Strong Over Skinny: Beth Feraco on Midlife Weight Loss, Binge Recovery & the Power of the Basics

Jessica is not a doctor. She’s not an influencer. She’s not here to offer perfectly packaged wisdom. She’s a real woman — and a close friend — who walked through something truly awful. At 41, a routine mammogram led to a stage zero breast cancer diagnosis. She was told it would likely be straightforward. A surgery, some recovery… and then life would move forward. It didn’t. What followed were complicated medical decisions, multiple surgeries, a dangerous infection, and moments when she genuinely wondered if she was going to survive. This is the conversation Jessica wishes someone had sat her down and had with her before any of it began. The one that levels with you. The one that tells you what questions to ask. What decisions deserve more time. What some surgeons may not fully prepare you for. And what life can actually look like on the other side.

Registered dietitian nutritionist Maya Feller joins me for a grounded, practical conversation about what actually matters when it comes to food during the perimenopause and menopause years — and what absolutely does not. Because by this stage of life, most women are done with extreme rules, cutting out entire food groups, and trying to follow plans that don’t remotely fit their real lives. Maya brings clarity back to the table. We talk about the metabolic shifts happening beneath the surface and how everyday eating patterns quietly shape blood sugar, cholesterol, heart health, muscle mass, and long-term wellbeing. What I loved most about this conversation is Maya’s approach: no shame, no rigidity — just sustainable habits that support the life you’re actually living. The small daily habits that impact metabolic health

Welcome to a powerful conversation on Not Young. Better. Today, we’re getting honest about what really changes in your 40s and why weight loss suddenly feels harder, slower, and more confusing than it ever did before. If you’ve been told to “just eat less and move more” and that advice isn’t working anymore, this episode is for you. Chelsea is joined by Gina Wynn and Angie Alles, founders of Girl Gang Wellness, two former teachers who have helped thousands of women over 40 rebuild their metabolism, heal their relationship with food, and feel strong again in midlife. Together, they cut through the noise around dieting, hormones, and fitness to explain what’s actually happening in perimenopause—and what really works. This episode breaks down why under-eating stalls your metabolism, how estrogen and cortisol shifts impact fat storage, and why strength training becomes essential after 40. Gina and Angie also explain why “falling off the wagon” keeps women stuck and how to lose fat without giving up wine, travel, or real life. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: We start by unpacking why the old rules most women grew up with—eat less, do more cardio, push harder—stop working in midlife. Gina explains how hormone changes in perimenopause affect metabolism, sleep, stress, and belly fat, and why women aren’t “doing anything wrong” when progress slows. Angie shares her personal story of being naturally thin until her body suddenly changed in her 40s, and how chronic under-eating and over-training damaged her health. Together, they explain how fueling your body with enough protein, lifting weights, and supporting hormone balance can completely shift how your body responds. You’ll also learn how macro-based nutrition actually works, why it’s not about perfection, and how an 80/20 lifestyle makes results sustainable instead of exhausting. If weight gain feels confusing, frustrating, or unfair right now, this episode will give you clarity, relief, and a realistic path forward. 🔥 This episode will empower you with clear, science-backed steps to optimize your metabolism, balance hormones, and feel your absolute best. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode. And if this conversation hits home, share it with a friend who needs it. 🛍 Get Not Young’s Favorite Supplements for Metabolism: https://www.notyoung.com/products/the-baseline 📲 Follow Gina & Angie: 💻 Website: https://www.girlgangwellness.com 📸 Angie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/angiealles/ 📸 Gina on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitegrapesandinshape/ 📲 Follow Not Young for More: 💻 Website: https://www.notyoung.com 💌 Newsletter: https://www.notyoung.com/pages/about-us 📸 Not Young on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/notyoung.co/ 📸 Chelsea on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chels_holland/

In this episode, Chelsea sits down with Dr. Diana Joy Ostroff — naturopathic physician, traditional Chinese medicine practitioner, and founder of the Center for Natural Healing Hawaii — for a powerful, eye-opening conversation about what’s really happening in women’s bodies during perimenopause and midlife. Dr. Joy brings over 30 years of clinical experience — and her own deeply personal health journey — into a conversation that covers everything from gut health and hormones to stress, inflammation, joint pain, sugar cravings, detoxification, and weight gain. This episode explores: The importance of a healthy gut

In this episode of Not Young. Better., Chelsea sits down with Lacy Dollar, a Southern content creator known online for her humor, honesty, and unmistakable voice. What begins as a light conversation takes a very different turn as Lacy shares her full story — including her history with alcoholism and sobriety, an eight-year infertility journey, her faith, and what it’s really like to parent a child with autism. Lacy speaks openly about motherhood after recovery, navigating diagnosis and school systems, the isolation that can come with raising a neurodivergent child, and the parts of her life she doesn’t soften or curate for the internet. She also reflects on suicide, survival, and the role faith has played in carrying her through seasons she never expected. This is an unfiltered, deeply human conversation — sometimes heavy, sometimes very funny, but always grounded in lived experience. It’s an episode about telling the truth, even when it’s complicated.