I wanted to ask you a little bit more about protein and midlife, specifically when it comes to how much should we actually be eating? And, but maybe more importantly, is eating more protein actually good advice for this stage of life?

Katie, that is a very complicated question in some regards.

And first, I would love to direct your community to Dr. Stu Phillips, who is one of the leaders in protein metabolism and out of Canada.

He actually had a podcast released this morning that is a masterclass on just the questions you're asking.

And one, I want to make sure that I clearly state that protein, fiber, and fat are key for all women, no matter what your nutritional preference is.

whether you're vegan, plant-based, omnivore, you need protein, fiber, and fat.

And I do believe that women tend to, and I don't know if it's just under-eat protein, I think women tend to under-eat.

Now, back to today's conversation.

Oh

... because it's multifactorial.

I don't want...

This is, this is such a gut conversation for a lot of women, especially if you've been trying doing all the things and not having the outcomes that you anticipate.

I'll start with a couple of myth debunking.

You can absolutely get enough protein on a plant forward diet, whether you're fully vegan, whether you're plant positive and just wanting to get those benefits from all of the Nutrients, phytochemicals that are in plants.

But I- when I became vegan, so I started as a physique competitor in my 40s, and I competed as a vegan, and I actually competed and won as a vegan.

[laughs]

[laughs]

I know.

I know, but it's not.

Um, it is...

You know, part of it is like changing from I used to work on a PC, now I'm working on a Mac.

I have a different operating system, and I just know how to operate, I know, I need to know how to live within the structure of that new operating system.

And that's what this hormonal transition really is.

That's why we're here today.

"This is abnormal maybe for me personally."

Let's start with low tech, because I'm a technophile, and I've always been like this, and the numbers don't bother me, but I don't want people to feel the technology's the barrier to entry.

Start with your menstrual cycle.

If you, if you're getting your menstrual cycle on a regular basis, you can track that on a piece of paper.

It doesn't necessarily...

Or your journal, or, um, your calendar in your iPhone, or even just bring up your notes, because I do think our menses are a vital sign of our health.

And, uh, you know, speaking for myself, I could not...

So just to start, if someone is starting to think about having kids in the future, what can they do right now to prepare, maybe focus first on nutrition-wise?