Ever wonder why you either push too hard at the gym or can’t get yourself to move at all? That tug of war between overexercising and total shutdown isn’t just about motivation. It’s a sign of nervous system dysregulation.

Functional nutrition expert and Registered Dietitian Alex Long joins Lauren Dry to explore the hidden connection between stress, gut health, and your relationship with movement.

Together they examine how trauma, emotional overwhelm, and chronic stress disrupt our ability to feel safe in our bodies and how that disconnection shows up in both our fitness habits and our closest relationships.

You’ll hear us explore:

• The nervous system’s role in exercise avoidance or addiction and why both are trauma responses
• How gut health and hormone balance impact emotional regulation, energy, and your capacity for connection
• The surprising ways somatic healing and intuitive movement can repair a dysregulated nervous system
• Why burnout might be your body’s breakthrough and how rest can restore your sense of self
• How to rebuild safety through small, embodied practices that reconnect you to joy, not just discipline

Whether you’re feeling stuck in a cycle of burnout, struggling with exercise guilt, or trying to heal your relationship with your body after years of disconnection, this episode will meet you where you are.

Resources Mentioned:

• Learn more about Rise into Regulation™, the skillset for connection, communication, and Nervous System safety in modern marriage
• Follow Lauren on Instagram @lauren_dry
• Connect with Alex on Instagram @alex.undefined
• Watch Alex’s free masterclass on gut and hormone health

If something in this episode resonated, please share it with a friend, leave a review, or connect with me on Instagram. I love hearing what lands for you.

Big love,

Lauren X