Episode 288  I first came across Dr. Dawn’s Instagram account and was immediately drawn to her passion for helping others and the way she teaches and shares her wisdom - which is why I reached out to invite her back to the podcast to help us understand more about what hormones are the hormones that are the key players during menopause and how alcohol affects our hormones during this time. Dr. Dawn is a Naturopathic physician with extensive experience in the treatment of substance use...

Episode 286  I invited Sarah Rusbatch to the podcast to talk about Alcohol Use Disorder and share how alcohol impacts women as we get older. Sarah is a Gray Area Drinking and Menopause coach, as well as the author of the book Beyond Booze: How to Create a Life You Love Alcohol-free. Sarah and I discuss the importance of addressing alcohol use disorder for women in midlife, exploring coping mechanisms, societal pressures, challenges, and the benefits of an alcohol-free lifestyle. We also...

Episode 286  What does it mean to drink moderately?  Hello! I'm glad you're here.  This episode will help you understand what it really means to drink moderately. I will share the latest research, and then we will look at what it looks and feels like to be the moderator of your drinking. I’m going to share my experience with trying to be a moderate drinker and why I couldn’t.  I talk about the "moderation game" I played with myself and why just a little alcohol wasn't enough.  This...

Episode 285  Hello, friend! I'm glad you're here! If you have ever found yourself saying, "I deserve a drink," or feel deprived when you stop drinking because you think of alcohol as a reward, you are not alone.  You will appreciate today's episode with two of my favorite people: the twins are back!  Leigh and Anne Walkup are the Founders of Retro Rodeo Publishing, LLC and Front Porch Life Magazine.  They drank together and got sober together. They know a thing or two about using alcohol...

Episode 284  Hello, friend!  A short and sweet episode for you today where I reflect on what I needed to hear before I stopped drinking.  One of the things I needed to hear before I quit drinking, wasn't easy to hear, but it was the catalyst for me to get to sobriety two years later.  This episode goes out to those brave souls who are standing at the crossroads of sobriety. It is a nudge, not a push, to listen to more of what you're saying to yourself because chances are that is what you...

https://www.lorimassicot.com/Episode 283  This is an episode about the change of addiction and 12-step programs throughout the years and where we are today, with a woman who proudly shares how AA helped change her life: Angela Pugh. Angela Pugh is a Master Life Coach, speaker, and the host of the highly popular podcast, Addiction Unlimited. In this episode, you’ll hear: How alcohol affected her life, and what her drinking looked like before she quit drinking. Angela’s decision to seek...

Episode 282  Hey there!  I'm happy you're here.  Today, we are exploring the concept of giving yourself permission to do and not do what you want. If it sounds silly, let it be!  This episode is inspired by a group coaching meeting that I recently hosted inside my community, Team Alcohol-Free.  In this episode, I talk about the insights women face when giving themselves a "permission slip," why giving yourself permission matters, and 25 ideas to help get you started.  You can find the...

Episode 281  Hey there!  Today, I'm sharing a reintroduction to the podcast as it turned 6 this week!  I also give you an update on life as a 56 year old sober woman. I share my thoughts, discoveries as I've gotten older, and why and how I maintain long-term sobriety.  I talk about what I consider midlife, and how I manage past regrets, and what I'm doing today to keep my sobriety going.  I also share an update about the future of To 50 and Beyond.  I appreciate you for listening to and...

Episode 280  Coach Helen Bennett is here with us to share her story of disordered eating, including binging and purging, and how she started to find freedom and heal her relationship with food.  I invited Helen to the podcast because I appreciate her compassionate approach to using practical tools to get started in recovery and empowerment toward food freedom.  Helen Bennett is a certified Health Coach and Addiction Recovery Coach and the founder of BulimiaFreedom.com. Disclaimer: This...

Episode 279  Have you ever found yourself questioning your relationship with alcohol? It's not like your drinking is “that bad,” but it's far from being something you can manage and still feel your best as you get older. You've noticed some downsides to your drinking, but quitting altogether feels like a big leap. The fear of judgment around being a non-drinker adds another layer to the mix. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. You might be a Gray Area drinker, joining a rising...

Episode #278  This episode is for the gal who feels the inner struggle to quit or continue drinking because of other people. The inner struggle comes from hearing either you should stop drinking or you don’t have to quit drinking, but knowing that is not what YOU want. In my 5+ years of coaching midlife women, I have heard my clients say, “I know I should stop drinking. My kids are worried about me,” or “I want to stop drinking, but my husband doesn’t think I should.” It’s such a conundrum...

Episode 277  Hey there, friend!  You are not alone if you are worried about your drinking. I spent two years trying to make alcohol work because I was worried about my drinking, but most of all, I was worried about what life would be like without alcohol. I know that worry around drinking in midlife is a much-needed topic, and that is why I invited our Gigi Langer to the podcast. Gigi used to be a prisoner of her worries and used alcohol, romance, and professional accomplishments to...

Episode 276 I can’t think of any other area in my life where I felt the fear of committing to something more than I did when I quit drinking.  In the episode, I talk about:  How thinking in terms of “forever” held me back from quitting and how I switched it around  What my commitment to alcohol looked like  My top five reasons why committing to sobriety felt impossible  Click here to read the full show notes with mentioned resources.  I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for...

Episode 275  Whether you are sober curious or already sober like myself, today’s guest, Dr. Brooke Scheller is going to help you feel better through her functional medicine approach.  I reached out to Dr. Brooke after seeing her talk about her new book, How to Eat to Change How You Drink: Heal Your Gut, Mend Your Mind, and Improve Nutrition to Change Your Relationship with Alcohol because I was fascinated by the topic.  Dr. Brooke Scheller is a doctor of clinical nutrition, the founder of...

Episode 274  Hello friend!  Happy New Year!  If you're thinking about giving up alcohol in 2024 and want to kickstart the year on a positive note, try writing a "Dear Alcohol" letter. It's a great way to understand your relationship with alcohol better and get pumped up for an alcohol-free lifestyle. In this episode, I will talk about the main benefit of writing a letter to alcohol, how to decide if this practice is for you, and some simple tips to help you get started if you choose, and...

Episode 273  Hello, friend! Happy Holidays!  I have a message for you today that I would have loved to hear when I was celebrating my first few holidays alcohol-free.  If you are in a place where you are having a hard time staying sober due to the memory of drinking during the holiday, this episode is for you.  I talk about challenging the "just one glass" theory to ride out cravings and F'it moments and give you some of my best mantras and tips to help you stay focused on what you more...

Episode 272  With a brand new year upon us, millions of people worldwide are either contemplating a Dry January or have already signed up to participate, but why?  Why take January off from drinking alcohol? Are there benefits? Or a downside?  In this episode, I talk about my experience with my first "Dry January" and why I chose to do one, which ultimately I learned wasn't for the benefits.  I also talk about ways to decide if taking January off is a good idea for you and the key...

Episode 271  Did you know there are different stages of motherhood? I didn't until I met our guest today, Jennifer Chaney.  Jennifer is a mentor to moms in midlife helping them find their footing as their kids become more independent.  This is one of those episodes that is full of some fantastic midlife nuggets! We talk about perimenopause and menopause, living an alcohol-free lifestyle, and Jen shares her story of how she decided to go alcohol-free.  We also talk about the opportunities...

Episode 270  Hello, friend! If you're navigating the world of alcohol-free living, you've likely come across the term "mocktails," but have you ever thought about why they're such a game-changer for staying sober? Our guest today, Debbie Podlogar, aka Mocktail Mom, is a mocktail expert who started her journey with mocktails during a month-long break from alcohol.  Debbie is bringing you ALL of her tips and solutions to help you find alternatives to alcohol that are equally rewarding if...

Episode 269  Hello, friend!  If you're sober curious or already committed to an alcohol-free lifestyle, but find yourself craving connections with others on the same path, this episode is for you. I’ve invited, the incredible, Janet Gourand back to the podcast for the second time. Janet is the Founder of Tribe Sober, an online sober community for men and women, and the host of the podcast by the same name, the Tribe Sober podcast. In this episode, Janet and I talk about what an online...

Episode 268  Hey friend!  Do you have a plan for your holiday that will help support your alcohol-free lifestyle?  If you said no, then this episode is for you!  If you do have a plan, that's great! Stick around as I walk you through how I plan each month and talk about swapping out activities that may trigger you to drink this holiday.  Click here to read the full show notes and get details and resources shared inside. Email me here.    Join Team Alcohol-Free before enrollment ends...

Hey there!  I'm glad you’re here.  In episode 266, I asked my friend, Amy Connell, to join me as my cohost to discuss practical ways to manage stress during the holiday season.  Let’s face it: we face stress daily, and it’s always a good idea to check in with yourself to learn more about what is happening in your life and what you need to do to manage your stress.  Amy and I talk about:  What stress is and ways it shows up during the holiday season  How to plan for the holidays...

Episode 266  Hey there! I'm happy you're here!  I asked my friend, Sondra Primeaux, Founder of The Unruffled to join me as my cohost for this episode to share her experience after she quit drinking and beyond a year of sobriety. Sondra is a writer, podcaster, photographer, and reuse designer whose passion shines through in everything she creates.  Much like me, Sondra quit drinking during perimenopause (at 45). In this episode, we talk about what happened after we chose to stop drinking,...

Episode 265  Hello, friend. I'm glad you're here!  Sobriety is a personal journey and not an easy one to come to terms with at any level of drinking. I had to decide who to share this precious information with when I stopped drinking. I didn't want others to know of my decision before I understood it more. Inside this episode, I share my insights into when it's a good idea to share your sobriety and when it's a good idea to protect your choice and not share. Thank you for listening. I...