Women of a Certain Stage

In this episode, Lauren sits down with Melani — menopause coach, personal trainer, and former corporate sales manager — for an honest, energising conversation about movement, menopause, and reclaiming your confidence.
Melani shares her deeply personal journey: seven years of being dismissed by doctors, hitting rock bottom at 46, and finally finding the support and focus she needed — including rediscovering her love of running after debilitating joint pain she didn't realise was a menopause symptom.
Together, Lauren and Melani unpack why common exercise approaches can actually work against women during perimenopause and menopause, and why shifting your mindset from exercise to movement can be the game-changer you didn't know you needed.
They explore the real barriers women face — time, energy, bladder weakness, injury, and lost confidence — and offer practical, accessible strategies for every fitness level, whether you're a lifelong athlete who needs to adapt, or someone who hasn't moved in years and doesn't know where to start.
Melani also shares what's behind her newly developed fitness app and 12-week progressive strength program, designed specifically for menopausal women — no gym required.
In this episode, we cover:
Why "pushing through" during menopause can lead to injury — and what to do instead
The surprising menopause symptom that stopped Melani from running
Why strength training is non-negotiable at this life stage
HIIT, low-intensity movement, yoga, and walking — what works and when
Bladder weakness and impact exercise — the honest conversation we need to have
How 10 air squats an hour can match the benefits of a 30-minute walk
The power of community and connection in navigating menopause
Why workplaces need to step up for menopausal women
Melani's app and 12-week program — making fitness accessible for every woman

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction 00:37 Melani's Journey After Qualifying as a Menopause Coach
02:09 Finding Focus: The Corporate Side of Menopause Support
03:53 Melani's Background in Male-Dominated Industries
05:17 Rebuilding Confidence and Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
07:40 How Lauren and Melani First Connected
08:22 Seven Years of Being Dismissed by Doctors
09:51 Discovering Lauren's Course and Saying Yes
11:27 Key Takeaways from the Menopause Coach Programme
15:11 Melani's Running Story: Joint Pain, HRT, and Getting Back Outside
17:58 Introduction to Melani's Fitness App and Online Programmes
19:08 Why Movement (Not Exercise) Matters in Menopause
20:57 HIIT Explained: What It Is and Why It Helps
22:51 Bladder Weakness and Impact Exercise — The Honest Truth
24:07 Pelvic Floor Health: Seeking the Right Support
25:04 Lauren's Marathon Mistake During Perimenopause
25:48 Low-Intensity Training and Listening to Your Body
26:13 The Power of 10 Squats an Hour
27:34 Yoga, Flexibility, and Long-Term Health
28:19 Adapting Your Training as Your Body Changes
29:05 Starting From Scratch: Simple Movements for Every Woman
30:14 Dance in Your Kitchen — Movement Can Be Joyful
30:41 What Melani Is Working On Now
31:00 Making Menopause Support Accessible to All Women
31:48 A Word for the Partners Standing Beside Menopausal Women

Connect with Lauren Chiren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — for individuals and the organisations that support them. Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Find out more: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

When Alcohol Meets Menopause: One Woman's 30-Day Experiment That Changed Everything
In this episode, I sit down with Claire for a raw and refreshingly honest conversation about the powerful — and often overlooked — connection between alcohol and menopause. Together, we unpack how so many women mistake perimenopause symptoms for the effects of drinking, and how that confusion can keep us stuck, unwell, and searching for answers in all the wrong places.
We explore how giving up alcohol for just 30 days can unlock a chain reaction of clarity, healing, and self-discovery — and why the wine o'clock habit is rarely about the wine at all. We also dive into the booming alcohol-free market, the role of gut health, and why there is not a single menopausal symptom that isn't impacted by alcohol.
Importantly, we shine a light on the courage it takes to change — whether that means setting new boundaries with friends, having honest conversations with partners and children, or simply trusting yourself when the doctors keep telling you everything is fine.
And for anyone who has ever felt judged for ordering sparkling water at a girls' night out… this one is for you.

00:00 Introduction
01:31 Claire's Story: When 30 Days Became Seven Years
03:02 The Decision to Take a Break from Alcohol
07:14 What Those Emails Revealed About Alcohol and the Body
09:03 Noticing the Changes: Clarity, Energy, and Brighter Eyes
10:14 Shifting Friendships and Social Pressure
13:33 Boundaries, Menopause, and the People Around Us
15:02 Making the Connection Between Alcohol and Perimenopause
17:08 The Birth of Mindful Sips — and Menopause Dawn
21:19 What to Say to Someone Just Joining the Dots
23:10 Talking to Our Children About Menopause
25:54 The Alcohol-Free Market: How Far It's Come
29:13 Stepping Stones or a New Way of Living?
32:05 Five Years From Now: Claire's Vision
34:29 What the Menopause Coach Diploma Really Gave Her

Connect with Claire: Menopause Dawn | (coming soon) Mindful Sips | (coming soon)

FREEBIE: Grab my 12 Week Core Program, ABS ON FIRE https://www.amandathebe.com/abs-on-fire/
Menopause Resources https://amandathebe.com/meno-resource/

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments.
With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage.
Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience — both for individuals and the organisations that support them.
Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success.
Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

In this episode, I sit down with Emma Trueman for a candid and deeply personal conversation about navigating perimenopause while maintaining a senior career in the technology and professional services sector. Together, we unpack the confusion and frustration that often accompany symptoms like extreme sleep deprivation and debilitating brain fog—and why Emma decided to move from being a mental health advocate to a certified menopause coach.
We explore how Emma integrated menopause awareness into her corporate role, including a successful workplace panel that reached over 400 people. We discuss the importance of formal education and "chemistry checks" in coaching, and how lifestyle choices like movement and nutrition remain key pillars of her wellbeing.
Importantly, we shine a light on the power of community—how connecting with others, even at 1:00 AM from Australia, can empower women to navigate this stage with confidence. We also talk about the cultural and lifestyle differences between the UK and Australia and how they impact the menopause experience.
Episode Timestamps
00:00 – Introduction and Reflections on Sydney
01:15 – Creating Workplace Awareness and Symptom Tracking
02:26 – Emma’s Background: Tech Career and Mental Health Advocacy
03:36 – Personal Experience: Navigating Sleep, Hot Flushes, and HRT
05:50 – Overcoming Hesitation: Starting Testosterone and Managing Brain Fog
06:52 – Career Evolution: From E-commerce to AI Solutions
08:56 – The Future: How AI Can Support Menopause Health
10:56 – Why Formal Coaching Credentials and "Chemistry Checks" Matter
12:52 – Global Community: Attending 1:00 AM Classes from Australia
15:19 – Key Program Takeaways: Experts, Tapping, and Business Building
19:18 – Advocacy in Action: Gym Talks and the 400-Person Workplace Panel
22:42 – Cultural Perspectives: Lifestyle Differences Between the UK and Australia
24:54 – Future Projects and Closing Thoughts

Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone. As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments. With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage. Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.
About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience—both for individuals and the organisations that support them. Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success. Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/

Connect with Lauren
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WomenOfACertainStage
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@womenofacertainstage
Twitter/X: https://x.com/LaurenChiren

In this episode, Lauren sits down with Alice, a nutritional therapist and newly qualified menopause coach based near Brighton, whose life changed dramatically when her mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2020. That experience — combined with her own perimenopause journey — ignited a deep commitment to longevity, brain health, and helping women age well.
Alice brings a unique dual perspective to her work: blending evidence-based nutrition with menopause coaching to offer a whole-body approach to this life stage. She's also a six-time marathon runner training for her first ultra, and a passionate Park Run ambassador — and she's proof that you can completely reinvent your career at 50.
What We Discuss
Alice's path to menopause coaching Alice's route to this work was anything but linear. When her mother was diagnosed with dementia in 2020, she became a carer almost overnight — and her priorities shifted completely. She left a demanding corporate job at 50, retrained in nutrition, and then discovered the Menopause Coach Diploma. She describes it as everything clicking into place.
The dementia diagnosis that changed everything Watching her mother's quality of life at 83 — sharp wit intact, but no longer knowing who Alice is — gave Alice a visceral motivation to help people age well. She's not talking about skin; she's talking about brain health, physical function, and being able to tie your own shoelaces. Running became her lifeline through the grief of caring, and she's since completed six marathons and signed up for her first ultra.
Why nutrition and menopause go hand in hand Alice merges her nutritional therapy practice with her menopause coaching, seeing them as one whole package. She's cautious about the noise online — supplementation trends, influencer-backed products — and emphasises the importance of evidence-based advice. Her approach is collaborative and client-led: food diaries, macronutrient analysis, and even supermarket trips and cooking together at home.
The supplement question Alice's view has evolved: with a genuinely balanced diet, most people can get what they need from food. The one exception she backs wholeheartedly is Vitamin D, particularly in the UK. Her word for good nutrition? Curiosity — being willing to try new things and add to your plate, rather than overhaul it.
Budget-friendly nutrition tips Alice's top three tips for eating well on a tight budget: embrace frozen food (often more nutritious than fresh, especially out of season), prioritise fibre by swapping beige processed food for whole grains, and make the most of tinned food — always choose water over syrup. She also champions using vegetable peelings for stock and making batch soups from leftover veg at the end of the week.
The reset cleanse in the Menopause Plan as someone with a nutrition background, Alice appreciated the logic of the reset — cutting back on dairy, alcohol, processed food, and red meat as a blank canvas to work from. It also introduced her to rice milk, which she now has on her porridge every morning.
What drew her to the diploma Alice first spotted Lauren on LinkedIn and attended a free workplace-focused webinar. What set this programme apart was how personal it felt — Lauren's clear investment in every cohort member succeeding, the ongoing community after graduation, and the sense of having colleagues again after going it alone. The group chat has become her go-to for questions, ideas, and support.
Key takeaways from being coached Boundaries came up as a major personal theme — moving from a structured office environment to working from home with family interruptions made this live and relevant. Alice also took away the power of silence in coaching: allowing pauses rather than rushing to fill them opened people up in ways she hadn't expected.
The power of saying things out loud In a spontaneous moment mid-episode, Alice discovers Lauren is running the Brighton Marathon — and Lauren admits she'd been on the verge of pulling out. Just having that conversation out loud shifts the decision. It becomes a live example of what coaching actually does.
Her plans going forward Alice is working with practice clients, plans to expand into workplace menopause education, and is developing a couples-focused strand of her work. She'll soft-launch her full coaching offering once she's ready, growing largely through word of mouth.
Key Takeaways
What we eat in midlife directly affects brain health and how we age — starting now matters
Frozen and tinned food are underrated, affordable, and genuinely nutritious — don't overlook them
Moving away from beige, ultra-processed food and towards whole grains and colour is the single most accessible shift most people can make
Most nutritional needs can be met through a balanced diet — but Vitamin D supplementation is backed by the evidence, particularly in the UK
The power of a coach isn't just in the advice — it's in creating the space for someone to say something out loud, hear themselves, and move forward
Community — whether through a cohort, Park Run, or a workplace — is not a nice-to-have; it's essential for wellbeing
Guest: Alice
Alice is a nutritional therapist and certified menopause coach based near Brighton on the UK's south coast. After leaving a high-pressured corporate career to care for her mother, she retrained in nutrition and went on to complete the Menopause Coach Diploma. She works face-to-face and online, is planning to take menopause education into workplaces, and has a special focus on couples and longevity. She's also a core member of her local Park Run community — you'll find her cheering at Mile 20 of the Brighton Marathon.
Concerned about your brain health in midlife? A great first step is tracking your symptoms and speaking to a healthcare professional. For support with nutrition or menopause coaching, visit womenscoachingschool.com.

In this episode, Lauren Chiren sits down with Sharon Watson for an high-energy and heart-centered conversation about finding one’s calling during the menopause transition. Together, they explore the profound impact of community and why shared experiences are the antidote to the isolation many women feel when "falling apart" during perimenopause.
We delve into Sharon’s personal journey—from navigating "Menopause Mandy" alter egos to transforming her frustration with lackluster training into a mission for genuine advocacy. We discuss how lifestyle resets, structured coaching, and finding the right mentors can turn a small spark of passion into a "burning phoenix" of purpose.
Importantly, we highlight Sharon’s incredible community fundraising efforts for Alzheimer's, illustrating the power of connection and the ripple effect of taking action. We also look ahead to the launch of Sharon’s new movement, MenoM8s, which aims to provide the education and support network that millions of women are currently lacking.

Timestamped Breakdown
00:00 Introduction to the Podcast
01:03 Celebrating a Phenomenal Fundraising Achievement
02:29 Personal Connections: Alzheimer’s and Menopause
04:40 Sharon’s Journey into the Menopause Space
05:07 Navigating "Menopause Mandy" and Alter Egos
05:34 The Frustrations of Poor Professional Training
07:38 Discovering a Different Approach to Coaching
09:11 Life-Changing Realizations within the Cohort
11:06 Implementing Personal Lifestyle Resets
12:34 Turning a Spark into a Burning Phoenix
13:44 Authenticity in a Saturated Market
15:33 Highlights of the Menopause Coach Diploma
18:55 Launching MenoM8s: A Supportive Community
19:21 A Partner’s Perspective: The Guy’s Guide
20:20 From Entertainer to Speaker: Future Ambitions
21:19 Advice for Aspiring Menopause Coaches
22:45 Geography and Accessibility
24:01 Navigating Social Media: From Facebook to TikTok
25:00 Introverts vs. Extroverts in Business
26:07 Closing Thoughts and Future Check-ins


Connect with Sharon Watson:
Facebook | [Search MenoM8s]
Instagram | [Search MenoM8s]
TikTok | [Search MenoM8s]
Website | www.menom8s.com
Email | [email protected]


Meet your host Lauren Chiren
Lauren Chiren is a leading voice in menopause awareness and workplace inclusion, dedicated to ensuring no one navigates menopause alone. As the Founder and CEO of Women of a Certain Stage, she works with organisations worldwide to create menopause-savvy and supportive environments. With a background in psychology, sports therapy, and nutrition, and an extensive suite of coaching certifications, Lauren is on a mission to train 20,000 Menopause Coaches and Champions, equipping them with the tools to support individuals and workplaces through this transformative life stage. Join her as she breaks the silence, challenges the stigma, and empowers people to thrive at midlife and beyond.

About Women of a Certain Stage
We are committed to transforming the menopause experience—both for individuals and the organisations that support them. Our mission is to empower people through education, advocacy, and expert-led training, ensuring menopause is no longer a barrier to confidence, health, or career success. Join us and our global network of professionals dedicated to breaking the stigma, improving workplace culture, and ensuring no one navigates menopause alone.
Find out more here: https://www.womenofacertainstage.com/
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenchiren/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themenopausecoach/