Create The Best Me

We're an age-positive podcast that celebrates the richness of midlife and beyond. Hosted by Carmen Hecox, a seasoned transformational coach, our platform provides an empowering outlook on these transformative years. With a keen focus on perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, Carmen brings together thought leaders, authors, artists, and entrepreneurs for candid conversations that inspire and motivate. Each episode is packed with expert insights and practical advice to help you navigate life's challenges and seize opportunities for growth, wellness, and fulfillment. From career transitions and personal development to health, beauty, and relationships, "Create The Best Me" is your guide to thriving in midlife. Tune in and transform your journey into your most exhilarating adventure yet.

Create The Best Me is a education podcast hosted by Carmen Hecox, with 174 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Carmen Hecox hosts Create The Best Me, a education show with 174 episodes published.

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  Episode #185

  Menopause Weight Loss: What Actually Works After 40

  Oct 1, 202633 min

  I would make these somewhat different from YouTube. Podcast listeners don't need quite as much search-oriented formatting or the YouTube-style engagement language. Perimenopause didn’t quietly tap Terry Tateossian on the shoulder. It arrived during a time when burnout, weight gain, emotional eating, and years of pushing herself had already taken a toll. In this episode, Terry shares how that wake-up call eventually changed the way she approached food, movement, and her health. After trying diet after diet, Terry realized that temporarily restricting food wasn't teaching her how to live differently. She began learning about nutrition, prioritizing strength training, and creating habits she could sustain beyond a short-term weight-loss goal. Terry ultimately lost more than 80 pounds, but some of the biggest changes she describes had nothing to do with the scale. We talk about what happens when healthy choices stop feeling like something you're constantly forcing yourself to do and gradually become part of your identity. Terry also shares what she noticed as burnout began to lift and why that change wasn't one dramatic moment, but something she recognized little by little. You'll also hear practical ideas for simplifying nutrition when you're busy, including ways to build protein-forward meals without cooking three elaborate meals every day. In this conversation, we discuss: • Terry's perimenopause and burnout wake-up call • Why repeatedly dieting wasn't creating the lasting change she wanted • Learning nutrition differently in midlife • Why strength training became an important part of her routine • Building meals around protein, fiber, and foods you actually enjoy • Giving yourself time while new habits are still difficult • The point where healthy behaviors begin to feel automatic • Recognizing when burnout is finally beginning to lift • How Terry's personal transformation became a new professional purpose • Easy meal ideas for women who don't have hours to spend in the kitchen Terry Tateossian is the founder of THOR — The House of Rose and works with women through wellness retreats and coaching focused on midlife strength, nutrition, movement, and well-being. Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to action: If today's conversation made you think differently about your own habits, share this episode with another woman in midlife who may need the reminder that she doesn't have to completely overhaul her life overnight. Small choices practiced consistently can become something you no longer have to fight yourself to maintain. This episode is for educational and informational purposes and should not be considered individualized medical advice. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep185 https://www.thehouseofrose.com/womens-wellness-retreats/ Instagram: @how.good.can.it.get Related Episodes : Listen to these episodes next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18261094 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/16530035 ⚖️ Disclaimer: This conversation is for educational and informational purposes and is not intended to replace individualized medical advice from your healthcare professional. #MenopauseWeightLoss #Perimenopause #MidlifeHealth #WomenOver40 #StrengthTrainingForWomen #TerryTateossian #CreateTheBestMe Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #184

  Why You Don’t Feel Like Yourself—Even When Life Looks Fine

  Sep 24, 202619 min

  Does your life look fine from the outside, but you quietly feel disconnected from it? In this episode of Create The Best Me , I explore why that feeling can surface in midlife and walk you through a simple exercise to help you recognize what still fits—and what may need your attention. You may still be handling responsibilities, showing up for the people who depend on you, getting things done, and keeping everything moving. So why does part of you keep wondering: Why doesn’t this feel like my life anymore? Midlife can bring several transitions at once. Children grow up. Parents age. Bodies change. Careers shift. Relationships enter new seasons. Friendships change. Responsibilities increase. And sometimes the identities and roles that once made complete sense no longer answer the question: Who am I now? I explore what can happen when temporary sacrifices quietly become a permanent way of living—when you become so good at meeting everyone else’s needs that your own preferences, interests, and desires become difficult to recognize. But wanting something different does not make you ungrateful. You can appreciate the life you’ve built and still recognize that parts of it need attention. Sometimes your discomfort is asking for evolution, not destruction . The Alive, Heavy, Empty Exercise During the episode, I guide you through a simple three-column reflection. Alive: What makes you feel most like yourself? Heavy: What repeatedly drains you or creates resistance, resentment, tension, or dread? Empty: What parts of your life aren’t necessarily bad but no longer seem to give anything back? The exercise isn’t about immediately eliminating everything in the Heavy or Empty columns. It’s about noticing. Then ask yourself: How much room does the woman in my Alive column actually get in my week? You don’t need to know exactly who you’re becoming yet. You simply need to begin paying attention to what matters to you now. Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: Try This for the Next Seven Days Notice: When do I feel most like myself? When do I feel like I’m performing a version of myself? What do I keep thinking about changing? Write down your answers. You don’t have to make a giant decision. Start by noticing the patterns. For more information and resources from this episode, click the links below. In the next episode, I will explore how to decide what stays, what needs to change, what needs a boundary, what deserves more attention, and what may finally be ready to end. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep184 Related Episode : Listen to this next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/19745777 #MidlifeWomen #FindingYourself #MidlifeTransformation #SelfDiscovery #CreateTheBestMe Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #181

  Why Rest Isn’t Fixing Your Midlife Burnout

  Sep 3, 202652 min

  You can be getting everything done and still be burned out. For many high-achieving women, burnout does not look like falling apart. It looks like continuing to work, care for other people, meet expectations, and handle responsibilities while feeling emotionally numb, mentally foggy, or disconnected inside. And when you finally stop to rest, you may discover that rest does not make you feel restored. In this episode, I sit down with transformational coach, author, and speaker Laura Cardwell to talk about functional freeze and what may be happening when your nervous system has been under pressure for too long. Laura explains the difference between ordinary stress and burnout, why productive women can miss the warning signs, and how perfectionism, people-pleasing, and over-responsibility can train us to ignore our limits. We also explore why midlife can change what our bodies are willing or able to tolerate. The strategies that once helped us push through may no longer work, and that does not mean we are becoming weak or losing our edge. Laura introduces the idea of “tough care,” which goes beyond temporary self-care. Tough care may involve setting a boundary, changing an expectation, asking someone else to participate, or restructuring a part of life that continually drains your capacity. During this conversation, we discuss: • What functional freeze looks like when you are still productive • Why burnout can leave you feeling numb or disconnected • Why rest alone may not calm an overwhelmed nervous system • How perfectionism and people-pleasing contribute to depletion • Why midlife may make the nervous system more sensitive • The difference between temporary self-care and structural “tough care” • Small practices that can help communicate safety to the body • How to reconnect with purpose when you feel emotionally flat This conversation is an important reminder that you are not lazy, broken, or failing because you cannot continue carrying everything in the same way. Your body may not be betraying you. It may finally be refusing to participate in a life that is asking too much from you. ABOUT LAURA CARDWELL Laura Cardwell is a transformational coach, author, and neuroscience-informed speaker who helps women in midlife recover from burnout, reconnect with themselves, and create lives that reflect who they are becoming. She co-authored Unstuck Yourself: Thrive Beyond Burnout & Discover Your True Purpose. Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: If this conversation helped you understand what your body may be communicating, please share it with another woman who keeps saying, “I’m fine. I’m just tired.” Subscribe for honest conversations about navigating change, rebuilding confidence, reconnecting with yourself, and creating a fulfilling next chapter. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep181 Initiation Code Quiz: https://initiationcodes.lauracardwell.com/ https://lauracardwell.com Related Episode : Listen to this episode next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18220882 #MidlifeBurnout #FunctionalFreeze #NervousSystemRegulation #WomenOver40 #BurnoutRecovery #LauraCardwell #CreateTheBestMe Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #179

  Stop Waiting to Lose Weight Before You Start Living

  Aug 20, 202654 min

  Have you ever told yourself that you would take the photo, attend the event, wear what you wanted, or become more visible after losing weight? That belief can quietly place years of your life on hold. In this episode, I’m joined by body image expert and certified intuitive eating counselor Anne Poirier for an honest conversation about body shame, food guilt, negative self-talk, and the “when I, then I” bargain so many women make with themselves. Anne explains how early labels and comments about our bodies can become part of our identity. We explore how the inner critic grows louder over time, why emotional eating is often connected to feelings we do not want to experience, and how midlife body changes can intensify the feeling that we are failing. We also talk about a more realistic alternative to forcing yourself to love every part of your body. Through body neutrality, appreciation, curiosity, and compassion, you can begin separating who you are from what you weigh. In this conversation, you’ll learn: Why body shame often begins much earlier than we realize How labels can shape identity and self-confidence What the “when I, then I” mindset costs us How food rules can create guilt and emotional eating Why your changing midlife body may require a new perspective How to interrupt automatic negative thoughts Why your worth is not connected to a number or size You do not have to wait for a different body before allowing yourself to be seen or fully participating in your life. Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: For Anne’s books, free Body Competence resource, and everything mentioned in this episode, click the links below. After listening, ask yourself: What have I been postponing while waiting for my body to change? Please follow or subscribe to Create The Best Me , share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review to help more women in midlife find these conversations. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep179 Free resource: The Body Competence Unlocked https://shapingperspectives.com/confidence/ https://shapingperspectives.com/ https://linktr.ee/annepoirier11 Related Episode : Listen to this episode next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/16187066 ⚖️ Disclaimer: This conversation is educational and is not intended to replace medical, nutritional, or mental-health care. #BodyNeutrality #MidlifeWomen #BodyImage #SelfWorth #IntuitiveEating #CreateTheBestMe #AnnePoirier Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #177

  Why Weight Regain Happens After GLP-1’s or Bariatric Surgery

  Aug 6, 202657 min

  What happens when the surgery, medication, or number on the scale does not create the lasting change you expected? In this episode, I’m joined by Shenelle Green, founder of Bariatric Rewrite, for an honest conversation about weight regain, food noise, sugar cravings, emotional eating, and the realities many people are never prepared for after bariatric surgery or while taking a GLP-1 medication. Shenelle shares how getting sober in 2020 eventually led to bariatric surgery and why changing her stomach did not automatically change her relationship with food. When her hunger returned seven months after surgery, she began looking more closely at the protein products, artificial sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, habits, and emotional patterns influencing her choices. We discuss why bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications are not the easy way out, why some people continue struggling even after significant weight loss, and how unresolved stress, resentment, fear, and shame can keep the cycle going. Shenelle also shares the unforgettable story of the hot pink couch she believed would finally make her feel satisfied. Instead, it helped her recognize that no purchase, relationship, business achievement, or number on the scale could fill what she was trying to resolve internally. We also explore menopause and weight gain, transfer addiction, whole-food protein, accountability without shame, GLP-1 plateaus, and why lasting change often begins with one small, consistent decision. This conversation is for anyone who has ever reached a goal and quietly wondered, “Why don’t I feel different?” Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: Have you ever reached a goal and realized it did not fix what you thought it would? Share your experience in the comments. Your story may help someone else feel less alone. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep177 https://bariatricrewrite.com/ Join Bariatric Rewrite Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bariatricrewrite Related Episodes : Listen to these episodes next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/19069119 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18438445 ⚖️ Disclaimer: IMPORTANT: This episode contains personal experiences, opinions, and coaching perspectives and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not medical, nutritional, or mental health advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing your medication, dosage, nutrition plan, or treatment. #GLP1 #BariatricSurgery #WeightRegain #FoodNoise #MidlifeWomen #BariatricRewrite #CreateTheBestMe Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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