Spoiler Alert: We talk about S-E-X
This is episode #7 in our series about midlife metabolism and weight loss. Today we’ll dive in to something rarely discussed. It might even be “taboo”!
Featuring Sharlene Styles, certified holistic nutritionist, life coach and metabolism mechanic. and Cheryl Gordon, helping midlife women sleep better, lose weight and feel stronger with the tools of yoga and mindfulness.
We’re going to talk about S-E-X as well as some other key aspects of community and connection. This is super important not only for weight loss but true vitality.
It can be lonely as an older woman. My kids are busy. All the feelings of camaraderie I had at the office are behind me. And what if you don’t have a life partner at this stage?. Connection and intimacy are not built in for anyone.
Desire cools quite a bit after menopause and sex can be quite painful. A shout out to all sisters in this and encourage them to go to the North American Menopause Society website. This professional body has published several, easy to understand policy papers that really helps clarify what the medical options were. It’s so important that women get information and keep searching until they find the solution that’s right for them. Let’s not let embarrassment hold us back.
How does a healthy sex life, intimacy and connection affect our weight gain? Because this isn’t just about pleasure, it’s about power. This is where our life force is generated. When we feel deeply connected—emotionally, physically, spiritually—our body shifts. Stress melts. Cortisol drops. We stop living in survival mode, and we come back to our bodies, to trust, to vitality.
Oxytocin—the love hormone—floods our system, calming cravings, boosting metabolism, and helping us sleep better. But more than that? We awaken. We feel alive. And when a woman is lit up from within, her body naturally finds balance.
So yes, pleasure, intimacy, and connection are metabolic medicine.
There is a firm connection between stress and weight gain. Humans are wired to be part of a tribe. To be ostracized meant almost certain death back in the day. That wiring is still present and active in your modern brain. It is physically painful to be ignored, left behind, gossiped about.
This is what so many women don’t realize. Your nervous system isn’t overreacting. It’s doing its job. Feeling left out, judged, or excluded isn’t just emotionally tough—it’s physically painful. Your body reads it as danger.
And midlife? It can feel especially lonely. Things shift—careers change, friendships fade, kids grow up… and suddenly, it’s like you’re not being seen anymore. Like you’ve become invisible in a world that worships youth and surface beauty.
But here’s the truth: you’re still here. And the deep part of you—that wise, fiery, radiant part—is still very much alive. You don’t have to wait to be chosen or rescued. You can consciously create connection—on purpose. And when you do? It’s not just good for the soul—it’s literal metabolic medicine. Because when we feel safe, seen, and supported, the body stops bracing. Cortisol drops. Cravings ease. Sleep deepens. Your weight shifts because your body is no longer stuck in survival mode. That’s the power of belonging.
So how do we do it? Watch the video to see the answers.