Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

Louise Valentine
  • 4.7 (26)
  • RUNNING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

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  Get ready to break through misinformation, ditch outdated male-based methods and apply what you learn to feel your best, level up a fit toned physique and run strong, energized and injury-free at ANY age!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

  1. 5D AGO

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    31 min

  2. APR 9

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    32 min

  3. APR 2

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    51 min

  4. MAR 26

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    46 min

  5. MAR 19

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    36 min

  6. MAR 12

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    41 min

  7. MAR 12

    #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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    3 min

  8. MAR 5

    #123 - Part 2: Jen Reverses Biomarkers, Ditches Injuries, Belly Fat, Maximizes a Physique & Running Transformation at 47

    What if perimenopause could actually become one of the strongest, healthiest seasons of your life? In this episode, Louise, one of the world's leading women's integrative health practitioners, performance scientists, and exercise physiologists, sits down with Jen to share a transformation story that challenges everything many women believe about aging, hormones, body recomposition, running, and performance! Jen highlights how simple, consistent strategies like whole-food nutrition, strategic strength training, and fueling that works with our unique changing hormones and female physiology can lead to meaningful changes in body composition, energy, confidence, and biomarkers without relying heavily on medications or extreme protocols.  The conversation explores how small, sustainable, and highly strategic habits compound over time, why a community of strong women's support matters most during midlife, and mindset shifts that can help women move from feeling stuck to feeling empowered. Listeners will walk away with reassurance that progress does not require perfection, endless supplements, diets, or expensive tools. Instead, it comes from learning how to work with our female body, not against it. Whether you are navigating hormonal changes, struggling with a fitness plateau, or want to feel your best in your body, this episode offers hope, clarity, and practical perspective. RESOURCES + LINKS Find the Injury Prevention for Women Runners 30+ and a Female Runners Guide to Support Optimal Ferritin courses mentioned here. Grab our free monthly goal planning calendar & learn how to use it here. Get $25 off Function Health labs here or use code LVALENTINE11 Find FullScript here and see curated supplement picks. Save 20% off the Red Yeast Rice & ALA mentioned in this episode. A small portion of the sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you! Learn with my free nutrition guide and award-winning Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/  Save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: : https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing Episode Highlights: (2:55) Jen’s success and community impact (5:39) Home workouts and building confidence (8:02) Why many women feel stuck in fitness (10:40) Staying consistent during vacation (11:33) Nutrition timing and lifestyle flexibility (14:55) Retreats and community support (17:55) Motivation through shared goals (20:30) Coaching structure and accountability (24:57) Improving biomarkers without medication (29:30) Science-based strategy and synergy approach (34:48) Changing the narrative around perimenopause (38:36) Balancing performance with long-term health (40:33) Tracking cycles, nutrition, and progress (45:24) Advice for women feeling stuck (48:41) 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 Instagram 📷 https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

    50 min
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About

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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