Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause
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Get ready to break through misinformation, ditch outdated male-based methods and apply what you learn to feel your best, level up a fit toned physique and run strong, energized and injury-free at ANY age!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!
Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause
#139 - A Refreshingly Calm Clarification of Fasted Training Nuances Specific to Female Runners
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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 minimum $1,000 fee and interview process to vet you as a guest. 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 fads.