Move over Peter Attia.

I know you’re eating sandwich crusts for breakfast and calling it a meal, because I’m a busy parent and I’ve done that! You’re probably skipping meals, forgetting to eat until 3 PM, or you’re finding yourself irritable and anxious mid-afternoon, so this episode is your wake-up call.

Dr. Valerie Hertzog returns to talk about chronic under-fueling. As a longevity-focused medical doctor and coach, Dr. Val breaks down why those "feast or famine" eating patterns are sabotaging your energy, hormones, and long-term health, and what to do about it. Dr. Val also breaks down metabolic health, the protein trend, perimenopause, muscle building, and simple strategies for actually fueling yourself properly without adding another complicated system to your plate.

In this episode, we cover:

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:46) Val's new role at a longevity clinic & what longevity actually means

• (09:27) Metabolic health, hormones, and eating: the connections no one talks about

• (20:40) Perimenopause decoded: what it is and the fear-mongering around it

• (28:07) The protein trend: why we need it and how much strength training you actually need

• (34:11) VO2 max and cardio zones explained

• (38:24) Why busy parents are chronically under-fueling and how to fix it

• (41:47) Simple fueling strategies: the bento box approach and protein at breakfast

• (49:40) Cravings, fake sugars, and Val's final advice

KEY TAKEAWAY

Keep it simple and start small. Focus on eating every 3-4 hours with protein and fibre at breakfast. Think bento box style—simple components you can grab throughout the day. Don't try to overhaul everything at once; sustainable changes happen gradually, not overnight.

About Dr. Valerie Hertzog

Dr. Valerie Hertzog is a family physician with a strong focus on preventive and lifestyle medicine, dedicated to helping patients live better, longer. With a passion for evidence-based care, she empowers individuals to take control of their long-term health through personalized strategies that support vitality, energy, and resilience at every age. She completed her medical training at the University of Toronto and the University of Ottawa and is a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician with the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine. She also has training in cognitive behavioural therapy, motivational interviewing, and nutrition, which she integrates into her clinical approach to address the underlying drivers of chronic disease and age-related health challenges. Her interest in longevity and proactive health was shaped by her own medical journey during training, deepening her appreciation for sustainable, preventative care. As a wellness coach and mother of three, she brings both clinical expertise and real-life experience to her work. Dr. Hertzog is committed to helping patients optimize their healthspan so they can feel their best, stay active, and thrive well into the future.

Connect with Dr. Valerie Hertzog

Website | https://valeriehertzog.com/ | https://lifespanmd.ca/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.valerie.hertzog

Linkedin | https://www.linkedin.com/in/valeriehertzogmd/

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredout.podcast

Ever wondered what it's really like behind the mic? In this special behind-the-scenes episode, Sarah Chapman-Funston turns the tables and interviews Andrea about the real story of starting and sustaining a podcast as a working mom. From launching in her first trimester to navigating "mama stay" moments, Andrea gets vulnerable about the wins, the struggles, and why she keeps showing up—even when it's not always easy.

In this episode, we cover:

• (00:00) Intro

• (02:22) The audacity of starting a podcast in your first trimester

• (05:05) What's changed in two years (spoiler: she grew an entire human)

• (09:42) The real reason Andrea keeps podcasting (hint: it's not about money)

• (14:37) How she actually makes it work day-to-day with two kids

• (18:01) Rhythms over routines: The 80/20 default system

• (24:05) The heartbreak of "mama stay" and what it's teaching her

• (25:25) What's next: Video, bigger guests, and staying curious

KEY TAKEAWAY

Follow the breadcrumbs. You don't need to have it all figured out to start something meaningful. Test it out, stay flexible, and remember: impact matters more than immediate income. Even one person's transformation makes it worth it.

About Sarah Chapman-Funston

Sarah Chapman-Funston is the founder of SCF Marketing and a seasoned brand and content strategist. After a decade in corporate marketing, she launched her consulting business to work with small businesses and founders in a way that’s strategic, sustainable, and human. She’s also a mom of two and lives in the Vancouver area. Looking for strategic marketing support without the overhead of a full agency? Book an intro call with Sarah or learn more at ⁠scfmarketing.ca⁠

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredout.podcast

📆Download your Ideal Schedule Template → https://andreabarr.myflodesk.com/idealschedule

Ever looked at your calendar and realized it's telling a story you didn't mean to write? This New Year episode is all about the uncomfortable truth: your schedule reveals what you actually value, not what you think you value.

Andrea shares the gut-punch moment when her husband sat her down after returning from maternity leave and said, "You're not happy—and I can feel it." That wake-up call led to a complete audit of how she was spending her time and energy.

In this episode, Andrea walks you through a 3-step process to identify the gap between how you're living and what you truly value, and more importantly, how to close that gap.

In this episode, we cover:

• (00:00) Intro

• (00:34) Why your calendar already tells a story about you and your family

• (03:06) The three steps to audit your life: time, desires, and action

• (04:17) Two real examples: the hockey mom who's burnt out from driving kids everywhere, and Andrea's own return-to-work crisis

• (08:20) Going deeper: what do you REALLY want? (It's not just "less driving")

• (10:29) The action plan: quick wins vs. long-term changes

• (12:43) How hard is this really? Rating your own transformation

• (16:20) The power of enrolling others in your change

• (18:16) Why this isn't a "set it and forget it" exercise

• (19:50) Recalibration sessions: how Andrea and her husband check in weekly

• (20:35) Everything comes down to living your values

KEY TAKEAWAY

Your calendar reveals what you actually value (not what you think you value), and this episode gives you the 3-step process to close the gap between how you're living and what truly matters to you.

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea

🎁 ENTER THE HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY → andreabarr.com/giveaway

[HOLIDAY BEST OF SERIES]

This final Throwback Thursday of the holiday series brings you one of your most-loved episodes about navigating major life transitions. If you've ever loved a career but struggled to make it work after kids—or dreamed of starting your own thing—Mackenzie Forge's story will resonate deeply.

Mackenzie has an incredible story of competition, loss, drive, and raising a family. She went from varsity athlete to thriving in commercial real estate—a career she genuinely loved waking up for on Monday mornings. But after having her daughter Kennedy in February 2020 (hello, pandemic parenthood), and then twin boys 11 months later, everything shifted.

In this conversation, Mackenzie opens up about the guilt of not giving enough to either work or family, the moment she decided to leave her career, and how she channeled her business skills into creating Forge Magnetic Clothing—beautiful magnetic bibs and clothing for babies and toddlers.

This episode is for anyone who's trying to figure out how to honor both their career drive and their family values—and for anyone who needs to hear that leaving doesn't mean giving up.

In this episode, we cover:

• (04:55) Mackenzie's varsity athlete background and overcoming depression after leaving sports
• (07:49) 2014: A year of big highs and devastating lows—losing her mom, career changes, and meeting her husband
• (09:49) Why she absolutely loved her commercial real estate career
• (14:08) The pivot point: joining CREW and getting pregnant
• (15:42) Having Kennedy in February 2020 and pandemic parenthood
• (17:32) The challenging transition back to work part-time
• (19:45) Why boundaries are complicated in time-sensitive industries
• (21:50) The decision to leave after compensation changes and feeling like she was failing everywhere
• (24:07) Finding out about twins (and thinking it was triplets!)
• (27:29) Starting Forge Magnetic Clothing from a real problem she needed to solve
• (28:29) The frustration of snap bibs and why magnets changed everything
• (30:02) Building nine prototypes over 10 months while raising three kids
• (33:39) Finding fulfillment in entrepreneurship beyond just the money
• (35:20) The universe's hand: Would she have gone back to real estate if not for twins?
• (37:21) What's on the horizon for Forge Magnetics
• (40:07) Advice for ambitious moms trying to balance it all
• (42:27) What Mackenzie is still figuring out in 2024

About Mackenzie Forge:Mackenzie is a mom of 3 vivacious toddlers and the founder of Forge Magnetic Clothing. She was born and raised in North Vancouver and had a successful career in Commercial Real Estate, which she left in 2022, after finishing her second maternity leave, choosing to spend more time with her children and start a business.

Shop Forge Magnetics:

Website | https://forgemagnetic.com/

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/forgemagnetic/

Special offer for All Figured Out listeners:Use code ALLFIGUREDOUT10 for 10% off your purchase!(Code is limited to one use per customer)

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Instagram | ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Resume Shop⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Beautiful, customizable resumes to land your dream job

🎁 ENTER THE HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY → andreabarr.com/giveaway

[HOLIDAY BEST OF SERIES]

This Throwback Thursday brings you one of our most impactful episodes on parenting. If you've ever felt overwhelmed trying to raise resilient, well-adjusted children—or if you're working to break cycles from your own childhood—this conversation with Nurse Practitioner Kathleen Sullivan is essential listening.

Raising children can (most of the time) be a mystery and a lot of trial and error. Add to that, trying to figure out how to raise resilient, well-adjusted, happy, and healthy children...and cue overwhelm.

That's why we have Kathleen Sullivan here: she's going to share with us ALL about how we can raise resilient children.

Kathleen is a Nurse Practitioner who, throughout her career, has worked with children in many different clinical settings. Currently, Kathleen works clinically with youth in mental health and substance abuse, and also serves in a leadership role developing education programs. She is part of a Doctors of BC working group focused on adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and childhood trauma prevention.

In this episode, we cover:

• (03:33) Kathleen's career pivot from pediatric nursing to becoming a Nurse Practitioner
• (11:29) The definition of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)
• (13:35) The groundbreaking ACEs study and its surprising findings on long-term health impacts
• (21:02) How trauma physically changes the brain—and how quality care can reverse those changes
• (37:00) The four S's of secure parenting: Safe, Seen, Soothed, and Secure
• (32:00) Practical ways to build resilience in children through attachment and connection
• (28:29) How to break generational trauma cycles
• (30:10) Resources for parents navigating these challenges

CONTENT ADVISORY: We will be talking about trauma and adverse childhood experiences in a theoretical sense. Topics include child abuse, neglect, mental illness, and substance abuse. Please do what you need to do to take care of your mental health, and skip this episode if this topic isn't speaking to you right now.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Book: Raising a Secure Child by Ken Hoffman
• Book: The Power of Showing Up by Dan Siegel
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy
• Doctors of BC Working Group on Adverse Childhood Experiences

About Kathleen Sullivan

Kathleen is a family Nurse Practitioner with a clinical practice in a youth mental health and substance use. She recently joined the leadership team as a lead with the Regional Professional Practice NP team with a focus on supporting quality practice environment and excellence in clinic practice for NPs, specifically in urgent care and primary care. After completing a capstone in Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Kathleen joined the provincial ACEs working group with Doctors of BC. Outside of work, she finds balance exploring trails and mountaintops with her partner and giant dog.

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠⁠⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠⁠⁠

Instagram | ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Resume Shop⁠⁠⁠ – Beautiful, customizable resumes to land your dream job

🎁 ENTER THE HOLIDAY GIVEAWAY → https://www.andreabarr.com/giveaway

[HOLIDAY BEST OF SERIES]

This week's Throwback Thursday features one of your most-loved episodes from early in the podcast. If you're navigating the tension between career ambition and new motherhood—or questioning what success really means after becoming a parent—this conversation will resonate deeply.

Trigger Warning: Topics such as disordered eating, infertility, and infant loss do come up in this episode. Please do what you need to do to take care of your mental health, and skip this episode if those topics just won't jive with you today.

Today, I have Meredith MacKenzie on the show sharing her career story. And if there's one thing I've learned from coaching working parents and chatting with Meredith, it's that it's never just a career story—it's a life story.

Our conversation spans Meredith's drive as a high achiever, her fertility challenges, and the current questions she's asking herself as she finishes her maternity leave, juggles her doctorate degree, and decides what to do about her return to work and considerations for family planning. As you can tell, we cover a lot here.

Meredith is a Counsellor and the Founder of Parallel Wellness. Her team provides mental health therapy services to individuals, couples and families throughout British Columbia. Meredith is also a PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia and first-time mom. Meredith supports women in overcoming years of dieting, poor body image, binge eating and emotional eating, so they can reconnect with their body's true needs and find freedom from food and diet culture.

For Meredith, figuring it all out has been understanding herself more deeply, weighing her career, her health, and her family values, and learning to put herself first.

To connect with Meredith MacKenzie:

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/parallelwellness/ | https://www.instagram.com/dr.meredithmackenzie/

YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@dr.meredithmackenzie

To learn about her current offerings and group programs, visit her platforms above

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠⁠

Instagram | ⁠https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea⁠

⁠⁠Resume Shop⁠⁠ – Beautiful, customizable resumes to land your dream job

What happens when you have four kids by age 27, right as the women's movement is taking off? Jennifer Manocherian's story reads like several lifetimes woven into one—and at 86, she's not done. From family therapist to divorce mediator to Broadway producer to novelist, Jennifer has reinvented herself more times than most people change jobs.

This conversation touches on resilience, letting go of guilt, and understanding that life is long enough to try again. If you've ever felt like you're running out of time or that you need to have it all figured out by a certain age, Jennifer's going to change your mind.

In this episode, we cover:

• (12:17) Creating art from mannequins while recovering from a broken back – Why Jennifer can't stop starting new projects.

• (16:01) The cusp of the women's movement – How Jennifer navigated her 30s with four kids, a traditional husband, and a burning desire to work that didn't fit the era's expectations

• (19:14) Getting her undergraduate degree at 34, while having her 5th child – Why alternative education programs gave Jennifer the flexibility she needed to finish what she started

• (23:41) Creating a PR department out of thin air – How Jennifer built a public relations role through sheer creativity and hustle

• (29:21) Walking away from Broadway – The moment Jennifer realized theatre producing was too hard on her family life, and why she had to shift her ambition to save what mattered most

• (38:10) "The worst thing is wanting something and not doing it" – Jennifer's philosophy on risk, failure, and why trying (even if you fail) beats regret every single time

• (52:45) The arbitrary pressure of "figuring it out by 40" – Jennifer's response to the idea that you need to have your life sorted by a certain age: "You take your temperature as you go along and readjust."

KEY TAKEAWAY

Life is long, and wanting something you don't pursue hurts worse than trying and failing. "I think the worst thing that can happen is wanting something and not doing it. I'm not afraid to risk making a mistake or being wrong."

About Jennifer Manocherian

Jennifer Manocherian, 86, has had more careers than most people have decades. She's been a publicist, family therapist, divorce mediator, Broadway producer, filmmaker, novelist, and screenwriting teacher—often reinventing herself just as she was getting good at the last thing.

Her creative work spans film (Family Blues on Amazon Prime, If I Tell You awaiting release), musical theater (Marry Harry, LULU), and novels (Alpha Bette, with a second in progress). She's also a wife, mother of five, grandmother of fifteen, great-grandmother of one, and a self-proclaimed creator of "weird art pieces."

At 86, she's still teaching, writing, and figuring out what's next—because as she'll tell you, life is long.

Connect with Jennifer

Website | https://jennifermanocherian.net

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/jennifermanocherian

LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-manocherian-2421855/

Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/jmanocherian

About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out:

Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea

⁠Resume Shop⁠ – Beautiful, customizable resumes to land your dream job

What does it take to walk away from 19 years of federal leadership to start completely over? Yaa-Hemaa Obiri-Yeboah shares her remarkable journey from political refugee to Rhodes Scholar to federal executive—and why she ultimately chose to leave it all behind. This conversation goes deep on career pivots, generational workplace dynamics, the messy reality of transitioning back to work after mat leave, and what it really means to "operate from your power." If you've ever felt successful on paper but unfulfilled in your soul, this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• (04:01) Surviving a political coup as an infant – How Yaa-Hemaa's family fled Ghana when her father refused to participate in a military coup, eventually landing in Canada as political refugees

• (18:19) The "public servant by day, singer-songwriter by night" era – How Yaa-Hemaa juggled federal leadership with performing at jazz bars and releasing an EP, all while appearing on CBC radio in the morning and rushing to work for executive meetings

• (23:26) Getting promoted while on maternity leave – Yaa-Hemaa passed executive-level exams and interviews when her son was under 3 months old, proving that motherhood doesn't pause ambition (even when you're sleep-deprived)

• (27:13) Why the pandemic was actually good for her family – With her parents moving in to create a supportive pod, Yaa-Hemaa had the village most working parents dream of during those early years

• (47:17) The return-to-office debate – Why mandating in-office days without intentional connection is missing the entire point (and frustrating everyone in the process)

KEY TAKEAWAY

Success on paper doesn't equal fulfillment in your soul—and it's okay to walk away from what looks good to find what feels right. "I wanna be able to operate from my power."

Connect with Yaa-Hemaa Obiri-Yeboah

Website | https://theyvariable.com/

LinkedIn | Yaa-Hemaa Obiri-Yeboah

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/itstheyvariable/

TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@itstheyvariable

Online Course Career School by The Y Variable: Your First 30 Days…and Beyond

Connect with Andrea

Website | ⁠https://www.andreabarr.com/⁠

Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea

⁠Resume Shop⁠ – Beautiful, customizable resumes to land your dream job