After watching K-Pop Demon Hunters, my daughters asked me if they “should want abs”… and that moment changed the entire direction of this episode.

Today we’re talking about meno belly — why your belly is changing in perimenopause, what’s actually happening biologically, and the stories we’ve carried since growing up as millennial girls raised on Friends, Ally McBeal, The O.C., and the Victoria’s Secret angels.

This episode isn’t about flattening your stomach.
 It’s about healing your relationship with it — so we don’t pass our body shame down to our daughters.

Inside, we cover:

• What “meno belly” really is
• How hormones, stress, sleep, and muscle loss affect your midsection
• The moment I caught myself judging my own body on the mat
• A cultural reframe inspired by Pulp Fiction and Sarah Landry (@thebirdspapaya)

Next week, we’ll talk about how to support your metabolism in your 40s — without restriction or punishment.

👉 Download my Cycle Syncing Food Guide + Cycle Syncing Map here.

You know that low-key identity crisis that hits somewhere around 38–42? The mood swings, the random rage, the 3 AM wakeups, the nostalgia for your 90s life and the feeling that you’re somehow running out of time?

It might not just be burnout. It might be perimenopause.

In this episode, I’m talking with Lauren Tetenbaum — therapist, former lawyer, certified menopause practitioner, and author of Millennial Menopause — the bright pink book I found in Barnes & Noble that basically helped birth this podcast.

We get into:

• Why so many millennial moms feel “off” but can’t put their finger on why
• What perimenopause actually is (and why the label matters less than your symptoms)
• The sandwich-generation pressure cooker: little kids, aging parents, and a changing body
• Millennial rage, overstimulation, and feeling like a “different person” overnight
• How to ask for what you need at home and with your doctor without feeling stupid or dramatic
• Why surrounding yourself with women in their 50s can make turning 40 feel less terrifying
• How perimenopause can become a permission slip to rest, reset, and re-write this next phase

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this perimenopause or am I just losing it?” this conversation is your sign you’re not alone — and you’re not powerless.

Between kids, work, and mom-life chaos, no one has the bandwidth to reinvent a grocery list every week based on their hormones.

Today I’m teaching you how to make cycle syncing automatic with four reusable grocery lists—one for each phase. Instacart or in-store, it works either way.

Just tap → add to cart → done.
By the end, cycle syncing won’t be something you try—it’ll be something you actually do.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

✨ Why cycle syncing works for energy, PMS, mood, metabolism & digestion
✨ The four phases (menstrual → follicular → ovulatory → luteal) & what foods support each
✨ How to build automatic grocery lists for each phase using Instacart
✨ How to do the same thing using checklist apps (for in-store shoppers)
✨ Why warm vs. cold foods matter, and how metabolism changes each week
✨ Why PMS is largely fixable through nutrition alone
✨ How systems thinking (à la Chelsi Jo) makes wellness way easier
✨ How to join my first Perimenopause Party & upcoming body-doubling sessions

Referenced Episodes & Links

Cycle Syncing Resources

• Episode 2: Explain Cycle Syncing To Me
• Episode 4: How to Eat With Your Cycle
• Download the Cycle Syncing PDF Chart:
  Food lists for every phase → https://stacey-noelle-llc.kit.com/6426d3a1fb

Apps & Tools Mentioned

• Instacart App → https://www.instacart.com
  
  (Features used: Saved Lists under Profile → Collections → Saved Lists)
• Microsoft To Do (Checklist App) → https://todo.microsoft.com
  
  
• Other list apps you can use:
  • Todoist
  • AnyList
  • TickTick
  • Clear
  • Google Keep

Podcast Mentioned

• Systemize Your Life with Chelsi Jo
  https://chelsijo.co/system

Events

✨ The Perimenopause Party — December 10 at 8:30 PM MT (FREE!)
Warm drink. Soft pants. A cozy night getting your tedious tasks done… together.
Sign up here: https://stacey-hudson.com/periparty

✨ Body Doubling Sessions Starting January 2025
Join other millennial moms as we knock out the “I’ll do it later” tasks in real time.
(Details shared first inside the Perimenopause Party!)

A Quick Food Phase Refresher (from the episode)

MENSTRUAL (Days 1–5) — Your Winter

Warm, grounding, mineral-rich foods:
 Beets, mushrooms, lentils, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, warm soups/stews.

FOLLICULAR (Days 6–13) — Spring

Fresh, light, energizing foods:
 Smoothies, leafy greens, chicken + eggs, berries, fermented foods, artichokes, flaxseed.

OVULATORY (Days 14–15) — Summer

Cool, hydrating, antioxidant-rich foods:
 Cucumbers, leafy salads, citrus, tomatoes, peppers, salmon, sardines, oysters, cooling herbs.

LUTEAL (Days 16–28) — Fall

Comforting, stabilizing foods that support blood sugar:
 Root veggies, squash, oats, quinoa, turkey, almonds, pumpkin seeds, apples, lentils, chickpeas.

(Your full PDF guide with all the details is linked above.)

You know that low-grade shame storm that hits every time you look at the piles, the laundry baskets, the boxes you never unpacked?

In this episode, I sit down with certified professional organizer and “clutter whisperer” Star Hansen to completely flip the script on what your mess actually means. Instead of treating clutter as proof you’re lazy, scattered, or “bad at adulting,” Star shows us how it can be evidence of your genius, your sensitivity, and your nervous system trying to keep you safe.

We talk about how clutter impacts women in the “next phase” of life—especially ADHD and neurodivergent moms who are already living in a constant state of overstimulation—and why the answer is not shaming yourself into a color-coded pantry.

Instead, Star walks us through how to see your home as a mirror of who you’re becoming, how to create systems that actually work for your brain, and why sometimes the first step in getting organized is… taking a nap, eating an apple, or turning vacuuming into a disco dance party.

If you’ve been feeling the pull to “grow up” your home in your 40s without losing your personality or your fun, this one’s for you.

In this episode, we talk about:

• 🧠 What your clutter is doing for you
  How piles, overpacked closets, and paper stacks can actually be meeting deep needs like safety, security, identity, and connection.
• 🌶️ ADHD, neurodivergence & organizing “rules”
  Why 70% of organizing advice was not written for your brain—and how to stop making yourself wrong when traditional systems don’t work.
• 🌬️ Clutter, nervous systems & energy
  How your stuff can both overstimulate you and help your body feel safe—and why your nervous system has to feel secure before real decluttering can stick.
• 🧺 Real-life examples: the bedroom, laundry piles & that empty wall above your bed
  Star coaches me through turning my “catchall” bedroom into a haven—and how something as simple as hanging art can shift your energy.
• 🍽️ The kitchen as the heart of the home
  Why having less in your kitchen can feel like a breath of fresh air, and how to decide what actually deserves to live there.
• 🎨 Kids’ artwork, memorabilia & letting things go without guilt
  How to handle the endless stream of art, what to keep for them vs. for you, and how to include your kids in the process so it feels empowering, not violating.
• 🎉 Embodiment over decluttering
  Why Star says she’s “not in the business of decluttering, but in the business of embodiment”—and how to let your home reflect the version of you you’re growing into in this next phase.

Connect with Star

• 📖 Grab Star’s free book Why the F Am I Still Not Organized? and explore her organizing community: starhansen.com/podcast
• 📸 Find her on social @star.hansen for more clutter + energy wisdom.

🎉 Join the Perimenopause Party (It’s Free!)

Got clutter? Unpaid bills? Stuff that's been sitting on your to-do list for YEARS?
 Come to my free Perimenopause Party — the monthly “get-your-life-together” hangout for millennial women entering their next phase.

👉 Get the Zoom link + all the details: stacey-hutson.com/periparty

✨ Free Guide for Your Next Phase

Download my Cycle-Syncing Food, Fitness & Energy Guide to support your hormones and energy all month long.

What if you hit 40 and realized you still hadn’t really grown up?

In this week’s episode, Stacey gets brutally honest about the behind-the-scenes chaos of adulthood — from forgotten bills and overflowing inboxes to that constant hum of anxiety that comes from not having systems in place.

This isn’t a how-to or a list of tips. It’s a confession.

If you’ve ever:

• Let a medical bill go to collections because you forgot to pay it
• Missed important emails buried in your 10,000+ unread inbox
• Signed up for free trials you never canceled
• Or waited for the “adulting fairy” to come sprinkle some magical get-it-together dust on you...

Then lean in — you’re about to feel really seen.

Stacey opens up about the $499 wake-up call that pushed her to finally start growing up — not in the Pinterest-perfect way, but in the real, uncomfortable, messy middle of figuring it out.

✨ In this episode:

• The “rock bottom” adulting moment that changed everything
• Why anxiety fills the space where systems should be
• How ADHD and avoidance show up in our day-to-day responsibilities
• What it actually means to grow up — at 40

💌 Join The Next Phase List

If this episode hits home — if you’re ready to slow down, reset, and actually feel like the CEO of your own life — join my email list and grab my free Cycle Syncing Food & Energy Guide.

It’s your roadmap to understanding how your hormones affect your focus, energy, and emotions — so you can finally stop fighting your body and start flowing with it.

👉 Get the free guide here.

You’ll also get exclusive weekly letters, podcast updates, and first access to new workshops and resources for millennial moms in their perimenopause era.

Listen now, and if this episode made you feel seen, take 30 seconds to share it with a friend who’s also “still waiting for the adulting fairy.”

Have you felt it lately?
That pull to rearrange, clean, and reimagine your space — not for your kids this time, but for you?

In this episode of The Next Phase Podcast, Stacey explores the nesting energy that comes back during perimenopause — the intuitive urge to clear out the old and create space for the woman you’re becoming.

This isn’t just about cleaning. It’s about energy work.
Because every drawer you clear, every object you release, every time you light sage or a candle with intention — you’re telling your body: It’s safe to let go.

You’ll learn:
 🌿 Why nesting instincts return in perimenopause — and what they’re trying to tell you
 🧺 How clutter creates stagnant energy (and the fastest way to shift it)
 🔥 How to perform a simple smudging ritual to clear your home’s energy field
💫 And how to join our new community — The Next Phase Collective — for live body-doubling sessions starting in January

If you’ve been craving a reset — in your home, your mood, and your energy — this one’s for you.

🕯️ Mentioned in this episode

• Join The Next Phase Collective on Facebook 
• Get Stacey’s Cycle Syncing Guide to balance your food, fitness, and energy with your hormones
  
• Follow Stacey on Instagram → @stacehutson
  
  
• Email Stacey → [email protected]

💛 Connect + Share

If this episode resonates, share it with a friend who’s feeling stuck in her space — or tag @stacehutson on Instagram and tell me your favorite takeaway.
 Your stories help other millennial moms find this show — and remember they’re not alone in this wild, beautiful phase of life.

This episode is my love letter to turning 40 — and to the woman who helped me do it with less fear and more fire.

As I step into this next phase, I’ve been thinking a lot about how our culture taught us to see women in their 40s and 50s: tired, stressed, and quietly disappearing. But then Diane Keaton came along and flipped the script.

In this episode, I talk about:

• The fear of losing relevance as we age
• How movies like This Is 40 (and Something’s Gotta Give) shaped our expectations of midlife
• What Diane Keaton taught me about presence, weirdness, slowing down, and pleasure
• Why I’m rewriting the rules of aging — starting with a fabulous hat

And of course, I’ll share the seven lessons I’m bringing into my forties, inspired by Diane herself.

So if you’re hovering around forty — or already in it — and you’re wondering what comes next, this one’s for you.

🎂 Join the 40 Club:
DM me @stacehutson
and tell me how you’re celebrating your next phase.

What if the “woo” you’ve been side-eyeing all these years is actually the missing piece in your perimenopause puzzle?

In this episode, Stacey peels back the layers on energy work — not as a mystical concept, but as a real, biological, and emotional process that every woman experiences as her hormones shift.

She breaks down how changing estrogen and progesterone levels make your nervous system more sensitive (a.k.a. why you cry over dog food commercials and snap at your partner), and how that same sensitivity might actually be your superpower.

You’ll learn:
 🔹 How hormonal changes make you more intuitive and energetically aware
 🔹 What “energy work” really means (and why it’s not all linen dresses and crystals)
 🔹 Why slowing down — not pushing through — is the secret to feeling better
 🔹 Simple daily rituals that help you regulate your energy and reconnect to yourself

This isn’t about becoming more “woo.” It’s about finally listening to your body’s language — your energy — and realizing it’s been trying to guide you all along.

Listen now and discover how to work with your energy instead of against it.

💌 Want to keep the conversation going?
 Join Stacey’s email list for early access to upcoming Woo Series episodes and energy-regulating tools for your next phase (and get your free cycle syncing guide when you do).

Stay in touch here: [email protected]

Instagram: @stacehutson

You know that feeling when you’ve been eating the same breakfast for years — same coffee, same smoothie, same handful of nuts — and one day your body just says nope?

Yeah… same.

In this episode, we’re talking about what it actually means to eat with your cycle — and why your body doesn’t want the same foods every day. I’ll walk you through how your hormones shift each week, what your body is craving (and why), and how the temperature of your food might be the most overlooked key to digestion, energy, and mood.

You’ll learn:
 ✨ How your hormones change through the four phases — and what to eat in each one
 ✨ Why digestion (and even your body temperature) play a huge role in how you feel
 ✨ My favorite foods to reduce bloating, boost energy, and balance mood
 ✨ How to start cycle syncing your meals without overhauling your diet

This episode will help you see food differently — not as something to control, but as one of the most enjoyable, affordable, and intuitive forms of hormone support out there.

Oh — and you’ll never look at a cold smoothie in winter the same way again. 😉

📘 Mentioned in the Episode

• Cycle Syncing Food Guide — your free cheat sheet with what to eat in each phase + easy breakfast ideas.
  👉 Download it here
• Dandy Blend (the dandelion coffee alternative I love)
• Fermented vs. shelf-stable pickles — how to tell which ones actually have probiotics

🩸 Phases in a Nutshell

Menstrual (Winter): Warm, mineral-rich comfort food — think soups, stews, and cozy meals that feel like a weighted blanket.
Follicular (Spring): Fresh and vibrant — leafy greens, berries, and foods that support detox and energy.
Ovulatory (Summer): Light, colorful, cooling foods — salads, fruit, and omega-3s.
Luteal (Fall): Grounding, fiber-rich comfort — roasted veggies, root foods, cinnamon tea, and dark chocolate.

🧘‍♀️ Join The Next Phase Community

If this episode made you rethink your morning smoothie or late-night snack, share it with a friend who’s ready to work with her hormones, not against them.
Follow me on Instagram [@stacehutson] for more cycle-syncing tips and hormone-supportive living.

We live in a world that tells us to “optimize every moment” — even the ones when we’re brushing our teeth. As overachieving, multitasking moms, we’ve replaced boredom with productivity and filled every quiet space with someone else’s voice.

In this episode, Stacey explores what happens when we never stop consuming and how the Default Mode Network in our brains literally needs silence to process, heal, and create.

You’ll learn:

• Why silence feels uncomfortable — and what’s really happening in your brain
• How perimenopause shifts our body’s need for rest and recovery
• The science (and woo) behind why quiet heals
• Easy ways to create more “blank spaces” in your day — from silent showers to music-only drives

This is your permission slip to turn down the noise, stop fixing yourself, and start listening to your own voice again.

And yes, Stacey fully gets the irony of it all — a podcaster telling you to listen to fewer podcasts. We'll talk to Alanis about it later.

If you try a “blank space” moment this week — tell Stacey about it!
 📩 Email her at [email protected]

 or DM her on Instagram 

@stacehutson