The Tamsen Show

If you've been struggling with menopause belly fat or perimenopause weight gain, despite eating well and exercising, you're not alone. Hormone changes affect your metabolism, muscle mass, stress hormones, and even your gut health, making it much harder to lose weight the way you used to. The good news is there are science-backed ways to work with your body instead of against it.

This episode is part of Tamsen's series breaking down the biggest topics from her New York Times bestselling book, How to Menopause, one conversation at a time. This week, it's belly fat.

Tamsen shares what finally worked after interviewing leading experts in menopause, nutrition, endocrinology, and longevity, and why the answer isn't eating less or doing more cardio.

Inside the episode:

- Why estrogen changes where your body stores fat

- The protein and fiber goals that support muscle and metabolism

- Why strength training beats more cardio in midlife

- How cortisol, sleep, and chronic stress keep belly fat hanging around

- The connection between gut health, inflammation, and weight gain

- Why drinking less alcohol made such a noticeable difference

- The five habits that helped Tamsen feel stronger, healthier, and more confident

If you're tired of doing everything "right" and still not seeing results, this episode will help you understand why your body changed and what to do next.

If you liked this conversation, check out the rest of the How To Menopause series:

⁠⁠Estrogen Down There 101: Here's Everything You Need to Know⁠⁠

⁠Testosterone 101: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Minutes⁠⁠

⁠Relationships 101: Is It Him or Is It Menopause? Here's How to Tell⁠

⁠Perimenopause 101: The Symptoms, Tests & Fixes No One Tells You About⁠

Alcohol 101: Belly Fat, Bad Sleep and the Long-Term Cost of Drinking

Anxiety 101: What I Wish I Knew Before I Hit Perimenopause + How I Got My Life Back

Progesterone 101: The Hormone Behind Your 3am Wake-Ups, Your Anxiety & Your Worst PMS

Coming up: Mental Health, Estrogen 101 and more!

Get Tamsen’s recipe for her Hot Girl Menopause Smoothie here

Get Tamsen’s free hormone therapy guide

If you liked this episode, listen to Exhausted, Gaining Weight, and Feeling Off? THIS Is What’s Happening

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen 

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Medical Disclaimer: The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Tamsen Show.

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If you're in perimenopause or menopause, you've probably noticed your body changing in ways no one prepared you for. Maybe you're losing muscle despite working out. Maybe your bone density is declining.

Maybe you're wondering if hormone therapy is right for you, or why your workouts aren't giving you the same results they used to. The truth is, women don't age like men, and understanding that changes everything.

That's why Tamsen Fadal invited renowned orthopedic surgeon and longevity expert Dr. Vonda Wright to The Tamsen Show.

Dr. Wright explains the science behind healthy aging, strength training, muscle mass, osteoporosis, mobility, protein, and longevity, and why building strength today is one of the most important things you can do to protect your future.

We cover:

- Why menopause is more like a second adolescence than a slow decline

- The truth about estrogen, progesterone, and hormone therapy (HRT)

- Why muscle mass is one of the strongest predictors of longevity

- How to improve bone density and reduce your risk of osteoporosis

- Why women should prioritize strength training instead of endless cardio

- How much protein women actually need to build muscle

- Why walking after your biggest meal can improve metabolism and blood sugar

- The simple tests, including grip strength and VO₂ max, that predict how well you'll age

- Why frozen shoulder, brain fog, and joint pain become so common during menopause

- The biggest fitness mistakes women over 40 are still making

Whether you're in your 30s preparing for perimenopause or already navigating menopause, this conversation will change the way you think about longevity, mobility, strength, and what it really means to age with power instead of frailty.

For everything mentioned in this episode, click this link

Get Vonda's book, Unbreakable: Grow Strong. Live Long. Age with Power: https://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Womans-Guide-Aging-Power/dp/0593736583

Follow Vonda on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drvondawright

More from The Tamsen Show:
If you liked this conversation, check this out: The Foot Doctor: What Your Feet Reveal About How Long You'll Live

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen 

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

The Tamsen Show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Sponsors:

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Unlock your best hair & skin with @iRestorelaser and HUGE savings on iRESTORE with code TAMSEN at https://www.irestorelaser.com/TAMSEN! #irestorepod #ad

Medical Disclaimer:

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You wake up at 3 a.m. with your heart racing, and you cannot figure out why. The anxiety out of nowhere, the PMS that got worse. It may trace back to one hormone that started leaving your body years before your first hot flash.

This episode is part of Tamsen Fadal’s series breaking down the topics from her New York Times bestselling book How to Menopause, one conversation at a time.

This week it's progesterone. Tamsen starts with a confession: her doctor prescribed it, and it sat in her medicine cabinet so long the pills congealed into a brick. She never took one, because nobody ever told her what progesterone was or why she needed it. So she spent a year struggling with the exact symptoms it would have helped.

She's not a doctor. She's a journalist who has lived this, breaking down what the leading menopause doctors she's interviewed have taught her, so you can take it to your own doctor.

Inside the episode:

- Why progesterone is one of the first hormones to drop, often years before anything else feels off

- The brain receptor that explains your 3 a.m. wake-ups

- Why it's non-negotiable if you still have your uterus and you're taking estrogen

- The straight answer on progesterone and breast cancer, and why the study that scared everyone doesn't tell the whole story

- Body identical vs. synthetic, plus the exact words to use with your doctor

- The one side effect that means you call your doctor instead of quitting

You deserve to understand what's going into your body and why.

FREE RESOURCE: Get the free Hormone Therapy 101 guide

If you liked this conversation, check this out: The #1 Sleep Expert Reveals What’s Ruining Your Sleep

And, if you liked this conversation, check out the rest of the How To Menopause series:

⁠⁠Estrogen Down There 101: Here's Everything You Need to Know⁠⁠

⁠Testosterone 101: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Minutes⁠⁠

⁠Relationships 101: Is It Him or Is It Menopause? Here's How to Tell⁠

⁠Perimenopause 101: The Symptoms, Tests & Fixes No One Tells You About⁠

Alcohol 101: Belly Fat, Bad Sleep and the Long-Term Cost of Drinking

Anxiety 101: What I Wish I Knew Before I Hit Perimenopause + How I Got My Life Back

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen 

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

The Tamsen Show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The sleep doctor is in! If you're in perimenopause or menopause, sleep has probably become something you think about all the time. Falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up at 3am, feeling exhausted, waking up anxious even when you did fall asleep. Perimenopause sleep disruption and menopause insomnia are real, they are hormonal, and they are not your fault. The nights can feel endless.

That's why Tamsen Fadal invited Dr. Andrea Matsumura on The Tamsen Show. A board-certified sleep medicine physician, menopause expert, and creator of the D.R.E.A.M. Sleep Method, Dr. Matsumura breaks down exactly what is happening in the body when sleep falls apart in midlife and gives you the tools to get better sleep in perimenopause starting tonight.

We cover:

- Why waking up at 3am is a cortisol event, not an anxiety problem, and what to do when it happens

- The sleep apnea statistic that will stop you cold: up to 90% of women in midlife who have it don't know, because they don't look like the textbook patient

- What melatonin actually is, why taking it at bedtime is usually the wrong move, and what happens to production by age 50

- How alcohol is disrupting your REM sleep, and why one glass hits completely differently now

- The D.R.E.A.M. Method: the five-part framework Dr. Matsumura built because treating one thing at a time only ever gets women halfway there

- The ferritin level behind restless legs that most providers aren't checking

- Why getting out of bed at 3am is the right call, even though it feels like the worst one

- How every additional 15 minutes of sleep compounds into something significant over time

This episode will help you get your sleep back on track because it’s the foundation of everything. When your sleep goes, it starts to unravel the rest of your life.

Check out Andrea’s essentials

If you liked this conversation, check this out: How to Finally Get to Sleep in Menopause

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen 

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Sponsors:

Sign up for your $1 per month trial today at ⁠https://www.shopify.com/tamsen⁠!

Get 15% off OneSkin with the code TAMSEN at ⁠https://www.oneskin.co/TAMSEN⁠ ⁠#oneskinpod⁠ ⁠#ad

Medical Disclaimer:

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever stood in front of a full closet, said “I have nothing to wear,” and reached for the same safe outfit one more time? You are not alone, and it is not really about the clothes.

Tamsen’s viral closet clean out started as a simple declutter and spiraled into one of the most transformative things she has done in midlife, pulling in everything she had been avoiding about who she is now and the body she is in today.

In this deeply personal solo episode, Tamsen shares why she really did it and what she learned once she stopped negotiating with herself in front of the mirror.

You’ll learn:

- How to make a fast yes-or-no call on every piece without talking yourself back into it

- Why you get stuck doing this alone, and exactly who to bring into the room with you

- How to spot the clothes you are keeping out of grief instead of love

- Why holding onto clothes in multiple sizes quietly works against you every morning

- How to tell the difference between what is weighing you down and what is holding you up

This is the episode that will make you finally open the door you have been avoiding. The woman on the other side of that closet is already there, waiting for you to make room for her.

Download the Your Free Closet Glow Up Guide here

For all the tools Tamsen uses in her closet organization, click here

If you liked this conversation, check this out: Stacy London: Reinvent Yourself (and Your Style) in Midlife

Stay connected with Tamsen:

⁠⁠⁠⁠Get ⁠Tamsen's newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ filled with free tools⁠ to living better, feeling stronger, and knowing you’re never alone

Get Tamsen’s NYT instant bestselling book, ⁠⁠⁠⁠How To Menopause⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Free Resources⁠⁠⁠⁠ from Tamsen 

Watch all the episodes on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

The Tamsen Show on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Follow Tamsen on ⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠⁠⁠ 

Medical Disclaimer:

The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical concerns or treatment options. The views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of The Tamsen Show.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices