What if the reason you’re stuck with food, your body, or your confidence… has nothing to do with discipline?

In this episode of Eat the Fcking Food, Kristin Collins sits down with midlife transformation coach and 15x Ironman athlete Jen Rulon to unpack the decades of conditioning that taught women to shrink, restrict, and “earn” their food, and what it actually takes to break free.

Jen shares how growing up in the Weight Watchers era shaped her relationship with food, why even elite-level athleticism didn’t fix the mindset, and how learning the science of metabolism, movement, and nervous system regulation completely changed everything.

This conversation goes far beyond weight loss. It’s about reclaiming your voice, rebuilding trust with your body, and finally stepping into your full power in midlife.

If you’ve ever felt like you need to do more, eat less, or be smaller to be worthy… this episode will shift something in you.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• Why so many women believe they have to “earn” their food
• The hidden mindset that keeps you stuck in restriction and guilt
• How understanding metabolism changes the way you eat forever
• The role of nervous system regulation in weight loss and energy
• Why midlife is the most powerful time to redefine your identity
• How strength training and movement build confidence beyond your body
• How to stop shrinking and fully express who you are
• The four pillars Jen uses to transform her clients’ lives
• Why rest is just as important as movement (and why it feels so hard)
• How to create sustainable habits that evolve with your life

We talk about:

• 00:00 Meet Jen Rulon and her midlife transformation journey
• 01:30 Growing up in the Weight Watchers and diet culture era
• 03:00 Learning to feel guilty around food at a young age
• 05:00 The belief that you have to “earn” your food
• 06:30 Discovering Ironman and entering the world of endurance training
• 08:00 Using exercise to justify eating instead of fueling performance
• 09:30 When fitness doesn’t fix your relationship with food
• 10:30 Learning the science of metabolism
• 14:30 Food shaming and why it keeps women stuck
• 16:30 Why midlife women struggle to trust themselves
• 18:30 The impact of childhood conditioning on self-expression
• 21:00 The four pillars, movement, metabolism, mindset, and meaning
• 24:30 Why longevity and quality of life become the real goal

Connect with Jen

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachjenrulon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CoachJenRulonMS
• https://jenrulon.com/

Connect with me

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinrcollins/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kristin.collins
• Website: https://kristincollinshealthcoaching.com/

#MidlifeWeightLoss #FoodFreedom #StopShrinking