I know what you're thinking when you see this episode title: is sugar really that bad?

Maybe you're like me a few years ago, telling yourself, "I eat pretty clean, I don't really have that much sugar." (But, you’re still struggling to lose weight, even though you think your nutrition is totally dialed in). Or maybe you know deep down you could probably cut back on sugar, but you have no idea where to start.

Whatever side you're on, get ready for some major eye-openers. Because sugar isn't just about the candy bars and soda you think it is. I'm going to pull back the curtain on how much "sugar" you're actually eating and what it's doing to your body right now.

I'm talking about the bloat, the brain fog, the stubborn belly fat, and even the joint pain you've been dealing with. We'll explore:

• How certain "healthy" foods can act like a candy bar in your body and why that matters.
• The surprising, sneaky places sugar is hiding in your daily diet (it's in more than you think!).
• Why that extra glass of wine at happy hour is making it impossible for you to lose weight.
• The vicious cycle of sugar cravings and why ultra-processed foods are engineered to make you want more.
• The connection between sugar, inflammation, and all those annoying perimenopause symptoms you're trying to escape.

This episode is your kick in the pants to start taking your sugar intake seriously.

But don't worry, I'm giving you simple, actionable solutions you can start on today. You'll learn how to track your intake, find delicious alternatives, and use everyday habits to drastically reduce inflammation and feel better fast.

Mentioned Resources

✅ Health Hacks Podcast, "How Sugar is Shortening Your Lifespan" by Dr. Mark Hyman
✅ Free healthy meal plan for the entire family
✅ Free Healthy Snack Guide

More Support For You

✅ Work with Me
✅ How I Cook Just 3 Nights/Week
✅ Mindset Framework to Stop Relying On Motivation
✅ Connect on Instagram

What if I told you September is actually the best time of year to lean into your health, wellness, and fitness goals?

Seriously. We’re talking about a season that’s naturally more structured, predictable, and calm. This is your chance to ride the “back-to-school effect” and actually get goals accomplished!

In this episode, we're going to dive into why ditching the New Year's Resolution mindset and adopting a September goal-setting strategy will change everything for you.

We'll uncover how the back-to-school season provides the perfect environment for creating new habits, and how to use that to your advantage so you can start the new year with a running start.

Here’s what we’ll cover in this episode:

• The truth about why January is a terrible time for new habits and how it sets you up for failure.

• The surprising reason your nervous system loves the predictability of the back-to-school season.

• The simple method that allows you to cook one healthy, family-friendly meal, so you don't have to cook two separate dinners.

• How to finally master your schedule and use your kids' after-school activities as a secret weapon for your own self-care.

It's time to ditch the "I'll start in the new year" mentality and finally get some momentum. This is a game-changer for every busy, midlife mom who wants to feel in control of her health and life.

Resources Mentioned

• My favorite online workout library - get BODi here for less than $10/month!
• The Supper Club monthly meal plan membership. Healthy, family meals in less time!
• My favorite planner from Crush the Rush
• Healthy After School Snacks FREE guide (50+ snacks you can buy!)

More Support For You

✅ Work with Me
✅ Start losing the perimenopause weight with this FREE plan
✅ Connect with me on Instagram

Feel like you're lacking "motivation" or "discipline" to build healthy habits?

What if you could build habits that stick without either of those things?

This week, Ashley shares three unconventional tips for building healthy habits, from her 10+ years of experience, that will help you finally create lasting change.

Get ready to challenge everything you thought you knew about building habits and learn how to make them an effortless part of your life, even when it feels like everything is working against you:

📌 Pick ONE Thing (and Stick with It): Stop trying to change everything at once. Learn how focusing on a single, specific habit protects your nervous system from burnout and sets you up for guaranteed success.

📌 Stop Planning, Start Doing: Planning is a form of procrastination that keeps you from taking real action. Ashley challenges you to stop making plans and start doing something today, to build momentum and break the cycle of inaction.

📌 Embrace the Chaos: Stop waiting for the "right time" to start. Ashley shares personal stories of building habits during the most chaotic moments of her life, proving that if you can do it then, it will be effortless when life feels normal.

This episode is the kick in the pants you need to get started today!

More Support For You

✅ Kick-start your healthy eating habit with the fast, easy, and family friendly meals in THIS guide.

✅ Get the perfect workout program here (for less than $10/mo!) The exact programs I used to lose 65 lbs in my late 40s!

It's a polarizing topic, but one that we should care about TODAY: the benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet for our kids.

You might think kids should just be kids, but what if the food they're eating is secretly causing hyperactivity, poor concentration, and long-term health risks?

This week, Ashley makes a compelling case for why a healthy, anti-inflammatory approach is crucial for our children's well-being and shares a practical roadmap for making it happen without food fights.

Healthy Kids, Happy Family: A Balanced Approach to Food:

The "Why" Behind Anti-Inflammatory Eating: Learn how common ingredients in processed snacks (like TBHQ and artificial colors) are linked to hyperactivity, hormone disruption, and other serious health issues, and how removing them can have a lasting positive impact.

Winning Over Your Kids: Get practical strategies for getting your children's buy-in on healthy food. This includes respecting their choices (yes, even school lunches!), offering appealing alternatives, and making healthy eating a fun and collaborative family activity.

Balance Over Perfection: Discover how to focus on your child's overall nutrition over a two-to-three-day period, not just one meal. By filling nutritional gaps with healthy options, you can reduce stress and ensure your kids are getting the fuel they need.

You don't have to choose between healthy kids and happy kids. With a little creativity and the right tools, you can have both!

More Support For You

✅ Get 50+ healthy, kid-approved snacks (that you can buy) with the FREE Healthy After School Snack Guide here.

✅ Cook anti-inflammatory meals for your whole family with this FREE 7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan.

If you have a love-hate relationship with snacks (especially after school snacks!), this episode is for you!

While snacks can be a good part of a healthy day, they're often a source of stress, power struggles, and guilt for moms. This week, we're diving into how to reclaim snack time and turn it into a source of fun, health, and ease for the whole family!

Ashley gets real about the damaging ingredients in many popular snack foods and shares a roadmap to navigate snack time with confidence.

Plus, she's giving you a secret weapon to make it all a breeze.

Your Guide to Healthy & Happy Snacking:

🍎 Involve Your Kids & Get Creative: Say goodbye to snack-time battles by including your kids in shopping and prep, and get tips for making even boring snacks look irresistible.

🍎 Look at the Big Picture: Ditch the pressure of every snack being perfect. Instead, examine the context of your kids nutrition over 2-3 days, ensure a healthy balance of everything they need.

🍎 Remove the "I Don't Have Time" Excuse: Learn simple strategies to pack healthy snacks ahead of time on the weekend, so you can easily grab a pre-packaged, healthy option (instead of an unhealthy impulse buy!) on even the busiest weekdays.

Snacks don't have to be a source of chaos! With a little planning and a lot of creativity, you can ensure your family is fueled by healthy, delicious food that supports their energy and long-term health.

More Support For You

✅ Simplify snack time with the FREE Healthy After School Snack guide, with 50+ healthy snacks you can buy!
✅ Need support with the other meals of the day? This healthy meal plan is designed for midlife moms, but is guaranteed to work for the whole family!

Get ready! We're celebrating a major milestone: the 50th episode of The Family Fork podcast!

To mark the occasion, Ashley gets vulnerable, sharing her personal journey—from healing after an abusive marriage to navigating cancer—to reveal the three most important lessons she's learned about health and life.

Whether you're just beginning or starting over for the tenth time, this episode is a powerful reminder that we all begin somewhere. Get ready to be inspired and equipped with the foundational tools to create the life you know you deserve.

Your Roadmap to a Healthier Life: 3 Foundational Lessons

📍 Food is Your Foundation: Food is the easiest, fastest place to start. Learn why an anti-inflammatory diet and understanding how food makes you feel is the most impactful way to improve your physical and mental health.

📍 Family is Your Co-Pilot: Any health strategy that doesn't work with your family is not sustainable. Discover how to prioritize your health while making it easy and appealing for your family to get on board.

📍 Mindset is Everything: Beyond being positive, learn to identify and rewire the quiet stories you tell yourself that sabotage your progress. Your self-talk is the ultimate key to achieving your goals and building a life of resilience and joy.

You have the strength to begin today, no matter what your past has held. These three lessons will help you get ahead faster!

More Support For You

✅ Take the survey for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card and help shape the future of this podcast! (Hurry! Survey closes 8/17/25)
✅ Download the 7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan that works for you AND your family!

You hear it all the time, "reduce inflammation", but do you know WHY it really matters? It's more than just bloating or puffy hands; it’s a silent force that can affect your brain, joints, and overall health.

This week on The Family Fork, Ashley gives you 5 compelling reasons why you need to start reducing inflammation TODAY:

Clearer Thinking: Learn how brain fog, forgetfulness, and dropping words can all be signs of inflammation in your brain.

Pain-Free Movement: Discover how reducing inflammation can ease sore joints, helping you stay active and mobile for years to come.

Easier Weight Loss: Find out why inflammation makes it so hard to lose weight, and how a week of anti-inflammatory eating can lead to surprising results on the scale.

Better Sleep & More Energy: Understand the connection between inflammation, cortisol, and sleep, and how a calmer body leads to more restful nights and energized days.

Prepares You for What Comes Next: Hear Ashley’s personal, powerful story of how her anti-inflammatory lifestyle helped her heal faster from breast cancer, emphasizing the importance of being prepared for future health challenges.

This episode is a powerful call to action for your long-term health. Don't wait—your future self will thank you!

✅ Take the survey for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card and help shape the future of this podcast!
✅ Download the 7-Day Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan to start feeling the benefits this week!

You hear that you're supposed to eat protein in perimenopause, but you're still confused.

Knowing how much, what kind, and when can be a puzzle

This week, Ashley is breaking down everything you need to know about harnessing the power of protein for more energy, less cravings, and sustainable weight loss (yes, even in midlife!)

Discover why protein is your secret weapon against the challenges of aging, from muscle loss to hormonal fluctuations. Plus, stick around to the end for a special gift to help you put it all into practice!

Midlife Protein is Non-Negotiable: Learn how adequate protein helps build lean muscle (counteracting perimenopause muscle loss!), balances hormones and blood sugar, keeps you fuller for longer, and even aids in faster post-workout recovery.

How Much & What Kind?: Get clear on your daily protein target, and discover the best anti-inflammatory protein sources (while learning to ditch inflammatory protein bars.)

Mastering Protein Timing & Convenience: Find out why aiming for 40 grams of protein by 10 AM can revolutionize your energy and cravings throughout the day. Plus, get practical tips for incorporating protein into all your meals and easy, on-the-go strategies (yes, even cooked chicken in your purse!)

Protein isn't just a trend; it's a foundational nutrient for thriving in midlife. By making smart choices and front-loading your protein, you'll feel stronger, more energized, and gain control over your cravings.

More Support For YOU

✅ Your printable protein toolkit, designed for midlife moms. Grab it here!
✅ The right protein, all day long. This easy plan gets you started today.