The Midlife Vitality Project: Where Perimenopause Becomes Your Comeback Story Naturally!
By: Joanne Willis, RHN
Language: en-ca
Categories: Health, Fitness, Nutrition, Education, Self Improvement
If you’re a woman over 40 who is tired of feeling tired, foggy, or stuck in a body that doesn’t feel like yours anymore and are looking for a natural approach that will work for YOU to help you start feeling like yourself again, this podcast is for you. In The Midlife Vitality Project podcast, Registered Holistic Nutritionist, cancer survivor and fellow perimenopause warrier, Joanne Willis, guides you through a real midlife health and life transformation — not one that relies on pills, weight loss injections, HRT or quick fixes, but through understanding your body’s signals and rebuilding your health fr...
Episodes
Episode 24: Is your thyroid the reason you're exhausted and can't lose weight? What every woman in midlife needs to know
Jan 09, 2026Send us your questions & comments
There comes a moment in midlife when you start asking different questions about your health.
You’re not just focused on weight anymore.
Chances are you’re thinking about energy, hormones, bloodwork, and how you want to feel as you age.
And yet… your body feels harder to manage than it used to.
In this first episode of Season 2 in The Midlife Vitality Project, we’re talking about one of the most common — and most misunderstood — questions women ask in their 40s an...
Duration: 00:35:44Episode 23: My results so far and my plan for long-term success
Jan 01, 2026Send us your questions & comments
In Part 13, the final episode of my Journey to Metabolic Balance mini-series, I’m reflecting on where I’m at now — 10 weeks into the program — and tying together everything this journey has taught me.
At this point, I’m over 24 pounds down, but the most meaningful changes go far beyond the scale.
For the first time in years, my body feels stable.
My energy is consistent.My sleep is deeper and more restorative.My brain fog has lifted significantly.My mood fe... Duration: 00:22:54Episode 22: Freedom Day! Treat meals, exercise & other exciting changes after Phase 2
Jan 01, 2026Send us your questions & comments
In Part 12 of this mini-series, I’m taking you into a pivotal turning point in my journey — the transition from the strict Phase 2 into the next phase of The Metabolic Balance® Program, where more freedom is intentionally reintroduced.
I’m sharing this episode on New Years Day of 2026, because it’s the exact moment when many women who are contemplating embarking on significant habit changes may also be asking themselves:
Can I really do this?
Is this going to take over my whole life?
Will...
Duration: 00:59:07Episode 21: My first social event without alcohol during Phase 2
Dec 30, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 11 of this mini-series, I’m sharing what it was really like navigating my first social event without alcohol while following The Metabolic Balance® Program during Phase 2, the most structured and important part of the metabolic reset.
This episode takes place around Day 12, at a point where I had already lost 10 lbs in less than two weeks and was feeling motivated to protect the progress I was making — even as real life continued to happen.
For many women, alcohol feels like one of the hardest thing...
Duration: 00:27:01Episode 20: How I navigated my first restaurant experience on The Metabolic Balance Program
Dec 30, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 10 of this mini-series, I’m taking you into my experience eating out at a restaurant while following The Metabolic Balance® Program during Phase 2, the most structured part of the metabolic reset.
This episode takes place on Day 10, at a point where I had already lost 10 lbs and could clearly see that what I was doing was working. I was motivated but also very aware that eating out can feel like a major hurdle when you’re trying to stay consistent with your new habits.
...
Duration: 00:20:03Episode 18: How a short-lived histamine reaction told me everything was going according to plan
Dec 28, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 8 of this mini-series, I’m sharing a very real — and very short-lived — experience I had early on in my journey that ended up becoming one of the most empowering moments of all.
Around day 6 on my plan (about 4 days into Phase 2), I noticed a brief histamine-type reaction. And instead of feeling worried or discouraged, I felt curious — because by this point, my body was already showing clear signs that something positive was happening.
At this stage, I had:
experienced a notice... Duration: 00:17:08Episode 19: Hitting my emotional wall - the 3 secrets that helped me overcome the urge to quit on Day 9
Dec 28, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 9 of this mini-series, I’m sharing a very honest look at the emotional side of transformation — the part that often surprises women the most, and the point where many end up quitting.
This episode was recorded on Day 9 of my plan — just over halfway through the most structured and challenging phase of the program. Physically, things were going well. But emotionally… I hit a wall.
At the same time, my life stress load was higher than usual. And that combination — deep physi...
Duration: 00:24:37Episode 17: How I navigated early detox symptoms (and why this this is the first stage of healing)
Dec 28, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 7 of this mini-series, I’m sharing what happened when I reached the point in my health and weight loss journey where my body was clearly starting to respond to the positive changes I was making — but in what felt like a negative way.
As I transitioned out of Phase 1 and into Phase 2, about 2-3 days into my plan, I began to notice some uncomfortable symptoms that, for a moment, made me pause and wonder if I had done something wrong while following my plan.
But...
Duration: 00:18:10Episode 16: Phase 1 Day 1 - My successes and challenges in the cleansing phase
Dec 26, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 6 of this mini-series, I’m taking you into the very beginning of my journey — Phase 1, Day 1 — and sharing what the first day on the The Metabolic Balance® Program actually felt like.
This episode follows on from the preparation phase, where I talked about how I set myself up to start calmly and intentionally. Here, I share how that preparation translated into real life once I finally began.
In this episode, I talk about:
what Phase 1 is designed to do and why it’s su... Duration: 00:22:57Episode 15: How I Prepped Like a Pro for Phase 1 of The Metabolic Balance Program (Part 5 of Mini Series)
Dec 24, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 5 of this mini-series, I’m sharing what it actually looked like to prepare for Phase 1 and the start of Phase 2 of The Metabolic Balance® Program — and why this preparation is the first key to success.
In this episode, I walk you through:
The purpose and guidelines of Phase 1 and Phase 2, and why they are the most important steps in the metabolic reset process.How I planned my new daily routine in advance — scheduling meals, hydration, and simple reminders so nothing felt rushed or forgotte... Duration: 00:25:32Episode 14: Getting started on my plan (and why my mindset almost tripped me up before I even started!)
Dec 22, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 4 of this mini-series where I walk you through my own midlife health and weight loss journey following The Metabolic Balance® Program, I’m sharing the importance of mindset and how my own mindset almost derailed me before I even started!
I talk openly in this episode about my own struggle with all-or-nothing thinking, fear of failure and the pressure I tend to put on myself to do things perfectly.
That mindset has held me back more times than I’d like to admit —...
Duration: 00:24:31Episode 13: How my personalized nutrition plan was created using my bloodwork as my blueprint
Dec 20, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 3 of this mini-series, I’m walking you through exactly how my personalized nutrition plan was created — step by step — using my own bloodwork as a blueprint.
This is the episode where everything moves from information to action.
Up until this point, I knew my bloodwork was telling a story.
But what I really wanted to understand was how those lab results would translate into something practical… something I could actually follow in real life.
In this episode, I share:<...
Duration: 00:19:45Episode 12: What my bloodwork revealed about the REAL reason weight loss was such a struggle in my 40s
Dec 18, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 2 of this mini-series, I’m taking you deeper into my own health and weight loss journey — to the point where I was finally able to stop guessing and started getting real answers.
This episode is all about my bloodwork… and what it revealed about what was actually happening inside my body during perimenopause.
At this stage of my life, I was doing many of the “right” things — eating well, staying active, trying to manage stress — yet my symptoms we...
Duration: 00:25:43Episode 11: Why I chose the Metabolic Balance® Program to lose 23lbs in 8 weeks in perimenopause (Part 1 of Mini-Series)
Dec 15, 2025Send us your questions & comments
In Part 1 of this mini-series where I take you on my own health and weight loss journey, I’m taking you back to the moment where I decided to follow The Metabolic Balance® Program - the moment when everything finally started to make sense.
I take you back to the stage of my life where perimenopausal symptoms were beginning to take over — 30lbs of stubborn weight gain, increasing fatigue, insatiable cravings, achy joints and bloodwork that was slowly creeping in the wrong direction.
In thi...
Duration: 00:23:00Episode 10: The Truth About HRT: What it Helps, What it Doesn’t & Whether it’s Right For You
Dec 07, 2025Send us your questions & comments
If you’ve been feeling torn about HRT — whether to start it, stay on it, or stop it — this episode is going to feel like someone finally turned the lights on.
So many women in their 40s and 50s quietly wrestle with the same questions:
“Do I really need HRT?”
“Why isn't it helping the way I hoped?”
“Is it safe for me?”
“Why do I still feel exhausted, inflamed, irritable, or stuck in my weight… even though I’m on hormones?”
“What are my options if I don’t want to ta...
Episode 9: Considering or Taking Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro for Midlife Weight Loss? What Every Woman Over 40 Needs to Know Before Deciding to Try (Or Wanting to Come Off) GLP-1s
Dec 04, 2025Send us your questions & comments
If you’re a woman in your 40s or 50s who’s feeling torn about Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro or other GLP-1 medications — this episode is for you.
Maybe your doctor has flagged rising A1C, fasting glucose or cholesterol…
Maybe your weight keeps creeping up no matter how “good” you’ve been…
Maybe everyone around you seems to be losing weight on these meds and you're starting to wonder if this is the only way that will work now…
Or maybe you’re already taking a GLP-1 either...
Duration: 00:57:41Episode 8: How to Enjoy the Holidays Without Guilt & Restriction and STILL Prime Your Metabolism for Weight Loss in January
Nov 30, 2025Send us your questions & comments
Already feeling the pressure of wanting to enjoy the festive season without restricting all of your party foods and treats while figuring out how to not put on 10 more lbs?
You are so not alone — and the good news is, you don’t have to choose.
In this episode, we’re diving into how to move through December with more freedom, more confidence, and more understanding of what your midlife body actually needs… without giving up the chocolate, the wine, the mince pies, or the cosy dinners that make this...
Duration: 00:53:23Episode 7: The 5 Biggest Symptoms of Perimenopause Women Over 40+ Misunderstand (And What Your Body Is Telling You To Focus On Next)
Nov 27, 2025Send us your questions & comments
Struggling with exhaustion more often than not these days?
What about 2–3 AM wake-ups by a brain that won't shut off?
Stubborn belly weight no matter how healthy you eat or how much you exercise?
Mood swings you can’t predict that have your family live on edge?
Relentless bloating that makes you look 7 months pregnant?
Guess what? There's a real reason all of this is happening all at once and it's NOT what you think.
In this episode, I’m breaking...
Duration: 00:58:56Episode 6: (Part 3) How I Went To Thriving From Barely Surviving in Midlife - The Habits & Mindset Shifts That Rebuilt My Body, Mind & Confidence
Nov 24, 2025Send us your questions & comments
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s really possible to feel like yourself again in midlife — this is the episode you need.
In Part 3 of this intimate mini-series, I’m taking you inside the exact steps I used to rebuild my health, restore my metabolism, balance my hormones naturally, and shift out of that foggy, overwhelmed “surviving” mode into a grounded, energized, Thriving Thelma way of living.
This episode goes deeper than the “what” — we get into the how, the mindset, and the daily practices that created lasting change. Duration: 00:19:26
Episode 5: (Part 2) What Actually Helped Me Heal in Midlife - Energy, Weight Loss & Hormone Balance Without Extremes
Nov 24, 2025Send us your questions & comments
Midlife weight gain, exhaustion, anxiety, bloating, cravings, and that deep sense of “Who even am I anymore?” — this episode is for every woman who feels her body shifting in ways she can’t control. If you’ve been wondering why nothing you’re trying is working anymore, and whether natural midlife weight loss is even possible… you’re going to want to settle in for this one.
In Part 2 of this mini-series where I am sharing my own personal journey, I’m opening up about the messy middle — the moment I realized my old ha...
Duration: 00:21:42Episode 4: (Part 1) My 3 Health Crises That Changed Everything
Nov 24, 2025Send us your questions & comments
This episode marks the beginning of a special 3-part mini-series inside The Midlife Vitality Project Podcast called “Becoming Me Again.”
In this series, I’m pulling back the curtain and sharing the most personal parts of my health story — not just the highlight reel, or the success stories, but the raw, honest moments that shaped the journey of how I coach and live today.
Because if you’ve been feeling lost in your own body lately — tired, disconnected, or unsure where to even begin — and find yourself strug...
Duration: 00:24:35Episode 3: Surviving Susan vs. Thriving Thelma: Which One Are You and Why Does It Matter?
Nov 17, 2025Send us your questions & comments
Struggling with midlife weight gain, fatigue, or hormonal imbalance and wonder why some women seem to have it altogether when you're slowly falling apart at the seams?
In this episode, Joanne breaks down why your metabolism, hormones, and mindset are likely out of sync — and how understanding this can completely change your results.
You’ll meet two women who represent two very different ways of approaching health in midlife:
Surviving Susan — the woman stuck in self-doubt, exhaustion, and the “I'll start again Monday” cycle.Thriving The... Duration: 00:31:30Episode 2: The Key Blood Markers Every Woman Over 40 Should Know
Nov 08, 2025Send us your questions & comments
If your doctor keeps telling you your bloodwork looks “normal,” but you still feel exhausted, puffy, moody, wired-but-tired, and struggling with stubborn belly fat… this episode is for you.
In this deep dive, I walk you through the key blood markers every woman over 40 should understand — and what they really reveal about your hormones, your metabolism, and your long-term health.
We’ll talk about:
Why only testing hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone can be misleading — and how to use those results wisely. The key blood markers every woman o... Duration: 00:27:40Episode 1: Why Your Body Feels Like It's Betraying You in Midlife (And How To Take Back Control Naturally Starting Now!)
Nov 03, 2025Send us your questions & comments
If you're in your 40s or 50s and suddenly dealing with weight gain around the middle, exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix (if you are lucky enough to actually sleep through the night!), brain fog, mood swings and bloating - and you've been told "it's just aging" or "just perimenopause" - this episode is your turning point.
In this episode, we dive into:
Why diet and exercise don't work the same after 40How metabolic imbalance is the underlying root cause driving midlife weight gain and stubborn symptoms often associated with p... Duration: 00:22:51