What To Expect and How To Thrive in Menopause with Michelle Viña-Baltsas | #17

Click here to access a written transcript of this episode.

As someone on the cusp of turning thirty, menopause still feels pretty far off to me. But I'm so glad I had this conversation with coach Michelle Viña-Baltsas to learn more about what to expect when the time comes.

Even if menopause isn't on the horizon for you (now or ever), Michelle gave great tips on how to treat yourself with self-compassion when your body is changing, why loving your body doesn't have to be your ultimate goal, and more.

We discussed:

• How Michelle became an intuitive eating coach specializing in menopause.
• The range of possible changes that a person can experience in perimenopause and menopause.
• Why it's important to be aware of what can happen in menopause so that you're more prepared and better able to manage your symptoms.
• The biological reason for weight gain and changes in belly size during menopause.
• How to deal with internalized fatphobia and discomfort during a time when your body is changing.
• The specific challenges of trying to stop dieting and adopt intuitive eating in menopause, including what gentle nutrition can look like.
• The fact that you don't have to love your body to respect it and take care of it.
• How the fear of invisibility makes menopause even more challenging for some people.
• The positive aspects of being older that Michelle has experienced in her own life.
• How Michelle defines health and wellness for herself at this moment in her life, including cultivating kindness and being realistic about what she can and cannot achieve.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Pursuing Perfection by Margo Maine
• Christy Harrison on diet culture
• Michelle's No Diet Sisterhood Facebook group
• Michelle's “Menopause…It Happens” free handout

Featured in This Episode

Michelle Viña-Baltsas (she/her) coaches women of all ages and stages of diet recovery to have a less complicated relationship with food and body. Her clients affectionately call her the “self-compassion queen” because her coaching is heavily focused on being kinder and less judgmental toward themselves. This provides the space needed to untangle themselves from the unrealistic demands of diet culture so they can live their lives focused on their individual needs and values. You can find Michelle on her website, Instagram, and free Facebook group, the No Diet Sisterhood.