Health, Fitness & Personal Growth Tips for Women in Midlife: Asking for a Friend
Are you ready to make the most of your midlife years but feel like your health isn't quite where it should be? Maybe menopause has been tough on you, and you're not sure how to get back on track with your fitness, nutrition, and overall well-being.
Asking for a Friend is the podcast where midlife women get the answers they need to take control of their health and happiness. We bring in experts to answer your burning questions on fitness, wellness, and mental well-being, and share stories of women just like you who are stepping up to make this chapter of life their best yet.
Hosted by Michele Folan, a health industry veteran with 26 years of experience, coach, mom, wife, and lifelong learner, Asking for a Friend is all about empowering you to feel your best—physically and mentally. It's time to think about the next 20+ years of your life: what do you want them to look like, and what steps can you take today to make that vision a reality?
Tune in for honest conversations, expert advice, and plenty of humor as we navigate midlife together. Because this chapter? It's ours to own, and we’re not going quietly into it!
Michele Folan is a certified nutrition coach with the FASTer Way program. If you would like to work with her to help you reach your health and fitness goals, sign up here:
https://www.fasterwaycoach.com/?aid=MicheleFolan
If you have questions about her coaching program, you can email her at mfolanfasterway@gmail.com
Sign up for Michele's weekly newsletter at: https://michelefolanfasterway.myflodesk.com/i6i44jw4fq
This podcast is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing, or other professional healthcare services, including the giving of medical advice. The content of this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.
Some of the links shared in this podcast may be affiliate links. This means that if you make a purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services I truly believe in and that I feel may add value to your health journey.
Episodes
203 episodes
Ep.202 The Dress of Possibility: Reinvention, Resilience, and Starting Over at Any Age
Today’s episode feels like catching up with a friend—but one who challenges you to stop playing small.I’m joined again by Susan Guidi, who first appeared back in Episode 45. A lot has changed since then—and this chapter might be her most...
Ep.201 Midlife Health Without the Noise: Hormones, GLP-1s, and Why You Don't Feel Better
If midlife wellness feels overwhelming, you’re not imagining it.Everyone has an opinion. Every scroll brings a new protocol. Eat this. Don’t eat that. Lift heavier. Do less. Fix your hormones. Try this supplement.And most women? T...
Episode 200: The Pause - Why I’m Stepping Away (For Now)
This is Episode 200—and one of the most meaningful conversations I’ve ever had with you.After four years, nearly 200 episodes, and a podcast that grew into the top 1.5% globally, I’m pressing pause on Asking for a Friend....
Ep.199 Stop Shrinking in Midlife: Reclaim Your Voice, Body & Confidence | Angela Burk
If you’ve ever asked yourself, “Is this all there is?”—this episode is for you.In this powerful conversation, Michele sits down with Angela Burk, author of The Real Girl’s Guide to Midlife, to unpack what’s really happe...
Ep.198 Narcissism Isn’t Always Obvious: How to Recognize It and Take Your Life Back
Before you assume this episode isn’t for you—stick with me.Because narcissistic relationships don’t always look toxic on the surface. They often start off feeling too good to be true… and that’s exactly the problem.In thi...
Ep.197 The Gift of a Kidney: One Woman’s Journey Through Grief, Service, and Second Chances
On this week’s episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele sits down with Cristina Fontana, registered nurse, health coach, living kidney donor, and author of Metamorphosis: The Gift of a Life Lived Twice.Cristina’s ...
Ep.196 Hidden Toxins in Your Home: Endocrine Disruptors, Glyphosate & Low-Tox Living
After nearly 200 episodes of Asking for a Friend, I realized something surprising—we had never taken a deep dive into environmental toxins and low-tox living.So I went straight to the source.In this episode, I’m jo...
Ep.195 “Normal Isn’t Optimal”: Hormones, Heart Disease, Thyroid & Midlife Lab Blind Spots
Have you ever been told your labs are “normal” — but you don’t feel normal?In this episode, I sit down with integrative and functional medicine physician Aaron Hartman, author of Uncurable, to unpack the dangerous gap betwe...
Ep.194 Stop Wasting Money on Skincare: What Actually Matters After 50
We spend a lot of time and money chasing better skin.But what actually matters after 50?In this episode of Asking for a Friend, I sit down with board-certified dermatologist Dr. Brooke Jeffy for a practical, no-nonsense c...
Ep.193 You’re Not Done Yet: Finding Courage, Confidence & Reinvention in Midlife
Midlife can feel destabilizing.The kids are leaving. Careers are shifting. Parents are aging. Hormones are changing. And somewhere inside, a quiet voice says, “I’m not done yet.”In this conversation, Michele sits down wit...
Ep.192 Anxiety in Midlife & Menopause: Why It Ramps Up and How to Calm It
Anxiety often feels like it comes out of nowhere in midlife—especially during perimenopause and after menopause. You’re doing “all the right things,” yet your nervous system feels constantly on edge. Racing thoughts. Poor sleep. A sense that so...
Ep.191 Emotional Eating in Midlife: Why Willpower Fails and What Actually Works
Emotional eating isn’t about willpower — and for many women, midlife is when it finally becomes impossible to ignore.In this powerful episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan sits down with emotional eating expert, T...
Ep.190 The Hidden Cost of Clutter in Midlife (And How to Let It Go)
Clutter in midlife affects more than your home—it impacts stress, mental health, and how you show up for your next chapter.In this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan is joined by Tracy Hoth, a profession...
Ep.189 GLP-1s, Muscle, and Midlife Metabolism: Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen on Weight Loss Without Shame
If you’re a midlife woman who feels like you’re doing everything right — lifting weights, eating well, walking, managing stress — and your body still isn’t responding, this episode is for you.In this powerful, myth-busting conve...
Ep.188 Midlife Fitness for Women: Dr. Stacy Sims Explains Why Your Old Workouts Stopped Working
Midlife fitness for women 45+ is not about trying harder—it’s about training smarter for perimenopause and menopause physiology. In this powerhouse episode of Asking for a Friend, host Michele Folan sits down with Dr. Stacy Sim...
Ep.187 The Dirty Truth About Meat Labels (and Why Protein Quality Matters)
If you care about protein quality, metabolic health, inflammation, and long-term strength, this episode will change the way you shop for meat.On this episode of Asking for a Friend, Michele Folan pulls back the curtain on t...
Ep.186 Vitality After 50: How to Build Emotional Resilience, Physical Strength, and Joy in Midlife
What if healthy aging isn’t just about adding years to your life—but adding energy, clarity, and purpose to the years you already have?In this episode of Asking for a Friend, host Michele Folan sits down with Eric Nort...
Ep.185 Loneliness Is the New Smoking: Why Midlife Women Need Strength & Community
Midlife can feel like a perfect storm—menopause, stubborn weight gain, bone loss, shifting identities, and an unexpected rise in loneliness. In today’s episode of Asking for a Friend, we’re digging into one of the most overlooke...
Ep.184 Menopause, Microbiome & Libido: A Urogynecologist’s Guide to Midlife Intimacy
If you can talk about hot flashes and wrinkles but freeze up when the conversation turns to sex, this episode is for you.This week I’m joined by Dr. Betsy Greenleaf, the first female board-certified urogynecologist in the U.S.<...
Ep.183 Stronger, Not Smaller: Dr. Vonda Wright’s Blueprint for Muscle, Bone Density & Midlife Vitality
Absolutely no one warned us that midlife would be this loud—hot flashes, achy joints, bone density, belly fat, all competing for attention at once. And yet the message women still get is, “This is just how it is.”In this episode, I’m joi...
Ep.182 The Real Science of Healing: Trauma, Epigenetics & Midlife Burnout with Dr. Karyn Shanks
A lot of women in midlife are walking around feeling like they’re broken. You’ve done the labs, seen the specialists, tried the supplements… and you’re still exhausted, inflamed, and wondering if this is just your new normal. My guest today say...
Ep.181 The Blood Tests Every Midlife Woman Needs: Gut Health, Metabolism & Longevity with Christa Tyler
In this episode of Asking for a Friend, we’re getting real about what’s happening inside your body in midlife—far beyond diet culture, quick fixes, or another “Motivation Monday.”I’m joined by Christa Tyler, functi...
Ep.180 Beyond Kegels: Functional Pelvic Floor Care for Leaks, Prolapse & Painful Sex
Urinary (and yes, bowel) leakage isn’t “just part of getting older”—it’s a signal from your core and pelvic floor. In this straight-talk episode, physical therapist Christina Walsh, co-founder of Tighten Your Tinkler, joi...
Ep.179 Stronger Bones, Sharper Brain, Leaner Muscle: The Midlife Health Trifecta with Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein
Your bones, brain, and muscles are having the same conversation—and nutrition is the translator. Duke orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein breaks down how midlife hormone shifts accelerate bone loss, cartilage wear, and mus...
Ep.178 Strong, Safe, and Ageless: Midlife Strength Training with Megan Dahlman
Want to feel stronger, steadier, and more capable for the next 30 years? In this episode, I sit down with strength coach Megan Dahlman to map out a clear, science-backed path for women 50+ to build real-world strength—without inju...