Menopause, Melanin & Aging Like A Queen
This podcast explores menopause through the lenses of anti-diet culture and anti-racism. Host Samantha Montpetit-Huynh challenges stigma around fitness and health, particularly in the menopause space. It aims to create inclusive conversations about aging, body image, and wellbeing for marginalized communities. Listeners can expect honest discussions that disrupt conventional narratives about menopause and fitness.
Episodes
Episode 116 - I Finally Feel Like I've Arrived
Send us Fan MailA few weeks ago, a podcast host asked me, "When did you know you had succeeded?" I looked at him and said, "Here. Right now." I've been invited onto two podcasts run by Black men, I Quit My Job Podcast and Pizza in the Breakroom, to talk about menopause. To men. To Black men. In this episode, I tell you what success means to me now.I've been an entrepr
Episode 115 - Muscle is THE anti-aging drug. Period
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I'm talking about something I see constantly in this work - women in menopause who are under-fueled, over-exercised, and under-muscled, all at the same time. Doing everything for everyone else, and running themselves into the ground in the process.This is a pattern I've watched for 25 years - women eating too little, then hopping on cardio to "burn o
Episode 114 - If You Don't Make the Time, It Will Be Made for You
Send us Fan MailI was at the gym last week when a man I'd met once before — at a party over the summer — came up to chat. He wanted to talk about his wife. She's struggling through menopause, and he told me he'd registered her for a free webinar I ran back in August, just so he could grab the replay for her. When I asked if she'd watched it yet, he said no. She works a lot. And
Episode 113 - Slim Is ‘Back’? Let’s Talk About Who Never Left
Send us Fan MailA UK Telegraph column just told the world that slim, beautiful women are "back in fashion" — thank God, apparently — and that all that inclusive advertising over the last few years was just brands appeasing the woke crowd. Cute theory. Except it conveniently skips the part where GLP-1s are now as easy to get as a haircut — your doctor's office, the mail, a discount c
Episode 112 - The Coop Is Empty: On Letting Go, Grief, and Learning to Be Alone
Send us Fan MailLast weekend I drove my oldest to Massachusetts for grad school. And somewhere on the drive home, I completely lost it.This episode is not really about her — she's happy, she's healthy, she's exactly where she's supposed to be. It's about me. About what happens when the person you built so much of your identity around starts building a life that no longer c
Episode 111 - Celebrate Your (Smallest) Wins & Rewire Your Brain
Send us Fan MailWhy does your brain remember every mistake and forget every win? In this episode, Sam breaks down negativity bias — the reason we're all wired to scan for what's wrong instead of what's going right — and why your brain treats "staying stuck" as the safe choice, even when you know better.Sam shares the story of a client in her late 50s — five kids, eight gra
Episode 110 - Same Diet. New Delivery System.
Send us Fan MailLast weekend I was at a fitness conference, sitting in a session about GLP-1s, and the person facilitating it said something to a room full of trainers that made me stand up, say something out loud, and walk out.They said: don't worry about calories — the GLP-1 takes care of that. Just make sure your client is strength training and eating enough protein. Fine, on its own. Almo
Episode 109 - Muscle Is the Organ Nobody Told You About
Send us Fan MailI got a DM a while back about a woman's mom who had ankle surgery. She'd been told to build up her upper body strength beforehand and didn't. Now she doesn't have enough strength to use crutches, so she scoots up and down her own stairs on her bum. Right after that, a friend told me about her mom — knee surgery, but she strengthened everything around the joint f
Episode 108 - Fed Up, Fried, and Done Pretending
Send us Fan MailYou know that tired that isn't fixed by a nap? That's what this episode is about.Sam recaps her Strong Through Menopause Method webinar and breaks down the three pillars behind it — Cortisol Calm, Build-Don't-Burn, and Unlearning diet culture — and gets real about what happened after: 200 women signed up, 70 showed up, and every single woman she's talked to sinc
Episode 107 - Why Midlife Community Matters More Than the Plan
Send us Fan MailLast night I hosted eleven women I love at my house — food, laughter, connection, the whole thing. It was, by every measure, a beautiful night. We just never got around to dancing.And somehow that's the one thing I fixated on. I went to bed anxious. Woke up anxious. Spinning on whether everyone actually had a good time, or was just being polite.In this episode, I'm gettin
Episode 106 - Should Canada Follow Suit? Menopause, Rhode Island's New Law, and the Real Cost of Staying Silent at Work
Send us Fan MailRhode Island just made history — it's the first U.S. state to legally require workplace accommodations for menopause. No pamphlet in the break room, no vague "be supportive" suggestion. An actual legal requirement. And it made me ask the question I know a lot of you have been asking too: should Canada be next?In this episode I break down exactly what the Rhode Island
Episode 105 - Menopause and My Mental Health (Anxiety, Mental Load, and What Actually Helps)
Send us Fan MailI'm 55, and almost a year and a half ago, my husband moved out. What followed wasn't something I expected — new anxiety, heart palpitations, a racing mind I couldn't quiet. I've never been a worrier. Now I am. And I'm not telling you this for sympathy. This is a truth-telling episode, not a woe-is-me one.In this episode, I get honest about what this season
Episode 104 - We Have Lost the Plot — And How to Find Your Way Back to YOUR Body This Summer
Send us Fan MailWhen is the last time you went dancing? Not swaying in your living room — really dancing. Out somewhere. In your body. Not thinking about how you look.If that question made you pause, this episode is for you.Sam Montpetit-Huynh is talking about the summer body myth — decades of diet culture that taught women their bodies needed to be smaller, thinner, and more acceptable before the
Episode 103 - The Menopause Symptom No One Warns You About.
Send us Fan MailGuess what?I never had a single hot flash. Not one night sweat in over two years of perimenopause.What I had instead: hives the size of a deck of cards from a single mosquito bite, sneezing attacks out of nowhere, and ears that itched so badly at 3am I used to dream about taking a razor blade to them. That's not in any of the ads.In this episode, I'm breaking down the sym
Episode 102 - Juneteenth & Connecting To Who I Really AM
Send us Fan MailThis isn't your average menopause content — and Sam wants you to know that right up front. Recorded on Juneteenth, this episode steps away from strength training and hormone talk to go somewhere more personal: what George Floyd's murder on May 25th, 2020 cracked open in Sam, and everything she's learned — and is still learning — since.Sam walks through the real histo
Episode 101 - The Call Back — My Breast Cancer Scare and What It Taught Me
Send us Fan MailTwo weeks ago I got a callback after my mammogram. I hung up the phone and cried.In this episode, I'm sharing what those two weeks between my first appointment and my follow-up were really like — the fear, the sleepless nights, and the moment I made a conscious decision to choose peace over panic even when my mind wanted to go somewhere dark.I also take you back 15 years to th
Episode 100 🎉 - My Daughter Has Something to Say
Send us Fan MailOne hundred episodes. And for this one, Sam did something she has never done before — she invited her firstborn daughter, Rio, to sit across from the microphone and tell the truth.Rio is almost 25 years old. She grew up with one of Canada's leading fitness coaches and menopause specialists for a mother. She heard the podcast recordings from the other room. She watched Sam pivo
Episode 99 - Clothes Are Meant to Fit You — Not the Other Way Around
Send us Fan MailHave you ever tried on something you loved — and felt crushed when it no longer fit? This week, Sam gets personal after a client reached out needing to be "talked off the ledge" — all because a dress she bought last year no longer fits her body.But here's the thing: this woman is doing everything right. She strength trains. She sleeps well. She eats well. And yet, in
Episode 98 - Sleep is NOT a luxury; it's your lifeline
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Sam dives deep into the number one complaint she hears from menopausal women — sleep. This is not a "go to bed earlier" conversation. We're talking about what is actually happening inside your body while you sleep, why menopause makes sleep a completely different challenge, the real health risks of chronic under-sleeping (including a cancer connectio
Episode 97 - The Universe Is Testing You — What I Learned When Everything Was Going Right (And Then It Wasn't)
Send us Fan MailYou know that feeling when everything is finally clicking? The work is landing, the opportunities are flowing, and for the first time in a long time you think — okay, this is it. And then something hits you sideways and your brain goes straight to: I knew it was too good to be true.Yeah. That happened to me.In this episode, I'm getting personal about a really good stretch, pro
Episode 96 - The Beginning Can Be Long — And Nobody Tells You That
Send us Fan MailHave you ever felt like your body was betraying you and had no idea why? Like you were doing everything right and still waking up exhausted, snapping at people you love, lying awake at 2am wondering if something was seriously wrong with you?You are not going crazy. But nobody told you that — and that is exactly the problem.In this episode, Sam shares the real, unfiltered stories of
Episode 95 - "I Started Walking — And Everything Changed" (ft. Walk With Sam Community Launch)
Send us Fan MailTwo weeks ago, Sam went for a walk. And something shifted.In this deeply personal episode, Sam Montpetit-Huynh shares what has been happening since she returned to the green trails of Taylor Creek Park — the clarity, the big ideas, the sense of being reborn after one of the harshest winters in recent memory. She also opens up about navigating life just over a year after separating
Episode 94 - Stop Thinking, Start Moving: Radical & Inspired Action
Send us Fan MailWe just wrapped the annual Stress-Less in Menopause Challenge — and ladies, the women who showed up for that challenge? They walked in nervous, vulnerable, and unsure of themselves. They walked out supported, motivated, and ready for the next level. So what made the difference?In this episode, Sam Montpetit-Huynh gets real about why change is so hard — not because you are weak, but
Episode 93 - My CPAP Machine Saved My Life — And It Has Nothing To Do With My Weight
Send us Fan MailI have been using a CPAP machine for almost twenty years. And I will tell you right now — it is one of the best health decisions I have ever made. But for a long time, I did not fit anyone's picture of a "sleep apnea patient." I was not overweight. I was not the person in the pamphlets. I was just a mom, running on empty, sleeping nine to ten hours a night and waking
Episode 92 - When Your Body Forces You to Stop: Stress, Sickness & Menopause
Send us Fan MailFor the past 12 days, I've been sick. Not sniffly, push-through-it sick — completely flattened. No cough, no fever, no sore throat. Just relentless congestion, dizziness, lightheadedness, and nausea that wouldn't quit. My doctor thinks it may have been Covid. We don't know. What I do know is that my body forced me to stop — and I had no choice but to listen.In this e
Episode 91 - We are DONE chasing thin
Send us Fan MailIt's 2026 and somehow, we're moving backwards.In this episode, Sam gets real about something that's been sitting heavy on her — the culture of thinness that is tightening its grip on women, and the menopause space in particular. From Oprah's very public Ozempic journey to Serena Williams' post-retirement scrutiny, to Lizzo and Queen Latifah pivoting from bo
Episode 90 - Your Body Is Talking — Are You Listening?
Send us Fan MailWhat if the exhaustion you've been pushing through actually has a name? A cause? A solution?In this episode, Sam gets real about one of the most overlooked — and most important — aspects of navigating perimenopause and menopause: learning to listen to your body instead of overriding it.Inspired by a recent coaching call with two of her clients, Sam shares a story that so many
Episode 89 - How to Find the RIGHT Menopause Coach for YOU (And the Red Flags to Run From)
Send us Fan MailThe menopause wellness industry is booming — and it is also one of the most predatory spaces women over 40 will ever navigate. In this episode, Sam gets real about the GLP-1 explosion, AI-generated before-and-after photos, and why "thinner" is not the same as healthier, stronger, or happier.With one billion women currently in some stage of perimenopause or menopause, ther
Episode 88 - Demystifying Perimenopause - What Every Woman Needs to Know.
Send us Fan MailAre you tired all the time? Waking up at 3 AM for no reason? Feeling irritable, foggy, and like a stranger in your own body — but convinced it's just stress or a busy life? What if it wasn't?In this episode of Menopause, Melanin, and Ageing Like a Queen, we are pulling back the curtain on perimenopause — the long, often invisible transition that can begin as early as your
Episode 87 - Men-On-Pause: The Results Are In
Send us Fan MailLast week, we talked about the need. This week, we're talking about the reality.After months of dreaming and weeks of planning, the Men-On-Pause event finally happened. Twenty-five men walked through the doors at Nickel 9 Distillery in Toronto—and what happened next exceeded every expectation.In this episode, I'm breaking down the entire night: the nerves leading up to it
Episode 86 - Men-On-Pause: Why Your Marriage Depends on Him Understanding Menopause
Send us Fan MailThe highest rate of divorce occurs between the ages of 45 and 55—and the majority are initiated by women. Is it just "empty nest syndrome," or is there something deeper going on?Host Sam gets personal in this episode, sharing her own journey through perimenopause and separation after 30 years of marriage. She breaks down the startling statistics linking menopause to marit
Episode 85 - The ✨Magic✨ of Costa Rica, Valentine's Day and Sisterhood.
Send us Fan MailWhat happens when everything goes wrong just days before your second annual menopause retreat? A health scare, a check engine light, and a weather forecast predicting rain EVERY single day in paradise.In this heartfelt Valentine's Day episode, I get raw and real about my second annual Flip Flops & Hot Flashes retreat in Cahuita, Costa Rica. What started as a stress-induced
Episode 84 - A Blood Clot Scare & the Wake-Up Call We All Need
Send us Fan MailIn this deeply personal episode, host Sam shares a raw story fabout the moment she received a terrifying "overdue notice" from her own body—a health scare that forced her to confront a pattern she sees in all of us.Navigating her first year single after a 30-year marriage, Sam thought she was coping—until a snowstorm and a constellation of mysterious bruises sent her into
Episode 83 - Are We Being Distracted? Why Our Wellness is Resistance
Send us Fan MailAfter a historic snowstorm in Toronto forced a digital blackout, host Sam found herself staring down the raw headlines of a world in crisis. This episode is a deeply personal, unfiltered conversation born from that silence.We explore the haunting question: What if our exhausting, all-consuming focus on our changing midlife bodies—the diets, the “anti-aging” pressures—is a designed
Episode 82 - Trusting the Process: The Liberating Truth About Strength in Midlife
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful and relatable episode, Sam unpacks a transformative conversation with a client that echoes the journey so many women face in midlife.We begin by looking back at past extremes—like post-baby competition training or aggressive "best shape of my life" goals—and explore the hidden drive behind them: the need to prove our strength in a society that expects wom
Episode 81 - Climbing Out of a Winter Fitness Rut
Send us Fan MailFeeling stuck in a winter fitness rut? You're not alone. In this week's episode, Sam tackles the real reasons our motivation vanishes during the long, grey months—and it's not a lack of willpower. Starting with a relatable story of chasing a fleeting five minutes of winter sun, this episode dives into why we must first stop "shoulding" on ourselves and aban
Episode 80 - The "New Year, New You" Lie & Why We're Just So Tired
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re having a real talk about why the classic New Year’s reset often feels so wrong. I share why I’ve completely removed diets, weight-loss promises, and “before and after” messaging from my brand and my coaching—and what I focus on instead.We’ll explore the powerful question of “why?” Why is being smaller the default goal? What if we focused on taking up more spa
Episode 79 - Your 2026 Compass: Building a Year Based on How You WANT to Feel
Send us Fan MailForget "new year, new you." This episode is a permission slip to enter 2026 differently. Host [Your Name] guides a deep, restorative reframe of January—not as a time for rigid resolutions, but as a sacred buffer zone for shedding the old and listening for the new. Drawing on the symbolism of the Chinese Year of the Snake (still in effect until February 17th) and the natur
Episode 78 - Shedding the Snake, Riding the Horse: A 2026 Rebellion of Resilience
Send us Fan MailIn this raw and resonant final episode of 2025, we hold space for the collective exhaustion of a devastating year. From global humanitarian crises and escalating political injustices to the deeply personal battles of loss, grief, and systemic bias, we acknowledge that 2025 was "hard AF."Host [Your Name] opens up about navigating the end of her marriage this year—a private
Episode 77 - Holiday Homeostasis: Loving Your Now & Planning Your Next
Send us Fan MailIn this reflective year-end episode, we navigate the often stressful holiday season with a revolutionary framework: the 70/30 Holiday Homeostasis. Instead of the rigid 80/20 rule or an all-or-nothing mindset, we explore a compassionate, flexible approach to finding balance during the festivities.We begin by honoring where you are right now, acknowledging the weight and growth of 20
Episode 76 - Managing Stress & Anxiety for a Calmer Year Ahead: Nervous System Tune-Up for Menopause
Send us Fan MailFeeling like anxiety, heart palpitations, and brain fog have hijacked your midlife? You're not alone. In this deeply personal and practical episode, host Sam opens up about her own journey with anxiety—amplified by a major life transition and the profound physiological shifts of menopause. She dismantles the myth that menopause-related anxiety is "all in your head,"
Episode 75 - 55 & Flipping the Script: Menopause, Generational Ghosts & Why We're Done with the Silence
Send us Fan MailAs host Sam stands on the precipice of her 55th birthday, she delivers a powerful, deeply personal letter to her 50-year-old self—and to every woman who’s been handed a faulty blueprint for aging.This isn't a gentle reflection; it's a dismantling. Sam traces the journey through three generations of women in her family: her grandmother, whose menopausal distress was tragic
Episode 74 - The Hardest Thing About Menopause
Send us Fan MailWhat if the hardest part of perimenopause and menopause has nothing to do with hot flashes? In this deeply personal and research-backed solo episode, host [Your Name] pulls back the curtain on the silent struggles we're often too ashamed to talk about.She shares her own story of the shocking moment she realized she was no longer in control of her changing body, and the comment
Episode 73 - The Menopause Maze. Why There's No Single Path Through
Send us Fan MailFeeling overwhelmed and confused by the conflicting advice in the menopause space? You're not alone. In this powerful and essential episode, we're cutting through the noise and calling out the toxic "mean-girl" culture that has taken over the conversation online. Expert against expert, influencer against doctor—it’s time to reject the high-school drama and embra
Episode 72 - Clearing the Air: The FDA Removes the Black Box on Estrogen
Send us Fan MailFor over two decades, the “black box” warning on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has scared many women away from a treatment that can improve symptoms and protect long-term health. In this episode, I break down the history of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) study, how its results were misinterpreted, and what led to the widespread fear of HRT.We’ll discuss the difference betw
Episode 71 - Breaking Up with Diet Culture—Once and For All
Send us Fan MailAs we come closer to winding down 2025, Samantha invites you to do something radical: stop beating yourself up about not hitting your New Year’s weight loss goals—and finally break up with diet culture for good.In this honest, thought-provoking episode, she opens up about how her own messaging has evolved—from chasing smaller bodies to helping women build strength, mobility, and re
Episode 70 - Watch for the Red Flags, "Do All the Things", and Give Yourself Grace
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I get real about what happens when we try to do all the things—especially during menopause. October was a whirlwind for me: running events, launching my new Menopause Muscle Bootcamp, supporting my girls, and navigating my own healing journey after separation. And while it’s been fulfilling, it’s also been a powerful reminder of how easy it is to miss the red flags
Episode 69 - High Heels & Hot Flashes Recap!
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Sam takes you behind the scenes of High Heels & Hot Flashes — the in-person event series that’s redefining what menopause looks and feels like.What started three years ago as a simple idea to reconnect after lockdown has grown into a powerful community movement where women and womb holders come together to laugh, cry, and have the real conversations that too of
Episode 68 - Vaginal Dryness, Libido and Conversations with Your Partner
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Samantha gets real about a topic that too many women are silently struggling with — vaginal dryness, low libido, and how to have honest conversations with your partner during menopause.From her Saturday morning ritual at the Brickworks Farmers Market to a candid chat with friends over coffee, this episode unfolds into a deeply relatable and empowering conversation
Episode 67 - Thankful — Lessons from a Year of Growth, Healing, and Rebirth
Send us Fan MailThis episode is a heart-to-heart reflection on gratitude, growth, and finding peace in the middle of life’s biggest transitions.After a year of profound change, I’m taking a moment to pause and give thanks — for the lessons, the love, the losses, and the unexpected gifts along the way. From hosting my first Flip Flops & Hot Flashes retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica (where 11 women
Episode 66 - Pelvic Health in Menopause – Why It Matters More Than You Think
Send us Fan MailYour pelvic floor is the foundation of your strength, posture, and confidence — but during menopause, it often becomes one of the most overlooked parts of the body.In this episode, Samantha dives deep into the importance of pelvic health during menopause and how the loss of estrogen and muscle mass can lead to issues like leaking, prolapse, back pain, and even sexual discomfort.You
Episode 65 - The Dangers of Osteoporosis in Midlife & How to Protect Your Bones
Send us Fan MailOsteoporosis is often called the “silent disease” because you don’t feel it happening—until a fracture occurs. In this episode, I dive into why menopause accelerates bone loss, how muscle protects your bones, and what you can do right now to slow down bone loss and safeguard your independence.You’ll learn:The difference between osteopenia and osteoporosisWhy estrogen loss during me
Episode 64 - Losing Friends in Midlife and Reflecting on Legacy
Send us Fan MailIn this deeply personal episode, I share the recent loss of my colleague and friend, Nicole, who passed away at just 52 years old. Nicole was a bright light—an incredible mom, mentor, author of Pelvic Floor Secrets, and a woman who touched countless lives through her work and her heart. Attending her memorial reminded me not only of the fragility of life but also of the importance
Episode 63 - Not Sorry (But Not Celebrating): A Menopause-Era Take on Hate, Fear, and the Death of Charlie Kirk
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I talk openly about the assassination of Charlie Kirk, why I refuse to perform sorrow for a man who weaponized white supremacy, anti-Black racism, homophobia, transphobia, and misogyny—and why that honesty matters as we age.This conversation isn’t about celebrating violence. It’s about naming hypocrisy, setting boundaries, and protecting the people we love. I share
Episode 62 - Mind-Body Practices fo Menopasue Relief and Balance
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of, Samantha explores the power of mind–body practices for finding balance, calm, and joy during menopause. From meditation and box breathing to yoga, Reiki, journaling, sound healing, and even forest bathing, she shares both the science and her own personal stories of transformation.You’ll hear how her first trip to Costa Rica awakened a new sense of sensuality, cr
Episode 61 - Menopause, Stress and the New "New Year".
Send us Fan MailSeptember often feels like a “new year.” Kids go back to school, traffic picks up, and everyone is trying to get back on track after summer. But for women in perimenopause and menopause, this push to “do more” often leads to one thing: stress overload.In this episode, I’m unpacking how the stress of new routines, dieting, fasting, and over-exercising can actually backfire during me
Episode 60 - Ozempic, Weight Loss and Why I am NOT a Fan
Send us Fan MailOzempic and other GLP-1 medications are being hailed as the “miracle solution” for weight loss — but at what cost? In this episode, I open up about why I’m not on board with the Ozempic craze, especially for women in midlife.I share the story of a woman who lost 100 pounds on Ozempic but ended up in emergency surgery, the heartbreaking reality of muscle loss that comes with these d
Episode 59 - Finding your people
Send us Fan Mailn this episode, we’re diving into one of the most powerful (and often overlooked) parts of navigating midlife and menopause: finding your people.Menopause can feel isolating — our bodies are changing, our roles are shifting, and sometimes even our closest friends or partners don’t fully understand what we’re going through. But the truth is, you are not meant to do this alone.I shar
Episode 58 - How To Get Back On Track
Send us Fan MailIf you’ve ever said, “I need to get back on track,” this episode is for you. We’ve all had those moments when life gets busy, motivation fades, or old habits start creeping back in — and suddenly, we convince ourselves we’ve fallen off completely. But here’s the truth: you haven’t lost everything. Once you’ve built awareness around your health, you can’t unlearn it.In this empoweri
Episode 57 - The Legacy I Want To Leave
Send us Fan Mailn this deeply personal and powerful episode, I’m sharing the moment a simple question from a friend stopped me in my tracks: “What kind of legacy do you want to leave?”After 25 years in the fitness and wellness industry, I’ve seen it all—from diets and detoxes to punishing workouts and toxic body standards. But now, in this new season of life—menopause, midlife, and deep personal g
Episode 56 - Running on Empty? Energy and Menopause
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful and validating episode, we dive into one of the most common (and overlooked) struggles women face during perimenopause and menopause: chronic fatigue and low energy.If you're constantly asking yourself, "Why am I so tired even when I’m doing all the right things?"—this episode is for you.We explore:How the loss of progesterone and estrogen disrupts s
Episode 55 - Menopause and Heart Disease
Send us Fan Mail🔍 Episode Summary:In this powerful episode, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most overlooked — and urgent — health issues affecting women in midlife: heart disease.Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women — and that your risk climbs significantly during perimenopause and menopause? Most of us aren’t warned about this. But with changing hormones,
Episode 54 - Why I Changed the Way I Train (and Maybe Why You Should Too)
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on why I changed the way I train—and what it means for you in midlife and menopause.After 24 years as a personal trainer, I’ve seen the good, the bad, and the toxic when it comes to women and fitness. For years, I bought into the idea that smaller was better. I tracked, measured, and judged—my clients and myself. But when perimenopause
Episode 53 - Supplements, Snake Oil and Foundaitons.
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing the supplements I personally take to support my body through menopause. From probiotics to magnesium, omega‑3s to hormone therapy — I walk you through why I take them, what they help with, and how they fit into my overall wellness lifestyle.✨ But let me be clear: I’m not here to prescribe or sell you anything. This episode i
Episode 52 - How To Get Your Summer Body
Send us Fan MailIn this bold and honest episode, I break down the myth of the “summer body” and why it’s time we finally let it go. As Gen X women, we were raised in the depths of diet culture—from cabbage soup diets to cardio obsession—and those messages are still echoing in our heads, especially during midlife and menopause.But here’s the truth: Your body is already a summer body. And no, you do
Episode 51 - Muscle, Milestones & Mowing the Lawn
Send us Fan Mail In this power-packed episode, I take you behind the scenes of one of the most exciting (and exhausting!) weeks of my life — and how it reminded me that menopause is not the end, but a bold new beginning.From co-curating the Women’s Healthy Living Show and hosting the High Heels & Hot Flashes stage with my incredible partner, Nadine Woods — to interviewing Canadian media icon T
Episode 50 - Weighted Vests: Y or No?
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I dive into the rising craze of weighted vests—popular among menopausal and midlife women—but ask: do they really deliver?🔍 What We Cover1. The Trend & Theory Weighted vests are touted for boosting calorie burn and bone strength during simple activities like walking and chores—now a viral staple on social media researchgate.net+12womenshealthmag.com+2news.cuans
Episode 49 - Finding Yourself Again After Divorce In Menopause
Send us Fan MailIn this deeply personal and powerful episode, I open up about navigating life after a 30-year relationship and the unexpected journey of rediscovering who I am at 54. Divorce during menopause isn’t something we talk about enough—but it’s happening more than we think. I share my own story of love, loss, pride, grief, and growth—from learning how to use the lawn mower to letting go o
Episode 48 - The MOST Powerful Shift In Menopause
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful episode, we unpack one of the most important—and overlooked—transformations that happens during menopause: the mindset shift.Host [Your Name], menopause health coach and midlife empowerment expert, dives deep into why so many women spend decades chasing smaller bodies in hopes of finally feeling confident, sexy, and at peace—and why that rarely works.You’ll hear ra
Episode 47 - Why I No Longer Focus on Weight Loss (and Why It’s Time We All Stopped)
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful and honest episode, I’m sharing why I’ve completely shifted away from focusing on weight loss in my coaching—and why it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, both for myself and my clients.We, Gen X women, were raised on diet culture. From the 20 Minute Workout to cabbage soup diets, we were taught that smaller was better, cardio was queen, and our value was
Episode 46 - Menopause and Mother's Day
Send us Fan MailMother’s Day hits different in midlife — and that’s not a bad thing. In this heartfelt and humorous episode, I reflect on how Mother’s Day has evolved now that my daughters are grown, I’m navigating menopause, and life looks nothing like it did when I was juggling diaper bags, walkers, and brunch reservations all at once.From the chaos of early motherhood to the quiet confidence th
Episode 45 - What to Do When You’ve Done “All the Things”
Send us Fan MailYou’re eating right. You’re lifting weights. You’re walking, stretching, sleeping, meditating, managing stress… You’re doing all the things — and yet, the scale won’t budge.Sound familiar? You are not alone — and you are not broken.In today’s episode, we’re having an honest, heart-to-heart conversation about what it means to redefine success in midlife, especially when it feels lik
Episode 44 - The Invisible Struggle — Black Women, Menopause & Medical Gaslighting
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful and heartfelt episode, Samantha shines a light on the often overlooked experiences of Black women navigating menopause. From the cultural pressure to "stay strong" to the harsh reality of medical gaslighting, this conversation explores why so many Black women suffer in silence — and what we can do to change that.You'll learn about the historical root
Episode 43 - Menopause, Melanin & Redefining Beauty, Beyond Youth
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful solo episode, I’m getting real about the intersection of aging, beauty, and Black womanhood—and how we’re flipping the script on what it means to be “beautiful” in midlife and beyond.For too long, society has tied our worth to youth, thinness, and perfection. But what happens when the laugh lines deepen, the curves shift, and the world tells us we’re no longer desi
Episode 42 - Mobility, Flexibility and Menopause
Send us Fan MailIn this empowering episode, we’re diving into one of the most overlooked but essential aspects of midlife health—mobility, flexibility, and injury prevention during menopause. If your body feels stiff, achy, or just not as responsive as it used to be, you are not alone—and you are not broken.Join me as I break down:The difference between mobility and flexibility (and why you need b
Episode 41 - Menopause and Libido
Send us Fan MailIn this powerful and personal episode, I’m diving deep into a topic that doesn’t get talked about enough—libido and menopause.If you’ve ever felt like your spark disappeared or your desire hit the pause button, you’re not alone—and it’s not just “in your head.” We explore the real, biological shifts happening in your body, including the decline of testosterone and estrogen, and how
Episode 40 - Progressive Overload
Send us Fan MailAre you feeling stuck in your strength training routine? It might be time to level up with progressive overload! In this episode, I break down what progressive overload is and how you can safely increase weights—starting with small increments (2.5 lbs for upper body, 5-10 lbs for lower body) and using the "drop and finish" method to build strength gradually.But lifting he
Episode 39 - Stress and Menopause
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, we’re diving deep into the connection between stress and menopause—why stress feels so much harder during this stage of life and how it impacts everything from sleep and weight gain to digestion, mood, and heart health.We’ll break down the role of cortisol (it’s not all bad!) and why chronic stress can lead to adrenal fatigue, anxiety, and even heart palpitations.
Episode 38 - Flip Flops & Hot Flashes ✨ Magic ✨
Send us Fan MailIn this episode, I take you behind the scenes of my very first Flip Flops & Hot Flashes menopause retreat in Nosara, Costa Rica—a transformative experience that brought together 12 incredible women from all walks of life. We laughed, cried, moved our bodies, embraced stillness, and formed an unbreakable sisterhood.From sunrise meditation and strength training to sensual dance,
Episode 37 - Menopause, Marriage and How to Talk To Your Partner
Send us Fan MailDid you know that the peak years for divorce are between 45-55—right in the middle of menopause? Studies show that 7 out of 10 women blame menopause for the breakdown of their marriage. But here’s the thing—many women don’t even realize menopause is at play, and their partners are left confused and frustrated.In this episode of Menopause, Melanin, and Aging Like a Queen, I’m gettin
