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Get ready to break through misinformation, ditch outdated male-based methods and apply what you learn to feel your best, level up a fit toned physique and run strong, energized and injury-free at ANY age!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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20 episodes
Updated Yesterday

Episodes20

Newest first

Yesterday · 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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
April 16 · 30 min
#129 - Part Two: Family Friendly Dinner Ideas That Keep Us Fit, Lean & Fabulous in Perimenopause
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 💬 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 9 · 31 min
#128 - Part One: Family Friendly Dinner Ideas That Keep Us Fit, Lean & Fabulous in Perimenopause
Feeling confused about how and what to eat for dinner to best support your female body's ability to mitigate perimenopause symptoms and maximize your health, hormones, and fitness in mid-life? In this episode, Louise, one of the world's leading exercise physiologists, nutrition, and women's health experts, and her co-host Jen tackle one of the biggest struggles for active women in perimenopause: how to make dinner work for your changing body, your goals, and your family. They share practical ways to build optimal meals that are simple, filling, and realistic, without feeling like you need a separate kitchen just to eat healthy and strategically. A big takeaway is that dinner should include specific portions of protein, carbs, healthy fats, and plenty of colorful veggies to support hormone production, your best stable energy, optimal recovery, performance gains, leaning out, and fat loss results. They also remind listeners that perfection is not the goal. Small swaps, strategic ingredients, and female-specific nutrient timing can make a big difference in empowering you to enjoy "fun" foods while still feeling, looking, and performing your best! This episode is especially helpful for ambitious active women who feel like they “do everything right” all day, then lose control at dinner. Louise and Jen show that you can stay lean, fuel your workouts, enjoy pizza night, and empower your family to fuel vibrantly well without guilt, confusion, or overwhelm. It is a refreshing reminder that healthy and strategically eating in perimenopause can be somewhat flexible, very family-friendly, and much less stressful than most women think! 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 all of 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 (2:43) Part one and part two overview (4:37) Family-friendly dinners for perimenopause (6:34) The ideal dinner plate for active women (8:14) Budget-friendly veggie and salad hacks (10:07) Why gluten-free can matter for some women (15:21) Fueling strategically instead of fearing food (17:11) Fast dinner prep that stays realistic (21:20) Easy protein ideas for family meals (24:32) Simple swaps for dressings and toppings (28:07) Teaching kids better food choices at home (30:20) 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 2 · 50 min
#127 - 3 Exact Science-Backed Strategies to Ditch Brain Fog for Good
Brain fog, fatigue, and frustrating symptoms of perimenopause are not signs that your body is failing, but instead are signals that it needs a different kind of support. Today, learn the what, why, and how to mitigate common symptoms! In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading integrative health practitioners and exercise physiologists, gets deeply personal and shares why this work matters so much to her, both professionally and personally. She opens up about painful experiences, the fight to be taken seriously as a female leader in top health and performance spaces, and how that journey shaped her mission to help women feel, look, and perform their best with female-specific science, simplicity, and ease-filled sustainable success. Louise gives three simple strategies to eliminate brain fog and support vibrant energy in perimenopause. She breaks down the logic and formula of the Breaking Through Wellness morning rehydration strategy, why caffeine timing matters more than most women realize, and how a short walk after lunch can improve blood sugar, focus, brain health, and overall well-being. The biggest takeaway is that perimenopause does not have to feel confusing or miserable. With practical, female-specific strategies, women can work with their changing bodies instead of fighting them. This episode is especially helpful for active women who want clear, realistic, and simple steps they can use right away. RESOURCES + LINKS Check out my FullScript here where you can see curated best supplement picks & save 20% off under “Catalog” → “Favorites” Find the Concentrace Trace Minerals & Thorne Elite AM/PM vitamin mentioned in this episode. A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! 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 advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products, including the Clean Whey Protein & Kion Aminos mentioned in today’s episode. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (3:43) A personal story behind the mission (7:07) Returning to the roots of the podcast (8:34) Why Louise hesitates to share her strategies (15:54) The real goal is to reduce brain fog (16:17) The morning rehydration strategy explained (32:01) How to use caffeine more wisely (42:24) Why walking after lunch matters (46:56) The three simple strategy recap (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.
March 26 · 45 min
#126 - Examples How I Help Clients Go Off Most Supplements By Session One
What if the real answer is not more supplements, but a better understanding of what your female body actually needs? In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading women's integrative health, fitness, and performance experts, challenges the idea that women in perimenopause need a growing list of pills, powders, and quick fixes just to feel normal again. She explains why so many active women are stuck in a reactive cycle with supplements, medications, and restrictive strategies, when the deeper issue is often a lack of female-specific education around hormones, stress, fueling, training, and recovery. One of the biggest takeaways is that supporting the body through whole foods, smart nutrient timing, balanced training, blood sugar stability, and lower daily stress can often do more than chasing the latest wellness trend. Louise also breaks down how underfueling, fasted training, too much caffeine, and overexercising can quietly make symptoms worse, especially for runners and high-performing women in this season of life. This episode is helpful for women who want a simpler, more sustainable way to improve energy, body composition, hormones, fitness, and athletic performance without feeling dependent on endless supplements. It is a strong reminder that proactive habits usually beat reactive fixes. 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 free masterclass about Lifewave’s holistic patches & order yours here 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 all of Kion’s science-backed clean products, including our favorite Creatine, Aminos, Clean Whey Protein & Omega. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: : https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (02:57) Why more supplements are not the answer (04:17) Whole foods and hormone support first (06:31) A client example of supplement overload (10:20) When glutathione helps and when it does not (18:10) Reactive supplements versus proactive health habits (22:00) Natural ways to support hormone production (28:01) How to support GLP 1 naturally (31:45) Why fasted training can backfire (42:46) Proactive health always wins in perimenopause (44:29) 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.
March 19 · 35 min
#125 - Why Time Changes Hit Us So Hard in Perimenopause & Science-Backed Sleep Strategies That Help
If you're like the ladies of Breaking Through Wellness - wow, do we love our high-quality sleep so we can keep feeling, looking, and running our best! Most serious wellness and fitness-minded women already know the importance of high quality sleep and we do our best to protect it. But - then the time changes. Are you too shocked at the impacts it can have on your training and energy? One night's poor sleep can catch up with us in our training not the next day, but even days later! And in Louise's sleep specific research, she saw that cognitive decline was significant with just ONE night's poor sleep. Let's take action and do something about it so we can keep leveling up through perimenopause and beyond! Often, the reason our workouts and nutrition suddenly stop working the way they used to has nothing to do with discipline - and everything to do with sleep and our changing hormones! In this episode, leading exercise physiologist and women’s integrative health practitioner Louise Valentine explains how sleep disruptions during perimenopause can derail fitness results, energy, and recovery. Even small changes can affect hormones like estrogen and progesterone, leading to fatigue, poor performance, cravings, or stubborn weight fluctuations. Louise shares why sleep is the foundation for hormone balance, fat loss, and performance, especially for active women and runners navigating hormonal shifts. She also highlights how factors like dehydration, blood sugar, stress, and sleep environment can amplify these challenges. Listeners will learn practical strategies to protect sleep, hormones, and recovery. From maintaining consistent sleep routines and improving sleep hygiene to hydration and fueling strategies, Louise emphasizes simple science-backed lifestyle habits that can help women stay energized, strong, and resilient. RESOURCES Learn with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/ Take my free masterclass about Lifewave patches & order here Check out my FullScript here where you can see curated best supplement picks, including Thorne’s Magnesium Bysglycinate & the Concentrace Minerals mentioned in this podcast. Save 20% off under “Catalog” → “Favorites” A portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! Take advantage of our podcast discount on Kion’s science-backed products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: : https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Episode Highlights: (3:00) How daylight saving time affects hormones and sleep (5:30) Why sleep is the foundation for performance and fat loss (7:22) Hormone changes that disrupt sleep (9:09) Sleep hygiene and creating the ideal sleep environment (12:06) Poor sleep disrupts progesterone and recovery (14:06) Sunlight and circadian rhythm (16:07) Hydration strategies to recover from poor sleep 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.
March 12 · 41 min
#124A - How to Hack Your Cortisol & Blood Sugar Response, Balance Hormones & Create Inner Calm
This simple and effective upgrade to your health, hormones and performance only takes two minutes a day! In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading integrative health practitioners and exercise physiologists, explores a hidden challenge many active women face during perimenopause: chronic stress, elevated cortisol and blood sugar. For driven women who love running, training hard, and pushing themselves, the constant “go, go, go” mindset can quietly disrupt hormones, insulin sensitivity, recovery, and long-term health. Louise explains how intense training, under-fueling, caffeine, and daily life stress can compound, leaving many women feeling exhausted, stuck with stubborn fat loss, or even facing rising blood sugar levels. The good news is that the solution does not have to be complicated. Louise introduces a simple but powerful tool called a pause practice. By intentionally slowing down for just a few minutes during stressful transition points in the day, women can calm the nervous system, regulate cortisol, and improve recovery. Listeners will learn how small moments of awareness, breathing, and presence can shift not only their health and training results, but also their energy, mood, and family environment. Sometimes the most powerful performance strategy is learning when to pause. Apply what you learned with a simple yet highly effective daily pause practice in podcast episode 124B that immediately follows today’s episode! LINKS + RESOURCES Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 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. A small portion of the sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: : https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Episode Highlights: (0:00) Intro (02:48) Introduction to the episode and the pause practice concept (05:27) Why perimenopause starts earlier than many women expect (06:03) Understanding cortisol and the stress response (07:38) How running and training volume affect cortisol levels (09:16) Living in constant “go mode” and hidden stress (13:29) Cortisol, insulin resistance, and pre-diabetes risk (17:30) The “cortisol steal” and hormone imbalance (18:01) Training adjustments to become cortisol resilient (19:00) Using HRV and symptoms to track recovery and stress (22:02) Introducing the pause practice for stress regulation (25:12) How to perform a simple breathing pause (29:18) How a pause can change your home environment and mood (31:16) Why slowing down improves digestion and recovery (34:12) Regulating the nervous system and cortisol response (36:20) Finding the right moment in your day to pause (38:30) How stress affects fat loss and belly fat (39:49) 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.
March 12 · 3 min
#124B - Your 3-Minute Daily Pause Practice to Hack Cortisol, Balance Blood Sugar & Hormones With Greater Calm & Ease
What if the most powerful thing you could do for your health today is simply pause and slow down to notice how strong, capable, and resilient you are? In this short guided daily practice, listeners are invited to step out of the constant momentum of daily life and reconnect with their bodies through a simple pause practice. Many of us move through stressful days on autopilot, pushing forward without noticing how tension and mental noise build up. This episode offers a practical way to interrupt that cycle. Through mindful breathing, slowing down movement, and tuning into physical sensations, the pause practice helps calm the nervous system and restore inner balance. Host Louise Valentine encourages listeners to lengthen their exhales, notice areas of tension in the body, and gently relax the shoulders, jaw, and face. These small shifts can help quiet racing thoughts and bring attention back to the present moment. By practicing this daily reset, listeners can support healthier stress responses, improve emotional balance, hormone balance, blood sugar responses, and cultivate a deeper sense of calm. Over time, these brief pauses can help shift life from constant pressure and “powering through” toward a more peaceful and energized way of living. Learn how to maximize use of this simple yet highly effective daily pause practice in podcast episode 124A. Louise discusses why it can help hack your cortisol response, balance blood sugar and your hormones with greater calm and ease. LINKS + RESOURCES Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 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. A small portion of the sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: : https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing 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.