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Midlife Mayhem

Midlife Mayhem

By: joanne lee cornish
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 Welcome to Midlife Mayhem, where we embark on an empowering journey through the world of midlife body composition transformation. In this space, we challenge the misconceptions surrounding aging and redefine what’s possible for those navigating the exhilarating terrain of midlife and beyond. Join me as we explore the science, mindset shifts, and practical strategies that can help you sculpt the body of your dreams, proving that age is no barrier to achieving peak vitality and confidence. Whether you’re seeking to shed excess weight, gain lean muscle, or simply feel more vibrant, this podcast is your trusted companion in the pursuit of a healthier, stronger, and more resilient you. Welcome to a new era of limitless possibilities in midlife body transformation. ”Hi I’m Joanne, and I have been coaching body composition for over 30 years. I’ve worked with household names that you know, and I have worked with thousands of people in my group coaching programs. I was a pro bodybuilder in the 90’s with a top 10 physique in the world, but I only knew how to be in shape and out of shape. That frustration led me on a fascinating path of self-study where I found all the answers I could have asked for and more. But I had to dig for the answers, and I have my own ideas on why those answers are not mainstream and why the weight loss industry fails you, but I will save that for a Midlife Mayhem episode. Author of ”When Calories & Cardio Don’t Cut It”New podcast weblogCopyright 2023 All rights reserved. Exercise & Fitness Fitness, Diet & Nutrition Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • DECEMBER 31 IT ALL ENDS!

    DECEMBER 31 IT ALL ENDS!
    Dec 13 2025
    What Compounding Pharmacies Actually Do — Why December 31st Matters — and the GLP-1 Confusion Explained

    Before we talk about December 31st, the FDA, or compounded weight-loss medications, this episode starts with something most people misunderstand:

    What compounding pharmacies are actually for.

    Joanne begins by explaining the original and ongoing role of compounding pharmacies — using hormone replacement therapy (HRT) as a clear, long-standing example — before addressing why compounded GLP-1 medications existed temporarily and why that chapter is now closing.

    This context matters, because without it, everything happening right now sounds dramatic when it really isn’t.

    🔍 What’s Covered in This Episode 🧪 What Compounding Pharmacies Actually Do

    • Why compounding pharmacies exist in the first place

    • How compounding is meant to customize medication, not replace FDA-approved drugs

    • A clear explanation of compounded HRT, including:

      • Doses that do not exist in FDA-approved products

      • Patients who need amounts between standard commercial doses

      • Delivery methods or formulations that FDA products don’t offer

      • Why testosterone for women is commonly compounded

    • Why compounded HRT continues to be appropriate and legal: because FDA products cannot meet every individual dosing or formulation need

    ⚖️ How GLP-1 Compounding Was Different

    • Why compounded GLP-1 medications were legally allowed during shortages

    • How compounding pharmacies were permitted to fill a supply gap, not a medical customization gap

    • Why this was always intended to be temporary

    • The difference between individualized medical compounding and mass-market convenience compounding

    📆 Why December 31st Matters

    • What actually changed when GLP-1 shortages ended

    • Why compounding pharmacies were given a wind-down period

    • Why December 31st became a common operational cutoff

    • Why this is not a ban, crackdown, or conspiracy — but a return to standard FDA rules

    🧠 What This Means Going Forward

    • Why compounding still exists — but within narrow, patient-specific boundaries

    • Why GLP-1 mass compounding no longer fits the legal definition once supply stabilized

    • How fear-based “stock up now” messaging misses the point

    • Why medication can be a tool — but not a substitute for education, physiology, and behavior

    🩺 Personal Update Mentioned in the Episode

    Joanne also shares her recent reaction to a change in her thyroid medication, using it as a real-world example of why individualized dosing matters — and why nuance in medicine is often lost in online conversations.

    📅 Program Dates for 2026

    All program dates for 2026 are now set.

    View the full schedule here: 👉 www.joannelee2026.com

    🧬 One-on-One Peptide Consultations

    If you’d like to book a private consultation regarding peptide use, you can contact Joanne directly:

    📧 www.5dayshred.com

    🧠 The Victory Vault

    A foundational program covering body composition, decision-making, and long-term success. 👉 www.yourvictoryvault.com

    These programs give you a clear feel for how Joanne coaches before stepping into more advanced or longer-term work.

    🎧 Final Thought

    This episode isn’t about losing access — it’s about understanding how compounding was meant to work, why GLP-1 compounding filled a temporary gap, and why returning to clear boundaries actually protects patients.

    Clarity beats panic. Education beats outrage.
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    43 mins
  • Do GLP-1s Really Change Your Set Point… or Just Press Pause?

    Do GLP-1s Really Change Your Set Point… or Just Press Pause?
    Dec 13 2025
    Today’s episode was sparked by a Medscape article that immediately grabbed my attention. The headline essentially said that set point weight does not seem to decrease with the use of GLP-1 medications. If you’re taking Semaglutide, Tirzepatide, or any of the current weight-loss medications, that line alone is enough to make your heart skip a beat. For many people, these medications have felt like the first time in their lives that their hunger was quiet, their cravings were manageable, and their weight finally responded. So when you hear that set point may not actually change — that the body might be waiting to crawl right back to its original weight — the fear becomes very real. But like most things in physiology, the headline didn’t tell the whole story. And that’s what this episode unpacks. What Set Point Actually Is — And Isn’t Set point is often described as the weight your body “likes” to sit at, but that’s far too simplistic. Your body isn’t trying to sabotage you; it’s trying to protect you. Deep in your brain — specifically the hypothalamus — you have a kind of metabolic thermostat. It constantly monitors hormones, nutrient availability, inflammation, hunger cues, stress levels, and even the kinds of foods you routinely eat. All of this information is used to determine what weight range the body feels safest maintaining. When you drop below that range, or lose weight quickly, the brain interprets it as a potential threat. Hunger rises. Cravings intensify. Food becomes more rewarding. Energy levels dip. Your metabolism slows. Your movement decreases without you even noticing. These aren’t character flaws — they’re ancient survival mechanisms. And here’s the part that matters most: your set point is not permanent. It adapts based on your physiology. Your environment. Your habits. Your muscle mass. Your food quality. Your inflammation levels. Your stress. Your sleep. Your blood sugar stability. Your set point can shift up or down — but it doesn’t shift just because you lost weight. It shifts when the biology underneath the weight changes. So Where Do GLP-1 Medications Fit Into All of This? GLP-1 medications do something incredibly powerful: they create the feeling of a lower set point. Hunger drops. Fullness increases. Cravings go quiet. Food stops dominating your thoughts. You feel in control. You naturally eat less because your biology finally lets you. But it’s critical to understand why this happens. GLP-1s don’t magically reset the metabolic thermostat. They simply turn down the noise that makes weight loss nearly impossible for some people. They reduce hunger signals, slow digestion, balance blood sugar, dampen reward-driven eating, and improve certain hormonal pathways. While you’re on the medication, your body behaves as though it has a lower defended weight. You’re in the zone. You’re losing weight. Everything feels easier. But — and this is exactly what the Medscape article was pointing to — once the medication is removed, the underlying system is still the same. If the physiology that created the higher set point hasn’t changed, the body will start nudging you back up toward where it felt safe before. Hunger returns. Cravings return. The pace of eating speeds up. You start thinking about food again. You don’t get as full as quickly. The thermostat simply goes right back to its previous setting. This is why so many people regain weight after stopping GLP-1s. It isn’t because the medication “stopped working.” It’s because the set point didn’t shift, and the hunger cues were only being temporarily managed. So What Does Lower a Set Point? This is where physiology and lifestyle meet. If you want the weight to stay off — with or without medication — your biology has to change in ways that make your brain feel safe at a lower weight. And that doesn’t come from being hungry. It comes from being metabolically supported. Muscle is one of the biggest drivers. The more muscle you carry, the more efficiently you handle glucose, the more stable your metabolism becomes, and the less defensive your body is about holding fat. Protein intake matters for the same reason — it improves satiety, stabilizes cravings, and helps maintain lean mass. Movement — especially strength training — tells the body, “We’re active, we’re strong, and we are not in a famine.” That’s when your metabolism relaxes and your appetite becomes more biologically appropriate. Blood sugar stability matters enormously. When glucose swings up and down, cravings and hunger spikes follow — and your body fights to get back to the heavier weight where it felt more stable. Even inflammation plays a part. A highly inflamed body is a defensive body. It clings. It protects. It stores. Lower inflammation sends the opposite signal: we’re safe, we’re nourished, we can let go. None of these changes come from medication alone. The medication simply ...
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    42 mins
  • Oral vs Injection vs Cream: The Testosterone Showdown

    Oral vs Injection vs Cream: The Testosterone Showdown
    Dec 10 2025

    Testosterone therapy is exploding in popularity, especially among midlife women — but how you take testosterone dramatically affects how it works in your body.

    In this episode, Joanne breaks down the three major delivery systems — transdermal creams, oral lozenges, and injections — and explains why some women are now being told they’re “poor absorbers” and switched to oral or injectable forms.

    You’ll learn:

    • Why women may not respond to topical testosterone (and why “poor absorber” is often misdiagnosed)

    • How creams differ from orals in absorption, side effects, and DHT conversion

    • Why oral lozenges feel strong quickly — and the real reason they spike DHT

    • Why injections seem aggressive but actually deliver the smoothest hormonal profile

    • Which delivery system works best depending on your goals, symptoms, and physiology

    • How men differ in absorption and why some men do brilliantly on gels while others might as well bathe in them

    • How dosing, metabolism, and estrogen/testosterone balance influence results

    • How to talk to your provider about choosing the right method

    This episode is a must-listen for any woman navigating midlife hormones — and for men who want to understand why their therapy may or may not be working.

    💉 Delivery Systems Explained

    Joanne breaks down:

    1. Transdermal Creams

    • Gentle, steady, least DHT-converting

    • Great for subtle libido, mood, strength improvements

    • Why absorption varies wildly between women

    • When creams are not enough

    2. Oral Lozenges

    • Fast-acting, potent, and sharp

    • More likely to spike DHT

    • Why these are often a solution for “non-responders” — but come with caveats

    • The classic “love it or hate it” delivery method

    3. Injections

    • The smoothest and most predictable system

    • Lowest DHT spikes compared to oral

    • Best for consistent energy, stable mood, and strong results

    • Why smaller, more frequent microdoses are often ideal for women

    🔥 Who This Episode Is For

    • Women feeling under-dosed or inconsistent on testosterone cream

    • Women newly prescribed oral testosterone and unsure what to expect

    • Anyone concerned about androgenic symptoms like acne, hair shedding, or irritability

    • Men frustrated with gels or creams

    • Anyone navigating TRT/HRT and wanting real science without fear or fluff

    👀 Want More Like This?

    This episode is part of Joanne’s in-depth midlife education series. If you love detailed, physiology-first coaching — not surface-level soundbites — you’ll love what’s coming next.

    🌐 Explore the New Website

    My brand-new website is live (not fully finished, but go have a peek): 👉 www.joannelee.com

    This is where all upcoming programs, courses, podcasts, and resources will live.
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    30 mins
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