The Midlife Mom Edit: Redefining Health & Wellness Over 40

Hosted by Ashley Malik | Insights inspired by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Mel Robbins, and Stacy London

Are you a mom in your 40s or beyond, watching your body change in ways you didn't expect and can't quite explain? The weight creeping up despite doing everything right. Dragging through every day with exhaustion. The overwhelming amount of information online that leaves you more confused than when you started. You don't need more information. You need the right information, and someone to help you cut through the noise. The Midlife Mom Edit is the place to come when you're done with the overwhelm and ready for real answers. Each week, host Ashley Malik — women's health coach, certified life coach, and MSW — brings you actionable strategies on weight loss, mindset, strength training, anti-inflammatory nutrition, GLP-1s, and hormones. Everything that actually matters for feeling strong, healthy, and more vibrant than you have in years. After losing 65 pounds in perimenopause, healing her gut, surviving breast cancer, and helping countless women transform their health in midlife, Ashley knows that the women who feel the best over 40 aren't the ones who try harder. They're the ones who learn to think differently. This is your season. It's time to edit the story you've been telling yourself about midlife. To learn more and work with Ashley directly, visit ashleymalik.com.

  1. 4 days ago

    Your Back Up Plan: The Key To Midlife Weight Loss

    For every midlife woman who has built a solid weight loss plan, only to watch it fall apart the minute life got chaotic -- this episode is for you! You know how it feels...you quit, then feel like you have to start over from scratch. And during this time of year it can feel like you're getting a fresh start, but life doesn't really slow down when the kids go back to school. It just looks different. In this episode, I'm digging into something that most women skip when they're building a weight loss plan: the backup plan. Because a plan that only works under perfect conditions isn't really a plan. I walk through why our brains build plans around the best case scenario, why that sets us up to spiral when something goes wrong, and what to actually do about it so you stay consistent on your weight loss and health journey no matter what life throws at you. I'm also sharing a personal story from this summer involving a cyclospora outbreak, two of my go-to foods, and a very rude reminder that you cannot plan for everything. Plus, I'm talking about one of my clients, Cathy, who has been in one of those seasons where things just kept coming, one after another, and what staying in the game looked like for her. Inside This Episode - Why your brain builds plans around perfect conditions (and how that's actually working against you) - The one thought pattern that causes most women to quit when their plan gets derailed - What "non-negotiables" are and how to build them for both nutrition and movement - Why asking for help is not a weakness, and how to plan for it before you're already in crisis mode - How to stay in the game when life keeps piling on, even if progress is slower than you wanted Resources and Ways To Connect • FREE Guide: Five Easy Steps to Lose 1 lb a Week in Perimenopause • Work with Me inside the Perimenopause Weight Loss Method • Connect with me on Instagram

  2. 11 Aug

    How 40g Of Protein Helps You Lose Weight In Your 40s

    If you're trying to lose weight in your 40s and you can't make it to lunch without grabbing a snack, or you hit a wall of exhaustion every morning around 10:30, your breakfast is the reason. Not your willpower. Not your discipline. Your breakfast. In this episode, I am sharing the one rule that has changed the way my clients eat in the morning — and the way I eat every single day. It's simple, specific, and it works with your body in perimenopause, not against it. I call it the 40-gram breakfast rule, and by the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to use it and why it matters to your weight loss goals, and your life! Inside This Episode • Why your body responds completely different to breakfast in your 40s than it did in your 30s — and the hormone shift that changes everything • The surprising breakfast food that sent one of my clients into a spiral of cravings and low motivation (hint: it sounds healthy) • The exact formula I use to build my breakfast bowl every morning, including my current favorite ingredient • Why 40 grams of protein is what your body actually needs — and how to hit it without overthinking it • What Sharon noticed after just 4 days of eating this way (including one thing that surprised even her) • Four steps to make this work starting tomorrow morning, even on the busiest weekday Resources and Ways To Connect • FREE Guide: Five Easy Steps to Lose 1 lb a Week in Perimenopause • Work with Me inside the Perimenopause Weight Loss Method • Connect with me on Instagram

  3. 4 Aug

    Women Who Keep It Off: How They Think

    What’s so special and unique about the women who lose weight and actually keep it off? There you are…you keep trying new plans. New recipes. New meal strategies. New gym memberships. And somehow, nothing sticks. SO frustrating, right? In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain to show you what I teach from day one inside The Perimenopause Weight Loss Method. Spoiler alert: it has nothing to do with food. The women who lose weight in perimenopause and actually keep it off aren't following a different plan than you. They're thinking differently. Specifically, they've learned to stop letting their thoughts drive them away from their goals, and started using their thoughts to build the identity of the woman they want to become. If you've ever said 'I just can't stay consistent' or 'nothing works for me' or 'I just don't care anymore,' this episode is for you. Inside This Episode Why your brain keeps defaulting to a new tactic when things aren't working — and what it's actually trying to protect you from4 thoughts I hear most from women who are stuck, and why each one is keeping you exactly where you areWhat the women who successfully keep the weight off have in common — (hint: it's not motivation or discipline)The identity shift that makes workouts feel non-negotiable instead of optionalThree things you can start doing right now to change the way you think about your weight loss journey Resources and Ways To Connect Learn more about the Perimenopause Weight Loss MethodGet started with safe, medically-supervised GLP-1s hereConnect on Instagram

  4. 28 Jul

    10 Lessons About Midlife Weight Loss (Celebrating 100 Episodes!)

    This is the 100th episode of The Family Fork, and I'm celebrating the only way I know how: by handing you 10 lessons the last 100 episodes have taught me, (or confirmed for me), about weight loss in midlife. Not your run-of-the-mill advice, and one lesson may even make you a little uncomfortable. But all 10 are lessons I stand behind completely. Getting to episode 100 was not a smooth, easy road. I built this show around a full client schedule, raising my kids, a marriage and household that needed me just as much as this podcast did, constant travel, and a stretch of breast cancer treatment that tested whether I could actually keep my promise to show up every week. I never missed an episode, because I wanted to keep showing up for you. In this episode, I'm walking you through the ten most impactful lessons from 100 episodes of conversations with listeners like you. Inside This Episode Why the scale is a bad measure of weight loss progress, and three things to track insteadWhy "I don't have time" is never actually about timeHow your determination to be right can be the exact thing keeping you stuckWhy healthy eating feels miserable, and what makes it better insteadWhat I've learned firsthand about GLP-1s as a tool, not a shortcutA vulnerable conversation about body image and intimacyWhy a mindset-first approach changes far more than just your body Resources and Ways to Connect More info on the Perimenopause Weight Loss Method hereGet more info about GLP-1st for perimenopause weight loss hereConnect on Instagram

  5. 14 Jul

    It's Not Perimenopause: The 3 Stories Sabotaging Your Summer (Best Of Summer 2026)

    I'm turning up the volume with this highly-downloaded series -- the best-of episodes that are filled with everything you need to have more fun, spend less time in the kitchen, and still reach your weight loss goals this summer. You can have the workout plan, the meal plan, and the perfectly time-blocked calendar, and still not have the summer you want. This episode is about the one piece that actually determines whether all of that works: how you think. In this episode, I break down the three stories that quietly sabotage summer goals: time, progress, and desire. I'll walk you through exactly what each one sounds like in your head, the feeling underneath it (frustration, shame, or the fear of not belonging), and why that feeling is what actually drives the choice you make next. Once you can name the feeling, you can catch it before it talks you out of the thing you actually want. This episode ties together everything from the rest of the Summer Success Series. The workouts, the meals, and the calendar only work if the thinking behind them is working too. Inside This Episode Why your circumstance isn't actually what determines your summerThe three stories behind almost every summer goal that falls apartWhy “I don't have time” is rarely about timeHow shame and embarrassment about “lack of progress” shut down your brain's ability to problem-solveWhy the fear of feeling left out at a barbecue or on vacation is really about belongingA simple exercise to catch the feeling behind a thought before it leads to a choice you don't want Resources and Ways To Connect Get started with a plan to kick-start weight loss today. Grab it here!Work with Me, learn more here.Connect on Instagram

  6. 7 Jul

    How to Time Block Your Summer for Better Health (Best Of Summer 2026)

    I'm turning up the volume with this highly-downloaded series -- the best-of episodes that are filled with everything you need to have more fun, spend less time in the kitchen, and still reach your weight loss goals this summer.  If you're feeling the chaos of summer, and if your calendar feels unpredictable, this episode is your sign to get it locked in. Here’s exactly how to time block your summer so there’s room for fun, food, movement, and rest, all at the same time. In this episode, I’m walking you through the system I’ve used for years to keep our family on track all summer long, without letting the chaos of summer schedules wreck our nutrition or our energy.  I’m covering the two tools I rely on (one digital, one that lives on the fridge), and exactly what to put on your calendar so that movement, meal planning, grocery shopping, cooking, and snacks all have a home before the season gets away from you. Inside This Episode The one scheduling move that guarantees you’ll actually have time for the fun stuff this summerWhy a shared family calendar changes communication with your spouse and kids overnightThe exact two days of the week to put meal planning on your calendar (and why timing matters)How to build a 10-minute emergency meal plan so summer chaos never sends you to fast foodWhy planning actually creates more flexibility, not less Resources and Ways To Connect My favorite workouts for summerSummer snack ideas for you and your familyFast and easy meals with the Supper Club (including the Oh, Sh*t Meal Planner)Get at-home workouts for just $99/month!Connect on Instagram

  7. 30 Jun

    Eat Anti-Inflammatory All Summer, Even on Vacation (And Why It Matters) (Best Of Summer 2026)

    I'm turning up the volume with this highly-downloaded series -- the best-of episodes that are filled with everything you need to have more fun, spend less time in the kitchen, and still reach your weight loss goals this summer.  It’s 95 degrees, you're picking up the kids from camp in 20 minutes, and you have no plan for dinner. Welcome to summer. Here’s how to keep eating anti-inflammatory without losing your mind — or your evenings. In this episode of the Summer Success Series, I’m walking you through exactly how to keep your family eating well when your schedule feels like chaos. Vacations, road trips, hot kitchens, kids signed up for fifteen different activities — summer throws a wrench into your mealtime routine! I’m giving you the real, practical roadmap: travel snacks that actually hold up, how to stock the hotel fridge, how to make dinner feel fun instead of like a chore, and why “eating healthy” does not mean kale salads and deprivation. You can absolutely have barbecue chicken and popsicles and still stay anti-inflammatory. I’m also talking about why this even matters in the summer months (hint: you need the energy for everything you’ve got planned!) Plus, the easiest ways to keep your family on board without you being stuck doing all the cooking. What You’ll Learn The travel snack combo that beats airport junk food every time (and goes straight through TSA)Why a hotel mini-fridge is the most underrated vacation hack for staying on trackThe two words to say at restaurants that instantly cut the bloat before it startsHow to turn a regular Tuesday dinner into something your kids actually look forward toThe $10 grill hack that gets dinner done in under ten minutesWhy "food on a stick" might be the most powerful parenting tool you'll use this summer Resources and Ways To Connect Learn more about the Supper ClubStart for FREE with the Perimenopause Weight Loss GuideGrab this FREE guide with over 50 snack ideasConnect on Instagram

About

Are you a mom in your 40s or beyond, watching your body change in ways you didn't expect and can't quite explain? The weight creeping up despite doing everything right. Dragging through every day with exhaustion. The overwhelming amount of information online that leaves you more confused than when you started. You don't need more information. You need the right information, and someone to help you cut through the noise. The Midlife Mom Edit is the place to come when you're done with the overwhelm and ready for real answers. Each week, host Ashley Malik — women's health coach, certified life coach, and MSW — brings you actionable strategies on weight loss, mindset, strength training, anti-inflammatory nutrition, GLP-1s, and hormones. Everything that actually matters for feeling strong, healthy, and more vibrant than you have in years. After losing 65 pounds in perimenopause, healing her gut, surviving breast cancer, and helping countless women transform their health in midlife, Ashley knows that the women who feel the best over 40 aren't the ones who try harder. They're the ones who learn to think differently. This is your season. It's time to edit the story you've been telling yourself about midlife. To learn more and work with Ashley directly, visit ashleymalik.com.

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