Emotional Eats Podcast: Real conversations about menopause, hormones, emotional eating, and weight loss for women over 40

Welcome to the Emotional Eats Podcast!
Have you ever planned to eat just one piece of chocolate, only to find yourself reaching for more? And then finishing the whole chocolate bar?
In this episode, Kim shares a personal story about enjoying one of her favorite treats without guilt, shame, or spiraling into eating 10. 
She explains why sugar cravings are often about not really about the food.  The sugar does light up a part of the brain that makes us happy, but what is happening before is really the key to eating less sugar.  Stress, loneliness, overwhelm, and the brain's reward system can make it feel impossible to stop at just one or two.  Those extra pieces or cookies are just helping you numb out.
In episode 164, you'll learn practical, realistic strategies to enjoy sugar intentionally while supporting your blood sugar, metabolic health, and weight loss goals.  The best part is eating a treat once in a while without feeling like you have to swear off your favorite foods forever.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why sugar cravings are often driven by emotions, not hunger
How dopamine and the brain's reward system influence cravings
A simple step-by-step approach to enjoying a treat without losing control
Why protein and fiber can help stabilize blood sugar before dessert
How slowing down, savoring your food, and giving yourself permission to eat can change your relationship with sugar
Practical tips to stop one treat from turning into a week of overeating
If you've ever felt like sugar has too much control over your life, this episode will help you build a healthier, more peaceful relationship with one intentional choice at a time. 
 
If This Episode Resonated With You
Please follow the Emotional Eats Podcast, download this episode, and share it with a woman in your life who struggles silently with food, body image, binge eating, or emotional eating. These conversations matter.
And if you're looking for ongoing support and connection, make sure to check out the Cool Girl Collective, Kim's community for women over 40 navigating emotional eating, menopause, hormones, cravings, and learning how to nourish their whole lives.
Join the Cool Girl Collective
👉 Click Here to Join:  https://www.skool.com/coolgirlcollective/
Website:  https://wellspringcounselingandhealth.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimhynesmidlife/
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@kimhynesmidlife
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Kimhynesmidlife
Want to improve your midlife focus or sleep?  Check out Brain.fm.  This app has help me be more productive, get the best afternoon powernaps and bring down my nervous system….fast.  Get 30 days for free here.
 https://www.brain.fm/kimhyneshealth
 
Get my favorite healthy Hot Chocolate (Organifi Chocolate Gold) here:
https://www.organifishop.com/
Use code:  KIMH for 20 % off
This dark chocolate tumeric tea helps promote relaxation and calm.  It's the perfect substitute for dessert and a great way to help promote sleep.
 
Other links Kim receives commission on some of these products which are used to continue providing free content and produce the Emotional Eats Podcast.
LMNT
http://elementallabs.refr.cc/kimhynes
Disclaimer:  This podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only.  Always consult with your medical practitioner before changing habits.  This podcast is not to take the place of medical or mental health professionals.

Welcome to the Emotional Eats Podcast!
If you've ever found yourself standing in the pantry at night wondering, "Why am I doing this again?" this episode is for you.
You know exactly what to eat. You've read the books, followed the meal plans, counted the calories, and started over more times than you can count. Yet you still feel out of control around food and blame yourself for not having enough willpower.
What if the problem isn't discipline at all?
In this compassionate conversation, Kim sits down with licensed spiritual practitioner, yoga instructor, and coach Stacey Paige to explore the emotional roots of weight struggles in midlife. Together, they unpack how limiting beliefs, nervous system overwhelm, unprocessed emotions, and lifelong patterns can quietly drive emotional eating, even when you know all the "right" things to do.
Rather than offering another list of food rules, this episode focuses on helping you better understand yourself while giving you practical tools you can begin using today.
In this episode, you'll learn:
How subconscious beliefs formed in childhood can shape your relationship with food and your body.
The surprising connection between self-worth and self-sabotage.
Why emotional eating is often an attempt to soothe stress, grief, loneliness, or overwhelm rather than satisfy hunger.
How chronic stress and nervous system dysregulation make emotional eating more likely.
The difference between reacting to life and responding to it.
Why creating a simple daily mindfulness practice can completely change your relationship with food.
How walking, nature, breathwork, and quiet reflection can help process emotions instead of suppressing them.
Why true intuitive eating requires more than simply "listening to your body."
Practical ways to begin breaking free from lifelong dieting patterns without relying on more willpower.
Stacey explains that lasting change happens when we stop trying to fight the behavior and instead become curious about what's driving it.
Your emotional eating may be pointing toward something that needs compassion, healing, and attention rather than more restriction.
When you begin addressing the root causes instead of only the behavior, everything starts to change.
About Stacey Paige
Stacey Paige is a licensed spiritual practitioner, yoga instructor, and coach who believes lasting change begins with the relationship we have with ourselves. Rather than pushing harder or relying on willpower, she helps people understand the patterns, beliefs, and protective habits that shape how they move through life.
Through mindfulness, nervous system support, and compassionate self-awareness, Stacey guides people toward sustainable inner change so they can feel more grounded, connected, and free to create meaningful lives of their own design.
Connect with Stacey
Find Stacey on all social media @staceypaigeinspired
 
Website:  https://www.staceypaige.com/
 
If This Episode Resonated With You
Please follow the Emotional Eats Podcast, download this episode, and share it with a woman in your life who struggles silently with food, body image, binge eating, or emotional eating. These conversations matter.
And if you're looking for ongoing support and connection, make sure to check out the Cool Girl Collective, Kim's community for women over 40 navigating emotional eating, menopause, hormones, cravings, and learning how to nourish their whole lives.
Join the Cool Girl Collective
👉 Click Here to Join:  https://www.skool.com/coolgirlcollective/
Website:  https://wellspringcounselingandhealth.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimhynesmidlife/
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@kimhynesmidlife
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Kimhynesmidlife
Want to improve your midlife focus or sleep?  Check out Brain.fm.  This app has help me be more productive, get the best afternoon powernaps and bring down my nervous system….fast.  Get 30 days for free here.
 https://www.brain.fm/kimhyneshealth
 
Get my favorite healthy Hot Chocolate (Organifi Chocolate Gold) here:
https://www.organifishop.com/
Use code:  KIMH for 20 % off
This dark chocolate tumeric tea helps promote relaxation and calm.  It's the perfect substitute for dessert and a great way to help promote sleep.
 
Other links Kim receives commission on some of these products which are used to continue providing free content and produce the Emotional Eats Podcast.
LMNT
http://elementallabs.refr.cc/kimhynes
Disclaimer:  This podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only.  Always consult with your medical practitioner before changing habits.  This podcast is not to take the place of medical or mental health professionals.

Welcome to the Emotional Eats Podcast!
Are you thinking about food all day long? Grabbing something sweet with your coffee? Finding yourself in the pantry at night wondering why you can't stop?
You may assume you're to addicted to sugar, lack willpower, or just need more self-control. But what if the real problem isn't the food?
What if your body is simply exhausted?
In this episode, Kim explores one of the most overlooked causes of emotional eating, cravings, food noise, and weight struggles: sleep.
You'll learn how poor sleep affects your hunger hormones, blood sugar, stress response, emotional regulation, and even the reward centers of your brain. If sugar feels impossible to resist after a bad night of sleep, there may be a biological reason why.
This conversation is especially important for women in perimenopause and menopause, when hormone changes, nighttime wake-ups, anxiety, and blood sugar swings can make cravings feel overwhelming.
In This Episode:
• Why sleep deprivation increases hunger and cravings
• The roles of ghrelin, leptin, and GLP-1 in appetite and fullness
• Why sugar and processed foods become harder to resist when you're tired
• The connection between sleep, stress, emotional eating, and food noise
• How menopause impacts sleep and cravings
• Practical tools to improve sleep and feel more in control around food
• Why blood sugar may be one of the biggest keys to better sleep and fewer cravings
If food has been taking up too much space in your brain lately, don't skip this episode. It may help you understand what's really driving your cravings and what your body has been asking for all along.
 
If This Episode Resonated With You
Please follow the Emotional Eats Podcast, download this episode, and share it with a woman in your life who struggles silently with food, body image, binge eating, or emotional eating. These conversations matter.
And if you're looking for ongoing support and connection, make sure to check out the Cool Girl Collective, Kim's community for women over 40 navigating emotional eating, menopause, hormones, cravings, and learning how to nourish their whole lives.
Join the Cool Girl Collective
👉 Click Here to Join:  https://www.skool.com/coolgirlcollective/
Website:  https://wellspringcounselingandhealth.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimhynesmidlife/
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@kimhynesmidlife
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Kimhynesmidlife
Want to improve your midlife focus or sleep?  Check out Brain.fm.  This app has help me be more productive, get the best afternoon powernaps and bring down my nervous system….fast.  Get 30 days for free here.
 https://www.brain.fm/kimhyneshealth
 
Get my favorite healthy Hot Chocolate (Organifi Chocolate Gold) here:
https://www.organifishop.com/
Use code:  KIMH for 20 % off
This dark chocolate tumeric tea helps promote relaxation and calm.  It's the perfect substitute for dessert and a great way to help promote sleep.
 
Other links Kim receives commission on some of these products which are used to continue providing free content and produce the Emotional Eats Podcast.
LMNT
http://elementallabs.refr.cc/kimhynes
Disclaimer:  This podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only.  Always consult with your medical practitioner before changing habits.  This podcast is not to take the place of medical or mental health professionals.
If you enjoyed the episode, share, download and follow.  I would be so grateful.

Welcome to the Emotional Eats Podcast!
So many women spend years creating a home around everyone else's needs. The kids. The schedules. The activities. The expectations.
But what happens when midlife arrives and life begins to shift?
In this thoughtful conversation, Kim Hynes sits down with Kim Costa to explore a question many women don't stop to ask:
Does your home still support who you are today?
This episode goes far beyond decorating and organizing. Together, they discuss how your environment, community, relationships, geography, and even the energy of your home can impact your happiness, health, creativity, and overall well-being. From empty nesting and menopause to rediscovering yourself after years of caregiving, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on creating a life that truly fits this season of life.
In This Episode You'll Learn:
Why feeling frustrated, anxious, lonely, or unsettled at home may be a sign that something needs attention
The eight key areas of life that influence whether your environment supports you
How your home can either drain your energy or help restore it
The connection between your physical space and your emotional well-being
Why geography matters more than most people realize
How relationships, marriage, empty nesting, and midlife transitions can influence where and how you want to live
The surprising impact of color, light, clutter, and unused spaces on your mood
How to create a home that reflects your true self instead of the image you think you're supposed to project
Practical ways to make your current space feel more supportive, even if moving isn't an option
How to decide whether it's time to stay, renovate, or make a bigger change
Key Takeaways
Your home is more than a place where you sleep at night.
It can influence your stress levels, your creativity, your relationships, your physical health, and even how connected you feel to yourself.
Midlife is often a season of transition. As children leave home, careers evolve, relationships change, and priorities shift, it's worth asking whether your environment is growing with you.
Sometimes the answer is a move. Sometimes it's a renovation. Sometimes it's simply creating a small corner that belongs entirely to you.
The goal isn't perfection. It's creating a space that supports the woman you are becoming.
Because when your environment aligns with your needs, it becomes easier to feel calm, energized, connected, and at home in your own life.
About Kim Costa
Kim Costa is a REALTOR®, author, speaker, and creator of the Wheel House Assessment. With more than three decades of experience in residential construction, design, and real estate, Kim helps homeowners, especially women navigating midlife and major life transitions, understand whether their home still supports the life they are living now and the person they are becoming. Her work blends real estate, design, lifestyle alignment, and practical decision-making through her Live In Your Wheel House approach.
Connect with Kim
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kim.e.costa/
 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-costa-20668137/
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kim.costa.923
 
What is your website? : https://lifestylefoundations.com/
 
If This Episode Resonated With You
Please follow the Emotional Eats Podcast, download this episode, and share it with a woman in your life who struggles silently with food, body image, binge eating, or emotional eating. These conversations matter.
And if you're looking for ongoing support and connection, make sure to check out the Cool Girl Collective, Kim's community for women over 40 navigating emotional eating, menopause, hormones, cravings, and learning how to nourish their whole lives.
Join the Cool Girl Collective
👉 Click Here to Join:  https://www.skool.com/coolgirlcollective/
Website:  https://wellspringcounselingandhealth.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimhynesmidlife/
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@kimhynesmidlife
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Kimhynesmidlife
Want to improve your midlife focus or sleep?  Check out Brain.fm.  This app has help me be more productive, get the best afternoon powernaps and bring down my nervous system….fast.  Get 30 days for free here.
 https://www.brain.fm/kimhyneshealth
 
Get my favorite healthy Hot Chocolate (Organifi Chocolate Gold) here:
https://www.organifishop.com/
Use code:  KIMH for 20 % off
This dark chocolate tumeric tea helps promote relaxation and calm.  It's the perfect substitute for dessert and a great way to help promote sleep.
 
Other links Kim receives commission on some of these products which are used to continue providing free content and produce the Emotional Eats Podcast.
LMNT
http://elementallabs.refr.cc/kimhynes
Disclaimer:  This podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only.  Always consult with your medical practitioner before changing habits.  This podcast is not to take the place of medical or mental health professionals.
If you enjoyed the episode, share, download and follow.  I would be so grateful.

Have you ever felt like you're doing everything right, but the weight still isn't coming off?  You're trying what the "experts" and influencers are selling and can't seem to see the right number on the scale.
In this episode, Kim challenges the idea that weight loss should be the main measure of success for your body in midlife. She invites you into the discussion of why focusing solely on the scale can actually keep women stuck and how shifting the focus to overall health can create lasting results.
You'll learn why muscle, blood sugar, sleep, stress, hormones, and daily habits matter so much more than chasing the next diet, product or wellness trend. Most importantly, you'll discover a different way to define success for yourself and your body.  A new reframe that helps you feel better, age stronger, and build a healthier relationship with your body.
In This Episode:
Why weight loss has become the report card for so many women
The hidden ways diet culture shows up in today's wellness world
Why focusing only on the scale can cause you to overlook important signs of progress
The role of muscle, blood sugar, sleep, stress, and hormones in midlife health
Why many women don't need more discipline—they need more support
How to shift from chasing weight loss to building true health
What health actually looks like beyond a number on the scale
When health becomes the goal, weight loss often becomes a side effect. It just happens.  But when weight loss becomes the only goal, it's easy to lose sight of the very things that help you feel your best. This episode will help you focus on what truly matters for long-term health, energy, and freedom around food and your body…and just might lose weight.
If This Episode Resonated With You
Please follow the Emotional Eats Podcast, download this episode, and share it with a woman in your life who struggles silently with food, body image, binge eating, or emotional eating. These conversations matter.
And if you're looking for ongoing support and connection, make sure to check out the Cool Girl Collective, Kim's community for women over 40 navigating emotional eating, menopause, hormones, cravings, and learning how to nourish their whole lives.
Join the Cool Girl Collective
👉 Click Here to Join:  https://www.skool.com/coolgirlcollective/
Website:  https://wellspringcounselingandhealth.com/
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/kimhynesmidlife/
TikTok:  https://www.tiktok.com/@kimhynesmidlife
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/@Kimhynesmidlife
Want to improve your midlife focus or sleep?  Check out Brain.fm.  This app has help me be more productive, get the best afternoon powernaps and bring down my nervous system….fast.  Get 30 days for free here.
 https://www.brain.fm/kimhyneshealth
 
Get my favorite healthy Hot Chocolate (Organifi Chocolate Gold) here:
https://www.organifishop.com/
Use code:  KIMH for 20 % off
This dark chocolate tumeric tea helps promote relaxation and calm.  It's the perfect substitute for dessert and a great way to help promote sleep.
 
Other links Kim receives commission on some of these products which are used to continue providing free content and produce the Emotional Eats Podcast.
LMNT
http://elementallabs.refr.cc/kimhynes
Disclaimer:  This podcast is for entertainment and informational purposes only.  Always consult with your medical practitioner before changing habits.  This podcast is not to take the place of medical or mental health professionals.
If you enjoyed the episode, share, download and follow.  I would be so grateful.