Menopause UnMuted

Dr Erika Pimentel
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Weekly

This podcast is where real life meets real science — where we mix evidence-based education with unfiltered conversations about what it really means to go through perimenopause and menopause. Every week, you’ll hear from women sharing their personal stories — the good, the messy, the in-between — along with experts in nutrition, fitness, mental health, and holistic care.

  1. 5d ago

    Why Is Sleep Disrupted in Perimenopause and Why Does Sleep Matter So Much?

    Have you ever decided that waking up at three in the morning is just part of getting older? In this solo episode, I cover why sleep is a foundation for your health in midlife and not only a quality of life issue. You will hear what your circadian rhythm controls beyond when you feel sleepy, what happens in each stage of sleep, how estrogen, progesterone and testosterone each influence your sleep, and three common reasons sleep is disrupted in midlife. I share how circadian amplification can support your sleep, where HRT fits in, why sleep needs more than HRT alone, and what vitamin D has to do with your REM sleep. If any of this resonated with you, I want to invite you to take the Midlife Reset Assessment. If you have started to believe this is just what happens in perimenopause, the weight that won't move, interrupted sleep, the energy that's gone, the bloating no matter what you eat, and there's nothing to do but accept it. There is. On the Midlife Reset Assessment, we figure out what's getting in the way and what needs to shift first, so you can stop guessing and start seeing progress. The call is free. Use the link for your assessment. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. Always consult your own physician for guidance specific to your health.

  2. Oct 1

    Have You Ever Wondered What Your Husband Understands About Perimenopause? | Brad Walsh

    Have you ever wondered what your husband understands about the changes you're going through in perimenopause? In this episode of Menopause Unmuted, I sit down with Brad Walsh, founder of Empowerography and the first male guest ever on this podcast, to talk about what it's like to support a wife through perimenopause from the other side. We get into the intimacy conversation most couples avoid, the physiology behind what's actually changing, and why normalizing these conversations is what starts to shift things for both women and the men who love them. If you want to connect with Brad or learn more about his work, find him at Empowerographypodcast.com, on LinkedIn as Brad Walsh, or on Instagram at Empowerography podcast. If any of this resonated with you, I want to invite you to take the Midlife Reset Assessment. If you have started to believe this is just what happens in perimenopause, the weight that won't move, interrupted sleep, the energy that's gone, the bloating no matter what you eat, and there's nothing to do but accept it. There is. On the Midlife Reset Assessment, we figure out what's getting in the way and what needs to shift first, so you can stop guessing and start seeing progress. The assessment is free. The information shared in this episode is for educational purposes and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace medical advice. Always consult your own physician for guidance specific to your health.

  3. Sep 24

    Starting a GLP-1 in Perimenopause: What She Tried First, With Kelly Croft

    Kelly Croft spent years as a distance runner, counting calories and tracking macros. When the weight kept coming anyway, including 12 more pounds after she went back to working out five days a week, she found herself asking how she had let this happen. In this episode of Menopause Unmuted, Kelly shares what she noticed in her body as her weight changed, why so many women carry shame when their bodies change, and why she decided to listen to her gut and start a GLP-1 medication. I explain why the advice to eat less and move more stops working in perimenopause, including how declining estrogen increases inflammation and changes the way your body handles blood sugar and insulin and why women who never had a blood sugar concern can see their numbers change in midlife. I also explain what GLP-1 medications do in the body and how semaglutide and tirzepatide differ. We talk about using a GLP-1 as one tool and not the whole plan, why it needs medical guidance, and why our health should not be a trend. Kelly also shares what she has noticed about her muscle, and I explain why muscle loss matters for any woman on a GLP-1, especially during perimenopause, and how resistance training and enough protein can help. We look at early research on whether adding hormone therapy may increase weight loss on a GLP-1, and Kelly shares that she plans to look into HRT when the timing is right. She also talks about giving herself permission to return to strength training on her own timeline, without guilt. Every woman goes through this transition differently, and what worked for your friend may not work for you. This episode is for any woman weighing whether a GLP-1 is right for her. Find Kelly at The Grounded Growth Collective on Substack. https://groundedgrowthcollective.substack.com/?utm_campaign=profile_chips If you are navigating perimenopause, this is who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, a look at your training, your nutrition, your sleep, and your history together, so you know what's getting in the way and what needs to shift first. The call is free. The information shared on Menopause Unmuted is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should replace a conversation with your own doctor or healthcare provider. Every woman's body and health history is different, and what works for one person may not be right for another. Please consult a qualified provider before making changes to your nutrition, training, or medication, including hormone therapy.

  4. Sep 17

    The Fear of Bulking Up: Why It Isn't Only About Getting Bigger and What Perimenopause Can Resurface

    Almost every new client asks me some version of the same question before we even get into her program: "Will lifting weights make me bulky?" In this episode, I'm taking that fear seriously instead of brushing past it with reassurance. We'll get into the physiology first — why men naturally carry more baseline muscle than women, what a 2025 meta-analysis out of Deakin University found when it looked at how men and women build muscle relative to their own starting point, and what it would take for a woman to bulk up on purpose (spoiler: it's a lot more than picking up a dumbbell). Then I want to go somewhere I haven't gone publicly before. For some women, the fear of bulking up isn't about muscle at all. Perimenopause is a documented window for old eating patterns to resurface, especially for those of us who carried body image struggles or disordered eating earlier in life. I share a part of my own story here for the first time, including a moment that changed everything for me. If you've ever avoided weight training because you were afraid of what it would do to your body, or if the fear underneath that question feels bigger than muscle, this episode is for you. If any part of this episode resonated with you, the Midlife Reset Assessment is exactly who I built it for. It's a strategy call where we look at your training, your nutrition, and your history together, so you can get clarity on what's actually keeping you stuck and where to focus your energy next.Click on the link below to book your free assessment. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home

  5. Sep 10

    Hysterectomy at 38: Treated Like Separate Parts by Every Specialist

    In this episode, I sit down with Erica Voell, decision mentor and inner trust guide, to talk about her own perimenopause journey. It started with a hysterectomy at 38 and years of diagnoses that nobody ever connected to each other. We talk about what it's like to quietly build a story about your body being broken, one appointment at a time, the link between hormone fluctuation and sudden food sensitivities, and the moment Erica realized her body had been giving her information the whole time, not evidence against her. If today's episode gave you information you didn't have before, share it with a friend, a sister, someone in your life who is navigating this and not getting real answers. If you are going through perimenopause and want to share your story on the podcast, I would love to have you as a guest. And if there's a topic you want me to cover in a future episode, message me or leave a comment, I always love hearing from you. If any part of this conversation sounds familiar, if you've been dismissed, confused, or doing everything right while your body still isn't responding, I invite you to book a free Midlife Reset Assessment with me. We'll sit down together and look at your specific history, symptoms, and what needs to shift first. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home This podcast is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with questions about your own health.

  6. Sep 3

    The Dry Eye Diagnosis Nobody Connects to Hormones

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, my sister-in-law Jihan is back for part two of our conversation. This time we start with something most women never think to connect to their hormones at all: dry eye. Jihan had to stop wearing contact lenses altogether after a diagnosis associated with declining testosterone and estrogen and we talk about how those hormones affect the eyes and why so few doctors bring it up. In this episode we also talk about osteoporosis and perimenopause. Jihan comes from a family with a long history of severe, untreated osteoporosis, and when her own scan came back with concerning results, her doctor treated it as ordinary aging without factoring in that history, when her family history should have suggested closer monitoring. Jihan shares with our listeners what she's actually doing to protect both her eyes and her bones without having hormone therapy as an option for her. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. Midlife Reset Assessment

  7. Aug 27

    Is Bladder Prolapse Just Part of Aging?

    On this episode of Menopause Unmuted, I'm joined by my sister-in-law Jihan for an honest conversation about a part of perimenopause most women never see coming: pelvic floor changes. Jihan shares her bladder prolapse diagnosis, what her doctor explained and what he left out and what it's like navigating perimenopause in Honduras, where hormone therapy and reliable information are hard to find. We break down what estrogen has to do with your bladder, your pelvic floor, and your posture, and why "it's your age" isn't the whole story. If you are navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck, and where to focus your energy going forward. The call is free and the link is below. Midlife Reset Assessment

  8. Aug 20

    Doing Everything Right and Still Not Losing Weight in Perimenopause.

    She was disciplined. She tracked her food. She trained almost every day. And none of it moved the scale. In this episode I break down why that happens to so many women in midlife. It's not about effort. I walk through what chronic under eating does to your body when you're also training hard, why muscle is often the first thing your body sacrifices when it isn't getting enough fuel, and why pushing intensity without enough recovery works against you instead of for you. I also share the four shifts I use with my clients to turn this around, and what it actually takes, in terms of time and patience, before the results show up. If you're navigating perimenopause, this is exactly who I built the Midlife Reset Assessment for, to have an honest look at what's keeping you stuck and where to focus your energy going forward. The call is free and the link is below. https://pages.erikapimentelcoaching.com/home The information shared on Menopause Unmuted is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Nothing said on this podcast should replace a conversation with your own doctor or healthcare provider. Every woman's body and health history is different, and what works for one person may not be right for another. Please consult a qualified provider before making changes to your nutrition, training, or medication, including hormone therapy.

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About

This podcast is where real life meets real science — where we mix evidence-based education with unfiltered conversations about what it really means to go through perimenopause and menopause. Every week, you’ll hear from women sharing their personal stories — the good, the messy, the in-between — along with experts in nutrition, fitness, mental health, and holistic care.

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Erika Pimentel
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Dr Erika Pimentel
  • Show Website
    Menopause UnMuted