Unapologetically Wild with Mary Giordano

38: The Lie That’s Quietly Running Your Life: “I’ll Do It Later”

There's a quiet lie running through so many women's lives. It doesn't sound dangerous. It sounds reasonable. Responsible, even.
It sounds like: I'll start when things settle down. After this busy season. Once there's a little more time.
In this episode I'm talking about the most dangerous sentence women say to themselves every single day, and why breaking that pattern has very little to do with motivation and everything to do with what you actually believe you're capable of.
I'm getting into the three disguises "later" wears and why they're so hard to see through. I'm talking about what the waiting is actually costing you - not in theory, but in real time, in real years. And I'm sharing my own story of spending two years talking myself out of leaving nursing, watching three months turn into eight, and finally making a decision before I was ready, because the waiting was costing me more than the risk.
If you've been deferring the thing that keeps showing up in your head at 11pm when the house is quiet, this episode is for you.
🎧 Inside this episode:
Why "I'll do it later" is a belief problem, not a scheduling problem
The three disguises later wears - responsibility, preparation, and comfort
What the waiting is actually costing you
Why high functioning women in midlife are especially vulnerable to this pattern
Why confidence comes from doing, not from feeling ready
Three micro-actions to start breaking the pattern this week
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode resonated, send it to a woman who needs to hear it. And message me on IG, tell me what's the one thing you've been putting off the longest.
Until next time,
Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵
 

37. Listen Again: Am I Enough? (The Fear Most Women Don't Say Out Loud)

Listen Again: This episode resonated deeply with listeners the first time it aired, and with so many new listeners joining the show, it felt like a good time to bring it back.Ever catch yourself thinking something like, “I’d love to do that… but I’m not enough”?
Not capable enough. Not confident enough. Not ready enough.
Most women never say that fear out loud, but it quietly shapes a lot of decisions. It shows up in the opportunities we pass on, the experiences we delay, and the versions of life we assume are meant for someone else.
In this episode, we’re unpacking that story.
I talk about where the “not enough” narrative actually comes from, how it shows up in everyday decisions, and why waiting to feel ready often keeps women stuck far longer than they realize.
Because confidence doesn’t show up first. It shows up after you move.
If you’ve ever stood at the edge of something you want and wondered whether you’re capable of it, this conversation is for you.
P.S. My Thailand 2.0 2026 women’s group trip just launched (2 early bird spots)
If you’ve been craving an unforgettable adventure with incredible women in one of the most vibrant places on earth, this might be the nudge you’ve been waiting for.
Spots are limited.
👉 Click here to learn more
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode resonated, share it with a friend and bring another woman into this wild, unapologetic space.
Until next time…Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵
 

36. Listen Again: The Truth About Fear (And Why You’re Still Playing Small)

This is a replay of one of the most impactful episodes of Unapologetically Wild.
Because fear is still the thing so many people point to as the reason they stay where they are.
Fear of failure. Fear of judgment. Fear of getting it wrong.
But what if fear isn’t actually the problem?
What if the real reason you’re stuck has nothing to do with fear, and everything to do with the identity you’ve been reinforcing for years?
In this episode, I break down why fear is often just the surface-level explanation, and what’s actually happening underneath it. Because once you understand this, everything changes.
Inside this episode:
– Why fear isn’t something you eliminate, and why that was never the goal– The deeper reason you hesitate, overthink, and stay where you are– How your identity, not fear, is what determines your decisions– The three steps to shift how you see yourself so you can finally move forward
If you’ve been waiting to feel ready, waiting to feel more confident, or waiting for fear to go away, this conversation will challenge everything you’ve been telling yourself.
Fear doesn’t disappear.
You just stop letting it decide.
Resources mentioned:Mind Magic by James Doty
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode resonated, send it to a woman who needs to hear it.Until next time,Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

35. The Permission Trap: Why You Stopped Trusting Yourself

Women always feel like they need permission. For everything. And most of us don’t even realize we’re doing it.
In this episode, I’m talking about agency - your ability to make decisions about your own life without needing someone else to sign off on them. Where it went, why it’s not your fault, and how to start taking it back.
I’m getting into the research on how girls are socialized from a young age to accommodate, defer, and make themselves easier for everyone else, and how that training follows us into careers, relationships, and the way we move through midlife.
I’m also talking about why women between 40 and 59 have the highest rates of depression, and why I believe it has everything to do with arriving at freedom we were never taught how to use.
And I’m sharing my own experience of leaving my nursing career with no plan and no safety net, and why that was the moment I stopped waiting for permission and started trusting myself instead.
If you’ve been waiting for permission to go after what you want, this episode is your reminder that nobody else is coming to give it to you.
🎧 Inside this episode:• The invisible ways women hand over their authority without realizing it• What happens when the roles you built your identity around start shifting• Why midlife is often when your capacity for agency is at its highest• The small decisions that rebuild self-trust - one rep at a time• Why agency isn’t something you lost, it’s something you were trained to stop using
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode resonated, send it to a woman who needs to hear it.Message me on IG and tell me - what’s one decision you already know the answer to?
Until next time,Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

34. Why Your World Gets Smaller in Midlife - And How to Expand It Again

Nobody really talks about this, but there’s a shift that happens to women’s friendships in midlife. Not dramatic. Not explosive. More like a slow fade you don’t notice until one day you realize your world got smaller.
In this episode, I’m talking about why friendships thin out as we get older, why most women never replace what they shed, and how easy it is to mistake comfort for alignment.
I’m sharing what I’ve witnessed on my trips - women who showed up as strangers and walked away with friendships that expanded how they see themselves and what they believe they’re capable of. And I’m being honest about something I didn’t expect: how watching these women expand changed me too.
If your world has quietly narrowed and you’ve told yourself that’s just how midlife works… this episode will challenge that.
🎧 Inside this episode:
• Why you can be perfectly content and still be shrinking• The difference between maintenance friendships and expansion friendships• The subtle stories women tell themselves that keep their world small• What happens when women step into environments that challenge them• Why the quality of your relationships predicts your health and longevity
Thailand 2.0 is live  and the first trip sold out faster than I expected. Grab your spot HERE
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
If this episode resonated, send it to a woman who needs to hear it.
And I’d love to know - when was the last time you were in a room that expanded you?
Until next time,Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

33. Soy: The Most Misunderstood Food In Women's Health

Soy might be one of the most confusing foods in women's health.
Depending on who you listen to, it's either a miracle superfood that will fix everything, or a hormone-disrupting danger that should be avoided at all costs.
And when advice feels that extreme, most women do the safest thing they know how to do: they avoid it altogether.
In this episode, we cut through the noise.
No wellness hype. No fear-mongering. No cherry-picked rodent studies.
Just what the actual human research says about soy, women's hormones, breast cancer, menopause, muscle, bone, and heart health, and how to decide if soy makes sense for you.
In This Episode, We Cover
Where the soy panic actually came from, and why early animal studies were misapplied to women
What phytoestrogens really are (and why they don't act like estrogen in your body)
What large human studies show about soy and breast cancer risk
Whether soy is safe for breast cancer survivors, and what major cancer organizations say
Why soy does not disrupt hormones or "flood your system with estrogen"
Soy's role in muscle maintenance, heart health, and bone density in midlife
What soy can and cannot do for menopause symptoms
Why soy works for some women and not others (the equol factor)
A practical framework to decide if soy belongs in your diet
Key Takeaways
Soy foods are not associated with increased breast cancer risk in human studies
Soy is safe for breast cancer survivors and may be linked to lower recurrence
Soy does not act like estrogen in the body
Benefits for heart health, bone, and muscle are modest, real, and individual
Soy isn't magic. It's also not dangerous.
It's a high-quality plant protein with context-dependent benefits, and whether it makes sense for you depends on your life stage, health history, activity level, and how your body responds.
Sources & Research Referenced
This episode is based on peer-reviewed human research, including large observational studies, randomized controlled trials, and meta-analyses.
Breast Cancer Risk
Chen M, et al. Isoflavone Consumption and Risk of Breast Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Nutrients, 2023.
Ziegler RG, et al. Migration patterns and breast cancer risk in Asian-American women. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 1993. (PMID 8230262)
Breast Cancer Survivors
Nechuta SJ, et al. Soy food intake after diagnosis and breast cancer survival. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2012.
Shu XO, et al. Soy food intake and breast cancer survival. JAMA, 2009.
Zhang Y, et al. Soy intake and breast cancer prognosis. Nutrition & Cancer, 2024.
American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR): Soy and Cancer -  Myths and Misconceptions.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute & MD Anderson Cancer Center patient guidance on soy foods.
Hormones & Estrogenic Effects
Messina M, et al. Isoflavones and estrogenic endpoints in postmenopausal women: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs. Advances in Nutrition, 2024.
Menopause Symptoms
Taku K, et al. Effects of soy isoflavones on hot flashes: meta-analysis of 36 clinical trials. Menopause, 2012. (PMID 22433977)
Equol & Gut Microbiome
Setchell KDR, et al. Equol production and health implications. Gut Pathogens, 2024.
Heart, Muscle & Bone Health
Sun Q, et al. Tofu intake and coronary heart disease risk. Circulation, 2020.
Taku K, et al. Soy isoflavones and bone mineral density: meta-analysis of 52 randomized controlled trials. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 2020. (PMID 31290343)
Shanghai Women's Health Study - soy intake and fracture risk. (PMID 16157834)
Administration for Community Living (ACL): protein intake guidance for older adults.
Additional Evidence-Based Summaries
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health - Straight Talk About Soy
American Institute for Cancer Research - Soy and Cancer
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
⚠️ Disclaimer:
I'm not a doctor, scientist, or medical expert, I'm your guide, not your prescriber. This podcast is for informational purposes only. I bring you research-backed conversations so you can ask better questions and make informed decisions, not to give you personal medical advice. Always check with a qualified health professional for your own situation, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or take medications.
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend who's navigating midlife and looking for real, evidence-based guidance.
Until next time... Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

32. The Midlife Power Move: Why Creatine Actually Matters (Part II)

In Part I, you heard what creatine is. You saw the research on muscle, brain fog, sleep, and mood.
Now comes the practical part: Is it actually safe? Will it make you bulky? Damage your kidneys? And most importantly, how do you decide if it's right for YOU?
This is Part 2 of our creatine deep-dive for midlife women. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, go back and start there - this won't make sense without the foundation.
Today, we're clearing up the myths, walking through the safety data, and giving you a decision framework so you can evaluate whether creatine makes sense for your body, your goals, and your life.
This isn't about me telling you what to do. It's about giving you the tools to decide for yourself - based on evidence, not hype.
💡 Key Takeaways from Part 2:
✅ Creatine is one of the most researched, safest supplements available - with decades of safety data in healthy individuals
✅ The "kidney damage" myth is based on outdated case reports - extensive research shows no adverse effects on kidney function in healthy people
✅ You don't need to load, cycle, or overthink timing - 3-5 grams of creatine monohydrate daily is effective for most women
✅ Creatine monohydrate is the gold standard, avoid fancy forms that cost more but aren't proven better
✅ Whether creatine is right for you depends on your training status, goals, diet, sleep quality, and stage of life
✅ An 8-12 week trial with measurable tracking (one physical metric, one mental metric) is the best way to evaluate if it works for you
📚 Research & Resources Cited in Part 2:
Safety & Position Stands
International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine — Kreider et al., Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2017)
Creatine supplementation in women's health: A lifespan perspective — Smith-Ryan et al., Nutrients (2021)
Kidney Safety
Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Renal Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis — Journal of Renal Nutrition (2019)
Effect of creatine supplementation on kidney function: a systematic review and meta-analysis — BMC Nephrology (2025)
Additional Resources
Examine.com: Creatine — comprehensive evidence-based overview
Third-party testing certifications: NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice, Creapure
For research on muscle, strength, cognition, sleep deprivation, and mood cited in this series, see Part 1 show notes.
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
⚠️ Disclaimer:
I'm not a doctor, scientist, or medical expert, I'm your guide, not your prescriber. This podcast is for informational purposes only. I bring you research-backed conversations so you can ask better questions and make informed decisions, not to give you personal medical advice. Always check with a qualified health professional for your own situation, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or take medications.
If this series was valuable, share it with a friend who's navigating midlife and looking for real, evidence-based guidance.
Creatine isn't magic, but it might be a tool worth exploring.
Until next time... Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵

31. The Midlife Power Move: Why Creatine Actually Matters (PART I)

Creatine is everywhere right now. TikTok. Instagram. Your wellness group chat. Everyone's talking about it like it's the answer to brain fog, muscle loss, and midlife fatigue.
But here's the problem: most of the information out there is either oversimplified, flat-out wrong, or designed for 23-year-old men trying to maximize their bench press.
Almost none of it is made for you—a woman in midlife whose body is operating under a completely different set of rules than it was ten years ago.
So I spent the last week deep in the research. Not skimming Instagram posts. Not watching influencer hot takes. I read the peer-reviewed studies, the meta-analyses, the systematic reviews—the stuff that doesn't fit into a 60-second reel.
And here's what I found: creatine isn't just for muscle. It's a cellular energy substrate that supports both physical and cognitive function. And the populations who might benefit most? Older adults. Vegetarians. People under chronic stress or sleep deprivation.
In other words: a lot of us.
This is Part 1 of a 2-part series. Today we're covering what creatine actually is and what the research shows. Next Tuesday (February 3rd), Part 2 tackles myths, safety, and how to decide if it's right for you.
🎧 In Part 1, we cover:
What creatine actually is—and why it matters for midlife women
How the ATP-phosphocreatine system powers both muscle and brain
Why women tend to have lower creatine stores (and why that matters)
The difference between endogenous creatine, dietary creatine, and supplementation
Why being in midlife changes everything
How estrogen decline accelerates muscle loss
Why recovery takes longer—and what creatine might do about it
The connection between sleep deprivation and cognitive performance
Why brain fog might be partly an energy problem
What the research actually shows:
Strength & muscle: Meta-analyses show creatine + resistance training significantly improves lean mass and strength in postmenopausal women
Cognition & memory: Emerging evidence for memory, attention, and mental fatigue—especially under stress or sleep deprivation
Mood: Preliminary but compelling studies show creatine may enhance antidepressant response in women with depression
Brain fog: We're extrapolating here—no direct studies on menopausal brain fog yet, but the related evidence is promising
Where the evidence stands
What's solid vs. what's promising vs. what's still uncertain
Why transparency matters more than hype
💡 Key Takeaways from Part 1:
✅ Creatine is a naturally occurring compound your body already makes—supplementing just tops up your stores from ~70% to ~100%
✅ The evidence for muscle preservation and strength is strong—especially when paired with resistance training
✅ The evidence for cognitive support is moderate but promising—particularly for women under chronic stress or sleep deprivation
✅ Vegetarians, women who've lost muscle, and those dealing with fragmented sleep often see the most dramatic responses
✅ Creatine + resistance training is the real power move—consistency matters
📚 Research & Resources Cited in Part 1:
General Creatine Science
International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: creatine supplementation and exercise — Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (2017)
Creatine supplementation in women's health: A lifespan perspective — Smith-Ryan et al., Nutrients (2021)
Midlife, Menopause & Muscle
The musculoskeletal syndrome of menopause — Climacteric (2024)
Can Taking Creatine Help Women Stay Healthy as They Age? — University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Strength, Lean Mass & Functional Performance
Meta-Analysis on Creatine Ingestion Strategies for Lean Tissue Mass and Strength in Older Adults — Candow et al., Nutrients (2019)
A 2-yr Randomized Controlled Trial on Creatine Supplementation during Exercise for Postmenopausal Bone Health — Chilibeck et al., Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (2023)
Cognition, Memory & Brain Health
The effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis — Frontiers in Nutrition (2024)
Effects of creatine supplementation on memory in healthy individuals — Psychopharmacology (2022)
Sleep Deprivation & Cognitive Performance
Effect of creatine supplementation and sleep deprivation on cognitive and psychomotor performance, mood state, and plasma concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol — McMorris et al., Psychopharmacology (2007)
Mood, Depression & Mental Health
Oral Creatine Monohydrate Augmentation for Enhanced Response to SSRIs in Women With Major Depressive Disorder — Lyoo et al., American Journal of Psychiatry (2012)
Menopause & Brain Fog
Menopause and cognitive impairment: A narrative review of current knowledge — World Journal of Psychiatry (2021)
🔜 Coming in Part 2 (February 3rd):
Myths debunked (bulky fears, kidney damage, "just water weight")
Safety data from decades of research
Dosing, timing, form—what actually matters
Decision framework: Is creatine right for YOU?
Research gaps and what we still don't know
💬 Let’s Stay Connected:
Check out my Women's Group Trips
Subscribe to UA Wild Chronicles (weekly newsletter)
Connect with me on Instagram
Follow me on Substack
Subscribe to my Spotify Playlist
⚠️ Disclaimer:
I'm not a doctor, scientist, or medical expert—I'm your guide, not your prescriber. This podcast is for informational purposes only. I bring you research-backed conversations so you can ask better questions and make informed decisions—not to give you personal medical advice. Always check with a qualified health professional for your own situation, especially if you have pre-existing conditions or take medications.
If this episode was valuable, share it with a friend who's navigating midlife and looking for real, evidence-based guidance.
Part 2 drops next Tuesday. Don't miss it.
Until next time... Stay wild ⛰️💫🌵