In our Spring Break episode, we discuss the switch from soups to salads, getting outside for exercise and new beginnings.

Spring is in the air, and we're feeling energized to shake things up—both in and out of the kitchen.

Chris shares the excitement (and learning curve!) of getting a new bike and figuring out all its features, while Jill has been enjoying time on her e-bike and the freedom it brings to get outside more. Staying active doesn't have to look the same every season, and we're both leaning into what feels fun right no...

As 2025 comes to a close, Chris and Jill slow things down for a thoughtful end-of-year conversation. Instead of a highlight reel or checklist of accomplishments, this episode focuses on reflection, intention, and what it really means to age strong — physically, mentally, and emotionally.

They also share an important announcement:

For links and more information visit our website at BecomingElli.com

In this episode, Jill and Chris welcome back Dr. Glenn Livingston, psychologist, researcher, author, and creator of Defeat Your Cravings. You may remember him from Episode 155—or from his work helping thousands of people stop binge-eating, quiet food cravings, and rebuild a peaceful relationship with food.

Glenn draws on decades of research, including studies with more than 40,000 participants, and his own personal journey out of food addiction. His insights combine practical behavioral strategies with deep compassion for anyone struggling with overeating.

For links and more information visit our website at BecomingElli.com.

This week, Jill and Chris talk with Suzy Rosenstein, master certified life coach, midlife mentor, and host of the Women in the Middle podcast. Suzy has helped thousands of women who feel stuck in midlife rediscover clarity, joy, and purpose. Her signature blend of humor, curiosity, and encouragement inspires women to see aging not as something to fear—but as an incredible opportunity.

Together, we explore the mindset traps that keep women stuck, how to embrace aging with intention, and why midlife can be one of the most meaningful and fulfilling chapters of life.

We dis...

In this inspiring episode, Jill and Chris chat with Melissa Wilson, a vibrant grandmother who's redefining what it means to be fit and strong after 60. Jill met Melissa at the gym and has watched her incredible transformation firsthand — from hesitant beginner to confident, strong, and motivated athlete.

Melissa shares her personal fitness journey, the turning point that motivated her to start, and how her mindset and lifestyle have evolved along the way. She opens up about challenges, surprises, and the role that community, consistency, and courage have played in her success.

Whether she's tackling a to...

189 - Mediterranean Diet with Chris and Jill

In this episode of Fit Strong Women Over 50, we're diving back into one of our favorite topics — food! Many of us reach a point where we want to eat healthier, feel better, and still enjoy the foods we love. This past summer my doctor has recommended that I follow the Mediterranean diet, which inspired this episode all about three of the most researched and effective eating styles for women over 50: the Mediterranean, DASH, and MIND diets.

We talk about what makes each plan unique, how they overlap, and why...

Imagine racing your bike up steep Icelandic mountains, through snow, across rivers—and doing it with your daughter and grandson. That's exactly what today's guest, Þórdís Rósa Sigurðardóttir, does.

Disa is a competitive cyclist from Iceland who races on road and gravel courses in one of the most challenging climates on earth. She's passionate about cycling, fitness, and community—and she's sharing that love across three generations of her family.

In this episode, Disa talks about:

Bone health is a topic that affects so many women, especially as we move through midlife and beyond. In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Lisa Moore, Doctor of Physical Therapy and founder of Brick House Bones®. Lisa's mission is to help people with low bone density or osteoporosis rebuild confidence, strength, and resilience—so they can keep doing the things they love with the people they love.

Dr. Moore is trained through BoneFit™ and the Institute of Clinical Excellence in bone health exercise. She blends the latest research with yoga, strength training, and mindful movement to help...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Angela Mazza, a triple board-certified endocrinologist who specializes in thyroid disorders, diabetes, and hormone imbalances. Dr. Mazza is the founder of the Metabolic Center for Wellness in Central Florida, where she takes an integrative and personalized approach to patient care.

She is also the co-host of the Thyroid Talk with Dr. Angela Mazza podcast and the author of Thyroid Talk: An Integrative Guide to Thyroid Health. Together, we explore how the thyroid gland affects women's health, especially during midlife transitions such as perimenopause and menopause.

Dr. Mazza...

In this episode of Fit Strong Women Over 50, we talk with Charlyn Huss, a Nationally Certified Pilates Teacher, movement educator, and gut-health specialist with over 25 years of experience. Charlyn's innovative approach blends movement science, psychology, and nutrition to help people optimize posture, boost confidence, and achieve lasting wellness.

Charlyn is the co-creator of CoreSpring®, a patented Pilates-inspired portable apparatus and training method, and the founder of Playhouse Pilates, a studio that integrates movement, mindset, and gut health to help clients feel their strongest.

For more information and links, visit our website at www.BecomingElli.com

184

 Last year Lauren Paulson ran a race every month for her 50th birthday. Those included her first 100 miler, her first 100 K, the SOS triathlon, and the rim2rim2rim of the Grand Canyon. She is also a professor of psychology and the chair of the department and oversees a $15 million grant. So Lauren understands what it's like to be an aging female endurance athlete who is trying to balance work and life.

More info at our website: www.BecomingElli.com.

In this enlightening episode of Fit Strong Women Over 50, Jill and Chris sit down with Dr. Marcia Harris, a trailblazer in women's health and hormone optimization. With over four decades of clinical experience, Dr. Harris shares her wisdom, compassion, and science-backed insights to help women better understand the powerful (and often misunderstood) transition of midlife.

Dr. Harris breaks down what's really happening during perimenopause and menopause, debunks the most persistent myths, and explores the emotional and physical shifts women experience. The conversation dives into hormone therapy, including what "bioidentical hormones" really mean and how symptoms and lab...

In this inspiring episode of the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, hosts Chris and Jill sit down with Beverley Glazer, seasoned psychotherapist, empowerment coach, and host of the Aging with Purpose and Passion podcast. With over 30 years of experience helping women overcome adversity and step confidently into new life chapters, Beverley brings a wealth of wisdom and practical strategies for navigating midlife with resilience and authenticity.

Beverley shares why she's passionate about working with women over 50, what it really means to "redefine midlife," and how we can all reclaim our purpose—even after life's biggest transitions. From ma...

In episode 181, we talk with the former editor of Women's Health, Liz Possler, about the importance of protein and amino acids for women in midlife for aging well, maintaining muscle, losing weight, and for overall longevity.

We discuss:

For more information, discount code a...

In this vibrant and laughter-filled episode, we're joined by Yvonne Marchese—a true "Age Agitator" and host of the Late Bloomer Living Podcast. Yvonne is also the author of In Full Bloom: A Guide to Aging Playfully, a professional photographer, speaker, and co-founder of the Age Agitators Club. She's on a mission to flip the script on aging and show us that midlife can be a launchpad, not a slowdown.

We dive deep into Yvonne's inspiring personal journey of reinvention—from fearing invisibility to embracing roller skates, paddle boards, and bold dreams. She shares h her perspective on a...

In episode 179, Jill and Chris speak with Lisa Goldberg, a nutritionist, mindset and weight loss expert. She with a master's degree in Clinical Nutrition from New York University. 

Lisa has been coaching busy, high achieving professionals to lasting weight loss for over 20 years. 
Her work focuses on teaching her clients how to break their self-sabotaging eating patterns and change their unhealthy relationship with food by making cognitive habit and behavioral changes. Through this mindshift work they lose their unwanted weight and learn how to keep it off for good. She coaches her clients remotely in the U...

Jill and Chris interview Dr. Paul Kolodzik, who uses the technology of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in his metabolic health practice.

With the use of CGMs, he helps his patients achieve weight loss and improved health. He has also integrated the prudent use of the new weight loss medications into his practice.

His new book: The Continuous Glucose Monitoring Revolution, presents a comprehensive program for metabolic health success using CGMs and limited use of weight loss medications.

Dr. Kolodzik graduated from the University of Notre Dame and completed medical school and residency at...

Mary Newell is a 74 year old runner who started running at 55 and never stopped. She is a mostly retired clinical psychologist. Her two passions are running and travel. She combines them as much as possible.

We were introduced to Mary by Wendy Battles, the host of the Reinvention Rebels podcast. Mary's story is inspiring and we really wanted to talk with her on the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast.

More info at our website: Becoming Elli

In episode 176, Chris and Jill speak with Laurie Lewis, an Intermittent Fasting and Wellness Coach.  With intermittent fasting as the foundation, Laurie teaches how to break free from the punishment-diet paradigm we live in. She shows how to tune into our body's inner compass, have a daily eating window, and experience improvements in every aspect of our lives.

Laurie has Health Coach Certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her company is called Fast Forward Intermittent Fasting and she offers customized coaching services. 

We discuss:

In episode 175, Jill and Chris speak with Sally Duplantier, a gerontologist, health educator and researcher.

She founded her current company, Zing, with a mission to help older adults live their best lives longer through better lifestyle choices and health equity. She is passionate about increasing Healthspan—the number of years we are free of chronic disease and disability.

Sally returned to school in her 60s. She received an MS in gerontology from the University of Southern California and a graduate certificate in Qualitative Research from Indiana University. She was recently accepted into a doctoral program at...

When we saw what Jill Johnson posted on social media at the beginning of this year, we knew we wanted to talk with her! 

Three years ago, she was not walking -- fast forward to the end of 2024 when she was able to pull a sled with 4 plates  equaling 245 pounds for nearly 50 feet across the gym floor!

The video she posted is inspirational too!

She attributes her success to surrounding herself with the right people: a strongman competitor who saw her potential and a coach who knew how to unlock it.

Sh...

In episode #173, Jill and Chris talk with Kerstin Schulze, a powerhouse in both entertainment and wellness. 

Originally from Germany, Kerstin's journey began with a silver medal at the Junior Olympics in Berlin. From there, she pursued her love for performance with formal theater training and a business degree before making her way to Los Angeles.

Kerstin's acting career is extensive. She's worked with many well-known actors and directors. Her IMDb page is impressive.

She founded Party and Diet 24 years ago –  an innovative fitness company that specializes in providing tailored nutritional and exercise programs now...

In episode #172 Jill and Chris explore quick go-to dinners that are easy to make and healthy for those nights that you are rushed and tempted to make less healthy choices.

We feature go to dinners from:

We met Karen when she joined our Becoming Elli private facebook group. She has such a compelling story, we asked her to be a guest on our podcast.

Karen Clark-Snitchler is a Music Director and Conductor. She has an impressive list of plays and musicals that she has music directed. By day, Karen is a music teacher. She also started a "Girls on the Run" club at her elementary school.

Karen has lost over 100 pounds and become an athlete. She runs and strength trains.

In 2020, Karen's husband died suddenly of a heart attack...

Suzanne Fowler is a regular listener to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast and a member of the Becoming Elli Community. She watched her parents' health decline and decided to prepare for the aging process. Chris and Jill spoke with Suzanne about how she recently re-invented herself and now lives in an active and engaging environment. 

In this episode we talk about getting started with strength training and progressing to the next level.

For more information visit our website at BecomingElli.com

In this episode, we talk together about the successes and challenges of 2024. We realize that everyone is on their own fitness and health journey. Not everything works for everyone, but by following the Becoming Elli community and listening to the Fit Strong Women Over 50 podcast, you'll come away inspired, motivated and having a good sense of what you want to do to stay fit and strong.

Some of the highlights of 2024 included some interviews with interesting guests, learning about new techniques at Podcast Movement 2024 and trying new challenges like eating the rainbow.

For more information...

Pat Bissell talks with Jill and Chris about how she found her passion and has consistently found ways to stay healthy and fit. 

A long time friend of Chris's, Pat describes herself as a very active mature female. She has been active her whole life always enjoying sports, exercise classes and strength training for the past 25 years.

For more info and links visit our website at BecomingElli.com

In episode 167, Jill and Chris talk with Adina O'Neill, the founder and head coach at Team B*REAL, an endurance sport community where athletes of any size, color, identity, age & ability are empowered to achieve their personal goals. 

She helps her clients to build confidence, define their own goals, go at their own pace and stand out despite believing they may not fit in. 

Adina is a marathon swimmer and triathlete who has completed over 100 endurance events including the Paris Marathon, ice swims, a 13-mile swim, IRONMAN Mont Tremblant, and a 200 mile single day bike ri...

Henry Howard found running in his early 40s when he set out to achieve a bucket-list goal: run a marathon. 

Since then he has finished more than 40 marathons and ultras, including four 100-milers. Along the way, he has qualified for the Boston Marathon twice, become a running coach and launched his RunSpirited website. 

As a running coach, he guides awesome runners of all experience levels, backgrounds and fitness to achieve their amazing goals. 

As a professional writer and editor, he has merged his background with his passion for running and desire to give bac...

In episode 165, Jill and Chris speak with award-winning nutritionist and author, Nicki Williams.

She is the founder of Happy Hormones for Life, helping women of all ages to rebalance their hormones, reclaim their health and feel better than ever.

After failing to find any medical help for her health issues in your early 40's, she discovered that she could turn things around using diet, lifestyle and natural supplements.

For links and more information visit our website: BecomingElli.com

Jill and Chris talk with Pat Spencer, owner of Getting Your Mind in Gear, who helps endurance athletes hone the mental skills needed to achieve their endurance sports goals.

Pat is an avid gravel cyclist, former long course triathlete, marathoner, and open water swimmer. A licensed clinical social worker and a therapist with a private practice in central New Jersey, she has worked in mental health for 25+ years in a variety of settings, including directly with clients, as a supervisor, as a adjunct professor and providing a number of professional trainings.

In 2022, she decided to c...

In episode 163, Jill and Chris talk with Kim Vopni, a leading authority in health & fitness coaching for women with pelvic floor dysfunction and is known as The Vagina Coach.

She has helped thousands of women learn how to do pelvic floor exercises, ditch the incontinence pads,  eliminate their prolapse symptoms and get back to living life to the fullest!

Kim is a certified fitness professional who became passionate about spreading information on pelvic health when she was pregnant with her first child.  She is the author of 2 books – Prepare to Push – What Your Pelvic Floor and Ab...

Jill and Chris talk with Jackie Errico, a nationally certified strength and conditioning coach, a certified personal trainer, and co-owner of Just Lift Fitness training studios located in the Chicago area. 

Jackie focuses on helping women gain confidence in their bodies. She educates women on the physical and mental benefits of strength training and how to fuel bodies with the right food; teach them how to lift weights properly and safely; and help them create a fitness and nutrition game plan so that they can achieve the results they deserve.

For more info see our B...

Great conversation with Dr. Woods about bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, the effects of menopause on weight loss and her advice for women 50 and over. A functional medicine doctor, Dr. Makaila Woods has Double Board Certification with the American Board of Obesity Medicine, and the American Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

We discuss:

160 - Elite Athlete Bree Lambert

Bree Lambert is a personal trainer, running coach, nutritionist and ultra runner. She has been pursuing endurance sports since her teenage years, starting with road triathlon, Xterra off-road triathlon and now ultra running.

Bree completed her first 50K in 2005 and since then has completed distances from 50k to 100 miles. Each finish represents hundreds of hours of training, dedication and mental preparation.

Bree coaches other runners to achieve their goals while providing personal training services to both runners and non-runners alike in San Jose, California and online.

...

In episode 159 of the Fit Strong Women Over 50 Podcast, Jill and Chris talk with Alicia Jones who helps transform the health and the lives of women over 40 through her fitness and weight loss strategies. 

She has a B.A in Kinesiology and has many certifications, including National Coach of Canada (NCCP), Advanced Sport Nutrition, Certified Group Fitness Instructor, and Personal Training Specialist: Canfit-pro.

Alicia has appeared on various health and wellness television programs and produced and hosted Health Matters and The View: Health and Wellness On Rogers TV.

For more information and links, v...

In Food Finds with Chris and Jill, they discuss various websites and ideas for food challenges. They talk about what they love to eat in the summer and where they get inspiration. 

For links and more info visit the Becoming Elli website.

In episode 157, Jill and Chris talk with Elaine Glass, author, speaker and personal coach.

For over a decade, Elaine has helped countless people unlock their truest selves. She works with them to find purpose, peace, and self-empowerment.

Elaine's newest book, Get Quiet: 7 Simple Paths to the Truth of Who You Are, is a guide to healing and transforming yourself inspired by the classical form of the labyrinth.

For more information, see our website at BecomingElli.com.

The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age with Gwendolyn Bounds

Gwendolyn Bounds is an award-winning journalist and author of NOT TOO LATE: The Power of Pushing Limits at Any Age.

A few months shy of her 47th birthday, author and journalist Gwendolyn Bounds asked herself, "How is it possible to become good at something when you are already far behind and time isn't on your side?"  

Her intimate story takes us from playgrounds and gyms, where Bounds trains among children and athletes half her age, to far-flung Spartan Race courses – including the vas...