Claim OwnershipThe Family Fork: Nutrition For Moms In Perimenopause
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© 2026 Ashley Malik
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Feel like you’ve tried everything to lose weight in perimenopause, but nothing works? Maybe you want to feed your family healthy meals, but can’t get them on board with food that supports your goals? If this is you, you’re in the right place! A wife and mom of two, Ashley Malik is an expert in anti-inflammatory nutrition, a Certified Mindset Coach, and former therapist (MSW). Ashley brings simplicity to family meals, nutrition, and weight loss. If you’re tired of trying to DIY your way to perimenopause weight loss and better health, The Family Fork gives you solutions you need. Each week you’ll discover approachable techniques for cooking healthy family meals, how to make simple anti-inflammatory swaps, and solutions for eating on-the-go. Plus, with every episode you’ll discover the right mindset to stick with your nutrition, rewiring your brain so you can lose weight and be healthy for life. To learn more, and to work with Ashley directly, visit ashleymalik.com.
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If you've been blaming stress, aging, or "just not trying hard enough" for the weight gain, the bad sleep, and the feeling that your body is working against you — this episode is about to reframe everything. I sat down with Stephanie Traver, a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner, and founder of Vital Menopause in Colorado. Stephanie has built her entire practice around one mission: making sure women have access to real, evidence-based care in perime...
Tired of trying to make habits that never stick? Maybe you've tried every meal plan, workout program, and healthy habit out there, only to watch everything fall apart within days? You're not alone, and more importantly, it is not your fault. (That's good news!) In this episode of The Family Fork, we're diving deep into the real reason healthy habits feel nearly impossible to build in midlife. Spoiler alert: it has nothing to do with your willpower, discipline, or motivation. It has eve...
You worked hard to feel good before your trip. Don't let vacation undo all of your progress! It's time to look at why restricting before vacation sends you into overindulgence mode once you get to your destination. It's a cycle that repeats itself...but once you recognize it you can learn what to do so that you can come home from vacation feeling better than when you left. (Coming home feeling relaxed?! It's possible!) In this episode: 📌 Why "vacation is the goal" mindset primes you for th...
If you've ever felt like you were holding it all together on the outside while quietly falling apart on the inside as you navigate midlife, this episode is for you. This week, I sit down with trauma and grief specialist Jill McMahon, who has spent over 25 years working with individuals through some of life's most devastating experiences. Together we unpack something that you may have never considered — that the chronic stress of everyday midlife life may actually be living in your body as ...
How in the world do you stay consistent and "motivated" long enough to lose 65 lbs? As I reflect on my 50th year (which I hoped would be my healthiest year ever), I recognized that the health lessons I really needed, I learned when I lost 65 lbs in my late 40s. When people ask me how I stayed consistent, it all came down to three big lessons, which I unpack here. In this episode: 📌 Learning how to work with your brain instead of fighting against it's natural wiring, allows you to stay co...
Do you feel like you're exhausted and dragging through every single day? Between the invisible load of managing a career, a family, aging parents, and shifting hormones, it’s no wonder you feel like you’re running on empty. In this episode of The Family Fork, I’m getting real about why you lose energy in perimenopause and how to get it back without spending a fortune (like a week at the spa!) We’re talking about simple, low-friction shifts that turn into habits—habits that quickly give you...
When was the last time you looked in the mirror without counting your flaws? In midlife, it’s so easy to view your body as a project that needs constant fixing—less belly fat, less bloating, less brain fog. But the reality is that you get what you look for. If you spend your day hunting for evidence that your body is falling apart, your brain will find it. In this week's episode, I'm sharing how I moved from a place of frustration with my body, to a place of genuine appreciation. I'm ser...
Struggling to get your partner on board with your healthy eating? Is your spouse "mostly" supportive of how you feel in perimenopause, but you wish he knew more? Juggling perimenopause and midlife health challenges is hard enough on your own, but when you’re in a marriage or long-term partnership, your health journey isn't just yours—it's a shared experience that impacts your relationship, your social life, and your family dinner table. In this very special episode I’m joined by my husband,...
Raise your hand if your cravings have gotten worse in perimenopause? Like finding yourself standing in front of the pantry at 9:00 PM, wondering how you ended up halfway through a bag of Hershey’s Kisses or chips after a perfectly healthy day? If you’ve been beating yourself up for a "lack of discipline," it's not your fault, and I need you to listen to this! In this episode of The Family Fork, we are diving deep into cravings during perimenopause. I’m pulling back the curtain on why those...
Feel like a lightweight when you drink in perimenopause? Does that nightly glass of Cabernet pack more of a punch than it used to (and you find it's harder to recover in the morning?) In this episode, we're digging into the relationship between alcohol and midlife, but it's a different take than you're used to. Because you already know the science. You’re a smart, driven, professional woman. The struggle isn't a lack of knowledge. It's the challenge of doing better when your brain and n...
Juggling perimenopause, family, and weight loss goals can feel overwhelming, especially when it seems like you’ve tried every diet under the sun and nothing sticks. In the previous episode, we talked about the nuts and bolts of nutrition and fitness strategy—the "what" of losing weight. Today, we are digging into the "how," and it has nothing to do with your gym membership. I’m taking you off the "DIY" treadmill and putting you on my therapist’s couch (metaphorically, of course!). A...
When it comes to midlife weight loss, you probably think you need "more discipline" or "more willpower". Not true! What is true is that your strategy isn't built for a busy, midlife mom in perimenopause. Most of us try to DIY our way through nutrition, diets, and workouts. But when it seems like you've tried everything, but nothing is working to help you improve your health, or to lose weight, what are you supposed to do? I’ve lost 65 pounds in my late 40s, and I can say this with 100% cer...
Feel like you're already "behind" in the New Year before it’s even gotten off the ground? This episode is for you! Happy New Year, my friend! If you’re listening and feeling less "reinvigorated and refreshed" and more like "exhausted midlife mom just trying to survive," I want you to take a deep breath. You are exactly where you need to be. In this episode, I’m scrapping the "how-to" to give us both what we actually need: a real-talk pep talk. I’m sharing how the messages you hear in Januar...
At the beginning of a new year, you probably feel that familiar nudge. You know the one: the "New Year, New Me" excitement where you buy the fancy apps, the matching yoga pants, and print out a meal plan so organized it belongs in a museum. But let’s be real—by Valentine’s Day, those yoga pants are being dressed up for "casual office wear", and your motivation has completely evaporated. I see you, and I get it. You are a smart, driven, high-achieving woman managing a career and a mass...
Want to know the truth about my "healthiest year ever"? It didn't look anything like I had planned. Maybe your health and wellness goals went off the rails this year, too? You are definitely not alone. I started this year with a physique coach, ready to get into the best shape of my life for my 50th year. But life decided to hand me a cancer diagnosis, multiple surgeries, and the loss of my dad instead. In this episode of The Family Fork, I’m giving you a raw, unfiltered look at what ...
If you're ready to finally ditch the diets, for something more sustainable (and that gives better results!), listen up! When I tell women I lost 65 pounds in my late 40s, their first question is always "How?" And while I could list the diet swaps and workouts, that's not the full story, is it? We both know that when life hits the fan—solo parenting for six weeks, caring for a sick parent, recovering from surgery—the "basics" are the first thing to go. If weight loss were just a simple nutrit...
You likely know by now that anti-inflammatory nutrition in midlife is a non-negotiable. But let's be honest, we all get tripped up when it comes to traveling! Whether you're heading off for a family vacation, a holiday visit, or a packed work trip, it can feel impossible to stick to your healthy eating habits when you’re away from your own kitchen. And I hear you thinking, "Ashley, why bother? I'm supposed to be having fun!" But when you're off your regular schedule, moving less, and forg...
Raise your hand if you've tried everything in perimenopause to lose weight, but nothing works? You’re tracking your steps, eating salads, maybe even choking down dry chicken and broccoli for dinner. Believe me, I get it! I've been there, and I hear this same frustration from busy, midlife moms every single day. As we creep into perimenopause and beyond, losing weight becomes a whole new ballgame...it is harder, but not impossible! While you think you’ve tried every single thing, the truth...
The holiday season is here! Yay for the twinkle lights, cozy feelings, cherished traditions...but there's plenty of food and alcohol that can absolutely derail your health goals. As a busy, midlife mom managing perimenopause symptoms and working to lose weight, you know that sugar and inflammatory foods can instantly lead to a miserable sugar hangover and that dreaded need to unbutton your pants after a big meal. But you deserve to feel amazing this holiday season!! You need that energy fo...
Ever feel like your thoughts are actively working against your midlife health goals? Like, the moment you decide to try something new, your brain slams the brakes on with excuses like, "That's too hard," "I don't have time," or the classic, "My family will never eat that"? You are absolutely not alone! In my first-ever Ask Me Anything episode of The Family Fork, I tackle the questions that are truly keeping busy, midlife moms stuck. These are the real, raw struggles that pop up w...
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