In this solo episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes, a seasoned sports dietitian, discusses the importance of protein intake for female athletes. Lindsey covers how to determine if you're consuming enough protein by outlining five practical tips, ranging from understanding protein sources to tracking your intake. This episode includes easy-to-follow calculations and emphasizes the importance of balanced nutrition for optimal performance and recovery. Essential listening for any female athlete looking to optimize their nutrition and performance.

Episode Highlights:

01:32 How to Calculate and Track Protein Intake

04:01 Expanding Content and Collaborations

06:25 Understanding Protein Sources

06:59 Five Tips to Ensure Adequate Protein Intake

07:07 Identify your protein sources

09:25 Eat protein at every meal

11:04 Calculate your protein needs

16:30 Track for a few days

18:46 Listen to your body

20:18 Recap and Final Thoughts

Resources and Links Mentioned:

Top Priorities for Teen Athlete Nutrition: Grow & Develop Into A Strong Athlete: https://www.lindseycortes.com/post/teen-athlete-nutrition

Calculating Protein Requirements for Athletes: How Much Protein Do You Really Need? https://www.lindseycortes.com/post/protein-requirements-athletes

For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:

http://www.lindseycortes.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes, a registered sports dietitian, interviews Jules Vazquez, a former Division I and professional soccer player who struggled with disordered eating, exercise addiction, and hypothalamic amenorrhea. Jules shares her journey of recognizing the unhealthy extremes she went to in pursuit of athletic success, the severe health complications she faced, and her gradual path to recovery.

Through incremental changes like eating more, implementing rest days, reducing high-intensity workouts, and working with a functional medicine practitioner, Jules was able to restore her health, including regaining her menstrual cycle and healing gut issues. The conversation highlights the importance of listening to your body, redefining discipline, and having a strong support system. Jules' story is a powerful reminder of the consequences of extreme behavior and the challenging but rewarding journey towards true health and balance.

Jules Vazquez is passionate about helping female athletes avoid the struggles she went through. She recently launched BalancedFemlete (like Female Athlete) an Instagram platform where she shares her journey and empowers women to rebuild their health, redefine their identity without extremes, and find balance.

Outside of her advocacy work, Jules is a health sciences professor and works in the health tech space, blending her academic expertise with real-world experience to drive meaningful change in how we approach female athlete health.

Episode Highlights:

• 01:31 Meet Jules Vazquez: A Journey of Struggle and Triumph
• 03:22 The Dark Side of Perfectionism in Sports
• 06:39 The Physical and Mental Toll of Disordered Eating
• 07:41 The Path to Recovery: Recognizing the Need for Change
• 17:55 Health Consequences and the Road to Healing
• 27:19 The Decision to Step Away from Soccer
• 34:07 Finding Your Why
• 35:24 First Steps to Recovery
• 36:12 Adjusting Exercise and Diet
• 44:37 Healing the Gut
• 46:25 The Role of Testing and Professional Help
• 53:20 Current State and Future Plans
• 57:26 Advice for Others
• 01:01:29 Conclusion and Resources

Connect with Jules on Instagram @balancedfemlete

For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:

http://www.lindseycortes.com/

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is Dr. Kyle Pfaffenbach. Kyle is an Associate Professor of nutrition and exercise science at Eastern Oregon University, and also works as a Performance Nutrition Consultant to Olympians and World Champions, including the Brooks’ Beasts Track Club.

Warning, this episode starts off a bit science heavy, diving into Kyle’s previous research on protein structure and folding. This is only for a small part of this wonderful conversation, but feel free to skip from 4:45 to 14:15. We transition from science to practice, discussing the importance of science-backed recommendations tailored to individuals and their own experiences. 

We go deep on balancing macronutrients for athletes, starting with protein. Kyle and I discuss protein recommendations for how much and when, debunking the “more protein is better” belief. We highlight that over-focusing on protein may impair performance and health when you’re lacking fats and carbohydrates. Kyle shares insights from his work helping Olympians and world-class athletes fuel, underscoring the importance of total energy intake, as well as fats and carbs, even when body composition changes are desired. We discuss the effects of underfueling on performance: hint, hint, if you’re having bad workouts, try eating more!

Food is more than fuel. Kyle talks about the role of nutrition in your body for signaling and other essential processes. Food is also for enjoyment and even elite athletes incorporate “fun” foods into their lives. While the media, social media and influencers in particular, demonize certain foods and nutrients, both Kyle and I believe an “all foods fit” approach best supports health and performance. This highlights the importance of working with trusted nutrition professionals and being careful of where you go for nutrition advice. 

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

4:45 Kyle’s protein research (this is a science-heavy section, feel free to skip ahead to :X)

14:15 The importance of understanding science, then…

17:30 …tailoring research-backed approaches to individuals

23:00 Protein recommendations and timing for athletes 

29:20 Is more protein better?

33:40 The importance of fats for female athletes 

35:40 Balancing carbohydrates with proteins; macronutrient breakdown for athletes 

40:10 Problem solving bad workouts 

45:20 Food as signals for your body 

49:00 Nutrition complexity: no dumb questions! 

52:00 Preventing nutrition stress and making all foods fit, including fast food

57:40 Working with and trusting nutrition professionals for optimal performance 

1:01:35 End of the podcast questions 

Find Kyle’s research here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kyle-Pfaffenbach 

Follow Kyle on Instagram @kylepfaffenbach and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

SIGN UP FOR EMAIL LIST: https://riseupnutrition.activehosted.com/f/6 

Check out our NEW website with resources, blogs, and more: www.FemaleAthleteNutritionPodcast.com

Join our amazing "FANS": Female Athlete Nutrition Supporters by considering a contribution of just $5 a month: https://www.patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition

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We are so grateful to our FANS and listeners! I hope you enjoy the episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with former collegiate athlete, coach, and COO of The Hidden Opponent, Leeann Passaro. We explore what the Hidden Opponent is and its mission to raise awareness of student-athlete mental health. Leeann explains how a friend’s suicide introduced her to mental illness as a child, before then struggling herself with anxiety and self-confidence in high school and college. These experiences prompted her advocacy for student-athlete mental health that we talk about today.

We discuss the far reaching impacts of toxic team cultures on everyone involved, even after stepping away from sport. Leeann opens up about her negative experiences in college with her coach and offers up advice to athletes for maintaining good mental health. As well as normalizing mental health struggles, we emphasize that health is out there and you can find a happier place! Leeann and I talk about the good and bad sides of social media, and its influence on student-athlete NIL deals. We leave listeners with actionable advice for achieving and maintaining a healthy mind, body, and spirit, as well as resources like The Hidden Opponent for further support and community.

I highly recommend you check out The Hidden Opponent on Instagram @thehiddenopponent and at https://www.thehiddenopponent.org/ 

Tune in to the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast episodes #118 and #114 to hear from more of The Hidden Opponent team. 

Follow Leeann on Instagram @leeannp27 and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

We have a huge announcement! We are launching patreon! Female Athlete Nutrition podcast patreon is now LIVE and we are excited to offer our community unique perks. Join today and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

1:00 Exciting announcement! We are on patreon!  

5:45 What is The Hidden Opponent?

8:45 Leeann’s athletic journey and playing college soccer

12:00 Healing toxic relationships with sport 

16:00 Learn more about patreon!

20:15 Toxic team cultures and the lasting impact of unhealthy environments

25:00 Leeann’s introduction to mental health and her own struggles

28:00 Loosing a friend by suicide in high school; The book “What Made Maddy Run” by Kate Fagan

31:30 The social media dilemma, balancing the pros and cons, including NIL deals for college athletes.

35:15 Tips for a healthy mind, body, and spirit, as well as good mental health 

38:30 It’s okay to not be okay! And the importance of your relationship with yourself.

43:00 Taking action and creating change with The Hidden Opponent

48:00 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with former Team USA and NCAA Division I swimmer Eva Merrell. Eva was a high school standout, competing in the US Olympic Trials and named to the US Swimming National Team at 16 years old. After being recruited as the top high school swimmer and committing to The University of Georgia, Eva found herself battling anorexia nervosa. Today, she bravely shares her own eating disorder experience, discussing how her desire to be a “good athlete” led her down a path of restriction, weight loss, and poor performance. We talk about the physical signs and symptoms of eating disorders, debunking the myth that a low heart rate is always a good thing: a slow heart rate could be a sign of a weak and failing heart. Eva talks about receiving the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, recovery and relapse, multiple hospitalizations and treatment while being an NCAA DI athlete. 

We discuss the place for sport during eating disorder recovery and the need to sometimes take a break. For Eva, this break was forced upon her and led to her medical retirement from swimming while at the University of Georgia. She opens up about the difficult decision to stop swimming and prioritize her mental health, sharing about the new identity she found outside of sport. This includes a passion in advocating for mental health, and now works for The Hidden Opponent, a non-profit that works to de-stigmatize mental health in athletics. Eva hopes that sharing her story will help struggling athletes and those around them identify disordered patterns, know they are not alone, and that support is out there.  

Follow Eva on Instagram @evamerrell and The Hidden Opponent @thehiddenopponent

Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

We have a huge announcement! We are launching patreon! Female Athlete Nutrition podcast patreon is now LIVE and we are excited to offer our community unique perks. Join today and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

1:00 Exciting announcement! We are on patreon!

7:00 Eva’s introduction to swimming and progression

8:30 Eva’s struggle with anorexia wanting to be a “good athlete”

12:30 Normalizing body changes and puberty

17:00 Physical symptoms of disordered eating 

19:00 Learn more about patreon!

23:30 Eating disorders and performance: improving until it all comes crashing down 

27:00 Eva’s path to diagnosis

28:45 The athlete’s heart vs the weak and underfuelled heart

33:00 Hospitalization and eating disorder treatment, relapses and inpatient experiences

34:30 Combining sport with eating disorder recovery 

38:00 Recovery as a college student-athlete

43:00 Medical retirement and the end of Eva’s swimming career

49:45 Life after sport and expanding your identity

56:30 Eva’s work with the Hidden Opponent to increase eating disorder awareness

59:00 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with the captain of the University of Michigan women's gymnastics team, Sierra Brooks. Sierra is an NCAA Champion, 13x All-American, and 2022 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year. Beginning at the age of 3, Sierra shares her gymnastics journey, including why she chose to pursue collegiate gymnastics over the Olympics. We hear about how she cultivates a healthy team culture as captain, as well as tips for navigating social media attention, other people's opinions and competing in a judged sport. Sierra and I talk about the drive for perfection, handling failures, and managing perfectionism in a healthy way.

We discuss Sierra’s nutrition journey and how she fuels her gymnastics: hint, this includes lots of chocolate milk! She shares how she has maintained a positive relationship with food and her body through a strong support system and good nutrition education and coaching. Transitioning to college can make fueling extra challenging, and I give listeners advice for eating in college with dining halls and meal plans.

Follow Sierra on Instagram and TikTok @sierrabbrooks and on Twitter @sierrabbrooks_ 

Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

We have a huge announcement! We are launching patreon! Female Athlete Nutrition podcast patreon is now LIVE and we are excited to offer our community unique perks. Join today and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

1:00 Exciting announcement! We are on patreon!

6:00 Sierra’s gymnastics journey, from aged 3 to elite high schooler then collegiate gymnast 

11:00 The team side of gymnastics

13:30 Leadership as the captain of a college team 

16:00 Learn more about patreon!

21:00 The mental side of gymnastics

23:45 Perfectionism and coping with failures

27:15 Handling judgment, social media attention and other peoples’ opinions  

32:00 Sierra’s nutrition journey

36:00 The importance of nutrition education

40:30 Eating in college: dining halls, meal plans and prep 

44:00 Sierra’s fueling approach  

48:30 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Just a heads up, in this episode, Sarah bravely discusses the loss of a child, which may be difficult for some listeners to hear. If you think this might be you, feel free to fast forward through minutes 34:00 to 39:00.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with one of Rise Up Nutrition’s original clients and new mom Sarah Pastura. At first, Sarah was skeptical that our Female Athlete System of Transformation (FAST Track) program was right for her, as she didn't fit the typical athlete mold. However, her energy expenditure was at an all time high which still put her within that RED-S category, alongside struggling with her hormonal health. Sarah shares her long and bumpy journey, but she goes to show you that if you never give up, your dreams can come true. For Sarah, this meant becoming a mom, which she accomplished in 2021. This triumph came with great heartbreak, and Sarah opens up about her difficult fertility and pregnancy journey, traumatic births and the loss of one of her twin boys. She emphasizes the importance of healing your relationship with food and body before becoming a mom, as well as the continued support of the Rise Up Nutrition community that has helped her through these tough times.

Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

We have a huge announcement! We are launching patreon!

Female Athlete Nutrition podcast patreon is now LIVE and we are excited to offer our community unique perks. Join today and receive bonus episodes, merch, monthly recipes, access to an exclusive community message board, and have the chance to ask Lindsey your questions and get a podcast shoutout, and more! Head to patreon today patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

1:00 Exciting announcement! We are on patreon!

8:30 Finding Rise Up Nutrition. Sarah’s struggles with an eating disorder and hormonal imbalances  

13:00 Treating yourself as an athlete 

16:30 Sarah’s experience with Rise Up Nutrition and her incredible transformation

19:30 Being an ongoing part of the Rise Up Nutrition community

21:00 Sarah’s journey with her hormones, period, and fertility  

24:30 Coping with body changes and weight gain during pregnancy 

29:30 Learn more about patreon! 

34:00 Sarah’s fertility journey and difficult twin pregnancy

36:00 Dealing with premature labor, loss of a baby, and grief

39:00 Postpartum anxiety and weight changes

44:30 Breastfeeding myths, experiences, and new mom challenges 

54:00 The importance of healing your relationship with food and your body before motherhood

57:30 Physical activity as a new mom: every mom is an athlete. Check out Episode 82 with Dr. Karlie Causey

1:06:45 Feeding toddlers and children, letting them be intuitive eaters

1:12:00 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with mindset coach and avid ultra runner Danielle Snyder. Danielle opens up about her introduction to running to cope with her mom’s sickness, and how it led her down a negative path of an eating disorder and unhealthy relationship with movement. We discuss how recovery is a long-term process that requires doing the mental work to challenge disordered mindsets. 

Danielle is a phenomenal trail and ultra runner and she shares one of her biggest accomplishments, setting the Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Oregon Pacific Coast Trail (PCT) over 9 days! Motivated to test her limits, we talk about how to push your body in healthy ways and celebrate your own achievements. Danielle gives listeners her top tips for fueling workouts and ultra running events. We hear how Danielle helps athletes train their minds at Inner Drive Wellness, focusing on improving self-talk and resiliency.

Follow Danielle on Instagram @diellesmells and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

Find Danielle’s business Inner Drive Wellness at https://www.innerdrivewellness.com/ 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code

RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

3:00 Danielle’s athletic journey and eating disorder struggles 

8:30 Finding a healthy relationship with running and food; from road to trail running

10:00 Stepping away from sport for health and recovery 

11:45 Eating disorder recovery as a long-term process 

15:30 Longevity in sports and coping with challenges

22:00 The ebb and flow of mental health and athletics

24:15 Danielle as a trail and ultra marathon runner

25:30 Achieving a Fastest Known Time (FKT) running the Pacific Coast Trail

32:00 Pushing your body in a healthy way 

33:30 Being proud of yourself 

36:30 Learning to fuel and respect hunger cues

45:30 Nutrition is part of the training: tips for fueling workouts

48:15 Danielle’s program Inner Drive Wellness supporting athletes’ mental health 

55:00 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with college athlete and mental health advocate Arla Davis. Arla is a two sport NCAA student-athlete, competing for Ithaca College’s lacrosse and track and field teams. She holds multiple roles outside of her own athletics, including being a Campus Captain with The Hidden Opponent, and co-chair of Ithaca College's Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), as well as being involved in research about women in sports. We introduce listeners to the amazing work of The Hidden Opponent, pioneering student-athlete mental health awareness. Arla shares her passion for addressing student-athlete mental health on her college campus, and we give listeners tips for self-care and prioritizing mental health even without a diagnosed condition.

Arla and I discuss high school and collegiate athletics, the transition between the two, and opportunities to explore more than one sport. Arla highlights the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on both sports and mental health, and we talk about skills for balancing a busy life with wellbeing. We touch on the topic of intimate relationships in college and on mental health, both the good and bad, and Arla’s experience being in a long-term relationship. Linking all these discussion points is the importance of prioritizing mental health in college, a time of rapid change and novelty, and we direct listeners to available resources like The Hidden Opponent.

Follow Arla on Instagram @arladavis_43 and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

In this episode we talk about:

3:00 What is The Hidden Opponent? The role of The Hidden Opponent Campus Captains.

5:45 Arla’s passion for supporting student-athlete mental health

11:00 The impact of Covid-19 on college spurts and student-athletes

14:15 Being a multi sport athlete in high school and college 

19:00 Division III athletics 

25:00 De-stigmatizing mental health and attending to it even without a clinical diagnosis 

29:30 Self-care tips 

34:00 Balancing a busy life and learning about yourself

39:15 Seasonal depression and coping with changing climates

45:20 Relationship challenges: break ups; long distance; teammates

51:20 The importance of mental health resources at college when everything is new

52:50 How to get involved with The Hidden Opponent

54:55 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with a former client of mine and current NCAA Division I athlete, Elena. Elena worked through our signature Female Athlete System of Transformation (FAST Track) Program and now is a member of our Alumni Program. A lifelong athlete involved in the sport of track and field since age 4, Elena currently competes collegiately as a sprinter and hurdler.

In this client testimonial episode, Elena opens up about her story of disordered mindsets and athletics stemming from unhealthy team cultures and the influences of peers and coaches. We highlight the importance of getting help for your mental health, as well as improving your internal relationship with food and body, regardless of your physical health. Elena and I debunk some common myths around sports nutrition, such as: “good food/ bad food”, “lighter is faster”, and not getting a period. Elena shares how working with Jenna and myself through our FAST Track Program helped her overcome these disordered nutrition beliefs and body image struggles, and find intuitive eating while fueling as an athlete. Elena gives hope to listeners that they are not alone, help is out there, and recovery is worthwhile!

Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

3:00 Why Elena wanted to share her story on the podcast, and the importance of increasing awareness of disordered eating and mental health struggles

6:30 Finding Lindsey, and being open to help and intuitive eating

9:30 Elena’s sporting childhood, beginning in track and field aged 4, and how athletics, teammates and coaches negatively influenced her perspective on nutrition

10:30 Myths around weight and performance, puberty, good/bad nutrition, and what it does or does not take to be a good athlete

13:00 How environment and the people around you shape beliefs around fueling and relationship with food

16:00 Recognizing and challenging negative mindsets about appearance and weight. Opening up your mind to think differently about food

23:00 The benefits of recovery, having a healthy relationship with food, and creating healthy nutrition and training environments

25:45 It’s not just physical signs of underfueling that deserve attention: the mental side is just as worthy of treatment regardless of your physical health: sometimes it’s not about the food! 

33:00 Self-acceptance, and having permission to eat more than you think you should: working with Jenna and myself to overcome food guilt and shame and disordered thoughts

40:00 Intuitive eating as a collegiate student-athlete and fueling for performance and recovery, with practical tips for listeners

43:00 Paying attention to body cues and differentiating between personal preferences and diet culture/ disordered beliefs

49:00 Life after completing the Rise Up Nutrition FAST Track Program

52:30 The effects of doing the mental work and having a healthy relationship with food affects performance, recovery from training, injuries, focus and confidence 

56:15 Advice to athletes resonating with Elena’s story: it’s okay to struggle and you deserve help now!

57:50 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Lauren Ammon, founder and Head Coach of Performance Reimagined, helping student athletes train their mind and tackle their inner opponent. We hear how Lauren uses her personal experiences as a competitive NCAA Division I swimmer, mentally struggling with “being in her own head” during puberty, to better relate with and provide resources for the unique challenges facing student athletes. We normalize the feelings of fear and doubt all athletes feel, and empower listeners with tools to combat them.

Lauren and I dive deep into the athlete mindset, what Lauren calls the “inner opponent”, and discuss strategies for getting out of your own head, quieting negative self-talk, anxiety and doubt, and making your inner voice work for you. We talk about transitioning to life after athletics, and how the same mental techniques can be applied to disordered eating recovery and imposter syndrome outside of sports. Lauren shares about Performance Reimagined and her new program: The Inner Opponent Challenge, teaching student athletes techniques to conquer their inner opponent with daily mindset training. 

Follow Lauren on Instagram @mrslaurenammon and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

Learn more about working with Lauren at https://performancereimagined.com and on Instagram @performance_reimagined_

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

5:00 Lauren’s upbringing swimming competitively from age 6 to 22

6:30 The effect of puberty on Lauren’s relationship with sport and her body

9:30 The influence of male coaches and a lack of support on an athlete’s mindset

13:30 Getting out of your own head and mental strategies for athletes

15:00 Understanding your inner opponent 

20:30 Managing your inner voice 

26:40 Shifting male and female energy to improve mindset and performance 

40:00 Transferring athletic experiences to life after sports 

46:15 Lauren’s work helping student athletes train their mind and tackle their inner opponent at Performance Reimagined

47:20 The Inner Opponent Challenge and the importance of training your mind like you train your body

51:25 Where to find Lauren and learn more about The Inner Opponent Challenge and her work at Performance Reimagined 

52:05 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I sit down with recurring guest and fellow Rise Up Nutrition dietician Jenna Stranzl. Jenna is a marathon runner, doggie lover, registered dietitian and sports nutritionist, and was also on the podcast last week! Continuing on from that conversation all about relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S), Jenna and I speak more on our own journeys with nutrition and exercise: from past eating disorders, disordered eating and exercise patterns, RED-S and poor health, to finding food freedom and joyful relationships with movement. 

We discuss what being a fierce and fuelled female athlete means at Rise Up Nutrition, setting yourself up for success in your sport and life through intuitive eating and movement, and how Jenna and I practice what we preach. This episode emphasizes the importance of a diverse and balanced lifestyle for health, happiness and performance: shifting your priorities away from a singular focus on sport or nutrition may actually lead you to more success! We give listeners advice for developing food freedom, intuitive eating and exercise practices, strategies for eating out at restaurants, smart sports nutrition tips, and more.

Check out last week’s podcast, episode 110 “Understanding RED-S From Two Registered Dietitians” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/understanding-red-s-from-two-registered-dietitians/id1537395854?i=1000591577336 

Follow Jenna on Instagram @_jennalee @glycojennalysis and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order

In this episode we talk about:

3:00 Life after eating disorders and RED-S: Jenna and my own experiences 

5:20 Jenna’s recovery journey

8:00 Stepping away from running during recovery and the importance of prioritizing health over athletic goals 

9:50 Letting go of identities that are no longer serving you such as being the “healthy” one, “runner” or “athlete”. Recognizing disordered exercise during marathon training. 

12:00 Moving goalposts, being okay with change, and developing a healthier relationship with sport.

20:00 Intuitive approaches to training, movement, and eating

23:30 Keys to peak performance and achieving goals: success following having fun, and living a full and balanced life, over being single-minded and outcome-obsessed 

33:00 Shifting priorities and diversifying your life: running/ sport is not everything! 

35:30 Lindsey’s recovery from both underfueling and overeating

37:30 Using mindfulness and yoga to find intuitive eating and body respect

45:20 Discovering new sports post recovery and injuries -strength training, yoga, trail running- with newfound body appreciation and proper fueling 

47:15 Recovery IS worth it. Your best performances are achieved when you are fully fueled and having fun, not when you reach a certain size or weight

55:30 What being a fierce and fueled female athlete means to Jenna and myself: our current nutrition approaches

1:01:00 Appetite fluctuations and listening to your body cues for nutrition and movement 

1:07:00 Meal planning versus intuitive eating: how both can coexist

1:09:10 Strategies for going to restaurants and eating out

1:15:45 Calorie counting, measuring, and food labels

1:19:25 Intuitive eating through pregnancy 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, I sit down with recurring guest and fellow Rise Up Nutrition dietician Jenna Stranzl. Jenna is a marathon runner, doggie lover, registered dietitian and sports nutritionist. We revisit a topic at the heart of Riise Up Nutrition, relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S). This is a topic I first covered way back on episode 2, “What is RED-S?”, which I recommend you check out, alongside episode 5 “Eating Disorders, To Exercise or Not to Exercise?”.

First, Jenna and I breakdown relative energy deficiency in sport, defining key characteristics like underfueling and energy needs for athletes. We discuss how RED-S differs from the female athlete triad: all genders, body sizes, and ability of athletes can be diagnosed with RED-S, highlighting the key signs and symptoms, touching on the importance of working with a dietitian throughout the diagnosis and recovery processes. 

In the second part of this episode, Jenna and I each talk about our own journeys with nutrition and exercise: from past eating disorders, disordered eating and exercise patterns, RED-S and poor health, to finding food freedom and joyful relationships with movement. We leave listeners with a promise that RED-S recovery IS worth it and you will be better off for it! We’re here to help you or anyone you know overcome nutrition-related and fueling concerns, reach out and start your path to recovery now!

For more on RED-S, check out episode 2 “What is RED-S?”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/what-is-red-s/id1537395854?i=1000499401138

And episode 5 “Eating Disorders, To Exercise or Not to Exercise?”

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/eating-disorders-to-exercise-or-not-to-exercise/id1537395854?i=1000501202202 

Follow Jenna on Instagram @_jennalee @glycojennalysis and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

In this episode we talk about:

5:00 What is relative energy deficiency in sports (RED-S)? How does RED-S differ from the Female Athlete Triad?

8:00 Understanding energy balance, energy availability, and nutritional needs for athletes

11:00 Signs and symptoms of underfueling 

12:50 Broadening the diagnosis criteria: RED-S can occur at any weight, age, and performance level

17:00 Bringing men into the conversation: all genders can suffer from RED-S

19:30 Diagnosing RED-S and the importance of working with a sports dietitian. Nuances of RED-S, within day energy deficits and accidental underfueling. 

24:15 What we mean by “underfueling”, with or without RED-S

29:30 Nutrition fundamentals and guardrails to avoid underfueling

31:00 Weight loss and underfueling 

40:30 Jenna’s personal experience with weight gain: coping with the RED-S recovery process and body changes

42:15 Optimal health and fitness comes in different body shapes, sizes, and weights

44:05 Eating disorders and disordered eating 

48:15 Jenna’s past experiences with eating disorders, disordered eating, and RED-S. Relapse, diet culture, marathon training, ADD/ ADHD, and comparison to a younger self.

57:15 Lindsey’s past experiences with nutrition and exercise, potential RED-S and disordered eating beginning in high school. From injuries and an eating disorder, to underfueling for athletics, to stopping exercise and gaining weight.

1:05:05 Gut health as a symptom of RED-S and underfueling 

1:05:55 The importance of RED-S awareness and diagnoses for recovery 

1:06:55 Exercise during and after RED-S recovery 

1:09:00 You can feel better! RED-S recovery IS worth it!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is with mental health therapist and former NCAA field hockey player Olivia Papakyrikos. Olivia specializes in athletes’ mental health, sport psychology and eating disorders. We start off by discussing our own experiences with mindset challenges as former athletes, including navigating injuries and identity shifts as we moved away from competitive sports. Olivia shares how she helps athletes overcome challenges such as eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and injury recovery to perform better in sports and life. We highlight some of the social pressures high school and college athletes face that make them particularly susceptible. Team culture, coaches and available resources all also impact athletes’ mental health, and seeking professional support from therapists like Olivia can make a big difference on performance and wellbeing.

Olivia is also heavily involved in the Female Athlete Conference, helping to elevate female athlete health and research. We speak to the huge lack of research into female athletes and knowledge gaps, such as the impact of the menstrual cycle on performance and mental health. We finish off with the usual end of the podcast questions, and recommend you check out the Female Athlete Conference here!

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

4:20 How sports psychology helped Olivia as an injured athlete 

7:50 The importance of embracing different identities and being more than an athlete

15:00 Recovery processes and timelines for treating eating disorders, injuries, performance anxiety and more

19:45 The impact of social pressures faced by high school and college athletes 

25:00 Supporting athletes’ mental health: coaches, resources and outsourcing professional support 

29:45 Female Athlete Conference and the lack of research in female athletes 

33:10 Understanding the impact of the menstrual cycle on performance and mental health 

38:15 End of the podcast questions 

Find Olivia at oliviapapakyrikos.com

Follow Olivia on Instagram @oliviapapakyrikos and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

SIGN UP FOR EMAIL LIST: https://riseupnutrition.activehosted.com/f/6 

Check out our NEW website with resources, blogs, and more: www.FemaleAthleteNutritionPodcast.com

Join our amazing "FANS": Female Athlete Nutrition Supporters by considering a contribution of just $5 a month: https://www.patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition

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We are so grateful to our FANS and listeners! I hope you enjoy the episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with the founder of Alpine Parrot, an outdoor apparel company for plus size women, Raquel Vélez. Alpine Parrot's mission is to create outdoor clothing that encourages and celebrates underrepresented people in the outdoors, namely people of size and people of color, prioritizing sustainable fashion. Raquel believes every body can look and feel great outside, and we hear how she is using her background in engineering to make this vision come to life.

In this episode, Raquel and I talk about the realities of clothing production and sizing, and how she started Alpine Parrot to fill a gap in the market: outdoor clothing that fits different sizes and shapes of body. We discuss the importance of feeling good in what we wear, moving comfortably, and finding apparel that fits you rather than trying to fit your body into clothing based off of an unrealistic fit model. We touch on the importance of fueling outdoor adventures and activity for enjoyment rather than trying to change your body: movement and the outdoors are for everyone, regardless of size and shape.

Find Alpine Parrot on Instagram @alpineparrot and online at https://alpineparrot.com/ 

Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

In this episode we talk about:

3:30 Raquel’s introduction to the outdoors through camping and being active in Puerto Rico 

9:00 Falling in love with skiing in the US, saying yes to new opportunities and finding backpacking.

13:00 Solving clothing struggles: sizing, fast fashion, durability, comfort and fit. 

16:20 Fast track learning how to sow to starting her own clothing company, taking a risk stepping away from a comfortable well-paying job in the tech industry

21:30 The importance of being comfortable in your clothes

23:20 Raquel’s company Alpine Parrot, outdoor apparel for plus sized women, and the realities of how clothing is made based on an unrepresentative fit model.

27:10 How Alpine Parrot is different, designed to fit different sizes and shapes of body

31:30 Tips for finding your fit, finding clothes that fit your body rather than trying to fit your body into a certain size

36:50 Snacks! Fueling epic outdoor adventures

40:30 Activity for enjoyment rather than trying to change your body

44:00 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with marriage and family therapist Carrie Cueto. Carrie specializes in treating co-occurring anxiety and eating disorders, OCD, body dysmorphia and fat phobia, and is the founder of her own private practice, Cultivate Healing. Carrie is licensed to work with clients in California and Colorado, utilizing a form of cognitive behavioral therapy called exposure and response prevention to teach her clients how to overcome their fears and learn to tolerate discomfort in order to fully live their lives.

In this episode, Carrie and I dive deep into anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder, differentiating between normal worrying and clinical disorders: not all anxiety is dysfunctional, and you can experience intrusive thoughts and superstitions without suffering from OCD. We talk about the overlap between anxiety and eating disorders, and the common personality traits that predispose athletes to both. We discuss treatment approaches and how Carrie utilizes exposure and response prevention to help clients recover from body dysmorphia, OCD, and fat phobia. Carrie explains how listeners can challenge their negative beliefs and overcome anxiety, and the importance of seeking the correct specialist support. 

Follow Carrie on Instagram and Facebook @cultivatehealingco and online at www.cultivatehealingcolorado.com 

Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

In this episode we talk about:

2:40 A multidisciplinary approach to recovery

4:35 Carrie’s path to becoming a therapist

7:25 The difference between expected anxiety and clinical anxiety disorders

11:50 What is obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)?

15:10 Recent trends in anxiety and OCD resulting from the pandemic and social media use

17:30 Debunking myths about OCD and anxiety: you can have intrusive thoughts, superstitions, and rituals without OCD 

25:30 Risk factors for anxiety and the overlap with traits that make athletes successful

27:00 Perfectionism, and the overlap between anxiety and eating disorders

29:00 A R.U.N. client experience with OCD linked to compulsive exercise and body image concerns

32:30 What is body dysmorphia and fat phobia?

36:00 Treatment for body dysmorphia, OCD, and anxiety. Exposure and response prevention therapy, challenging beliefs and changing mindsets.

44:00 Carrie’s practice: Cultivate Healing

45:00 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with former professional runner and NCAA D1 head coach, author and mom of two, Sara Slattery. This is a wide ranging conversation about cultivating lifelong athletes and the importance of optimizing health for performance at all ages. We discuss youth sports specialization and collegiate athletics, sharing tips for athletes and parents on how to create healthy habits and environments, as well as the importance of avoiding pitfalls like underfueling and RED-S. Sara and I talk about her own running career, from a successful junior athlete to NCAA champion, succeeding as a professional athlete and her postpartum comeback, and the challenges she faced along the way.

We discuss the incredible book Sara wrote with fellow professional runner Molly Huddle, “How She Did It”, and hear how we can all learn and benefit from the experiences of successful female athletes and experts. Sara and I emphasize the importance of creating healthy habits early on for peak performance and longevity in sports, the power of role models and a strong support system.

Follow Sara on Instagram @saraslattery and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

Find more about Sara’s book “How She Did It” at https://howshediditbook.com/ 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

In this episode we talk about:

6:30 Sara's sporting childhood, starting with competitive swimming before falling in love with running

10:00 Early sport specialization and the importance of doing different activities

15:10 Learning how to fuel enough in high school, and different nutrition strategies as a swimmer and runner

17:35 Underfueling, amenorrhea and the birth control pill

22:20 Adjusting to college 

24:40 Athletes come in different shapes and sizes, and there is more to peak performance than how you look

29:45 Men struggle with RED-S and underfueling too! Differences between the challenges male and female athletes face

30:30 Coaching male and female runners at the NCAA D1 level

35:15 Balancing family with athletics, pregnant and postpartum running, and Sara's comeback to professional running as a mom

41:25 Longevity in female runners and how motherhood changes your perspective

46:55 "How She Did It" book by Sara Slattery and Molly Huddle: sharing stories of female athletes and experts to help others succeed.

53:15 End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with fellow dietitian Taylor Larson. We talk about treating athletes with eating disorders within inpatient and intensive outpatient settings. Taylor speaks to the different levels of eating disorder care, the multidisciplinary team approach, and general treatment timelines. We discuss when to stop exercising during recovery, emphasizing physiological and psychological contraindications, before talking about returning to sport and developing a healthy relationship with movement. Taylor and I talk about why athletes are at risk of developing eating disorders, the influence of team and sport cultures, coaching styles, personality traits, and more. Finally, we highlight the place for different levels of care, highlighting the role of inpatient treatment for athletes with eating disorders.

Taylor Larson is a Registered Dietitian, certified in eating disorders and sports dietetics. Taylor specializes in working with both athletes and non-athletes with eating disorders and disrupted relationships with food through a weight-neutral lens. She sees clients virtually through her private practice, Strong Roots Nutrition, and is also the sports dietitian for the Victory Program, the nation’s first residential eating disorder treatment facility for athletes, at McCallum Place in St. Louis, Missouri. Taylor is passionate about helping clients understand the wisdom and complexities of the human body to cultivate self-care, body respect, and easier relationships with food, movement, and their bodies.

Find Taylor at http://www.strongrootsnutrition.com and follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, on Instagram @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

In this episode we talk about:

Body respect, balance and moderation

Taylor’s path to becoming a registered dietitian working with athletes with eating disorders

Levels of eating disorder care: inpatient, residential, partial hospitalization, and outpatient treatment

McCallum Place and the Victory Program, the nation’s first residential eating disorder treatment facility for athletes

Treatment timelines for eating disorder recovery 

Treating athletes with eating disorders at the Victory Program 

Determining when exercise is and is not appropriate during recovery from eating disorders, disordered eating, and REDS

Physiological and psychological contraindications to exercise

Returning to sport and developing a healthy relationship with movement

Risk factors for athletes developing eating disorders: personality traits, sport specific dieting pressures, injuries, coaching styles and practices, team and sport culture, low energy availability and more

The role of inpatient treatment for athletes with eating disorders

End of the podcast questions

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this solo episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I revisit the topic of diet culture around the holidays, something I also covered in episodes 3 and 52. I start by defining diet culture and explain why the holidays can be particularly challenging for those who struggle with disordered eating and body image. I provide listeners with tips for dealing with family events and food occasions, navigating unhelpful conversations and dieting pressures. The abundance of food can be overwhelming, so I debunk holiday food myths, guilt and shame: our bodies need energy and you can enjoy holiday food without needing to earn it.

This episode focuses heavily on handling negative comments and unhelpful conversations, and is full of tools for shifting conversations away from diet culture, talking about food in positive ways, and cultivating a better relationship with food.  I suggest listeners plan ahead with coping mechanisms and a support system, understanding that they are not alone in their struggles. I empower listeners to stand up for themselves and reject diet culture and negative comments, remembering that holidays are only a small fraction of the year and can be enjoyed!

Tune in to episodes 52 and 3 for more on handling the holidays

52: Breaking Free From Holiday Diet Culture

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-free-from-holiday-diet-culture/id1537395854?i=1000541479891 

3: Holiday Diet Culture

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/holiday-food-anxiety/id1537395854?i=1000499401137

Black Friday Discounts now through November 30th, 2022 only:

Thanks to our Sponsor, InsideTracker get $200 off Ultimate Plans or 34% off the entire store. Head to: https://info.insidetracker.com/riseup

20% off the entire RISE UP NUTRITION store on our online courses & downloadable products!

www.RiseUpNutritionRun.com/Store

discount code: THANKSGIVING

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Inside Tracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

3:30 Huge holiday deals and discounts from InsideTracker and Rise Up Nutrition

6:45 Understanding diet culture and holiday dieting messages

8:45 Tips for successfully handling diet culture around the holidays 

11:45 Planning for challenging food situations 

14:00 Unhelpful holiday conversations with friends and family 

15:45 The truth about holiday food

17:15 Dealing with triggering comments, exercise, food guilt and shame

26:15 How to have positive food conversations 

28:15 Improving your relationship with food

31:30 Standing up for yourself and rejecting diet culture and negative comments

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with current NCAA Division 1 student-athlete on the Stanford women’s volleyball team, Emily Teehan. We talk about her student-athlete experiences at two high pressure academic institutions: Columbia and Stanford University, balancing her desires to perform well on the volleyball court and in the classroom. Emily opens up about the journey she has been on with nutrition and body image, sharing how she has learned to love her strong body, embrace intuitive eating and exercise, and detach her identity from her sport and appearance.

Emily is a graduate student on the volleyball team at Stanford University, where she is pursuing a master's degree in Community Health and Prevention Research. Emily recently graduated from Columbia University where she majored in Biology and followed the premedical stream, while playing for the volleyball team. During her time at Columbia, Emily was named to the All-Ivy League team and Academic All-Ivy League team. In addition, Emily represented Canada on the Junior National Team in 2018.

Find Emily on Instagram @emilyteehan_ and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders.

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

In this episode we talk about:

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this solo episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I take a deep dive into all things carbohydrates. I explore why your body needs carbohydrates for basic health, as well as performance and recovery, and explain why carbs really are life! First, I differentiate between simple and complex carbohydrates, rather than good and bad carbs, and explain the importance of having both in your diet. I speak to the importance of fiber, while emphasizing the consequences of consuming too much, including poor digestion and energy: more fiber is definitely not always better!

Next, I debunk some diet culture myths around low carb diets and dietary recommendations, before sharing why higher carbohydrate diets are beneficial for athletes. As my clients have found out, there is more to muscle recovery than protein: again, carbohydrates are key here! I share some client success stories and explain why refined, white carbohydrates may be better for you than whole, fiber-rich grains. I leave listeners with the advice to consider increasing their carbohydrate intake if they are serious about health and performance: despite what society says, carbohydrates really are your friend!

Here is the study I mentioned about carbohydrates and iron:

Hayashi N, Ishibashi A, Iwata A, Yatsutani H, Badenhorst C, Goto K. Influence of an energy deficient and low carbohydrate acute dietary manipulation on iron regulation in young females. Physiol Rep. 2022 Jul;10(13):e15351. doi: 10.14814/phy2.15351. PMID: 35785528; PMCID: PMC9251860.

Need help with your fueling? Want to get in touch with Lindsey? Interested in the Female Athlete System of Transformation? 

Head to www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com to learn more & book a call!

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TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

2:30 Sneak peak into upcoming solo episodes.

8:30 Influence of carbohydrates on hydration, iron levels, and nutrient absorption.

14:00 Carbohydrates for performance and recovery. 

16:15 Diet culture and misinformation on carbs. 

20:00 Carbohydrates by the numbers: unpacking “low carb diets” and dietary recommendations.

26:30 Types of carbohydrates: simple vs complex, not good vs bad. 

33:00 Fiber and digestion. More fiber is not always better, and refined (white) grains may be better than whole (brown) grains.

40:30 Client success stories: how increasing refined carbohydrates and decreasing fiber led to improving health and performance, hormones and energy.

46:15 High carbohydrate diets for improving athletic performance and recovery.

50:30 Carbohydrates for crushing training and achieving performance breakthroughs. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Olympian and professional rock climber Kyra Condie. We start off with a little coffee debate: home brewed or coffee shop?! We touch on the effects of caffeine on performance, both positive and negatives, and how our genes determine how we respond to caffeine.

Kyra shares her start in climbing: after attending a rock climbing birthday party she was hooked! Without a school climbing team, and missing out on time with friends for training, Kyra explains how she questioned her future in the sport. Kyra discusses how surgery to correct her scoliosis reminded her of her climbing passion, and we hear how she continues to navigate challenges to overcome pain and movement limitations related to her back.

We talk about climbing being introduced into the Olympics for the first time in Tokyo 2020, a competition Kyra competed in. Kyra explains the different forms of climbing: bouldering, lead, and speed climbing, and how the sport is evolving. 

Climbing places a strong emphasis on strength-to-weight ratio, and disordered eating is common in this sport. Kyra speaks to the experiences she has had watching other athletes get caught up in being lighter and underfueling, and how she has learned that being stronger is better than being lighter. Kyra highlights how not all successful athletes struggle with food, showing that there is another way. Kyra credits her years of consistent injury-free training to fueling enough and not restricting. As a vegetarian athlete, Kyra shares how she is intentional about protein and supplements with creatine. We highlight the importance of ensuring all supplements are safe for sport and not contaminated with banned substances: look for “NSF” and “Informed Choice” certifications.

Kyra Condie’s Official Bio:

Kyra is a 26 year old professional climber and University of Minnesota alumni. Kyra was born and raised in Shoreview, Minnesota, but currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. She started climbing when she was 11 years old at her original home gym, Vertical Endeavors in St. Paul, MN. After she had completely fallen in love with the sport of climbing, she discovered that she had severe, idiopathic scoliosis. It was devastating news, but she wouldn't let her condition hold her back. On March 12, 2010 she had a spinal fusion surgery to correct her more than 70 degree curvature and took several months to recover. Though she started competitive climbing before her surgery, she didn't win her first major competition until after her time off. Since then, she has qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, become a bouldering World Cup finalist, and is a regular at pro competitions around the US. 

Follow Kyra on Instagram @kyra_condie and the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast @female.athlete.nutrition  

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

Inside Tracker: www.insidetracker.com/riseup for 20% off the entire store for

a limited time only!

THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY:

Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial.

Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months:

https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp

This episode is brought to you by the Female Athlete System of Transformation, the FAST track for female athletes to overcome disordered eating and fuel to their highest performance:

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com/REDS

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with professional trail runner, coach, podcast host, and physiologist, Corrine Malcolm. We start by exploring Corrine’s childhood in Wisconsin, growing up a very active kid, involved in sports from early on. Corrine shares how her competitive spark was ignited, playing a variety of sports through high school and in college. We hear Corrine’s remarkable story of playing on two different NCAA college teams: cross country skiing and track. She discusses some of the challenges of being on a competitive collegiate team, including how team politics kept her from racing nationals.  With her eyes on the Winter Olympics, Corrine explains her decision to drop out of college and join the US biathlon team. A mix of cross country skiing and shooting, Corrine’s training increased dramatically and it wasn’t long before Corrine started to feel the effects. Corrine talks about the team cultures within college and professional settings she’s been a part of, and how that influenced her physical and mental health.

We define overtraining syndrome (OTS), the signs and symptoms, and how to avoid it. Athletes with OTS are no longer benefiting from their training, and a couple rest day won’t solve it. Corrine shares her story with overtraining syndrome, even without RED-S or underfueling, that left her chronically fatigued and resenting the sport. We touch on the overlap between RED-S and OTS, while highlighting that they are independent conditions. Corrine opens up about the psychological symptoms of OTS, poor training, underperformance, and anemia that she experienced: OTS is all an encompassing physiological, metabolic, and mental condition.

We discuss recovery from OTS: Corrine was forced to retire from biathlon prior to the Olympics and step away from all sport for 18 months.

We hear about Corrine’s return to competitive sport, this time in trail and ultra running, and how she is using the lessons she’s learned along the way to help her and others succeed today. Corrine normalizes taking time off and sharing the struggles, both in this episode and on her own podcast the Trail Society.

Corrine and I discuss staying fueled even with a busy schedule, including great strategies perfect for high school and college athletes, as well as us moms and working professionals. Corrine shares how she currently prioritizes her nutrition within and around workouts by planning ahead and preparing snacks and recovery shakes in advance. We emphasize the importance of avoiding within-day energy deficits, starting with eating around morning workouts. Corrine advises listeners that being busy is not an excuse for underfueling, and coffee is not breakfast!

Corrine Malcolm’s Official Bio:

Corrine is a coach, physiologist, writer and newly minted editor-in-chief for FreeTrail, podcast host, and a professional runner for Adidas Terrex. Corrine takes after her mom -an emergency medicine doctor, medical director, and violin teacher- in that she feels she has to do a little bit of everything. Corrine says she has vexed many teachers, coaches, and parents with her need to know "why" - but that same impulse drives everything she does. Corrine has been an NCAA athlete in two sports: skiing and running, a national team member in both biathlon and trail running, dropped out of college twice, coached endurance sports for a decade, and most recently she has helped launch live broadcast commentary for trail and ultra running at races like the Western States Endurance Run (WSER) and Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB).

Follow Corrine on Instagram and Twitter @corrinemalcolm and check out her podcast The Trail Society Podcast 

This episode is brought to you by PRACTICE BETTER:

Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months.

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This episode is brought to you by the Female Athlete System of Transformation, the FAST track for female athletes to overcome disordered eating and fuel to their highest performance:

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com/REDS

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In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with leading sports nutrition researcher Professor Keith Baar. First, we take a deep dive on the research behind collagen supplementation, tendons and ligaments, before talking about injury risk in female athletes, as well as the science of muscle growth.

We discuss nutrition for improving the health of connective tissues like tendons and ligaments. This is important for preventing injuries, and Dr Keith recommends collagen supplements or gelatin with vitamin C.

Dr Keith and I talk about injury differences in female athletes and the effects of the menstrual cycle on tendons and ligaments. Dr Keith explains the intersection between injury risk and different stages of the menstrual cycle, especially the link between estrogen and ACL tears. We discuss the place for joint supplements, MSN, and oral contraceptives to reduce injury risk.

Dr Keith explains the pathways underlying muscle growth, as well as the links between exercise and the food we eat on muscle growth and inflammation. Protein rich in the amino acid leucine is particularly important for muscle growth.

Professor Keith Baar’s Official Bio:

Dr Keith Baar received his Bachelor’s in Kinesiology from the University of Michigan where he also served as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach with the University of Michigan Football team. He then received a Master’s from the University of California, Berkeley while teaching strength and conditioning and his Ph.D from the University of Illinois where he discovered the molecular signal that causes load-induced muscle hypertrophy. He did his postdoctoral studies on the molecular mechanism underlying the muscular adaptation to endurance exercise under the direction of Dr. John O. Holloszy at Washington University in St. Louis. Prof Baar opened his first lab in 2004 at the University of Dundee in Scotland. In 2009, Keith moved his laboratory to its current location at the University of California Davis.

The Functional Molecular Biology (FMB) Lab is focused on determining the molecular mechanisms underlying the physiological and functional adaptations of musculoskeletal tissues to exercise, nutrition, age, hormones, and disease. The result of this research is more than 150 peer-reviewed articles in journals from the Journal of Applied Physiology to Nature.

Follow Professor Baar on Twitter @MuscleScience

This episode is brought to you by ORGAIN as Lindsey is an Orgain Ambassador & Affiliate:

First time shoppers can use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off their online purchase.

Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% future purchases.

Visit www.Orgain.Com to learn more & purchase

This episode is brought to you by the Female Athlete System of Transformation, the FAST track for female athletes to overcome disordered eating and fuel to their highest performance:

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com/REDS

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Trigger warning for talk of disordered eating behaviors and weight control. Feel free to skip this episode or fast-forward from 34:00 to 43:45. 

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is with professional Ironman triathlete Dede Griesbauer. Dede shares her remarkable story from an NCAA DI swimming career to working on Wall Street. Over a decade later, she returned to competitive sport and became a professional Ironman triathlete aged 35. At 52 years old, Dede won the Ultraman World Championships, a multi-day triathlon event, and is still performing at an elite level now. We discuss tips for career longevity and how Dede has maintained her health and love for sport throughout.

Dede’s events, Ironman and Ultraman triathlons, are long endurance events requiring considerable fuel before, during and after training and racing. We dive deep into fueling during exercise, comparing real food and sports nutrition products like gels and chews, creating a fueling plan, and problem solving GI issues. Dede shares advice for meeting your nutrition needs on a busy schedule, as well as how she uses food trackers to her benefit. We highlight how, with the support of a professional, trackers can support performance nutrition goals. This is not something I recommend my clients do because the risk of negative impacts is too high. Dede opens up about the negative food, body and weight messaging she received in college, and how her mindset has totally shifted to not monitor her weight, instead fueling for health and performance. 

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

5:15 Returning to competitive sports as a master’s athlete 

8:35 Finding Ironman triathlon 

10:30 Becoming World Champion aged 52 after turning pro at 35

12:20 Tips for career longevity in elite sports 

16:10 Female vs male performance differences 

18:20 Increasing opportunities for women in sport post-college

21:40 What is an Ironman and an Ultraman triathlon?

24:35 Nutrition for an Ironman vs Ultraman; sports fuel vs real food; problem solving GI issues in races

28:00 Fueling with sports nutrition products vs “real food”

32:30 Daily vs performance nutrition 

34:00 Shifts in fueling, weight and performance mindsets over time; Dede’s NCAA swimming experience 35 years ago

35:45 Uncoupling weight and performance; food is fuel

38:50 Dede’s current nutrition habits to fuel elite performance

39:55 Using food trackers and numbers to help performance

43:45 Performance supporting habits outside of training 

47:00 Tips for fueling with a busy schedule 

51:25 End of the podcast questions 

For more on food tracking, check out Episode 146: Nutrition Apps + Fitness Trackers: Helpful or Hurtful? 

Find Dede at dedegriesbauer.com 

Follow on Dede Instagram @dedegriesbauer and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

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In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Hannah, a previous client of mine, college student and runner. We hear how a series of stress fractures made Hannah realize that her attempt at healthy eating perhaps wasn’t all that healthy. Hannah shares how her desire to run faster led her to restricting her diet, something that backfired and resulted in injuries and time off running. Her passion for running ultimately led her to seeking out help from Rise Up Nutrition after being reluctant to change at first.

We discuss Hannah’s progress while working with us at Rise Up Nutrition, learning to fuel properly as an athlete and eating for performance and recovery. Hannah shares the food freedom and flexibility she has gained: instead of feeling stressed and controlled by food, Hannah is in charge now! Hannah talks about the confidence in her nutrition she gained throughout Rise Up Nutrition’s 12-week Female Athlete System of Transformation, embracing the weekly challenges Jenna and I suggested, in spite of some fear.

Hannah gives her highlights of working with Rise Up Nutrition: the community of other female athletes she could relate to, and the constant support of dietitians Jenna and myself. We talk about the group aspect of the FAST Track program, the power of community and relatable role models that surprises most of our clients. Hannah reminds listeners of the importance of asking for help, and not delaying it: the time to take action is now! Even clients who have been struggling with disordered eating for many years see significant improvements in just 12 weeks with our FAST Track program. Hannah talks about joining the Alumni Program to keep the community's support, and to keep learning about nutrition as she chases some bigger running goals!

This episode is brought to you by ORGAIN as Lindsey is an Orgain Ambassador & Affiliate:

First time shoppers can use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off their online purchase.

Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% future purchases.

Visit www.Orgain.Com to learn more & purchase

This episode is brought to you by the Female Athlete System of Transformation, the FAST track for female athletes to overcome disordered eating and fuel to their highest performance:

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com/REDS

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In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition, I talk with a returning guest, Dr Nicky Keay. Listen to Episode 38: Understanding Hormones for Female Performance for my original conversation with Dr Nicky Keay. Dr Nicky joins us again to share her love of hormones and the new book she has just written on this topic “Hormones, Health and Human Potential. A guide to understanding your hormones to optimise your health and performance”. Working in this field for over 30 years, Nicky has amassed a wide variety of different experiences and advice that she shares in stories throughout the book.

Zooming out, Dr Nicky introduces listeners to what hormones are and how they work in the body. Nicky explains the importance of hormones for health, as well as the role our behaviors have on our hormones, things like sleep, nutrition, exercise, and stress levels. Nicky ranks sleep as the most important factor for healthy hormones, advising listeners to prioritize sleep in the hours before midnight. Second, Nicky discusses the importance of varied exercise, avoiding either extremes of doing too much or not enough. Thirdly, Nicky touches on nutrition for hormones: going long periods without eating increases cortisol and should be avoided.

We discuss hormones throughout the lifespan, starting before we’re even born. We talk about how our exercise and nutrition needs differ as we age in response to fluctuation hormones. Dr Nicky and I talk about being proactive to get the most out of our hormones rather than being reactive when problems arise.

We touch on the menopause and debunk the myth that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is dangerous. Nicky speaks to the benefits of HRT during the menopause and for athletes experiencing RED-S. We differentiate between HRT and the contraceptive pill to protect bone health in women with amenorrhea.

Nicky’s book and this discussion on hormones is not just for women: men have hormones and can suffer with RED-S too! Hormones also play a big role in digestion and the gut, something Nicky’s book explores more.

Dr Nicky’s book, “Hormones, Health and Human Potential. A guide to understanding your hormones to optimise your health and performance”, is set to be published October 28th.

Preorder Nicky’s book today and receive 20% off with code NICKY

Follow Nicky and her work on Instagram and Twitter @nickykfitness and her website https://nickykeayfitness.com 

Dr Nicky’s Official Bio:

Nicky Keay is a medical doctor with expertise in the field of exercise endocrinology. Graduating from Cambridge University, she is Honorary Clinical Lecturer in the Division of Medicine, University College London. Nicky’s clinical and research endocrine work is particularly with exercisers, dancers and athletes, with a focus on relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) and with women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.

LINKS MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

This episode is brought to you by PRACTICE BETTER:

Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months.

https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with fellow registered dietitian Emilie Burgess. We hear her introduction to sports through tennis and her experience playing on an NCAA Division 1 team. Emilie shares how being an athlete led her to studying nutrition, and why she ended up specializing in disordered eating and female athlete nutrition. We discuss the need for sports dietitians to understand disordered eating and eating disorders given their high prevalence in athletes.

Emilie talks about being a part of the pioneering Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital, and the ongoing research and educational resources they are putting out.

Emilie shares her own “all foods fit” nutrition philosophy, based around listening to our bodies rather than the latest TikTok trend or diet fad. I talk about my love-hate relationship with social media and why I put more effort into the podcast than Instagram. We discuss social media frustrations and the importance of knowing which sources of information you can trust, and what you should ignore.

Emilie talks about her passion for working with athletes with eating disorders in both inpatient and outpatient settings. We debunk the “not sick enough for treatment” myth, highlighting how your physical appearance does not determine your right to care: psychological pain has no look, and you deserve care and mental freedom.

We discuss different work settings for sports dietitians: on the field and with collegiate teams, inpatient treatment centers, hospitals, research environments, 1:1 consultation and private practice. We highlight the role of sports dietitians within high school and college settings, work both Emilie and I love! Emilie and I finish off by comparing different nut butters: have you tried walnut butter?!

Follow Emilie on Instagram @emthedietitian and online at emilieburgess.com 

Emilie’s Official Bio:

Emilie completed her Bachelor’s degree in Dietetics at the University of Connecticut, where she competed as a Division I tennis player. She went on to obtain her Master’s of Science in Nutrition and Food Science, and completed a dietetic internship at West Virginia University. She is also a Board Certified Sports Dietitian (CSSD) specializing in sports performance nutrition and eating disorders in athletes. Emilie began her dietetic career at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center in Boston as a Clinical Dietitian, and then accepted a position at the Cambridge Eating Disorder Center (CEDC) as a Registered Dietitian. Along with her inpatient and eating disorder experience, Emilie has volunteered for two U.S. Division I sports nutrition programs.

Emilie has worked at Home Base, a Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital program, where she provided nutrition support to veterans and their families. During her time there she supported Home Base's tactile athletes who were competing in events such as the Boston Marathon and the Marathon Des Sables.

Emilie has also spent time as a Clinical Nutrition Specialist in the Division of Sports Medicine and Female Athlete Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and as a Registered Dietitian at MIT Recreation. She recently completed a sports nutrition fellowship at the University of Washington through the Gatorade Sports Nutrition Immersion Program (SNIP).

LINKS MENTIONED DURING THE EPISODE:

This episode is brought to you by PRACTICE BETTER:

Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months.

https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with an expert in the field of performance nutrition, Dr Michael Ormsbee. He also happens to be a previous professor of mine! We touch on Dr Mike's own sporting journey, beginning with ice hockey in high school and college, before getting into triathlons and cross fit more recently. Dr Mike is a leading researcher in sports and performance nutrition, and we hear how he works with elite athlete populations, including currently with elite female athletes using Whoop bands. We discuss the need for research in females and for better understanding the effects of the menstrual cycle and the unique female physiology on all aspects of performance.

This episode dives deep into the concept of pre-sleep feeding, busting the myth that eating before bed is detrimental. For both athletes and non-athletes, consuming protein close to bed can have metabolic benefits and increase muscle protein synthesis, especially when exercising in the evening. We touch on nutrient timing and nutrient priming for recovery. Dr Mike compares different protein types: whey, casein, other animal sources, and plant based protein, reassuring listeners that plant proteins can be just as beneficial, and to look for sources rich in leucine. Dr Mike recommends 40g protein before bed and shares his research into elite female athletes showing that the majority are missing the mark here. 

We emphasize the importance of ensuring you are consuming enough protein throughout the day rather than focusing specifically on timing. We debunk the myth that eating close to bed affects body composition, rather, type of training plays a much bigger role.

Dr Mike discusses his current and future research interests in female athletes, and we underscore the need for more of this research in women: Dr Mike is leading the way!

Follow Dr Mike and his work on Instagram @MikeOrmsbee and @FSUISSM 

Dr Mike’s Official Bio:

Michael J. Ormsbee is a Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Nutrition & Integrative Physiology, the Director of the Institute of Sports Sciences & Medicine at Florida State University, and an honorary research fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. He is also a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, and the International Society of Sports Nutrition and is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength & Conditioning Association. His research expertise involves the interaction of exercise training, nutrition, and supplementation to improve metabolism and achieve optimal body composition, human performance, and health in both athletic and clinical populations. Dr. Ormsbee was honored as the 2014 FSU Teacher of the Year, 2017 Nutrition Researcher of the Year (NSCA), 2018 FSU Graduate Student Mentor of the Year, 2020 FSU Distinguished Teacher of the Year, and the 2020 Sport Scientist of the Year (NSCA). His course, “Changing Body Composition Through Diet and Exercise” is available through The Great Courses.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Podcast, I talk with Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Dr Christine Peat. Dr Christine and I define clinical eating disorders and explore her area of interest: binge-eating disorder. We take a deep dive into binge-eating disorder, busting common myths and stereotypes about what binge-eating is and how episodes of binging differ from overeating and feelings of extreme fullness. The psychology behind eating behaviors are what characterize clinical eating disorders, including feeling a loss of control around food and immense guilt and shame. We talk about why binge-eating disorder is serious and deserves attention.

Dr Peat talks about the 5% prevalence of binge-eating disorder in the population, and the general under-diagnosis of eating disorders: factors like shame and secrecy prevent sufferers from reaching out for help and receiving a diagnosis. 9% of the US population will experience an eating disorder in their lifetime. We debunk the myth that eating disorders have a look: binge-eating disorder can affect individuals in smaller and larger bodies, as can anorexia nervosa. We discuss biases in society that associate larger bodies with binge-eating disorder and can make receiving treatment difficult. Eating disorders are mental illnesses and body size is a result of disordered thoughts and behaviors, and Dr Peat reminds listeners to look beyond weight and pay attention to the underlying psychology. We discuss treatment options for eating disorders, the importance of a multidisciplinary specialty approach, as well as barriers to receiving care.

Dr Peat shares her research into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on eating disorders and her findings are alarming! The pandemic has seen rates of eating disorders skyrocket and we discuss contributing factors such as a lack of social support and structure, more time spent in triggering environments, and more.

We touch on the intersection between obesity and eating disorders, and the work Dr Peat does with patients undergoing bariatric surgery. We talk about Dr Peat's roles with the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (NCEED) and the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA), as well as her current areas of research. 

Learn more about the National Center of Excellence for Eating Disorders (NCEED) and Dr Peat’s work at www.nceedus.org 

Dr Peat’s Official Bio:

Dr. Christine Peat is an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC). She completed her undergraduate training in Psychology at the University of Arizona and earned her Master’s degree and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of North Dakota. Her internship was in behavioral medicine at West Virginia University, after which she went on to complete her post-doctoral fellowship in eating disorders research at UNC under the directorship of Dr. Cynthia Bulik. Currently, Dr. Peat works as both a researcher and a clinician who focuses on eating pathology across the spectrum, but with a distinct focus on binge-eating disorder. She is particularly interested in the intersection between obesity, bariatric surgery, and eating pathology and investigating physiological comorbidities associated with eating disorders.

Dr. Peat is also a licensed psychologist in North Carolina and as such, treats eating disorders across the spectrum, with a primary focus on binge eating. Given her background in behavioral medicine, she has also established clinical services in the UNC Bariatric Surgery Program, where she conducts presurgical evaluations and provides behavioral medicine interventions to weight loss surgery patients. In addition to her clinical and research responsibilities, Dr. Peat is a clinical supervisor for pre-doctoral psychology interns and psychiatry residents, and she mentors undergraduate students.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

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In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with a client of mine, Alli Armstrong. We hear how Alli found Rise Up Nutrition through this podcast, finding herself resonating with the stories shared and topics discussed.

Alli opens up about her spiral into disordered eating, orthorexia, and over-exercising while studying nutrition in college and in yoga training. Growing up as a dancer, Alli shares how the culture of certain body ideals and “lighter is better” followed her as she began running and triathlon. Increasing her training coupled with restricting her intake to only “clean” foods led Alli to requiring inpatient eating disorder treatment. She speaks to her experiences and how that higher level of care was what she needed at the time. Alli and I discuss her diagnosis of orthorexia, an obsession with healthy eating, and signs of energy deficiency she noticed in everyday life: Alli was able to push her body to train for a marathon but had no energy left for the rest of the day.

We hear how Alli transitioned from inpatient treatment to our Rise Up Nutrition Female Athlete System of Transformation (FAST Track) program, looking to learn how to fuel as an athlete as well as a whole person. We talk about her personal struggles with exercise and training, wanting to do more, and how she benefited from the accountability provided by the Rise Up Nutrition program and community. 

Alli chooses to eat a mostly plant-based diet, and we hear about how this choice fuelled her restrictive eating disorder. Through our FAST Track program and working 1-on-1 with our other amazing sports dietitian, Jenna Stranzl, Alli learned to fuel her body properly on a plant-based diet. She shares how she optimizes her nutrition today, and the importance of freeing yourself from rigid labels and messaging promoted by some vegan communities. Alli and I talk about adopting a flexible mindset and dealing with challenging food situations when eating out.

Alli has been able to slowly increase her exercise and build a healthier mindset around movement as she began fuelling appropriately. Alli shares about her goals of completing half- and full Ironman triathlons, and why she is taking a long-term approach to her goals to ensure she reaches them healthy and injury-free: nutrition is part of the training!

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with anti-diet weight inclusive registered dietitian Heather Caplan. We start off by defining the terms: weight inclusive care, being an anti-diet and non-diet dietitian, and Health At Every Size (HAES). We discuss the importance of a weight neutral approach to nutrition because science proves that weight does not determine health. Heather and I explain the many limitations of BMI and defining health based on body size and shape. Heather talks about the Health At Every Size movement and its mission of inclusion to bring healthcare to all. 

Heather talks about her introduction to dietetics and her own struggles with disordered eating that caused her to question the current weight-centered approach to nutrition and diet culture. She shares her career path from practicing in a weight-centered setting post college to discovering intuitive eating and weight neutral approaches to dietetics. We discuss studying nutrition in college and the many flaws with the curriculum. 

We discuss the intersection between running and nutrition, and how sports dietitians can have a Health At Every Size approach and debunk the myths surrounding weight and performance. Dieting and weight loss may improve performance in the short term, but we explain how the sustainable path to long term success that allows athletes to reach even higher levels of performance must prioritize health first, regardless of weight. 

Heather talks about founding WIND, Weight Inclusive Nutrition and Dietetics, to educate other dietitians, practitioners and more about inclusivity and diversity in nutrition. 

Heather was the host of the RD Real Talk podcast for 5 years and she explains how shifting priorities have led to its end. We discuss the importance of change during different seasons of life, including new motherhood, in order to keep pursuing our ultimate passions and goals. We talk about the myth of doing it all and how what we see on Instagram and social media is not reality: the struggles are rarely shared. 

Follow Heather on Instagram @heatherdcRD 

Find Heather online at https://heathercaplan.com/ and WIND at https://weightinclusivenutrition.com/ 

Heather’s Official Bio:

Heather Caplan, pronouns she/her, is a weight-inclusive registered dietitian. She's the founder of Weight Inclusive Nutrition and Dietetics (WIND), which hosts continuing education and connection events for dietitians. Heather hosted the RD Real Talk podcast for over 5 years, having hundreds of conversations about non-diet nutrition. She also co-founded the Lane 9 Project, a community for athletes struggling with disordered eating and eating disorders. Her work in the non-diet spaces—including working with clients, organizations, and healthcare providers—has been featured on The TODAY Show, and in magazines like The Washington Post, Runner's World, Outside Magazine, and EatingWell. She's a parent to three littles, likes to run long distances, and wishes it was always Summer Ale season.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Team USA fencer Iman Blow. We start by hearing from Iman about her journey into fencing through a local sports foundation. Iman discusses the importance of both exposure to opportunities and the support of mentors, family and coaches.

Iman explains her fierce mindset that has allowed her to thrive in spite of failures and setbacks like just missing out on making the postponed 2020 Olympic team, and instead being named as an alternate. Iman talks about always playing to win: if your goal isn’t to win, it means you’re accepting losing. We discuss goal setting and evaluating performances with both outcome- and process-oriented goals. We talk about handling challenges and setbacks at the highest level of sport, using examples like Simone Biles and Serena Williams to show that no one is immune to stress. Iman and I discuss internal and external stressors, things that are in your control and things that aren’t, and how your mindset determines your level of success and ability to handle obstacles. 

We discuss representation in sports and the importance of diverse and relatable role models. Iman shares how other black female athletes have inspired her and the work she is doing to inspire others herself, and Iman explains her “aspire to inspire” motto.

This episode covers the importance of hydration: understanding hydration and staying on top of her fluid needs led to a breakthrough in Iman’s performance. Iman explains her approach to nutrition during competitions where she is expected to perform at her best multiple times throughout a given day. We discuss strategies for sustained energy, and how the basics of sleep, nutrition and hydration have the biggest impact on performance, more than any expensive supplement.

Not all elite athletes are sport obsessed and Iman is an example of someone who finds joy outside of her sport. We hear her passion for community and spending quality time with others 

Follow Iman on Instagram @Inspiredwithiman 

Find Iman online at https://www.imanblow.com/ 

Iman’s Official Bio:

Iman Blow is a pre-medical Columbia University graduate and world-class athlete who is passionately involved in performance education and development. Over the past 10 years, Blow has functioned as a coach and athlete-educator while simultaneously managing an award-winning academic and athletic career. After ending the 2020 Olympic season as an alternate for Team USA, Blow continues with the goals of competing in the 2024 Olympic games in France and matriculating into medical school.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this solo episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I share more about the business side of Rise Up Nutrition and some recent changes I have made. I talk about being an entrepreneur and my motivators behind starting Rise Up Nutrition: freedom, impact, and money. Initially, freedom and money were my biggest drivers, but right now it is the impact I can have on the lives of female athletes that motivates me more than ever! 

I discuss how new motherhood intertwines with business and being self-employed, as well as my struggle to maintain a work-life balance and childcare challenges. Making an impact and helping my clients remains a top priority, and is at the core of changes I have made to Rise Up Nutrition recently. I explain the increasing role fellow Rise Up Nutrition dietitian Jenna Stranzl is taking on, allowing me to focus on 1:1 client work and not missing out on being a mom.

Following on, I give some program updates, letting listeners know that I have closed the Group Coaching program and launched a new Alumni Group program. This program will allow me to continue to support clients beyond the 12-week Female Athlete System of Transformation (the FAST Track Program). I explain how the program works, touching on some of the monthly challenges and recent topics explored, like hydration and post-workout nutrition. I share great testimonials from athletes already enrolled in the Alumni Group and encourage you to join in too! Additionally, Rise Up Nutrition’s signature FAST Track Program is open for new clients too!

Two years into this podcast, our community has grown far beyond what I could imagine and it allows me to impact so many more lives than I possibly can with my 1:1 and group coaching. To keep this podcast alive and continue growing and having an impact, the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast will be taking on sponsors. I will only be taking on sponsors with products and services that I actually use myself and would recommend to a friend. I look forward to sharing some of my favorite products and partners on the podcast soon! 

I open this up to you! Do you have a company, or know one, that would love to partner with the show? Reach out, I would love to talk!

This episode finishes off with a call to action: if you are looking for helping with your nutrition, curious about our Alumni Group, or interested in partnering with the podcast, reach out and email us at info.riseupnutrition@gmail.com 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I speak with Olympian and Team USA skier Hailey Swirbul. We talk about Hailey’s early introduction to adventure sports, her collegiate skiing career, turning professional mid-way through college to join the US ski team, and then making her first Olympic team this year. As well as being a dream come true, competing in the Olympics had its challenges, reminding Hailey that she is more than a skier and how moments outside of skiing can be just as fulfilling and memorable, such as a visit to KFC during the Olympics!

Hailey opens up about how a desire to optimize her body composition and go “all in” on skiing in high school fuelled an eating disorder. What started as an “experiment” and a desire to perform better ultimately left Hailey feeling deeply unhappy and totally out of control around food. Hailey shares how this “experiment” back-fired: food was controlling Hailey and her performances suffered too. We discuss how common this downward spiral to disordered eating is, and that Hailey was not alone: a lot of the people we work with at Rise Up Nutrition share similar stories and can resonate with Hailey.

We talk about Hailey’s recovery and the importance of admitting to yourself that you are struggling. We discuss the gray area between disordered eating and eating disorders: just because you don’t resonate with having a clinical eating disorder doesn’t mean that you can’t also struggle with nutrition and improve your relationship with food. Hailey speaks to some of the barriers to recovery, getting help with disordered eating and working with a therapist. We emphasize that recovery is a continuous journey without an end date; over time, by consistently practicing healthy habits mindsets can change and food can become less controlling. 

Hailey leaves listeners with the advice to be more patient and self-accepting: bad body image days, guilt and other negative thoughts around food will arise, but it’s important to trust in our bodies and respect our intuition. Hailey highlights how there is space for all foods in our diets, a philosophy we promote with our “all foods fit” motto at Rise Up Nutrition, regardless of whether we are exercising or not. Finally, we touch on Hailey’s goals for the future and explore how she is now embracing a more flexible outlook on what’s to come.

Find Hailey online at https://haileyswirbul.com/ 

Hailey’s Official Bio:

Hailey Swirbul is from Colorado but currently lives in Anchorage, Alaska. She loves spending time moving outdoors whether it be backpacking, biking, backcountry skiing, cross country skiing, or packrafting! Hailey has loved endurance sports since she was a kid, and made it a goal to reach the highest level she could within cross country skiing. She has raced on the World Cup stage for 3 winter seasons and attended her first Olympics at Beijing 2022. Hailey has a degree in civil engineering from the University of Alaska Anchorage and works part time doing design and construction for Alaska State Parks.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Happy New Year! This is a solo episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast with me, your host, Lindsey Cortes. Instead of fad diets and quick fixes, we’re talking about health-promoting changes and real life transformations. That’s why I start this episode with some exciting updates! Firstly, Rise Up Nutrition is back! I’m now taking clients looking for nutrition support to achieve their highest athletic performance. I’m expanding my offerings beyond the female athlete and RED-S spaces, open to helping anyone level up their fueling. Get in touch today!

Secondly, I share that I have begun writing a book, hoping to share healthy fueling tips with a wider audience. And it wouldn’t be the New Year without talking about health and fitness! I get ahead of some expected 2025 trends: high fiber and protein diets, plant-based proteins, GLP1 agonists like ozempic, personalized nutrition,  intermittent fasting and more. I take a little longer to discuss affordable nutrition, with tips for eating well on a budget.

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

6:10 I’m writing a book! The story behind the book and how it’s going 

11:35 Goal setting framework for 2025

15:10 Expected food trends for 2025: fiber, plant-based proteins, affordable food

18:15 Eating well on a budget

20:50 Food trends continued: GLP1, high protein diets, personalized nutrition, intermittent fasting

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We are so grateful to our FANS and listeners! I hope you enjoy the episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with physical therapist and Ironman triathlete Dr Caitlin Alexander. Having grown up as a dancer since the age of 3 and getting a taste of triathlon as a teenager, we hear how Caitlin was drawn back into endurance sports post college and fell in love with Ironman triathlons. She shares her quick progression in the sport as an amateur age group athlete, from total beginner to now preparing the upcoming Ironman Age Group World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, in just a few years. She reminds listeners that early specialization is not always best: it’s never too late to try something new and reach a high level.

Caitlin talks about the training it takes to complete an Ironman: multiple sessions a day, swimming, biking and running. We explore the nutrition required to handle high training volumes, as well as on race day, based around carbohydrates and electrolytes. Practicing fueling and hydration in training is key to race day performance, and this often requires a lot of trial and error with different products because everyone’s needs and preferences are unique. Caitlin highlights how some nutrition mistakes prompted her to really dial in her approach to fueling and hydration. We talk more about hydration, understanding your sweat, and preventing GI distress.

Caitlin shares how personal experiences with injury led to a major career change, going back to school to become a physical therapist after initially working in the music and performing arts industry. We discuss how varied her role as a physical therapist is and touch on some of her specialities: bike fitting, running gait analysis, and dry needling, We discuss how our own athletic experiences allow us to better relate to clients; Caitlin explains how her background in triathlon makes her more successful as a PT. We dive into running gait analysis for injury prevention and performance, centering around optimizing cadence and stride length.

Caitlin and I discuss dry needling and electrical stimulation, what it is, and how it can play a role in injury recovery. Caitlin emphasizes that manual therapies like dry needling are not permanent injury fixes because they don't address the root cause, load the tissue, or re-educate the body on proper movement patterns: effective recovery requires a multidimensional approach that addresses both the mental and physical sides. 

Follow Caitlin and all she does on Instagram and Twitter @caitalexander 

Caitlin’s Official Bio:

Caitlin Alexander, PT, DPT, CAFS is a physical therapist, multisport coach, Ironman triathlete based out of Boulder, Colorado. She holds a Doctorate in Physical Therapy and Certification in Applied Functional Science from the Gray Institute. She currently works as a physical therapist, bike fitter and run gait analyst at BUILD Sports Performance Lab in Louisville, CO. She enjoys being able to help athletes reach their goals on multiple levels, whether it's curating a rehab plan to recover from an injury, or analyzing an athlete's running mechanics to make performance gains. Caitlin is also an elite amateur triathlete and will be competing at the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii this fall.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with physical therapist and passionate endurance athlete Dr Sarah Ceschin. We speak about Sarah’s introduction to physical therapy through a love of movement and connecting the mind with the body. This conversation explores the mind-body connection as it relates to both body image and injury recovery. Sarah emphasizes the importance of addressing the psychological and physical sides of recovery simultaneously in order to build body trust and overcome the fear of re-injury. Sarah suggests graduated exposure to feared movements alongside the support of a professional.

We talk about common injuries in runners and endurance athletes: overuse conditions such as tendinitis and bone injuries, and the role nutrition has in their development and recovery; while poor nutrition and underfueling can predispose athletes to injuries, eating enough and optimal fuelling can speed up the healing process and prevent future injuries.

Sarah opens up about her personal experiences with an eating disorder, overtraining and REDS, as well as her current recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea. We discuss how our personal experiences give us empathy with our clients, and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to recovery from both injuries and REDS. 

Sarah shares her philosophy of treating the patient not the diagnosis: injuries rarely ever exist in isolation or have a single cause, so addressing the whole body and mind together is essential to long term success. Coupled with that, Sarah explains why imaging does not tell the full story and often is more hurtful than helpful, highlighting abnormalities that don’t match up with a client’s symptoms. We debunk the “weak glutes” myth and that glute activation and PT exercises are not miracle cures: understanding and utilizing correct movement patterns for life are!

We finish off by highlighting the importance of doing what you love: there is a space to combine professional with passionate and fun, and it may even make you better at your job!

Follow Sarah and all she does on Instagram @boulder_sports_physio

You can reach her via email bouldersportsphysio@gmail.com and at www.bouldersportsphysio.com 

Sarah’s Official Bio:

Dr. Sarah Ceschin is a sports-medicine orthopedic physical therapist who loves working with runners, climbers, and recreational athletes of all types. Through biomechanics and understanding human movement, Dr. Sarah uses hands on treatment and corrective exercises to help people move better, feel better, and get back to the activities they love to do. When she's not being a PT, Dr. Sarah loves trail running, biking, climbing, cooking, and being the last person on the dance floor.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hillary opens up about a near-death experience while participating in her sport. One of the World's best trail runners, Hillary was competing in a Skyrunning race in Norway when she fell 150 feet off a cliff, breaking 14 bones and was told she would never run again. We discuss how Hillary handled this overnight shift from being a professional athlete racing at the highest level of elite sport to not being able to move, and the recovery journey she has been on these past 5 years that has challenged her identity and sense of worth. We talk about not ignoring your feelings, strategies for processing tough emotions including writing and mantras, and finding your sense of self outside of athletics. Faced with plenty of evidence to the contrary, Hillary shares how she manifested an unwavering belief that her best athletic days were still ahead of her: Hillary had to believe this and bet on herself long before she could see any results. We discuss finding motivation during injuries and setbacks, including making recovery your sport, developing rehab goals and to-do lists.

Despite barely being able to move, let alone train, Hillary explained how she shifted her mindset around nutrition, recognizing her body's needs for even more nutrients than normal to repair her injuries and build her back stronger. Hillary shares how she noticed her body and appetite change, but still avoided restricting calories knowing that doing so would only prolong her recovery and healing journey, and instead focusing on consuming anti-inflammatory foods and bone broth. 

Hillary and I chat about nutrition for bone health, muscle building and recovery, as well as the importance of nutrition timing. We touch upon avoiding within-day energy deficits and under-fuelling to improve bone health, prevent injuries, reduce cortisol, and optimize training: nutrition is a superpower for faster recovery and performance! 

Hillary speaks about the challenging 5 years since her accident full of more setbacks, injuries and even more broken bones, and how she has stayed motivated and hopeful that she would one day run again. She opens up about how she feared racing and loosing her “elite athlete” status, ultimately overcoming these doubts by focusing on running for herself and her own enjoyment. We discuss letting go of previous senses of self and comparison, handling recovery setbacks even when you think you are doing everything “right”, and sharing the whole journey, not just the highlights. Hillary shares her key pillars through the highs and the lows, running and recovery: nutrition, sleep and mindset.

We finish off discussing Hillary’s future running goals, taking on crazy long and steep ultra trail races, and now racing gravel bikes professionally too!

Follow Hillary and all she does on Instagram @hillygoat_climbs 

And at hillaryallen.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter 

Hillary’s Official Bio:

My career as an endurance athlete has not been straightforward. Through injury, setbacks and being told I would never run again, I’ve had to re-think what I consider impossible, as I continued to push myself, believing in my best athletic days ahead.

In 2017 I had a life threatening accident, where I fell 150 feet off of a ridge-line during a Skyrace in Tromsø, Norway. I broke a total of 14 bones and I was told I would never run again – let alone compete at the elite level. The cliff note version is this: after several years of rehab and recovery, I made a full recovery and returned to elite level racing, running some of my longest and most challenging races post-accident. It's what led me to believe that ‘your best athletic days are ahead of you,’ if you’re willing to work hard for what you love and never give up on yourself.

I am also a scientist, with a masters degree in neuroscience and physiology and structural biology; I’m a running coach, and a gravel cyclist too.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Podcast, I talk with founder of Runners Love Yoga and Relay Run Co, and US Olympic Marathon Team Trials qualifier, Ann Mazur. We dive straight into a discussion about identity, both in sports and life, touching on the challenges presented when athletes finish playing their sports after high school or college. Just because your most competitive days may be over, you can still be an athlete! Without the fixed structure and routine of college athletics, we talk about how this opens up more opportunities to try new activities, training and racing approaches, be involved with communities, and move purely for the love of it. Ann explains her identity struggle when she was no longer "Ann the D1 college runner for Notre Dame" but still felt her best running days were ahead. Post collegiate athletics

We touch on parallel transition struggles after Ann received her Ph.D. in English and wasn't content with the typical career trajectory of becoming an English professor. Ann shares how she redefined what being a teacher meant to her, transferring her skills from the classroom to teaching yoga. Ann explains she was introduced to stretching and yoga as an inflexible high school runner, then sharing this with her college teammates; after incorporating yoga into her routine, Ann noticed her own running improve, as well as her teammates', alongside a reduction in injuries. I also share how I found yoga during a stressful period in college, first noticing the mental and stress relieving benefits before reaping the physical. 

Ann discusses the many hats she wears: founding Runners Love Yoga while getting her Ph.D. in English, running at the NCAA Division 1 level and later progressing post collegiately to run in the 2020 US Olympic Team marathon trials, starting Runners Love Yoga apparel company recently rebranded as Relay Run Co, filming and sharing hundreds of yoga and fitness videos through Runners Love Yoga TV, and more! Ann explains how Runners Love Yoga TV really expanded during the pandemic as she sought a way to teach virtually, helping her community stay mentally and physically well during a stressful time. We talk about how she seemingly "does it all" and the importance of pursuing your passions, regardless of what others say, and building the career path you want for yourself.

Ann and I explore the intersection between yoga and nutrition: building that mind-body connection through yoga can foster mental freedom, body awareness and mindfulness that helps us all be more intuitive and self-accepting, including with our food choices and body image. Ann shares her experience with toxic team culture in college and the food freedom she has found now that gives her the energy to do everything she does and run faster at all distances. Newly rebranded at Relay Run Co, Ann talks about developing an activewear company, her love of fashion and helping everyone feel comfortable and confident in their clothing. A mom to 3 adopted cats and always wanting to give back, Relay Run Co donates 1% of profits to animal charities and can be found at relayrunco.com and via the handles below.

Follow Ann and all she does on Instagram:

@runnersloveyoga for Ann’s personal page

@relay_run_co for Relay Run Co.

@doyogarunfaster for Runners Love Yoga TV

And online at:

runnersloveyoga.com

runnersloveyoga.tv

relayrunco.com 

Ann’s Official Bio:

Ann is founder and CEO of Runners Love Yoga, the mission of which is to help runners through yoga designed specifically for them. Through Runners Love Yoga TV, she is a one-woman yoga filming and editing crew which brings accessible yoga to runners worldwide: at runnersloveyoga.tv and with the Runners Love Yoga TV iOS and android apps, you can do 200+ yoga classes with her anytime! Recently, the RLY (Runners Love Yoga) brand of activewear has branched off to become Relay Run Co. Relay Run Co. activewear is built upon the 4 legs of fashion, art, performance and comfort. Ann has been in the clothing industry for a decade and is excited for the direction that Relay Run Co. is headed, especially as they are donating 1% of all purchases to animal rescue. Ann is a 2020 Olympic Trials marathoner who loves racing all distances from the mile to 26.2, and whose own training unorthodoxly combines running, swimming, and yoga. While at Notre Dame, she was an English and math double major, and she founded Runners Love Yoga while earning her Ph.D. in English at UVa. 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Podcast, I talk with professional runner for Altra and scientist Keely Henninger. Keely shares our mission of empowering female athletes through her own Trail Society podcast, worth a listen for everyone, not just trail runners. We explore Keely’s introduction to trail running, attracted to the sport because of the incredibly supportive community. Now a professional runner for Altra, we discuss Keely’s recent race, the Western States 100 miler, and the difficult decision to drop out she was forced to make at mile 40. 

Keely shares how she used previous mistakes and challenging races as learning experiences in the lead up to Western States. This included having a fuelling and hydration plan dialed in and controlling for what she could. Preparation is key to success, but even with the best plans, unexpected obstacles still come along. Keely’s rolled ankle during Western States is one such example, and we talk about dealing with running heartbreak and not finishing races. But even in the midst of disappointment, Keely and I emphasize the importance of recognizing wins along the way: successfully executing race day cooling strategies and nutrition plans were big wins for Keely. 

We talk about fueling training and racing, and how the default recommendations and tendency to “get by” on the least amount of food and fluid during workouts is performance limiting. Keely and I discuss the difference between pushing through challenges and unnecessary suffering, factors that apply to both training and nutrition: sport is hard enough as it is, and fueling and recovering appropriately can help you avoid unnecessary suffering and reach your potential. We debunk the fear of overfueling and laugh about the fun with food that trail runners embrace! This includes incorporating real and “junk” food as well as typical gels and sports nutrition products.

Transitioning to Keely’s career in science and research, she shares her interest in medicine and female athlete physiology. She talks about some of the studies she's been involved in around neuroscience, exercise and biomechanics, as well as her previous work at Nike researching and designing women-specific footwear and apparel. 

As an independent researcher, Keely is currently looking into the nutrition and training practices of male and female athletes of all ages. She is exploring the link between underfueling, exercise dependence and performance, and we briefly touch on this. Keely and I talk about the need for more research into female athletes, especially studies correlating fueling adequately and maintaining a menstrual cycle with optimum performance and reduced injuries.

Follow Keely on Instagram and Twitter @runwidkeel 

Tune into the Trail Society podcast 

Keely’s Official Bio:

Keely Henninger is a professional runner and scientist fighting for athletes to treat their bodies with respect in order to train and race their best.  She has competed in the trail-running circuit for over 8 years and has represented team USA, been the National 50 mile champion, and has won and competed at many prestigious national and international races.  Currently she is co-leading research with Dr. Kelly Pritchett in the ultra/trail running space around fueling habits, exercise dependence, and health while training for national and international races. She resides in Portland, OR (most of the time) with her partner, JT and pup Jade, where they live as close to trails as possible. 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Podcast, I speak with Certified Mental Performance Coach Carrie Jackson. This conversation is full of advice on navigating injuries and rehab that is transferable to REDS and disordered eating recovery. Carrie discusses her career journey, the gaps she saw in how injured athletes were managed, and how she is filling them through the work she does today. Carrie speaks about a snowboarding injury that was the catalyst to the work she does today; by shifting her mindset and making recovery her sport, Carrie came back to have her best season ever. 

We discuss the need for community and support during times of injuries, and we suggest ways to stay involved with your teams even when you can’t participate yourself. This starts with making recovery your sport, creating a training plan and setting goals specific to recovery: even when injured, you are still an athlete! 

Carrie introduces the idea of recovery check-ins instead of firm timelines: as athletes we hold on to the standard time frames doctors and PTs give but it’s important to hold these numbers loosely. Recovery is unpredictable and rarely goes as planned: the time frames are all generic averages but we are unique individuals and should expect a nonlinear path to avoid emotional spiraling. Similarly to athletes looking to improve their nutrition and restore energy balance in the case of REDS, there is no one size fits all plan to injuries, and setbacks are common and expected!

Carrie shares the incredible work she does creating communities for injured athletes on her podcast and Facebook group: The Injured Athlete Podcast. We emphasize the need for support, avoiding isolation and normalizing injury as part of training: like with REDS and disordered eating, you are not alone in injury and help is out there.

We speak to the mental side of injuries with advice on overcoming adversity and resilience. Carrie emphasizes how skills learned during injuries and recovery can help you to rebound a mentally and physically stronger athlete when you return to your sport.

Carrie discusses her work with athletes with diabetes, helping them balance exercise while managing their blood sugar, and putting on training camps to support diabetics with this. She helps everyone embrace an athletic identity and reduce the mental burden of their diagnosis; learn to fuel as an athlete first then treat the diabetes second; and normalize activity within the diabetes community. We differentiate between Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, raising awareness of the countless challenges and pervasive stigma diabetics face daily that deters them from exercising. Athletes can have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes, and diabetics can exercise safely, be athletes, and even perform at the same level as non-diabetics. 

Find Carrie and all she does at www.carriejackson.com and on Instagram and Twitter @feedtheathlete and Faecebook @MentalSkillsTrainingforAthletes

Check out Carrie’s book Rebound https://injuredathletesclub.com/about-the-book/ 

Join The Injured Athletes Club on Facebook, tune into The Injured Athletes Club podcast and check out www.injuredathletesclub.com 

Carrie’s Official Bio:

Carrie Jackson is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant in Northern California and has been a professional in the field of sport and peak performance psychology since 2002. She is co-author of the book Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries, as well as co-host of the podcast The Injured Athletes Club. She has been interviewed as an expert resource for articles that have appeared in publications such as New York Times, Huffington Post, US News and World Report, Outside Magazine, Shape Magazine, Men’s Fitness, Women’s Health, Runner’s World, and Women’s Running Magazine. 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast I talk with professional runner for Adidas Emily Durgin. We jump right in to discussing her incredible run at the Houston Half Marathon, a performance that places her as the sixth fastest American female of all-time! Emily announces her plans to run her first marathon in the fall of 2022, and talks about how she’ll need to approach fueling differently to maximize her performance over 26.2 miles. Emily shares her current pre-race nutrition strategy racing distances from the 5km to half marathon: fueling well the days before and a good race day breakfast, topped off with an energy gel before the start. We highlight how fuelling looks different for elite and amateur runners depending on race duration and intensity.

Emily and I bond over the difficulties of college chemistry classes required to become a dietitian as we talk about choosing a major in college. As a top high school athlete, Emily shares her recruiting journey and how she ultimately ended up at UCONN, running for 5 years on an NCAA Division 1 team. We discuss the challenges of transitioning to college combined with navigating puberty and body changes. Emily opens up about her struggles and setbacks towards the end of high school and beginning of college, gaining necessary weight as she developed into a woman. Despite early successes in high school, Emily talks about the plateau she hit and how, with the support of coaches, she stayed patient and committed as her body changed, riding the wave that ultimately led her to find lots of success at the conference level.

We discuss the culture of eating patterns and mindset on running teams at the high school, college, and professional level. We talk strategies for navigating toxic team cultures, including being around athletes struggling with disordered eating. Emily shares how her relationship with food has changed for the better, noting the positive influence of Olympians like Cory McGee, Ellie Purrier St Pierre and Abbey D’Agastino role modeling an “all foods fit” mindset, like we advocate for at Rise Up Nutrition. Emily explains how she’s noticed that the higher the standard of performance the healthier the culture and the less restrictive and obsessive the eating habits: no coincidence, because in order to be the best you have to be well fuelled and happy! 

Now one of America’s best athletes, it’s easy to assume that Emily dominated the NCAA and graduated with many sponsorship offers to choose between; however, this could not be further from the truth. Never finishing as an All-American or even making NCAA's on the track, Emily shares how she bet on herself and balanced working as a nanny while running post-collegiately. Results did not come overnight, but her patience and trust in the process saw her steady progress to becoming one of the World’s best, earning a professional contract along the way. We hear about the experiences Emily had training with Olympians on some of the best pro teams, and discuss the importance of role models and support systems, alongside self-belief and perseverance. These same approaches Emily took to her running we can all apply to our training and nutrition; whether it’s getting your period, recovering from injury, or setting a PR, no matter where you are right now, by focusing on the process and the small steps you can take today, you can achieve your goals and we can all be fit, fierce and fuelled female athletes!

Follow Emily on Instagram  @em_durgin 

Emily’s Official Bio:

Emily Durgin is an American long-distance runner from Standish, Maine.  She attended the University of Connecticut and was a 9-time American Athletic Conference Champion.   After graduating from UConn in May 2017, Emily continued running professionally and became one of the top American road racers. She moved to Flagstaff, Arizona in 2019 and is sponsored by Adidas. This January she ran 67:54 in the Houston Half Marathon becoming the 6th fastest American ever.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with chiropractor, entrepreneur, competitive athlete and mother of 2, Dr. Karlie Causey. We take a deep dive into all things postpartum and new motherhood, the intersection of activity and athletics, and the importance of gaining strength and confidence in our changing bodies. Karlie discusses her slogan that ‘’every mom is an athlete’ and we highlight the incredible athleticism involved throughout pregnancy, birth and postpartum. As new moms, Karlie and I touch on some of the unexpected postpartum aches and pains not widely discussed, such as wrist and finger and foot pain, why they occur and what you can do about them.

Karlie shares her own journey as a lifelong athlete, from playing collegiate volleyball to competing in cross fit, and now continuing to embrace her athletic identity even as a mother of 2. We talk about exercising throughout pregnancy and returning to activity postpartum: women can do much more than they are led to believe!

We discuss the difference between chiropractors and physical therapists, and the role of manual adjustments and breathing practices for new moms. Dr Karlie recommends most mothers return to some activity long before the typical 6-8 week mark; even prior to medical clearance, Karlie suggests some exercises women could be doing almost immediately postpartum, in the case of an uncomplicated birth. This begins with targeting the pelvic floor, core stability and breathing exercises, before progressing exercise intensity back towards more recognisable workouts.  Dr Karlie has developed her own online Postpartum Restoration Plan for exactly this purpose, helping new moms regain strength and confidence in their changing bodies, empowering them to reclaim their pre-pregnancy athletic identity. Listening to your body and respecting the healing process is most important, and, as Karlie’s experience highlights, every birth and recovery journey is unique.

Karlie shares the difficulty she had finding the right sports bra as a new and nursing mom with a changing body. With her business partner, this led Karlie to establishing her own Jen & Keri activewear line specifically for postpartum women, creating sports bras that don’t compromise function or support, allowing moms to feel comfortable working out and tending to their child at the same time.

Check out Dr Karlie’s website https://www.karliecausey.com/ and her activewear brand Jen & Keri https://jenandkeri.com/ 

Follow Dr Karlie on Instagram  @drkarlie @jenandkeri

Dr Karlie’s Official Bio:

Dr. Karlie is a sports chiropractor, a certified strength and conditioning specialist, pregnancy and postpartum athleticism coach, and a level 2 Crossfit coach. 

More importantly, she is a mom to two, who is ridiculously passionate about helping postpartum athletes and moms-to-be restore their bodies and move with confidence. This obsession led her to establish Jen & Keri, a postpartum activewear brand for athletes, and create her wildly successful Postpartum Restoration Plan. 

Beyond being a mom and a competitive fitness lover, she has spent the last 17 years of her life studying the human body and learning how it moves. Earning her doctorate of chiropractic and a master's in human biology were just a start; she doesn't plan to stop learning any time soon! She is certified in the Webster technique and BirthFit, and has served as the team Chiropractor for the Seattle Seawolves and as the local medical director for AVP Seattle.

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is a special Rise Up Nutrition Round Table discussion between my team and I. Our conversation is full of fun food stories and tangents from myself, my partner in crime and fellow R.U.N. dietitian, Jenna Stranzl, and my assistant and podcast producer, Ruby Wyles. Ruby shares her passion for nutrition, speaking to how her own experiences with eating disorders drive her to help others, as well as being a Division 1 student-athlete looking to optimize her performance and recovery.

We start by discussing some fun food stories, reminiscing about nostalgic childhood comforts and family favorites. Beginning with Jenna sharing about her mom’s macaroni salad, we compare olives and pickles, before going off on some wild tangents about sea cucumbers.

Family food memories often center around holiday celebrations, meals out and dishes made by others. For a lot of our clients and individuals struggling with their relationship with food, these times can be incredibly anxiety provoking as they feel less in control of their nutrition. We emphasize the importance of framing these occasions beyond the food: social connections and avoiding isolation. Sharing some more fun food stories, including a discussion on organizing a refrigerator, we speak about how encountering lots of food options, such as at buffets, schools/ college and group meals, can be paralyzing but also empowering. We advise listeners just to do their best navigating these situations, have self-compassion and to seek support from a dietitian.

Even as professionals in this field, we’re not immune to societal messaging about appearance and activity. We speak to cultural pressures for professionals like dietitians and athletes to look a certain way and train, for new moms to “bounce back” and lose weight, and for all women to conform to norms. We openly talk about where we’re at with our bodies, stereotypical beliefs we’ve overcome, and arriving at a place of acceptance, free from trying to change our bodies through diet and exercise. We remind listeners that our appearance does not define our identity, value, fitness or health: “fit” has no look and health can be found at every size. We can all be fit, fierce and fueled athletes, but that is not something you can judge based on appearance!

This episode touches on some sensitive and potentially triggering topics, and despite being professionals, we acknowledge that we might get things wrong! If anything we say affects or offends you, this was not our intention! Please reach out so we can apologize, learn and correct ourselves.

Follow Ruby on Instagram and TikTok @rwyles_xctf and Jenna on Instagram @_jennalee

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with elite distance runner and REDS advocate Pippa Woolven. Pippa recently established Project RED-S, an initiative centered around connecting athletes and their support systems with all the right resources to help them overcome REDS. Pippa explains the need for Project REDS and how she is working to grow a directory of specialists in this field: doctors, dietitians, psychologists, coaches and more, so that athletes can be better signposted to the professional help they need. Pippa discusses the community she is creating where athletes can connect with others, share stories and experiences, and not feel alone in their struggles.

We talk about what REDS, or relative energy deficiency in sport, actually is, and warning signs and symptoms such as injuries, amenorrhea, menstrual irregularities and mood swings. Pippa opens up on her own struggle with REDS while she was a collegiate athlete. She mistook her restrictive mindset and preoccupation with food, body weight and exercise as "normal" and what it took to be a great runner. Training through tiredness and fatigue, concerned with fitting the model image of what an athlete is "supposed" to look like, left Pippa unintentionally underfueling and in a state of REDS. Pippa explains how chronic anemia and mood swings were dismissed by those around her as isolated issues, rather than joining the dots between symptoms that are characteristic of REDS.

We discuss common REDS signs that are often overlooked, even by medical professionals, such as GI issues and anemia. When energy balance is restored and consistently maintained, these signs often resolve without further medical or pharmacological intervention. 

Pippa's underfueling led to unintentional weight-loss, a change she noticed correlated with her running faster and performing better. However, as Pippa emphasizes, this improvement was short-lived and unsustainable, and Pippa opens up about the overwhelming state of fatigue that quickly followed and prevented her from training at all. We highlight the prevalence of disordered eating in women, as well as how restrictive and disordered habits are normalized within athletic populations, aside from full-blown eating disorders.

Pippa shares her long journey to get diagnosed with REDS and how it differed from the Female Athlete Triad. The challenges Pippa had finding a diagnosis, getting the specialist help she needed, and then her difficult road to REDS recovery prompted Pippa to start Project REDS. Her recovery was not linear and speaks to the mental struggles she faced, worried about whether recovery would mean ending her running career and losing part of her identity. Her message to listeners is that recovery is 100% worth it! Now competing at a higher level than ever before, while maintaining a healthy body, menstrual cycle, balanced mindset, fueling and training appropriately, Pippa is a role model to us all!

Check out Project RED-S www.RED-S.com and on Instagram @project_red_s 

Follow Pippa on Instagram @_pipstagram__ 

Pippa’s Official Bio:

Pippa is a middle-distance runner from England who has run for Great Britain in cross-country and steeplechase for over a decade. She started University life in Birmingham, England before taking up a scholarship at Florida State in the US where her experience with RED-S began. After struggling with the condition for the years that followed, Pippa finally found the medical, nutritional and psychological support she needed to overcome it. After returning to her sport with a healthy mindset and menstrual cycle, Pippa started mentoring others to hope them avoid the same pitfalls. Since doing so, she has been shocked at the sheer magnitude of the issue across all sports, genders and age groups and took her mentoring to the next level by studying a Masters in Positive Psychology and Behaviour Change Coaching. Shortly after the Covid 19 lockdown, she was given an opportunity to establish Project RED-S - a collaborative initiative aimed at raising awareness of the condition and signposting athletes, coaches and parents to the right support resources. 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is with two special guests, Zoë Rom and Kylee Van Horn. Zoë and Kylee cohost the Your Diet Sucks podcast, a new show debunking diet culture and nutrition misinformation. Zoë Rom is the Editor-in-Chief of Trail Runner magazine, entrepreneur with her own Microcosm Coaching business, author of Becoming a Sustainable Runner, accomplished ultrarunner, journalist, comedian and more! While Kylee Van Horn is a Registered Dietitian and founder of Fly Nutrition, writer, lifelong runner and coach.  

Our discussion today is all about the dangers of social media influencers. We explore how social media and unqualified influencers are shaping (and often distorting) the way female athletes approach their nutrition, body image, and training. No one is immune to influencers –myself, Zoë and Kylee included– and we share why people are “influenced”, the rise of young girls wanting to become influencers, and where athletes fit into this. Supplements are a particular area of concern we dive into, explaining how a lack of regulation and scientific support allows influencers and supplement companies to run wild with marketing claims for expensive and potentially dangerous products. We give listeners tips for discerning fact from diet fad, finding experts over influencers, avoiding falling for fantastical supplement claims, and cultivating a healthy social media experience.

TOPIC TIMESTAMPS:

4:30 Your Diet Sucks podcast; Zoë and Kylee’s backgrounds

10:30 Being “influenced” by social media; why we get “influenced”

17:45 Supplements on social media: how influencers are selling fake, unscientific and unsafe claims 

21:05 Responsible and ethical social media marketing and use; deciphering good and bad messages

25:50 Athletes as influencers and athletic endorsement

28:30 Mental health and social media use 

31:00 Social media pressures

34:30 Using social media safely and for good

36:35 Who to trust? The blurred lines between experts and influencers

40:20 Tips for separating experts from influencers and not falling for misinformation/ untruths

47:00 How women and men consume media differently 

53:30 End of the podcast questions

For more just like this, check out this episode of Your Diet Sucks: The Dangers of Social Media and Influencers in the Nutrition Space and Zoë’s Athletic Cheese reel 

Listen to the Your Diet Sucks podcast here!

Follow on Zoë Instagram @carrot_flowers_z Kylee Your Diet Sucks @yourdietsuckspod and me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition 

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We are so grateful to our FANS and listeners! I hope you enjoy the episode.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Girl Athlete Mindset Mentor Paige Tonz. Paige shares her introduction to sport through softball, leading her to play competitively at the Division 1 level. After struggling to perform in college, Paige explains how a major mindset shift freeing herself from expectations led to a breakthrough senior year. This change in mindset involved focusing on having fun rather than fearing failure. Peak performance can still be achieved with an attitude of fun, and we discuss how you can be successful while still enjoying yourself when you prioritize fun!

Paige and I discuss mental strategies for sustainable success, alongside common traps we fall into that can hurt performance and mental health: perfectionism, expectation, fear of failure, focusing exclusively on winning and the end-result, negative self-talk, comparison and a lack of confidence. We talk about how to redefine failure as a learning experience rather than one to be feared, as well as ways of developing confidence and self-esteem as female athletes.

This episode also touches on the impact of social media on self-confidence and comparison. We recommend taking social media breaks, the importance of giving yourself grace, and leaning in on a close circle of friends and family in-person.

Paige uses her own personal athletic experience -navigating pressures and expectations, perfectionism, anxiety and fear of failure, low self-esteem and more- to guide young girls in group and individual settings. Paige explains how the group coaching she does allows girls to realize that they’re not alone in their thoughts and feelings, and how it teaches them tools for changing their mindsets and managing negative self-talk. This group work parallels our Female Athlete System of Transformation (FAST track program), tackling sports psychology as opposed to nutrition.

Like a muscle, changing mindsets take consistent work and effort, but no matter your age or experience, you can make the change! Paige emphasizes how confidence can be created and developed through practice and specific tools, rather than being a fixed trait some people do or don’t have. We discuss the important part parents play in helping young athletes develop positive mindsets, although it may take an outside professional like Paige to get through to them! Parents, don’t take offense: this is totally normal!

Find Paige and check out her website https://www.paigetonz.com/ 

Follow Paige on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube @paigetonz 

Paige’s Official Bio:

Paige Tonz grew up in Peoria, AZ and began playing softball at 8 years old. She has competed at many levels; starting with rec ball, moving to club ball, and competing as a D1 athlete at Northwestern University. Her mission and goal is to help transform girls into strong women beyond the playing field or court. Paige has worked with 1000+ athletes in her programs and workshops. She believe girls have so much opportunity to dream bigger than they ever imagined. Because sports was and still is such a big part of Paige's life, she has had a first row ticket to see how the experiences from sports can be a vessel to success in life on and off the field. 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this solo episode of the Female Athlete Podcast, I give our amazing podcast producer Ruby Wyles a big shoutout and recommend you go follow her on Instagram @rwyles_xctf!

Today, I dive deep into the topic of scales. I differentiate between food scales and body weight scales and their usefulness, or lack thereof. Both have places for some people and not others: scales are not essential, should not be used daily, and I often recommend clients get rid of theirs.

I discuss how my own relationship with the scale has evolved, from an unhealthy obsession with the numbers and daily weigh-ins in my early 20s, to getting rid of the scale and finding intuitive eating when injured years later. I give advice on developing a healthy relationship with the scale, which for most people involves not stepping on it! You don’t need the scale! Tune in to your body and all its amazing functions: numbers cannot tell you anything about that!

Personally, I do occasionally weigh myself and am at a place where I view the number objectively without emotion..., mostly! Despite being a sports dietitian, during my recent pregnancy I did find myself getting a bit caught up with the number on the scale. At this point when I was no longer seeing the number as objective data, I got rid of the scale because it wasn’t serving me! I recommend that you do the same! Smash that scale and remember that the numbers you see can’t tell you anything about how amazing your body is or what it is made up of: organs, muscle, fat, blood, water, etc.

Finally, I propose listeners question that even if the scale is not hurting you, how is it helping you? Conversely, think about all the ways the scale may be hurting you: emotionally, physically, mentally, socially? What is your relationship with the scale really costing you? 

Follow my podcast producer Ruby Wyles on Instagram @rwyles_xctf

Rate and review the podcast on all platforms. Share the episodes you like with friends and family. 

Tag us on Instagram and we’ll reshare! Reach out with any questions, get in touch, we’re here to help!

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast, I talk with Tokyo 2020 Olympian Elise Cranny. Elise speaks about the importance of playing different sports and not specializing in one sport too early, before she later discovered her love of running in high school. Elise shares how competing out of state freshman year of high school opened her up to what might be possible in athletics. Her world of possibility further opened up this past year as Elise made her first Olympic team and set an American Record.

Elise shares the importance of role models and how she mentors athletes on the Voice In Sport platform. Drawing on her setbacks and  lessons learned, she helps others in similar positions avoid the pitfalls. Elise and I help normalize struggling with fueling, emphasizing the importance of seeking help as early as possible: you are not alone and there is help available!

Elise opens up about her journey with REDS, starting with a severe stress fracture, amenorrhea and discovering her low bone density. Despite not getting a regular period beginning in high school, Elise explains how athletic success and great performances masked the underlying issue with underfueling. Eventually REDS caught up with Elise, as it will for everyone in the long-term, through injury and forced time off from running. Working with the team at Stanford, Elise discusses the changes she made to her diet, such as adding in more fats like avocado, cheese and full fat dairy to support her hormones. Elise also prioritized avoiding within day energy deficits by not going too long without eating, fueling little and often throughout the day. These changes: decreasing training, focusing on fats, and nutrient timing, helped Elise regain her period.

Elise opens up about how she handled her body changing by focusing on the newfound energy and strength she felt in running and in life. Working to improve her bone density and hormones to prevent future injuries and improve performance long-term also motivated Elise to recover from REDS. Elise leaves our listeners with the message that recovering and gaining weight made her a faster runner, allowing her to now have the success she is having. 

We discuss how the menstrual cycle can be a superpower: Elise uses her period as a marker of health and a helpful tool as she increases training. Elise shares her love of baking coconut cake and let’s us in to her career ambitions off the run, starting Cranny’s Confections with her sisters. Food is more than fuel for sport and we chat about the role of food to connect with others, build relationships and make memories. Recovering from REDS and breaking free from food rules has allowed Elise to be fully present with these shared food experiences and find true happiness.

Finally, we get an inside look at what fuels an Olympian as Elise shares staples in her diet after learning what works best and leaves her feeling strong and energized. Elise starts her day with bone broth and Picky Bars Beet Oatmeal with full fat milk; fuels with chocolate milk or a protein smoothie post run; and prepares for big workouts with ice cream the night before!

Follow Elise on Instagram @ elise.cranny 

Elise’s Official Bio:

Elise Cranny is an Olympian and professional runner for Nike and the Bowerman Track Club. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, Elise and her sister were introduced to sport growing up with their parents regularly competing in Ironman triathlons. Elise graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Human Biology, where she was a 12x All-American in track and field and cross country. Elise loves all things nutrition, psychology, exercise physiology,and human development. In 2019, Elise signed with Nike and joined the Bowerman Track Club to run professionally. She currently competes over the 1500m, 5,000m and 10,000m distances on the track. Already this year, Elise broke the American Record for the indoor 5,000m and came up just 3 seconds short of the outdoor 10,000m American Record weeks later. Elise competed for Team USA at the postponed 2020 Olympics, making the 5,000m final in Tokyo this past Summer. Elise is also a mentor to younger girls in sport through Voice In Sport platform and is passionate about helping the next generation of athletes. 

Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.riseupnutritionrun.com

Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support:www.riseupnutritionrun.com/reds

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.