Create The Best Me

We're an age-positive podcast that celebrates the richness of midlife and beyond. Hosted by Carmen Hecox, a seasoned transformational coach, our platform provides an empowering outlook on these transformative years. With a keen focus on perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause, Carmen brings together thought leaders, authors, artists, and entrepreneurs for candid conversations that inspire and motivate. Each episode is packed with expert insights and practical advice to help you navigate life's challenges and seize opportunities for growth, wellness, and fulfillment. From career transitions and personal development to health, beauty, and relationships, "Create The Best Me" is your guide to thriving in midlife. Tune in and transform your journey into your most exhilarating adventure yet.

Create The Best Me is a education podcast hosted by Carmen Hecox, with 170 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Carmen Hecox hosts Create The Best Me, a education show with 170 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #177

  Why Weight Regain Happens After GLP-1’s or Bariatric Surgery

  Aug 6, 202657 min

  What happens when the surgery, medication, or number on the scale does not create the lasting change you expected? In this episode, I’m joined by Shenelle Green, founder of Bariatric Rewrite, for an honest conversation about weight regain, food noise, sugar cravings, emotional eating, and the realities many people are never prepared for after bariatric surgery or while taking a GLP-1 medication. Shenelle shares how getting sober in 2020 eventually led to bariatric surgery and why changing her stomach did not automatically change her relationship with food. When her hunger returned seven months after surgery, she began looking more closely at the protein products, artificial sweeteners, ultra-processed foods, habits, and emotional patterns influencing her choices. We discuss why bariatric surgery and GLP-1 medications are not the easy way out, why some people continue struggling even after significant weight loss, and how unresolved stress, resentment, fear, and shame can keep the cycle going. Shenelle also shares the unforgettable story of the hot pink couch she believed would finally make her feel satisfied. Instead, it helped her recognize that no purchase, relationship, business achievement, or number on the scale could fill what she was trying to resolve internally. We also explore menopause and weight gain, transfer addiction, whole-food protein, accountability without shame, GLP-1 plateaus, and why lasting change often begins with one small, consistent decision. This conversation is for anyone who has ever reached a goal and quietly wondered, “Why don’t I feel different?” Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: Have you ever reached a goal and realized it did not fix what you thought it would? Share your experience in the comments. Your story may help someone else feel less alone. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep177 https://bariatricrewrite.com/ Join Bariatric Rewrite Private Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bariatricrewrite Related Episodes : Listen to these episodes next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/19069119 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18438445 ⚖️ Disclaimer: IMPORTANT: This episode contains personal experiences, opinions, and coaching perspectives and is intended for educational purposes only. It is not medical, nutritional, or mental health advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before changing your medication, dosage, nutrition plan, or treatment. #GLP1 #BariatricSurgery #WeightRegain #FoodNoise #MidlifeWomen #BariatricRewrite #CreateTheBestMe Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #175

  Why Survival Mode Leaves You Emotionally Disconnected

  Jul 23, 202652 min

  You can do everything right, hold everyone and everything together, and still wonder why you feel so far away from yourself. In this episode, I sit down with psychotherapist, licensed marriage and family therapist, certified sex therapist, and sexuality educator Todd Malloy to explore why high-achieving women can remain in survival mode long after the original danger or hardship has passed. Todd explains how unresolved childhood wounds, emotional neglect, imposter syndrome, and family-of-origin patterns can follow us into adulthood. These experiences can affect how we value ourselves, communicate with our partners, respond to conflict, and experience emotional and physical intimacy. We discuss why women often remain silent about what they need, how resentment builds when difficult conversations are repeatedly avoided, and why your partner cannot understand your experience unless you learn to communicate it clearly. Todd also introduces the “soft start,” a more thoughtful way to begin difficult conversations without immediately creating defensiveness. He shares how asking for clarity, listening to what was actually said, and stating the positive intention behind a conversation can help couples move from reacting to genuinely connecting. You’ll also hear a powerful story about a woman who confronted the wounds of her childhood, stopped abandoning herself, established boundaries, and created an entirely different life. Her transformation offers an important reminder that the life you live does not only affect you. It also teaches your children what they should accept, expect, and believe is possible. Todd leaves you with three places to begin: tell yourself the truth, understand your why, and question whether the standards you have been living by reflect your authentic values or someone else’s expectations. You may have become exceptionally good at surviving, but you are still allowed to choose honesty, connection, self-worth, and a life worth celebrating. Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: What part of this conversation felt most familiar to you? Share your thoughts in the comments. Subscribe to Create The Best Me for weekly conversations that help women in midlife reconnect with themselves, navigate change, and create lives that feel meaningful and fulfilling. Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep175 https://toddmalloy.com/ Related Episodes : Listen to these episodes next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18793435 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18628192 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18550342 #SurvivalMode #MidlifeWomen #EmotionalIntimacy #EmotionalDisconnection #MidlifeRelationships #RelationshipCommunication #SelfWorth #WomenOver40 #ToddMalloy #CreateTheBestMe Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox ️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #171

  Is Perimenopause Destroying Your Joints? Here's Why

  Jun 19, 202622 min

  Have you ever wondered why your joints suddenly feel achy, stiff, or even “old” long before you imagined they would? If every morning feels like you’re waking up in someone else’s body, you’re not alone, and you’re not simply “getting older.” In this episode, I break down the hidden, hormonal reasons behind perimenopausal joint pain. From unexplained stiffness and tendon pain to frozen shoulder, I reveal how estrogen decline and the body’s inflammatory response are hijacking your mornings and what you can actually do about it. I’ll walk you through the three most common ways this pain presents, why most doctors miss the connection, and the practical steps every woman deserves to know to help you reclaim your mobility, energy, and confidence. What You’ll Learn: The Real Reason Behind Perimenopausal Joint Pain: How declining estrogen acts as your body’s anti-inflammatory and what happens when it disappears. Three Common Ways Inflammation Shows Up: What to look for in joint stiffness, tendon and connective tissue pain, and the increasing prevalence of “frozen shoulder” in women over 40. Why the Medical System Gets It Wrong: How your symptoms get treated in isolation, and the critical hormonal questions most providers never ask. The Power of Naming and Tracking Your Symptoms: How to walk into your next appointment prepared with the right evidence (and questions) to finally get answers. My 5-Step Action Plan to Support Your Joints: Practical steps to address hormonal imbalances, reduce cortisol, move safely, and advocate for your full-body health. Music by: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: 🔔 New videos every week for women navigating midlife with clarity and confidence. Subscribe so you don't miss what's coming. 💬 Have you been dealing with joint pain or frozen shoulder in perimenopause — and did your doctor ever connect it to your hormones? Tell me in the comments. 📕 Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep171 Related Episodes : 🎧 Listen to these episodes next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/19069119 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18438445 https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18414779 #frozenshouldermenopause #menopausejointpain #estrogeninflammation #menopausebodyaches #menopausearthritis 📨 Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ 👀 Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox 📽️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #172

  Why Intimacy Feels Different After 40

  Jun 12, 202657 min

  In this episode, I speak with Elana Auerbach, author of The Sure Thing: A Pleasure Practice to Revive the Spark, about intimacy, desire, shame, body confidence, communication, and reconnecting with yourself in midlife. Elana shares how a simple weekly practice helped transform her marriage after years of frustration, resentment, and emotional distance. But this conversation goes far beyond physical intimacy. It is about learning what you want, understanding how desire can change, feeling more comfortable in your body, and giving yourself permission to stop disappearing from your own life. Elana and I also discuss spontaneous desire, responsive desire, body confidence after 40, self-love, and how couples can begin honest conversations when intimacy has changed. Please note: This episode includes mature topics around intimacy, pleasure, and relationships and may not be suitable for younger listeners. Music: Epidemic Sound Call to Action: If this conversation helped you, please like, share, subscribe, and come back next week for another episode created just for you. Until then, keep dreaming big, take care of yourself, and remember you are beautiful, strong, and capable of creating the best version of yourself. 📕 Resources: https://createthebestme.com/ep172 https://surethingexperiment.com/ Related Episode : 🎧 Listen to this episode next: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1949561/episodes/18377811 #IntimacyAfter40 #MidlifeWomen #CreateTheBestMe #WomenOver40 #WomenOver50 #MidlifeRelationships #DesireAfter40 #BodyConfidence #SelfLoveAfter40 #MarriageConnection #ResponsiveDesire #ElanaAuerbach #TheSureThing 📨 Newsletter: https://createthebestme.com/newsletter/ 👀 Connect With Me: Website: https://createthebestme.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createthebestme Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carmenhecox/ TikTok: www.tiktok.com/@carmenhecox YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@createthebestme LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/carmen-hecox 📽️ Video Request : https://forms.office.com/r/LvLV1AsBfv

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  Episode #170

  The Truth About Skincare Over 40 (Stop Wasting Money!)

  May 29, 202646 minS0

  <p>Are you spending more money on skincare over 40 but still feeling like your skin looks dry, dull, or irritated? You are not alone.</p><p>In this episode, I’m joined by Lindsay Nahmiache, owner and CEO of Veriphy Skincare, for a real conversation about what happens to our skin in perimenopause, menopause, and midlife, and why buying more products is not always the answer.</p><p>Lindsay shares how she first discovered Veriphy as a customer, what made her believe in the brand enough to take it over, and why the line has only five products on purpose. We...

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