Thank you to everyone who listened to any or all of the episodes within the February Eating Disorders Series!

This episode is a short thank you and reflection on recording and releasing the series.

If you have a story you'd like to share on the podcast, related to this topic or not, let me know!

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

In this episode, Lindsay, a professional trail and ultra-runner, discusses her battle with eating disorders and her path to recovery.

She shares her experiences, from developing an eating disorder in college due to pressures of looking like a runner and an unhealthy relationship, to seeking help and undergoing treatment, and finally to her current journey as a professional athlete and coach.

Despite setbacks in her running career due to bone injuries, Lindsay remains positive and dedicated to helping others struggling with similar issues.

00:28 Lindsey’s Background and Passion for Running

02:09 Transition into College and Trail Running

02:50 Beginning of Eating Disorder and Its Impact

07:01 Struggles in College and Impact on Relationships

23:46 Decision to Seek Treatment and Recovery Journey

33:58 Post-Treatment Challenges and Career as a Professional Runner

43:06 Dealing with Injuries and Future Plans

47:50 Final Thoughts and Advice

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/long.run.lindsey

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

This episode of the February Eating Disorders Series features an insightful interview with Ryan Frecka, a strength and conditioning coach from Alberta, Canada. 

It sheds light on his personal battle with eating disorders in the context of climbing, a sport where weight is often discussed in relation to performance. 

Ryan explores his journey from realizing his unhealthy obsession with weight to his road towards recovery and becoming a strength and conditioning coach. 

The episode also highlights the societal pressures that can contribute to the development of such disorders. The importance of breaking the stigma and being open about eating disorders is emphasized throughout the conversation.

00:59 Introducing the Guest

01:14 Ryan's Background and Eating Disorder Journey

02:48 The Impact of Bullying and Perfectionism

08:41 The Role of Climbing in Ryan's Eating Disorder

13:57 The Turning Point and Seeking Help

15:40 The Recovery Process and Challenges

20:26 Returning to Climbing and Reflections on Recovery

30:54 Isolation and Recovery

31:29 Finding Joy in Strength Training

31:44 Transitioning from Climbing to Strength Training

33:32 The Impact of Gym Culture

34:42 Becoming a Strength and Conditioning Coach

39:49 The Role of Fixation in Eating Disorders

49:30 The Impact of Diet Culture

51:06 The Journey to Recovery

56:53 Final Thoughts and Reflections

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/rfrecka

Light: A Documentary About Eating Disorders in Rock Climbing: https://youtu.be/thtDQJGrO5s?si=xc7HZZ6Rreh9sKxu

The Nugget climbing episode: https://thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/my-eating-disorder

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

This episode features a conversation with Kim, an ultra runner who opens up about her journey through her eating disorder that developed during high school all the way to recovery. 

She shares the challenges she faced, the support she received, and her determination to get back into sports while managing her recovery. 

She discusses her experience with different treatment centers, how she navigated recovery, the role running played in her recovery, and her advocacy work in spreading awareness about eating disorders in the sports community. 

Kim also shares the importance of seeking help from the right professionals and fostering a positive relationship with one's body and food, emphasizing that recovery is not a linear process, but one that requires time, patience, and dedication.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/endotherun/

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

In this episode, Sarah, one of my friends from my first corporate job, talks about her ongoing struggle with eating disorders.

Growing up, Sarah was heavily influenced by her mother, who herself had disordered eating, and this shaped Sarah's unhealthy relationship with food. Sarah shares candidly about periods of restriction, binging, and orthorexia throughout her adult life, exacerbated by stress and mental health struggles. 

Therapy has significantly helped Sarah, and she is currently focusing on rebuilding her physical health and managing her relationship with food. Despite still finding herself in the throes of struggle, Sarah emphasizes the importance of seeking help and not letting societal definitions of eating disorders hinder individuals from getting the support they need.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/sarah_graffy/

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

For the 5th episode in this series, I welcome Erin, a college friend, for a candid discussion about our shared experiences with eating disorders. Erin shares her struggle with bulimia, which peaked her sophomore year in college. 

She analyses the societal pressures and her personal insecurities that led to her disorder and the emotional turmoil felt during the ordeal. Erin shares her journey towards recovery, marked by learning to shift her focus from how her body looks to what her body can do, as she builds a positive relationship with her body and food while pursuing her love for running. 

Our conversation highlights the often overlooked vulnerability of high school and college-aged students towards eating disorders, the pervasiveness of diet culture, and the crucial role a positive environment plays in recovery and maintaining a healthy body image.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/erinme91/

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

In this episode of the February Eating Disorders series, Ally Rae Pesta joins me to share her journey with her eating disorder which started over 10 years ago. 

Ally emphasizes the importance of empowerment in recovery and shares her experiences, from denial and control to recognizing the need for help and embarking on her recovery journey. 

She provides insight into her key stages of recovery, addresses the importance of destigmatising eating disorders, discusses the significance of community, and shares the details of her memoir, 'Beyond my Body'. 

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/allyraepesta/

https://www.allyrae.co/

Ally’s book: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CJL28LP4/

Meet Ally at Tattered Cover on 2/23 at 6PM: https://www.tatteredcover.com/events/local-author-event-live-colfax

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

In this episode, I am joined by dietitian Chiara for a discussion about eating disorders as part of the February Eating Disorders series.

Chiara shares her personal journey of dealing with an eating disorder for a decade while studying to be a dietitian. This disorder, which went unrecognized for a long time due to societal normalization and stigma, severely impacted Chiara's life and relationships. 

In 2017, after a significant turning point, Chiara began her path to recovery. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the reality behind food and body image, discussing her struggles with body dissatisfaction amid changing body during pregnancy. 

Chiara also mentions the role climbing had in perpetuating her disorder, reinforcing weight-loss culture. Today, Chiara works as a weight-inclusive non-diet dietitian primarily with climbers, focusing on creating healthy relationships with food and the body.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

Links: 

https://www.instagram.com/climbingdietitian

https://www.bitebetanutrition.com/

Intuitive Eating books: https://www.intuitiveeating.org/our-books/

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

In this episode, Clara recounts her personal struggle with an eating disorder and  Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), a syndrome resulting from insufficient energy intake in athletes.

Initially triggered by her perfectionist and over achieving tendencies, Clara struggled with an eating disorder starting in high school.

Post college when she started running, she unknowingly developed RED-S symptoms, such as loss of her period, fatigue, irritability, gastrointestinal issues, and proneness to injury. Despite facing dismissive attitudes from several doctors, she finds a wake-up call in a body composition test revealing critically low body fat.

Clara discusses the lifestyle changes she made to better manage her condition, which included setting reminders to eat regularly, sneaking in calories, and altering her mindset towards her performance in races. She also shares how managing RED-S has reshaped both her experience and love for running.

This interview is the first of many around folks' stories with eating disorders that I will be releasing throughout the month of February. The end of February is Eating Disorders Awareness Week (2/26 - 3/3).

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines

NEDA help page: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/

NEDA resources: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/

_____

CONNECT WITH CLARA:

https://www.instagram.com/ccc_adventuring

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠

In honor of ⁠Eating Disorders Awareness Week⁠ at the end of February (2/26 - 3/3), and February being National Eating Disorders Awareness Month, I’m kicking off a series of stories about folks who have struggled with an eating disorder, starting with my own story.

I’ve been saying I was going to share this on the podcast for almost a year now and have been procrastinating, partially because I didn’t want to make an outline for it and partially because I’m scared to share it.

I was inspired by Clara (next week’s episode) sharing her story that I finally sat down and recorded my own. The more we normalize conversations around eating disorders, the more awareness there will be.

This is a very personal and vulnerable episode for me, where I describe how my own eating disorder started in high school, how it related to running, and how it continued through college/grad school.

Please take care if you find these topics hard to listen to or triggering in any way, as I do discuss weight loss, fear of food, body image, eating disorder behaviors.

If you or someone you know is struggling, here are some resources:

Eating Disorder Hotlines for 24/7 Crisis Help: ⁠https://www.eatingdisorderhope.com/treatment-for-eating-disorders/eating-disorder-hotlines⁠

NEDA help page: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/⁠

NEDA resources: ⁠https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/resource-center/⁠

_____

CONNECT WITH ME:

⁠Apply for run coaching⁠

⁠Subscribe to my newsletter⁠

⁠Instagram⁠

⁠TikTok⁠

⁠Website⁠

⁠Email⁠