About Your Menopause Bestie – My Story, My Mission, and Why I'm Here for You
Hi, I’m Heather McCarel.
If you’re a woman in your late 30s, 40s, or early 50s wondering, “Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?” — I want you to know this:
You're not broken. You're in transition. And I'm here to walk through it with you.
I created Wandercoach and this blog, "Your Menopause Bestie," as a safe space for women to understand their bodies, balance their hormones, and finally feel good again. But before I was a certified health and hormone coach, I was a woman on the struggle bus... confused, exhausted, gaining weight, and wondering what the heck was going on with my body.
Let me tell you how I got here.
My Rock Bottom (a.k.a. My Wake-Up Call)
Just before I turned 40, I got a DUI. It was the lowest point in my life.
I was ashamed, scared, and embarrassed and felt like a complete failure. How did I end up here? I was still dealing with grief from losing both of my parents before the age of 35, and within three years of each other. My marriage was on the rocks, but I wasn't ready to give up on it; I was working a job that paid the bills but drained my soul. I was dealing with Hashimoto’s autoimmune thyroid disease and suffering through heavy, painful periods that were band-aided with birth control. I wondered to myself daily if this was just how life was supposed to feel.
Spoiler alert: It’s not.
I knew something had to change.
Almost overnight, I started making changes to reclaim my health—and my life. I slowly reduced my alcohol intake to just a few drinks per month, and now I consider myself mostly "Cali-sober."
Alcohol used to help me feel more social, but I hated how I felt afterward. The bounce-back from a hangover hits a lot different in your 40s (unless you’re paying for an IV drip—which, let's be real, isn’t ideal!). I found natural relief through cannabis and hemp instead—and now use these plant-based tools intentionally to manage stress and anxiety without the damaging side effects.
My Passion For Fitness
In January 2020—just before the world shut down—I joined a small group circuit-style fitness program. These 30-minute classes were a mix of strength, cardio, and functional exercises in a circuit-style HIIT format. When gyms closed during COVID, my gym held outdoor workouts at the park with no more than 10 people.
And unlike old versions of me that might have quit, I didn’t. I showed up. I committed. I kept going.
Eventually, when the world opened again, I added in more strength-based workouts at Planet Fitness. My body started responding. My mindset started shifting. I was getting results, and I was healing. I knew: if I could do it, I had to help other women do it too.
The Moment I Found Cycle Syncing
During my certification journey, I became a group fitness coach at a local studio and started online health coaching with BODi (formerly Beachbody). One day I saw a post that changed everything. It asked:
"Why do men get better results from the same diet & exercise program that women are following even more consistently?"
That hit me. Hard.
It led me to Jenny Swisher’s SYNC course and then to the book In The Flo by Alisa Vitti. I devoured Roar and Next Level by Dr. Stacy Sims and The Period Repair Manual by Dr. Lara Briden. I learned how birth control was contributing to my health issues. I was shocked—and lit up.
Once I understood how much our hormones affect everything in our bodies, I couldn’t keep it to myself. I needed to share it with the world. So, I took Jenny's SYNC course and then got certified as a women's coaching specialist and menopause specialist.
And once I started applying the cycle syncing method to my life, it was like turning the lights back on. My emotions and energy made sense. I learned how to eat to support my body through each phase of my cycle. I finally understood why some days I crushed my workouts—and others, I could barely get through them.
Most importantly? I learned to listen to my body.
Why I Coach Women 40+
Because I am one.
I started my transformation at 40, and I coach women in this age group because I deeply understand what they’re going through.
It’s not just about losing weight. It’s about:
Looking in the mirror and not recognizing yourself
Hot flashes, night sweats, and fatigue disrupting your daily life
Feeling like a stranger in your own body
Feeling dismissed by doctors who say, “You’re fine” when you know you’re not
Struggling to stay focused, energized, and present through the fog
This transition doesn’t have to be miserable. It can be transformational.
My Philosophy & Coaching Style
I’m not just here to help you drop weight. I’m here to help you rise.
My coaching is built on these values:
Hormones affect everything: mood, weight, energy, digestion, immunity
Ovulation is power: even if you’re in menopause, your infradian rhythm matters
Normal isn't optimal: if you feel off, trust that
Integrative medicine is the future: we must treat the whole person
Education = Empowerment: I want to teach you how to understand your body
I am deeply passionate about holistic weight loss, cycle syncing, and helping women step into their midlife era feeling stronger and more intuitive than ever.
My Personal Rituals, Woo Tools, And Who I Am Outside the Coaching Hat
Here's a little peek into the woman behind the bestie vibes:
I’ve got the heart of a hippie, the soul of a gypsy, and the spirit of a mermaid.
I’m shy at first (classic introvert), but once you know me, I’m all laughs, love, and a little bit of woo.
I live for sunshine, beach days, moon rituals, metaphysical magic, and chill Sunday mornings with coffee & cannabis. 🌕
I’m a proud older sister and Auntie. My sister is my best friend (besides my hubby, of course).
I love beach walks for clearing my mind and recharging my spirit. ☀️
I’ve been married to my amazing husband for almost 12 years—he’s my rock and biggest cheerleader.
I’m a stepmom to three awesome humans who are now all grown—and yes, I survived the teenage years with humor and heart.
I’m rocking the dog mom & auntie life. I’ve got two fur babies who rule the house, and my heart belongs to mini-dachshunds. (Short legs, big attitude—relatable, right?)
I use oracle cards daily to connect with my intuition (I have at least 6 decks!). Can you say obsessed? (lol). 🔮
I believe in merging science with soul. That’s where the magic happens.
I follow the moon phases and align my energy with each one, and I track my cycle using the Stardust App and my Oura Ring for deep insights
Life hasn’t always been easy—but it’s made me soft in the right places, strong in the others, and deeply committed to helping women rise with grace and power.
Loss & Legacy: Why This Work Is So Personal
I lost both of my parents to preventable diseases.
My father, like his father, struggled with alcoholism and ultimately lost his life in a fatal car accident in 2009.
My mother had an autoimmune liver disease and was a closet alcoholic. She fell and broke her hip in the summer of 2011, and in the summer of 2012 we lost her. She didn’t survive long enough to get the liver transplant she needed.
My once very sharp-witted, active, and always healthy 99-year-old grandmother is now living locked in a mental health facility, away from her husband, because she's suffering from dementia and diabetes, both of which we now know could have been prevented with hormone therapy when she was younger.
And as I sit here writing this blog post on the couch of my husband's childhood home, we're watching his 79-year-old mother lose her battle with lung cancer and COPD. She too had a fall and broke her hip just two years ago. We continue to struggle to get straight, honest answers from doctors and aren't given all of the information we need to make educated decisions on her care.
This work is my legacy. It’s how I turned my pain into purpose. I want to help women heal before it’s too late. I want you to have information my parents didn’t.
And I want to break the cycle of generational trauma, shame, and silence around women’s health.
You Deserve to Feel Like Yourself Again
This isn’t just a hormone blog. It’s a home for every woman who’s ever asked:
“WTF is happening to my body?”
“Why don’t I feel like myself anymore?”
“Why is nothing working like it used to?”
“Am I the only one going through this?”
I see you. You’re not alone. And you don’t have to figure this out on your own.
Inside Your Menopause Bestie, you’ll find:
Real talk about hormone shifts
Cycle syncing + moon syncing wisdom
Tips for mindset, nutrition, fitness, and body image
A loving community of women just like you
If you’re tired of feeling dismissed, confused, or stuck—I’m here to remind you:
You’re not alone. You’re not crazy. You’re not broken.
You’re in the middle of your becoming. Let’s walk through it together.
Let’s Start Your Journey
Start here: Take my Hormone Blueprint Quiz
→ Get personalized insights into what your hormones are doing—and how to start feeling better now.
Join the 28-Day Cycle Syncing Challenge
Inside my free Facebook community, we’re syncing up, shedding stress, and feeling better than we have in years. You in?
Thank you for being here.
This blog is for YOU. The woman who’s juggling everything and still trying to figure herself out. The one who’s tired of being dismissed, misdiagnosed, or ignored. I’m here to be your coach and your bestie.
You’re not broken, love. You’re in transition.
And you don’t have to go through it alone.
Let’s conquer this perimenopause thing together.
Peace, Love, and Happy Hormones,
Heather
Your Menopause Bestie
