not another diet - the newsletter

Insights on food literacy and healthy weight management for midlife women.

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A reader wants to know how to eat healthfully while traveling. I have answers. In the 15 years since my 55-pound loss, I've learned so much about how to be out in the world and have fun without going off the rails. Hey Amanda, great question. First, it might surprise you to know that I'm not a ...

Jun 26, 2026 cook! food heritage food newsletter no calorie counting travel

Dissecting The Perfect Dinner

I make this chicken dish on repeat and never worry about the calories or the impact on my weight. My food system is what gives me the confidence to make this dish and eat it attuned to my hunger. I can easily stop when I've had enough, confident that if I get hungry again, I can eat more. This...

Jun 12, 2026 aging chicken community cook! food heritage food newsletter no calorie counting ultraprocessed

Are Flour-Based Pasts Always Bad For Weight?

1. Grinding wheat into flour changes how you absorb calories. 2. What about if it's whole wheat? 3. What about brown rice flour?4. My approach to eating flour-based foods. There's an endless debate over the health of refined flour products. Are they 'bad'? No. Are they 'good'? Also, no. I've wa...

Jun 05, 2026 calories food processing real food reduce sugar weight gain what to eat

Protein bars. Yay or nay?

A practical guide to the weird world of protein bars. Protein bars are what happens when we lose touch with the wholeness of a food. I say that as someone who consumes them, although after writing this missive, it will be far less. Protein bars encourage us to look at the front of the package w...

May 01, 2026 calories food processing real food reduce sugar weight gain what to eat

Would this have fooled you?

I was wearing a glucose monitor on a long bike ride when I ate a bag of jalapeño cheese puffs. What can I say, things happen (even to healthy living advocates). My blood sugar rose to 170. And not just for a few minutes. It stayed elevated for hours after. That got my attention. Not because ch...

Apr 11, 2026

I'm 55 Today 🎈

We all marvel at our own ability to hit another birthday. Is it an accomplishment? Not exactly. Time marches sprints on regardless. Still, it's a thing. You got here, wherever that is. And so it is with me. I'm here, halfway through my fifties, and the thing I am marveling at is not so much that...

Mar 24, 2026

If it's confusing, that's by design.

I'm kidding about the wreck yourself, but not the test part. Let's keep this light. Eating healthfully isn't about perfection or shaming ourselves for getting it 'wrong.' It's about curiosity and inching towards a version of health that works for you. Cool, cool, now let's get on with it. Her...

Mar 06, 2026 aging alcohol community menopause newsletter sugar ultraprocessed

Convinced Your Metabolism Is Shot? Here's What's Really Happening.

1. 2. 3. It's not your metabolism. It's not your age. It's not even the calories. It's the intersection of three things: your body's changing glucose response + ultra-processed food everywhere + not knowing how to spot it. The good news? Once you can identify which foods ...

Feb 27, 2026 bloating food processing menopause metabolism midlife myths weight gain

Is alcohol really a problem in (peri)menopause?

A little straight talk on a wonky subject. Disclaimer: This information is about consumption patterns and the effects in midlife. It is in no way intended to address addiction. Feet are a great analogy for midlife bodies. Yes, feet. When you're in your twenties, you can wear flip-flops made fr...

Feb 20, 2026 aging alcohol community menopause newsletter sugar ultraprocessed

Menopause Is a Metabolic Event (Not a Failure).

It’s not just “getting older.” The metabolic shift is menopause-specific. If you’ve ever looked at your plate in midlife and thought, “Wait… why is this suddenly not working?” — I want to offer a different explanation than the one most women default to. Not: My metabolism is shot.Instead: My blo...

Feb 13, 2026 aging community cook! newsletter sugar ultraprocessed

At 54, I'm newly inspired.

I'm riding high on a lot of good, personal health news today. My bone density scan said I have the bones of a healthy thirty-year-old. My cancer screenings have been clear for years. For those new to me, I had breast cancer twice in my 40s. My years of surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy are w...

Jan 30, 2026 food processing holidays real food reduce sugar weight gain what to eat

3 big AHAs from Saturday

I loved the workshop-style meetup, expect more of that (but more focused and under an hour). Watch it here Here are my three big takeaways. What were yours? 1. Setting the Day with a Savory Breakfast and Movement: It's crucial to start the day with a savory breakfast, as consuming sugar (ev...

Jan 16, 2026 aging community cook! menopause newsletter sugar ultraprocessed

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I'm one of 4% who lost significant weight and kept it off past the ten-year mark.

I did it without apps, fasting schemes, calorie counting, or carb restriction.

In my newsletter I answer the question: How do I live well, delight in food, and still have a healthy weight?