Midlife & Beyond with Jo Blackwell Jo Blackwell

Did you know that the methods you used when you felt the need to lose a few pounds in your twenties and thirties just stop working when you reach perimenopause? Why? Hormones.

This week I’m talking to weight loss expert, Dr Heather Awad about the fact that, as she puts it, “calories are not math at midlife.” We talk about the difference between adipose and and the more insidious visceral fat, and what we need to do reach and maintain a healthy weight in midlife and beyond. (Hint: this is not a diet plan!)

You can access Dr Awad’s free mini course for weight loss on her website: https://www.vibrant-md.com/

About Dr Heather Awad Heather Awad, MD is the founder and CEO of Vibrant Weight Loss Age 50+ where she helps professional women over age 50 lose weight for the last time through a virtual platform. She offers a simple system that saves them time and helps them achieve their health and weight loss goals. They discover how to say no to foods they don’t want without using willpower, and create an eating protocol that they will enjoy going forward so that their weight loss is permanent. Dr. Awad is also the host of the Vibrant-MD podcast where she talks about weight loss, women’s health, and food.

About the Midlife and Beyond Podcast Like all transitions, midlife can be messy and sad and glorious all at once, leaving many midlife women feeling rather alone and somewhat invisible. But what does this transition we are experiencing lead to?
I'm Jo Blackwell, a photographer, author and coach for women who want more from their lives post 50 and I'm here to remind you that if we manage our health and embrace it, growing older can lead to one of the greatest periods of growth and transformation of our lives.
The Midlife Movement was created to change minds about midlife and growing older, one story at a time. Because we only become invisible when when we stop seeing ourselves. email jo@joblackwell.co.uk to take part in the podcast or suggest guests.
See The Midlife & Beyond section of my website for more information and resources to help you navigate change with less stress and more joy! www.joblackwell.co.uk

Did you know that it’s now believed that 80% of chronic disease in later life can be prevented by what we do now in midlife? Me neither! That is an astonishing figure, one that prompted Dr Ferhat Uddin to add metabolic health assessment and improvement to her services at Liberty Health Clinic.
 
As she explains, midlife health isn’t just about hormones and she advocates that every woman should have a midlife health check that includes vitamin and mineral levels, cholesterol, blood pressure and triglyceride checks.
 
What we do with our health in midlife has huge ramifications down the line - as Ferhat says, your later self will thank your today self for making those changes!
 
You can find out more about getting your metabolic health on track on the Liberty Health Services website. Mention The Midlife Movement or the Midlife and Beyond Podcast with Jo Blackwell to receive a huge discount until 30th April 2024.
 
About Dr Ferhat Uddin
Ferhat is a GP, British Menopause Society accredited Menopause Specialist, and a member of the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine. She created Liberty Menopause Clinics to provide expert medical care for women in midlife. From helping women find the right type of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to treating nutritional deficiencies, at Liberty Health Ferhat treats every woman holistically.
 
About the Midlife and Beyond Podcast Like all transitions, midlife can be messy and sad and glorious all at once, leaving many midlife women feeling rather alone and somewhat invisible. But what does this transition we are experiencing lead to?
I'm Jo Blackwell, a photographer, author and coach for women who want more from their lives post 50 and I'm here to remind you that if we manage our health and embrace it, growing older can lead to one of the greatest periods of growth and transformation of our lives.
The Midlife Movement was created to change minds about midlife and growing older, one story at a time. Because we only become invisible when when we stop seeing ourselves. email jo@joblackwell.co.uk to take part in the podcast or suggest guests.
See The Midlife & Beyond section of my website for more information and resources to help you navigate change with less stress and more joy! www.joblackwell.co.uk

Award-winning British actress, director, producer and entrepreneur, Sharon Maughan developed health problems in 2009 due to a reaction to salicylates, known as salicylic overload. Suffering from symptoms including breathing problems, nasal polyps, eczema and incredibly sensitive skin, she had major surgery and was warned to make significant lifestyle changes, and drastically limit her salicylate intake or risk the condition returning within 6 months.
 
Salicylates’ common presence in cosmetics, food, cleaning products, perfume and more, means many others have also developed reactions and salicylate build up can affect sufferers with a varying spectrum of severity over time. Following her struggles, since 2012 she has been on a journey to develop a line of skincare products that can help to provide the solution. Using the best natural ingredients, Sharon has developed FaceWise, the go to for intelligent skincare.
 
In this conversation, Sharon shares a little of her life as an actress, her journey back to health and how she came to develop FaceWise with encouragement from friends.
 
Find out more about FaceWise intelligent skincare on Sharon’s website: https://facewiseskincare.com/
About the Midlife and Beyond Podcast Like all transitions, midlife can be messy and sad and glorious all at once, leaving many midlife women feeling rather alone and somewhat invisible. But what does this transition we are experiencing lead to?
 
I'm Jo Blackwell, a photographer, author and coach for women who want more from their lives post 50 and I'm here to remind you that if we manage our health and embrace it, growing older can lead to one of the greatest periods of growth and transformation of our lives.
The Midlife Movement was created to change minds about midlife and growing older, one story at a time. Because we only become invisible when when we stop seeing ourselves.

email jo@joblackwell.co.uk to take part in the podcast or suggest guests. 
See The Midlife & Beyond section of my website for more information and resources to help you navigate change with less stress and more joy! www.joblackwell.co.uk

Kim is a 60 year old mother of three who was diagnosed with MS 10 years ago and decided to ignore her then doctor's advice and muscle her way back to a happy life. Last year she became European Champion in Masters Weightlifting in her age and weight category. Her journey inspired her to leave her career in journalism in her 50s and become a health coach for middle aged women - with a big focus on reactivating and rebuilding muscle. Today, she helps women tap into an abundant source of vitality by reactivating and maintaining their muscles, while ditching diet culture conditioning to actually eat to nourish and flourish.
 
About the Midlife and Beyond Podcast Like all transitions, midlife can be messy and sad and glorious all at once, leaving many midlife women feeling rather alone and somewhat invisible. But what does this transition we are experiencing lead to?
I'm Jo Blackwell, a photographer, author and coach for women who want more from their lives post 50 and I'm here to remind you that if we manage our health and embrace it, growing older can lead to one of the greatest periods of growth and transformation of our lives.
The Midlife Movement was created to change minds about midlife and growing older, one story at a time. Because we only become invisible when when we stop seeing ourselves. email jo@joblackwell.co.uk to take part in the podcast or suggest guests.
See The Midlife & Beyond section of my website for more information and resources to help you navigate change with less stress and more joy! www.joblackwell.co.uk

Women are not simply small men - we often experience medical events differently to our male counterparts. This week I’m talking to Sam Palmer, about the risks and symptoms of heart attacks. Sam explained that once we lose the protection oestrogen provides, our risk of heart disease rises. Sam listed the risk factors:SmokingObesityHypertension (high blood pressure)Raised CholesterolElevated stress levelsPoor sleepSam runs an online fitness program for women in midlife and beyond (which I can personally recommend!) and advocates raising your heart rate for 20-30 minutes regularly AND practising restorative exercise, such as yoga to calm you down. Eat the rainbow - as many different and plentiful fruits and vegetables you can fit into your day - avoid excessive salt, saturated fats and processed foods as far as possible, but eat “good” fats like avocados and nuts and plenty of protein.

About Sam
Sam’s career started in the NHS where she qualified as a nurse eventually working as a Sister in NeoNatal Intensive Care. An award winning running coach, she underwent further training to help her clients, eventually founding Midlife Makeover. Find out about her online fitness membership here: https://www.midlifemakeover.co.uk/
 
About the Midlife and Beyond Podcast
Like all transitions, midlife can be messy and sad and glorious all at once, leaving many midlife women feeling rather alone and somewhat invisible. But what does this transition we are experiencing lead to? 
I'm Jo Blackwell, a photographer, author and coach for women who want more from their lives post 50 and I'm here to remind you that if we manage our health and embrace it, growing older can lead to one of the greatest periods of growth and transformation of our lives.
The Midlife Movement was created to change minds about midlife and growing older, one story at a time. Because we only become invisible when when we stop seeing ourselves. email jo@joblackwell.co.uk to take part in the podcast or suggest guests.
See The Midlife & Beyond section of my website for more information and resources to help you navigate change with less stress and more joy! www.joblackwell.co.uk

Did you watch the film, “Wild” where Reese Witherspoon played Cheryl Strayed? Did it make you think, I could hike in the American wilderness on my own! NO? Me neither! Today’s guest thought just that and was inspired to walk 2,600 miles alone in midlife.
 
In a wide ranging conversation, anonymous adventurer, Person Irresponsible, talks to me about her remarkable life. We discussed:
the impact of boarding school on a child’s developmentthe importance of role modelsthe impact of the film “Wild” on women hikersthe perceptions we have about threat and safetythe statistics around femicide - spoiler: statistically, we’re safer outside our own homes if we live with a partner or son)Hiking the Pacific Crest TrailSerenading a bear with the National AnthemHow the pandemic kept PI on the trailThe toll a through-hike of 2,600 miles takes on the middle-aged bodyThe impact of adventure on anxietyWhy most adventure presenters are maleI hope you enjoy this inspiring conversation as much as I did! And if you need a speaker on women and courage, or - better still - are looking for a presenter for an adventure series - look no further! 


About “Person Irresponsible” 
Adventurer, Academic, Author Britain’s most invisible middle-aged female adventurer. First person to quad bike around the UK, first woman to jetski around Scotland… read more in her books: Everywhere I didn’t want to go (but did anyway) https://amzn.to/4cnJsvk Everything you ever taught me https://amzn.to/3ISxcoR (About PI’s adventure on the PCT)

About the Midlife and Beyond Podcast Like all transitions, midlife can be messy and sad and glorious all at once, leaving many midlife women feeling rather alone and somewhat invisible. But what does this transition we are experiencing lead to?
 
I'm Jo Blackwell, a photographer, author and coach for women who want more from their lives post 50 and I'm here to remind you that if we manage our health and embrace it, growing older can lead to one of the greatest periods of growth and transformation of our lives.
The Midlife Movement was created to change minds about midlife and growing older, one story at a time. Because we only become invisible when when we stop seeing ourselves. email jo@joblackwell.co.uk to take part in the podcast or suggest guests.

See The Midlife & Beyond section of my website for more information and resources to help you navigate change with less stress and more joy! www.joblackwell.co.uk