“Just lose weight.”

How many women have heard that — without anyone asking why the weight is there?

In this powerful episode of The Modern Midlife Collective, Dr. Jillian Woodruff sits down with functional nutritionist Ashley Koch to unpack what’s really driving weight gain in perimenopause and menopause — and why the old advice of “eat less, move more” often fails midlife women.

Midlife weight gain is not a character flaw. It’s often a physiological shift.

As hormones fluctuate, insulin sensitivity changes, muscle mass declines, stress increases, sleep quality drops, and the gut microbiome shifts — your metabolism adapts. And when those shifts aren’t properly evaluated, women are often dismissed instead of investigated.

This episode challenges outdated weight-loss messaging and replaces it with evidence-based, compassionate insight.

✨ Your body isn’t broken.
✨ It’s responding to real metabolic and hormonal changes.
✨ And it deserves curiosity — not criticism.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why irregular periods and heavy bleeding can be metabolic warning signs
• How insulin resistance develops in perimenopause
• Why thyroid dysfunction is frequently missed or undertreated
• The role of visceral fat as a hormonally active tissue
• How the gut microbiome shifts during midlife
• Why calorie restriction alone fails many women after 40
• The importance of protein intake and muscle preservation
• How strength training improves metabolic stability
• When hormone therapy may support metabolic health

The truth about midlife weight gain

Weight gain after 40 is rarely about willpower.
It’s about hormones, metabolism, inflammation, stress physiology, and muscle loss interacting at the same time.

When we understand the biology, we stop blaming ourselves — and start making smarter, more sustainable choices.

Because thriving at 40 and beyond isn’t just possible — it’s your birthright.

👩‍⚕️ Guest:

Ashley Koch, Functional Nutritionist
Website: www.ashleyknutrition.com

🎧 If this episode resonated with you, share it with a woman who’s been told to “just lose weight” — and deserves better answers.

📩 Have a topic you want us to cover?
Email us at connect@modernmidlifecollective.com

#MidlifeWeightGain
#Perimenopause
#Menopause
#HormoneHealth
#WomensHealth
#InsulinResistance
#ThyroidHealth
#MetabolicHealth
#Over40Health
#VisceralFat
#MuscleAfter40
#FunctionalNutrition
#WeightLossAfter40
#ModernMidlifeCollective

If you already pay for health insurance, why are you being asked to pay more for care?

In Part 2 of this two-part conversation, Dr. Jill and Dr. Ade explain why cash-pay, self-pay, subscription medicine, and direct care models are becoming more common—and what problem they are trying to solve.

This episode is not about telling you what kind of healthcare to choose. It’s about explaining why these options exist, how insurance still fits in, and how women in midlife can think about their care choices without guilt, fear, or confusion.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why insurance often doesn’t cover the care women need in midlife
• What terms like cash-pay, self-pay, and direct care actually mean
• How direct primary care and direct specialty care work
• Who these models tend to work well for—and who they may not
• Whether good healthcare is only for the wealthy
• How tools like FSAs and HSAs can help make care more accessible
• How to think about healthcare decisions intentionally, not reactively

This episode continues the conversation from Part 1 and is designed to help you understand your options so you can advocate for yourself with clarity and confidence.

#ModernMidlifeCollective #WomensHealth #MidlifeCare #HealthcareChoices #InsuranceExplained #CashPayCare #DirectCare #MenopauseCare

If you’ve ever left a doctor’s appointment feeling rushed, unheard, or still confused—this episode explains why.

In Part 1 of this two-part series, Dr. Jill and Dr. Ade break down what’s really happening behind the scenes of modern healthcare—and why women in midlife are often left feeling frustrated, even when they have insurance.

Women today are asking for more time, more prevention, more thoughtful hormone care, and clearer answers. And they should. But the healthcare system was not designed to pay for much of the care women actually need in midlife.

In this episode, we explore:

• What women are rightfully asking for in midlife healthcare
• What insurance is designed to cover—and where it falls short
• Why visits feel rushed and why providers ask you to “pick one concern”
• The reality of copays, deductibles, and unpaid care
• The invisible administrative work patients never see
• Why so many physicians are burning out or leaving healthcare altogether

This conversation isn’t about blaming patients or doctors. It’s about understanding how the system has changed—and why it often doesn’t support the kind of care women deserve.

🎧 In Part 2, we’ll continue the conversation by exploring what’s emerging in response—including cash-pay care, direct care models, and how to think about your options without guilt or fear.