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You Don’t Need to Be 30 Again—Here’s Why Midlife Is Your Power Era · My Sexy Menopause Body

• 0:01
  SPEAKER_01: Welcome to MySexy Menopause Body.
• 0:04
  SPEAKER_01: Not just a podcast, but a movement.
• 0:07
  SPEAKER_01: Menopause isn't something to dread.
• 0:09
  SPEAKER_01: It's something to own with strength, confidence, and yes, sexiness.
• 0:15
  SPEAKER_01: Because menopause doesn't mean fading into the background, it means stepping fully into who we are.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_01: And now here's your host, Kim Nicholson.
• 0:26
  SPEAKER_01: Let's get started.
• 0:45
  SPEAKER_00: We rewrite the script and take a fierce ownership of our changing bodies.
• 0:52
  SPEAKER_00: So on today's episode, it's a great one.
• 0:55
  SPEAKER_00: It's also a tender one, and yet it's a fiery one.
• 0:59
  SPEAKER_00: And it's going to stay with you.
• 1:01
  SPEAKER_00: So here's the truth we're sitting with right now.
• 1:05
  SPEAKER_00: You are not meant to become your 30-year-old self again.
• 1:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, when as a as a certified health coach, when I see people who come in and bring their before photos, I want to be that again.
• 1:19
  SPEAKER_00: It crushes me because you know what?
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: You don't realize it, or you perhaps you don't realize it now, but you are stepping into something better.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: You are stepping into your wisest, most powerful decade yet.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: So let's just breathe that in.
• 1:37
  SPEAKER_00: Let's get honest and let's stop chase chasing our youth like well, like at some freaking price.
• 1:43
  SPEAKER_00: Because spoiler alert, it's not.
• 1:46
  SPEAKER_00: So let's talk about first of all, what's happening to our body.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: So when we hit 50 or menopause and beyond menopause, you know, there are certain experiences that are real, and there is science behind the shifts.
• 2:02
  SPEAKER_00: So a few of the things that we've talked about before, but worth to highlight, is of course your estrogen drops.
• 2:09
  SPEAKER_00: It significantly drops during perimenopause and menopause.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: And so you will see a drop in estrogen of estrogen affecting your uh bone density, perhaps your skin elasticity.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: If you've noticed you get crepey-looking skin, uh, it'll also can affect brain clarity.
• 2:29
  SPEAKER_00: And of course, uh emotional regulation.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: Now then we've got progesterone, which I like to think of as the peacekeeper hormone.
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: It unfortunately it also declines, you know, and with it brings insomnia and anxiety and some mood swings, you know, and then of course we've got the uh testosterone.
• 2:53
  SPEAKER_00: And yes, even for us women, testosterone does support muscle mass, uh libido, and energy.
• 3:01
  SPEAKER_00: And uh yeah, again, it gets too quiet.
• 3:05
  SPEAKER_00: So when you are feeling foggy or heavy, or maybe like someone swapped your body in the middle of the night, you're not crazy.
• 3:17
  SPEAKER_00: You know what it is?
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: It's your hormonal rewiring.
• 3:21
  SPEAKER_00: And guess what?
• 3:22
  SPEAKER_00: You don't need to fix it, you just need to support it, and there are things that you can do to support it.
• 3:28
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know me, if you've listened to any of my podcasts before, I love a good reflective question.
• 3:35
  SPEAKER_00: So get off those journals, and here's your first question of the day.
• 3:40
  SPEAKER_00: So, what if instead of grieving your older body, your 30-year-old body, you began honoring the one you live in right now, as if it's your wisest teacher because it is.
• 3:58
  SPEAKER_00: That's a great one.
• 3:59
  SPEAKER_00: And then when you write your answer or you sit here and you think about it, remember the thoughts right now and remember them tomorrow and the next day and the next day, because honoring the body you live in now is going to carry you in a lot longer lifespan as well as it will be you will be happier and you'll be a lot more pleasant person to live with.
• 4:26
  SPEAKER_00: All right, so let's talk about, you know, the people who have this belief or this myth of wanting to return to their 30s or their early 40s.
• 4:36
  SPEAKER_00: So let's bust that myth that our peak body happened in our 20s and 30s.
• 4:42
  SPEAKER_00: Well, yeah, you may have had tighter skin.
• 4:46
  SPEAKER_00: And let's say that perhaps you were able to do have a lot more late-night stamina, but did you have the boundaries that you have now?
• 4:55
  SPEAKER_00: Probably not.
• 4:56
  SPEAKER_00: How about the self-respect?
• 4:59
  SPEAKER_00: How about the experiences that you've had from your 30s to where you are right now?
• 5:05
  SPEAKER_00: Would you trade any of those?
• 5:07
  SPEAKER_00: Suppose if they were bad, you probably would, but for your all your good experiences, no.
• 5:11
  SPEAKER_00: So that version of you was still in the learning process.
• 5:16
  SPEAKER_00: She needed to prove.
• 5:18
  SPEAKER_00: She needed to prove that this version of you is a very rooted version now.
• 5:23
  SPEAKER_00: So we don't really want to rewind, we just want to take this life and elevate it.
• 5:30
  SPEAKER_00: So remember, health is not measured in those bikini photos or those small pant sizes that we used to wear.
• 5:40
  SPEAKER_00: It's measured in things such as your ability to walk without joint pain.
• 5:46
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, come on, who doesn't want that?
• 5:48
  SPEAKER_00: Or how about when your hormone labs show that you've got balance?
• 5:53
  SPEAKER_00: That's a beautiful thing.
• 5:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, our life just changes, it shifts.
• 5:58
  SPEAKER_00: Or your libido not being muted by stress or by shame, and your sleep being deep and restoring.
• 6:06
  SPEAKER_00: Oh, love those.
• 6:08
  SPEAKER_00: Love those days.
• 6:09
  SPEAKER_00: But I am able to get those back now.
• 6:11
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm going to share some tips and advice on how to get that back.
• 6:15
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and of course, uh another thing is to the ability that you now have to say no without guilt.
• 6:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's amazing how easy it is to say that these days.
• 6:25
  SPEAKER_00: You know, back when I was in my 30s, it was difficult to say.
• 6:28
  SPEAKER_00: I said yes to everybody.
• 6:30
  SPEAKER_00: So, this, these things are the new sexy.
• 6:35
  SPEAKER_00: Strength without apology, stillness without guilt, and pleasure without permission.
• 6:43
  SPEAKER_00: So, let's talk about a couple truths to ground you in this new version of you.
• 6:51
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, let's talk about eating.
• 6:53
  SPEAKER_00: So, how about eat for wisdom and not for weight?
• 6:56
  SPEAKER_00: How about if you focus on your blood sugar balance?
• 7:00
  SPEAKER_00: You know, by adding protein or being aware of fiber at every meal of how much you're consuming or not consuming?
• 7:07
  SPEAKER_00: How about supporting your liver?
• 7:09
  SPEAKER_00: You know, your liver detoxifies as used hormones.
• 7:13
  SPEAKER_00: So let's think about leafy greens or cruciferous vegetables or even something like simple as lemon water to sit throughout your day.
• 7:21
  SPEAKER_00: And I'm hoping you're bringing in some healthy fats into your diet too, like your olive oils, your avocado, flax, because you know what, your hormones do need them.
• 7:32
  SPEAKER_00: And one thing that I hope you're le letting go of the past uh is those extreme diets that we used to have in our 20s and 30s.
• 7:41
  SPEAKER_00: I joked one time in my lifetime that my diet was a tic-tac and a bottle of water.
• 7:46
  SPEAKER_00: I wasn't serious, but I did like to say that.
• 7:50
  SPEAKER_00: Anyway, avoiding those extreme diets.
• 7:52
  SPEAKER_00: We know they're harmful to our body because starving your body now actually does trigger stress and it doesn't trigger strength.
• 8:01
  SPEAKER_00: And how about exercising?
• 8:02
  SPEAKER_00: Talking about that, how about how about if we train like a queen and not a competitor?
• 8:09
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, who wasn't competitive in their 20s and 30s?
• 8:13
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's we all were.
• 8:15
  SPEAKER_00: I know you know what I'm talking about.
• 8:18
  SPEAKER_00: But guess what?
• 8:20
  SPEAKER_00: Muscle is medicine after 50.
• 8:23
  SPEAKER_00: After that's so true.
• 8:25
  SPEAKER_00: After 50 years old, or actually it can even start in your 40s, so I'm not just saying just 50s, it happens in your 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, and 90s.
• 8:34
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, when you focus on building muscle, it boosts your metabolism.
• 8:40
  SPEAKER_00: And another, I guess, bonus is that it does help stabilize joints.
• 8:46
  SPEAKER_00: And something that to me is so important is it supports great posture.
• 8:52
  SPEAKER_00: I mean, women in their 70s, 80s, and 90s that have great posture look 20 to 30 years younger.
• 8:59
  SPEAKER_00: So muscle is medicine.
• 9:03
  SPEAKER_00: Um, and strength training, you know, wrap your head around strength training, two to three strength sessions a week.
• 9:10
  SPEAKER_00: That can help you rebuild the muscle that you've lost during menopause and walking.
• 9:15
  SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, I can't say enough good things about daily walking.
• 9:19
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it lowers your cortisol levels and it supports longevity.
• 9:23
  SPEAKER_00: If you look at any of those studies that about the people, the centenarians who live in those blue zones, what do you think they do for exercise?
• 9:32
  SPEAKER_00: They all exercise, they all have movement, but they're not going to orange theory.
• 9:36
  SPEAKER_00: You know what they're doing?
• 9:37
  SPEAKER_00: They're walking.
• 9:38
  SPEAKER_00: They're walking or they're swimming.
• 9:40
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, get over ourselves.
• 9:43
  SPEAKER_00: We're not out there training to compete anymore.
• 9:46
  SPEAKER_00: You're basically training to stay sovereign and healthy and increase and have a wonderful long life.
• 9:54
  SPEAKER_00: Now, I touched on this one already, but it's one that I have really been paying attention to for myself.
• 10:01
  SPEAKER_00: And that is I am protecting my sleep like it's something sacred.
• 10:08
  SPEAKER_00: You know, whether it's magnesium glycinate that I take before bed or the blackout curtains that I have.
• 10:15
  SPEAKER_00: A couple of other things that you can do is, you know, to have a no-screen, you know, rule after a certain period of time.
• 10:21
  SPEAKER_00: Like for me, it's like eight o'clock.
• 10:23
  SPEAKER_00: Stop eating around six or seven.
• 10:25
  SPEAKER_00: These can be game changers to you because sleep does help re-reset your cortisol levels.
• 10:31
  SPEAKER_00: And you know what?
• 10:32
  SPEAKER_00: Another thing sleep does, it regulates your hunger hormones.
• 10:36
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, get over the 30-year-old thought when you used to say, Oh, I'll sleep when I'm dead energy.
• 10:42
  SPEAKER_00: Because guess what?
• 10:43
  SPEAKER_00: Sleep is a healing tool, and it will make a difference in your life.
• 10:49
  SPEAKER_00: Now, another tip that I have for you is to prioritize your nervous system, peace, and quiet.
• 10:56
  SPEAKER_00: Chronic stress.
• 10:58
  SPEAKER_00: Do you know chronic stress actually accelerates the aging process?
• 11:03
  SPEAKER_00: It taxes your adrenals, it derails your hormone.
• 11:07
  SPEAKER_00: So, one thing that I works for me, I I pass this on to every client.
• 11:12
  SPEAKER_00: I actually pack pass it on to strangers too, is uh box breathing.
• 11:17
  SPEAKER_00: And basically it's a very simple four by four by four method.
• 11:21
  SPEAKER_00: And um basically it's you inhale for a count of four, you hold that breath for four, and then you slowly release that breath for four, and you repeat it.
• 11:34
  SPEAKER_00: I've done it up to like five minutes before.
• 11:37
  SPEAKER_00: No, I didn't pass out, I was stuck in traffic and I was very angry, and that was one way to help me feel better and to reduce my cortisol levels.
• 11:47
  SPEAKER_00: So breathing.
• 11:48
  SPEAKER_00: No, yeah, you can do a 4, 7, 8, you can do any kind of pattern that you want to, whatever's easier for you to remember.
• 11:55
  SPEAKER_00: But try it next time you're super stressed.
• 11:58
  SPEAKER_00: Or do a three-minute body scan before you go to bed.
• 12:01
  SPEAKER_00: So, you know, go outside, take a deeper breath of fresh air and go without your phone.
• 12:07
  SPEAKER_00: You know, we I want you to let calm be your superpower because it is, it's not your last resort.
• 12:15
  SPEAKER_00: And then one of the symptoms that I think is the number one symptom that shows up with menopause is um speaking to yourself with negative, I guess, thoughts or words.
• 12:27
  SPEAKER_00: You know, I if you speak to yourself like you're talking to your best friend or your children, um, you speak in a different way.
• 12:37
  SPEAKER_00: Why shouldn't we speak to ourselves that way?
• 12:40
  SPEAKER_00: So if you're speaking to yourself with negative comments like, oh, I'm too old, or my body hurts, or I don't need to do this.
• 12:46
  SPEAKER_00: People like, you know, people don't do this at my age.
• 12:49
  SPEAKER_00: Stop it.
• 12:50
  SPEAKER_00: So say something like this out loud when you catch yourself.
• 12:53
  SPEAKER_00: Say something like, oh geez, um, I don't know, I trust my body or I honor my wisdom, and I'm gonna release the comparison of who I was when I was in my 30s.
• 13:04
  SPEAKER_00: Because guess what?
• 13:06
  SPEAKER_00: Your cells are listening to you.
• 13:10
  SPEAKER_00: So try this little daily ritual.
• 13:13
  SPEAKER_00: Every morning, ask yourself, how can I care for myself today?
• 13:18
  SPEAKER_00: And maybe something is just, you know, flipping the script, you know, next time you catch yourself going, well, oh, my skin is so creepy.
• 13:25
  SPEAKER_00: Why don't you just say, you know, I honor the skin?
• 13:27
  SPEAKER_00: Look at the skin, look what it's gone through.
• 13:30
  SPEAKER_00: Sun damage, pimples, you know, burns, you name it.
• 13:35
  SPEAKER_00: You know, it's been through a lot.
• 13:36
  SPEAKER_00: So flip the script on some of your negative thoughts.
• 13:40
  SPEAKER_00: So it's not about your past self, remember, and it's not about your fantasy self.
• 13:46
  SPEAKER_00: It's about the one who is here right now for you, right now that's wise and ready to go.
• 13:52
  SPEAKER_00: So creating it's kind of like a, I don't know, a sacred shift.
• 13:56
  SPEAKER_00: Because you know what?
• 13:57
  SPEAKER_00: Aging isn't a crisis, it's a curriculum.
• 14:00
  SPEAKER_00: And you, my dear, are passing with flying colors.
• 14:04
  SPEAKER_00: Not because you've hacked it, but because you've shown up.
• 14:06
  SPEAKER_00: So let this be your mantra.
• 14:09
  SPEAKER_00: Uh, something like, uh, I am not a before and an after story.
• 14:14
  SPEAKER_00: How about I am a living, breathing work of art, ever evolving?
• 14:19
  SPEAKER_00: I do not chase youth.
• 14:21
  SPEAKER_00: I am body power.
• 14:23
  SPEAKER_00: So, what would it look like to you for you to partner with your body instead of you know policing it?
• 14:29
  SPEAKER_00: Say it again.
• 14:30
  SPEAKER_00: Let it settle.
• 14:31
  SPEAKER_00: Let this be the season you stop micromanaging your skin and your scale and your softness and start living in partnership with the most loyal, miraculous vessel you'll ever know.
• 14:42
  SPEAKER_00: It's your body.
• 14:43
  SPEAKER_00: So thank you for joining me today on this episode of My Sexy Menopause Body.
• 14:48
  SPEAKER_00: And if this episode moved you, pass it on.
• 14:51
  SPEAKER_00: Text it to a sister, send it to a therapist or a journal.
• 14:54
  SPEAKER_00: And remember, you are not here to fade.
• 14:57
  SPEAKER_00: You are here to flame.
• 15:07
  SPEAKER_01: It's a whole new beginning.
• 15:09
  SPEAKER_01: This is your time to own your power.
• 15:12
  SPEAKER_01: Rewrite the rules and show up unapologetically.
• 15:16
  SPEAKER_01: Because sexy doesn't expire.
• 15:19
  SPEAKER_01: You define it.