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Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

Louise Valentine

Welcome to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause," the podcast that redefines your relationship with fitness, nutrition and hormonal changes. 

Hosted by American College of Sports Medicine Practitioner of the Year 2023, women's integrative health, running and performance expert Louise Valentine, this show empowers you to mitigate impacts of hormone changes without overcomplicating it or needing endless supplements, diets or medications! 


Get ready to break through misinformation, ditch outdated male-based methods and apply what you learn to feel your best, level up a fit toned physique and run strong, energized and injury-free at ANY age!

Louise and her clients share how they achieve previously thought "impossible" results, driven by Louise's multi award-winning science-backed nutrition, fitness, running and fat loss methods designed for ambitious everyday runners age 35 and beyond. Get inspired each week as they share how they've turned their own health, hormone and fitness breakdowns into breakthroughs and how they now lead the way in empowering women just like you do the same!

Whether you're looking to ditch hormone havoc, optimize natural hormone production, break through a setback, or you want to understand how to lift, train and fuel harmoniously with your changing female physiology, you'll find this podcast insightful and inspiring. No more fighting against your body – Louise is here to help you harness its fierce natural power to achieve a vibrantly energized, well, fit and active life!

If you're a wellness-minded active female who loves to run and wants it all, Welcome to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" – Your go-to resource to break through to next-level health, hormones and fitness!

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  • 27 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 43 min
  • English

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  • Thursday · 42 min

    #152 - How I Taught My Daughter The Importance of Getting Proactive Bloodwork as a Female Runner & Swimmer

    “Normal” and basic blood work does not tell us the whole story. In this episode, Louise Valentine, a multi-award-winning women's integrative health practitioner and exercise physiologist, shares why understanding which biomarkers to track and what they mean can be especially important for runners, active women, and their families. Using her daughter’s first blood draw as an example, Louise explains how she teaches her children to see health data as empowering, useful information rather than something to fear. She discusses the difference between standard and optimal lab ranges, cutting-edge female-specific lab ranges, why tracking trends over time matters, and several markers she watches closely, including advanced cholesterol markers, liver enzymes, and ferritin. Louise also shares how under-fueling can affect recovery, energy, performance, hormones, injury-risk, and long-term bone health in endurance athletes. Along the way, she offers practical tips for making blood draws less stressful and shares lessons from her own family’s health, fitness, and running journeys. The bigger message is simple: learning what your body needs today can help you make better decisions before small warning signs become bigger problems. 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, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass, including “How to Confidently Support Optimal Ferritin” here. Track your biomarkers with Function Health & save $25 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 curated 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 (2:50) Why blood work matters for active women (4:40) Standard vs. optimal lab ranges (5:46) Teaching kids about blood work (7:22) Making blood draws less stressful (13:54) Health testing for young endurance athletes (14:41) Advanced cholesterol biomarkers to consider (17:02) Under-fueling risks for active girls (20:15) Teaching children healthy habits early (22:13) Using biomarkers to guide health decisions (29:02) Tracking blood work trends over time (31:05) Ferritin and iron needs for runners (34:00) Long-term consequences of chronic under-fueling (35:36) Key biomarkers and baseline health scans 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.

  • September 17 · 38 min

    #151 - My Doctor Offered Me Birth Control to Manage My Symptoms: Here's Why I Politely Declined

    What happens when the treatment offered to quiet your symptoms also quiets the hormonal signals you are trying to understand and working hard to support? In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading functional health and fitness expert for perimenopausal active women and recreational runners, shares why she decided not to use birth control as a way to manage perimenopause symptoms. As an example of things to consider, she walks through her complicated health history, including periods of underfueling, overtraining, gut issues, hormone challenges, and the difficulty of navigating fragmented women’s healthcare. Louise explains why she wants to address root cause factors first, such as gut health imbalances, stress, cortisol regulation, and adjusting nutrition, lifestyle, and training. She clarifies why hormone suppression therapy is not the right next step for her. You will learn the importance of tracking symptoms, asking questions about testing and scans, and understanding that what works for one woman may not work for another. Ready to become an informed participant and fierce advocate in your own care? The bottomline is: Symptoms can provide useful information about our body's individual needs, and women deserve conversations that consider their individual health history, goals, and options rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all or outdated approaches. 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 Check out my FullScript here where you can see curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! 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! 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 (2:46) Why Louise declined birth control (5:14) Her complicated hormone and health history (8:32) How fueling can affect female hormones (11:08) Rebuilding hormone health naturally (13:33) Challenges with fragmented healthcare (15:30) Stress, cortisol, and hormone production (18:28) Why she is delaying HRT (19:13) Being offered hormone suppression therapy (20:06) Birth control for symptom management (23:55) When hormone suppression may have a place (24:22) Why symptoms can provide useful data (28:45) Navigating gaps in women’s healthcare (32:32) Advocating for further testing and scans (34:37) Stress, DHEA, and hormone health (36:45) 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.

  • September 10 · 33 min

    #150 - There is Never a "Perfect" Time, Only a Decision

    Waiting until life gets easier may be the very thing keeping you stuck. In this short episode, Louise Valentine shares a simple reminder for women navigating perimenopause, changing hormones, fitness struggles, and the pressures of midlife: there is no perfect time. There is only a decision. Louise, one of the world’s leading integrative health practitioners, explains how she sees women delay getting support even when their symptoms, lab trends, or daily energy suggest something needs attention. She shares why understanding the full picture, health history, stress, nutrition, training, hormones, and lifestyle, can help create a more personalized path forward instead of relying on endless supplements or quick fixes. She also opens up about her own challenges, continued functional medicine training, and why she chose to keep learning even during a difficult season of life. Louise emphasizes the importance of community, individualized support, and recognizing that needing help, including medical support when appropriate, is not a failure. The takeaway is simple: lean in, learn from what is not working, make adjustments, and keep moving forward. 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 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! 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 curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here. Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (3:01) Why these bonus episodes matter (4:13) Readiness is a decision (5:21) Looking deeper for root causes (9:12) Connecting your complete health history (13:36) Stop waiting for perfect timing (15:23) Louise’s own health decision (17:19) Why community matters in midlife (20:34) Lifestyle before endless supplements (24:22) Adapting support to real life (27:23) Needing medication is not failure (30:13) Lean in, learn, and level up (31:38) 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.

  • September 3 · 51 min

    #149 - Lessons Learned on Balancing a Love of Running, Building a Badass Physique & Vibrant Longevity From Our Last Training Cycle

    As our hormones and female physiology change, running a bit less and more strategic is essential to feel stronger, healthier, and even faster. Louise Valentine, a leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, sits down with Jen to look back on their four-month training cycle and share what happened when they reduced running mileage, focused more on the Breaking Through Wellness female-specific strength training and fitness methods, and stopped forcing their bodies to keep up with demanding race goals. One of their biggest lessons was once again learning to recognize a bioindividual “stress tipping point”, a science-backed theory that Louise teaches us to thrive through perimenopause. For example, more training is not always better, especially when sleep, recovery, hormones, hunger, mood, and body composition start to suffer. Louise shares how stepping away from half-marathon training helped improve her sleep, libido, strength, physique, recovery, and hormone markers while still allowing her to run faster. Jen also discovered that shorter runs brought her faster physique changes, more joy, improved energy, and made training easier to fit into her busy family life. They also discuss excessive cardio, hunger hormones, female-specific strength training, ditching social media pressure, and the empowering freedom that comes from changing goals without feeling like you failed. The takeaway is simple: your healthiest and most effective training plan looks a lot different in midlife as your hormones and female physiology change. 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 Blog post mentioned in this episode, “Trying to find your sweet spot with running & fitness in perimenopause? This is for you!“ is found here. Previous podcast episode #133 on choosing to shift training goals mid-training plan: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maximizing-hormones-physique-running-through-perimenopause/id1716725195?i=1000767715477 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! 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 curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here. Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (3:31) Why they changed their training approach (5:31) Understanding your stress tipping point (7:08) Choosing health over race performance (8:39) When long runs stopped working (10:28) Finding your joyful running distance (12:18) High mileage and hormone health (14:00) Health, happiness, or harder training (19:27) Finding balance between running and strength (22:32) Leptin, hunger, and excessive cardio (25:25) What happened after running less (29:17) Hormone improvements after changing training (32:19) Is the half marathon worth it? (35:26) More training balance, more family time (38:44) Life after stepping away from social media (41:07) Choosing family over outside pressure (47:32) Freedom from having a race scheduled (50:09) 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.

  • August 27 · 41 min

    #148 - How to Level Up Libido, Happy Hormones, Date Nights & Connectedness With Your Spouse

    At Breaking Through Wellness, taking more strategic care of yourself also means making more room for joy-filled experiences with the people you love. In fact, it may be the most important factor in thriving through perimenopause with optimal health, hormones, fitness, and holistic happiness! In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading functional women's health, exercise physiologist, and female-specific fitness expert, shares a personal look at how health, changing hormones, fitness, relationships, and stress all intersect during perimenopause. After noticing how demanding this season of life has become for herself and her clients, she realized that reconnecting with her husband needed to become a top priority, not something left for when life finally slowed down. Louise shares why she and clients in her private practice are making intentional connection part of their wellness goals, including planning regular date nights and finding simple ways to bring back fun, conversation, and intimacy. She also walks through how she approached an adventurous weekend getaway, including hacks for alcohol, nutrient timing, and fun meals out, while still supporting her best training, recovery, and overall health. The conversation goes deeper as Louise opens up about family stress, resilience, changing priorities, and the importance of having a strong community around you when life feels heavy. The takeaway is simple: wellness is bigger than workouts and nutrition. Sometimes feeling your best also means protecting your relationships, making space for joy, and remembering what matters most. 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 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 curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! 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! Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (3:30) Why Louise is running less (7:15) Reconnecting with your spouse (9:35) Focusing on what matters most (11:08) The monthly date night challenge (15:04) Navigating a healthy date night (18:02) Fueling before drinking alcohol (20:24) Creating space for real connection (26:17) Hormones, alcohol, and recovery (29:25) Facing a high-stress season (33:29) Protecting relationships through hard seasons (38:36) Finding your own date-night style (40:25) 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.

  • August 20 · 1 hr 9 min

    #147 - How She Did It: Stacey Ditches Supplements, HRT, Depression & Diets for a Sustainable Total Body Transformation

    Feeling better in perimenopause has less to do with doing more and more to do with finally giving your female body what it needs. In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading health, fitness and performance experts for ambitious active women who love to run, sits down with Stacey, a health education specialist and longtime runner, to share her journey from restrictive dieting, excessive fasting, poor sleep, headaches, injuries, and frustrating hormonal symptoms to a much simpler approach to health and performance. Stacey explains how learning when and how to fuel with her female physiology changed the way she sleeps, runs, recovers, and feels day to day. They discuss why more cardio and longer workouts are not always better, especially as women move through perimenopause, and why strategic strength training, female-specific fueling, and recovery can make a bigger difference. Stacey also shares how she stopped letting the scale dictate her progress and began focusing more on strength, energy, fewer injuries, and overall well-being. Her biggest lessons are refreshingly simple: be patient, stay consistent, keep things flexible, and stop expecting overnight results. 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 Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products, like Kion Aminos mentioned in this episode. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! 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! Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (3:09) Stacey’s perimenopause success story (9:46) Feeling stuck with hormonal symptoms (15:25) How nutrition changed sleep and headaches (22:05) Why less running can be more (31:00) Simple tools that made a difference (44:26) Improving physical and mental health (47:31) Looking beyond the number on the scale (53:26) Why women need different strategies (55:39) Turning overwhelm into sustainable habits (1:00:04) Building consistency for long-term results (1:04:56) Patience, simplicity, and Stacey’s final advice (1:08:29) 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.

  • August 13 · 42 min

    #146 - Real Examples of How to Work With Your Changing Hormones, Not Against Them

    Perimenopause changes how your body responds to training, nutrition, caffeine, sleep, recovery, and many supplements, making it feel like the things you always did to support your health and fitness are no longer working. And those shifts can begin as early as your 30s. In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading women's integrative health and fitness expert for perimenopausal active women and female runners, shares real-life conversations with women who were doing many things “right” but still dealing with injuries, poor sleep, anxiety, cravings, body composition changes, and frustrating fitness setbacks. She explains why creatine quality, mode of delivery, and timing matter, why the right type of strength training becomes increasingly important for protecting muscle and reducing injury risk, and why protein quality deserves closer attention as women age. Louise also breaks down how late-day caffeine, poor fueling, and sugar before bed can affect cortisol, sleep, digestion, and next-day energy. Finally, she explains why extreme programs like 75 Hard may deliver short-term results but are nearly impossible to sustain due to the impacts on hormones, metabolic health, and working against time tested principles like progressive overload of exercise and nutrition strategies. The main message is simple: learn how your body is changing before problems pile up. As you will learn, working with your changing female physiology should not be complicated or confusing. Sustainable, female-specific strategies can help you stay strong, energized, and vibrantly active through perimenopause and beyond. 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 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 supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! 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! Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro 3:03) Simplifying fitness during perimenopause (8:35) Creatine benefits, quality, and dosage (11:49) Why creatine gummies may fall short (15:19) Perimenopause, injuries, and strength training (20:19) Hormonal changes and common injuries (25:26) Caffeine, cravings, sleep, and cortisol (31:44) Why extreme fitness plans backfire (34:59) Building sustainable fitness with progressive overload (37:39) Get educated before problems escalate (39:57) Simple strategies for lasting results (41:23) 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.

  • August 6 · 42 min

    #145 - How to Navigate the Fine Line of Fueling for Physique, Fat Loss & Endurance Performance When Our Daughters Are Watching

    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, 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.

  • July 30 · 39 min

    #144 - 5 Simple & Effective Strategies to Ditch Stubborn Fat, Feel, Look & Run Your Best

    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, 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.

  • July 23 · 40 min

    #143 - Part 2: Why Ovulation & Luteal Phase Symptoms Ramp Up & What To Do About It

    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 & 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.

  • July 16 · 41 min

    #142 - Part 1: Why Ovulation & Luteal Phase Symptoms Ramp Up & What To Do About It

    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 & 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.

  • July 9 · 41 min

    #141 - How to Regulate Stress, Cortisol & Your Nervous System Without Losing Your Badass, High-Performing Athletic Edge

    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 & 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.

  • July 2 · 50 min

    #140 - Our New Exclusive Membership for Female Runners Ready to Maximize Vibrant Health, Fitness & Unlock Our Perimenopause Potential

    Our biggest breakthroughs in maximizing our perimenopause health, fitness and body composition success do not come with doing more. Rather, it's when we can cut through misleading and unnecessarily complicated noise to simply understand how to work with our changing hormones and female body's needs. In this episode, Louise, named one of the world's leading experts for perimenopausal active women and runners, and Jen share the heart behind the new BTW Podcast Insiders Membership. They discuss why a curated community of like-minded female runners, trusted female-specific science, and simple, focused strategies matter so much for active women in perimenopause when we face hormone-related symptoms, shifts, and challenges. Louise opens up about stepping away from social media as an industry leader to protect her innovation and why choosing depth and impact over participation in the endless B.S. marketing found online is her personal mission. Jen shares how removing outside influence helped her trust the process, stay consistent, and feel stronger in her body. Together, they explain how women can improve energy, symptoms, running, physique, and confidence without chasing every trend online. This episode is especially helpful for runners and active women who feel overwhelmed by conflicting advice, hormone fear mongering, HRT pressure, and fitness misinformation. It is a reminder that progress does not need to be loud. Sometimes, the best results come from the right support, the right science, and a more calm, confident, and collaborative way forward. RESOURCES + LINKS Learn more & apply to join our new exclusive "BTW 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 Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (2:45) Louise introduces the BTW Podcast Insiders Membership (6:24) Why Louise and Jen created the membership (7:09) The runcation conversation that sparked the idea (9:24) How community helped Jen stay consistent (10:36) Louise’s burnout, symptoms, and program redesign (13:19) Why Louise stepped away from social media (17:05) How social media affected Jen’s progress (21:37) Building a women-supporting-women community (23:27) Questions podcast listeners may want answered (28:12) The problem with HRT pressure and social media influence (31:01) Nervous system regulation and foundational resources (36:44) Louise’s personal results after simplifying her life (40:06) Choosing focus, calm, and family connection (42:21) Membership details and founding rate (44:15) Future possibilities for Q&As and group programs (48:11) Where to apply for Podcast Insiders (48:51) Preview of next week’s luteal phase episode (49:18) 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.

  • June 25 · 54 min

    #139 - A Refreshingly Calm Clarification of Fasted Training Nuances Specific to Female Runners

    What if the workout habit you thought was helping your body is actually making perimenopause harder? In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading exercise physiologists and women's integrative health practitioners, gives a clear, honest breakdown of why fasted training may not be the best fit for active women, especially runners navigating changing hormones, stress, cravings, sleep issues, and body composition goals. Louise explains how morning workouts, low fuel, caffeine nuances, and high cortisol can stack up quickly for ambitious women who are already juggling a lot. She shares why a small amount of protein and carbs before training can help support hormone production, energy, recovery, mental health, and long-term performance. She also challenges the confusing noise online around women’s health, HRT, cortisol, and perimenopause trends, reminding listeners that context matters. This episode is especially useful for women who run, lift, train early, struggle with cravings, wake up at night, feel burned out, or feel stuck despite doing “everything right.” Louise keeps the message grounded in solid female-specific science: fuel your body, stop punishing and potentially harming yourself, and make choices that support your long-term health, energy, and ability to run strong for life. 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, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here, including “How to Ditch Cravings & Overeating Habits For Good” mentioned in this episode. Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products, including Kion aminos & Creature creatine. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/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 new sign up! Thank you! 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 (4:12) Social media misinformation in women’s health (7:21) Building a private, focused wellness community (9:21) Why active women need a different approach (13:18) The problem with fasted training (19:03) Why fasted training is not black and white (21:19) How cortisol overload affects active women (24:21) Why training without fuel adds more stress (27:10) Simple pre-workout fuel ideas (32:16) Why recommendations can change as science evolves (34:33) Releasing shame around past diet and fasting habits (36:45) Why post-workout fueling matters too (38:04) Concerns around careless hormone prescribing (44:30) Is fasted training ever appropriate? (45:12) How underfueling can affect mood, cravings, and sleep (48:07) The rare exception after a big meal or holiday (50:41) Listener questions and closing thoughts (52:38) 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.

  • June 18 · 59 min

    #138 - How She Did It: Jen's Victory Crushing Cleveland Half Marathon

    Sometimes your biggest race win is not the time on the clock. It is realizing your body is still capable of surprising you. In this episode, Louise Valentine, leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, welcomes Jen back to unpack her unexpected victory at the Cleveland Half Marathon, a race run in brutal heat, humidity, and direct sun. What started as a “just have fun” race turned into a powerful lesson in hormone-supportive training, smarter recovery, strategic fueling and trusting a less-is-more running approach. Louise and Jen share how Breaking Through Wellness's strategic strength training, sleep, nervous system support, pre-race hydration, simple fueling, mobility, and 30-second burst strategies empowered Jen to stay strong when the race got hard. They also talk about redefining what a PR really means, especially for women running through perimenopause, life stress, and changing energy needs. This episode is a reminder that running does not have to feel punishing to be powerful. Sometimes the breakthrough comes when you stop forcing your body and start working with it to unlock its full potential! 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. Get your fabulously fit & moisturized glow on with Element LABS beauty & skincare products here. 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! Save $25 off Function Health comprehensive functional labs here. With every sale, $25 goes back to support BTW. Discount code is “LVALENTINE11” Thank you! Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (2:44) Jen’s unexpected Cleveland Half Marathon victory (4:06) Redefining what a PR really means (4:22) Pivoting training when life stress is high (6:17) Brutal race-day heat and humidity (7:22) Less running, better hormone support, and nervous system regulation (8:44) Taking pressure off at the start line (12:19) Fueling well without overdoing carb loading (15:14) Heat safety, gels, electrolytes, and mid-race decisions (20:52) Strength training, soreness, and recovery before race day (23:53) The mile 10 decision point (27:02) Crossing the finish line and what the victory symbolized (30:04) Working with the female body instead of against it (33:07) Post-race protein and recovery habits (36:09) Sleep, mobility, and pre-hydration strategies (37:42) The power of running with a friend (38:42) Community, travel, and finding joy through running (58:15) 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 💬 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.

  • June 11 · 55 min

    #137 - How to Know When Exercise & Running is No Longer a Productive Way to Manage Stress

    Your body often tells the truth before your mind is ready to admit it. In this episode of Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause, Louise Valentine, a leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, shares a deeply personal look at what happens when major life stress collides with fitness, hormones, running, and midlife health. Through her own experience with devastating family news, interrupted sleep, inflammation, gut changes, low energy, and emotional overload, Louise explains why pushing harder is not always the answer, especially during perimenopause. Listeners will learn how to recognize when the body is reaching its stress tipping point, why exercise can become counterproductive when cortisol is already high, and how to adjust workouts, fueling, recovery, and lifestyle habits with more care. Louise also shares practical tools like eating more when sleep is disrupted, scaling back intensity, foam rolling with calming music, red light therapy, family connection, therapy, and brain spotting. This episode is a powerful reminder that resilience is not always about doing more. Sometimes, it starts with slowing down before your body forces you to. 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 my How to Support & Restore Your Gut Health Mini Course. Find a brain spotting therapist near you: https://brainspotting.com/directory/ Explore client success stories & educational resources on my blog here. Read my best-selling book, The Art of Breaking Through, found on Amazon here. Explore Joovv Red Light Therapy devices here. 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! Save $25 off Function Health comprehensive functional labs here. With every sale, $25 goes back to support BTW. Discount code is “LVALENTINE11” Thank you! Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (3:07) Adjusting fitness when life gets hard (7:52) Living openly through hard seasons (9:44) When training becomes stress control (15:00) Understanding the body’s stress tipping point (17:09) Changing goals for health and longevity (25:27) How stress disrupts sleep and safety (27:17) Fueling more when the body needs support (30:15) Knowing when to stop pushing (31:42) Cortisol, gut health, and perimenopause (36:49) Choosing calm instead of more tasks (40:23) Family connection as recovery support (44:09) Brain spotting and therapy for stress patterns (49:24) Practical ways to adjust under high stress (52:38) Choosing presence, light movement, and support (54:05) 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.

  • May 14 · 49 min

    #133: The Art of Knowing How & When to Pivot Your Fitness, Physique & Running Goals in Midlife

    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 💬 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.

  • May 7 · 49 min

    #132 - Is it Possible to Achieve Peak Fitness in Mid-Life? Yes! Here Are 4 Ways

    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 💬 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.

  • April 30 · 51 min

    #131 - Is HRT Being Overprescribed? Science-Backed Considerations You Need to Know!

    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 💬 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.

  • April 23 · 50 min

    #130 - 4 Simple Steps to Unlock Your Most Vibrant Health, Energy & Fitness Potential

    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 💬 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.

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