Midlife Mayhem

This Week in Coaching: What Went Wrong (That Didn’t Have To)

This episode is a bit different.

I’m pulling straight from my week, because what shows up in coaching isn’t random—it’s patterns. And most of the time I’m sitting there thinking…

👉 this didn’t need to happen.

Three situations stood out this week. Different on the surface, but all pointing to the same thing: a gap between what people are doing and what their body actuall...

🚨 Let’s address the fear head-on…

Carbohydrates have become one of the most misunderstood—and frankly, feared—nutrients in the world of body composition.

And I get it.

If fat loss has been your focus, cutting carbs works. It lowers insulin, improves insulin sensitivity, and often unlocks fat loss that felt impossible.

But here’s the problem…

👉 The strategy that helps you lose weight is not always the strategy that helps you build...

🎧 THE COMMON COLD — What’s REALLY Going On Inside Your Body (And Why It’s Not What You Think)

You think you “caught a cold”… but that’s not actually what happened.

In this episode of Midlife Mayhem, I’m recording this in real time—full head cold, blocked nose, zero taste, and all—because it’s the perfect opportunity to break down what’s actually happening inside your body.

And trust me… most people get this wrong.

🤧 FIRST — A CO...

Weekly Insulin, Testosterone & a Lesson I Should Have Known

🚨 NEW: ONCE-WEEKLY INSULIN

A new insulin, Insulin icodec, has just been approved.

👉 One injection per week 👉 Instead of daily (or multiple daily) injections

That’s a major shift in how diabetes can be managed—and more importantly, how well people actually stick to it.

🤯 WHY GIVE INSULIN TO TYPE 2 DIABETICS?

This is where most people get confused.

Type 2 diabetes ...

How Much Protein Do You REALLY Need? (And Why I’m Not Changing My Mind)

💥 Episode Summary

Everyone’s talking about protein again… and now the narrative is shifting.

“Studies say you don’t need that much.” “0.7g per pound is enough.” “Stop overdoing protein.”

Sounds convenient, doesn’t it?

In this episode of Midlife Mayhem, I break down exactly why I’m not changing my stance—and why aiming for 1 gram of protein per pound of goal w...

Leptin: The Hormone That Can Make You Hungry… or Not

Hello Midlife Mayhem—

Today we’re talking about something that explains a LOT when it comes to fat loss and appetite:

👉 Leptin

And I’ll start with this—

I recently did a podcast on appetite, and while the information was solid… I didn’t fully acknowledge the people who are:

👉 Hungry all the time 👉 Fighting cravings constantly 👉 Being told “just eat less” when it feels impossi...

NNMT, Cancer Risk & 5-Amino-1MQ – Where Science Ends and Assumptions Begin

Alright… this one is interesting.

Because I talk a lot about 5-Amino-1MQ— mainly in the context of fat loss, metabolic health, and keeping weight off long term.

But recently, I was in a conversation with a doctor… and he told me he personally takes it because his mother died from a glioblastoma.

And his reasoning?

👉 It inhibits NNMT 👉 NNMT is involved ...

Insulin Isn’t the Enemy: Why Carbs Might Actually Help You Build Muscle

Show Notes

Before we dive in, a couple of quick reminders.

My Muscle Month program starts March 29, and it only runs once a year. If you’ve been thinking about joining, this is the time. The program walks you through exactly how muscle is built and protected in midlife — including insulin, carbohydrates, mTOR, AMPK, and how to actually use these tools to your a...

The Gallbladder: What It Does, Why It Gets Removed, and Why Rapid Weight Loss Can Cause Problems 🎯 Muscle Month Starts March 29

Enrollment is now open for Muscle Month, my once-a-year program focused entirely on building muscle and improving body composition in midlife.

If you’ve spent years focused only on weight loss, this program will show you why muscle is the real key to metabolism, longevity, and changing your body shape.

Th...

💪 Muscle Month starts March 29 (in a couple of weeks!)

If you want to actually build muscle with strategy — not random reps — this is where it happens: 👉 www.musclemonth.com

💃 Bingo Arms (Triceps) — Why Women Get Them… and Men Usually Don’t

Hello hello. Today we’re talking about ladies’ triceps — you know… the moment you wave and something waves back. 🙄

And what makes it extra annoying is this:

You can be training hard. You ca...

Appetite: Is It Really Hunger… or Something You Learned? Join Muscle Month — starts March 29

If this episode speaks to you, and you know it’s time to better understand food, muscle, metabolism, and the way your body actually works, Joanne’s once-a-year Muscle Month program begins March 29.

Muscle is finally getting the attention it deserves — but most people still miss the mark. They know muscle matters, but they don’t really under...

💪 Muscle Month Starts VERY Soon — March 29!

If you want to understand your body in a way most trainers never will… If you want to stop guessing in the gym… If you want to build shape intentionally instead of accidentally…

👉 www.musclemonth.com

🍑 Quad Dominance in Women

(And Why Your Glutes Aren’t Growing)

As promised — today we’re talking about quad dominance.

And I hear this constantly.

Usually from women in their 30s and earl...

💪 Muscle Month Starts March 29

If you’re ready to build muscle properly — including glutes that actually fire — join me here:

👉 www.musclemonth.com

And if you’re supporting your metabolism alongside your training:

⚡ 5-Amino-1MQ & SLU-PP-332 available at 👉 www.joanneleestore.com

🍑 Weak Glutes? Or Just Poorly Trained?

I keep hearing the phrase “lazy glutes.”

And honestly… it makes me twitch a little.

How can the strongest, m...

🦴 Your Bone Bank And Why Midlife Is Where It Gets Real

Hello hello — welcome back to Midlife Mayhem.

Quick update first:

🔥 Muscle Month is back on. 📅 March 29 – April 25 👉 www.musclemonth.com

This is my favourite program to coach because we build muscle properly. And after today’s topic, you’ll understand why that matters more than ever.

🦴 What Is Your “Bone Bank”?

Think of your skeleton like a savings account.

You do most of...

🔴 Red Light Therapy — The Bit Nobody Explains Properly

Red light therapy is not one thing.

 

People hear “red light” and assume a face mask, a mat, a sauna, and a $3,000 panel are all just different price points of the same thing.

They’re not.

They are doing different jobs in the body.

And if you don’t understand that, you either overspend… or you buy the wrong tool and feel disappointed.

So here’s what actually matters.

🔬 It’s ...

🤨 Three Topics That Should Never Be in the Same Episode (But Are)

Today we’re talking about:

• Why women mysteriously stop growing leg hair as they age

• Why your estrogen patch might feel like it “stopped working”

• And why Taco Bell Supreme has sent my client to the ER every single time she eats it

This is not a shock-value episode. This is a “your body is communicating very clearly and you should probably listen” epi...

Muscle Month starts Feb 16 — quick note before we dive in

If you enjoy this podcast, please consider Muscle Month. I simply can’t do topics like this true justice in a short podcast. Muscle Month is where I teach the actual physiology behind muscle building, fat loss, and long-term health—properly, in context, and without fear-based nonsense. 👉 Join here: musclemonth.com (or joannelee.com)

Midlife Mayhem Show Notes The Protein Pa...

Niacinamide, Amino Acids, and Why Source Confusion Doesnt Matter

In today’s episode, Joanne dives into two simple, misunderstood products — one for skin and one for muscle — and explains why what something does matters far more than where it comes from.

This is a practical, science-backed conversation about cellular biology, not marketing hype.

 

MUSCLE MONTH STARTS IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!  www.musclemonth.com

✨ PART 1 — NIACINAMIDE...

Energy Drinks, Gut Damage, Gallbladders… and Why Women Shouldn’t Train Like Men

In today’s episode I cover two topics that came up in real conversations this week: energy drinks (especially in teens/20s) and a key Muscle Month training concept most people get wrong.

Energy drinks: what’s the big deal?

A client told me her doctor is seeing more gallbladder issues in young people, plus signs of gut lining irritation — and energy drin...