38. The One Where You Quit Optimizing Everything

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In this episode of The Fatigue Fixer, Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur explores the hidden costs of self-optimization and productivity culture in today’s wellness world. From diet trends and self-help books to hydration hacks and weight management products, she unpacks how marketing convinces us we’re never doing enough.

Through personal stories and listener insights, Sarah shares how this constant pressure leads to burnout, body dissatisfaction, and shame. She offers practical tips for navigating body changes in perimenopause and midlife, overcoming internalized weight stigma, and building simple, sustainable habits that support real health and self-acceptance.

If you’re ready to break free from diet culture and endless self-help trends, this episode will help you find balance, contentment, and a healthier way to care for yourself.

What We Cover

• The Myth of Perfect Optimization
  Why every sip, step, and sleep metric doesn’t need a hack; how normal human changes are being medicalized and sold back to us.
  
  
• Productivity & Expectations
  The planner-buying loop, self-help books (often written by men, consumed by women), and how unrealistic cultural narratives—not your willpower—drive burnout.
  
  
• Listener Q&A: Weight Gain & Self-Acceptance (Rebecca)
  A 5-step reflection to identify what you’re really seeking (comfort, calm, confidence) and to focus on feelings and habits over the scale.
  
  
• Reframing Body Changes
  Bodies are meant to change with age; let labs and health outcomes—not shame—guide concern. How internalized weight stigma backfires.
  
  
• Habits Over Outcomes
  Why the healthiest people keep it simple, consistent, and joyful instead of chasing every trend.
  
  

Key Takeaways

• Your body changing is normal; society’s expectations are the problem—not you.
  
  
• The self-help/wellness industries are massive businesses; stay skeptical of “optimization” as a cure-all.
  
  
• Internalized weight stigma harms health and hope; focus on well-being, not just weight.
  
  
• Consistency beats perfection: simple habits > shiny outcomes.
  
  
• Sometimes the healthiest choice is to simply be, not optimize.
  
  

Try This (Mini Homework)

1. Name the Need: When you want to “fix,” ask: What feeling am I chasing—comfort, calm, confidence, connection, control?
   
   
2. One Gentle Habit: Choose one habit that supports that feeling (e.g., 10-minute walk for calm).
   
   
3. Unfollow One Hype Account: Make space for your own intuition.
   
   
4. Contentment Cue: Once a day, pause and say, “This is enough for today.”
   
   

Resources & Further Listening

• Ep 1: The One Where Your Pants Don't Fit
  
  
• Ep 26: The One Where You Build Habits That Last with Katie Falloon-Drew
  
  

Waist-to-hip & waist-to-height ratio info:

BMI (body mass index) is a poor predictor of your personal health because it can both overestimate and underestimate your level of adiposity (fat mass).

The following measurements are better at assessing if your weight may be increasing your risk for disease.

1. Waist circumference:

Male: More than 94 cm (37 inches) is increased risk; more than 102 cm (40 inches) is substantially increased risk.

Female: More than 80 cm (31.5 inches) is increased risk; more than 88 cm (35 inches) is substantially increased risk.

How to measure your waist:

1. Find the top of your hip bone and the bottom of your ribs.
2. Breathe out normally.
3. Place the tape measure midway between these points, in line with your belly button, and wrap it around your waist loose enough to fit one finger inside the tape.
4. Check your measurement.

2. Waist to Hip Ratio: Measures the ratio of your waist circumference to your hip circumference. It can help determine how much fat is stored on your waist, hips, and buttocks.

The World Health Organization (WHO) uses cut-off points, or maximum WHRs, to determine a person’s risk of developing metabolic complications. The cut-off ratios are:

• Men: 0.90 or less
• Women: 0.85 or less

How to measure your waist to hip ratio:

1. Stand up straight and breathe out. Use a tape measure to check the distance around the smallest part of your waist, just above the level of your belly button. This is your waist circumference (WC).
2. Measure the distance around the largest part of your hips — the widest part of your buttocks. This is your hip circumference (HC).
3. Enter your results in this calculator.

3. Waist to Height Ratio: Ideally should be less than 0.5 (or 50%)

How to measure:

1. Measure your waist circumference (See instructions above).
2. Enter your result + your height into this calculator.

If you loved this conversation, send it to a friend who’s tired of “optimization” and ready for a softer, saner approach. And don’t forget to leave me a voicemail—I’d love to feature your story.

Dr. Sarah Vadeboncoeur is a Naturopathic Doctor, mom, and fatigue fixer who’s on a mission to help women fix their fatigue and get the health care they deserve. You can find her talking about all things fatigue on Instagram and learn more about her services at drsarahv.ca.

The Fatigue Fixer is produced by Story Studio Network.