Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

#142 - Part 1: Why Ovulation & Luteal Phase Symptoms Ramp Up & What To Do About It

Louise Valentine

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0:00 | 41:08

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.

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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


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