When it comes to hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery, there is a lot of emphasis that gets placed on eating enough and reducing exercise, but what about the impact of stress? 

Both psychological stress and physical stress can both cause and be a consequence of hypothalamic amenorrhea.

In today's episode we discuss:

• How stress causes hypothalamic amenorrhea
• Whether stress is a contributing factor to your missing period
• The different types of stress out there and how they show up in your life
• The scientific pathways on how stress and stress hormones affect your sex hormones and menstrual cycle
• The interplay between anxiety and hypothalamic amenorhhea recovery
• What to do if you think stress is the cause of your missing period
• Ways to manage your stress during hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery

❤️ 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/

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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 I’m joined with Isabel Dawkes, a Registered Nutritional Therapist specialising in disordered eating and women’s health conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis and hypothalamic amenorrhea. Her previous life as chef and love of food is what inspired her to pursue further studies to help others discover that food can be both nutritious as well as enjoyable and delicious. In this episode we’re chatting all about the differences between binge eating, emotional eating and overeating.

In today's podcast we discuss:

• Isabel's past as a private chef and her current work in the eating disorder recovery space
• What binge eating actually is and the differences between a subjective and objective binge
• The signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder
• The difference between unconditional permission to eat and binge eating
• Why emotional eating isn't inherently bad
• Positive and negative emotional eating
• Building a toolbox of strategies to overcome binge eating or emotional eating
• The definition of overeating and why or when it can happen
• Ways to overcome binge eating, emotional eating or episodes of overeating as you work towards recovery

Follow Isabel online @isabeldawkes_health

❤️ 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/

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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.

This week we're expanding on a question received in the weekly Q&A's both myself and Elyse do on our Instagram which is "why should I recover my period if I don't want to get pregnant? What are the benefits of having a menstrual cycle other than fertility?"

We thought it was an amazing topic to expand upon which is why we're dedicating an entire episode to it!

In today's podcast Elyse and I discuss:

• How regaining your cycle can improve your bone health
• What amount of bone you may be able to build back after HA recovery if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis
• The role estrogen plays in cardioprotection and our overall heart health
• The impact regaining your period can have on your libido, sexual health and pleasure
• How recovering from HA and regaining your period will lead to better bladder function (so you're not peeing all the time!)
• Brain boosting effects of estrogen and how this promotes better energy and concentration
• Why regaining your period can also mean more gains in the gym through improved muscular strength and size
• The role progesterone plays in mood regulation
• Benefits of recovering your period on improving your relationship with food and exercise
• Why diving deep and finding your reasons for recovery is so important to staying the course of HA recovery
• Plus we share our own personal reasons for recover and helpful advice for anyone on the fence uncertain about committing to recovery

❤️ 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/

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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 I’m joined by Athina Crilley, Biochemistry graduate, copywriter, and host of her own podcast Finding my Flo (which I was lucky enough to be a guest on). Having gone through her own journey of HA recovery, Athina now uses her platform and podcast to empower women to become the happiest, healthiest versions of themselves by making positive changes in their lives. Today on the podcast we chat through Athina’s relationship with food and exercise, how this changed over time, when she figured out she had HA and how she navigated through her recovery journey.

Follow Athina on Instagram @findingflopodcast

❤️ 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/

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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 a society that always encourages a “more is better” attitude when it comes to working out, today I want to touch on exercise myths that are holding you back in recovery and with your relationship with exercise in general.

Now, I want to start out by saying that exercise is beneficial. It improves our mental and physical wellbeing, but this should not come at the cost of you feeling guilty for taking a day off or stressed if your work schedule changes and you can’t train that day. Having more realistic standards for your workouts is key to not only finding better balance in recovery, but maintaining a lifelong healthy relationship with exercise that allows you to adjust what you’re doing based on how you feel, your schedule, your availability to the exercise you want to do and so much more.

Reaching this point where exercise takes up the relevant amount of time, energy and brain space is completely possible, but normally the first step is to unlearn a whole lotta different myths that are rooted in diet and fitness culture.

Today I’m going to go over 7 common fitness myths and how they are adding to the toxic fitness culture we sometimes come across today. I’ll also give you some scientific evidence around what’s a better target to aim for so your healthy self can start integrating some of these changes into your recovery or your weekly training plan. The aim should always be to workout smarter, not harder, in ways that you enjoy and that are sustainable physically and mentally.

❤️ 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/

❤️ Fitness that feels good is our mantra when it comes to strength training. Work you way back to exercise in a smart way post recovery with our Better Balance Training program.

❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today!

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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 I’m joined by Kat John, an authenticity coach, speaker and soon to be author who inspires every around her to powerfully manage the thoughts in their head so they can channel their energy into giving fks where they matter most.

In today's episode Kat tells her incredibly powerful story of how she overcame incredible pain through the power of meditation and how this simple tool gave her the ability to navigate unhelpful thoughts and unlock the powerful person within.

During this podcast Kat and I discuss:

• Her story of chronic pain and when meditation came into her life
• Using her "why" to keep going when doubt started to creep in
• What the "ego" is and how to identify it
• Learning to listen to your healthy self and how to strengthen that internal voice
• Easy ways to get started with a meditation practice 
• How to let go of the "people pleaser" mentality
• How to develop a healthy relationship with yourself through a meditation practice and self-enquiry

Follow Kat John on Instagram @kat.john and find out more about her coaching and services on her website: https://katjohn.com.au/

❤️ 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/

❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today!

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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.

If you’re on tiktok you might have come across this trend of women struggling and openly speaking about their digestive issues under the hashtag “hot girls have IBS”.

While this might seem innocuous and even a great way for individuals to speak openly about their pain, discomfort and the stigma associated with uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, constipation and diarrhoea, there’s also an insidious side that I want to discuss today which is the fact that eating disorders and disordered eating often go hand in hand with digestive concerns.

Namely, is this trend harmful in normalising disordered eating behaviours, such as cutting out or demonising food groups? Additionally, if someone is struggling with digestive issues, how do they navigate those symptoms and get the help they need without falling down a diet culture rabbit hole.

In this episode I’m going to discuss:

• How common digestive disorders are in those struggling with eating disorders
• Why digestive concerns occur in those with eating disorders, disordered eating and/or HA
• The bi-directional relationship between IBS symptoms/digestive disorders and disordered eating
• The pros and cons “hot girls have IBS” trend in terms of management strategies
• Why cutting out food groups may not be the answer
• What to do if you’re experiencing IBS or digestive disorders in recovery
• My own personal experience of how digestive concerns fuelled my eating disorder and what my symptom journey looked like during recovery

❤️ 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/

❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today!

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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.

References for this episode:

-Hausteiner-Wiehle, C., & Henningsen, P. (2014). Irritable bowel syndrome: Relations with functional, mental, and somatoform disorders. World Journal of Gastroenterology : WJG, 20(20), 6024–6030.

-Janssen, P. (2010). Can eating disorders cause functional gastrointestinal disorders? P. Janssen Eating and functional gastrointestinal disorders. Neurogastroenterology & Motility, 22(12), 1267–1269.

- Satherley, R., Howard, R., & Higgs, S. (2015). Disordered eating practices in gastrointestinal disorders. Appetite, 84, 240-250.

Sabine McKenzie is a CCI recovery coach supporting individuals on their journey to full recovery by assisting clients with the practical aspects of recovery like tackling food fears, shopping, re-establishing a healthy relationship with movement and so much more. Today she joins us on the podcast to discuss how to identify and overcome comparison in recovery and what to do if you notice disordered behaviours of those around you.

In this episode we cover:

• Why comparison can be problematic when working on recovery from an eating disorder, disordered eating or hypothalamic amenorrhea
• Sneaky ways comparison can show up in recovery
• How comparison impacts recovery and your ability to stay true to your own goals and needs
• Helpful and practical strategies for navigating and overcoming the comparison trap in recovery
• Plus Sabine shares some tips on what to do if you notice others around you have disordered behaviours, how to navigate diet and body talk, as well as her best advice for those currently going through recovery

To join Sabine's July Masterclass on Identifying and Harnessing the Power of Your Healthy Self in Recovery Click Here

❤️ 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/

❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today!

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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’s podcast is all about unpacking the statement “listen to your body” because it’s a phrase thrown around on social media by health influencers, people in the recovery space and those who promote intuitive eating. But what does it actually mean? And how do you truly listen to your body?

In this episode I’m going to go through:

• What “listening to your body means”
• How to tune into your body’s cues and respond to them 
• Why we often struggle with listening to what our body needs
• When “listening to your body might” might be a food or exercise rule in disguise

❤️ 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/

❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today!

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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.

During recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea or disordered eating, you often have to eat mechanically rather than intuitively in order to heal your relationship with food, regain your menstrual cycle and help your body restore all its body systems back to an optimal level.

But what do you do after this? How do you go from following a meal plan or structured approach fuelling your body to a more intuitive approach? What does normal eating look like and how do you know you’re there?

In this podcast I’m going to cover all of this and more. By the end of this episode you’ll understand:

• What is normal eating?
• The principles of intuitive eating is and how to incorporate it into your recovery
• The principles of intuitive eating that are overly focused on
• How to navigate hunger and fullness
• Signs you’re ready to begin eating more intuitively
• How to move away from a meal plan towards and incorporate a more flexible approach to eating

❤️ 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/

❤️ Looking for a supportive recovery community? For all the support, resources and strategies you need on your recovery journey, join us in Recovery Club today!

❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive.

❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form.

❤️ 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.