Period Recovery and Fertility Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Laura lives outside of Philadelphia PA with her husband and almost 2-year-old son. Her journey began over 20 years ago in high school when she wanted to lose a little bit of weight, which quickly turned into an eating and exercise disorder. For years she struggled with finding peace with food and her body, while trying to focus on recovery. It wasn't until she reached her mid 30's and wanted to start a family that she realized quasi-recovery wasn't going to help her reach her goals, which ultimately led her to the food freedom fertility society.

In this episode:

• The downsides of “DIY”ing your fertility journey

• Why you need to gain at least 25 lbs. during pregnancy

• How to know what “quasi recovery” looks like

• Using period recovery as an opportunity to finally find food freedom

• Getting in touch with what you body really wants and needs for be healthy

• The first step to moving out of quasi recovery

• Calling out the lie: “it’s not the right time” to work on recovery

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Caroline Shermer is a registered dietitian, eating disorders specialist, and many of her clients' biggest cheerleader. She founded Meant To Eat Nutrition Counseling with one mission: to empower women to learn all that they are meant to eat and to be a part of disordered eating, excessive exercise, and body image concerns. She lives in Nashville and is passionate about pouring into her local community.

In this Episode:

• Can becoming an RD be a breeding ground for developing disordered eating?
• The importance of variety in your exercise routine
• The role food plays into an exercise addiction
• How small changes in your routine can help decrease dependence
• The power of a full exercise break during ED and HA recovery
• Identifying the 4 different types of hunger
• The simplest thing you can do to improve body image this week
• The connection between Taylor Swift’s music and women with EDs

Connect with Caroline:

Website: www.meanttoeat.com

Instagram: @meanttoeat

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Have you been told your labs are normal, but still missing your period? In this solo episode I’m going to walk you through what typical labs look like with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea.

In this Episode

• Why labs can be “normal,” but you’re still missing your period
• Best labs to have to done to distinguish between HA and PCOS
• When to test Progesterone to confirm ovulation
• What does low AMH mean with HA?
• Is it possible to improve low AMH?
• Pros/cons of using labs to assess your progress in recovery

Episodes referenced today:

• Ep 48: PCOS and HA? Navigating nutrition when you have both
• Ep 39: What happens if you don’t recover your period
• Ep 12: Do I have HA or PCOS?

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠

Beth is a registered nurse and nursing professor with a background in obstetrical nursing from just outside St. Louis, Missouri. In an effort to "get in the best shape possible" before she and her husband tried to conceive, she unintentionally set herself down a path of severe disordered eating, over exercise, and consequently developed HA. After two years of no period returning after coming off hormonal birth control, seeking fertility assistance with a REI, and attempting recovery on her own, she made the decision to join Lindsey's program to get the additional support, guidance, and encouragement needed to get her period back and get pregnant naturally!

Show notes:

• Taking your fitness journey too far and losing your period
• Maybe tiny tweaks and not getting results
• Being tapped out on fertility treatment and getting serious about recovery
• Thinking about period recovery as a prescriptive diet
• When you need more than spousal support to recover
• Getting pregnant in under 3 months after over a year of infertility
• Take pride in healing from disordered eating to be a role model for your kids

Have a question you want me to answer on the podcast? Add it here!

Ask the REI: Diagnosing HA Episode 52

How your partner can support you during recovery Episode 15

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility

Courtney is a registered nurse and women’s fitness specialist. She provides sustainable fitness programs for women by incorporating menstrual cycle periodization, which means timing your workouts to the four phases of your cycle. As a mom and former athlete, she’s passionate about making fitness accessible to real-world women who are tired of burnout but want to feel strong and healthy.

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In this Episode:

• Overcoming an ED and becoming a health expert
• Why there’s a need to train around your menstrual cycle
• Explaining what a “normal” cycle looks like
• Using cyclical fitness to help regulate your cycle
• Understanding how your hormones impact motivation and exercise performance
• Approaching fitness without being overly focused on changing body composition
• Adjusting fitness to the life stage that you’re in and making it fun!

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Links Mentioned in the episode:

Dr. Stay Sims book: “Roar”

Connect with Courtney:

Instagram: ⁠@courtneykeepingbalance⁠

KBM App: KBMAPP

KBM Podcast: Keeping Balance Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠

Jean wrestled with an eating disorder and Hypothalamic Amenorrhea from her late teens until her 30s. She started working with Lindsey at age 30 with the hopes of becoming pregnant. After over a decade of period loss, excessive exercise, and a complicated relationship with food, she was not only able to regain her cycle, but she is now 32 weeks pregnant with a healthy, happy, amazing baby girl! Jean lives in Dallas, Texas with her husband and two dogs, and plans to get back into her work as a Pilates instructor at some point postpartum.

In this Episode

• Overcoming denial about disordered eating
• Hitting your breaking point in “quasi-recovery”
• When measuring food turns into a crutch that perpetuates under-eating
• Understanding what foods help you to feel your best through recovery
• Getting pregnant naturally on your first ovulation
• The benefits of having food freedom during pregnancy
• How to avoid disordered eating relapse during pregnancy
• Why you need to break up with your scale ASAP
• Exposing the lie “I won’t care about weight gain once I’m pregnant”

Links: Episode 18 from IVF to Natural Pregnancy

Have a question you want me to answer on the Podcast? Add in here

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠

Dr. Goldstein is the founding physician of Beverly Hills Fertility. She is one of the most trusted names in fertility and is highly recommended by her patients for her communication, responsiveness, and attention to detail. Dr. Goldstein obtained her MD from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City and is a double board-certified OB-GYN and Reproductive Endocrinologist. In an industry that is continually becoming less personalized, Dr. Goldstein is proof that you can provide world-class fertility care and empower hopeful parents to choose a fertility journey that aligns with their goals before anything else. She weaves her way through the often overwhelming world of fertility care with intuition and empathy, to make sure her patients have a clear understanding of their diagnosis and treatment options. Dr. Goldstein lives in Santa Monica with her two children and her husband. When she is not taking care of patients, she enjoys rowing, kayaking, yoga, traveling, and hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains.

In this Episode

• Understanding the physiology of Hypothalamic Amenorrhea
• Distinguishing between HA and PCOS
• Diagnosing HA when your labs are “normal”
• How set point comes into play with regard to fertility
• Should you do IVF if your period is still missing?
• Why some women lose their period with HA, and others do not
• Why some Obgyns aren’t up to speed on how to properly diagnose HA
• The questions your REI should be asking upon your initial fertility assessment

Connect with Dr. Goldstein

Website: Ellen Goldstein

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility

Kelly has been a physical therapist for 7 years and lives in eastern Pennsylvania w/her husband of 5 years. Shortly after getting married, Kelly lost her period due to Hypothalamic Amenorrhea. After months of trying recovery on her own, Kelly joined Lindsey's program in the summer of 2023 after realizing she couldn’t keep putting recovery on the back burner if she wanted to get pregnant ASAP. By the end of the summer, Kelly had not only gotten her period back, she found out she was pregnant! Listen as Kelly, and I visit through her experience going from no period to pregnant in 8 weeks!

In this Episode:

• Linkage between Physical Therapy and a potential pathway to developing HA

• Leaning into your gut feeling that something is off with your body

• How weight status can impact your body’s ability to get a period

• Flipping the script on weight gain: tips and tricks to reframe your mindset during recovery

• Achieving pregnancy naturally in 8 weeks after going 4 years without a period

• Lessons learned from HA recovery that can serve you well in pregnancy

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠

Join me and my friend Cynthia Donovan, aka the Period Nutritionist, as we discuss the gaps we see currently in our healthcare system with properly diagnosing and treating Hypothalamic Amenorrhea and our hope for how our new program, Period Recovery Practitioner will help to better educate and equip healthcare professionals.

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In This Episode:

• Statistics on the prevalence of HA
• Why all healthcare providers need to know about HA
• What you won’t learn in books and research papers
• Understanding the health ramifications of missing periods
• How Period Recovery Practitioner can help you level up and better serve your patients and clients

Ready to learn more about PRP? Start by filling out this form and be sure to give us a follow on Instagram @period.recovery.practitioner

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility

Join me for a casual conversation with my friend Kristen Kelly who I met through HA recovery 7 years ago! We review our experiences coming to terms with an HA diagnosis, what recovery looks and feels like now versus then, and our reflections on how recovery has changed our lives for the better.

In this Episode:

• Two very different paths that led to period loss
• Being honest with yourself and navigating PCOS misdiagnosis
• Challenges of going straight from recovery into pregnancy
• How to approach eating and exercise post-recovery
• The rabbit hole of toxic-free living and how to approach this mindfully
• Learning patience, acceptance, and appreciation for your body regardless of what size or season you’re in

Stay up to date with all things Food Freedom Fertility and gain access to my free Period Recovery Meal Plan.

⁠⁠⁠Get my Period Recovery Meal Plan⁠

Links Mentioned in the Episode:

• Podcast Episode 1: My Recovery Story

• Podcast: Fertility Friday Podcast

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Tiktok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility