Loving Later Life

This is a first for Loving Later Life because I have two incredible ladies joining me! We are talking about a topic that is all too common for many people: emotional and binge eating. 

Ellen Shuman has worked in the eating disorders field for 30 years as a researcher, director of a Binge Eating Disorder Treatment Center, and as a past President of the Binge Eating Disorder Association. Her favorite role of all however, has been as a “Binge Eating Coach.”

Ellen teaches emotional regulation tools to people who struggle with emotional and binge eating. She is the founder of A Weigh Out (w-e-i-g-h) Life Coaching; Freedom from Emotional Eating, Food & Weight Obsession. Ellen provides individual telephone coaching services to people worldwide. 

When it comes to helping people binge eating and compulsively overeating, she brings a unique depth of understanding, empathy, proven and cutting-edge tools to her clients having lived the struggle personally. She shows others once and for all, how to find their hope again.

Ellen was also a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 1992, on the show where Oprah spoke openly about her own struggles with emotional eating, for the first time ever. Prior to her work in the Wellness Field, Ellen was a journalist. Her documentaries and news series on Binge Eating Disorder won Emmys and a Clarion Award. 

Also joining us is a client of Ellen’s, Kathy Blackburn. Kathy shares vulnerably and beautifully her personal experience in overcoming her challenges with emotional eating. 

After listening to this episode, you will have a greater understanding of this all-too-common issue, and if you deal with this, you will also feel understood and hopeful, because there is a way out.

We hope you’ll listen and share to help others…

Welcome back to what could be called Season 3 of Loving Later Life! 

I already have some awe-inspiring women guests lined up who will amaze and enlighten you, so be sure to follow Loving Later Life so you don’t miss anything.

This first episode is very special to me because I share with you a real time decision I’ve made as a result of a challenging time.

My decision is also one based on sobering facts from indisputable resources. It is something that I need, and based on the data, it is something we need as a group. 

I hope you’ll join me by listening to this episode, and on this journey moving forward.

I’ve had many incredible women join me in conversation for many Loving Later Life episodes.

As you may remember, with each guest, I ask the same 3 questions at the end of each conversation:

1. What for you have been the most rewarding things about getting older?

2. What are some of the most important lessons you have learned in your life.

3. With all that you have learned, what life advice would you pass along?

In this anniversary episode I put together a highlight reel of their answers, taking one question at a time.

Listening to this again you will be reminded of the wisdom they shared. There is gold in them there conversations!

Take a listen and share it forward!

Encore encore Rachel Wright! This episode is hugely important to me as Rachel’s mom.

I am still getting messages as to how it has helped others by giving them an understanding about other lifestyle choices…

“I was SO GRATEFUL to be able to step into a conversation (on this topic) with some knowledge provided so candidly and thoroughly by you and Rachel!“

My daughter Rachel MA, LMFT  is a distinguished psychotherapist and is non-monogamous/polyamorous... and she and her partners Yair and Ashley just had a beautiful baby boy. 

In this episode, we talk about how to have tough conversations and improve communication in all of your relationships.

The 2nd half is about her non-monogamous/polyamorous life, its challenges, misconceptions and much more.

Someone recently said to me that they listened to the first part of the episode but stopped listening to the rest about non-monogamy because it’s not how this person chooses to live.

While this lifestyle isn’t for everyone it is so important to learn about it.

Why?

In our current divisive climate we all know that when there is ignorance, there is judging and othering, which can lead to bullying, violence, loss of rights, freedoms and isolation.

We need more understanding, kindness and love in this world and it starts with getting to know each other better.

I hope you’ll listen to this episode at least once and share it to help open more minds and hearts and hopefully encourage understanding and acceptance for all kinds of love.

What is Ageism? Ableism? What are everyday ageism’s? What can we do to liberate ourselves from the challenges of aging?

I am so excited for you to hear this conversation that wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t said what the f*ck! I’ve always said, it never hurts to ask, and I am walking that walk these days.

I first saw Ashton Applewhite on CBS Sunday Morning and I was pulled to reach out to even though I felt it would be a long shot.

Loving Later Lifer’s, I am beyond happy to say that she said yes. Ashton is an internationally recognized expert on ageism, and the author of This Chair Rocks: A Manifesto Against Ageism.

A co-founder of the Old School Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse, she speaks widely at venues that have included the TED mainstage, the United Nations and is at the forefront of the emerging movement to raise awareness of ageism and to dismantle it.

In 2022 the Decade of Healthy Aging, a UN + WHO collaboration, named Ashton one of the Healthy Aging 50: fifty leaders transforming the world to be a better place to grow older.

I know without a doubt that you will find this a compelling conversation. Treat yourself to this 47-minute episode to gain awareness about this ‘ism’ that can be used as a catalyst for change.

Join us!

What stories are you telling yourself?

Have you wanted to take a trip but you “can’t” because you have no one to go with you.

Do you put makeup on before going to the gym because you’ll see people you know and don’t want them to see you “that way?”

Have you wanted to sing at a karaoke bar, but you “know” that people will think you’re awful.

Do you not wear a bathing suit because you don’t want to be seen in public because you think everyone will notice the dimples in your thighs?

Are you unhappy in a relationship but “can’t leave because you’re too old to start again on your own?”

Join me as I share how to notice when we are telling ourselves these stories, and what to do about it so we can unlearn them and live a later life we love!  As vulnerable as it feels, I use one of mine to show you what I’m doing about it in real time.

Join me!

Loving Later Lifer’s, you are going to be so glad you listened to this! Do you have questions about Hormone Replacement Therapy? Libido? Menopause? The answers are going to surprise you! Dr. Liz Lyster OBGYN debunks beliefs about hormone therapy, menopause, libido and more.

Dr. Liz is a Board Certified OB/GYN doctor for over 30 years, Cornell grad with honors, attended medical school at University of California, Irvine, followed by her OB/GYN residency in Los Angeles. She also went on to get a Masters of Public Health degree from UCLA in Community Health Education.

LISTEN AND SHARE. THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE.

Can we be truly happy?  NYT best selling author Gay Hendricks of The Big Leap and The Genius Zone: The Breakthrough Process to End Negative Thinking and Live in True Creativity; says absolutely yes!

Loving Later Life Listeners: join me to hear what is holding us back (you'll be surprised) and what we can do about it so that we can live a life we love.

If you are serious about enjoying your life, don’t miss this episode. And it’s definitely worth a re-listen if you heard it the first time!

This episode originally aired in July of 2022, and is encore worthy! Kathryn is the creator of the enormously successful podcast Nothing Much Happens and the author of the book of the same name. Nothing Much Happens is consistently ranked in the top 1% of all podcasts in the world and has received over 65 million downloads.

Kathryn seamlessly blends storytelling with brain training methods that build better sleep habits over time. And imagine …wait till you hear about this… doing all of this not being able to picture a person’s face or see things in her mind. 

Not be missed take-ways:

1. Stop waiting to feel ready. There’s no time to wait to feel ready.

2. If there’s something you’re passionate about, something you’re excited about stop wasting time and go do it.

3. When in doubt, do what you were going to do first, especially if you’re a second guesser or an over thinker.

4. People aged 60 + have the most difficulty sleeping.

5. There’s an old zen saying: you open the front door and you open the back door you let thoughts move through but you don’t sit them down and invite them to tea.

6. Sleep affects everything. It’s so foundational to our health. If we’re not sleeping everything is endangered.

7. If you’re a little older and you feel like you have a dream that you haven’t pursued yet, it’s not too late! But get started. Start making it happen!

It has been so hard choosing the episodes I want to replay for you.

This unique and wonderful conversation is with Dr. Martha Jo Atkins, which originally aired in September of 2022. Martha Jo is an end of life licensed professional counselor. She has a TEDx talk with well over a million views, an author, and has over thirty years of experience helping children and adults negotiate end of life and grief.

In addition to providing her beautiful insights and wisdom, Martha Jo shares with some meaningful and moving experiences she has had in helping the dying and their loved ones travel through the end of life process.

Martha Jo is a wealth of knowledge and compassion providing us with an invaluable comforting understanding of the process of dying.

Take a listen.