Is your body whispering... or screaming for help? In this empowering episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading health, fitness and performance experts for everyday recreational runners, opens up about the unexpected signs your body is entering the heart of perimenopause, often long before the typical hot flashes or changes in your cycle show up!

She sheds light on subtle, easily overlooked symptoms like stress fractures, energy crashes, stubborn weight gain, and even PMS-like symptoms that start to appear mid-cycle. Through a mix of personal stories, science-backed insights, and hard-learned lessons from her own journey, Louise helps you recognize these red flags for what they really are: your body’s cry for female-specific nutrition, fitness and running methods that support your body's ability to thrive, mitigating frustrating symptoms, health, hormone and fitness decline.

This episode goes beyond just surviving perimenopause. It’s about reclaiming your vitality and learning to thrive through hormonal shifts. Whether you’re a dedicated endurance athlete pushing your limits, a busy runnermom juggling a full work-home life plate, or an avid fitness lover who’s tired of feeling “off,” Louise offers clarity, compassion, and powerful tools to help you feel strong, energized, and in tune with your changing female body.

You’ll discover why stress fractures and bone issues in your 30s and 40s are a sign worth paying attention to, what’s really behind that dreaded 3PM energy crash and what to eat instead, and why your lab results might not be telling the full story about your hormones. Most importantly, Louise reframes symptoms not as weaknesses, but as signals, and even superpowers, that can guide you toward better health, fitness and performance. Ready to understand your unique changing female body? Tune in and take action!

Link to check out our free nutrition guide and award-winning Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Link to our FullScript where you can see our curated best supplement picks & save 20%: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/breakingthroughwellness/store-start

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(4:07) What perimenopause really means
(6:26) You can thrive with the right tools
(8:22) Stress fractures as a wake-up call
(17:39) Epic energy crashes aren’t normal
(21:02) Weight won’t budge? Here’s why
(23:15) Warmth without hot flashes
(31:49) Lab work flags you shouldn’t ignore
(38:46) PMS symptoms shifting to ovulation
(44:17) Your symptoms are your superpower
(46:15) What Louise did wrong—so you don’t
(54:56) Even practitioners screw up too
(1:01:02) Game-changing blood sugar hack
(1:03:17) Outro

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

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Feeling off, exhausted or like your body isn’t responding to your fitness, nutrition and wellness efforts the way it used to? You’re not alone, and it’s NOT normal or “just part of aging!” But it is likely your changing hormones talking to you. Ready to support them?

In this powerful episode, Louise, named one of the world's leading integrative health and fitness practitioners specializing in the unique needs of ambitious active women and recreational runners age 35 and beyond, opens up about the emotional weight of watching so many well-meaning women struggle through misinformation, misdiagnoses and frustrating medical experiences. She shares two evidence-backed strategies to naturally restore healthy hormones, holistic balance and your best energy: promising new findings in specific supplementation and seed cycling, a time-tested Breaking Through Wellness favorite strategy! These tools aren’t just trends, they’re rooted in science and real-life results. You’ll learn how ferritin impacts your vitality, why one-size-fits-all hormone protocols fail, and how to build a sustainable, personalized approach to unlock your most vibrant health, fitness and performance despite changing hormones!

If you’re an active, high-achieving woman who wants to feel strong, balanced, fit and vibrant again, this episode gives you two effective strategies to start.

Link to get my free nutrition guide which describes seed cycling + many other holistic nutrition & lifestyle strategies: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Link to save 25% off Primal Queen organ meat capsules: https://www.primalqueen.com/LOUISE29592

Link to save 20% off all supplements & wellness products in our Breaking Through Wellness FullScript, seeing our recommendations under “Catalog” → “Favorites”: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/breakingthroughwellness/store-start

Link to explore Function Health for regular affordable advanced lab work: https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?code=LVALENTINE11&_saasquatch=LVALENTINE11

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(4:26) A holistic stance on healing
(6:33) Two natural strategies that work
(7:22) How to track your cycle with food
(10:21) Why America isn’t ready for HRT
(13:05) Louise’s personal hormone crash
(14:25) Real client success stories
(18:13) The power of food + supplements
(19:59) A closer look at Primal Queen
(29:36) What seed cycling can do for you
(33:47) How to actually implement seed cycling
(36:22) What to do if your cycle is irregular
(38:21) The real-world struggle with consistency
(44:33) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
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Want better results with less overwhelm? Today we discuss the truth about how to fuel with your changing hormones and female physiology, with innovative nutrient timing and strategies that even the most well-meaning nutritionists, doctors and coaches aren't aware of. Female-specific science matters and today we break it down clearly and concisely for you!

In this episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading experts for perimenopausal women who love to run, gets real about the physiological and hormone shifts that start around age 35 and what actually works to support your body to thrive. You’ll learn why nutrition quality matters, why macro and calorie counting is ineffective at mitigating symptoms and fitness decline, how poor protein choices sabotage results, and the right way to use supplements like amino acids to feel better, look stronger, and build muscle. She unpacks why dietary fat isn’t the enemy, how carbs can work for you, and why stress (including dietary stress!) is likely blocking your progress. This is a masterclass in getting back to basics with female-specific science, empathy, and lived experience guiding the way.

If you’re tired of confusion about when to eat what, B.S. diets, and “one-size-fits-all” advice that doesn’t work for active women over 35, this episode is for you!

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Check out our free nutrition guide and join other fierce runners taking charge of their holistic health, hormones, and fitness in our award-winning Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Link to our FullScript where you can see our curated best supplement picks & save 20%: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/breakingthroughwellness/store-start

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(5:36) #1 tip for women 35+
(7:06) The overlooked role of dietary stress
(9:14) How natural hormone production actually works
(10:44) Female-specific training and stress regulation
(13:29) Fats and carbs for hormone health
(17:24) Protein quality vs. quantity
(19:04) Amino acid absorption and timing
(22:22) Why EAAs can outperform whey
(25:22) Supplement scams to avoid
(27:19) Why Louise recommends Kion Aminos
(30:32) Real energy benefits from amino timing
(32:57) How nutrition quality changes everything
(35:31) What your body truly needs now
(38:14) Symptoms caused by chronic stress
(41:22) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
support@breakingthroughwellness.com

What if a refined, focused, and lower stress approach is the key to finally feeling, looking, and performing your best with lifelong sustainable success?

In this heartfelt solo episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading health, fitness, and performance experts, invites high-achieving active women to pause, reflect, and embrace a new kind of summer challenge, one rooted in calm, confidence, and letting go of perfectionism. If you’re someone who constantly pushes for more: more results, more control, more effort, but still feels something’s missing, this episode is for you!

Louise shares personal insights, lessons from coaching hundreds of women through hormone challenges and perimenopause changes, and how simplifying her own approach led to unexpected breakthroughs. From her simple science-backed methods to summer vacation vibes, this conversation is a powerful reminder: You don’t need to do more to be enough. Sometimes, less really is more.

Link to check out our free nutrition guide and join other fierce active ladies taking charge of their holistic health and fitness in our award-winning Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Link to our FullScript where you can see our curated best supplement picks & save 20%: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/breakingthroughwellness/store-start

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(4:22) Type A women and the pressure to “do it all”
(6:08) Health gains but still not feeling satisfied
(7:55) Craving progress at the cost of peace
(9:13) The science behind simple nutrition swaps
(12:47) Mental overload and the myth of more
(14:00) When “everything is working”, stop overcomplicating
(16:50) How to create a summer vacation vibe daily
(20:04) A wellness retreat weekend at home
(22:03) Rewriting goals with community and joy
(24:55) New retreats focused on connection, not performance
(27:21) Simplicity over complexity in healing programs
(29:30) Rethinking happiness and slowing down
(31:21) A book recommendation: Maybe It's You: Cut the Crap. Face Your Fears. Love Your Life. by Lauren Handel Zander
(36:31) The invisible pressure to constantly optimize
(39:07) Owning your glow and dialing back the grind
(44:22) Daily joy: the new wellness must-have
(46:24) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
support@breakingthroughwellness.com

What if the one thing you've been taught to avoid when supporting your best health, body composition, and fitness results was actually what your female body needed most?

In this fierce and fire-filled episode, Louise busts the myth that snacking is bad, especially for active ambitious women navigating changing hormones age 35 and beyond. As one of the world's leading exercise physiologists and women's health experts specializing in active women and recreational runners, Louise shares her personal journey of unlocking her best body composition, fitness, and running, while doing amazing things like reversing osteoporosis naturally, restoring her hormone health without medications, and learning the truth about fueling for optimal performance.

You’ll learn why skipping snacks, especially morning ones, can sabotage your energy, metabolism, and mood. She breaks down how snacks impact hormone production, how to listen beyond your hunger cues, and what smart snacking actually looks like (hint: no naked carbs!). As a badass bonus, enjoy learning how to support your body in burning fat and building muscle while you sleep. Bedtime belly fat buster anyone? From practical snack ideas to science-backed insights, this episode is both empowering and actionable.

Next time your snack attack hits, lean into it, knowing you are unlocking your fierce female body's potential to thrive with vibrant lifelong sustainable success!

Link to our FullScript where you can see our curated best supplement picks & save 20%: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/breakingthroughwellness/store-start

Link to check out our free nutrition guide and join other fierce active ladies taking charge of their holistic health and fitness in our multi award-winning Badass Breakthrough 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:17) Why old diet advice is hurting women
(4:28) Reversing bone loss naturally
(6:10) Snacking myths that sabotage your health
(8:15) Morning snacks and hormone production
(11:01) Why you can’t trust hunger cues
(15:19) The body’s need to build, not break down
(16:11) The “no naked carbs” rule explained
(19:34) Easy snack ideas for busy women
(27:51) How snacking prevents overeating and fatigue
(31:35) Breaking the “no snack” mindset
(34:44) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
support@breakingthroughwellness.com

Ever feel like you're trying to learn everything you can about best health, nutrition, and fitness methods to feel, look, and perform your best but you're still not seeing great results? In this refreshingly honest episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading health, fitness, and performance experts, unpacks the idea of mental obesity, which is consuming too much information without taking meaningful action. If you're an active, health-conscious woman trying hard to navigate perimenopause advice, this episode will speak right to you!

Louise shares real-life stories from women overwhelmed by podcasts, leading expert advice, books, social media influencers, and conflicting methods. She reveals how this mental overload keeps us stuck, stressed, and second-guessing our every move. Through her award-winning Academy education and methods, Louise shares how trimming the mental fat leads to more energy, badass hormone balance, a leaner physique, peak performance, and refreshing peace of mind.

If you're constantly researching and trying all the things, but still not feeling better, it's time to rethink your approach. This week, join us in selecting fewer expert opinions, trusting the process, and giving your body (and brain) a break.

Link to check out our free nutrition guide and join other fierce active ladies taking charge of their holistic health and fitness in our award-winning Badass Breakthrough Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Link to our FullScript where you can see our curated best supplement picks & save 20%: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/breakingthroughwellness/store-start

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(2:57) What is mental obesity?
(3:43) The perimenopause information overload
(6:11) The smart woman’s struggle to start
(7:25) Too many experts, too little clarity
(9:07) The power of shared community support
(10:49) Real progress through real-life tweaks
(12:49) Why one-size diets no longer work
(15:45) You don't need more voices
(19:04) The problem with not giving things a chance
(20:13) Are you taking action, or just learning?
(24:38) Knowing your unique physiological stress point
(28:08) Choose fewer experts, trust the right ones
(32:24) Final reflection: Trim the fat, trust yourself
(40:45) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
support@breakingthroughwellness.com

Is running really "bad" for you during perimenopause?

If you’ve ever been told to “stop running” because you’re a female in your late 30s, 40s or 50s, this episode is your reset button. Louise, a leading expert for perimenopausal active women and runners, breaks down one of the biggest myths floating around: that running is bad for women in perimenopause. Spoiler alert, it’s not, if you do it right to work with and not against your changing hormones and female physiology.

She shares why just doing long, slow cardio might be doing more harm than good for your hormones, tendon health and overall fitness, and how female-strategic sprinting, strength training, and fueling can completely transform your energy, physique, performance and mental health. You'll learn how to keep running and build muscle, boost metabolism, and better manage cortisol.

This episode is filled with tangible tips, sprint training formulas, and real client stories, from injury recovery to physique glow-ups. If you love running but feel confused, tired, or stuck, this will help you take your power back, one stride at a time!

Link to check out our free nutrition guide and join other fierce lady runners taking charge of their holistic health and fitness in our multi award-winning Badass Breakthrough 1:1 Academy: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(3:20) The Running Myth That Broke Our Hearts
(4:41) Why Running Feels Harder After 35
(5:52) Types of Women This Approach Helps
(7:09) Loving Running But Feeling Discouraged
(7:58) What’s Missing from Most Running Plans
(9:07) What “Thriving” Really Looks Like Now
(10:08) Why Slow Running May Hurt, Not Help
(13:51) Sprinting Is Better for Cortisol Control
(14:47) Easy Run + Sprints: A Game Changer
(16:16) Healing Hip Pain and Hormones Naturally
(19:33) When Traditional Speed Work Fails You
(21:11) Hormones, Tendons, and Real Recovery
(23:29) SIT Training Beats Long Slow Runs
(27:18) A Sample Weekly Running Plan
(29:23) How to Keep the Booty While Running
(33:19) Cumulative Fatigue and Metabolic Boost
(35:14) Strength Training That Actually Works
(36:25) Where to Hear Real Runner Success Stories
(38:57) Weeks 1–4: Building Sprint Intervals
(39:54) Weeks 5–8: Advancing to 400 Meter Repeats
(41:51) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
support@breakingthroughwellness.com

Are you trying hard to do everything “right” with your health, eating clean, training hard, prioritizing sleep, but still feeling off? Frustrated with lack of attention to your lab work or feeling lost, not knowing what biomarkers to consider?

If you’re a wellness-minded active woman, especially a runner or endurance athlete age 35 and beyond, the truth is your lab work is telling you a story, EVEN when in range or borderline low/high. Ready to finally understand nuances, specific to your unique body? In this episode, Louise, one of the world’s leading health, fitness, and performance experts, unpacks the biomarkers that can reveal what’s really going on beneath the surface: hormonal shifts, under-fueling, inflammation, thyroid issues, under recovery, exercising incorrectly, cholesterol concerns, blood sugar imbalances, and more!

You’ll learn why standard medical labs often miss critical context for athletic women in perimenopause and beyond, and how to advocate for deeper, more relevant testing with your provider team. Additionally, variances in functional medicine, integrative health, and allopathic medicine are discussed. From interpreting ferritin levels like an athlete to spotting inflammation caused by overtraining, you’ll walk away with real, actionable tools to take charge of your health.

This isn’t just about getting labs done. It’s about getting answers that matter and support that makes a difference. Your performance, energy, and vitality depend on it. You absolutely deserve the knowledge, tools, and context to thrive DESPITE changing hormones, so let's learn, laugh, and level up together!

Link to check out our free nutrition guide and join other fierce lady runners taking charge of their holistic health and fitness in our multi award-winning Badass Breakthrough 1:1 Academy to thrive through perimenopause with less stress: https://www.breakingthroughwellness.com/

Our affiliate link to check Function Health for comprehensive blood work: https://my.functionhealth.com/signup?code=LVALENTINE11&_saasquatch=LVALENTINE11

Take advantage of our podcast listener discount and save 20% off all of Kion’s science-backed clean products: https://www.getkion.com/pages/maximizing

Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(4:42) How to speak your doctor’s language
(6:42) Lab testing without breaking the bank
(9:15) Why A1C is a hidden red flag
(10:57) Ferritin and the endurance athlete
(12:28) Infusions vs. real root cause healing
(14:18) Inflammation markers and overtraining
(16:33) Amino acid profile: The gut and protein story
(18:19) 6-month progress: Biomarkers can change
(22:36) Thyroid testing beyond TSH
(25:21) Liver stress and what it reveals
(28:03) BUN, creatinine, and hydration
(34:05) Improving iron levels with whole foods
(37:22) Comparing traditional vs. integrative ranges
(38:57) Where to get more comprehensive testing
(42:31) Outro

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

I'd love to connect!

Instagram 📷
https://www.instagram.com/breakingthroughwellness

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/BreakingThroughWellness

Email 💬 (Note: We do not have guests on our podcast)
support@breakingthroughwellness.com