Girls Gone Wellness

Send us Fan Mail
If you’re in your 40s or 50s and suddenly feel like your body is playing by a completely different set of rules… this episode is for you.
This week we’re joined by naturopathic doctor Dr. Jennifer Haessler for a conversation all about perimenopause, menopause, metabolism, muscle, body composition and what women actually need during midlife.
We talk about why your weight and fat distribution can start to change even if you feel like you haven’t changed anything, what’s happening to estrogen and progesterone during perimenopause, and how those hormonal shifts can affect everything from sleep and mood to insulin sensitivity, cholesterol, bone density, cognition and muscle mass.
We also get into one of the biggest mistakes women make when their body starts changing: eating less and exercising more.
Dr. Haessler explains why aggressive calorie cutting can backfire, why strength training becomes one of the most important tools in midlife, how much you actually need to be doing, and why cardio still absolutely matters.
We also cover protein, fibre, carbs, breakfast, progressive overload, supplements, hormone replacement therapy, and when tools like GLP-1 medications may have a role.
Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that midlife does not have to mean decline.
Your body may be changing, but that doesn’t mean your best years are behind you.
You can get stronger.
You can have more energy.
You can feel better in your body.
And you do not have to spend this phase of life chasing smaller.
Find Dr. Jennifer Haessler through the links below 
Instagram 
Website
Use code GGW20 for 20% Stay Above Nutrition products (US & Canada)!
You can check them out here
SHOP OUR MERCH HERE <3
Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Send us Fan Mail
What if your fitness goal isn’t impossible, it just costs more than you realized? We’re not talking about money, We’re talking about the time, effort, flexibility, social sacrifices, and mental energy that can come with trying to achieve and maintain a certain body. Social media shows us the result, but it rarely shows us what that result actually requires and costs to maintain, that most of the time, is unrealistic and not worth the mental energy and capacity needed.
We are joined by nutrition and fitness coach Jordan Lips for an honest conversation about setting realistic expectations without dismissing the results you want. Jordan explains why being healthy, strong, and functionally fit is not necessarily the same goal as being extremely lean and why those goals can demand very different levels of effort.
We talk about the trade-offs hiding behind the bodies we’re taught to want, why building muscle often takes longer than people expect, and how to create a plan that fits your actual life and mental capacity. We also get into calorie tracking, food noise, volume eating, all-or-nothing thinking, and why the best weight-loss strategy isn’t simply one you can survive -it’s one that prepares you for the life you’ll need to live to maintain the result.
Connect with Jordan Below:
Instagram is here
Use code GGW20 for 20% Stay Above Nutrition products (US & Canada)!
You can check them out here
SHOP OUR MERCH HERE <3
Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Send us Fan Mail
What does a healthy metabolism actually look like, and why does weight loss feel so much harder for some people than others?
This week, we’re joined by returning guest Dr. Andrea Gri, ND, a naturopathic doctor and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner who focuses on women’s metabolic health, body composition, and healthy aging. Vic also has the pleasure of working alongside Andrea at Clarity Health, so this conversation brings together both clinical insight and the questions we hear from women all the time.
We’re breaking down the difference between weight loss and body recomposition, why muscle matters so much for your metabolism, how hormones, sleep, stress, insulin resistance, and genetics can influence your results, and why the number on the scale often tells you far less than you think.
We also get into food noise and appetite, GLP-1 medications, whether everyone needs to track calories, why aggressive dieting can backfire, and what sustainable weight management actually looks like when you stop chasing quick fixes and start building a strategy that works for your body.
If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but your body still isn’t responding the way you expected, this episode will help you zoom out, understand the bigger picture, and rethink what progress can actually look like.
Find Dr. Andrea Gri on Instagram at @andrea.gri.nd and learn more about working with her at Clarity Health in Burlington, Ontario. Join Dr. Andrea's newsletter here!
Enjoy the episode!
Use code GGW20 for 20% Stay Above Nutrition products (US & Canada)!
You can check them out here
SHOP OUR MERCH HERE <3
Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Send us Fan Mail
Ever opened your bloodwork results and thought, “Okay thats great.. but I don’t even know what that means? We both definitely have. Naturopathic doctor Dr. Kaitlin Janes joins us to decode the routine labs that can reveal a lot about your health-without the fearmongering, going on a Dr. Google spiral, or unnecessary fancy testing.
We break down the basics, including CBCs, ferritin and iron deficiency, blood sugar and insulin resistance, cholesterol, liver enzymes, thyroid markers, kidney function, B12, and vitamin D. Dr. Janes explains why “within range” doesn’t always tell the whole story, when an abnormal result may actually be concerning, and why your symptoms, health history, and lab trends matter just as much as a single number. Plus, we get into how often you really need bloodwork, why more testing isn’t always better, and how to advocate for yourself without treating your healthcare provider like the enemy.
You can connect with Dr. Janes below:
Instagram is here
Use code GGW20 for 20% Stay Above Nutrition products (US & Canada)!
You can check them out here
SHOP OUR MERCH HERE <3
Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.

Send us Fan Mail
Blood sugar is everywhere right now. Glucose spikes, continuous glucose monitors, apple cider vinegar before meals, walking after meals, berberine, cutting carbs… but how much of this actually matters?
In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Adrian Chavez, who has a PhD focused on insulin resistance and metabolic health, to break down what you actually need to know about blood sugar.
We talk about what insulin resistance really is, why it can develop years before diabetes, whether fasting insulin and HOMA-IR are worth testing, what a normal blood sugar response after eating should look like, and whether healthy people actually need to worry about glucose spikes.
We also get into CGMs, berberine, apple cider vinegar, post-meal walks, calorie intake, body fat, strength training, cardio, fibre, protein, and the lifestyle changes that actually make the biggest difference for metabolic health.
Plus, we zoom out into a much bigger conversation about the wellness industry, health optimization, and why so many people are spending enormous amounts of time and money worrying about tiny details while overlooking the habits that have the strongest evidence behind them.
If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re insulin resistant, what blood work actually matters, or what you should be doing to protect your metabolic health long term, this episode will give you a much clearer place to start.
In this episode, we discuss:
• What insulin resistance actually is
• How insulin resistance can develop before diabetes
• Fasting insulin and HOMA-IR
• Whether blood sugar spikes are actually harmful
• Continuous glucose monitors for healthy people
• Berberine and whether it actually works
• Apple cider vinegar and post-meal walks
• Strength training, cardio and daily movement
• Calorie intake, body fat and metabolic health
• Protein, fibre and blood sugar control
• The problem with over-optimizing your health
• What actually matters for long-term wellness
Follow Dr. Adrian Chavez on Instagram: @dr.adrianchavez
Listen to The Nutrition Science Podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
Use code GGW20 for 20% Stay Above Nutrition products (US & Canada)!
You can check them out here
SHOP OUR MERCH HERE <3
Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @girlsgonewellnesspodcast for updates and more wellness tips. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel @Girlsgonewellnesspodcast to watch our episodes! Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a review—we truly appreciate your support. Let's embark on this journey to wellness together!

DISCLAIMER: Nothing mentioned in this episode is medical advice and should not be taken as so. If you have any health concerns, please discuss these with your doctor or a licensed healthcare professional.