Feeling better in perimenopause has less to do with doing more and more to do with finally giving your female body what it needs.

In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading health, fitness and performance experts for ambitious active women who love to run, sits down with Stacey, a health education specialist and longtime runner, to share her journey from restrictive dieting, excessive fasting, poor sleep, headaches, injuries, and frustrating hormonal symptoms to a much simpler approach to health and performance. Stacey explains how learning when and how to fuel with her female physiology changed the way she sleeps, runs, recovers, and feels day to day.

They discuss why more cardio and longer workouts are not always better, especially as women move through perimenopause, and why strategic strength training, female-specific fueling, and recovery can make a bigger difference.

Stacey also shares how she stopped letting the scale dictate her progress and began focusing more on strength, energy, fewer injuries, and overall well-being.

Her biggest lessons are refreshingly simple: be patient, stay consistent, keep things flexible, and stop expecting overnight results.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products, like Kion Aminos mentioned in this episode. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!

Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.

Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work using code “LVALENTINE11” here. $25 goes back to support BTW with each new sign up! Thank you!

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:09) Stacey’s perimenopause success story
(9:46) Feeling stuck with hormonal symptoms
(15:25) How nutrition changed sleep and headaches
(22:05) Why less running can be more
(31:00) Simple tools that made a difference
(44:26) Improving physical and mental health
(47:31) Looking beyond the number on the scale
(53:26) Why women need different strategies
(55:39) Turning overwhelm into sustainable habits
(1:00:04) Building consistency for long-term results
(1:04:56) Patience, simplicity, and Stacey’s final advice
(1:08:29) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!

Email 💬 support@breakingthroughwellness.com

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

At Breaking Through Wellness, taking more strategic care of yourself also means making more room for joy-filled experiences with the people you love. In fact, it may be the most important factor in thriving through perimenopause with optimal health, hormones, fitness, and holistic happiness!

In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading functional women's health, exercise physiologist, and female-specific fitness expert, shares a personal look at how health, changing hormones, fitness, relationships, and stress all intersect during perimenopause. After noticing how demanding this season of life has become for herself and her clients, she realized that reconnecting with her husband needed to become a top priority, not something left for when life finally slowed down.

Louise shares why she and clients in her private practice are making intentional connection part of their wellness goals, including planning regular date nights and finding simple ways to bring back fun, conversation, and intimacy. She also walks through how she approached an adventurous weekend getaway, including hacks for alcohol, nutrient timing, and fun meals out, while still supporting her best training, recovery, and overall health.

The conversation goes deeper as Louise opens up about family stress, resilience, changing priorities, and the importance of having a strong community around you when life feels heavy.

The takeaway is simple: wellness is bigger than workouts and nutrition. Sometimes feeling your best also means protecting your relationships, making space for joy, and remembering what matters most.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Check out my FullScript here where you can see curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!

Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.

Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work using code “LVALENTINE11” here. $25 goes back to support BTW with each new sign up! Thank you!

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:30) Why Louise is running less
(7:15) Reconnecting with your spouse
(9:35) Focusing on what matters most
(11:08) The monthly date night challenge
(15:04) Navigating a healthy date night
(18:02) Fueling before drinking alcohol
(20:24) Creating space for real connection
(26:17) Hormones, alcohol, and recovery
(29:25) Facing a high-stress season
(33:29) Protecting relationships through hard seasons
(38:36) Finding your own date-night style
(40:25) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!

Email 💬 support@breakingthroughwellness.com

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

Perimenopause changes how your body responds to training, nutrition, caffeine, sleep, recovery, and many supplements, making it feel like the things you always did to support your health and fitness are no longer working. And those shifts can begin as early as your 30s.

In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading women's integrative health and fitness expert for perimenopausal active women and female runners, shares real-life conversations with women who were doing many things “right” but still dealing with injuries, poor sleep, anxiety, cravings, body composition changes, and frustrating fitness setbacks.

She explains why creatine quality, mode of delivery, and timing matter, why the right type of strength training becomes increasingly important for protecting muscle and reducing injury risk, and why protein quality deserves closer attention as women age.

Louise also breaks down how late-day caffeine, poor fueling, and sugar before bed can affect cortisol, sleep, digestion, and next-day energy. Finally, she explains why extreme programs like 75 Hard may deliver short-term results but are nearly impossible to sustain due to the impacts on hormones, metabolic health, and working against time tested principles like progressive overload of exercise and nutrition strategies.

The main message is simple: learn how your body is changing before problems pile up. As you will learn, working with your changing female physiology should not be complicated or confusing. Sustainable, female-specific strategies can help you stay strong, energized, and vibrantly active through perimenopause and beyond.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!

Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.

Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work using code “LVALENTINE11” here. $25 goes back to support BTW with each new sign up! Thank you!

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
3:03) Simplifying fitness during perimenopause
(8:35) Creatine benefits, quality, and dosage
(11:49) Why creatine gummies may fall short
(15:19) Perimenopause, injuries, and strength training
(20:19) Hormonal changes and common injuries
(25:26) Caffeine, cravings, sleep, and cortisol
(31:44) Why extreme fitness plans backfire
(34:59) Building sustainable fitness with progressive overload
(37:39) Get educated before problems escalate
(39:57) Simple strategies for lasting results
(41:23) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!

Email 💬 support@breakingthroughwellness.com

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

Your daughter may forget what you served for dinner, but she may remember how you talked about your body.

In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading integrative health practitioners and exercise physiologists, explores the fine line between pursuing fat loss, physique goals, and endurance performance while raising children who are watching and listening.

Drawing from her own childhood health and body composition struggles, work with professional athletes, and experience as a mother of young athletes, she explains why joy, strength, and long-term health should matter more than pressure, appearance, or performance alone.

Louise shares practical ways to build a healthier family culture around food and movement. She discusses explaining the “why” behind nutrition choices, using strength-focused language, treating food as fuel rather than labeling it good or bad, and allowing room for both nourishing meals and fun sports snacks. She also offers simple travel-fueling ideas and reminds listeners that children notice how adults speak about their bodies.

If you have a daughter, get ready to learn practical tips for empowering her with hormone supportive food choices, female-specific nutrient timing and strategies that are easy to share so she can age strong, fit and vibrantly well, too!

The takeaway is clear: parents can still work toward personal health and physique goals while modeling confidence, flexibility, and respect for the body. Intentional words and everyday habits can help our next generation of fitness lovers and endurance athletes grow up strong, informed, and excited to move - for life.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com

Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.

Link to check out Function Health & save $25 off comprehensive, proactive blood work using code “LVALENTINE11” here. $25 goes back to support BTW with each new sign up! Thank you!

Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplements, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:04) Pursuing physique goals while daughters watch
(5:00) Protecting young athletes from burnout
(11:22) Explaining the why behind food choices
(14:31) Using strength-focused language around children
(18:18) How children absorb body talk
(25:21) Fueling young athletes without food fear
(27:46) Empowering the next generation through health
(29:04) Practical travel meals and performance fuel
(39:25) Personal health goals and responsible messaging
(41:11) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!

Email 💬 support@breakingthroughwellness.com

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

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.

Most often, the habits slowing your progress as your hormones and female physiology change are not the big ones, but the small choices you repeat every week.

In this episode, Louise Valentine, one of the world’s leading health, fitness and performance experts, shares simple nutrition and lifestyle shifts that help women feel their best, mitigate symptoms, support body composition, and run stronger through perimenopause. She explains why progress does not require extreme diets, complicated macros, or traditional high volume or complicated training plans. Instead, strategic and very simple boundaries around foods like cheese, takeout lattes, alcohol, restaurant meals, and portion sizes can make a noticeable difference.

Louise discusses how frequent cheese often contributes to bloating for some women, why sugary lattes can disrupt blood sugar and quietly add extra calories, and how alcohol affects recovery, sleep, mood, nutrient absorption, and fat-loss goals. She also suggests separating alcohol from restaurant meals when possible to reduce the overall stress on the body's detoxification pathways and our changing metabolic processes as we age.

The biggest takeaway is that it's not about perfection. It's simply learning how your body is changing, making one realistic adjustment at a time, and building a healthier relationship with food. Midlife and perimenopause wellness can be simple, flexible, and still leave room for pizza, date nights, and the foods you love.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com

Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.

Check out my FullScript here where you can see my favorite high-quality supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:52) Four simple strategies for better midlife results
(5:31) How hormones affect fuel use, fat loss, and performance
(7:02) Why less running can sometimes produce better results
(10:21) Replacing frequent cheese to reduce bloating
(14:47) How takeout lattes may hold back body composition goals
(20:56) Creating realistic boundaries around alcohol
(22:22) How one drink may affect recovery and fat burning
(25:11) Alcohol’s possible effects on sleep, mood, and hormonal symptoms
(27:38) Why separating restaurant meals and alcohol may help
(31:01) Choosing reasonable portions instead of chasing perfection

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!

Email 💬 support@breakingthroughwellness.com

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

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.

Your body is not failing you. It may simply be asking for a different kind of support.

In this episode, Louise Valentine, a leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, and Jen continue their conversation on hormonal shifts during ovulation and the luteal phase. They explain why female runners may experience temporary weight gain, bloating, constipation, pelvic discomfort, hot flashes, disrupted sleep, lower HRV, mood changes, and harder workouts during certain parts of the menstrual cycle.

Listeners will learn why hydration, electrolytes, carbohydrates, recovery, and smart training adjustments can make a meaningful difference. Rather than trying every strategy at once, Louise recommends choosing one to three actions based on your most disruptive symptoms.

The conversation also explores the emotional side of perimenopause. Louise and Jen share simple ways to improve mood, enjoy running again, and avoid taking stress out on partners or children. Sometimes the most powerful action is slowing down, turning on uplifting music, changing the workout, or pausing to reconnect with someone you love.

The key message is simple: understand your cycle, support your body, and adjust your goals to fit your current season.

RESOURCES + LINKS

Learn & level up with my free nutrition guide & award-winning 1:1 Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com

Learn, laugh & level up with a Breaking Through Wellness masterclass here.

Check out my FullScript here where you can see my curated favorite supplement picks, by topic, to address your concerns & save 25% off! A small portion of EACH sale goes back to support BTW. Thank you!

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount & save 20% off Kion’s science-backed clean products. Code "LOUISE" saves on all future orders: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:56) Part two and choosing personalized action steps
(7:35) Hormonal surges, inflammation, and physique changes
(10:14) Bloating, constipation, pelvic floor symptoms, and cramping
(12:38) Hydration, electrolytes, body temperature, and hot flashes
(14:24) HRV changes and adjusting training intensity
(16:47) Choosing between performance, fat loss, and recovery goals
(18:59) Supporting mental health during difficult cycle phases
(20:04) Using music to improve runs and mood
(23:52) How perimenopause symptoms affect the whole family
(26:27) Reconnecting with your partner instead of reacting
(29:05) Creating a shared wellness lifestyle at home
(35:05) Starting with one to three practical strategies
(37:08) Estrogen, hydration, and female endurance performance
(38:45) Outro

Tune in weekly to "Maximizing Hormones, Physique, and Running Through Perimenopause" for our simple female-specific science-based revolution. Let's unlock our best with less stress!

I'd love to connect!

Email 💬 support@breakingthroughwellness.com

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