Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

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

In mid-life, unlocking the next level of your health, fitness, or performance is not about doing more, but doing the right things that work with your changing female body - and with consistency.
In this episode, Louise, a one of the world's leading women's integrative health practitioners and exercise physiologists, shares four simple reminders for women in perimenopause who want to feel strong, energized, and in control again. She talks about how easy it is to feel overwhelmed when your body starts changing, especially if you are someone who is driven, active, and used to pushing through.
One of the biggest takeaways is that the potential you admire in the success stories you hear from the women of Breaking Through Wellness already exists in you. Louise also explains why real, authentic support matters so much in this season. Social media noise, random advice, and trying to figure it all out alone can keep women stuck. Instead, she encourages listeners to find a trusted support system, protect their time and energy, and stay consistent with simple habits that actually fit their life.
This episode is helpful for any woman who feels frustrated by changing hormones, low energy, body changes, or the pressure of balancing health, family, work, and fitness. It is a practical reminder that progress is still possible, one simple step at a time.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Don’t miss out: Join my free Fit & Fabulous Summer Planning Workshop here!
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/ 
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address various 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
(8:50) Four simple steps for perimenopause
(11:28) Coming back to the basics
(14:17) The potential already lives in you
(16:34) Why real support matters
(24:08) Find authentic support that helps
(29:24) Create more time and energy
(43:29) Start with one simple change
(44:04) Consistency is the missing piece
(48:27) Final reminder and next steps
(49:07) 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 if fueling your best health, hormones, physique, and fitness in perimenopause didn't have to be confusing, complicated, or suck? Answer: It doesn't have to!
In this episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading women's integrative health practitioners and exercise physiologists, and her client Jen talk about why dinner can feel like the breaking point for so many women, especially busy, active moms and runners trying to stay lean, energized, and healthy. 
They break down how simple, yet strategically balanced meals can support better hormones, stable happy blood sugar, eliminate cravings, improve sleep, and provide your best energy for training and daily life. Also, why and how they eat nachos nearly every single week!
This conversation takes the pressure off perfection - yet still drives kickass results! 
Instead of pushing restriction, Louise and Jen focus on practical ways to build meals with enough protein, carbs, veggies, and healthy fats so eating well feels realistic for the whole family. They also share helpful ideas for sports nights, batch cooking, healthier swaps, and teaching kids that food is fuel - not be feared, but also not to be treated as an everyday buffet of sugar and less nourishing snacks. This episode is especially useful for women who feel like they do well all day, then lose control at night. 
The big takeaway is that dinner does not need to be complicated. With a little strategy, it can become one of the best tools for feeling better.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Find Louise’s super simple Gluten Free Low Sugar Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe on the Breaking Through Wellness blog here
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/ 
Check out my FullScript here where you can see curated best supplement picks & save 20% off under “Catalog” → “Favorites”   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, including our favorite omega supplement to pair with dinner, Kion Omega. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:50) Part one and two meal strategy overview
(4:42) Teaching kids balance instead of restriction
(7:47) Why protein fats and carbs matter
(10:20) Healthier nacho night and chip swaps
(13:14) How to build a filling balanced dinner
(15:18) Why potatoes and rice are not the enemy
(17:19) Managing dinner on busy sports nights
(18:12) Batch cooking and quick carb ideas
(20:36) Using fruit as simple fuel
(22:39) Keeping healthy dinners practical and realistic
(24:15) Why taking care of yourself matters
(26:49) How better dinners improve sleep and symptoms
(29:28) 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