Today I’m joined again by Lucy McConnell – last time she was on the show she was a guest explaining her recovery journey and what she learned and now she’s back but with a whole new role! She’s now part of the coaching team here at sarahlizking.com and heading up the Better Balance Training programs alongside taking 1:1 health coaching clients for HA recovery.

Making a safe return to exercise is so important after recovery, but oftentimes people aren't sure where to start, what to do, and how hard they can push. So today, we're going to answer all those questions and more!

In today’s episode on how to make a safe return to exercise after HA recovery we’re going to be covering:

• Our own personal journeys with exercise after HA recovery
• The most common mistakes people make when returning to exercise after HA recovery
• Answering the question: is it ever safe to lose weight after Hypothalamic Amenorrhea recovery
• The best goals to set for yourself when you return to training
• When and if high intensity training is appropriate and what that looks like
• The importance of strength training for bone health
• Are PDF plans and instagram workouts ok to do after recovery? Why or why not?
• Education on understanding the menstrual cycle and performance - what you SHOULD be tracking, what that means and how to interpret it. 

❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image"

❤️ FREE eBOOK - Everything you need to know about hiring a PT. The 6 questions you must ask before hiring an online or face-to-face PT. Click here to download your copy. 

❤️ Ready to return to exercise and keep your period for good? Check out our Better Balance Training program for more details. 

❤️ Work with me or my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com or sending me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

What happens when fitness isn't just something that we do, but starts to define who we are? And how can we start to let go and re-shape that fitness identity when trying to recovery from disordered eating, an eating disorder and hypothalamic amenorrhea?

I answer both of those questions and so much more in this week's episode where you'll learn:

• The role grief plays in re-shaping your fitness identity
• How to redefine your values around fitness so they lead towards a more sustainable relationship with exercise
• How to cultivate a radical willingness to sit with change, difficult thoughts and uncomfortable emotions as you work towards healing
• Why it's important to pull apart the complex story of fitness being who we are versus something that we do
• What belief systems are no longer serving you when it comes to your fitness identity and how to unsubscribe from them
• How to truly find exercise freedom and define what that looks like for you 

❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image"

❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out details and sign up here: https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/

❤️ Work with me to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com or sending me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

When recovering from disordered eating, food is often not the only aspect of your lifestyle that needs to be adjusted. Many people with eating disorders simultaneously struggle with exercise dependence and addiction. 

In one study, compulsive exercise was prevalent in 31-81% of patients with anorexia nervosa and 20-66% of those suffering bulimia nervosa (Dittmer, Jacobi & Voderholzer 2018). These statistics highlight just how difficult recovery can be as many sufferers battle more than one compulsion at a time: the need to restrict combined with the urge to overcompensate. 

In today's society exercise is often celebrated and congratulated, adding to the difficulty of those who are battling with these dependencies. Exercise is great for both mental and physical health but should be done in a balanced manner that doesn’t focus on calorie burning, compensation and punishment. 

But how do you actually get there?

That is the focus on this week’s podcast where we dissect what an unhealthy relationship with exercise actually looks like, the different components that you might be hung up on and how to start transitioning away from those behaviours towards a more balanced enjoyable exercise routine.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The 6 key signs of unhealthy relationship with exercise plus

• A step by step guide on how to start improving your relationship with exercise so you can move your body for joy

❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image"

❤️ Work with me to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com or sending me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

In episode 93 last week I spoke a lot about motivation in recovery and the feedback was great! However, I also got lots of messages from you lovely listeners asking how to actually get started in the first place and commit to your recovery journey.

Well you asked and I delivered!

This week on the podcast I blend my personal experience, with some helpful practice advice to help you get started and commit to your own recovery.

In this episode I discuss:

• My own personal lightbulb moment where I realised that I needed to get started and actually commit to my eating disorder recovery
• The simple 4-step process for getting started with recovery, getting your period back or improving your relationship with food or exercise or committing to a goal focused on improving your wellbeing
• What making a commitment to recovery actually means
• Journal prompts and questions to ask yourself help you discover your "why" for your goals, and get started with taking action towards recovery from your eating disorder or hypothalamic amenorrhea

❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image"

❤️ Work with me to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com or sending me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

Motivation in recovery can be difficult to maintain which is why it’s so important to know how to reignite it when it’s lost.

In recovery, we often set unrealistic expectations for both ourselves and the process as a whole.

For example, when you start recovery you may convince yourself that it’s going to be an easy, feel-good journey to fixing your relationship with food and exercise. You may expect things to improve quite rapidly with no room for error.

Unfortunately, as rewarding as recovery can be, it’s not always going to be quick and easy – there will be hard days when you question everything.

In this episode of Holistic Health Radio I’m going to cover:

• Reasons why we lose motivation in recovery from an eating disorder or hypothalamic amenorrhea
• The problem with relying solely on motivation
• Why we get stuck in "not knowing what to do"
• How to get the ball rolling again when we fall off track

If you're currently struggling with motivation then have a listen to this episode and if you need extra help and support I'd love for you to join my Healing HA program below!

❤️ Join my next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (my hybrid 1:1 and group coaching program to regain your period) Click here for details and to sign up: https://linktr.ee/skactive

❤️ Work with me to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com or sending me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

Diving into HA Recovery is one of the best decisions you’ll ever make for your future self but that doesn’t make it any less scary to begin with.

Changing your current lifestyle and rules around food or exercise can be daunting but in this episode, I cover all your most common fears while giving you tips and tricks to overcome them.

• Do you fear weight gain?
• The loss of your fitness identity?
• Are you scared of being ‘unhealthy’ or being judged by others?

These are all very common topics that come up in HA recovery and trust me, I understand! Your feelings are valid but let’s unpack these fears a little more and stop them from holding you back.

It's important to understand that recovering from HA is a LOT more than physically changing your routine.

In recovery, you have to challenge a lot of your old beliefs because more often than not, they’re quite far from reality! Let’s start facing your fears front on and give you the best possible chance at recovery.

Have a listen to this episode and if you need extra help and support I'd love for you to join my Healing HA program below!

❤️ Join my next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (my hybrid 1:1 and group coaching program to regain your period) Click here for details and to sign up: https://linktr.ee/skactive

❤️ To work with me to regain your period while improving your relationship with food and exercise, head to www.sarahlizking.com or send me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

In today’s podcast I want to talk about how to embrace weight gain and your changing body during recovery from disordered eating, an eating disorder or hypothalamic amenorrhea.

You might also experience some body changes if you are giving up extreme dieting and working towards a more intuitive approach to eating that honours your body’s natural weight, in which case, this episode will help you too.

In this podcast I share:

• My lapse 4 years ago which led me to needing to gain weight again to recover physically, mentally and emotionally from a very tough year
• Is weight gain harder after a lapse or relapse? My own personal experience with this.
• 10 mindset and behavioural shift to help you embrace weight gain
• The best mantras to repeat to yourself to help you on bad body image days

❤️ Next round for Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (my hybrid 1:1 and group coaching program to regain your period) opens for enrolment on January 4th 2021! Add your name to the wait list here:  https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/

❤️ To work with me to regain your period while improving your relationship with food and exercise, head to www.sarahlizking.com or send me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

Today on the podcast I’m joined by Lindsey Lusson, a Registered Dietitian, wife, and momma to a 2-year-old girl with a baby boy currently on the way.

Through her own personal health journey, Lindsey has learned a lot about how under eating can wreak havoc on your health.

For 13 years she did not have a natural period and when she and her husband wanted to begin trying for a baby, she felt lost with no direction on how to get pregnant.

Thankfully, she was able to get her hands a book about Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) and decided to follow the recovery protocol to regain her cycles naturally. In less than a month she was able to get her period back and 3 months later got pregnant naturally despite being told that she would need fertility treatment to start a family.

This experience led her to wanting to support others who have lost their period due to HA, which of course is my mission too.

In this episode Lindsey and I discuss:

• Her journey with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
• What she did to get her own period back
• The importance of accountability on your HA recovery journey
• The impact of high intensity exercise on your HA recovery journey
• Body image struggles and how to deal with them
• What to expect when trying to conceive naturally after HA recovery
• When fertility treatments may be helpful versus unnecessary if trying to conceive
• Her best tips for those in HA recovery looking to get their periods back naturally

👉 Find Lindsey on Instagram @food.freedom.fertility

👉 To work with Lindsey, head to her website https://lindseylifestyledietitian.com/

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

❤️ Download your FREE Body Confidence (for life) eBook by heading to https://sarahlizking.com/body-confidence-guide/ OR your FREE Ultimate Meal Prep Made Easy Guide here: https://bit.ly/3lCZbMC 

Do you struggle to enjoy Christmas without feelings of guilt, shame or regret?

Maybe you eat more than you want and then feel like you need to burn it off with exercise?

Do you worry about comments and judgements from others about your body?

In today's episode of Holistic Health Radio I talk about navigating the holidays while in recovery from disordered eating, an eating disorder or hypothalamic amenorrhea. This is also applicable to you if you’re simply trying to have a better relationship with food, exercise and your body that’s free from the grips of diet culture.

In this podcast I’m going to discuss:

• Why the end of year holidays can often feel really hard
• How to prepare yourself to Christmas lunch, dinner, parties and other events
• How to figure out if your exercise habits are coming from a healthy place
• Where guilt comes from when we eat more or exercise less than usual
• Managing diet culture talk and comments from other
• Creating safe boundaries for yourself in social situations
• Stepping outside of your comfort zone and trying new things

❤️ Next round for Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (my hybrid 1:1 and group coaching program to regain your period) opens for enrolment on January 4th 2021! Add your name to the wait list here:  https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/

❤️ To work with me to regain your period while improving your relationship with food and exercise, head to www.sarahlizking.com or send me a DM on Instagram @sarahlizking

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

Today on the podcast I’m joined by Kieran O’Dwyer from Bathurst Strength and Conditioning. Lovingly known around the gym as Coach Kizz, his mission is to optimise the health and performance of everybody who walks through the door. Whether it be to improve their athletic performance, get fit, learn to lift, keep joints strong and pain free, or hit a new PB, he is there to help.

With 8 years of coaching experience in the bank, Coach Kizz knows that hard work and building persistent healthy habits are the key to success. Today on the podcast we get a big dose of his expertise as we discuss the science of strength and conditioning.

In this episode we cover:

• What strength & conditioning actually is and how it differs from other popular forms of training
• The movement basics we should all be mastering
• The most common mistakes women make when strength training, and how to fix them
• What components make up a well-rounded S&C program
• When and how often you should be changing your program to keep progressing
• Training variables that are often overlooked
• Why a coach can be so helpful in helping you ace your technique
• How long does it actually take to build muscle/hit a PB
• Learning the importance of balancing strength and mobility

👉 Find Kieran on Instagram @builtbykizz

👉 Follow Bathurst Strength & Conditioning on Instagram @bathurstsc or head to their website to check out their in person and online coaching programs.

❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking and I'll be sure to reshare.

❤️ Download your FREE Body Confidence (for life) eBook by heading to https://sarahlizking.com/body-confidence-guide/ OR your FREE Ultimate Meal Prep Made Easy Guide here: https://bit.ly/3lCZbMC