Body-Led Business for Female Founders

Melissa Eich
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Health, hormone, burnout recovery, and business growth for female entrepreneurs. Restore your energy, grow your revenue, reclaim your life.

  1. 3D AGO

    165:Gut Health in Perimenopause: Why Healing Your Gut Comes Before Hormones, Diets, or Weight Loss

    If you’re over 40 and suddenly dealing with bloating, constipation or diarrhea, weight gain, brain fog, skin issues, or painful periods, this episode explains why your gut—not your willpower—is the real place to start. In this episode, Melissa Eich breaks down why gut health is the most overlooked foundation of healing in perimenopause, why food sensitivity testing often causes more harm than clarity, and how functional testing like the GI Map reveals root causes that conventional GI care frequently misses. If you’ve been told to “eat more fiber,” “manage stress,” or given another prescription without real answers, this conversation will help you understand why your body feels off—and what actually works. Ready to Heal Your Gut? Enroll here: https://l.bttr.to/doi1x In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why gut health is ground zero for healing in midlifeHow gut dysfunction drives hormone imbalance, fatigue, and stubborn weight gainThe gut–estrogen connection and why detoxification mattersHow leaky gut contributes to bloating, food reactions, brain fog, and skin issuesWhy food sensitivity tests are misleading (and often harmful)What the GI Map test reveals that colonoscopies and standard labs don’tHow gut inflammation worsens perimenopause symptoms like mood swings, hot flashes, and heavy periodsWhat a personalized, holistic gut health program actually looks likeWhy nervous system regulation is essential for lasting gut healingWhy Gut Health Matters More After 40 During perimenopause, your body becomes far less tolerant of stress, inflammation, under-fueling, and chronic gut dysfunction. Your gut plays a key role in nutrient absorption, immune health, neurotransmitter production, and estrogen detoxification. When the gut is inflamed or imbalanced, estrogen recirculates instead of being eliminated—leading to worsening hormone symptoms, persistent weight gain, and feeling “off” no matter what you try. This is why gut healing must come before focusing on hormones, HRT, or weight loss. What the GI Map Test Reveals The GI Map stool test provides insight into: Beneficial and pathogenic bacteriaDysbiosis and overgrowthGut inflammation and permeabilityImmune activityEstrogen detox pathwaysThis allows for a targeted, personalized healing plan instead of guesswork. A Holistic Gut Health Program for Perimenopause Melissa shares a limited-time comprehensive gut healing package that includes: At-home GI Map testingPersonalized lab interpretationA 12-week custom gut healing protocolTargeted supplements only if neededA 21-day gut reset focused on nourishment, not restrictionNervous system regulation toolsThree follow-up sessions for real support and progressThis approach focuses on restoring digestion, supporting hormone balance, and helping you feel clear, steady, and at home in your body again. Explore the program here: https://l.bttr.to/doi1x Who This Episode Is For This episode is for you if: You’re bloated or constipated despite “doing everything right”Weight loss no longer works the way it used toYou’ve tried elimination diets, probiotics, or food sensitivity testingYou’re dealing with gut and hormone symptoms at the same timeYou want root-cause healing—not another quick fixKey SEO Topics: Perimenopause gut health, GI Map testing, holistic gut health, gut health program perimenopause, dysbiosis, leaky gut, estrogen detoxification, hormone imbalance after 40, brain fog and gut health

    32 min

  2. FEB 3

    Episode 164: Why Wanting Weight Loss Doesn’t Mean You’ve Failed Your Healing - Perimenopause, Weight Loss & Diet Culture

    If you’re in perimenopause and feel conflicted about wanting to lose weight, this episode is for you. Many women doing anti-diet culture work reach a confusing place where their body starts to change for the better—less inflammation, more energy, clothes fitting differently—and instead of celebrating, they feel shame. In this episode, Melissa breaks down why wanting weight loss does not mean you’re still stuck in diet culture, how perimenopause weight gain and weight loss are often nervous-system driven, and why body composition changes can be a side effect of safety rather than restriction. You’ll learn how to separate diet culture from physiology, why shame shows up around weight in midlife, and how true healing allows both body trust and body change to coexist. In This Episode, We Cover Why perimenopause weight gain is often misunderstoodThe difference between diet culture and physiological weight lossWhy shame shows up when your body starts changingHow nervous system safety impacts metabolism and fat lossWhy weight loss can be a byproduct of self-trust and nourishmentWhy weight is a resource—not a moral issueWhat women actually want beneath the desire for weight loss Key Takeaways Wanting weight loss does not mean you’ve failed your healingDiet culture is about moral judgment and external pressure—not body changesPerimenopause nutrition must prioritize safety, consistency, and energyWeight loss that comes from homeostasis is not restriction—it’s regulationShame arises when identity and desire feel misalignedYou don’t have to choose between body acceptance and body changeWhen your body feels safe, it does what bodies naturally do Timestamp Highlights 00:01 – Why this conversation matters for women healing their relationship with food02:30 – A client story: when weight loss brings shame instead of celebration04:30 – Why shame shows up around weight loss desires05:38 – What diet culture actually is (and what it isn’t)07:16 – The conflict between your mind’s “ideal body” and your body’s homeostasis09:30 – Melissa’s personal experience with weight, hormones, and safety12:11 – Why trying not to want weight loss is exhausting14:08 – What women really want beneath the desire to lose weight17:04 – How identity shapes your actions and body outcomes21:11 – The truth about weight loss, diet culture, and self-trust Work With Me If you’re ready to stop fighting your body and start supporting it—especially during perimenopause—my private coaching program Resourced is designed to help you rebuild safety, energy, and trust from the inside out. You’ll receive personalized support around: Perimenopause nutritionNervous system regulationDigestion and hormone healthSustainable body composition changesLearn more at: mindfullywell.com/resourced SEO Keywords perimenopause weight gain  perimenopause nutrition  anti-diet culture  weight loss without dieting  nervous system and weight loss  midlife metabolism  healing relationship with food  body acceptance and weight loss  women’s hormone health  non-diet approach to weight loss

    21 min

  3. JAN 27

    Episode 163: The Midlife Shift

    Learn more here: https://mindfullywell.com/resourced

    47 min

  4. JAN 20

    Episode 162: The Math that Never Adds Up

    If you’re a high-achieving woman who has tracked calories, macros, steps, or “done everything right” and still doesn’t feel good in your body, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I break down why intelligent, capable women stay stuck in the numbers game and why tracking often becomes a way to feel safe, not a solution that creates real change. This episode comes directly from a powerful coaching conversation with a client who realized that knowing what to do isn’t the same as knowing how to take care of herself. We talk about diet culture’s broken promises, nervous system safety, and what it actually means to feel at home in your body again, especially in midlife. This isn’t about abandoning structure. It’s about moving from control and outsourcing to trust, embodiment, and sustainable self-leadership. What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why calorie counting, macro tracking, and strict rules feel safe but rarely lead to lasting changeThe difference between knowing what to do and embodying how to care for yourselfHow perfectionism and data become tools for nervous system safetyWhy traditional diet approaches stop working in midlife and perimenopauseHow outsourcing your body to numbers, scales, and rules erodes trust over timeWhat it looks like to rebuild a reciprocal relationship with your bodyWhy weight loss isn’t the starting point — and never wasHow nervous system attunement replaces the scale as your primary feedback toolWhat true freedom in your body actually feels like Key Takeaways Tracking isn’t inherently bad. The problem is when tracking becomes a way to override your body instead of listen to it. Your body isn’t rebelling against you. It’s responding to years of being ignored, rushed, restricted, and overridden. Real change happens when you stop making food, water, movement, or protocols the priority — and start making yourself the priority. Trust with your body is built the same way trust is built in any relationship: through consistency, responsiveness, and listening. Who This Episode Is For Women who feel stuck in cycles of weight gain and lossHigh-functioning women who are tired of micromanaging their bodiesWomen over 35 noticing that “healthy habits” don’t work the same anymoreAnyone who feels disconnected from their body and wants to feel steady againEntrepreneurs who want their energy, hormones, and nervous system to support their life, not fight it Resources Mentioned Midlife Reset Masterclass A live class for women doing all the “right” things but still not feeling right in their bodies. Register here: 👉 https://mindfullywell.com/midlife Work With Me Learn more about private and group coaching options and schedule a conversation to see if it’s the right fit. 👉 https://mindfullywell.com/work-with-me Final Thought You don’t need more rules. You don’t need more tracking. You don’t need another protocol telling you what to do. You need to stop outsourcing your body — and start rebuilding trust with it. That’s where everything shifts.

    24 min

  5. JAN 13

    Episode 161: When Weight Gain Has Become Your Identity

    Episode Summary If weight gain has quietly become the loudest thing in your head, this episode is for you. In today’s conversation, Melissa breaks down why weight gain during midlife, perimenopause, and active healing is not a failure — but often a sign that your body is trying to protect you. You’ll learn why obsessing over weight keeps your body stuck, how diet culture trains women to tie worth to size, and what actually needs to happen before sustainable fat loss can occur. This episode reframes weight gain through a physiological and nervous-system lens, helping you step out of shame and back into partnership with your body. In This Episode, We Cover Why weight gain is incredibly common during perimenopause and healing phases How weight gain often reflects your body creating safety and stored energy The real reason restriction and “starting over” backfire during midlife How hormonal imbalance, gut dysfunction, and chronic stress affect fat storage Why weight gain becomes an identity — and how that keeps healing stuck What “mean girl” self-talk does to your nervous system and metabolism Why the scale often blocks healing instead of supporting it When it actually is appropriate to focus on weight loss Why your body’s ideal weight may differ from what your mind expects How letting go of forcing your body creates true capacity, clarity, and energy Key Takeaways Weight gain is often part of the healing process, not proof something is wrong Your body prioritizes safety and energy before fat loss Overworking, under-fueling, and chronic stress create an energy deficit that drives weight gain Healing happens when the nervous system feels safe, not when the body is forced Your weight is not your identity — and it was never meant to be Who This Episode Is For High-achieving women in midlife who feel stuck, frustrated, or confused by their bodies Women doing “everything right” but still gaining weight or feeling depleted Anyone in perimenopause or a healing phase who feels betrayed by her body Women ready to stop fighting their body and start understanding it Mentioned in This Episode Free Masterclass:  The Midlife Shift: When Doing Everything Right Stops Working 📅 January 20 or January 22  🎓 Free training on nervous system safety, hormones, energy, and capacity 👉 Register here:  mindfullywell.com/midlife

    21 min

  6. JAN 6

    Episode 160: Reorienting After the Holidays: How to Come Back to Your Body Without Forcing It

    Coming off the holidays can feel disorienting — mentally, physically, and emotionally. Your energy is off, your cravings are louder, your routines feel broken, and it’s easy to assume something has gone wrong. In this episode, Melissa shares a grounded reminder: nothing is broken. You’re simply reorienting. She walks you through how inflammation, sugar, stress, and schedule changes blur your ability to hear your body — and how to gently come back without swinging into restriction or control. You’ll learn how to rebuild rhythm through simple bookends to your day, how to think about food without diet rules, and why intuition requires regulation first. This is a practical, reassuring episode for anyone easing back into January and wanting to feel steady again — without force. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN Why post-holiday disorientation is normal — and not a personal failureHow inflammation and blood sugar instability distort hunger, cravings, and intuitionThe difference between rigid rules and supportive structureHow to “bookend” your day with morning and evening rhythms that reorient your nervous systemWhy intuitive eating requires regulation — and when mindful eating is the better choiceHow Human Design can inform sleep, energy, and daily rhythmsWhy forcing discipline backfires — and what actually helps you feel like yourself again TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Why January often feels disorienting after the holidays 02:10 Stress, sugar, inflammation, and why your body feels foggy 04:30 The trap of swinging from no structure to extreme control 06:45 Bedtime routines, Human Design, and energy types 09:05 Why some bodies need a slow wind-down — and others don’t 11:20 Morning rhythms, winter energy, and honoring slowness 13:30 Using structure to support — not punish — your body 15:50 Food rules vs. eating in a way that feels like home 18:10 Intuitive eating, mindful eating, and blood sugar reality 22:45 Why spirituality belongs in women’s health 25:05 January intensives + one-on-one coaching inside Resourced 29:40 Closing reflections and coming back gently RESOURCES 📥 Download The Resourced Morning Routine (FREE) A short, grounding guide to help you regulate your nervous system and start your day steady — not reactive. 👉 https://mindfullywell.com/morning 🌿 Work With Melissa: Resourced (January Intensives) One-on-one coaching focused on hormones, digestion, nervous system regulation, Human Design, and energy capacity. 👉 https://mindfullywell.com (Click Work With Me) CONNECT WITH ME 📱 Instagram: @melissa_eich 🌐 Website: www.mindfullywell.com 💌 Email List + Free Guide: https://mindfullywell.com/morning ABOUT THE SHOW Body-Led Business is a podcast for women who are done forcing their bodies to keep up. Hosted by Melissa Eich, each episode explores how to build steady energy, grounded health, and sustainable success by working with your body — not against it. LEAVE A REVIEW If this episode supported you, please leave a 5-star review. Reviews help more women find this work and begin rebuilding a steady relationship with their body. Keywords: post-holiday reset, nervous system regulation, intuitive eating, mindful eating, inflammation, women’s health, body-led business, sustainable energy, burnout recovery

    27 min

  7. 12/23/2025

    Episode 159: When You Know What To Do - But You Don’t Do It

    If you’re a high-achieving woman who knows what her body needs — better sleep, regular meals, boundaries, nervous system support — but still can’t seem to follow through, this episode is for you. In this conversation, I break down why “just do it” stops working when you’re depleted, over-functioning, or living in survival mode. We explore the real reason information doesn’t translate into change, the nervous system science behind self-sabotage, and why your body often chooses familiar discomfort over unfamiliar ease. This episode is about closing the gap between knowing and doing — not with more willpower, but by working with your nervous system instead of against it. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN Why knowing what your body needs doesn’t automatically lead to changeWhat the “implementation gap” really is — and why it widens under chronic stressHow functional freeze, fawn, and fight-or-flight show up in high-achieving womenWhy your nervous system resists even positive changeHow depletion becomes a protective state that keeps you small, unseen, or safeThe connection between nervous system dysregulation, chronic fatigue, and weight loss resistanceWhy your body prefers familiar discomfort over unfamiliar easeHow identity — not discipline — determines long-term follow-throughA simple nervous system regulation practice you can use immediatelyWhat actually creates sustainable energy, clarity, and capacity heading into 2026 TIMESTAMPS 00:09 — Why knowing what to do isn’t the problem  01:26 — My 40-day nervous system streak and why consistency didn’t stick before  03:35 — Over-functioning, caretaking, and avoiding yourself  05:58 — Functional freeze: doing everything except what actually helps  08:14 — Why information feels safe and implementation feels risky  10:50 — Fight-or-flight: wired, exhausted, and unable to rest  13:00 — Shutdown and depletion: when everything feels like moving through mud  14:05 — Familiar discomfort vs. unfamiliar ease  15:45 — How depletion protects you from visibility, growth, and risk  19:51 — A simple nervous system regulation practice  22:15 — Inside the From Overworked to Optimized workshop  26:00 — How to start closing the gap between knowing and doing RESOURCES MENTIONED From Overworked to Optimized — 3-Day Workshop (January 6–8)  A live, paid workshop for high-achieving women ready to move from awareness into real implementation.  You’ll learn: Nervous system foundations for daily regulationNutrition for steady energy and hormonal supportHow to build boundaries that make follow-through possibleReplays included. Sign up at: mindfullywell.com/optimized The Resourced Morning Routine (FREE)  A simple, practical morning guide to help your body shift out of stress and into regulation before the day begins. https://mindfullywell.com/morning CONNECT WITH ME Instagram: @melissa_eich Website: mindfullywell.com KEYWORDS FOR THIS EPISODE knowing but not doing implementation gap nervous system regulation functional freeze high-achieving women burnout chronic fatigue and stress why willpower doesn’t work nervous system and identity capacity building for women stress physiology weight loss resistance and stress body-led business  sustainable energy female founder nervous system regulating before responding from overworked to optimized

    24 min

  8. 12/16/2025

    158: Running on Empty: The 4 Stages of Burnout for Female Founders (and My 2025 Depletion Audit)

    In this raw conversation, I walk you through my own 2025 depletion audit and the four stages of burnout I see high-achieving women normalize every day. You’ll hear how I spent most of the year oscillating between stage two and three burnout while still “doing the work,” and what finally forced me to stop pushing from pressure and start rebuilding true capacity. We’ll look at how busy work, misaligned strategies, and ignoring your body’s whispers slowly drain your business, your creativity, and your ability to feel present in your life. And we’ll talk about what has to change if you want 2026 to feel different in your body and your business. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN How I realized I was running on empty in 2025 even while teaching nervous system regulation and body capacity What burnout actually looks like for high-achieving women long before the full “collapse” The four stages of burnout, and why most founders quietly live in stages one and two for years How pressure-driven work, busy work, and misaligned strategies drain capacity and stall revenue The emotional cost of trying to outwork shame, fear, and misalignment The morning nervous system practice that has kept my business open and my head above water The difference between knowing what your body needs and actually implementing it consistently Simple anchors for 2026: boundaries, nervous system regulation, and strategic nutrition TIMESTAMPS 00:02 — A raw 2025 depletion audit  01:47 — The moment I realized I was running on empty in my business  06:20 — The four stages of burnout  07:48 — Stage one burnout: chronic exhaustion and end-of-day numbing  10:14 — Stage two burnout: shame, self-doubt, and procrastination  12:36 — Stage three burnout: detachment, shrinking, and going back to “safer” revenue levels  14:36 — Stage four burnout: everything on fire and the crisis state  16:47 — Why 2025 was a year of shedding and what it cost me  17:11 — Pressure vs. intentionality   20:09 — Capacity as feeling your emotions, not just holding more clients  24:32 — Micromanaging myself and watching my business crumble  26:50 — When your soul stops whispering and starts screaming  28:00 — How nervous system regulation kept my business from closing  34:59 — How to recognize your own depletion patterns  37:15 — Invitation to the From Overworked to Optimized three-day workshop  38:30 — Final reminder: your 2026 results depend on your 2026 capacity RESOURCES MENTIONED 2026 Capacity Planner (FREE) A one-page reflection to help you see where 2025 drained you, where you’re living in stages one and two burnout, and what your body needs to lead differently in 2026. https://mindfullywell.com/planner From Overworked to Optimized — 3-Day Workshop (January 6–8) For high-achieving women and founders who are ready to move from awareness to implementation. Three days of nervous system and nutrition support so you can build sustainable energy for 2026. http://mindfullywell.com/optimized The Resourced Morning Routine (FREE) For women who wake up already behind. A simple morning guide to help you shift out of chaos and into a grounded, regulated state before the day begins. https://mindfullywell.com/morning CONNECT WITH ME Instagram: @melissa_eich — message me and tell me which burnout stage you recognized yourself in most this year Website: mindfullywell.com ABOUT THE SHOW Body-Led Business is a podcast for female founders who want to build meaningful businesses without overriding the body that’s carrying it. Hosted by Melissa Eich (RN, functional nutritionist, coach), we explore the intersection of energy, capacity, and sustainable success so you can create growth that your body can actually hold.

    35 min
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Health, hormone, burnout recovery, and business growth for female entrepreneurs. Restore your energy, grow your revenue, reclaim your life.

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