More Beautiful Podcast

Interior design for people over 40? You better believe it. On this episode, Maryann chats with designer Elizabeth Becken, who specializes in helping midlife clients align their intimate surroundings with their vision for a spectacular second act. Elizabeth believes that midlife is a time of tremendous change, growth and opportunity, so your home should reflect the sexy-cool person you're becoming. Whether you're downsizing after an empty nest or relationship change, moving into a new place, or simply looking to refresh your home to reflect where you are now in life, there is so much fun to be had in the decorating! Join me and Elizabeth as we talk about:

• Why she loves designing for people traversing midlife
• The number-one reason her clients want to re-energize their personal space
• Interior design considerations that are exclusive to people in midlife
• The latest home trends that are taking the interior-design world by storm (separate bedrooms, anyone?)
• Some of the creative ways empty nesters are transforming basements, older kids' rooms and other family spaces
• The home-design features you will probably need less of as you get older—and the ones you may want to embrace
• Design elements to consider if you plan to live in your home forever
• How to dabble in color (even if you love neutrals) while still maintaining a soothing space
• What design trends may be going out of style—and you may want to be aware of, if you're thinking about selling your home
• Whether or not open floor plans and other long-running trends are here to stay

Plus, Elizabeth offers tips on how you can refresh your personal space on a budget, create flattering light in every room of the house (and who doesn't want that, right?), and how to make your bedroom your personal sanctuary.

Whip out your tape measure and a notepad, and get inspired to transform your personal space to reflect a bold new you! Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

What do house repairs, the Barbie movie, an ancient Japanese philosophy, and your beautiful aging body have to do with one another? More than you know.

On this solo episode of the More Beautiful Podcast, Maryann talks about how important and life-changing it is to let go of the quest for perfection. She discusses an ideology called wabi-sabi that is deeply rooted in Japanese culture. The word "wabi" means simplicity, humility and living in tune with nature. The word "sabi" refers to what happens with the passage of time; it's about accepting the the transience of beauty and embracing the authenticity of age. Practicing wabi-sabi is learning to accept the natural cycle of growth and decay, life and death. It's finding harmony and serenity in the uncomplicated and organic. It's finding perfection in what is imperfect. And, yes, it's about accepting that things change and evolve and even grow old—and finding beauty and joy in that.

So come on this short 11-minute journey with More Beautiful and learn to find peace in the impermanence, wisdom in the wrinkles and cracks, and joy in this mess that is midlife. Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

Founded by journalist Maryann LoRusso, the More Beautiful Project is a podcast, online magazine and community for women navigating midlife. Join Maryann and her guests on the More Beautiful Podcast as they strive for a life that's more joyful, more fulfilling and more beautiful than ever before. Because this is not your mama's midlife.

Have you been finding yourself a little out of whack? Have you been struggling with the physical and emotional changes related to perimenopause or menopause? Are you dealing with a new health issue, or trying to avoid one? Are you trying to lose weight, gain more energy, or just feel like yourself again? On this episode of the More Beautiful Podcast, I chat with Skye Dale, a functional medicine health and wellness coach who once struggled with her own health challenges. We address all the stuff that may be bogging you down, and dishing out tips on how you can feel better, get your health back on track, and enjoy a long, fulfilling second act.

Among the topics Skye and I talk about:

• What drove Skye to take inventory of her own health and wellness
• Why it's so hard to lose weight in midlife, and how to set yourself up for success
• The complex relationship between increased belly fat and insulin resistance in midlife
• What she thinks is the most important indicator of whether or not you will reach your health goals
• The pros and cons of Ozempic and other diabetes/weight-loss drugs
• How taking stock of your relationships is a non-negotiable part of your health journey
• How you can start to boost your self-esteem and confidence on a deep level
• Why you may need to change your relationship with food
• How our generation needs to rewrite the outdated health and beauty messages we grew up with
• What exactly sugar does to your body and why Skye believes in sugar detoxes
• Whether or not counting calories and owning a scale are good thing
• How to slow down muscle loss, burn more fat, and get in your best shape right now
• What ubiquitous 1980s "diet" food is back in a big way

Skye's message: Love and respect the skin you're in, and start enjoying every moment of your beautiful life. Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

Is there a prediabetes epidemic among midlife women? In this episode, we tackle an issue that concerns many of us. It feels like more and more women who are journeying through menopause are being told they're in the prediabetes range for insulin resistance—even those who have worked hard to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle habits. Currently, more than a third of Americans have prediabetes, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Most of the people who have it don't know it. And for many women, especially those with a family history, prediabetes seems to crop up suddenly in midlife when hormonal changes peak.

On the show today, I interview Dr. Parveen Verma, an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist, about this rising health issue. We talk about what prediabetes is, what it does to your body, and how to find out if you have it. We also discuss how insulin resistance can be prevented, reversed, or stopped from progressing into type 2 diabetes. And we chat about Ozempic and similar diabetes drugs that are being prescribed for both on- and off-label purposes. Among the questions I ask Dr. Verma:

• What exactly is insulin resistence and what causes it? What risks does it present to us?
• Why are more midlife women being diagnosed with prediabetes—even otherwise healthy and active women?
• How much does genetics factor into insulin resistance?
• Can prediabetes be prevented? If you already have it, how can you reverse it or stop it from evolving into type 2 diabetes?
• What's the relationship between our changing hormones during perimenopause and menopause and insulin resistance? What does weight redistribution (which is common during and after menopause) have to do with insulin resistance?
• What's the link between diabetes and Alzheimer's and other medical conditions?
• What lifestyle tweaks can help you manage your blood sugar? What should you be eating and how should you be exercising? How do sleep and stress come into play? How does cortisol aggravate insulin resistance?
• How do Ozempic and similar drugs help to regulate blood sugar? What are the risk factors of taking these drugs, and are they safe to use off label for weight loss?
• What tests should you ask your doctor for, to determine your level of insulin resistance?*

Don't miss this important discussion about your health. Complete show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

*Please note that this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice.

Wendy Valentine says her mess is her message. Six years ago, at age 45, she had a midlife meltdown. She was in debt, unemployeed, going through a divorce, grieving the death of her brother, suffering from anxiety and chronic illness, and emotionally paralyzed. Today, Wendy is financially and emotionally liberated. She's enjoying her life traveling across the country in an RV, living part-time on the Portuguese island of Madeira, and spreading the message that you can survive the midlife madness and come out the other side better than ever. On today's epsisode, Wendy and I talk about the techniques she employed to dig herself out of her depression, turn her financial situation around, and create the kind of life she was craving for herself.

We also discuss:

• How Wendy overcame loneliness and learned to fall back in love with herself
• How she let go of most of her material possessions, moving from a 5,000-square-foot house into a 150-square-foot RV
• Why learning how to play again is crucial to aging well
• Why your life's purpose may not be what you think it is
• the difference between happiness and fulfillment—and why you should be seeking one more than the other
• How you know when something isn't right for you—and let it go
• (*my personal favorite) Why Wendy leaves her finished journals in airports for strangers to pick up!

Wendy's message: I did it, so you can too. You can savor life instead of sleepwalking through it. You can become your own best friend and enjoy every drop of this beautiful life. This inspiring conversation is one you don't want to miss! Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

Life lessons from podcasting? You better believe it! At the start of this fourth season of the More Beautiful Podcast, Maryann reflects on the valuable lessons she's learned from her podcasting journey so far. These tips will pump you up and set you in motion for the rest of your day, your week or even your year. They will hopefully ignite a spark and nudge you in a direction you've been yearning to move toward. And they're loaded with fun tidbits, from the story of how Maryann's father-in-law got his first acting gig (alongside Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman!) in his 80s, to tips on how to get out of your comfort zone, embrace your life's passions and find your bold in midlife! Full show notes and bonus content available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

• How to avoid getting stuck in a beauty rut with outdated products and/or techniques
• The number one mistake women over 40 make when applying makeup
• The beauty product Christina says is essential to create the perfect canvas for cosmetics
• Whether or not you should rethink your favorite lip color as you age
• How to get that subtle J.Lo glow without looking greasy or sparkly
• How to give yourself an instant eye lift with makeup: which brow products create a youthful look, how to do your eyeliner properly, what to watch out for with under-eye concealer, and how to achieve luscious lashes
• The difference between bronzer, blush and contour cream, and which one to use when
• How to avoid makeup settling into fine lines and wrinkles, and whether or not "setting" your makeup is necessary
• Why Christina has been doing "face yoga" and how it's keeping her skin youthful and vibrant
• The best lighting for applying makeup, and Christina's method for testing products in the cosmetics store
• The one item Christina says all mature women need in their makeup bag—and why it makes a big difference

Also, Christina addresses the various makeup products you might consider to elevate your look. She offers three no-nonsense beauty steps (requiring only three products) that are quick and easy, but will make you feel terrific. And she tells you why you're never too old to experiment with makeup and cultivate your unique beauty style.

Midlife, menopause and music. Is this the new trifecta for women over 40?

Lovely people, you are in for a treat, because this is a special two-for-one episode just for you.

Here I was, thinking this was going to be a solo show filled with my musings about the loss of our common culture. And then guess what? A lovely woman named Monique Cupid, who just so happens to be doing work in the midlife space, won More Beautiful's "Name that '80s Song" contest and a walk-on interview on the podcast. Monique is founder of The Midlife Glow Chaser and co-founder of Life in the Pause, a movement and festival aimed at women who are embracing their second act. So you can imagine how much Monique and I had to chat about. We started off talking about her exemplary song-recognition skills, reminiscing about those always-in-our-hearts '80s tunes that marked our youth, and exchanging notes about the music we're digging right now. Then, we touched on a bit of neurological research that's always intrigued me: how the songs we listened to during adolescence will always elicit within us a strong emotional response, for better or worse. After confirming that music will always play an important part in our lives, we segued into the topic of midlife, the work Monique is doing to help women see the wonderful side of aging, and why she actually feels giddy thinking about the menopause transition.

Before my banter with the lovely Monique, I do a little solo ruminating about a related topic. Lately I've been waxing nostalgic about how our generation was probably the very last to experience a monoculture—a shared pop culture that unites our generation. This common culture is what enables most Gen Xers, for example, to sing along together to the biggest hits of the '80s, or recite lines from our generation's most memorable films. This is something subsequent generations will know less and less about. In this AirPods Age, we are having fewer communal cultural experiences. How we consume music and films and television and books has changed drastically. These days, we're all plugged into our individual realities and curating our own media experiences. We're listening to our own playlists, and selecting our own television shows and news and articles and films and books from a much larger pool of content than ever before.

What does this mean for subsequent generations? What does this mean for humankind? Is there any glimmer of hope as the monoculture becomes a thing of the past? Will we ever again have superstars and blockbusters and bestsellers as our generation knew them? What will bond us together if we no longer have these shared experiences? And is there a positive side to all this?

Another bonus: At the start of this episode you can take a little pop-culture quiz that you'll probably only pass if you're a person "of a certain age." Visit me on Instagram @morebeautifulproject and let me know how you scored! Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

You were born an uninhibited, confident creature filled with self-love and curiosity. Then, through the years, you slowly evolved into the person you needed to become—in order to fit in, meet other people's expectations of you, and perhaps achieve society's definition of success. My guest on this episode—Elizabeth "Lizzie" Bermudez, an Emmy-winning journalist turned digital lifestyle host and social media influencer—says midlife is an opportunity to get back in touch with that badass, authentic version of yourself you may have left behind. Lizzie opens up about everything going down during this life stage, from aging and menopause, to empty nest and other life transitions. And she wants you to know you're not alone, change can be hard but transformative, and the best is still yet to come.

During our lively conversation, Lizzie and I chat about:

• The perfectionist attitudes our generation grew up with, and why we need to free ourselves from them
• How she's learned to "just be herself again" in midlife—and why you should too
• The conflicting feelings that emerged after her daughter went off to college
• Whether she misses chasing the news, and what she's doing these days to get that rush (cliff jumping and wakesurfing, anyone?)
• How it felt to age in public as a television journalist (hint: she won't watch The Morning Show)
• Whether or not representation of women in the media is becoming less ageist
• The female competitiveness she witnessed in her field and how she's finding a more generous camaraderie among midlife women
• Why she used to hide her age, but now finds it liberating to reveal how old she is
• Where she stands on the cosmetic surgery spectrum
• Why she's been so candid in talking about the hysterectomy that sent her into early menopause
• The lessons she's learned over the years about friendship, and the relationships that matter most to her now
• What she does in the car every day to recharge her batteries

Plus: Lizzie talks about the family crises and loss that sent her spiraling as she entered her 50s. She explains why she feels "a beauty and urgency" to live life to the fullest. She opens up about the impact she still wants to make on the world. And she tells you what you need to know about diving into your second act with courage and conviction. Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.

If you're the parent or caregiver of a teenager, this episode is for you. It can be challenging to navigate the ups and downs of the adolescent years—whether your child is merely exhibiting age-appropriate but frustrating behaviors (door slamming and eye rolling, anyone?) or facing more complex challenges. In this compassionate conversation with family therapist Dr. Kelly Moore, you'll gain strategies and techniques to help improve communication and boost connection with your teen. You'll also learn how to handle conflict more effectively, and nurture yourself through this rollercoaster ride. Among the questions Dr. Moore addresses: How much freedom should you give your child? What kind of behavior is developmentally appropriate? How do you talk to a kid who doesn't want to talk to you? How do you support a teen who's going through a difficult time? When should you worry about your child's mental health? And how can you manage your own emotions in order to be there for your child?

In this jam-packed episode, Dr. Moore and I also discuss:

• The crucial information that a lot of well-meaning parenting advice leaves out
• How teen behaviors don't always correlate to what they're experiencing on the inside
• The biggest mistake parents make when communicating with their child
• How to dance the fine line between offering support and setting boundaries—and why teens crave both
• Why strengthening your self-awareness makes you more attune to your child's needs
• How your kid's brain development affects their behavior and emotional responses
• The best way to respond to the silent treatment (warning: it's not easy for you, but your kid will love it)
• The one thing you should always do when you're disciplining your child
• Why it's necessary to mourn the loss of that "little kid" your child once was
• Why you should approach parenting from your deepest values instead of your biggest fears
• When to worry about your child's mental health, red-flag behaviors to look out for, and our culture's biggest misconception about kids and depression
• Why apologizing to your kid is so important, and how to do it the right way
• When to text your child vs. talk face to face
• How you can stay close to your child even after they've flown from the nest

Plus, Dr. Moore opens up about how a breast cancer diagnosis changed her relationship with her kids. And she offers practical, brilliant tips for diffusing conflict with your teen in the heat of the moment. Parents, this is one episode you don't want to miss!

Full show notes available at Morebeautifulproject.com.