The Perimenopause & Midlife Podcast

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: What does strength training actually need to look like in midlife? In this episode, I’m speaking with Shawn Maftounian, Founder & Director of Prestige Personalised Training, about how women can approach strength training, progressive overload and midlife fitness without getting lost in conflicting advice or complicated workouts. We talk about why building and protecting muscle becomes increasingly important as we age, how often women need to strength train, how to know whether you’re lifting heavy enough, and why soreness isn’t necessarily a sign of a good workout. Shawn also explains how training can be adapted around poor sleep, fatigue, hot flushes, pelvic floor concerns and changing recovery needs, while still allowing women to build consistency and make progress. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: Why strength matters beyond weight loss What an effective midlife strength program can look like How to know whether you’re lifting heavy enough What progressive overload means and why it matters Why random workouts may not create measurable progress How beginners can start strength training simply Why muscle soreness isn’t a measure of success How pelvic floor concerns can be managed around training How to adjust exercise when sleep, fatigue or symptoms are affecting you Why the goal is to become stronger, not simply smaller ABOUT SHAWN MAFTOUNIAN: Shawn Maftounian is the Founder & Director of Prestige Personalised Training on the Gold Coast, one of Australia's highest-rated private personal training gyms with 380 - 5-star Google reviews. He is an award-winning coach and entrepreneur who has also been featured in the 7NEWS Queensland Young Achiever Awards. He holds a Bachelor of Sports from Griffith University and has over 15 years of experience helping people improve their health, strength and quality of life. Shawn specialises in coaching busy professionals, women navigating pre-, peri- and post menopause, adults living with chronic pain and injuries, and NDIS participants. His philosophy is simple: sustainable health comes from personalised coaching, accountability, measurable progress and a supportive community, not quick fixes. Through evidence-informed exercise and lifestyle coaching, Shawn has helped thousands of Australians become stronger, more confident and more independent at every stage of life. CONNECT WITH SHAWN MAFTOUNIAN: Web: https://www.prestigept.com.au Instagram: @Prestigeptgc Facebook: @PrestigePT Email: [email protected] Phone: 07 5620 4420 OFFERS AND RESOURCES: Personalised One-on-One Personal Training Two on One Private Personal Training Small Group Classes, capped at 10 participants Women’s Health Evolt 360 Body Composition & Health Assessments Personalised Nutrition & Lifestyle Coaching Private Gym Complimentary Initial Consultation and Health Assessment CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: You’ve raised the kids, built the career and spent years doing what needed to be done. So what happens when midlife arrives and you start asking, “What do I want now?” In this episode, I’m speaking with Jules Brooke, Business Mentor and founder of She’s The Boss, about why so many women in their 40s, 50s and beyond are rethinking work, purpose and what they want from the second half of life. We explore midlife reinvention, women in business and menopause, including why women are leaving traditional careers, the impact of ageism, the appeal of entrepreneurship, the importance of strong female networks and why getting older doesn’t mean winding down. Jules also shares her own experience of perimenopause and menopause and why more open conversations can help women feel informed, connected and confident about what comes next. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: Why many women start questioning work and purpose in midlife Why women over 45 are starting businesses and pursuing new opportunities How purpose, legacy and impact can become more important with age Why ageism can influence career decisions for women The freedom and flexibility entrepreneurship can offer Why support from other women can give us courage to take the leap How fear of failure can stop us acting on our ideas Why visibility matters for women over 50 Jules’ experience of perimenopause and menopause Why midlife can be a breakthrough rather than a crisis ABOUT JULES BROOKE: Jules is the founder of Handle Your Own PR, She’s The Boss and Australian Women Speakers. She’s The Boss Group is for women business owners 45+. The group runs over 70 online and offline events nationally in Australia per year, she has a podcast called She’s The Boss Chats and another called She’s The Boss Disruptors, a She’s The Boss YouTube channel, and shesthebossdirectory.com. Jules is also a speaker and coach around visibility and How To Become a Woman of Influence, and hosts international business retreats every year. She’s a super connector and loves to encourage women to lift each other up, and back each other. CONNECT WITH JULES BROOKE: She’s The Boss: https://shesthebossgroup.com/ She’s The Boss Directory: https://shesthebossdirectory.com/ Instagram: @julesbrooke Instagram: @shesthebossgroup Facebook: @julesbrooke Facebook: @shestheboss LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julesbrooke/ OFFERS AND RESOURCES: Click the link below for full list of resources: https://terribatsakis.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/OFFERS-AND-RESOURCES-Jules-Brooke.pdf CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: What if something as important as your bone health was changing long before you knew to look for it? In this episode, I’m speaking with Nicole Cassey, founder of HeraVita, about her unexpected diagnosis of osteopenia at just 36, her strong family history of osteoporosis, and why women need to think about preventative health much earlier. We also explore bone health, menopause and women’s health, including the role of strength training, vitamin D, hormone therapy and self-advocacy. Nicole shares how her own changing body through midlife led to HeraVita and a national study using 3D body scanning to better understand the bodies of Australian women and challenge the way clothing and fit standards have traditionally been designed. This is a conversation about looking beyond the number on the scale, understanding your changing body and focusing not simply on lifespan, but health span. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: How Nicole discovered osteopenia at just 36 Why family history can be an important part of the bone health conversation The difference between osteopenia and osteoporosis Why bone health deserves attention before later life How menopause and declining oestrogen can affect bone health Why strength training becomes increasingly important as we age The role of vitamin D in supporting health Why midlife women have historically been under-researched How women’s body shape and proportions change through midlife How HeraVita is using 3D body scanning to help improve fit standards Why understanding your body and advocating for your health matters ABOUT NICOLE CASSEY: Nicole Cassey is the founder of HeraVita, a research-first women's wellness initiative dedicated to understanding how women's bodies change through midlife and advocating for the products, fit standards, and honest conversations that have never been built around them. Diagnosed with osteopenia at just 36, she experienced first-hand how easily women fall through the gaps in screening, and how often they're told the things that matter far too late. Twenty years after launching the award-winning baby sleepwear brand Bubbaroo, her work has come full circle. Through HeraVita, she's now leading a national study, using 3D body scanning to better understand the changing bodies of more than 500 Australian women and help shape the future of women's health and apparel. CONNECT WITH NICOLE CASSEY: Web: www.heravita.com.au Instagram: @heravita_official OFFERS AND RESOURCES: Become a HeraVita Founding Member Participate in HeraVita’s research into the changing bodies of midlife women Learn more about the national study using 3D body scanning Access HeraVita’s private women’s community at www.heravita.com.au CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Why can belly fat suddenly become harder to shift in midlife, even when you feel like you haven’t changed anything? In this episode, I’m speaking with Dr Avi Charlton, GP, speaker, best-selling author, podcast host and thought leader in lifestyle medicine, about insulin resistance, metabolic health and why our bodies may need a different approach as we move through perimenopause. We explore how insulin can influence fat storage, the signs of insulin resistance women may overlook, GLP-1 medications, intermittent fasting, protein, strength training and why there is no one-size-fits-all approach to nutrition. Dr Avi also explains how stress and cortisol can influence metabolic health, why our past health experiences matter, and how simple strategies such as breathwork, mindfulness and lifestyle changes can support long-term wellbeing. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: What insulin resistance is and how it can affect fat loss Why belly fat can increase during midlife Signs of insulin resistance beyond blood glucose How GLP-1 medications may fit into metabolic healthcare Why protein and strength training matter when using GLP-1s Different approaches to intermittent fasting Why fasting and nutrition should be individualised The role of blood tests in understanding metabolic health How stress and cortisol can influence weight and wellbeing Why what worked for your body before may not work now Simple breathwork strategies to help manage stress ABOUT DR AVI CHARLTON: Dr. Avi Charlton is a GP, speaker, best-selling author, podcast host, and thought leader in lifestyle medicine. She is the founder of Melbourne Low Carb Clinic and Breathe in Health, where she helps people reverse chronic conditions and improve wellbeing through nutrition, functional breathing, and lifestyle interventions. A passionate advocate for empowering individuals to take charge of their health, Dr. Charlton shares her expertise on stage, in the media, through her best-selling book Prescribing Lifestyle: A Doctor’s Prescription to Lasting Weight Loss and Vibrant Health, and as host of the Prescribing Lifestyle podcast. Her work has been recognised nationally, receiving an AusMumpreneur Honourable Mention for Wellness Business of the Year. With over two decades of experience as a doctor, Dr. Charlton continues to inspire and guide people toward vibrant health, sustainable change, and a future where lifestyle is the first prescription. CONNECT WITH DR AVI CHARLTON: Web: www.mlcclinic.com.au Web: www.breatheinhealth.com.au Instagram: @dr_charlton_lifestyleGP Facebook: Dr Charlton Lifestyle GP LinkedIn: Avi Charlton YouTube: Dr Charlton Lifestyle GP OFFERS AND RESOURCES: One-to-one GP consultations for metabolic health, health checks, blood tests and menopause hormone support Books: Low Carb Made Easy, Prescribing Lifestyle and Cookbook Prescribing Lifestyle Podcast, with approximately 127 episodes CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis

🎙️ EPISODE DESCRIPTION: Have you spent so much of your life being the capable one, the peacekeeper and the woman everyone can rely on that you’ve lost touch with what you actually want? In this episode, I’m speaking with Katherine Sayson, Speaker, Author and Founder of the Bold Purpose Collective, about the hidden emotional patterns that can keep high-capacity women living through performance rather than purpose. We explore the “good girl” identity, people-pleasing, over giving and the pressure women can feel to carry everything while insisting they’re “fine”. Katherine shares how midlife and perimenopause can become a mirror, bringing deeper questions about identity, purpose, worth and who we want to be in the next chapter of life. We also explore Katherine’s powerful distinction between performance, which creates pressure, and purpose, which creates life, and how noticing what drains you, energises you and brings you joy can help you reconnect with the person beneath all the roles you’ve learned to play. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN: How the “good girl” identity can shape the way women live and lead Signs you may be living for everyone else instead of yourself Why being needed isn’t necessarily the same as being valued The difference between purpose and performance How guilt, resentment and exhaustion can signal misalignment Why midlife can be a rebirth rather than a crisis How to begin noticing what gives you life and what drains you Why your value, worth and purpose do not diminish with age How to reconnect with who you were before the world told you who to be ABOUT KATHERINE SAYSON: Katherine Sayson is a speaker, author, and founder of the Bold Purpose Collective. With a background in leadership and personal transformation, she brings a rare ability to articulate the hidden emotional patterns that shape how high-capacity women live and lead. Through reflective storytelling and practical insight, she helps audiences recognize what has long gone unseen — and reconnect with the clarity, voice, and grounded leadership that emerge when identity replaces constant performance. CONNECT WITH KATHERINE SAYSON: Website: https://katherinesayson.com/ Instagram: @katherinesaysoncoach Facebook: @katherinesaysoncoach LinkedIn: @katherine-sayson RESOURCE MENTIONED: Your Life Is Not Random – Katherine’s free workshop designed to help women connect the dots of their story, explore life transitions and begin asking deeper identity and purpose questions. Website: https://yourlifeisnotrandom.com/ CONNECT WITH HOST TERRI BATSAKIS: Web: https://terribatsakis.com.au/ Instagram: @terri.batsakis Facebook: @terribatsakis YouTube: @terribatsakis