Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

You were never meant to lose strength, energy, muscle, and confidence just because your hormones started changing!  In this episode of Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause, Louise Valentine, a leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, breaks down how perimenopause can affect fat storage, protein absorption, blood sugar, recovery, running performance, and injury risk. She challenges the outdated belief that women are destined to lose muscle, see our body composition, health, fitness, and bones decline with age. She explains why the right tools, fueling strategy, strength work, and hormone-supportive nutrition can change the outcome - and how it is for hundreds of women throughout the world.
Louise also explains why active women need more high-quality protein compared to the general population, why low-carb dieting and fasted training backfire, and how blood sugar crashes most often show up as fatigue, cravings, night sweats, poor sleep, or stubborn belly fat. This episode is especially useful for female runners and active women over 35 who want to understand their changing bodies without fear, confusion, misleading fads, or extreme rules. 
Most importantly, this episode is a reminder that your body is not broken. It just needs a smarter strategy for this new phase of life. 
This is the conversation every active woman over 35 should hear - because understanding that's happening changes everything.
Get ready to learn and level up with a heck of a lot less stress and confusion! Then, share this episode with your fierce female friends so you can thrive together.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ 
Learn & level up faster with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here, including the Gut Health, Ferritin & Injury Prevention mini courses + Free Summer Planning Workshop mentioned throughout this podcast series.
Learn more on my blog here with client success stories & articles, including simple female age 35+ specific hydration & long running fueling strategies. 
Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off!  A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW.  Thank you!
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:31) Understanding perimenopause and hormone changes
(4:06) How hormones affect fat storage
(5:30) Protein, muscle, and bone health
(7:59) Why protein quality matters more now
(13:48) Carbs, blood sugar, and insulin resistance
(18:25) Fatigue, cravings, sleep, and blood sugar crashes
(25:36) Why low-carb diets can backfire
(26:08) Why fasted training hurts female hormones
(28:13) What’s coming in the next episode
(29:48) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!
Email 💬  [email protected]

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https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

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Your body is not failing you. However, it is likely asking you to change the way you fuel, train, and live to support it as your hormones change.
In this episode of Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause, Louise Valentine, a multi award-winning women's integrative health practitioner, exercise physiologist and performance scientist, gives an honest, fiery overview of what active women and runners need to understand about perimenopause, hormone shifts, cortisol, belly bloat, energy crashes, sleep issues, gut health, and stubborn body composition changes. 
She explains why many women feel frustrated when the usual advice around running, dieting, fasting, supplements, or even general medical support does not fully address what is happening in their changing bodies.
Louise also shares why ambitious, fitness-minded women often notice symptoms earlier because they are so tuned in to performance, recovery, strength, digestion, and mood. This episode helps listeners see that hormone havoc is not something to ignore or “push through.” With the right education, fueling, training, and stress support, women can work with their female physiology instead of against it and keep feeling strong, energized, and capable as they age.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ 
Learn & level up faster with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here, including the Gut Health, Ferritin & Injury Prevention mini courses + Free Summer Planning Workshop mentioned throughout this podcast series.
Learn more on my blog here with client success stories & articles, including simple female age 35+ specific hydration & long running fueling strategies. 
Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off!  A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW.  Thank you!
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:08) What changes during perimenopause
(8:06) Perimenopause can begin early
(14:43) Why research gaps still matter
(24:41) Why common methods backfire
(31:45) Working with female physiology
(38:45) Hormone shifts after age 35
(39:39) Cortisol, stress, and inflammation
(41:10) Why lower belly bloat happens
(47:04) When cortisol disrupts sleep
(55:09) How hormones affect fat storage
(56:15) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!
Email 💬  [email protected]

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

What happens when the goal you once wanted starts costing you the life, energy, long-term health or body composition results you actually want?
In this relatable episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading exercise physiologists, health, and performance scientists, welcomes Jen back for a conversation about midlife fitness, perimenopause, running goals, family stress, and learning when to pivot. They share how training for the Cleveland half marathon became harder than expected, not because they were doing anything “wrong,” but because life, hormones, recovery, and stress started to collide.
Louise and Jen talk about the importance of listening to your body, watching signs like energy, HRV, inflammation, thyroid symptoms, and loss of joy in training. They explore why chasing a PR is not always worth it if it comes at the cost of health, physique changes, improving strength, family connection, or long-term wellness.
This episode is a powerful reminder that midlife fitness is not about quitting. It is about adjusting with wisdom. 
Listeners will walk away encouraged to honor their current season, protect their energy, and build a fitness plan that supports strength, joy, hormones, and longevity. Remember: It's not a no, it may just be a "not right now".
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ 
Learn & level up faster with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here, including the “Injury Prevention for Runners” & free Summer Planning course mentioned in this episode.
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off!  A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW.  Thank you!
Save $25 off Function Health comprehensive functional labs here. With every sale, $25 goes back to support BTW. Discount code is “LVALENTINE11” Thank you! 
Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:02) Midlife stress, hormones, and fitness goals
(5:30) When half marathon training stopped feeling good
(9:43) Fitness data improved, but the body felt worse
(11:43) Family crisis, thyroid symptoms, and calling it
(14:18) The importance of adjusting instead of pushing
(16:24) Choosing fun, friendship, and physiology
(18:38) Why priority goals should come first
(21:22) Do less and feel stronger
(23:06) Reconnecting with family
(29:37) HRV, stress, and recovery signals
(34:04) Boundaries, routines, and self-care under crisis
(36:03) The new four-month strength-focused plan
(40:33) Aligning fitness with the future you want
(45:05) Why you cannot chase every goal at once

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!
Email 💬  [email protected]

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Great News: Your strongest, most fit, capable, lean, and healthy body isn't behind you - It's just getting started!
In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading women's integrative health, fitness and performance experts, breaks down whether women can truly return to peak fitness in midlife, especially through perimenopause and menopause. Her answer is yes, but it simply requires redefining what “peak” means relative to working with your changing female physiology. Instead of chasing old PRs or forcing the same training methods from your 20s and 30s, Louise encourages women to build a body that is strong, energized, injury-resistant, and able to support the vibrant, active life they want for decades.
She explains why female runners and active women need to work with their changing hormones, not against them. That includes smarter fueling, strength training, stress and cortisol management, sleep, gut health, and realistic running goals. Louise also challenges the idea that weight loss is the goal, reminding listeners that body recomposition, muscle, bone health, and functional strength matter far more than the number on the scale.
This episode is for any woman who wants to feel strong, capable, fit, and confident in midlife without burning herself out.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ 
Take my Fit & Fabulous Summer Planning Workshop for FREE here!
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off!  A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW.  Thank you!
Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:32) Can women reach peak fitness in midlife?
(4:09) Louise shares her personal health turning points
(9:44) The first key to unlocking peak fitness
(14:10) Redefining PRs and rewriting your story
(16:58) Why female-specific fueling and training matters
(21:52) Managing stress, cortisol, inflammation, and hormones
(26:34) Strength training for runners and injury prevention
(29:51) Body recomposition versus simple weight loss
(37:08) The four ways to redefine peak fitness
(42:14) Trimming the fat and focusing your life
(46:14) Free Fit and Fabulous Summer Planning Workshop
(48:01) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!
Email 💬  [email protected]

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Not every viral menopause tip deserves a place in your body. In this episode of Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading perimenopause experts, gets honest about hormone replacement therapy, menopause hormone therapy, and the confusing advice active women are hearing online.
Louise explains why HRT and MHT should not be treated as a one-size-fits-all solution, especially for women in their 40s who still have powerful ways to support their hormones naturally. 
She challenges - with solid science to back it up - popular trends like weighted vest walking and fear-based messaging around menopause. Louise explains why female-specific fueling, strength training, sleep, lifestyle, and proper lab monitoring should be part of the conversation before jumping into medication.
This episode is especially useful for active women, runners, and high-achievers who want to age strong, protect their bones, feel energized, and make informed choices without panic. Louise encourages listeners to think critically, ask better questions, work with trusted providers, and build a strong foundation that supports the female body through perimenopause and beyond.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ 
Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work: https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?code=LVALENTINE11&_saasquatch=LVALENTINE11 And - $25 goes back to support BTW with each new sign up! Thank you!
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated best supplement picks, by topic, to address various concerns & save 25% off ALL orders!  A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW.  Thank you!
Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Checkout code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:02) Understanding HRT and MHT
(4:12) The problem with viral menopause advice
(7:15) Why evidence-based exercise guidelines matter
(10:19) Is hormone therapy right for everyone?
(12:37) Why weighted vest walking may be risky
(21:22) Building hormones naturally first
(23:00) Working with a knowledgeable provider
(27:22) Menopause is not the end
(30:21) Why HRT must be individualized
(37:51) Why follow-up labs matter
(43:27) Why strong women still need support
(50:28) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!
Email 💬  [email protected]

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness