After watching K-Pop Demon Hunters, my daughters asked me if they “should want abs”… and that moment changed the entire direction of this episode.

Today we’re talking about meno belly — why your belly is changing in perimenopause, what’s actually happening biologically, and the stories we’ve carried since growing up as millennial girls raised on Friends, Ally McBeal, The O.C., and the Victoria’s Secret angels.

This episode isn’t about flattening your stomach.
It’s about healing your relationship with it — so we don’t pass our body shame down to our daughters.

Inside, we cover:

• What “meno belly” really is
• How hormones, stress, sleep, and muscle loss affect your midsection
• The moment I caught myself judging my own body on the mat
• A cultural reframe inspired by Pulp Fiction and Sarah Landry (@thebirdspapaya)

Next week, we’ll talk about how to support your metabolism in your 40s — without restriction or punishment.

👉 Download my Cycle Syncing Food Guide + Cycle Syncing Map here.

You know that low-key identity crisis that hits somewhere around 38–42? The mood swings, the random rage, the 3 AM wakeups, the nostalgia for your 90s life and the feeling that you’re somehow running out of time?

It might not just be burnout. It might be perimenopause.

In this episode, I’m talking with Lauren Tetenbaum — therapist, former lawyer, certified menopause practitioner, and author of Millennial Menopause — the bright pink book I found in Barnes & Noble that basically helped birth this podcast.

We get into:

• Why so many millennial moms feel “off” but can’t put their finger on why
• What perimenopause actually is (and why the label matters less than your symptoms)
• The sandwich-generation pressure cooker: little kids, aging parents, and a changing body
• Millennial rage, overstimulation, and feeling like a “different person” overnight
• How to ask for what you need at home and with your doctor without feeling stupid or dramatic
• Why surrounding yourself with women in their 50s can make turning 40 feel less terrifying
• How perimenopause can become a permission slip to rest, reset, and re-write this next phase

If you’ve ever wondered, “Is this perimenopause or am I just losing it?” this conversation is your sign you’re not alone — and you’re not powerless.

Between kids, work, and mom-life chaos, no one has the bandwidth to reinvent a grocery list every week based on their hormones.

Today I’m teaching you how to make cycle syncing automatic with four reusable grocery lists—one for each phase. Instacart or in-store, it works either way.

Just tap → add to cart → done.
By the end, cycle syncing won’t be something you try—it’ll be something you actually do.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

✨ Why cycle syncing works for energy, PMS, mood, metabolism & digestion
✨ The four phases (menstrual → follicular → ovulatory → luteal) & what foods support each
✨ How to build automatic grocery lists for each phase using Instacart
✨ How to do the same thing using checklist apps (for in-store shoppers)
✨ Why warm vs. cold foods matter, and how metabolism changes each week
✨ Why PMS is largely fixable through nutrition alone
✨ How systems thinking (à la Chelsi Jo) makes wellness way easier
✨ How to join my first Perimenopause Party & upcoming body-doubling sessions

Referenced Episodes & Links

Cycle Syncing Resources

• Episode 2: Explain Cycle Syncing To Me
• Episode 4: How to Eat With Your Cycle
• Download the Cycle Syncing PDF Chart:
  Food lists for every phase → https://stacey-noelle-llc.kit.com/6426d3a1fb

Apps & Tools Mentioned

• Instacart App → https://www.instacart.com
  
  (Features used: Saved Lists under Profile → Collections → Saved Lists)
• Microsoft To Do (Checklist App) → https://todo.microsoft.com
  
  
• Other list apps you can use:
  • Todoist
  • AnyList
  • TickTick
  • Clear
  • Google Keep

Podcast Mentioned

• Systemize Your Life with Chelsi Jo
  https://chelsijo.co/system

Events

✨ The Perimenopause Party — December 10 at 8:30 PM MT (FREE!)
Warm drink. Soft pants. A cozy night getting your tedious tasks done… together.
Sign up here: https://stacey-hudson.com/periparty

✨ Body Doubling Sessions Starting January 2025
Join other millennial moms as we knock out the “I’ll do it later” tasks in real time.
(Details shared first inside the Perimenopause Party!)

A Quick Food Phase Refresher (from the episode)

MENSTRUAL (Days 1–5) — Your Winter

Warm, grounding, mineral-rich foods:
Beets, mushrooms, lentils, sweet potatoes, kidney beans, warm soups/stews.

FOLLICULAR (Days 6–13) — Spring

Fresh, light, energizing foods:
Smoothies, leafy greens, chicken + eggs, berries, fermented foods, artichokes, flaxseed.

OVULATORY (Days 14–15) — Summer

Cool, hydrating, antioxidant-rich foods:
Cucumbers, leafy salads, citrus, tomatoes, peppers, salmon, sardines, oysters, cooling herbs.

LUTEAL (Days 16–28) — Fall

Comforting, stabilizing foods that support blood sugar:
Root veggies, squash, oats, quinoa, turkey, almonds, pumpkin seeds, apples, lentils, chickpeas.

(Your full PDF guide with all the details is linked above.)