The Forties Formula | Perimenopause, Lifestyle & Health for Women Over 40

Amanda Lim & Jasmin Dhillon
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Self-Improvement
  • Updated Weekly

The Forties Formula is a weekly podcast on perimenopause, menopause, hormones, and health for women in their 40s — covering weight loss, sleep, low libido, ADHD, burnout, longevity and the body changes no one explains. Award-winning: Best Health & Wellness Podcast in Asia 2025, Podcast of Impact at The Makers & Shapers Awards 2026, and featured by CNA as one of Singapore's best podcasts for women. We blend science, soul, and a little bit of sass to help you thrive in your forties and beyond. Meet your hosts: Jasmin Dhillon — health strategist at Eat with Jasmin, mum of three boys, and forever curious about what it really takes to feel good in this season of life. Amanda Lim — metabolic health coach, director at LIFT Clinic, and mom to three littles, here to help you ditch the fluff and get real about kicking a*s in your forties. Free Resource for Women in Their 40s Join our wonderful community of women and receive our weekly newsletter Forty Tude! https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/ Receive a free wellness guide as a thank you.

  1. 6h ago ·  Bonus

    Why Doctors Are Finally Renaming PCOS (And What It Means for You)

    In this episode of The Forties Formula, Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim are joined by women's health physician Dr Sital Khistrya to unpack one of the biggest changes in women's health in decades: the proposed renaming of PCOS to PMOS (Poly-Endocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome). Why does this matter? Because experts now believe we've been treating PCOS as an ovarian condition when it's actually a lifelong metabolic disorder driven primarily by insulin resistance. This shift has huge implications for diagnosis, fertility, pregnancy, perimenopause, menopause, cardiovascular health, and how millions of women are treated around the world. Whether you've been diagnosed with PCOS, suspect you have insulin resistance, or simply want to better understand your metabolic health, this episode is essential listening. In this episode, we discuss: • Why experts are renaming PCOS to PMOS—and why it matters • Why insulin resistance sits at the centre of the condition • The biggest myths about "ovarian cysts" and fertility • Why symptoms often change throughout life—from puberty to menopause • How PMOS presents differently in South Asian, East Asian, Black and Hispanic women Chapters: 0:00 Ethnic Variations in PCOS Diagnosis 1:31 Hidden Symptoms Across Diverse Populations 3:53 The Role of Skin Markers in Diagnosis 5:31 PCOS During the Perimenopause Transition Full episode link here: Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/in/podcast/why-pcos-gets-worse-during-perimenopause-doctor-explains/id1724267923?i=1000776976873&l=ta Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3x02ItjBiA1EnoMtVzX5hD?si=NGrdWqvQRFCIsiU8hlNEUA About your hosts: Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach helping women in their 40s navigate gut health, hormones and nutrition. https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin/ Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach focused on helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health. https://www.instagram.com/coachamanda/ Support the podcast: You can also support the show by Buying Us a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefortiesformula Thank you to our sponsors: For Youth Support your skin, sleep, recovery and longevity with the Special Forces Formula bundle. Use code TF35 for up to 35% off storewide. www.foryouth.co/go/the-forties-formula-system Cozy Earth Use code TFF for up to 31% off https://cozyearth.com Love Indus Use code TFF for 21% off. https://loveindus.com Keywords: PMOS, PCOS, polycystic ovary syndrome, insulin resistance, metabolic health, women's hormones, perimenopause, menopause, fertility, infertility, women's health, strength training, muscle mass, diabetes prevention, metabolic syndrome, GLP-1, metformin, inositol, acne, irregular periods, cardiovascular disease, South Asian health, hormonal health, reproductive health, The Forties Formula podcast, India, Indian Women, PCOS RECOVERY, PCOS INDIA, PERIOD HEALTH

    Why Doctors Are Finally Renaming PCOS (And What It Means for You)

  2. 4d ago

    Perimenopause in Ethnic Minorities: Why Symptoms Are Missed | The Forties Formula

    Perimenopause symptoms often present differently in Black, South Asian and East Asian women. South Asian women typically reach menopause between 46 and 48, compared with 50 to 51 in Caucasian women, meaning symptoms can begin in the mid-thirties. Symptoms are more likely to appear as joint pain, body aches, anxiety, insomnia, vaginal dryness and recurrent UTIs rather than hot flushes. Black women in the UK are approximately five times less likely to be prescribed HRT. In this episode of The Forties Formula, Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim sit down with Dr Shahzadi Harper to explore how perimenopause affects women differently across ethnicities, and why that matters for diagnosis, treatment and long-term health. They cover why perimenopause can start earlier than most women realise, the higher baseline cardiovascular, metabolic and bone density risks carried by South Asian and Black women, and why East Asian women are wrongly assumed to sail through menopause symptom free. Dr Harper shares her own perimenopause story, including brain fog, fatigue and joint pain with no hot flushes at all, and why she chose HRT and testosterone. The conversation moves into GLP-1s and metabolic health, how to advocate for yourself when a doctor dismisses you, what to do if you cannot or do not want to take HRT, and why common symptoms should never be accepted as normal. Finally, Dr Harper shares her Forties Formula: put yourself first. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why perimenopause is misunderstood 01:53 An ethnic minority lens 06:06 Do clinicians know? 08:02 The hardest stage 13:54 Dr Harper's own story 16:06 Why she chose HRT 17:44 GLP-1s and perimenopause 21:19 Stress, caring and weight 25:58 Metabolic and heart risk 30:57 Access and awareness 33:13 Advocating for yourself 36:23 The many symptoms 40:47 If you can't take HRT 47:38 Stop white-knuckling it 49:16 Relationships and identity 51:32 Her Forties Formula FREE DOCTOR SCRIPT Feel dismissed at your appointment? We have created a free script with exactly what to say and which tests to ask for. https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/script ABOUT OUR GUEST Dr Shahzadi Harper is a GP of over 20 years and founder of The Harper Clinic on Harley Street, specialising in women's health, perimenopause and menopause. ABOUT YOUR HOSTS Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach helping women in their 40s navigate gut health, hormones and nutrition. https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin/ Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach focused on helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health. https://www.instagram.com/coachamanda/ SUPPORT THE PODCAST Subscribe and share this episode with a woman who needs more support through perimenopause. You can also buy us a coffee: https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/products/buy-us-a-coffee OUR SPONSORS Love Indus. Code TFF for 21% off. https://loveindus.com Perimenopause symptoms, perimenopause symptoms age 40, symptoms of perimenopause, perimenopause treatment, perimenopause anxiety, HRT, menopause age by ethnicity, women's health, midlife health.

    Perimenopause in Ethnic Minorities: Why Symptoms Are Missed | The Forties Formula

  3. Sep 7 ·  Bonus

    Homeschooling Pushed Me to My Breaking Point | The Forties Formula In Focus

    Have you ever wondered why something so small can suddenly push you over the edge? In this clip from The Forties Formula, psychotherapist and bestselling author Anna Mathur explains the crucial difference between anger and rage and why understanding it can completely change how you respond to overwhelming emotions. She shares why rage isn't a personality flaw, what it's really trying to communicate, and how recognising the warning signs can help you avoid reaching breaking point. If you've ever thought, "I don't know why I reacted like that," this conversation will help you understand what's happening beneath the surface. 🎧 Watch the full episode for more on perimenopause, emotional burnout, the invisible mental load, repairing relationships after conflict, and practical ways to stop snapping at the people you love. About your hosts: Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach helping women in their 40s navigate gut health, hormones and nutrition. https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach focused on helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health. https://www.instagram.com/coachamanda About the guest: Anna Mathur is a psychotherapist, bestselling author, speaker, and host of The Therapy Edit podcast. She helps people navigate emotional wellbeing with practical, compassionate tools for everyday life. https://www.instagram.com/annamathur Support the podcast: If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe and share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. You can also support the show by Buying Us a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/thefortiesformula Our sponsors: Love Indus Use code TFF for 21% off. https://loveindus.com #TheFortiesFormula #AnnaMathur #Perimenopause #WomensMentalHealth #EmotionalRegulation #Anger #Burnout #MentalLoad #MidlifeWomen #Therapy

    Homeschooling Pushed Me to My Breaking Point | The Forties Formula In Focus

  4. Sep 2

    Aqua Fitness Is Not Just for Rehab: Why You Need It Now | The Forties Formula

    In this episode of The Forties Formula, Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim sit down with Malissa Sander, founder of Aqua Tula, to challenge the idea that women in their 40s need to train harder to stay fit. Malissa shares her journey from childhood anorexia and an unhealthy relationship with exercise to rebuilding her body through water-based fitness and strength training. After losing muscle, suffering injuries and developing osteoporosis, she learned to approach movement differently, prioritising strength, recovery and a sustainable relationship with her body. The conversation explores why the “push harder” approach can be counterproductive in midlife, and why Malissa’s Three Ws; weights, water and walking form the foundation of her approach. Chapters: 00:00 Malissa’s story: from anorexia to strength 03:06 Anorexia, perfectionism and body image 04:47 When exercise pushed her body too far 05:19 Rebuilding through water and weights 07:21 Discovering aqua and strength training 09:52 The Three Ws: weights, water and walking 11:22 Combining water, mobility, cardio and strength 12:57 The biggest myths about aqua fitness 13:59 Blue Mind Theory and the brain on water 14:36 Why hard training can feel easier in the pool 15:30 Building community through movement 17:19 Aqua Tula as an adaptable fitness system 18:21 The calling behind Aqua Tula 19:51 How the Aqua Tula method was created 20:21 What does “Aqua Tula” mean? 20:39 What to expect in your first class 22:03 Who can benefit from aqua fitness? 23:24 Is aqua fitness for men too? 24:41 Pregnancy, postpartum and C-section recovery 25:48 Exercise and postpartum depression 29:40 Do you need to know how to swim? 31:10 Body confidence and getting into the pool 32:36 Reconnecting with your body through movement 34:48 Hot or Hype 37:04 Where to find Aqua Tula 37:23 Malissa’s 40s Formula About the guest: Malissa Sander is the founder of Aqua Tula, a boutique water-based fitness method combining HIIT, strength, mobility and flexibility — designed for all ages and fitness levels. Based in Singapore, Malissa has trained a community of over 450 women and works with everyone from perimenopausal women managing joint pain and inflammation, to pre and postnatal clients, to elite athletes. Her method is built on the belief that exercise does not have to be painful to be effective. Follow Malissa on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aqua.tula/reels Find out more and book a class: https://www.aquatula.com About your hosts Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach helping women in their 40s navigate gut health, hormones and nutrition. https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin/ Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach focused on helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health. https://www.instagram.com/coachamanda/ Support the podcast If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe and share this episode with someone navigating a major life transition or learning to let go of a version of themselves. You can also support the show by Buying Us a Coffee: https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/products/buy-us-a-coffee

    Aqua Fitness Is Not Just for Rehab: Why You Need It Now | The Forties Formula

  5. Aug 30 ·  Bonus

    Perimenopause Weight Gain Reveals Why Fitness Over 40 Requires a Different Approach | The Forties Formula In Focus

    If you are a woman in your 40s and the weight is not moving despite doing everything right, this conversation is for you. Sara May Garcia is a fitness coach and co-founder of Bootique gym in Singapore. She gained 8kg in two months — eating the same, training the same. She is a professional. She knew exactly what to do. And it still wasn't working. In this clip from The Forties Formula, Sara shares what was actually happening in her body, why perimenopause weight gain hits differently, and what finally changed — not just physically, but mentally. Topics covered: perimenopause weight gain, perimenopause symptoms, menopause weight loss, strength training for women, fat loss over 40, fitness over 40, losing weight over 40, perimenopause and mindset, muscle loss from undereating, sustainable fat loss for women in their 40s. If your doctor has told you you are too young or dismissed your symptoms, we built a free script to help you walk into that appointment and get taken seriously: thefortiesformula.com/script Watch the full episode on YouTube: youtu.be/BgPaWVrqhGs Or search The Forties Formula wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show: buymeacoffee.com/thefortiesformula Sponsors: The Meat Club — use code TFF20 for $20 off your first order. themeatclub.com.sg Love Indus — use code TFF for 21% off. loveindus.com About Sara May Garcia: Fitness coach and co-founder of ProCoach Gym, helping people build strength, improve body composition and create sustainable fitness habits. instagram.com/saramayfit About your hosts: Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist helping women in their 40s navigate hormones, gut health and nutrition. instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health. instagram.com/coachamandalim Chapters: 0:00 A Personal Transformation Beyond the Stage 2:22 The Power of Mindset and Boundaries 4:14 Why Your Old Routine No Longer Works 6:16 Escaping the Mental Rabbit Hole #perimenopause #perimenopausesymptoms #perimenopauseweightgain #menopause #menopauseweightloss #fitnessover40 #strengthtrainingforwomen #weightlossover40 #womenover40 #womenshealth #fatloss #strengthtraining #menopausefitness #thefortiesformula #podcast

    Perimenopause Weight Gain Reveals Why Fitness Over 40 Requires a Different Approach | The Forties Formula In Focus

  6. Aug 26

    Why You Feel So Lost in Your 40s (It’s Not Just Anxiety) | The Forties Formula

    In this episode of The Forties Formula, Jasmin Dhillon and Amanda Lim talk grief, mental health and the losses women in their 40s carry but rarely name, with therapist Sapna Makwana Hanspal. For women in their 40s, grief isn't only about losing someone. It can come from a changing identity, a changing body, fertility ending, a dream that didn't happen, a relationship changing, or realising you've outgrown a version of yourself. This conversation looks at why we don't always recognise these experiences as grief, why some forms carry shame, and how cultural expectations can make certain losses harder to acknowledge. They discuss grief connected to ageing parents, divorce, motherhood and the lives our parents may never have had the chance to live. Sapna also shares her own experience as a third culture kid, and how identity, loss and belonging eventually led her from a 20-year career in finance into psychotherapy. The conversation covers how grief can show up as anxiety, burnout, anger and exhaustion, how patterns can be carried across generations, and why grief doesn't need to be got over. It needs to be integrated into our lives. Chapters 00:00 The grief we don't realise we're carrying 02:02 Are women in their 40s grieving? 03:20 Disenfranchised grief 04:05 Grieving a changing identity 06:25 Grieving the end of fertility 07:02 Gender disappointment and the loss of a dream 10:12 Grief connected to our parents 11:07 The sandwich generation and ageing parents 14:27 Divorce and hidden grief 17:29 Anxiety, burnout, rage and exhaustion 20:30 How to support someone who is grieving 23:56 The five stages of grief 25:57 Integrating grief into your life 28:04 Growing up as a third culture kid 30:15 From finance to psychotherapy 32:32 Can grief be passed between generations? 34:31 Grieving the life our parents didn't get to live 37:02 The grief of a life never lived 38:42 Reconnecting with a lost part of yourself 40:50 Practical ways to work through grief 42:17 When your body knows before your mind 45:02 Can movement and self-care help? 47:51 Everyone has their own timeline 50:23 Focusing on what you can control 51:40 Hot or Hype: 55:36 — Sapna's 40s Formula About your hosts Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist and Health Coach helping women in their 40s navigate gut health, hormones and nutrition. https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin/ Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach focused on helping women build strength, confidence and long-term health. https://www.instagram.com/coachamanda/ Support the podcast If you enjoy these conversations, subscribe and share this episode with someone navigating a major life transition or learning to let go of a version of themselves. You can also support the show by Buying Us a Coffee: https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/products/buy-us-a-coffee Thank you to our sponsors For Youth Support your skin, recovery, sleep and longevity with The Forties Formula System. Use code TF35 for up to 35% off storewide. https://www.foryouth.co/go/the-forties-formula-system Love Indus Use code TFF for 21% off. https://loveindus.com

    Why You Feel So Lost in Your 40s (It’s Not Just Anxiety) | The Forties Formula

  7. Aug 23 ·  Bonus

    Most Women Are Wearing The Wrong Bra (And Don't Know It) | The Forties Formula In Focus

    Here's the updated full description: Your headaches, neck pain, and poor posture might not be perimenopause. They might be your bra. In this episode of The Forties Formula, Jasmin and Amanda sit down with Caroline Warren, founder of Supporting Eve — Singapore's specialist bra fitting boutique — for a conversation that will make you want to check your bra the moment you finish listening. Most women have never had a professional bra fitting. Most are guessing their size. And according to Caroline, 80 to 95% of the women who walk through her door are in the wrong size bra — not slightly off, significantly off. We cover everything nobody taught us. Why your black bra is a smaller size than your white one. Why your straps are not actually supporting you. What the centre of your bra should be doing against your chestbone. How a bra that doesn't fit is linked to migraines, shoulder tension, forward posture, and lost confidence. And why the Victorian sizing system that still governs every bra size you have ever worn makes almost no sense for a modern body. Caroline also shares her own experience of going through the menopause at 38, how her body changed, and why the conversation around bras, breast health, and body changes in midlife is one women are simply not having enough. If you have ever whipped your bra off the moment you get home and thought that was just normal — this episode is for you. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://youtu.be/DCJpoPVSd1s CHAPTERS: 00:00 Intro: Is Your Bra Causing Your Pain? 00:17 Why C-Cup & Above Need Real Support 01:36 Is It Hormones or Is It Your Bra? Headaches, Neck & Posture 02:21 Why No One Ever Taught Us How Bras Should Fit 03:38 Why Store Tape Measures Get It Wrong 04:59 What to Expect in a Proper Bra Fitting 05:10 The Fit by Sight Method Explained 06:07 The 80% Rule: Your Band Does The Work, Not Your Straps 07:44 Test 1: The Band Test — The 3-5cm Rule 08:30 Test 2: The Centre Gore Must Sit Flush 09:02 Why a D Is Not a D — Cup Size Changes With Band Size 11:10 Watch the Full Episode with Caroline Warren ABOUT CAROLINE WARREN & SUPPORTING EVE Caroline Warren is the founder of Supporting Eve, Singapore's specialist bra fitting boutique. Supporting Eve carries the widest bra size range in Singapore — A to K cup, 28 to 44 band — and uses a fit by sight technique rather than a tape measure, because no two bodies are the same. 📍 Cluny Court, Bukit Timah — opposite Botanic Gardens MRT, Second Floor 🕐 Open seven days a week, 10am — 7pm 🌐 supportingeve.sg FIND US HERE 🎧 Search The Forties Formula wherever you get your podcasts 📥 Download our free wellness guide: https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/2156555/sites/185865618324457283/the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin-wn3zmn TAGS: bra fitting guide, perimenopause symptoms, women's health, bra fitting, signs of perimenopause, menopause, womens health, neck pain, back pain relief, midlife women, women over 40, the forties formula, supporting eve, bra size, breast health

    Most Women Are Wearing The Wrong Bra (And Don't Know It) | The Forties Formula In Focus

  8. Aug 19

    The Real Reason Your Relationships Keep Breaking Down and How to Finally Fix It

    Your reaction is never about what just happened. When something small sets you off — a look, a tone, a moment that should not matter — it is rarely about the moment itself. In your 40s, life becomes an explosive combination of change: your body, your relationships, your sense of self, all shifting at once. Conflict is quietly building — with yourself, with the people closest to you, with who you used to be. This week, Avni Martin — ICF Master Certified Coach, founder of The Martin Institute and author of Happy Ever After — joins Jasmin and Amanda to explain where conflict actually comes from, why it gets louder in midlife, and what it is trying to tell you. We cover the three parts behind every conflict, why your perception is not the truth, what your childhood needs have to do with your biggest relationship triggers, and how to train the emotional muscle that changes everything. Avni also shares a deeply personal story about conflict with her teenage daughter — and how what looked like a battle turned out to be grief. 00:00 The quieter battle of your 40s 02:15 Why midlife creates internal conflict 03:22 Is conflict different for our generation 05:30 The three things behind every conflict 07:17 Why relational intelligence matters 08:45 Learning to think about how we think 09:08 When two people talk but nobody listens 10:08 Why thinking long-term changes your reactions 11:47 Training your conflict muscle 12:25 Conflict is the messenger 15:12 Your perception is not the truth 16:03 How beliefs shape everything you see 17:23 The role of empathy in conflict 17:39 Why small things trigger big reactions 20:40 The subconscious volcano 21:16 The childhood needs behind your triggers 23:11 We are meaning-making machines 24:03 Upgrading your inner programming 27:08 How inner work changes conflict 27:41 Avni's journey from zero self-worth to here 31:50 The HAPPY Coaching System 34:48 When habits live in the subconscious 40:06 The HAPPY System and conflict explained 41:14 Why pausing before action changes everything 44:27 Conflict with a teenage daughter 46:05 The grief underneath the conflict 47:38 From holding on to letting go Avni Martin is an ICF Master Certified Coach, founder of The Martin Institute and creator of the HAPPY Coaching System. Get her book: https://amzn.asia/d/0d8zVnO6 Find her on IG: https://www.instagram.com/avni.martin/ Jasmin Dhillon is an Integrated Health Strategist helping women in their 40s navigate hormones, gut health and nutrition. https://www.instagram.com/eat.with.jasmin/ Amanda Lim is a Metabolic Health Coach helping women build strength and long-term health. https://www.instagram.com/coachamandalim/ For Youth — up to 35% off the Forties Formula bundle plus a free bottle of Unwind: https://www.foryouth.co/go/the-forties-formula-system Cosy Earth — up to 31% off with code TFF Love Indus — 21% off with code TFF: https://loveindus.com Support the show: https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/products/buy-us-a-coffee

    The Real Reason Your Relationships Keep Breaking Down and How to Finally Fix It
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About

The Forties Formula is a weekly podcast on perimenopause, menopause, hormones, and health for women in their 40s — covering weight loss, sleep, low libido, ADHD, burnout, longevity and the body changes no one explains. Award-winning: Best Health & Wellness Podcast in Asia 2025, Podcast of Impact at The Makers & Shapers Awards 2026, and featured by CNA as one of Singapore's best podcasts for women. We blend science, soul, and a little bit of sass to help you thrive in your forties and beyond. Meet your hosts: Jasmin Dhillon — health strategist at Eat with Jasmin, mum of three boys, and forever curious about what it really takes to feel good in this season of life. Amanda Lim — metabolic health coach, director at LIFT Clinic, and mom to three littles, here to help you ditch the fluff and get real about kicking a*s in your forties. Free Resource for Women in Their 40s Join our wonderful community of women and receive our weekly newsletter Forty Tude! https://the-forties-formula-with-amanda-jasmin.kit.com/ Receive a free wellness guide as a thank you.

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