Affirming Care, Perimenopause, and the Times We’re In (with Rebecca from Folx)

On Older and Wilder, hosts Claire and Joy talk with Rebecca (Laugh Cry Club) about debunking mental-health misinformation and Rebecca’s work at Folx, a telehealth company providing affirming LGBTQIA+ healthcare, including gender-affirming hormone therapy, primary care, and mental health services. They discuss barriers and non-affirming experiences in traditional healthcare, explain that gender-affirming care is careful, assessment-based, and not the sensationalized narratives about minors, and note gatekeeping like required WPATH letters for adult surgeries. The conversation shifts to perimenopause/menopause, covering brain fog, hot flashes, sleep disruption, and sudden mental-health drops, with hormones helping some and emphasizing not to self-gaslight and to seek specialized care. They also touch on workplace normalization, compassion over “I suffered so you should,” and share “What a Time to Be Alive” moments.

01:11 True Crime Riff

01:54 HOA And Neighborhood Drama

03:14 What Folx Does

04:56 Barriers In Healthcare

07:33 Affirming Intake Process

09:43 Trans Care Education

15:12 Gatekeeping And WPATH Letters

18:35 Trans Athletes Mythbusting

20:38 Perimenopause Mental Health

24:40 Rebecca Symptoms And HRT

27:01 3AM Wakeups And Sleep

27:42 Sleep Heat Fixes

28:25 Perimenopause Mood Spiral

29:54 Medication and Hormone Help

34:34 Rage and No Fs

37:18 Care Is Affirming

38:09 Workplace Brain Fog

42:00 What a Time Segment

47:12 Texas THC Crackdown

51:11 Wrap Up and Japan Plug

Tinned Fish Corner, Back-to-School Heat, and Pushing Back on the Skinny Comeback

Joy and Claire catch up in August before pivoting to parenting in 105-degree heat and the chaos of changing summer camps ahead of back-to-school. They share fall anticipation and Trader Joe’s favorites, quick high-protein lunches, and considerations like mercury and wild-caught vs farmed fish. The conversation broadens to fiber, digestion, and how diet culture evolved from macro counting to Whole30, including fears of overeating and “food noise.” They discuss GLP-1 discourse, cultural pressure toward skinniness, and a Liz Plank essay about celebrity bodies triggering past disordered thinking, emphasizing strength, health, and sustainability over thinness.

00:00 August Swift Talk

00:51 Secret Wedding Theories

04:13 Back to School Chaos

05:47 Fall Vibes Shopping

06:28 Sardine Trend Tips

09:33 Tinned Fish Lunch Routine

10:40 Mercury and Wild Caught

14:16 Fiber Protein Focus

18:50 Whole30 Flashback

21:04 Food Rules and Noise

24:48 Food Noise Returns

25:40 GLP-1 Culture Concerns

27:08 Celebrity Bodies Trigger

28:26 Fighting Skinny Ideal

32:21 Health Over Trends

35:28 Insecurity Bandwagons

37:51 Body Appreciation Talk

41:57 Jeans and Body Humor

44:10 Fad Diet Flashbacks

47:20 Pinterest and Tattoos

49:58 Wrap Up and Goodbye

Naps, Diet Culture, and Warming Up for Longevity

Joy and Claire open by joking about short naps and then reflect on how a recent episode sparked strong listener response about diet culture’s persistence and evolution, including new medications. They discuss the CrossFit Games’ apparent production and organization issues, and how old photos from macro-counting days resurfaced, prompting a visceral reaction to being extremely lean and the “strong is the new skinny” era that normalized food scales and constant tracking. A friend’s use of peptides for recovery and appetite-adjacent effects raises questions about “tools” versus triggering body-image and diet mindsets, with concerns about internet-pitched weight-loss drugs. The conversation shifts to aging and workouts—needing longer warmups, soreness after running with younger relatives, choosing safer exercise substitutions, and prioritizing “fitness to say yes” for everyday life. They critique viral nutrition claims, chat about Strava culture, mention AI-driven cheating prevention in online tests, invite listeners to share “I have to warm up now” moments, and plug their Japan 2028 trip and contact info.

00:00 Welcome and nap talk

00:55 Diet culture backlash

01:46 CrossFit Games chaos

03:18 Macro era memories

05:04 Strong is new skinny

07:21 Peptides and body tools

11:04 Slippery slope of dieting

12:58 Aging and workout reality

17:56 Running with younger cousins

20:42 Owning the weight room

22:26 Strava Culture Shock

24:15 Warmups Over Winning

25:27 Longevity Mindset Shift

28:04 Fitness for Real Life

31:01 Letting Go of PRs

33:45 Fitness to Say Yes

34:50 McCoy Window Escape

38:24 Viral Wellness Nonsense

40:32 What a Time Online

43:26 Wrap Up and Japan Trip

Joy and Claire recap Claire’s trip and an Indian-Jewish wedding featuring elaborate bridal henna. They start a segment on being grateful for fitness and a “marriage hack” involving Nordstrom Anniversary Sale clothes. The conversation shifts to evolving body image, past macro-counting/CrossFit diet culture harms, and mixed feelings about GLP-1s and cosmetic fixes, plus personal body-change wishes. They close with “What a Time to Be Alive” moments and a Japan trip launching August 15 for May 2028.

00:00 Welcome Back and Henna

01:41 Haircut Waitlist Madness

02:55 National Park Permit Frenzy

03:47 Wedding Glass Mishap

04:48 Grateful for Fitness

06:51 Bike Lifting and Costco Strength

11:13 Nordstrom Marriage Hack

15:32 Body Image Mindset Shift

18:08 Beauty Standards and Insecurities

21:30 Macro Counting Flashback

25:37 Macro Hunger Wakeups

26:26 Diet Culture Red Flags

26:57 GLP-1 Temptation Talk

27:39 Postpartum Body Shift

29:45 Fitness Without Obsession

32:47 Cosmetic Fixes And Filler

35:16 Toxins And Foot Baths

37:13 Muscle Gains And Gym Insecurities

38:45 Body Changes We Wanted

46:21 What A Time To Be Alive

50:55 Wrap Up And Japan Trip

Skunked Dogs, Puppy Tummy Trouble, and a Midlife Culture Check

Joy and Claire share life updates from a random episode: Claire is in Colorado for the week for a friend’s wedding and a hectic round of visiting friends and kids’ friends; she and Brandon started watching and loving Ted Lasso. Back in Moab, their dog River got skunked late at night. Joy recounts taking puppy McCoy to the vet for tummy issues. They discuss concerns about ultra-thin celebrity trends, fillers, and weight-loss drugs, note Joy’s Morpheus8 results and improved Botox longevity, share a positive recovery update on Ronnie Z amid nearby Colorado wildfires, touch on tick-related alpha-gal syndrome, and end with “would you rather” questions and glucose-monitor/berberine reflections.

00:00 Colorado Catch Up

01:32 Kids Flying Solo

02:09 Desert Heat Problems

03:34 Starting Ted Lasso

04:40 River Gets Skunked

10:30 Celebrity Thinness Talk

17:30 Body Image And Aging

19:32 McCoy Vomiting Mystery

20:43 Missing Dog Tag Clue

21:41 Mystery Tag Found

22:38 3AM Staircase Disaster

24:22 Carpet Cleaner Saves Day

26:53 Probiotics Fixes

27:32 Morpheus8 Update

28:20 Ronnie Z Recovery

29:01 Wildfire Worries

30:24 Tick Meat Allergy

32:31 Would You Rather Game

33:00 Glucose Monitor Check In

34:54 More Would You Rathers

40:19 Wrap Up And Goodbye

Fourth of July Fireworks, Red Rocks Night, and Midlife Health Check-Ins

Joy and Claire recap their Fourth of July weekends: Claire traveled to Wisconsin for her in-laws’ elaborate fireworks tradition, including a 30,000-firecracker “Super String,”. Joy stayed local, enjoyed downtown Castle Rock and gelato, watched the suspense film “Obsession,” and attended Andrea Gibson’s “Love Letter From the Afterlife” event at Red Rocks featuring Sara Bareilles. They discuss logistics of traveling and dog-sitting, kids visiting grandparents and Chicago, upcoming wedding plans, and Joy’s midlife health concerns about elevated A1C, glucose monitoring, cortisol testing, sleep disruptions, and diet changes.

00:00 Fourth of July Catchup

01:10 Fireworks Family Lore

02:37 ADHD Partner Perspective

05:28 Super String Explained

07:07 Dogs and Firework Anxiety

08:15 Dog Sitter and Goofy Pups

11:37 Castle Rock Weekend Treats

12:42 Movies and Red Rocks Night

16:55 Taylor and Travis Wedding Talk

22:46 Wedding Media Pressure

23:19 Reception Details Rumors

24:27 Nail Talk And Acrylics

26:20 Colorado Trip And Kids Travel

27:50 Dog Logistics And Boarding

28:39 Puppy Raisers Updates

29:33 A1C Concerns And Hormones

32:46 Food Swaps Air Fryer

34:12 Microplastics And New Blender

35:38 Frozen Dog Treats

39:04 July Halloween Creep

40:00 Wrap Up And Goodbye

Joy and Claire celebrate Scott’s 49th birthday and discuss Joy’s improved gift-giving, including a Lululemon gym bag Scott wanted and an engraved Ikigai modular vitamin case paired with higher-quality supplements to replace Gruns gummy vitamins, which Claire critiques for poor bioavailability and lack of transparency similar to proprietary blends like AG1. Joy shares updates on service-dog-in-training Lilas and dog-sitting retired breeder Paxton, plus dynamics with Joe and puppy McCoy. They react to influencer-promoted camel-toe covers, discuss America’s Sweethearts and end with Joy’s emotional story about her dad thanking a nurse after his accident and brief Taylor Swift wedding speculation.

00:00 Scott Birthday Intro

00:47 Gift Giving Wins

02:26 Lululemon Bag Plan

03:42 Gummy Vitamin Rant

06:21 Bougie Vitamin Case

08:21 Owala Lid Drama

11:23 Wildfire Season Talk

12:09 Fireworks Debate Online

16:55 Slay Ride to 50

17:59 Leela Training Update

20:23 Paxton Dog Sitting

23:15 Dog Humping Confessions

25:26 Dog Farm Pool Practice

26:49 McCoy Puppy Update

27:47 Camel Toe Cover Debate

29:32 Shame Wear Reviews

32:06 America's Sweethearts Talk

35:17 Cheerleading Reality Check

38:01 Sports and Streaming Rants

39:15 Movie Buzz and Jackass

42:25 Dad's Nurse Thank You

46:34 Taylor Wedding Theories

49:48 Wrap Up and Farewell

Father’s Day Adventures, Wildfire Worries, and Life Updates

Joey and Claire share a post–Father’s Day episode covering family outings and life updates. Claire describes a cooler La Sals climbing day near Moab with other families, kids’ backseat squabbles, and rescuing a three-legged dog. Joy updates listeners that her dad is improving after an accident, off oxygen, staying active. They also spread their dog JT’s ashes in Westcliffe and made a resin memorial to cement near the creek, inviting others to send memorial items. They discuss Claire's dad’s metastatic melanoma, aging and staying mobile, BASE jumping deaths in Moab, weird Facebook Marketplace finds, and reality TV takes (Love Island, Summer House).

00:00 Father’s Day Catch-Up

00:25 Climbing in La Sals

01:09 Backseat Sibling Battles

02:00 Three-Legged Dog Rescue

02:31 Smoke and Fire Season

04:39 Where to Live Debate

08:53 Ronnie Z Health Update

12:19 Spreading JT’s Ashes

13:56 Creekside Memorial Plans

17:06 John Hay Melanoma Update

18:01 Sibling Age Gaps

19:49 Brothers and Texting

21:11 Texting Etiquette Confessions

22:34 Aging and Staying Active

23:30 Aging And Injuries

23:46 Cartwheels And Animal Moves

26:07 Martial Arts Falls

26:44 Just Pull Harder

28:03 Kids Climb Everything

29:15 Moab Base Jumping Tragedy

32:33 Weird Marketplace Finds

35:16 Reality TV Rabbit Hole

39:50 Husband Best Friend Debate

40:58 Wrap Up And Plugs

Ronnie’s Lawnmower Accident, Hospital Aftercare, and Finding Joy Online

Joy and Claire discuss Joy’s Father’s Day weekend plans and a serious accident involving Joy’s 84-year-old dad who tipped a riding lawnmower. He went to the ER, was transferred to Colorado Springs, spent time in the ICU, and was diagnosed with seven fractured ribs, with scans to rule out internal complications. Joy emphasizes how crucial attentive nurses and having another person present for discharge instructions can be, notes her mom’s overwhelm, and reflects on accepting an aging parent’s autonomy when he insisted on going home with oxygen, a walker, and breathing exercises. They broaden the conversation to staying active and avoiding overcomplicating health. Claire shares two joyful viral trends: the “Dominican Sisters Open Mic” nun podcast and Europeans’ reactions to American culture and scale.

00:00 Welcome Back and Fathers Day

00:30 The Accident Call

01:42 What Happened at the Creek

05:13 The Real Story Revealed

09:51 ER Scan and Transfer

10:52 ICU Visit and Great Nurses

13:21 Aftercare and Advocating

16:57 Healthcare Burnout Talk

18:44 Hospital Gratitude

19:00 Dad Insists Going Home

21:14 Aftercare And Recovery

24:43 Staying Active Matters

28:53 Viral Nun Podcast

31:33 Pride Weekend In Lincoln

33:48 Europeans React To America

36:02 Wrap Up And Fathers Day

Haircuts, Rec Center Workouts, a Bozeman Concert, and Remembering Chris Moore

Joy and Claire catch up on Claire's new haircut, including a subtle side undercut meant as a low-maintenance nod to her former mullet, and her small-town Moab salon experience. They discuss how making friends in a new town can hinge on community spaces. Joy commits to the rec center, explores the weight room, and embraces fun classes like BodyPump rather than rigid “should” rules about fitness. Joy shares gardening projects as a coping outlet, her interest in quirky workouts like Kangoo Jumps, and a question about Trader Joe’s small talk. Updates include a new puppy-raising dog, McCoy, Moab’s sudden heat and the dogs’ sunbathing, a Montana trip to Bozeman for a Marcus Mumford concert disrupted by very drunk attendees, upcoming travel and Pride event help in Lincoln, and a reflection on the 10-year anniversary of Barbell Shrugged host Chris Moore’s sudden death and the impact of their final interview.

00:00 Welcome and No Chat

00:36 New Haircut and Undercut

01:25 Mullet Nostalgia and Styling

03:41 Peloton Hair Inspiration

04:40 Moab Salon Behind Gelato

05:53 Small Town Friend Talk Bagels

08:10 No Church Get a Gym

09:51 Rec Center Weight Room Return

13:26 Workout Rules and Stacy Sims

16:18 Gardening Soreness and Aging

17:48 Kangoo Jumps and Fitness Fads

19:05 Trader Joe's Small Talk

21:08 McCoy the New Puppy

22:24 New Puppy Vibes

23:00 Moab Summer Heat

23:39 Dogs Sunbathing

25:00 Turf Yard Update

25:33 Bozeman Trip Recap

28:35 Concert Crowd Chaos

31:21 Travel Plans Ahead

32:15 Nebraska Pride Weekend

33:48 Taylor Wedding Rumors

35:26 Swiftie Easter Eggs

39:04 Remembering Chris Moore

44:15 Wrap Up and Goodbye