By: Maya Ellison

For many women, turning 40 marks the start of a new chapter—a time when the body begins to change in ways that are often confusing, frustrating, and even defeating. Menopause brings weight gain, sleep disruptions, mood swings, and a cascade of hormonal upheaval. For those still caught in the cycle of yo-yo dieting, the experience can be especially disheartening. That’s exactly why Debbie Harris’s new book, Dieting Sucks for Women Over 40: 30 to Life – The Ultimate Weight Loss and Hormone Balancing Solution, resonates deeply for many.

Harris, an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Certified Hypnotist, is no stranger to the struggles her readers face. In fact, her story is woven through every page of her book. “All of it,” she says. “This book is a deeply personal journey for me. I was the ‘fat kid’ in school. I was made fun of and spent my entire life going from diet to diet.” Her first brush with dieting came at just 12 years old. By her early 60s, she’d spent five decades trapped in the exhausting loop of hope, restriction, temporary success, and eventual regain. “I felt depressed, defeated, unattractive, and uncomfortable in my body and my clothes,” she reflects. “I knew how miserable I had been trying to take weight off during and after menopause.”

That misery was the spark that lit the fire for Dieting Sucks. After finally breaking free from the diet cycle and regaining control of her health, Harris went back to school to train professionally and began coaching women who echoed her own struggles. The need for this book became urgent. “I wanted to shed light on those dark places I had been and knew that other women were experiencing the same thing,” she says.

But Dieting Sucks is not just another diet book claiming six-pack abs and green smoothies. It’s a manifesto for midlife women ready to stop punishing their bodies and start listening to them instead.

A New Message for a New Season of Life

Harris challenges the long-standing myths of the weight loss industry, especially the outdated dogma that success boils down to willpower, eating less, and moving more. “That one-size-fits-all advice doesn’t work,” she asserts. “Hormones matter. Emotional eating matters. And mindset is everything.”

What makes her approach refreshing is its rejection of perfectionism. “I don’t sell deprivation,” Harris says. “I offer empowerment.” This ethos permeates the book, which blends practical tools, such as hormone-balancing food strategies, guided meditations, and journaling prompts, with heartfelt stories and an unmistakable sense of humor. “This book is a conversation, not a lecture,” she says. “I know the mind games women play, and the emotional challenges around food, weight, and loving our bodies.”

At its core, Dieting Sucks is about rewriting the rules for women over 40. It offers a path toward feeling vibrant, youthful, and in control again, but without shame, obsession, or restriction. “There is a way to minimize menopause symptoms, release excess weight, sleep more comfortably, look healthier, feel amazing, and do it all with foods that work for our bodies,” Harris says. “I wanted women to know they aren’t alone.”

Beyond the Plate: Food as Culture, Comfort, and Connection

Unlike many wellness books that focus exclusively on nutrition, Dieting Sucks acknowledges that food is more than fuel, it’s tied to memories, identity, and emotional well-being. Harris doesn’t believe in labeling foods as “good” or “bad” or in banning the things we love. Instead, she teaches readers how to build a healthier relationship with food, one rooted in self-awareness and grace.

“Women are constantly marketed to with the next new way to reduce weight,” she says. “I wanted to give women a way to reach their ideal healthy weight while still understanding how to enjoy the foods they feel emotionally drawn to.”

This inclusive perspective is especially important for women dealing with the emotional upheaval of menopause. “So many challenges pull at women as they approach menopause: physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental,” she explains. Dieting Sucks addresses them all with compassion and clarity.

From Struggle to Service: A Coach Who’s Walked the Path

The credibility of Harris’s message lies in her lived experience. She’s not a 20-something influencer with a fast metabolism and a blender full of kale. She’s a 60-something woman who has lived through the storm and emerged stronger, wiser, and more joyful. That’s exactly what her readers find so compelling.

In addition to her book, Harris offers online coaching, meditations, and a supportive community through her 30 to Life Community Membership, designed to help women implement the principles in Dieting Sucks. Her resource center and video guides create an accessible way for women to get started, especially those feeling overwhelmed by conflicting health information.

“I knew I had to provide women with a way to reclaim their ideal healthy weight, minimize menopause symptoms, replace outdated beliefs and behaviors with those that align with a healthy, vibrant lifestyle, and foster a positive relationship with food,” Harris says.

The Takeaway: It’s Not Too Late, and You’re Not Alone

Dieting Sucks for Women Over 40 is more than a catchy title, it’s a rallying cry for women who’ve been let down by the weight loss industry, ignored by traditional medicine, and dismissed by a culture that tells them their best years are behind them. Debbie Harris is here to tell them otherwise.

With wisdom, wit, and a generous dose of realness, she’s created a guide that’s not about losing weight, it’s about gaining freedom. Freedom from shame. Freedom from restriction. Freedom from feeling invisible.

“Menopause is a great time of life, to be celebrated,” she says. “Feeling out of control is not necessary.”

Thanks to Debbie Harris, thousands of women are discovering that truth for themselves, and finally stepping into a version of health that feels sustainable, authentic, and joyful.

Dieting Sucks for Women Over 40 is available on Amazon and through the author’s official website, offering readers a comprehensive, compassionate, and empowering roadmap to reclaiming their health and vitality.

Disclaimer: The content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical or professional advice. Readers are encouraged to consult with a healthcare provider before making significant changes to their diet, exercise, or wellness routine. Individual results may vary.