“I'm lost in this whole situation.

I have zero clue about how or what I should be eating.”

"I'm tired of dieting, but I'm also tired of feeling uncomfortable with extra weight. I'm overwhelmed by all the info on eating/perimenopause, etc. I crave peace, enjoyment, and nourishment from food and my relationship with food."

These comments came from different women I worked with recently.

They’re classic examples of being stuck in the messy middle between giving up diet tricks that don't work like they used to and intuitive eating - especially during perimenopause and menopause.

Are you feeling lost, too, Reader?

Social media posts think intuitive eating is the "eat whatever you want, whenever you want plan." That's not the full story.

You CAN eat foods you enjoy AND support your health goals with intuitive eating.

Intuitive eating is slightly different in midlife

Say you're concerned about your weight. You've been told that weight loss will help you avoid chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

You follow recommended diets, do the exercise plans, and assume if you lose weight, you'll be healthy.

But what happens when you're tired of eating raw vegetables with non-fat yogurt ranch-style dip?

Or when you get blood work done, and your cholesterol and blood sugar increase?

Now what?

Is your health doomed unless you white-knuckle it and hope with every fiber of your being that willpower will work this time?

Welcome to the messy middle.

You want to be healthy, but your body doesn't respond to diet food rules like it used to.

AND you don't have the capacity to eat perfectly all the time (what does "perfect" eating mean, anyway?).

Gentle Nutrition will help!

Intuitive eating is different in midlife because of gentle nutrition.

The gentle nutrition framework guides you to the sweet spot of eating for hunger, satisfaction, and fullness.

It teaches you how to include balance and variety in your meals with BOTH nutrient-dense and pleasure-dense foods.

You learn how to feed yourself based on subtle hunger and fullness cues. The food noise is gone.

Gentle nutrition asks: what do you want to eat?

What foods would be satisfying right now?

What can you add to your meal or snack to support your health concerns?

For example: add more protein (without being excessive), fiber, whole grain carbs, foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, and iron if you're having heavy periods.

The add-in strategy will help you feel more satisfied with foods that are aligned with your health intentions.

Read more in this blog post: Why gentle nutrition is better than dieting.

Gentle Nutrition Made Easy in 4-weeks!

Stop standing in the messy middle between diet tricks that don't work like they used to and the food freedom you want.

​Join the waitlist for Gentle Nutrition Made Easy - my mini course.

In 4-weeks you’ll learn:

• Quick, easy meals and snacks that don’t require all weekend in the kitchen.
• Why it's important to eat a variety of nutrient-dense and pleasure-dense foods.
• To front-load your day with balanced nutrition so you have more energy, less brain fog, and stop mindless snacking after 3 PM.
• Plus, what nutrients can improve your health during menopause?

At the end of the course, you'll know how to keep eating easy - no matter what life throws at you.

​Get on the waitlist for more details.
​

Recipe

Curry Butternut Squash Soup with Soy Beans

Looking for a way to add in more plant-based protein and phytoestrogens? This classic curry squash soup recipe gets an upgrade by blending in white soy beans.

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped

2 TBSP olive oil

4 gloves of garlic, peeled and minced

3 tsp red curry paste

1 small-medium butternut squash, peeled and cubed (about 5 cups)

5 cups vegetable broth, low-sodium

2 cups white soy beans, about 1 can drained and rinsed

(If you can’t find white soy bean, regular white beans like navy or cannellini will work too - just without the phytoestrogens)​
​

In a 6 qrt soup pot over medium-high heat, saute onions in olive oil until translucent. Add the minced garlic. Sauté 2 minutes more.

Add the curry paste, stirring to evenly coat the onions. Add the squash cubes. Toss the squash to coat with curry paste, onions, and garlic flavors.

Add the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the squash is soft.

Once the squash is soft, add the beans. Simmer 5 minutes more.

Blend the soup in small batches with either an immersion blender or a regular blender with the stem cap removed from the lid and a towel over the lid with your hand while blending.

Return to the pot, bring to temperature, and season with salt, white miso, crushed red pepper, or additional curry powder to taste.

Have a great weekend savoring food and your body!

Amanda

PS: Feeling lost in the chaos of nutrition recommendations for menopause? Wondering what's the best diet for women over 40? Social media posts think intuitive eating is the "eat whatever you want, whenever you want plan." That's not the full story. You CAN eat foods you enjoy AND support your health goals with intuitive eating. Gentle nutrition and intuitive eating are better than dieting during menopause. Here's why. Read this blog post.​