Ep. 59 | Menopause Diet: How the 80/20 Rule Makes Healthy Eating Sustainable
You've tried the strict plans. The meal preps that last three days before you're ordering takeout. The "clean eating" streaks that end with a weekend of guilt and a Monday morning promise to start over.
You're not bad at eating healthy. You're just stuck in a system that doesn't leave room for real life.
The 80/20 rule changes that. And for women in perimenopause and menopause — whose stress response, energy, and hormones can't handle one more rigid plan — it might be the most important nutrition shift you make.
In This Episode, You'll Learn:
What flexible nutrition and the 80/20 rule actually mean — and why it's not the same as "cheating" or "letting yourself go"
How to implement the 80/20 approach in real life — even during busy weeks, low-energy days, and seasons when everything feels chaotic
Practical meal planning tips that maintain flexibility — so you're prepared without being locked into a rigid schedule that falls apart by Wednesday
How to navigate special occasions, holidays, and dinners out without guilt, restriction, or the "I'll start again Monday" spiral
How to manage emotional eating with compassion — understanding why it happens in midlife and how to respond without shame
Common concerns women have about flexible eating — "won't I just eat junk all the time?" — and why the opposite is actually true
Why this approach supports your hormones better than restriction ever could — because consistency without pressure is what your midlife body actually needs
Here's what years of restriction teach your body: food is scarce, stress is high, hold onto everything. The 80/20 rule teaches your body the opposite: you're fed, you're safe, you can relax.
That's regulation through nutrition. And it's exactly what Phase 2 of my work is built around — learning how to eat in a way that supports your hormones without taking over your life. Support over pressure. Always.
This episode is for you if: You're a woman over 40 in perimenopause or menopause who's been trapped in the restrict-binge-guilt cycle for years and wants off the ride. You don't need another strict plan. You need permission to eat like a normal human — and a framework that makes it work for your hormones.
Links & Resources:
🎯 Take the free quiz → What's Really Causing Your Symptoms? https://cindistickle.com/quiz
📅 Book a free Hormone Reset Clarity Call → https://calendly.com/cindistickle/menopause-hormone-clarity-call
🌿 Learn more about It's Not Just Hormones™ System → https://cindistickle.com
🥑 Free Guide → 9 Menopause-Friendly Foods That Reduce Inflammation → https://cindistickle.com
👩💻 Join the free community → It's Not Just Menopause: No-BS Support with Real Answers → https://www.facebook.com/groups/nobsmenopause
📱 Follow on Instagram → @cindisticklenutrition
💬 If this episode spoke to you, please share it with a friend — or leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts. It helps more women find the root-cause menopause support they deserve.
