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PODCAST

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

Michele Henning Folan

Are you ready to make the most of your midlife years but feel like your health isn"t quite where it should be? Maybe menopause has been tough on you, and you"re not sure how to get back on track with your fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being.Asking for a Friend is the podcast where midlife women get the answers they need to take control of their health and happiness. We bring in experts to answer your burning questions on fitness, wellness, and mental well-being, and share stories of women

health & fitness fitness

All Episodes

63:33

Ep.195 “Normal Isn’t Optimal”: Hormones, Heart...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/03/03

Have you ever been told your labs are “normal” — but you don’t feel normal? In this episode, I sit down with integrative and functional medicine physician Aaron Hartman, author of Uncurable, to unpack the dangerous gap between normal and optimal — especially for women in midlife. We cover: What lab reference ranges really meanThe cardiovascular markers every woman should know (hs-CRP, LDL particle number, Lp(a), ApoB, homocysteine)Why LDL alone is outdated thinkingThyroid testing beyond TSH (...

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55:18

Ep.164 Stop Wasting Money on Skincare: What Actually...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/02/24

We spend a lot of time and money chasing better skin. But what actually matters after 50? In this episode of Asking for a Friend, I sit down with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy for a practical, no-nonsense conversation about midlife skin health. We focus on what truly moves the needle: • The non-negotiables of an effective skincare routine • Retinol vs. tretinoin — do you need a prescription? • Sunscreen myths and why protection still matters decades later • ...

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38:37

Ep.193 You’re Not Done Yet: Finding Courage,...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/02/17

Midlife can feel destabilizing. The kids are leaving. Careers are shifting. Parents are aging. Hormones are changing. And somewhere inside, a quiet voice says, “I’m not done yet.” In this conversation, Michele sits down with fellow podcaster Kim Benoy, host of Midlife Courage: Flourishing After 40, to explore what courage actually looks like in the second half of life. After a 27-year nursing career, Kim made a bold pivot — not because she had everything figured out, but because she felt call...

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49:13

Ep.192 Anxiety in Midlife & Menopause: Why It Ramps...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/02/10

Anxiety often feels like it comes out of nowhere in midlife—especially during perimenopause and after menopause. You’re doing “all the right things,” yet your nervous system feels constantly on edge. Racing thoughts. Poor sleep. A sense that something isn’t right… but you can’t quite name it. In this episode of Asking for a Friend, I’m joined by Dr. Lori Davis, licensed psychologist, clinical instructor at Weill Cornell Medicine, and author of the upcoming workbook This Is Your Anxiety on Men...

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53:42

Ep.191 Emotional Eating in Midlife: Why Willpower...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/01/27

Emotional eating isn’t about willpower — and for many women, midlife is when it finally becomes impossible to ignore. In this powerful episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan sits down with emotional eating expert, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author Tricia Nelson to unpack what emotional eating really is, why it intensifies during midlife and menopause, and how women can finally break free from decades of dieting, shame, and self-blame. Tricia shares her deeply personal story — from c...

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48:29

Ep.190 The Hidden Cost of Clutter in Midlife (And How...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/01/20

Clutter in midlife affects more than your home—it impacts stress, mental health, and how you show up for your next chapter. In this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan is joined by Tracy Hoth, a professional organizer with 17 years of experience, a science-based life coach, and host of the Organized Coach Podcast. Together, they explore why clutter feels heavier in midlife—and why it’s not just about “too much stuff.” As hormones shift and life transitions pile up, postponed decisio...

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47:13

Ep.189 GLP-1s, Muscle, and Midlife Metabolism: Dr....

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/01/13

If you’re a midlife woman who feels like you’re doing everything right — lifting weights, eating well, walking, managing stress — and your body still isn’t responding, this episode is for you. In this powerful, myth-busting conversation, I’m joined by Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen, a triple board-certified endocrinologist, obesity medicine specialist, author, and early adopter of GLP-1 therapies in the U.S. Dr. Salas-Whalen helps us understand why weight gain in midlife is not a willpower problem — ...

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52:54

Ep.188 Midlife Fitness for Women: Dr. Stacy Sims...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2026/01/06

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

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40:59

Ep.187 The Dirty Truth About Meat Labels (and Why...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/12/30

If you care about protein quality, metabolic health, inflammation, and long-term strength, this episode will change the way you shop for meat. On this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan pulls back the curtain on the modern meat industry with Cloe Parker, CEO of Parker Pastures, to expose the truth behind misleading meat labels—and why most consumers are unknowingly getting it wrong. Cloe explains what labels like grass-fed, grass-finished, organic, and Product of the USA really mea...

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48:43

Ep.186 Vitality After 50: How to Build Emotional...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/12/23

What if healthy aging isn’t just about adding years to your life—but adding energy, clarity, and purpose to the years you already have? In this episode of Asking for a Friend, host Michele Folan sits down with Eric North (aka “The Happiness Warrior”), a wellness speaker and coach who’s redefining what it looks like to be strong—emotionally and physically—at 61. Eric is the creator of the Happiness Workout, a simple daily practice that blends breathwork, functional movement, and mindset traini...

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47:16

Ep.185 Loneliness Is the New Smoking: Why Midlife...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/12/16

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

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64:15

Ep.184 Menopause, Microbiome & Libido: A...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/12/09

If you can talk about hot flashes and wrinkles but freeze up when the conversation turns to sex, this episode is for you. This week I’m joined by Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first female board-certified urogynecologist in the U.S., to talk about everything we don’t discuss enough in midlife: pelvic floor health, recurrent UTIs, vaginal dryness, low libido, pain with sex, and what’s really going on with your microbiome and your mojo. We dig into the gut–brain–sex connection and how stress, antibi...

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46:38

Ep.183 Stronger, Not Smaller: Dr. Vonda Wright’s...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/12/02

Absolutely no one warned us that midlife would be this loud—hot flashes, achy joints, bone density, belly fat, all competing for attention at once. And yet the message women still get is, “This is just how it is.” In this episode, I’m joined by orthopedic sports surgeon and longevity visionary Dr. Vonda Wright, author of Unbreakable: A Woman’s Guide to Aging with Power. We dig into what it really takes to stay strong, mobile, and independent for decades—so you can carry your own groceries at ...

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50:30

Ep.182 The Real Science of Healing: Trauma,...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/11/25

A lot of women in midlife are walking around feeling like they’re broken. You’ve done the labs, seen the specialists, tried the supplements… and you’re still exhausted, inflamed, and wondering if this is just your new normal. My guest today says absolutely not. Dr. Karyn Shanks is a physician, author, and pioneer in whole-person healing whose work sits at the intersection of cutting-edge science, trauma-informed care, and what she calls “soulful personal agency.” For over three decades, she’s...

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45:48

Ep.181 The Blood Tests Every Midlife Woman Needs: Gut...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/11/18

In this episode of Asking for a Friend, we’re getting real about what’s happening inside your body in midlife—far beyond diet culture, quick fixes, or another “Motivation Monday.” I’m joined by Christa Tyler, functional nutritionist, founder of Your Gut Goddess, and breast cancer survivor whose near-fatal sepsis and reconstructive surgery complications sent her on a mission to rebuild health from the inside out. From a hospital bed to a thriving practice, Christa’s story is a powerful example...

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47:32

Ep.180 Beyond Kegels: Functional Pelvic Floor Care...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/11/11

Urinary (and yes, bowel) leakage isn’t “just part of getting older”—it’s a signal from your core and pelvic floor. In this straight-talk episode, physical therapist Christina Walsh, co-founder of Tighten Your Tinkler, joins me to dismantle the shame around pelvic health and lay out a functional path forward that goes far beyond “just do more Kegels.” We cover what’s really driving leaks, pressure, prolapse, urgency, and painful sex in midlife; how breath, posture, fascia, and daily toil...

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56:51

Ep.179 Stronger Bones, Sharper Brain, Leaner Muscle:...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/11/04

Your bones, brain, and muscles are having the same conversation—and nutrition is the translator. Duke orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein breaks down how midlife hormone shifts accelerate bone loss, cartilage wear, and muscle decline, and why training + food choices can improve all three at once. We cover earlier DEXA timing, the bone–brain crosstalk (osteocalcin, agility, balance), and a practical plan: progressive strength, safe impact/jump options (step drops, heel drops, reboun...

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55:34

Ep.178 Strong, Safe, and Ageless: Midlife Strength...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/10/28

Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without injury, confusion, or intimidation. We bust common fitness myths (“just lift heavy,” “bash your bones,” “jump every day”) and replace them with smarter, safer strategies that protect joints, support bone density, and build lasting confidence. Megan shares how to train ar...

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25:02

Ep.177 GLP-1 and Peptide Therapy for Women 50+:...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/10/21

Hitting a metabolic wall in midlife? You’re not alone — and you’re not broken. In this episode, Michele Folan, midlife health coach and former diabetes industry insider, breaks down the science (and the truth) behind microdosed GLP-1 and peptide therapy for women 40+. Drawing on many years in diabetes and cardiovascular health, Michele explains how incretin hormones like GLP-1 and GIP regulate appetite, satiety, and insulin sensitivity — and why they’ve become game-changers for both metabolic...

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51:30

Ep.176 Mom Rediscovered: Midlife Identity, Body...

Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in... ·

2025/10/14

Ever feel like you’re doing everything for everyone—and slowly disappearing from your own life? In this raw and relatable episode, host Michele Folan sits down with writer and coach Jen Butler, author of the forthcoming memoir Mom Rediscovered, to talk about the messy, brave work of finding yourself again—after kids, after moves, and after the coping habits that promised relief but delivered fog. Jen opens up about her seven-year alcohol-free journey, her decisive breakup with diet culture, a...

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196 results

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