Midlife Advice | Perimenopause, Hormones & Midlife Women’s Wellness

Jessica Long | Health & Wellness Coach for Midlife Women 40+
  • 5.0 (43)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hello, my midlife friend. You’ve landed in the right place — where super smart and slightly sassy women over 40 come to figure out what the hell is going on with our hormones, emotions, relationships, careers, and… well, everything, really.   I’m Jessica Long, a health coach, certified menopause coaching specialist and fellow midlife woman on this wild ride with you. Join me each week and together let’s learn about midlife women’s health and wellness from every angle — Western, Eastern and everything in between. We talk perimenopause and menopause, burnout, career pivots, parenting, marriage shifts, purpose, and the constant quest to feel like ourselves again.   You’ll hear honest midlife advice from experts and everyday women, and real-life tools that actually help with hormone health, mindset, nutrition, and lifestyle — plus fun stuff like our favorite books and girls’ trips.   If you love hearing from experts, rebels, and wise women rewriting midlife on their own terms, then you belong here. Hit play and let’s go.   ✨For more midlife musings, follow me on Instagram @midlifeadvicepodcast  ✨Join my email list at belongwellness.com to get my 3 favorite midlife-friendly smoothie recipes!

  1. 12/30/2025

    53: New Year Reflection for Midlife Women Who Want a More Aligned Life

    Did you accomplish a lot this year but still feel oddly unfulfilled? This episode will help you understand why and what to do next. In this solo episode, I share some of my favorite end-of-year and New Year reflection prompts for midlife women who are done moving through life on auto-pilot and ready to get honest about what it takes to live life “awake.” ✨ Get the full list of end-of-year and new-year reflection questions sent straight to your inbox. This episode is not about goal-setting, resolutions, or fixing yourself. It’s about reflecting on what drained you, what lit you up, and what you’re ready to put down. You’ll hear how these reflection prompts can help you: ✔️Identify what’s out of alignment in your life ✔️Make decisions that feel like YOU ✔️Release obligations that no longer fit ✔️Live in greater alignment with the woman you’re becoming If you’re a midlife woman craving clarity, alignment, and a more intentional way of living, this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:00 Reflecting on the Year: Intentional Living 01:37 End of Year & New Year Reflection Journal Prompts 05:46 Exploring Who I Want to Be & Relationships 08:16 Wellbeing & Habits to Support My Future Self 11:35 Living Intentionally in the New Year I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    16 min

  2. 12/23/2025

    52: I’m Doing the Holidays Differently This Year

    A short and sweet check-in on slowing down, protecting your bandwidth, and savoring the holiday week instead of letting it blur. In this episode, I’m sharing a few small, meaningful ways I’m protecting my energy and sanity during the holiday week — in case it inspires you to do the same.  This is about slowing down enough to actually feel this season and not miss the joy because you’re on auto-pilot. If the holidays feel a little overwhelming, this is your chance to choose your own version of ease. In this episode, I talk about: • Small, sensory rituals that make the holidays feel more meaningful • What I noticed when gift-giving crossed into overstimulation • How protecting your bandwidth can help you feel calmer and more present • Asking yourself how you want to feel this holiday week — and honoring that Coming Up Next week, I’m sharing some of my favorite end-of-year reflection prompts to help you celebrate how far you’ve come and set intentions for an aligned year ahead. Make sure you are following the show so you don't miss this episode! Episode Highlights: 00:00 Introduction 01:37 My Small Traditions for Savoring the Season 05:07 Simplifying Gift Giving 07:06 Mini Digital Detoxes for More Presence 09:38 Questions to Ask Yourself I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    12 min

  3. 12/16/2025

    51: The Best Midlife Advice From 50 Episodes on Perimenopause, Reinvention and Feeling Like Yourself Again

    If midlife has you thinking, “Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?”—this episode is for you. After 50 episodes of interviewing doctors, coaches, healers, and badass midlife women (plus sharing plenty of my own solo reflections), I’ve noticed the same themes rise to the surface again and again. Today, I’m pulling together the most important lessons from the first 50 episodes to help you feel less alone, more informed, and way more empowered in this chapter of life. We cover: ✔️Why perimenopause feels so confusing and isolating ✔️The many ways women are managing symptoms (hormone therapy, Ayurvedic practices, pelvic floor PT, Reiki, microdosing, nutrition shifts, fitness, and more) ✔️The unbelievable strength and resilience midlife women show through illness, divorce, career upheaval, and identity shifts ✔️How reinvention becomes possible—sometimes even necessary—after 40 ✔️Why “feeling like yourself again” is absolutely possible I also share what’s coming to the podcast in 2026, including metabolism myths, planning an aligned year using your Enneagram type, midlife marriage support, puberty talks with your kids, and inspiring reinvention stories you won’t want to miss. If you haven’t yet, hit Follow so you never miss an episode! CHAPTERS: 00:00 Introduction and Overview of Themes 01:35 Theme: Perimenopause is a B*tch 03:29 Theme: So Many Options to Feeling Like Yourself Again 07:50 Theme: Midlife Women are F*cking Strong & Resilient 10:52 Theme: Midlife Career Evolution & Reinvention 15:04 What's Coming in 2026 I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    18 min

  4. 12/09/2025

    50: Holiday Eating Tips Every Midlife Woman Needs

    The holidays are here — which means parties, pressure, family expectations, and enough sugar to take down a small village. If you’re a midlife woman who’s finally feeling good again thanks to protein, strength training, better sleep, and smarter nutrition… the holidays can feel like a threat to your hard-won progress. Good news: you can stay true to your healthy habits and have fun. In this episode, Jessica talks with Jacquelyn Reale, the vibrant natural chef behind Marin Mama Cooks, who shares the holiday eating tips every midlife woman needs to feel grounded, energized, and guilt-free all season long. You’ll hear: ✔️Simple mindset shifts to release guilt and holiday pressure ✔️How to set loving boundaries with food, alcohol, and family dynamics ✔️The blood-sugar-friendly trick to avoid overeating at parties ✔️Ways to enjoy the foods you love without spiraling ✔️Easy, make-ahead side dishes that bring color and nourishment to any holiday table Perfect for women navigating perimenopause, stress, chaotic schedules, and the emotional labor of the holidays. Find Jackie: marinmamacooks.com @marinmamacooks Marin Mama Cooks recipes mentioned: Kale & Brussels with Toasted Almonds Vegan Kale Salad Green Beans & Shallots Broccolini & Shallots Roasted Honeynut Squash & Red Onion CHAPTERS: 01:42 How to Stick to Your Healthy Values & Have Fun During the Holidays 04:03 How to Refuse the Food You Don't Want 04:55 Release Judgment of Others and Yourself 07:27 Food Guilt & Mindset Shifts 09:09 Jackie's Healthy Holiday Party Strategy 11:58 How Jackie Started Marin Mama Cooks 14:54 Jackie's Favorite Healthy Holiday Side Dishes 17:41 Time-saving Tips in the Kitchen 22:28 Top Tip for Health: Read Ingredient Labels 24:26 Key Takeaways I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    26 min

  5. 12/02/2025

    49: Simplify the Holidays: Minimalist Tips for Busy Midlife Women with Shira Gill

    Raise your hand (or glass?) if gift giving, cards, décor, hosting, and family expectations around the holidays STRESS. YOU. OUT. I see you.  In this episode, world-renowned organizing expert and bestselling author Shira Gill shares minimalist strategies that help busy midlife women simplify the holidays without sacrificing joy. We cover: ✔️Why we keep buying things we don’t need — and how to break the cycle ✔️How to handle unwanted gifts without guilt ✔️Décor ideas that create a festive atmosphere (without more bins to store) ✔️Hosting and entertaining strategies that don’t require two days of cooking ✔️How to set boundaries, reset expectations, and design a calmer holiday season Shira’s philosophy: Minimalism isn’t about deprivation — it’s about having the perfect amount for you. If you’ve ever caught yourself saying “next year, I’m keeping it simple,” this conversation is your roadmap for how to do just that. 🎁 Easy gift idea: Share this episode with a friend!  Connect with Shira: Website: shiragill.com Substack: The Life Edit Books: Minimalista, Organized Living, Lifestyled Episode Highlights: 02:39 Shira's Definition of Minimalism 09:10 How to Avoid Excess Everything during the Holidays 13:13 How to Handle Gifts You Don't Want 16:43 How to Give a Great Gift 20:29 How to Be Thoughtful, Not Excessive, with Decorations 25:21 Simple Home Styling Tips 27:12 Host a Holiday Meal without Going Overboard 30:08 Decide Ahead of Time How You Want Your Holiday to Feel 37:46 Key Takeaways I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    40 min

  6. 11/25/2025

    48: What Midlife Women Are Most Grateful For (A Crowdsourced Thanksgiving Episode)

    This one’s special — because you helped create it. In honor of Thanksgiving, I asked listeners to share what they’re feeling most grateful for in midlife. And your answers were so good! They’re honest, hilarious, heartfelt, and full of that signature midlife “F-it” energy we all know and love. Today’s episode is a crowdsourced roundup of what real women 40+ are grateful for right now — from better relationships with our bodies, to boundaries that finally stick, to friendships that really matter. Whether you’re juggling work, perimenopause, kids, aging parents, a chin hair you swear wasn’t there yesterday, or all of the above, this episode is a reminder that there’s still so much good in this wild stage of life. In this episode, you’ll hear: •The top themes midlife women say they’re grateful for •Why gratitude hits differently in your 40s and 50s •What’s changing in how we relate to our bodies •The rise of boundaries & dropping the people-pleasing •The power of women supporting women (and why it matters now more than ever) •Reflections on raising teens and giving fewer f***s •My own takeaways from your beautiful submissions Why this episode matters for midlife women It’s easy to get swallowed by the chaos of midlife — hormones, careers, family, relationships, the mental load… the list is long. Sometimes we forget to actually notice what’s working. This episode gives you a chance to pause, reflect, and see yourself in the stories of other women walking the same path. Join the conversation What resonated with you? What did we miss? 💌 Send me a DM on Instagram @midlifeadvicepodcast or text me using the link in the show notes. I love hearing from you. Happy Thanksgiving, my friend — and thank you for being here. Truly. I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    14 min

  7. 11/18/2025

    47: Why You Don’t Feel Like Yourself in Perimenopause (& How to Get Your Groove Back) with Dr. Prudence Hall

    If you’ve been thinking, “I just don’t feel like myself anymore,” this episode is for you. Dr. Prudence Hall breaks down why perimenopause can flip your mood, energy, sleep, libido, and identity upside down—and what you can actually do about it. We dig into the hormonal shifts behind the fog, the labs that matter, the truth about birth control pills and hormonal IUDs in perimenopause, and how bioidentical hormones may help you feel like you again. In this episode, you’ll learn: •The real reason you don’t feel like yourself in perimenopause •How declining hormones affect your mood, weight, sleep, and libido •Why Dr. Hall says to measure, don’t guess — the exact labs to ask your doctor for •How BHRT (bioidentical hormones) can restore capacity so lifestyle changes actually stick •What to know about birth control pills and hormonal IUDs during perimenopause •How thyroid and adrenal issues can mimic perimenopause symptoms •When to seek a functional or integrative provider for deeper support Connect with Dr. Prudence Hall •@drprudencehall •Get her free book: Radiant Again & Forever •The Hall Center 🚌 If you have a friend on the perimenopause struggle bus, please send her this episode so she knows she’s not alone. CHAPTERS: 02:01 Why We Don't Feel Like Ourselves in Perimenopause 07:22 Why Labs are Important in Perimenopause 10:11 When Your Labs Look "Normal" in Perimenopause 13:05 HRT or Diet/Lifestyle? Which Comes First? 15:33 Can Midlife Women Feel Like We're 30 Again? 19:05 The WHI Study and What We Know Now About HRT 22:11 Birth Control Pills & IUDs in Perimenopause: Dr. Hall's Take 27:59 What Perimenopausal Women Need to Know About Their Thyroid 35:06 Key Takeaways I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    37 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    46: 📣 Introducing the Midlife Advice Podcast (formerly Belong Wellness)

    The podcast has a new name! Welcome to Midlife Advice, where smart and sassy women over 40 come to figure out all things midlife — from hormones to careers, relationships, and everything in between. In this episode, Jessica shares why she decided to change the name from Belong Wellness to Midlife Advice and how you can be featured in an upcoming episode. If you’ve ever struggled to launch something because you were waiting for it to be perfect, this one will inspire you to just start — and refine as you go. 💌 Text Jessica using the link below or DM her @belongwellness to share what you’re grateful for in midlife (funny, heartfelt, or totally ridiculous submissions all welcome) and a chance to be featured on the show! I want to hear from you. Send me a text! ✍️ Get my full list of New Year Reflection questions! ✨Get my favorite New Year Journal Prompts and plan for an aligned AF 2026! For more midlife musings: @midlifeadvicepodcast | @belongwellness Check out my website: belongwellness.com

    6 min
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5
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About

Hello, my midlife friend. You’ve landed in the right place — where super smart and slightly sassy women over 40 come to figure out what the hell is going on with our hormones, emotions, relationships, careers, and… well, everything, really.   I’m Jessica Long, a health coach, certified menopause coaching specialist and fellow midlife woman on this wild ride with you. Join me each week and together let’s learn about midlife women’s health and wellness from every angle — Western, Eastern and everything in between. We talk perimenopause and menopause, burnout, career pivots, parenting, marriage shifts, purpose, and the constant quest to feel like ourselves again.   You’ll hear honest midlife advice from experts and everyday women, and real-life tools that actually help with hormone health, mindset, nutrition, and lifestyle — plus fun stuff like our favorite books and girls’ trips.   If you love hearing from experts, rebels, and wise women rewriting midlife on their own terms, then you belong here. Hit play and let’s go.   ✨For more midlife musings, follow me on Instagram @midlifeadvicepodcast  ✨Join my email list at belongwellness.com to get my 3 favorite midlife-friendly smoothie recipes!

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