Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

Your daughter may forget what you served for dinner, but she may remember how you talked about your body.
In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading integrative health practitioners and exercise physiologists, explores the fine line between pursuing fat loss, physique goals, and endurance performance while raising children who are watching and listening. 
Drawing from her own childhood health and body composition struggles, work with professional athletes, and experience as a mother of young athletes, she explains why joy, strength, and long-term health should matter more than pressure, appearance, or performance alone.
Louise shares practical ways to build a healthier family culture around food and movement. She discusses explaining the “why” behind nutrition choices, using strength-focused language, treating food as fuel rather than labeling it good or bad, and allowing room for both nourishing meals and fun sports snacks. She also offers simple travel-fueling ideas and reminds listeners that children notice how adults speak about their bodies. 
If you have a daughter, get ready to learn practical tips for empowering her with hormone supportive food choices, female-specific nutrient timing and strategies that are easy to share so she can age strong, fit and vibrantly well, too!
The takeaway is clear: parents can still work toward personal health and physique goals while modeling confidence, flexibility, and respect for the body. Intentional words and everyday habits can help our next generation of fitness lovers and endurance athletes grow up strong, informed, and excited to move - for life.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com
Learn more & apply to join our Podcast Insiders membership here: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/podcastinsiders
Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.
Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work using code “LVALENTINE11”  here.  $25 goes back to support BTW with each new sign up! Thank you!
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplements, 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
(3:04) Pursuing physique goals while daughters watch
(5:00) Protecting young athletes from burnout
(11:22) Explaining the why behind food choices
(14:31) Using strength-focused language around children
(18:18) How children absorb body talk
(25:21) Fueling young athletes without food fear
(27:46) Empowering the next generation through health
(29:04) Practical travel meals and performance fuel
(39:25) Personal health goals and responsible messaging
(41:11) 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 💬  support@breakingthroughwellness.com  
Please note if you want to be a podcast guest, there is a fee and interview process. This is safe space and curated Community exclusively for women who love to feel, look and run our best without B.S. noise, endless pills, extreme diets or misleading fads.

Most often, the habits slowing your progress as your hormones and female physiology change are not the big ones, but the small choices you repeat every week.
In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading health, fitness and performance experts, shares simple nutrition and lifestyle shifts that help women feel their best, mitigate symptoms, support body composition, and run stronger through perimenopause. She explains why progress does not require extreme diets, complicated macros, or traditional high volume or complicated training plans. Instead, strategic and very simple boundaries around foods like cheese, takeout lattes, alcohol, restaurant meals, and portion sizes can make a noticeable difference.
Louise discusses how frequent cheese often contributes to bloating for some women, why sugary lattes can disrupt blood sugar and quietly add extra calories, and how alcohol affects recovery, sleep, mood, nutrient absorption, and fat-loss goals. She also suggests separating alcohol from restaurant meals when possible to reduce the overall stress on the body's detoxification pathways and our changing metabolic processes as we age.
The biggest takeaway is that it's not about perfection. It's simply learning how your body is changing, making one realistic adjustment at a time, and building a healthier relationship with food. Midlife and perimenopause wellness can be simple, flexible, and still leave room for pizza, date nights, and the foods you love.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com
Learn more & apply to join our Podcast Insiders membership here: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/podcastinsiders
Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.
Check out my FullScript here where you can see my favorite high-quality 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
(2:52) Four simple strategies for better midlife results
(5:31) How hormones affect fuel use, fat loss, and performance
(7:02) Why less running can sometimes produce better results
(10:21) Replacing frequent cheese to reduce bloating
(14:47) How takeout lattes may hold back body composition goals
(20:56) Creating realistic boundaries around alcohol
(22:22) How one drink may affect recovery and fat burning
(25:11) Alcohol’s possible effects on sleep, mood, and hormonal symptoms
(27:38) Why separating restaurant meals and alcohol may help
(31:01) Choosing reasonable portions instead of chasing perfection

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 💬  support@breakingthroughwellness.com  
Please note if you want to be a podcast guest, there is a fee and interview process. This is safe space and curated Community exclusively for women who love to feel, look and run our best without B.S. noise, endless pills, extreme diets or misleading fads.

Your body is not failing you. It may simply be asking for a different kind of support.
In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, and Jen continue their conversation on hormonal shifts during ovulation and the luteal phase. They explain why female runners may experience temporary weight gain, bloating, constipation, pelvic discomfort, hot flashes, disrupted sleep, lower HRV, mood changes, and harder workouts during certain parts of the menstrual cycle.
Listeners will learn why hydration, electrolytes, carbohydrates, recovery, and smart training adjustments can make a meaningful difference. Rather than trying every strategy at once, Louise recommends choosing one to three actions based on your most disruptive symptoms.
The conversation also explores the emotional side of perimenopause. Louise and Jen share simple ways to improve mood, enjoy running again, and avoid taking stress out on partners or children. Sometimes the most powerful action is slowing down, turning on uplifting music, changing the workout, or pausing to reconnect with someone you love.
The key message is simple: understand your cycle, support your body, and adjust your goals to fit your current season.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn more & apply to join our new Podcast Insiders membership here: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/podcastinsiders
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, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass 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
(2:56) Part two and choosing personalized action steps
(7:35) Hormonal surges, inflammation, and physique changes
(10:14) Bloating, constipation, pelvic floor symptoms, and cramping
(12:38) Hydration, electrolytes, body temperature, and hot flashes
(14:24) HRV changes and adjusting training intensity
(16:47) Choosing between performance, fat loss, and recovery goals
(18:59) Supporting mental health during difficult cycle phases
(20:04) Using music to improve runs and mood
(23:52) How perimenopause symptoms affect the whole family
(26:27) Reconnecting with your partner instead of reacting
(29:05) Creating a shared wellness lifestyle at home
(35:05) Starting with one to three practical strategies
(37:08) Estrogen, hydration, and female endurance performance
(38:45) 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 💬  support@breakingthroughwellness.com  
Please note if you want to be a podcast guest, there is a fee and interview process. This is safe space and curated Community exclusively for women who love to feel, look and run our best without B.S. noise, endless pills, extreme diets or misleading fads.

What if your cravings, mood swings, bloating, and difficult workouts are not signs that you are losing control, but signals that your body needs different support?
In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading health, fitness and performance experts, sits down with Jen to explain how hormonal surges around ovulation and the luteal phase can affect female runners during perimenopause. They discuss why tracking your cycle can help you recognize patterns in your energy, appetite, mood, recovery, and performance instead of blaming yourself when symptoms appear.
Louise explains that women may burn more calories during the luteal phase, which can increase hunger and the need for additional carbohydrates. Simple adjustments, such as adding a nourishing snack, improving hydration, and slightly reducing workout intensity, may help ease cravings, anxiety, fatigue, and low moods.
They also explore the risks of undereating, following rigid nutrition plans, and combining intense training with alcohol, stress, and poor recovery. The key is not to stop pursuing your goals, but to understand when your body needs more care. By choosing a few realistic strategies and tracking the results, women can feel more confident, energized, and in control throughout their cycle.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn more & apply to join our new Podcast Insiders membership here: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/podcastinsiders
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, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass 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
(5:02) Understanding ovulation and the luteal phase
(6:02) How cycle tracking helps you read your body
(8:00) Why healthy and active women still experience symptoms
(10:16) What cravings may be telling you
(10:45) Increased calorie needs during the luteal phase
(12:01) Why female runners should not fear carbohydrates
(13:09) Nourishment versus sugar-driven cravings
(15:33) The risks of being too strict with food
(19:24) The hormonal changes that happen during ovulation
(22:11) Why stress tolerance may decrease during the luteal phase
(24:03) Simple ways to track symptoms and cycle patterns
(25:26) Adjusting workouts, hydration, and nutrition around ovulation
(26:46) Why constantly pushing harder can become counterproductive
(28:24) How the same choices affect the body differently across the cycle
(30:00) Why HRT and supplements do not replace body awareness
(31:02) Building a practical symptom-management toolbox
(32:18) Managing meals and alcohol during hormonal surges
(35:27) Choosing one to three realistic action steps
(39:39) 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 💬  support@breakingthroughwellness.com  
Please note if you want to be a podcast guest, there is a fee and interview process. This is safe space and curated Community exclusively for women who love to feel, look and run our best without B.S. noise, endless pills, extreme diets or misleading fads.

Your body is not broken. However, some methods you've relied on in the past may be mismatched for this season of life. In this episode, Louise Valentine, a multi-award-winning women's integrative health practitioner and exercise physiologist, talks to midlife female runners who feel like their energy, hormones, body composition, sleep, and performance are changing faster than they expected.
Louise explains why perimenopause makes stress harder for the female body to handle and why more miles, harder workouts, or quick fixes do not solve the real problem or address root causes of what's changing in our body. Instead of blaming our body, she points to the need for female-specific training, better fueling, nervous system support, and smarter strength work designed for runners.
She also shares her own experience with burnout, anxiety, social media habits, and learning how to slow down without losing her high-performing edge. Listeners will hear why cortisol, sleep, connection with those we love, recovery, and self-love all matter to build our best long-term health, optimal hormones, resilience and joy-filled performance as we age.
This episode is a reminder that women can age stronger, run well, feel vibrant, and protect their hormones without overcomplicating the process.
RESOURCES + LINKS
Learn more & apply to join our new Podcast Insiders membership here: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/podcastinsiders
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, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass 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 
Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work using code “LVALENTINE11” here.  $25 goes back to support BTW with each sign up! Thank you!
Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:45) Keeping your edge as you age
(4:17) Why quick fixes miss the foundation
(6:26) Hydration, minerals, and runner needs
(8:06) Confusing advice for female runners
(10:43) Fueling more to support hormones
(14:50) Start with stress and cortisol
(17:34) Stop blaming your body
(19:28) Managing cortisol in midlife
(21:12) Smarter strength training for runners
(22:24) Daily nervous system regulation
(27:12) Evening mobility for better recovery
(30:10) Social media as a coping habit
(33:55) Protecting sleep and real connection
(36:16) Podcast Insiders and next steps
(39:53) 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 💬  support@breakingthroughwellness.com  
Please note if you want to be a podcast guest, there is a fee and interview process. This is safe space and curated Community exclusively for women who love to feel, look and run our best without B.S. noise, endless pills, extreme diets or misleading fads.