#77 - The Art of Balancing Fat Loss, Physique & Running Without Compromising Our Vibrance

Maximizing Hormones, Physique & Running Through Perimenopause

Ever feel like your body isn’t keeping up with your goals—even though your mind is all in? In this raw and empowering episode, Louise, one of the world's leading exercise physiologists specializing in active women and recreational runners, shares her personal journey as a dedicated runner navigating fat loss, muscle building, and hormone health during perimenopause. Speaking to ambitious, active women who love to move but are frustrated by stubborn weight, low energy, or confusing fitness advice, Louise breaks down why the “eat less, move more” mindset just doesn’t work in this phase of life.

You’ll learn why undereating can backfire, how to fuel smart for performance and fat loss, and why tracking progress with photos—not the scale—is key. Louise also opens up about balancing performance goals with hormone health, and why honoring your body’s signals (like hunger before bed or fatigue during a run) is not failure—it’s power.

Whether you’re a run-walker or marathoner, this episode offers practical tools and compassionate wisdom for staying strong, vibrant, and confident through life’s changes.

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Episode Highlights:
(0:00) Intro
(4:43) The complexity of fat loss for runners
(6:09) Why constant calorie deficits fail
(7:55) The knowledge gap in women’s health
(10:06) Rewriting the story of female runners
(11:42) What’s working inside the community
(13:39) The truth about body composition scales
(14:48) The best ways to track progress
(17:16) Training smart in perimenopause
(19:38) Listening to your body = success
(25:55) When to return to maintenance calories
(29:45) Why fat in the morning matters
(31:23) A sample hormone-healthy recovery meal
(37:20) Protein, perimenopause, and performance
(41:34) Breaking through mindset and nutrition blocks
(43:26) Finding your “I don’t want to grow up” boundary
(48:51) For the well-read but still confused
(56:10) 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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