This roundtable continues our conversation on metabolic changes—but this time, we focus on how those shifts show up mentally and emotionally for moms.

As hormones fluctuate and sleep declines, many women experience rising anxiety, low mood, irritability, or brain fog and begin to wonder why they no longer “feel normal.” Our experts explain how these symptoms are not separate from metabolism—they are deeply connected. Changes in estrogen impact brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA, influencing mood, stress resilience, sleep, and overall emotional regulation.

Together, we explore why mental health should be considered a core part of metabolic health—not an afterthought—and why so many women are treated for symptoms without addressing underlying hormonal shifts. You’ll also hear guidance on advocating for yourself, tracking symptoms, and finding providers who understand the full picture.

If you’ve been feeling unlike yourself lately, this conversation offers clarity, validation, and a reminder: your body isn’t failing you. It’s communicating.

These are the top three things you will learn from this podcast episode:

• Why you don’t “feel like yourself”

  You’ll understand how shifting hormones and poor sleep affect brain chemicals like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA—contributing to anxiety, low mood, irritability, and brain fog.

• Why mental health is a core part of metabolic health

  You’ll learn how mood, stress tolerance, sleep, and metabolism are deeply interconnected—and why treating them as separate issues often misses the root cause.

• How to advocate for better, more integrated care

  You’ll gain practical insight into tracking symptoms, knowing when hormones may be part of the picture, and finding providers who look at the full biopsychosocial story—not just isolated symptoms.

HER+ Experts:

● Katherin Andrew, Registered Dietitian - https://www.katherineandrew.com/

● Dr. Abby DeVries, Family Medicine Doctor - https://www.sabiahealthnc.com/

● Sarah Parise, ACE Certified Fitness Professional - https://greatdaysbysarah.com/

● Kate Layman, Certified Nurse Midwife - https://motherlovewellness.com/

Episode Notes and Resources:

Dr. Lisa Masconi - https://www.lisamosconi.com/

FREE Expert Provider Directory - https://herhealthcollective.com/search-the-directory/?type=fitness

HER Circle (A Mom community by HER Health Collective) - https://www.herhealthcollective.com/membership

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment Patreon.

If you’ve been told metabolism is just about calories in and calories out, this conversation offers a much-needed reframe.

In this roundtable episode, Cindi is joined by several HER+ Experts from the free online Inclusive Provider Directory to explore the systems behind metabolism—and why it’s about far more than food or willpower. Together, they break down how hormones, sleep, stress, muscle, nourishment, and the nervous system all work together to influence metabolic health, especially through motherhood and midlife.

The experts discuss common red flags moms often overlook, including disrupted sleep, fatigue, appetite changes, mood shifts, and stubborn weight changes, and how these signals can point to deeper hormonal or metabolic needs. You’ll hear why strength training is essential for women, how building muscle supports metabolism and longevity, and why sleep quality plays a critical role in how the body functions.

The conversation also highlights under-recognized issues like insulin resistance and sleep apnea in women, along with realistic strategies to improve sleep, manage stress, and support the body as a whole—without chasing perfection.

This episode is a compassionate reminder that metabolism is dynamic and interconnected. When you understand the systems behind it, you can stop blaming yourself and start supporting your body in ways that truly matter.

These are the top three things you will learn from this podcast episode:

• Metabolism is shaped by multiple systems—not just calories.You will learn how hormones, sleep, stress, muscle, and the nervous system all work together to influence metabolism, and why focusing only on food or willpower often leads to frustration rather than results.

• Common “normal” symptoms are actually important metabolic signals.This episode will help you recognize red flags like disrupted sleep, fatigue, mood changes, appetite shifts, and stubborn weight changes as meaningful clues—not personal failures—that may point to hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, or unmet nutritional and recovery needs.

• Strength training and sleep are foundational, not optional.You will understand why building muscle is critical for metabolic health at any age, how it supports blood sugar, hormones, and longevity, and why improving sleep quality (not perfection) can dramatically impact energy, metabolism, and overall well-being.

HER+ Experts:

● Katherin Andrew, Registered Dietitian - https://www.katherineandrew.com/

● Dr. Abby DeVries, Family Medicine Doctor - https://www.sabiahealthnc.com/

● Sarah Parise, ACE Certified Fitness Professional - https://greatdaysbysarah.com/

● Kate Layman, Certified Nurse Midwife - https://motherlovewellness.com/

Episode Notes and Resources:

FREE Expert Provider Directory - https://herhealthcollective.com/search-the-directory/?type=fitness

HER Circle (A Mom community by HER Health Collective) - https://www.herhealthcollective.com/membership

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment Patreon.

What if the changes you’ve noticed in your body aren’t signs that something is wrong—but signs that your body is doing exactly what it was designed to do?

In this roundtable episode, several HER+ Experts from our free Inclusive Provider Directory explore how women’s metabolism naturally shifts across the lifespan—from adolescence and the reproductive years to pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause. Instead of framing metabolism as something that “slows down” or breaks, this conversation reframes it as a dynamic, adaptive process shaped by evolution, safety, and survival.

The experts unpack why changes like insulin resistance during pregnancy and perimenopause are normal biological adaptations, why metabolism is about far more than burning calories, and how sleep, nutrition, movement, and mental health all play critical roles. Together, they offer a powerful mindset shift: metabolism isn’t a switch to fix, but a relationship to understand and renegotiate as your body moves through different seasons.

If you’ve ever felt confused or frustrated by changes in your body, this episode brings clarity, compassion, and a more sustainable way to think about health.

These are the top three things you will learn from this podcast episode:

• Why metabolic changes across a woman’s life are normal and adaptiveYou’ll learn how shifts during pregnancy, postpartum, perimenopause, and menopause are driven by biology and evolution—not personal failure or a “broken” metabolism.

• What metabolism actually is (and why it’s more than calories in vs. calories out)The episode breaks down metabolism as the sum of all the body’s processes—fueling the brain, hormones, detoxification, repair, and more—shaped by nutrition, movement, sleep, and stress.

• How to work with your metabolism through life transitionsYou’ll hear practical, sustainable ways to support metabolic health by reframing mindset, prioritizing sleep, and making realistic adjustments to diet and activity during different seasons of life.

HER+ Experts:

● Katherin Andrew, Registered Dietitian - https://www.katherineandrew.com/

● Dr. Abby DeVries, Family Medicine Doctor - https://www.sabiahealthnc.com/

● Sarah Parise, ACE Certified Fitness Professional - https://greatdaysbysarah.com/

● Kate Layman, Certified Nurse Midwife - https://motherlovewellness.com/

Episode Notes and Resources:

FREE Expert Provider Directory - https://herhealthcollective.com/search-the-directory/?type=fitness

HER Circle (A Mom community by HER Health Collective) - https://www.herhealthcollective.com/membership

Support Mama Needs a Moment! Become a patron through our Mama Needs a Moment Patreon.