatch.com/alcohol-reset-challenge?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=organic%20socia…
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I just turned 50 … These are the 10 Lessons I wish I Learnt Earlier
30 maart 2026 · 58 min
So many women get to their 40s and 50s and realise they only know themselves in relation to other people. Lees meer
What the kids need. What the partner prefers. What the job demands. What the family expects.
But they haven’t stopped to ask themselves what they want in a very long time.
Who are you, outside of what you give to others?
As I approach turning 50, I’ve been thinking a lot about what I’ve learned, not just through my own life, but through coaching thousands of women who feel like they’ve slowly disappeared inside their roles.
This episode is a reset.
These are the 10 lessons that can help you reconnect with who you are now, what actually matters to you, and how to redesign your life so the next decade feels lighter, stronger and more intentional.
Key moments:
0:00 - #1: How to feel stronger, clearer and more in control of your body as you age
8:33 - #2: How to reconnect with who you actually are - beyond being a mum, partner or caregiver
13:01 - #3: Three questions you can ask yourself to find out you want more out of in life
17:06 - #4: Learning to choose yourself without guilt
24:50 - #5: Identifying the habit that’s keeping you stuck and how to finally face it
29:30 - #6: How to project your energy so that you don’t spiral into exhaustion and negative self talk
39:06 - #7: What’s actually stealing your happiness (and how to stop chasing the wrong things)
46:00 - #8: The mindset shift that puts YOU back in control of your happiness
49:47 - #9: How to let go of friendships that drain you without feeling like a bad person
51:56 - #10: Tips on making every day feel fuller and more exciting
If you want to join a space where women feel safe to be seen, ask the questions they don’t always say out loud and connect with others going through the same as you, then you are invited to join my free Facebook group, Women’s Wellbeing Collective here.
And changing your relationship with alcohol is something you want to explore further, you can find my book B…
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The Habit That Protects Your Independence for DECADES with Hailey Babcock
23 maart 2026 · 48 min
Women who fall after the age of 60 have around a 30% chance of never walking independently again. Lees meer
Let that sink in for a moment.
Most of us don’t think about that when we’re in our 40s or 50s. But there is a gradual loss that can begin long before we notice it. . And by the time it shows up, it’s much harder to reverse.
This episode is about protecting your independence.
It’s about feeling capable in your own body.
It’s about building the kind of strength that lets you hike at 80, carry your own suitcase, recover well from surgery, and get back up if you ever fall.
Joining me on the podcast to talk about exactly that is Hailey Babcock, a trainer who has helped over 92,000 women get stronger and feel more confident in their bodies.
Key moments:
8:52 - The risks of losing strength that most women don’t think about until it’s too late
14:30 - How to get stronger even if you feel nervous, intimidated or unsure where to start
18:17 - The key to living a life where you feel more confident in yourself and your body
22:46 - What “earning the right” means - and how to avoid the injuries that set women back for months
27:30 - How to know what level you’re truly at (and why starting lower builds you faster)
34:55 - The statistic about falls after 60 that should make every woman pause
39:46 - Why you are never too old to change your trajectory
40:35 - The one simple movement that translates directly into real-life independence
If you want to work with Hailey, you can download her app here, or follow her over on IG @haileyhappensfitness or Facebook.
Follow along and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en
Join my latest Alcohol Free Challenge here and find out more about my other programs here https://sarahrusbatch.com/
If you want to join a space where women feel safe to be seen, ask the questions they don’t always say out loud and connect with others going through the same as you,join my free Facebook group, Women’s …
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Why We Gain Belly Fat as We Age & What We Can Actually Do About It with Angela Foster
16 maart 2026 · 1 uur 7 min
If you’ve ever looked down at your belly in your 40s and thought… “Where did that come from?” this one’s for you. Lees meer
I first discovered Angela Foster through The High Performance Health podcast which I binged. I was left thinking, “where has this woman been all my life?”
Because she was asking the exact questions so many of us are quietly thinking - especially when our bodies start to change in midlife.
Today I’m sitting down with Angela to unpack what’s actually happening when we begin storing more fat around the middle, why sleep suddenly becomes so hard to maintain, why sugar cravings ramp up, and why the old strategies just stop working.
Key moments:
03:05 -The real reason your body changes in your 40s (and why it’s not just “ageing”)
8:55 - The simple explanation of insulin resistance that finally makes sense
11:02 - Is midlife weight gain actually fat gain… or something else entirely?
14:35 - Why you keep waking up at 2–3am
18:48 - How poor sleep quietly drives belly fat
21:59 - The hidden stress pattern that keeps weight stuck (even in healthy women)
28:58 - Fasting in midlife: It is helping us or harming us?
32:52 - The one thing that stopped my sugar cravings completely
39:42 - “Lower your inflammation” - what that actually means for your body
46:24 - How to reduce your risk of injury as you age
50:27 - When exercising for 20 minutes is enough to see HUGE benefits
Follow Angela over at https://www.instagram.com/angelasfoster/?hl=en
Let me know what you thought of this episode and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en
Join my latest Alcohol Free Challenge here and find out more about my other programs here https://sarahrusbatch.com/
If you want to join a space where women feel safe to be seen, ask the questions they don’t always say out loud and connect with others going through the same as you,join my free Facebook group, Women’s Wellbeing Collective here.
And if changing your relationship with al…
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Why Stress Feels Harder the Older You Get (Your Brain Explained) with Dr Paul Taylor
16 maart 2026 · 1 uur 18 min
Life has never been easier. Lees meer
We can order food in seconds. Scroll endlessly. Avoid discomfort at every turn.
And yet… so many women feel exhausted, flat, overwhelmed and more stressed than ever.
Why?
Today I’m sitting down with Dr Paul Taylor, neuroscientist, exercise physiologist, and author of Death by Comfort and The Hardiness Effect, to talk about exactly that.
We’re talking about dopamine, cortisol, menopause, strength, HRT, our kids screentime and how we can re-train out brains to be able to not only handle stress again, but thrive.
Key moments:
0:00 - Dr Paul Taylor’s background and why his life experience shapes how he teaches resilience
8:19 - Why modern life feels harder even though it’s more comfortable than ever before
18:27 - The long-term impact constant comfort and screens are having on our kids’ resilience
22:23 - What it means that teenagers today are projected to spend over 62 years of their lives on their phones
29:43 - What life can look like when you choose challenge instead of comfort
34:09 - How the way you interpret stress determines whether it weakens you or strengthens you
42:29 - The relationship between menopause, emotional regulation and cortisol
47:34 - Practical ways women can step off the stress rollercoaster and take back control
50:52 - The mindset Dr Paul adopted when he was diagnosed with a congenital heart condition
53:56 - Five simple ways to start building resilience so you can handle the next challenge better
1:02.06 - Why getting clear on your family values helps you act bravely even when you feel anxious
1:08.00 - Why strength training is non-negotiable for women who want to age well
1:13:00 - Rapid fire questions
Books mentioned:
Death by Comfort - Dr Paul Taylor
The Hardiness Effect - Dr Paul Taylor
Enchiridion - Epictetus
Want more of Paul? Follow him on IG @paultaylor.biz or visit his website www.paultaylor.biz
Listen to the Hardiness Podcast on Apple or Spotify.
Let me know what you thought of …
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The Wakeup Call That Changed My Entire Life
16 maart 2026 · 45 min
One morning in my 40s, I woke up to my 5 year old asking me “Mum…what happened to your face?” Lees meer
The night before, I’d been at a friend's 40th birthday and something had happened that went to change the course of my life completely.
What ensued after that was years of trying and failing, trying and failing…but ultimately it led me to where I am now: happier, healthier, stronger, bolder and wiser.
If you have followed me for a while you may have heard this story already but today I’m revealing some details I haven’t spoken about. I’m sharing my story to give you permission to start questioning what’s not working for you, to stop wondering how you ended up here and take back control.
You can read my article on Mamamia here.
Follow along and see the behind the scenes over at https://www.instagram.com/sarahrusbatch/?hl=en
Join my latest Alcohol Free Challenge here and find out more about my other programs here https://sarahrusbatch.com/
If you want to join a space where women feel safe to be seen, ask the questions they don’t always say out loud and connect with others going through the same as you,join my free Facebook group, Women’s Wellbeing Collective here.
And if changing your relationship with alcohol is something you want to explore further, you can find my book Beyond Booze on Audible, Spotify, Kindle and Amazon. Click the link here.
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Becoming Stronger, Bolder, Wiser
13 maart 2026 · 1 min
No one really prepares you for this stage of life. Lees meer
One day you wake up and realise…
You’re exhausted.
Your body feels different.
Your sleep is off.
Your tolerance for things you used to accept has disappeared.
And you start quietly asking yourself:
“Surely life is meant to feel better than this?”
If you’ve ever had that thought… this podcast is for you.
The Stronger, Bolder, Wiser Podcast is a space for honest and science backed conversations
We’re talking about the things women are actually experiencing:
hormones, health, alcohol, stress, identity shifts, and the quiet reinvention happening behind the scenes.
Because this stage of life isn’t about shrinking.
It’s about becoming:
Stronger in your boundaries
Bolder in your choices
Wiser about what really matters