Well & Worthy Life | A Podcast for Midlife Women

Consider me your big sister (or maybe mom!) in this episode where I'm breaking down 5 things I would tell my younger self!

I have learned so much from those who are further along on the journey than me and I want to impart wisdom I've gained over the years to any of you that are younger than me. For those of you around my age or older, what would you add to this list? Share your wisdom in the comments!

• Deanna's insight on, "What are 5 things I would tell my younger self"?
• Why does lifting heavy weights matter in overall health?
• How to be present, even when life is hard.

• Check out the book I referenced by Gabrielle Lyon, Forever Strong.
• Join the Revive Now Membership - Enrollment is open anytime!
• Get access to my FREE podcast series, Reset to Energize

[3:31] I always say this, if I had known then what I know now, I would have done things so differently.

[8:50] Life goes on and you realize how resilient you are. You realize you keep going forward.

[15:24] I'm really trying to change things up and not do things the way I did before. Now I'm really focused on lifting heavy things because that's the way that muscle increases and we have longevity.

[18:03] We know that a lot of processed food is inflammatory food and inflammatory food causes us to not look and feel our best.

[24:26] Listen to your body. You know what is best for you. Nobody else is living your life. Listen to yourself and know what's right for you.

Aging hasn't always had the best connotation. In our youth-driven culture, we often seek to avoid aging. Today's guest, Karen Viesta, is reframing the conversation on why aging is good and how to age POWERFULLY!

Karen is a certified health and lifestyle coach who works with women in their forties and fifties who want to transform their bodies and their lives. She is the founder of Wellegant Women Coaching and host of the Well Egant Women Podcast. After going through her own midlife reinvention, Karen helps women in midlife to age powerfully, create extraordinary health and vitality, and make each new decade even better than the last.

• Why aging is good and beautiful and need not be avoided!
• Karen's menopause journey and how it launched her into the work she does with women today.
• The number one change Karen made that had the biggest impact on her menopause journey?
• What's the key to sticking to healthy practices?
• How has the term wellness evolved over the years?

• Get The Midlife Glow Up Guide: 7 Days to Your Healthiest and Most Radiant Self
• Keep up with Wellegant Women Podcast
• See what other good stuff Karen has on her website
• Follow her on Instagram and Facebook
• Join my Revive Now Membership
• Get access to my FREE podcast series, Reset to Reenergize

[3:51] There's an expectation that we should figure out this midlife thing and just once and for all be done with it.

[13:40] I wasn't willing to resign myself to feeling terrible. There was a part of me that thought, "no, I'm not buying that. I'm going to figure this out." (regarding words from doctors around perimenopause)

[14:04] Your over-40 body is different from your under-40 body and you have to support it differently.

[28:34] I think a lot of women in midlife find themselves in that place where they're looking ahead to the second half of life and questioning what they want it to look like and more importantly who do they want to be.

My dear friend, Melanie, is back with me today and we are talking through topics that all of you wanted to hear more about - friendship, faith and fasting.

• How Deanna and Melanie live out friendship, faith, and fasting in midlife.

• Where are some of the best places to make friends once you become an empty nester?

• What is the point of fasting and why do Deanna and Melanie choose to do it?

• If someone still has their cycle, what do they need to know about intermittent fasting?

• How does faith impact the way Deanna and Melanie live?

• Check out the book we reference in the episode, Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz - this book is a great guide to the power of fasting to burn fat, boost energy, and balance your hormones!
• Listen to the podcast we reference in the episode with Dr. Mindy Pelz on the Mel Robbins Podcast: 6 Intermittent Fasting Protocols for Fat Loss, Mood, Energy and Improving Your Overall Health
• Listen to other episodes with Melanie:
  • How to Create Healthy and Sustainable Eating Habits
  • Staying Balanced Through the Holidays
• Look into this great product, LMNT, Melanie and Deanna both love taking.
• Connect with Melanie on Instagram and visit her website to see what she offers!
• Join me in Revive Now and download my FREE podcast series, Reset to Reenergize

[4:50] At this stage of our life, we can pick and choose who we spend our time with and we want to find people who are into the same kind of things we are.

[19:48] I was a 911 Christian. I connected only when I needed him in desperate situations. Now it is a surrender, asking, "what do you want from me Lord today? How can I use this trial to glorify you?"

[20:49] This is one of the first times in my life where I really am seeking God and trying to get to know Him when everything is good in my life.

[28:25] In our rough patch as friends, we stayed with it because we knew our friendship was more important than anything.

[31:47] Not all women should be fasting alike. There are so many different ways to fast.

Brain health is something we can easily avoid thinking about until it's too late. Ed Parks from Neuroreserve, is back with me today sharing why midlife women, specifically, should not ignore brain health. He's offering tips that we can start implementing today that will support brain longevity. This is one you don't want to miss!

• What is one of the most powerful diets that promotes brain longevity?
• Which vegetables and fruits are the powerhouse staples to eat for brain health?
• What is visceral fat and how does it affect Alzheimer's and dementia?
• "If my mother or grandmother or other family member had Alzheimer does that mean I'm likely to get it?"

• Check out Ed's company, Neuroreserve and learn more about the supplement Relevate. Relevate strengthens and protects your memory, cognitive performance, and helps to overcome brain fog! Extra bonus, put "Deanna15" in at checkout for a discount!
• Follow Neuroreserve on Instagram and Facebook for the latest research on brain nutrition and how to strengthen brain longevity.
• Listen to previous podcast conversations with Ed Parks.
  • The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting for Brain Health
  • Ed Park Founder of Neuroreserve Talks Brain Health and the Gut-Brain Connection

[8:44] Two-thirds of all Alzheimer's dementia cases are women. That should not necessarily be something that scares women, but it should be a motivator. If you pay attention to this you can set yourself up really well for great brain health, great memories, and great living.

[11:51] For the brain in particular, it's dark, leafy green vegetables that are key.

[23:27] The thing people should know from a brain and cognitive standpoint, is that obesity in midlife is a big risk factor for mild cognitive impairment, which is called MCI. And that's usually the leading point of Alzheimer's disease.

The struggle in many midlife women is how to lose weight and keep it off! Today, Karen Gombault is on sharing her unique perspective on the topic. As an American woman who has spent the last 30 years living in France, she shares her insight to "The French Weigh". She is a certified coach who helps women adopt lifestyle changes that foster healthy aging which in turn helps them lose weight and keep it off!

You're going to love this one!

• How Karen took the leap from a corporate, well paying job into the world of coaching.
• What has made the biggest difference in Karen's weight loss journey?
• How does the lifestyle in France compare to the US in regard to healthy habits?
• Tips on how to lose weight and keep it off that are inspired by her life in France.

• Download her free guide to the 5 simple secrets of French women that keep them slender and full of life.
• Be inspired by her daily life in France and follow her Instagram.

[7:43] There's so much more to do in terms of prevention and healthy living and I felt my place was coaching women.

[14:25] As we get older, we have to be in touch with the signals the universe is sending us.

[16:21] I don't diet. I hate dieting. I've learned slowly to adapt my habits and tweak them over the years and to be very in tune with my body and see what's working and what's not.

[30:25] Eating becomes pleasurable when there's variety and stimulation, but not false stimulation from a dopamine hit. That variety just helps keep it interesting.

Navigate peri and post menopause with renewed energy, boosted confidence, and optimal wellness to feel & look your very BEST! Join the Revive Now Membership

We've been misguided when it comes to reading food labels. In this episode, Jen Smiley is joining me sharing why food labels are important to understand for your overall health! Jen is an expert food coach and has created Wake Up and Read the Labels out of her own health journey. In this episode, we hope to bring a little awareness to everyone who's listening and help somebody else be able to eat the foods they love and finally feel good!

• Why food labels are important to understand to guide your overall health?
• What is the number one ingredient to get rid of when starting to clean out your pantry and fridge?
• What's a good first step when trying to eat cleaner?
• How to clean up your morning routine to avoid bloating and set your morning up well?
• Where to look to find the cleaner brands in the grocery store?
• What is the most surprising discovery when people learn how to look at labels?

• Check out Jen's Free Morning Guide to learn the 3 most common foods that are killing energy and ruining our days.
• Follow Jen on Instagram for daily inspiration on how to eat clean and understand what's in the common foods we eat.
• Start with your morning routine and look at the labels for your go-to items. For any that have ingredients you can't pronounce, find a healthier swap.

[10:37] We have been taught that these things are healthy when in fact they're not. The most important message here is there's always a swap.

[15:51] America is sick. Our food is toxic and people are now dying slow and living short instead of living long and dying short.

[19:06] We've been taught the wrong way and it's only failing us and getting us deeper, sicker, and more inflamed. It's time to take three steps back, reevaluate and do something different if we want to feel different.

[31:29} A lot of people don't even realize how great they can feel until they start cleaning up what they're eating.

My new Program, Revive Now, starts September 1st. Get on the waitlist and be part of the first group!

Episode Overview

If you're wondering where to find community in midlife with like-minded women pursuing a life of vitality, look no further! In today's solo episode, Deanna is sharing about her new program, Revive Now, to get you back to feeling your best self! She's also discussing a few other topics that have been on her mind recently. Like how to prepare for empty nesting, her thoughts on weight loss drugs, and what happens when you stop making excuses and step out of your comfort zone.

Questions Answered

• How Deanna pushed herself out of her comfort zone and what she discovered in doing so.
• Where to find community in midlife and why it's valuable to your overall health and wellbeing.
• What questions to consider when deciding if you should take weight loss drugs?
• What is included in the Revive Now membership?

Action Items

• Get on the waitlist to join the launch of Revive Now starting September 1st.
• Receive the FREE podcast series, Reset to Reenergize, to discover the changes to make in midlife to feel your best!
• Email Deanna any feedback, ideas, or questions you'd want her to discuss on her future podcasts.

Key Moments in the Episode

[9:42] For so many years I have made excuses and I have been missing out.

[12:05] As things evolve I see a need for something more comprehensive, more affordable, and more actionable which is why I created the Revive Now Membership!

[15:49] Community is where we make the change.

[18:57] We pour into our children, we pour into our husbands, we pour into our careers, but who's pouring into us? If we don't pour into ourselves we can't keep going.

In this heartfelt episode, Deanna processes being an empty nester, the role of mothering adult children, and preparing herself as her youngest son makes a big move across the country to start a new beginning with his wife.

• What are some strategies to use in the transition of being an empty nester?
• What grounds Deanna when she's grieving the changes of motherhood?
• Is it ok to have boundaries with adult children after they've left home?
• What are the key steps to moving through the empty nest season with grace?

• Go on a walk in nature when grieving transitions of motherhood to help find peace.
• In the episode, Deanna mentions a blog post she wrote about grown children moving back home and how to make it work. Read the post, "A Point of View From My Son - The Boomerang Kid"
• Check out more posts and podcasts of mine on the topic:
  • Update on my boomerang child and what I learned (post)
  • Discovering what is next when you become an empty nester (post)
  • Making the most of the empty nest stage (podcast episode)
  • Reinventing yourself

[4:45] The beautiful and hard truth is we raise our children to go off and live on their own and have their own lives.

[9:11] The job of being a mom never ends and there are many feelings we have along the way. As they leave home it's like this emptiness all at once. The good news is I know it passes.

[9:55] One of the best things I have found is to get out in nature and go for a walk when the emotions get strong.

[11:54] We're supposed to raise these kids to go off on their own and have a great life. And that's all I want for my sons.

[19:26] It's never too late to explore anything you want to explore and try new things.

Deanna is back and the next few episodes will be solo conversations. In this one, Deanna is sharing about her post-menopausal journey and how she's caring for herself in this season. Today, she's getting vulnerable and sharing her experience with the InBody Test. The discoveries from her InBody results are guiding her in setting sustainable health goals to see the results she is looking for. In 12 weeks Deanna will circle back to share about the follow up results!

• The value in setting sustainable health goals to guide the results you want to see.

• What goals Deanna is setting for herself over the next 12 weeks to work towards a leaner healthier version of herself?

• What is an InBody test and what is it measuring?

• What is the value in focusing on strength training, especially in menopause?

• Ask yourself – "What are the goals I need to kick into gear to see the changes I hope for?"
• Write the goals down and make a plan that is sustainable for you.
• Deanna is launching a brand new program in the fall, get on the waitlist and be the first to hear about it.

[3:29] I'm focusing on building muscle because our muscle helps us to maintain that metabolism so we can eat food without gaining weight.

[12:28] I don't ever want to share this information with you and you start measuring yourself off of me. We just have to go by what our goals are and how we feel.

[20:30] I really believe I have to be consistent, I don't have to be perfect.

Episode Overview

Health is much more than the absence of disease, it's about optimal function and Dr. Jenn Simmons is on today to share all about her experience. She started her professional career as Philadelphia's first Fellowship trained breast surgeon. After 17 years as Philly's top breast surgeon, her own illness leads her to discover functional medicine. Enamored with the concept of creating health rather than killing disease, she left traditional medicine and founded Real Health MD with the mission to help women anywhere along the breast cancer journey to truly heal.

Her story of healing a diagnosis through functional medicine is a powerful testimony of hope and empowerment to find the care to help us live our lives optimally.

Questions Answered

• What made Dr. Jenn walk away from her path as a breast cancer surgeon at the height of her career?
• How did Dr. Jenn take steps to heal a diagnosis with functional medicine?
• What happened to the symptoms of MS when grains were eliminated from the diet?
• Why working out harder in midlife is not helping you lose weight.
• What women aren't being told about the connection between breast cancer and heart disease?

Action Items

• Get connected with Dr. Jenn via Instagram and continue learning from her wisdom!
• See all the Dr. Jenn is offering on her website.

Key Moments in the Conversation

[3:47] Functional medicine was the bell I couldn't unring and once you realize that there's another way, you can't ever go back.

[9:37] One of our biggest problems is that we have become so disconnected from our bodies, our health, nature, circadian rhythms, and the sun and the moon. We've lost our health in translation.

[13:15} What I was doing as a surgeon was just delaying the inevitable; cutting out the tumor is not the solution.

[27:46] It's the environment that has the greatest influence on a person's health.

[28:56] In functional medicine, we know that there's a spectrum of health and what we're looking for is optimal.