The Family Fork: Nutrition For Moms In Perimenopause

Hosted by Ashley Malik | Insights inspired by Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Dr. Mark Hyman, and Mel Robbins
  • 4.7 (13)
  • Nutrition
  • Updated Weekly

Feel like you’ve tried everything to lose weight in perimenopause, but nothing works? Maybe you want to feed your family healthy meals, but can’t get them on board with food that supports your goals? If this is you, you’re in the right place! A wife and mom of two, Ashley Malik is an expert in anti-inflammatory nutrition, a Certified Mindset Coach, and former therapist (MSW). Ashley brings simplicity to family meals, nutrition, and weight loss. If you’re tired of trying to DIY your way to perimenopause weight loss and better health, The Family Fork gives you solutions you need. Each week you’ll discover approachable techniques for cooking healthy family meals, how to make simple anti-inflammatory swaps, and solutions for eating on-the-go. Plus, with every episode you’ll discover the right mindset to stick with your nutrition, rewiring your brain so you can lose weight and be healthy for life. To learn more, and to work with Ashley directly, visit ashleymalik.com.

  1. 1d ago

    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

  2. Jul 28

    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

  3. Jul 21

    Poolside Eats & Vacation Treats For Midlife Moms (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. Food guilt has no business showing up when you're poolside, beachside, or on vacation. Today, I'm walking through 5 simple rules that let you actually enjoy summer without overthinking every bite. This episode is all about the moments that tend to feel hardest: the pool, the beach, vacation. Take a listen as I'm giving you my best tips for enjoying all of it without guilt, from what to pack, how to handle dessert, and why the whole season isn't actually about the food at all. These are simple, doable, and they work! Inside This Episode The one habit that keeps you from feeling bloated and tired on vacationWhy alcohol does more than add calories, and the swap that still feels like a treatThe three bite rule that lets you enjoy dessert without deprivationWhy fruit might be the most underrated vacation foodThe mindset shift that ensures food guilt doesn't show up on your vacation Resources and Ways to Connect CURE electrolyte powder (grapefruit flavor)Swig travel cups and tumblersSubmit your questions for a future episodeWork with MeConnect on Instagram

  4. Jul 14

    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

  5. Jul 7

    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

  6. Jun 30

    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

  7. Jun 23

    3-Step Plan For Summer Weight Loss (Best Of Summer 2026)

    We're turning up the volume with this highly-downloaded series -- the best 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. Summer doesn't have to be the time to slow down and abandon all your health goals. You just need a better plan for this crazy season, so that you can feel confident and happy in all your summer outfits! Because if you don’t make a plan, it’s really just a wish. In this episode I walk you through my simple 3-part approach to set realistic goals, gather the right resources, and pair it all with nutrition so you can actually drop a few pounds keep that momentum going all the way through the season. I also get honest about expectations, because the gap between what we want and what’s actually possible in four weeks is where most women quit. Not this time! What You’ll Learn Why examining your expectations is the only smart place to start (and the realistic weekly weight loss number nobody wants to hear)How to keep a bigger goal alive without abandoning over the summerThe reason anti-inflammatory eating shows up on the scale fast (and how to bring it back down again)My exact go-to for fast, fun 20-minute workoutsHow to keep results going through vacations, weddings, and the busiest weeks of your year Resources and Ways To Connect Perimenopause Weight Loss Guide for Moms (free 7-day guide + private podcast)Get workouts for home and on-the-go here (just $99/year!)Ready to Work with Me?Connect on Instagram

  8. Jun 16

    Why You're Not Losing Weight in Perimenopause

    You're doing all the things to lose weight in perimenopause: eating better, getting your protein in, trying to move more. But the scale? It will not budge. If you've quietly started to wonder "what's the point", this episode is for you. I keep hearing the same thing from women in my world. They feel like they're trying everything and nothing is working, so they've started to give in at the barbecue and stopped bothering with workouts. Inside this episode I walk you through the bridge between where you are now, and where you want to be, and why the gap in the middle is driven almost entirely by the way you think. We get into the three pillars that decide whether you lose weight in perimenopause: a true calorie deficit, strength training with heavy enough weights, and consistency. Plus, I show you the sneaky thought hiding underneath each one (that is stopping you from actually losing weight). If you feel like you're on an island with your health while the rest of your family eats however they want, this episode is for you. What You'll Learn Why a 1,200 calorie diet keeps you stuck, and how much you should be eating insteadThe macro balance that actually protects your muscle and your energy in midlifeWhy 5 and 8 pound dumbbells feel heavy when they really aren't, and how to talk your brain into lifting moreHow more muscle quietly buys you food flexibility through your metabolic rateWhy the need to belong wrecks your consistency without you ever noticing Resources and Ways To Connect The fitness library I use for safe strength training (use code ASHLEY1SBODI for 15% off!)Learn more about the Perimenopause Weight Loss Method and book a call to see if it's the right fitGet started with 5 Easy Steps to Lose 1 lb/week in Perimenopause (Free Guide!)Come say hi on Instagram

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About

Feel like you’ve tried everything to lose weight in perimenopause, but nothing works? Maybe you want to feed your family healthy meals, but can’t get them on board with food that supports your goals? If this is you, you’re in the right place! A wife and mom of two, Ashley Malik is an expert in anti-inflammatory nutrition, a Certified Mindset Coach, and former therapist (MSW). Ashley brings simplicity to family meals, nutrition, and weight loss. If you’re tired of trying to DIY your way to perimenopause weight loss and better health, The Family Fork gives you solutions you need. Each week you’ll discover approachable techniques for cooking healthy family meals, how to make simple anti-inflammatory swaps, and solutions for eating on-the-go. Plus, with every episode you’ll discover the right mindset to stick with your nutrition, rewiring your brain so you can lose weight and be healthy for life. To learn more, and to work with Ashley directly, visit ashleymalik.com.

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