Latest / The Midlife Pivot / Why Extreme Diets Fail Women in Midlife w/ Alissa Steinberg | 008
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- The Midlife Pivot: Midlife brings so many changes in our bodies, our hormones, our energy, our sleep, and sometimes even in the way we think about food. What worked for us in our thirties may suddenly not feel quite as effective in our forties, fifties and beyond. So today we wanted to have a conversation about nutrition that isn't about chasing the latest diet or trying to turn back the clock. It's about understanding what our bodies need now and how the choices we make every day can help us feel stronger, healthier, and more energized for the years ahead. Our guest today is Alyssa Steinberg, a registered dietitian and nutritionist and the founder of Healthy You in Canada. Alyssa works with people to help them better understand nutrition and develop healthier, more sustainable habits around food. We're going to talk about what happens nutritionally as women move through midlife, how menopause can affect our bodies, the importance of protein and muscle, bone and heart health, and some of the simple changes we can make without completely overhauling our lives. Alyssa, we're so happy to have you here. Welcome to To the midlife epist. Welcome. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I love it. Thank you so much for having me. I am honored to be here. I love the work you're doing. So thank you. The Midlife Pivot: And we are honored to thank you, thank you, thank you. I really think that what we've created has just given such a wonderful platform to so many women. I mean, I know your mom, you know, is in our is in kind of our little ear you know, era that we're in. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. We go way back. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: You go way back exactly. But as and I know you're a palatana, so as Jen Sherman loves to quote, the back nine era that we're all in right now, we are trying to figure out what these next steps are in kind of moving forward with our health, with how we can embrace midlife to the best that we can. And we thought that you would just be such a wonderful guest to have on, to be able to guide us through some of the nutritional aspects of how we can really take on midlife. With the level of just knowledge, knowledge on how we can you know do better. So we're gonna go ahead and get started with the big picture. When a woman enters Absolutely, Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. And knowledge, knowledge is power, right? So empowerment. The Midlife Pivot: absolutely, absolutely, and I think that that does play a huge role in us being able to accept this next chapter. I've always said, as we say in our introduction, it's not a crisis, it's a crossroads. And it truly is. It's a crossroads, and we have to figure out how we get to that next point. So, all right, so as I said with the big picture, when when a woman enters her 40s, 50s, and beyond, what begins to change nutritionally? Does our body actually need something different from us than it did when we were younger? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah, so I I think what begins to change is we might be eating the same way we've always been eating, but our body is just responding differently. And so it's important to be in tune with our bodies, pay attention to our energy levels, how our clothes are fitting, how our bones are feeling and our muscles are feeling. and so once we're a little bit more in tune, we can start responding to those changes because our body is changing. And so our menu also should kind of support those changes as well. So where do I where does my mind go? My mind goes foods that provide more energy, foods that really support heart health and cardiometabolic health, our muscle mass, our bone mass, and what nutrients really help to kind of support that. But really, it's just about seeing that recognizing when our body is changing, but our menus, our routines haven't really been changing as much, so we need to kind of realign those two areas. The Midlife Pivot: One of the biggest frustrations we hear from women is I'm eating exactly the way as I always have, but my Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: body's changing. Why does that happen? And what would you want women to understand before they immediately start restricting calories or giving on another Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: diet? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I love that. So I'm all about being proactive versus The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: reactive. And so now that we're having these conversations, so many more women I work with are a lot we're almost like detectives to when this is happening, how this is happening. We're a lot more aware. in clinical practice, I've been in practice for 15 years. I've been seeing women who come to me. Perhaps 20, 50 pounds heavier than they've ever been. Now I'm seeing women just, you know, in a smaller weight, weight, a weight gain range, and we could be a little bit more proactive. So when it comes to being a little bit more in tune with our body, we can respond sooner. And so the way I kind of explain these shifts is when our hormones are changing, we have a nice rapid decline in estrogen. Our body's changing. The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So estrogen plays a huge role in our lives as women. it helps to store muscles in our arms and in our legs. And if we don't have as much of that hormone as kind of we're going through this stage of life, we're storing weight more centrally. So it's no longer being stored in our arms and our legs. We're actually increasing a little bit more fat cell deposits centrally. And that matters from a cardiometabolic standpoint. In addition to that, that drop in estrogen is accompanied by a drop in muscle mass. So our metabolism is slowing down. All of my research in the clinical hospitals in Toronto, so sick kids hospitals, body composition. And so the number one contributor to our metabolism, so up to 70 to 80 percent is muscle mass. So if we're losing muscle mass, our metabolism is slowing down. we can we can actually prevent these things from happening. So being a little bit more in tune with maintaining a plan that supports muscle retention and muscle growth, or looking at our body composition, looking beyond the scale, where is our body storing the weight and using things like body composition scales or waist circumference The Midlife Pivot: Mm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: measurements, we're just so used to looking at the number on the scale. So The Midlife Pivot: Right. Right. Right. Yeah. And I did. I invested Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Right? So just like really kind of The Midlife Pivot: in a Hume. I invested in a Hume pod and you know, those types of scales to be able to give me that information that it you're right, 'cause I was Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: so fixated on that damn number on the scale that we Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: really needed to look at the bigger picture. brilliant, Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Absolutely. The Midlife Pivot: brilliant. I mean, and that leads me on to the next question, which we say, you know, menopause does get blamed for everything. but as you've just and I think you've pretty much just answered this next question is How much of an impact hormonal changes during menopause really have on weight? I mean, you pretty much answered that in that question. So go ahead and do the next one. Actually, I'm more interested in this one because protein seems to be everywhere right now. Everybody speaks about protein, protein shakes, protein food, whatever. Why does protein become particularly important for women especially when it comes to maintaining muscle. And particularly speaking, what does getting enough protein throughout the day look like? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Okay, so even though protein has it's it's hyped up, I still stand behind the hype. protein is a very powerful nutrient for so many reasons. So it helps to actually energize us, so it actually supports more sustained energy. if you actually pair food with protein, it delays the release of the sugar, so it lasts you a little bit longer. protein also signals fullness and satiety. So imagine eating five chicken breasts versus a bag of chocolate or mini eggs. My those are secretly my two favorite treats. So The Midlife Pivot: Hehehehehe. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: which one do you think keeps you fuller longer? The chocolate or the chips or the five chicken breasts? The Midlife Pivot: I mean, no question the five chicken breasts. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Exactly. So intuitively We can already appreciate the power of protein when it comes to fullness. I might be nauseous from so much chocolate and chips, but I'm not necessarily full. There's a lot of power in protein to help regulate our appetite. I have a lot of women come to me saying I'm craving, I'm craving food at three o'clock after dinner, my cravings are a lot higher. What should I do to fix my cravings? So I always say it's not really a matter of willpower. It's more about did what did we eat earlier in the day and did we prioritize protein, that nutrient that keeps us fuller longer? And lastly, protein is so important in the world of muscle retention and muscle growth. So if we're trying to build more muscle or retain muscle mass, we need more protein in our menus to support that. It helps to hold on to muscle. So if you're losing weight, as an example, you're not getting enough protein, you might be risking the loss of muscle mass and fat mass. So my goal is to help The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: us only lose the fat mass and protect that muscle mass. So we need that protein. The Midlife Pivot: speaking of muscle, we've heard that maintaining muscle becomes increasingly important. Can you explain Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, The Midlife Pivot: the the the connection between nutrition, strength training, muscle mass, and healthy ageing? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, I love that. Okay, so in terms of protein and strength training, we need those two to support muscle and bone health. That's the main, those are the main two The Midlife Pivot: Okay. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: domains that need that. That's kind of the recipe, that's the cocktail. And so I usually say resistance training about two to three times per week is kind of the golden number to work with. It doesn't necessarily need to be every day. So finding a pattern that supports two to three times a week helps with muscle retention. And in some cases, depending on how heavy your weights are, it's also muscle growth. as a part of the resistance training, we do need to prioritize protein. I usually say about one hour after those workouts. That's called our anabolic window. That's the time. Where if we have protein within an hour of this of this resistance training exercise session, it helps with muscle recovery, repair, and growth. But if we don't prioritize protein during that time, we might miss that opportunity for that muscle repair and growth. and protein distribution throughout the day. So it's not about just having protein at one one meal, so kind of saving it all for dinner, which is kind of the common pattern we're seeing, is The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Less protein in the morning, and we really prioritize it at the dinner meal as an example. We all have chicken or salmon or something protein heavy at dinner, but intuitively it may not show up in the earlier meals. So just distribution throughout the day is really important. Anywhere from 20 to 30 grams of protein with meals, 5 to 15 grams of protein with snacks, but spacing it out throughout the day is the best way to ensure we're getting enough. And our body is using it the way it should. Because there is such a thing as too much protein at one eating time. It's a protein threshold. So we don't really want to go past 40 grams of protein during a meal because our body's no longer using that protein for muscle protein synthesis. It's becoming use for other energy sources. So we need to kind of make sure it happens within one to two hours of waking and then every few hours after. The Midlife Pivot: so f somebody like me, for instance, I keep these fair life well, I shouldn't advertise, but anyway, the fair life shapes in my freezer, in my fridge. So if I have one very convenient, if I have one Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah, yes. Convenient. Exactly. The Midlife Pivot: a day, would that would you say that's a reasonable amount? Because it's not enough. Well, I mean I'll let Alyssa answer that, but it's a good way Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Ha ha ha. The Midlife Pivot: to supplement protein, correct? It's a great it's a good supplement. I mean I think Midday, my snack is a fair life. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, yeah. The Midlife Pivot: I go and I pick one up or whatever whatever's going, boost or whatever whatever they've got. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Huh. The Midlife Pivot: And I drink one down with lots of pieces of ice inside as well. And I enjoy that, but do you think that's enough? In other words, once a day would be enough Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I'm coming to your house to cheers you with this ice infused protein shake. I love it. but what I would say The Midlife Pivot: Ha ha ha. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: is that's a perfect 30 gram of protein amount per that eating time. So if that's a lunch or that's breakfast, that supports the ideal amount of protein within that meal. So ideally And so it's fantastic. I love things that are easy and convenient. We often overcomplicate food. And so sometimes that can paralyze us and we're not making enough of those healthy changes. So that's perfect. What you're doing right there is convenient and easy. that 30 grams is the right amount for that meal. But I'd still say within one to two hours of waking, I would have an additional source of protein that provides about 20 to 30 grams of protein. And then same with dinner, about 20 to 30 grams of protein. and depending on your eating schedule, some snacks may be well supported as well with a little small kind of protein snack. So in my mind, I'm thinking some eggs and cottage cheese for breakfast, some The Midlife Pivot: Yep. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: almonds with some strawberries as a snack, your protein shake for lunch, perhaps some hummus and carrots as a snack, and then dinner might be some salmon, asparagus, some salad, etc. The Midlife Pivot: Yeah, I mean that sounds like my diet. Good. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So that's kind of a nicer distribution, yeah. The Midlife Pivot: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I love I what I typically do is I actually will start my day with the pro with the with my fair life. So I got her hooked Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: on it because I do like it. It is a nice just way to kind of boost that that extra thirty grams of protein. And then after working out, I'll usually have Greek yogurt, like a ball of Greek yogurt with some berries and honey. And that would be kind of my after within that one hour of the work of working out is what I would do. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: And then yeah. And then exactly. I mean the cottage cheese and eggs would be my snack and then my piece of chicken or my s I mean, literally you've just you know, you've just told you re re researched my diet. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: But what I'm also trying to emphasize is simple, right? So you we're just following a simple pattern. there is there is a lot of value in highlighting the portfolio diet, the Mediterranean pattern. So in addition The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: to protein, there's other nutrients, other food patterns to follow to support the other areas of midlife that should be factored into. The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. But it's definitely been working. I mean for me, it's been the last year where I really have focused on this. and I have lost a you know a beautiful amount of weight. I'm really happy Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: with how I where I'm at right now, but literally from listening, and that's why I wanted you on, because I wanted other people to be able to appreciate the value in what I've been doing. It's okay for me to say it, I'm not a registered dietitian or nutritionist. So hearing somebody, you know, with the backing behind them is so vital in being able to acknowledge how important this is for us in midlife. And it's worked. I mean it's worked for me. I've lost, you know, a a nice amount of weight. I'm kind of I'm being able to maintain where I want to be right now. I mean, it's literally been a year. I started this a year ago. And yeah, I mean, you've seen. But also, Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I love that. And The Midlife Pivot: I wanted to ask you at my age, I'm 85, at my age, to start strength training for shears goals. I mean, to Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: You are goals, goals, yes. You are beautiful and a superstar. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: my kids, my daughters keep on saying to me, Mom, strength training, you've got to do this, you've got to do that. I just haven't got The energy to do it. You know, it's so hard Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm. Mm-hmm. The Midlife Pivot: to have to lift weights, even if you're doing it at home, as you say. I go to physical therapy twice a week but for my what you're doing and that's for my pinched nerves here, my pinched nerves there. But it's not strength training. But it is. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. Well, here's what I would say is I would also focus on what you just said was the energy. So what is causing that low energy? I work with so many women, I review all of the blood work. I say, send me a copy, let's sit down and look at it. So I do a a deeper dive into what's your ferritin, what's your B12? Those are like my energy markers. Can we optimize them? Are they doing well enough? Usually, this is more the Canadian interpretation, but usually I'm looking for ferritin at least 75 or higher for women, especially for hair, and energy. But the role of ferritin is to help kind of perfuse our body with oxygen. If we don't have enough of that, our energy might be a little bit lower. And then B12 naturally we decrease the absorption of B12 once 50 plus, we have a little bit less intrinsic factor, which helps absorb B12. so I'm always looking at these numbers to see if those nutrients need a little bit of love. but then I would see with your physio appointments, is there any weight bearing? Whether it's your own body or whether you're adding weights, is there at least 20 minutes of that happening? and if not, I always say if I can't do something after thinking about it for a month, I'm just gonna have to. Book myself into a class, find a trainer, you know, just start to kind of recognize, okay, I haven't done that shift yet. Can I can I solicit some help to get me there? So I do have The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: an awesome Italian trainer at 6 a.m., $20 classes, and I go twice a week, The Midlife Pivot: wow. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: but that's my only way to do to like so I ended up trying to see if I could do it on my own. And if I can't, then I do try to kind of find myself accountable to somebody else. The Midlife Pivot: Exactly, exactly. And I mean that's what I actually d have have done. same thing. I had a sciatica, went to physical therapy, but what I love about the program that I go to, and I'll give them a shout out, elevated strength, is that they do that. They'll do like the first, you know, ten, fifteen minutes will be massage, we'll be working on, you know, that and then we'll work on strength training to basically prevent the pain that I've been having and it worked, and the sciatic pain went. You know, so it was absolutely Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. It was like a two in one. It's like so you can kind of utilize that session in addition to the resistance stuff. But also balance is a really key thing too, in midlife is like doing activities that help with optimizing balance. So I would say like a heel-to-toe walk. I know it sounds The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: weird, but that heel to toe walk really helps with are you do you also but just balance? Yes, exactly. The Midlife Pivot: Yes, that's what they do with me because heel to t yeah, yeah. So it's great. You're on the right you're on the right track. And jumping over the Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: You are a superstar, yeah. The Midlife Pivot: I jump over the is what you call them. they make me walk over the hurdles. I have little hurdles, heel to toe, heel to toe. All right, Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, I love it. I love it. The Midlife Pivot: so we've spoken about protein, we've spoken about bone. Heart health becomes increasingly Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm-hmm. The Midlife Pivot: important for women after menopause. What foods or eating patterns can help support cardiovascular health, cholesterol and blood sugar during the stage of life? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So I I love this question because again, a lot of women that I'm working with, their cholesterol levels are starting to creep up. And it's important to kind of look at that, see how high it is, see what your target actually should be. so I do a lot of work with blood work. I enter all of the values into something called a Framingham risk score. and then I also even ask some of my clients to get more blood work done. Something called lipoprotein A and APOB. Lipoprotein A is that genetic marker, and APOB is a bit of like a wider catch of how much more plaque do we have in our body. So I already kind of just help empower women by understanding what their blood work is, what's their cardiovascular risk, and was there more information that we needed to help really understand that cardiovascular risk? And so the pattern that I turned to is I worked in the lipid clinic at Sick Kids for about 10 years, and I work with about 20 cardiologists now. And the pattern that I'm trying to really implement is something called the portfolio diet. So that's what we have in Canada. It's designed by the Canadian Cardiovascular Society, but it's a portfolio of plant-based foods we can add into our day that help to lower our LDL cholesterol, which is that plaque marker. The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So I always say our LDL is like this like plaque right here that's kind of building up. And so each time you're adding one of those portfolio items, it's a 5 to 10% reduction in the plaque. So that would mean The Midlife Pivot: Okay. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: adding things like nuts and seeds daily, adding plant proteins. So chickpeas, lentils, nuts and seeds, tofu, edamami beans, adding those plant proteins to your day at least once or twice a day. Including things like soluble fiber. So I don't work for this company. I have no associations, but I do love just helium fiber or something like Metamucle. So you can buy psilium fiber from The Midlife Pivot: right. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: a bulk food store, Amazon, but you can also buy metamucil. But ideally, we're taking at least up to 20 grams of soluble fiber daily. And this is a more concentrated, consistent way of taking that. Switching to things like olive oil is recommended as a part of the portfolio The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: diet exclusively, avocado or olive oil, as the healthier fats, cooking fats in the home. But that portfolio diet is what I typically help people layer into their existing menu. And then also the Mediterranean eating pattern. So it's one of the most well-studied patterns that is evidence-based practice. So it's the highest quality evidence. That supports things like longevity, inflammation, cardiovascular health, blood sugar control, weight management, so soma cognition. So the Mediterranean pattern is that triangle. So visualize a triangle. And the bottom part of the triangle are things like all the plant-based foods. So vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, legumes. Second level up is fish and shellfish. So layering The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: up as much fish as possible. poultry and dairy and the top of the triangle, so the smallest part, are things like red meat and anything that's packaged or processed foods. So the Mediterranean diet is all about how do we bring in more legumes? How do we make sure things are not packaged? How do we reduce the red meat and layer in more fish and poultry? so the Mediterranean pattern is something that I would really kind of turn to. Even if it's not your cuisine, layer these concepts in. So it's not about switching cuisines, because I'm all about maintaining your traditional menu as a family and as your as your tradit any culture you're you're you're a part of, don't switch anything, but layer in the concepts. The Midlife Pivot: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, no, I love that. The metamucil I want to ask you about, because my husband lives on Meta musil. He's ninety Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, yes. The Midlife Pivot: one years old, and every morning it's a tablespoon of Metamucil. He's had a lot of digestive problems, he's had lots of Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: lock blocked bowel problems, or he's Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Okay. The Midlife Pivot: had to go to hospital for it and so on. And now the doctors have said to him, No, no more fiber, no more metamucil. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm. Mm-hmm. The Midlife Pivot: And I'm just quite intrigued about that. All his f Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm-hmm. The Midlife Pivot: maybe because of his condition, but Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm-hmm. The Midlife Pivot: metamucle itself, it's a fibre, right? It's it's a fibrous product. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah, so there's two types of fiber. So yeah, so in terms of the GI world, so I do specialize in GI as well. that might be more related to his bowels and what's happening The Midlife Pivot: Mm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: with potential the movement. So it's more important to focus for him on the bowel hygiene and making sure it's daily, like that's a whole other conversation. so I'd say for him it's more specific to the GI, the GI world that we're managing, but for Anyone without GI concerns to that degree, soluble fiber is really good at kind of pulling in water and helping to soften your stool. if you think about celium fiber, whether it's metamucle or just celium fiber, if you let it sit in water once you've mixed it, it forms a really thick gel. And that The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: gel is really good at removing the plaque. So, not nearly as effective as a statin, but it really helps to kind of layer that in to your routine. And it also helps to keep you fuller longer. The Midlife Pivot: Interesting. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So it actually on here it actually says temporarily suppresses appetite. So I tell a lot of my women if you have a three o'clock craving or a craving after dinner, time up your metamucil, your psilium then. have it more in the later afternoon versus in the morning or The Midlife Pivot: Perfect. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: you know, whenever kind of fits for you. But soluble fiber is not it's not a laxative, it just will help to soften your stool. So it won't increase the frequency The Midlife Pivot: No, yeah. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: of bowel movements, but it has a lot of metabolic benefits. Yeah, yeah. But your husband's like a different case. Yes. The Midlife Pivot: Brilliant. It's you've eased my mind, but you've eased my mind more than the doctor has. And even for you in looking at anyway, let's get back to our questions. So I'm gonna ask you the next question. There is so much noise about food right now. Intermittent fasting, as you said, keto, low carbs, GLP one medications, gut health, inflammation. How do women separate good nutritional science from the latest trend on Instagram and TikTok. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: it's really all about making sure that whatever you're following, there's long-term data. So intermittent fasting, when it first came out, there was only short-term data. So studies that lasted anywhere from six to twelve months. Now it's been around long enough to have more longer term data. And for intermittent fasting, there has been because it really just tells you when we should be eating, not what we should be eating. So it's more timed eating. And now the data is really showing that there could be a loss of muscle mass. So it's not something I recommend for women that I work with, or even most of my clients. So intermittent fasting is something I would say, if it really is working for you, and I'm always about, you know, building on what's working for someone. So if it's working for them, great, fantastic. Let's kind of refine the what to make sure you're optimizing your nutrient status as much as possible. But for many people, it actually can contribute to further muscle loss. And also for really kind of not eating for a quite some time first thing in the morning, I always say it can bring out that inner food monster. So if I go all day without eating enough, do you think I want the cake or the salad? Bring on the cake, right? So The Midlife Pivot: The cake. I mean right. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: intermittent fasting for many people, it's not really kind of guiding healthier food choices later in the day. Which can be in some ways less ideal. So the long-term data is really what should be looked at, and specifically in midlife, it can contribute to further muscle loss. And then there's the question of sustainability. Can we sustain something like intermittent fasting, like a keto diet long-term? So really what I'm really trying to help people do is follow a pattern that you don't have to start and stop. you can carry that food plan on vacation mode when stress or or or if we don't have enough capacity to manage things, we can still follow our food plan. And so really if you're thinking about that food plan, akido intermittent fasting fall into more of those extreme patterns. So I would say that may not be suitable for long-term sustainability. So how do we refine the plan to get to know our metabolism? Most people I work with We could just cut everything out and follow those extremes, but what did we learn about our metabolism? Could we have had our yummy sourdough in the morning and a fun plate once a week and pizza night with with my girls and still see weight loss results? And we shouldn't The Midlife Pivot: Absolutely, yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: really want weight loss that's fast, especially midlife. I say weight loss The Midlife Pivot: Right. Right. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: should feel like turtle speed. I know that's The Midlife Pivot: Yep. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: not that enticing and sexy and exciting The Midlife Pivot: No. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: and you know, you know, really attracts the The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: audience, but I'm here to, as a registered dietitian, you know, I'm covered by a college. Everything I say is regulated. So really kind of s like slow and steady weight loss preserves muscle mass, but also a food pattern that you can actually sustain long term. So it's a really powerful message to say, I'm eating pizza once a week. I'm going out and enjoying XMM once a a couple times a month and I'm still seeing the results I'm looking for. so really that's kind of my take on these extreme patterns, is they just are not necessarily something that we can The Midlife Pivot: Sustainable. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: kind of manage over time. And then GLP ones are a whole different conversation because I'm a big believer in them as a tool for some who've been really, you know, following The Midlife Pivot: Trucking. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: an ideal pattern for food and exercise. You're really not seeing a lot of movement, you're feeling and anything you you're almost like chasing your tail. so I do a lot of a lot of work on insulin resistance, PMOS, formerly known as PCOS, pre-diabetes, so so what's c their bodies might be more in storage mode and medications like smaller doses might help them get through their health goals without having to follow any extreme restrictive diets. So GLP ones are a whole The Midlife Pivot: Right. Right. And then get you Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: different conversation. The Midlife Pivot: right. And then get you kind of on on a good eat you know, kind of guiding you on a good eating program moving forward. Do you know what I'm saying? Like ha Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: g getting you giving you the jump start, potentially, and then giving you some guidance as to how to follow it through for life. And that's what it ultimately becomes. It's gotta be Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. Exactly. And for some people, this might have been a tool that they've always needed. They've just may not have had enough. And they've The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: been yo-yo dieting since as long as they can remember. So my The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: empathy goes out to the world of weight management. So I work with all different types of scenarios. And there are many people who are really doing an incredible job with their food and exercise pattern, but their body is more prone to weight gain than their peers. Right. So Some clients might eat a box of pizza, burn it off no problem within a couple of days. Others are holding on to it. So it's so important to look at the whole picture, a very kind of holistic approach is is this medically driven as well? And add-on menopause, add-on midlife c you know, layers, it just makes the The Midlife Pivot: Mm-hmm. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: weight manager journey even more complex and potentially challenging. The Midlife Pivot: let's talk about the dreaded midlife belly. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: Is there anything we can actually do nutritionally about decreasing abdominal fat? Or are women sometimes chasing promises that simply aren't realistic? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So I'm like the I came out of I was I think I was born a human cheerleader. So I think I have the positive side of that. The Midlife Pivot: Ha ha ha. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Where we could do something about that. So first and foremost, I do say let's actually start looking at what we call our waist circumference and even something called our visceral fat score. So if you buy a $30 body composition scale, it's not the most sophisticated technology, but it gives you a little bit of data. So I always say for women. We're looking at a visceral fat score of less than 10. And that's the fat that's around our major organs, just around our stomach region. So our pancreas, our liver. And so a score of less than 10 already means that we have less fat deposited around those organs. That's kind of the belly region. I even say work towards a score of less than five. That's like my long-term goal. But it takes time to remove fat that's been deposited more centrally. So first is let's kind of know what we're dealing with. What's our waist circumference? What's our visceral fat score? And then in terms of a plan that helps to target that area, I'm looking at increased heart rate cardio. I'm looking at carbs and what type of carbs we're eating and the portions when we're eating. I'm looking at our eating schedule. Are we eating enough all day? So there are very specific things I do recommend to focus on that area. But research has shown that that actually takes up to 12 weeks. To see reductions in that central region. the average person loses momentum after meeting with me, seven days. Seven days. So if we don't work at something for at least three months, you may not see that that level The Midlife Pivot: Right, right. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: of internal change in that area. So we're often giving up faster and feeling defeated faster. But again, turtle speed helps to do what we call a rebody composition. I was seeing Amanda. What what was your score? Yes. The Midlife Pivot: I did. So I looked at my score and actually so it's interestingly enough, my score for visceral fat is five. So so is that good? 'Cause it says you're below average. Okay, okay, so that so that is where I need to be. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Okay. That's fantastic. Yes. So 10 is like the yeah, 10 is the number in the literature as ideal. And many people who get on the scale say it there's a metabolic age and it tells you metabolically how old you are versus your biological age. The Midlife Pivot: It does, yes. Let's see what the metabolic age is. Okay, good. So my metabolic age, I'm very proud to say, is fifty-five. And I just had a birthday Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: There we go. The Midlife Pivot: on Monday and it was and I've turned fifty-seven. So Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah! And that's likely attributed to a lower visceral fat score. Because our body does not want The Midlife Pivot: Great. Okay. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: our weight to be deposited around our major organs. We want, we want fat mass. As women, we need fat mass for so many things: insulation The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: under our skin, hormone production, hormone, hormone movement. We need fat mass, but we don't need it necessarily around our organs. So I love that you already have that score. but now you're a bit more empowered. The Midlife Pivot: So tell me Alyssa though, that that re All right. Well, let's make this really practical. If you could build an ideal day of eating for a woman in midlife, not a rigid meal plan, but a framework, what might breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks look like? And you've answered that. I mean you've pretty much given us a a good overview. Well, I want to hear. Okay. huh. I love this. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Well, I also have this tool. This year is so Many people open their fridge and they're stuck. I don't know what to make. I'm bored of it all. I'm defeated. I'm tired. So it's called menu fatigue or just cooking fatigue. So this is when I bring in my plate. So I always say picture my face in your fridge with this plate The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: and think one, two, three. So there's one takeaway from today's conversation, it's my face in your fridge or pantry holding this plate. Okay. So The Midlife Pivot: And it's beautiful. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: basically half our plate should be at least two fistfuls of vegetables or fruit. A quarter of our plate should be protein, but the more the merrier. So, and plant and animal proteins to kind of build on that portfolio diet concept. So things like chicken and a lentil soup for dinner, or salad with tuna and almonds and hard-boiled eggs and chickpeas in that salad. and then this is the portion for things like starches or carbs, which is about a fistful. So everyone holds their fist in the air, and you can see The Midlife Pivot: Okay. Yeah, yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: your fist in relation to your body size, so it's proportional to your body. So this amount of things like potatoes or rice or pasta. So when I'm designing my meals and my snacks, I always use this plate and I'm making sure it's the one, two, three concept. You don't always need the starch, but you always need the protein and you always The Midlife Pivot: Firte. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: need the color. From vegetables and fruits. Yeah, so five of these a day, right? you can check The Midlife Pivot: I love that. I love that. my Yeah. Where can I buy one of those? And we Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: out my Amazon storefront on my website, okay? and you know, I think the key thing The Midlife Pivot: I love that. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: is just keeping it simple. So this plate, in addition to the schedule that we spoke about, the fueling eating schedule, this plate just simplifies everything. And I have all The Midlife Pivot: Fabulous. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: of this in my kitchen for myself, my kids. And my kids are learning as we're going. They know exactly The Midlife Pivot: Yes, yes, yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: how I'm serving them their food. Because if I give them The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: just a granola bar when they're home from school, do you think that they're hungry? Not even. There's no fiber. Some most granola The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: bars are low on fiber, low on protein. But if I do a granola bar and I add in some hard-boiled eggs or some Greek yogurt, I add some grapes, I add some cherries, there's a lot more balance to that plate, even as a even as a snack right after school. The Midlife Pivot: Right, right. Yeah, 100%. One thing we talk about a lot on this podcast is longevity, but also quality of life. How much difference can the way we eat in our 40s, 50s, and 60s make how we feel? and function in our seventies and eighties? Difficult question. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I love that. Yeah. So in terms of longevity, so I really go back to the Mediterranean eating pattern. So there was a major reduction in all cause mortality. so just really working with someone to see how you can layer in concepts from the Mediterranean eating pattern. to take it a bit more of a of an exaggerated example. So If it's something like a jarred marinara sauce, the Mediterranean pattern is really suggesting go homemade instead. Skip the packaged versions. Just kind of boil down your tomatoes, add onions, add some spices, and then you have your own homemade version. So packaged foods are accompanied by more preservatives, which cause more inflammation. So to really truly follow the Mediterranean pattern, it does require a bit more of a Of a of what principles you want to incorporate into your menu. I actually have a scoring tool on my website that I designed out of 10, how well are you following the Mediterranean pattern? So it's and then it gives you strategies on how to optimize your score. but the Mediterranean The Midlife Pivot: Brilliant. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: pattern would be one I would definitely turn to. and just really thinking about food that reduces inflammation. And so whole foods for sure. making sure that our overall food plan is not increasing cortisol and stress hormones. So as an example, if I'm really stressed about never having the pizza that I'm not allowed to have. So if I say no to my patients, what do you think they're now gonna think about when it comes to pizza? The pizza, right? So The Midlife Pivot: That's all they're gonna think about is pizza. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: yes, we could have the perfect whole food menu like the Mediterranean pattern suggesting. But also finding that balance and joy in the menu can help reduce that cortisol and that kind of that more neurological stress, the joy in the menu, having the pizza once in a while can also be a a part of that kind of pattern moving forward. but yeah, I think the key thing is to find the pattern that works for you, but layering in the Mediterranean kind of principles, but also finding the balance so you're not so Chronically worried and stressed. I will say too though, even though I work as a dietitian, I do a lot of lifestyle counseling, the latest guidelines are sedentary time is like the new smoking. So it's like the it's like my right. So the latest guidelines The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Tell me about it. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: on mortal reduction in mortality is is actually getting up every 30 to 60 minutes. So standing up for like, even if you're walking to the washroom, yes. The Midlife Pivot: And moving. Yeah. That's what I love. My watch. But my watch will say to me, get up and stand. You haven't been standing in you know in a while. And and that's Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. Yes. The Midlife Pivot: what I say to my mom. I just get up and go and work. It's my killer. I love T V and of course I'm at Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. Yes. The Midlife Pivot: home a lot with my husband. So what do you do? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: You go sit on an armchair, get hooked onto something, and you're there for two hours or three hours. Yeah. It's so vital. Yeah. That's true. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. But you also have to find the joy, right? So guilt, again, there's like that, yes, the Mediterranean pattern is linked to longevity, eating schedule, prioritizing protein, but then also the joy from like the fun plates and the meals need to be a part of it. From an exercise standpoint, we need to kind of chill on the couch and enjoy that, but find ways to embed these like little kind of tricks. So I always say every hour, The Midlife Pivot: Balance. Balance, balance, balance. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: so at one o'clock, two o'clock, three o'clock. Just stand up for a few minutes. so just kind of The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Go to the kitchen and get a glass of water. Like don't fill up your big, you know, bottle of water. But rather go to the kitchen, you know, and and get your glass of water. As opposed to just pulling, you know. Yeah, yeah. Little hacks. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Like little tricks, exactly. Little hacks that that need to be tailored to you. Yes. But I will say longevity and movement, daily movement. Cause I can go for a run in the morning, but sitting all day is what it what I'm more talking about. Exactly. So we want The Midlife Pivot: You're defeating, yeah. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: to be moving throughout the day as well. Just like we should be eating throughout the day, we should be moving throughout the day as well. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: We should be moving. And these are so think about it, it's quite practical. I mean, we should be doing that. There should be no reason Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah, yes. The Midlife Pivot: not to. All right, so for the woman listening who who does feel overwhelmed and things, I've eaten badly for years, so what's the point now? What would you tell her? Can making changes in midlife still have a meaningful impact? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Absolutely, yes. The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So I always say that when you think about menopause, in midlife, it's a head to toe thing to think about. Our brain is changing, we have brain fog, we're forgetting things, we're not sleeping as well, our heart needs some love, cardiovascular support, our body composition's changing. So it's a head to toe situation. And so as our body changes from head to toe. We can layer in so many, so many little small tweaks to support all of those cascade of changes. So sleep can get a little bit of love. Are we taking enough magnesium? You know, are we thinking about sleep hygiene and tools to support that? Right? Right? So like little things. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: You said to me about magnesium. Yeah. Yeah. That's become my go to now. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: So with this cascade of changes, there's a little insert for everything to support that. Whether we're treating it, whether we're preventing it, or whether we're just managing it. with a like right, so there's different entry points at all of these different health things to consider, but absolutely we can you can start anywhere. And knowledge is power. So once you kind of learn a little bit more, it's more empowering to now kind of make those tweaks. So no matter where you're at, there's always a way to kind of support the quality of your life and how you're feeling. even something called low bone mass. Previously known as osteopenia. That is something that we can reverse, right? So get me your bone dexa scan. Let's look at it together. Let's see what your T-scores are. Let's reverse it. It doesn't mean that it's game over and we need to advance into something like osteoporosis. So it's really about empowering yourself with this information to meet you where you're at and build on it. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: That's what I do. And I have all I have the arthritis doctor who sees me and every two Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm. The Midlife Pivot: years. They give me an infusion. And every time I'm getting better. So Yeah, they've done amazing. I mean that's why and that's why at 85 you look like exactly. And I keep telling you that. We have it, we have a running Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. Well, hello, look at Yes. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: joke on the podcast. I say that she's gonna be here till she's a hundred. So you know this this you know this is absolutely how we look. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: A hundred percent. A hundred percent for a hundred. The Midlife Pivot: 100 Exactly, exactly. Alright, ask Alyssa her final question. Okay, your final question at last. We ask our guests about their own midlife perspective. I recognize that you're still young and not quite at midlife, but what does the idea of a midlife pivot mean to you? And has the way you personally think about health, food, and aging changed as you've gotten older? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I'm in my forties. I'm in my forties. so I am, yeah, three children. But The Midlife Pivot: Really? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: a few years a I I showed my picture, I showed I showed my middle son a picture of him when I just had him six years ago. And he says, Mommy, who's who's that? I'm like, it's me, your mother. I'm like, I'm aging. You you you're all aging me. The Midlife Pivot: No no. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: But in terms of midlife and how I'm thinking about it, again, like just to reinforce is I think we're really hard on ourselves and I think that progress is so important over perfection. And so there's actually too much information out there. So I, you know, it actually can feel so overwhelming. So if you kind of go really slow and steady, pick an area you want to focus on one at a time. and just little small tweaks, not being perfect. I think that that will actually really like move you into a way better place than trying to kind of wait to do it all at once. So I would say don't wait any longer. find one little thing that you might want to kind of focus on. don't get too much information out there because again, that might be overwhelming and might it might kind of put you in that perfection zone. But I would say progress. Over perfection for any area of food, exercise, health area to kind of focus on. But so pick one thing and build on it. And you're probably doing a lot better than you realize. And so I always say give yourself The Midlife Pivot: Yeah, yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: a little bit more credit. yeah. The Midlife Pivot: I know, but you've inspired me enough. I can see where my fault is. My fault is movement. I've got to get up and go. Yeah. And that's the bottom yeah. And just do it in little stages. Yeah. Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, exact and so if that's one thing that stands out to you, yes. The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. And for everyone listening, you know, take that as you say, take that one thing you know, and figure out how you're going to move forward with just the one thing. And then once you've kind of gotten that you've progressed Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes. The Midlife Pivot: with that one thing, then you move on to the next thing. And it doesn't have to be perfect. But you've progressed through that and then you kind of move on to the next thing and then bringing in the protein. Maybe it's the movement first you look at and then you're bringing in your you know, your additional protein and then you're looking at your, you know, your three plate you know, thing that you have to look at. So absolutely. I mean the one, two, three concept. I love it. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: The one, two, three concept. And it's a it's a really nice message to tell yourself that you made it this far without being perfect, right? So you can like now pride yourself on I didn't have it all, I didn't have all the answers. I didn't wait until I had the perfect time to do anything. so I you know, I am definitely I'm managing three kids and full time work. I have a lot going on. So I'm not perfect, but I do little things to keep going. And that's kind of what I find The Midlife Pivot: You see the benefit. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: works for me. The Midlife Pivot: All right, now we're gonna get you. We're gonna wrap things up with doing we like Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: All right. The Midlife Pivot: to do this at the end of our show and just do a fun, quick, rapid fire. So we're gonna throw some questions, one-word answers, and just let you wrap it up with that. Okay, go ahead. Sweet or savory? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Sweet. Maybe both. The Midlife Pivot: Bre Breakfast every day or intermittent fasting? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Breakfast every day. The Midlife Pivot: One food you wish women would eat more. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Legumes, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans. The Midlife Pivot: One nutrition trend you wish would disappear. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Keto. Definitely a high risk for should I answer or quick fire? Yeah. Well The Midlife Pivot: Yeah, absolutely, absolutely. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: when I think keto, it's really seventy to eighty percent fat and most of that fat is saturated fat. So it can, if you stop keto, it can actually become more problematic from a cardiovascular cholesterol standpoint. The Midlife Pivot: Favourite healthy snack. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Ooh, edamami beans. The Midlife Pivot: Ooh. Coffee. Yes or no? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: yes. right now at the stage of my life, caffeine helps. My three-year-old creeps in at two in the morning. My six-year-old comes into bed at five in the morning. And so coffee is life for me right now. The Midlife Pivot: Right. Wine, worth it or skip it? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: But but pay attention to your bones after. So caffeine The Midlife Pivot: Really? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: decreases absorption of calcium. So as long as you're getting enough calcium in your menu, caffeine is okay. Yes, yes. The Midlife Pivot: Interesting. Interesting. Okay. I didn't know that. Mine is wine? Worth it or skip it? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Ooh, I would say it all depends on the person. and pay attention to your body. A lot of women midlife start to reject alcohol, it just doesn't sit well anymore. right? So I would The Midlife Pivot: Yeah, hundred percent. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: say, and for some people it's still a-okay. So I would The Midlife Pivot: Yeah. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: say go for what works for your body, but The Midlife Pivot: It depends on the person. Right. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: what I care about with alcohol is more your bone status. So alcohol is definitely a part of like the bone conversation. But also if we're managing our weight goals and wine or alcohol can kind of reduce those inhibition we we become more disinhibited to eat all the other fun stuff. The Midlife Pivot: Yes, yes, yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: I care more about the snacking after the wine than I do about the wine, if that makes sense. Yes, yes. The Midlife Pivot: 100% makes sense because that's exactly what happens to me. So I completely get that. All right. One thing women should have on their plate every day. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Ooh, color. So much color. We need we need vegetables and fruits. Loads of color all day. That's the antioxidants that helps to kind of reduce those free radicals, inflammation. So we need a lot more volume of vegetables and fruit. So with your fair life shake, we're gonna do some fresh strawberries. Okay, maybe The Midlife Pivot: Yes. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: some almonds for portfolio plant-based proteins, and then the fair life, well, the fair life protein shake. some berries and maybe a little bit more of the plant-based kind of protein as well. The Midlife Pivot: Okay. And what's one thing you do personally to stay healthy that has nothing to do with food? Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm. I also watch online TV. The Midlife Pivot: for you. Love it. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. I love a good, a good hopeless romantic TV show. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: Yes. I love it. I love it. All right. And then Alyssa finish this sentence. The healthiest version of me is Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Progress not perfection. Yes. Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: I love that. And what a way to wrap it up. What a loving person you're Goodness, you have given us such Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: thank you for having me. The Midlife Pivot: incredible valuable information. I knew everyone's gonna say to me, you say this about every guest, but I knew that you know bringing you on was going to be such a a huge asset to those folks watching. And I'm so thrilled that you gave us your time. I know you are a busy mom and you work full-time and you Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yes, thank you. The Midlife Pivot: have this. Incredible Instagram following and you've just inspired me in so many ways as I've been watching you over the last few months. I do have to give a huge shout out to our mutual friend David and Helen Walt, who Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Mm-hmm. The Midlife Pivot: said to me, You have to have Alyssa on your show. So Amanda, yeah you must publicize her. we will. I know she lives in Canada, but people can contact you and find out if they can meet with you, Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Amazing. Thank you so much. And even if you want just simple The Midlife Pivot: Thank you. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: recipes, healthyletter U.ca. That's kind of the main thing that you can find on Instagram or my website. And thank you so much for the promotion. I appreciate it. I love it. I love getting to know people The Midlife Pivot: Absolutely, and thank you. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: and helping them. So thank you for having me and doing what you're doing. The Midlife Pivot: This has been amazing. I think what I love is that I know that I'm doing something right. And sometimes it's you know, you always hear things that you think, my gosh, I wish I was doing and it's lovely to be validated. And I think that's what you've ended up doing today. You've given me validation that Doing things right, and clearly this is going to be this next. I said this next chapter of my life is going to be a healthier you, a healthier me. Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Yeah. The Midlife Pivot: So there we go, we're on the same page. Well, thank you, and everybody Alissa Steinberg RD CDE MHSc: Love it. The Midlife Pivot: listening. We really do hope that you have gotten so much out of today's chat and learned some things, heard some things that have validated you in your journeys moving forward. So we thank you so much for listening, tuning in, and make sure that you continue to follow us and Send us comments, send us likes, and if you want to reach out for Alyssa, I will have the information on all our social media platforms. So thank you so much for joining us and we will see you next time. Next time.