The Metabolism and Menopause Podcast

‣ Book Your COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much & what to eat🍴🌮- exercise & lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️🏋🏽‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Take The Fat Loss Fix Quiz: https://1ck2gu1qfir.typeform.com/menometabolism6 week fat loss accelerator: 6 Week Inflammation + Detox and Fat Loss AcceleratorIf you’ve ever walked out of your doctor’s office with the words “everything is normal” while you know something is not normal… this episode is your validation.Women over 40 don’t need quick glances at standard labs.They need deeper interpretation.Because fat loss at 40, 45, 50+ is no longer just calories in, calories out.It’s physiology.Today, we’re breaking down:1. The exact labs we use inside VitalityOET2. The optimal ranges3. What each marker actually measures4. Symptoms when it’s off5. Why it matters for women 40+6. Its impact on fat loss7. Real-world lab combinations & how we build your customized planThis is where the lightbulb moment happensTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Intro: Why “Everything Is Normal” Isn’t Good Enough(01:29) – The Fat Loss Lab Panel Every Woman Over 40 Needs(04:03) – Blood Sugar, A1C & Insulin: Fat Burning vs Fat Storage(10:22) – Thyroid Labs Explained (TSH, T4, T3 & Reverse T3)(16:07) – Inflammation Markers & Why Fat Loss Gets Blocked(18:26) – Iron, Ferritin & Energy Production(20:37) – Liver Markers & Detoxification for Fat Loss(23:03) – Cholesterol, Triglycerides & Metabolic Health(24:15) – Hormones, SHBG, DHEA & Cortisol Testing(28:30) – Common Lab Combinations That Stall Fat Loss(36:37) – How to Use Labs to Build a Fat Loss Plan That WorksCONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:‣ Book a COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much you should eat🍴- what you should eat 🌮- exercise adjustments🏋🏽‍♀️- lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Check out our BRAND NEW workout subscription: https://coach.everfit.io/package/UF858169‣ Join our community! Metabolism and Menopause by Vitality - Secrets for Fat Loss: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://m.facebook.com/groups/969761266958379⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Apply for coaching with us! - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/d/386-k9q-4cg/coaching-application-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Our Website! - https://www.vitalityoet.com/‣ Learn more about DUTCH hormone testing with VitalityOET - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loom.com/share/a567d01c12b44aaf855dcf3d9049d537⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Menopause supplements (use code VITALITY10 for 10% off your order) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.nutritiondynamic.com/collections/all⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/vitalityoet.stephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Listen the Podcast on Apple or Spotify: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7erYECmZG7JHyzFePoaybe?si=ad89a3c7d408496eApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-metabolism-and-menopause-podcast/id1683220450‣ All other links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/vitalityoetstephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----© 2025 Stephanie Crassweller & VitalityOET

‣ Book Your COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much & what to eat🍴🌮- exercise & lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️🏋🏽‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Take The Fat Loss Fix Quiz: https://1ck2gu1qfir.typeform.com/menometabolismRest isn’t working. More sleep isn’t helping. And pushing harder is only making things worse.There’s a reason so many women over 40 feel trapped in exhaustion—and it’s not just willpower, aging, or hormones “being annoying.” In this episode, we break down the two exhaustion patterns driving midlife burnout and fatigue—and why the right next step depends on which one you’re in.If you’re ready to stop guessing and finally understand what your body is doing, this episode is for you.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Intro: Why You’re More Exhausted Than Ever(00:57) – Burnout vs Chronic Fatigue: What’s the Difference?(03:22) – How Energy Production Breaks Down in Midlife(06:03) – Signs It’s Mental Burnout (Wired but Tired)(08:07) – Signs It’s Physical Chronic Fatigue(10:41) – Root Causes: Stress, Hormones & Nervous System Overload(13:23) – Inflammation, Thyroid & Mitochondrial Slowdown(18:06) – How to Tell Which One You’re Dealing With(19:49) – Nervous System Tools to Recover from Burnout(26:24) – Supporting Energy, Sleep & Fatigue Recovery(29:09) – Why Everything Is Connected in Perimenopause(33:25) – Final Takeaway: Your Body Isn’t BrokenCONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:‣ Book a COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much you should eat🍴- what you should eat 🌮- exercise adjustments🏋🏽‍♀️- lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

‣ Book Your COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much & what to eat🍴🌮- exercise & lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️🏋🏽‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Take The Fat Loss Fix Quiz: https://1ck2gu1qfir.typeform.com/menometabolismIf your hormones look “normal” on paper but your body still refuses to respond… you might be dealing with high SHBG— one of the most overlooked hormone blockers for women over 40.In today’s episode, we break down what SHBG actually does, why it skyrockets during midlife, and how it can make you feel tired, puffy, unmotivated, and stuck no matter how clean you eat or how consistent you are.If you’ve been lifting, walking, eating well — yet still gaining weight or losing muscle — this episode is going to make everything click.It’s not that your body isn’t trying. It’s that your hormones are getting locked away.Tune in to learn how SHBG impacts metabolism, mood, libido, and fat loss… and what you can do to open up your fat-burning pathway again.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Intro: When Your Labs Look Normal but You Feel Awful(00:55) – What Is SHBG (Sex Hormone Binding Globulin)?(02:42) – Common Symptoms of High SHBG in Midlife Women(04:08) – How High SHBG Blocks Fat Burning(07:49) – SHBG, Muscle Loss & Testosterone Decline(09:47) – Why Diets Stop Working After 40(10:41) – What Causes SHBG to Rise (Stress, Undereating & More)(16:50) – Birth Control, Thyroid Meds & Liver Stress(19:09) – How to Lower SHBG Naturally(24:59) – Training, Sleep, Carbs & Stress Management(29:45) – Final Takeaway: Unlocking Hormones to Burn Fat AgainCONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:‣ Book a COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much you should eat🍴- what you should eat 🌮- exercise adjustments🏋🏽‍♀️- lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Check out our BRAND NEW workout subscription: https://coach.everfit.io/package/UF858169‣ Join our community! Metabolism and Menopause by Vitality - Secrets for Fat Loss: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://m.facebook.com/groups/969761266958379⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Apply for coaching with us! - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/d/386-k9q-4cg/coaching-application-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Our Website! - https://www.vitalityoet.com/‣ Learn more about DUTCH hormone testing with VitalityOET - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loom.com/share/a567d01c12b44aaf855dcf3d9049d537⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Menopause supplements (use code VITALITY10 for 10% off your order) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.nutritiondynamic.com/collections/all⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/vitalityoet.stephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Listen the Podcast on Apple or Spotify: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7erYECmZG7JHyzFePoaybe?si=ad89a3c7d408496eApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-metabolism-and-menopause-podcast/id1683220450‣ All other links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/vitalityoetstephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----© 2025 Stephanie Crassweller & VitalityOET

‣ Book Your COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much & what to eat🍴🌮- exercise & lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️🏋🏽‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Take The Fat Loss Fix Quiz: https://1ck2gu1qfir.typeform.com/menometabolismDo you ever hit that point where one tiny thing—a comment, a messy counter, tracking one more meal—sends you straight into “I can’t do this anymore”?You’re not dramatic.You’re not lazy.You’re not self-sabotaging on purpose.Your brain is in survival mode, and during perimenopause and menopause, that shift becomes even more intense.In this episode, I breaks down the real reason your fat loss stalls when your brain is overwhelmed, chronically stressed, and rewired from years of hustle, responsibility, trauma, under-eating, over-training, and “pushing through.”You’ll learn:- Why your brain defaults to old habits even when you deeply want to change- How chronic stress literally shrinks and inflames key areas of your brain- Why willpower disappears when your nervous system hits “low power mode”- The connection between stress, overwhelm, and being stuck in a fat-storing state- Why eating less + moving more backfires when your brain feels unsafe- How this shows up as irritability, shutdown, brain fog, shame, or feeling like you’re “failing”This episode is raw and deeply personal—touching on the moments that shaped my own stress response, the years my mom spent stuck in this overwhelmed state, and why understanding this brain-body connection is one of the most important pieces of fat loss for midlife women.If you’ve ever wondered:“Why can’t I just get it together?”This episode is the missing link.Your brain isn’t broken.It’s overwhelmed—and once you know how to shift it out of survival mode, fat loss stops feeling impossible and you finally feel like you again.TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Intro: Why Fat Loss Stops Working in Midlife(01:11) – How the Brain Can Block Fat Burning(04:00) – Chronic Stress & “Low Power Mode” Explained(07:02) – Brain Changes: Decision Fatigue, Reactivity & Overwhelm(14:17) – Why Stress Forces the Body to Store Fat(19:41) – How Trauma, Overworking & Dieting Rewire the Brain(25:12) – Cortisol, Hormones & Blood Sugar Chaos(29:40) – Why Eat Less & Move More Makes It Worse(35:25) – Simple Nervous System Tools to Exit Survival Mode(45:55) – Final Takeaway: Recharging the Brain to Burn Fat AgainCONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:‣ Book a COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much you should eat🍴- what you should eat 🌮- exercise adjustments🏋🏽‍♀️- lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Check out our BRAND NEW workout subscription: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://coach.everfit.io/package/UF858169‣ Join our community! Metabolism and Menopause by Vitality - Secrets for Fat Loss: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://m.facebook.com/groups/969761266958379⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Apply for coaching with us! - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/d/386-k9q-4cg/coaching-application-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Our Website! - https://www.vitalityoet.com/‣ Learn more about DUTCH hormone testing with VitalityOET - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loom.com/share/a567d01c12b44aaf855dcf3d9049d537⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Menopause supplements (use code VITALITY10 for 10% off your order) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.nutritiondynamic.com/collections/all⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/vitalityoet.stephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Listen the Podcast on Apple or Spotify: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7erYECmZG7JHyzFePoaybe?si=ad89a3c7d408496eApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-metabolism-and-menopause-podcast/id1683220450‣ All other links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/vitalityoetstephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----© 2025 Stephanie Crassweller & VitalityOET

‣ Book Your COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call:- how much & what to eat🍴🌮- exercise & lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️🏋🏽‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Take The Fat Loss Fix Quiz: https://1ck2gu1qfir.typeform.com/menometabolismSo many women hit perimenopause or menopause and suddenly feel overwhelmed, anxious, foggy, or emotionally flat—only to walk into their doctor’s office and walk out with an antidepressant prescription. But is it depression, or is it your hormones?In this episode, we break down the different types of antidepressants, how they work, and why they’re so commonly prescribed to midlife women. You’ll learn how hormonal shifts—especially declining estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone—can mimic or intensify depressive symptoms, and where antidepressants help…and where they don’t.We also talk about when HRT may support mood, when it might not make a significant difference, and how to know what your body is actually trying to tell you.If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this depression or menopause?”, this episode gives you clarity, science, and next steps—without confusion or shame.Anti-inflammatory grocery guide: Cortisol + Inflammation Grocery List:https://www.vitalityoet.com/cortisol-grocerylistTIMESTAMPS:(00:00) – Intro: Why Antidepressants Come Up So Often in Midlife(01:56) – How Hormonal Changes Mimic Depression(03:21) – Estrogen, Serotonin & Mood Explained(05:22) – The Role of Progesterone, GABA & Anxiety(07:06) – Testosterone & Motivation in Midlife Women(09:34) – When Antidepressants Help — and When Hormones Are the Real Issue(10:15) – HRT vs SSRIs: What Works Best for Mood & Sleep(13:11) – Understanding the Different Classes of Antidepressants(20:41) – How Antidepressants Affect Hormones & Metabolism(21:44) – Nutrition, Lifestyle & Natural Ways to Support Mental Health(26:23) – Stress, Boundaries & Finding Peace During the Holidays(30:13) – Therapy, Faith & Healing from the Inside Out(32:35) – Final Thoughts: Addressing Root Causes & Feeling Like Yourself AgainCONNECT WITH ME ONLINE:‣ Book a COMPLEMENTARY CONSULATION and CALORIE CALCULATION call- how much you should eat🍴- what you should eat 🌮- exercise adjustments🏋🏽‍♀️- lifestyle recommendations🚶‍♀️- specific resources to support you on your journey📕https://calendly.com/d/2p8-mxx-dgf/free-consultation-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Check out our BRAND NEW workout subscription: https://coach.everfit.io/package/UF858169‣ Join our community! Metabolism and Menopause by Vitality - Secrets for Fat Loss: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://m.facebook.com/groups/969761266958379⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Apply for coaching with us! - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/d/386-k9q-4cg/coaching-application-call-zoom⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Our Website! - https://www.vitalityoet.com/‣ Learn more about DUTCH hormone testing with VitalityOET - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.loom.com/share/a567d01c12b44aaf855dcf3d9049d537⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Menopause supplements (use code VITALITY10 for 10% off your order) - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.nutritiondynamic.com/collections/all⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/vitalityoet.stephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Listen the Podcast on Apple or Spotify: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7erYECmZG7JHyzFePoaybe?si=ad89a3c7d408496eApple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-metabolism-and-menopause-podcast/id1683220450‣ All other links: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/vitalityoetstephanie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‣ Email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠----© 2025 Stephanie Crassweller & VitalityOET