Explore every episode of the podcast Period Recovery and Fertility Podcast

Why kick off an exercise and fertility series by talking about men? Because male factor infertility is involved in roughly half of all infertility cases, and in 20 to 30% of couples it's the only cause. Yet in most fertility journeys, she gets the labs, the ultrasounds, the supplements and the medications, while he gets maybe one semen analysis and very little conversation about what his numbers mean or how to improve them.

In this episode, Lindsey walks through what the research actually says about exercise and male fertility: where it helps, where it starts to hurt, and why the benefit lives in moderate, consistent movement rather than more and harder training. Then she goes beyond the gym to the food, habits, environmental exposures and supplements that almost never come up in a fertility appointment but make a real difference. And fair warning: as you listen to the warning signs of under-fueling in men, you might hear something that sounds a little too familiar about you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why your partner's lifestyle is half the equation, and why only about half of men in couples seeking fertility help ever get tested

• The 2017 randomized trial where every exercise group improved sperm quality, and why the moderate group, not the HIIT group, improved the most

• Why the benefit of exercise lives at the bottom of the curve (going from nothing to something), and what that means if he's already very active

• Why consistency beats intensity, and how quickly improvements faded once the men stopped exercising

• The 3-month clock: why what he does today shows up in a semen analysis 3 months from now

• When exercise flips for him, including cycling, heat exposure, and high-mileage running

• The "exercise-hypogonadal male condition," and why it's essentially the male version of what we see with HA

• RED-S in men: the warning signs to watch for, from low libido and cold hands to a rigid relationship with food and training

• The habits that matter most: smoking, cannabis, and why a 3-month break makes sense

• Simple, non-obsessive nutrition for sperm health, five easy swaps to cut down on BPA and phthalates, and a short list of supplements worth considering

The biggest takeaway: exercise is genuinely good for male fertility, and the research links it to better sperm quality and higher pregnancy and live birth rates. But the benefit comes from moderate, consistent movement, not from pushing harder. Add in enough food, fewer toxin exposures, the right supplements, and at least 3 months of consistency, and he can make a meaningful difference that's completely in his hands.

Before the end of today, send this episode to your partner. No long explanation, no lecture, just "I'd love for you to listen to this one." And if you checked off more of those RED-S warning signs for yourself than for him, don't miss Part 2 later this month, where Lindsey turns the microscope around to exercise and female fertility and where the tipping point actually is.

Links & Resources

• Book a Discovery Call

• Take the Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz

• Learn More About Lindsey

• Join the Email List

You finally work up the courage to ask your OB about getting your period back naturally, and the answer is “Keep doing what you’re doing, but this could take years. You might as well start fertility treatment.” If you’ve heard some version of that, this episode is for you. Across 400+ women, Lindsey has never once looked at a client’s labs and thought, “This is going to take you years.” On average, her clients get their period back in about 8 weeks, and 85% get it back within 90 days. Weeks and months, not years.

In this episode, Lindsey walks through how she reads a hormone panel, why she can usually estimate someone’s recovery timeline from her labs, and why the numbers alone will never tell you what to actually change. Then she shares two real client stories, with their real lab values: Haley, who hadn’t had a natural period in 15 years, and Caroline, who’d gone more than 10.

In this episode, we cover:

• The hormones Lindsey looks at first (estradiol, LH, FSH, androgens, and vitamin D) and what each one tells her about where you are

• The HA spectrum: what it looks like when your brain has gone almost quiet compared to when your body is right on the edge of ovulating

• How starting labs can predict your timeline, and why one client took 15 weeks while another took just 5

• Why your labs show where you are but not why you’re there, and how you can sit at “almost ovulating” for months or even years if nothing changes

• Haley’s story: “clean” eating for her skin, food rules she didn’t recognize as rules, and why not having a period at 90 days didn’t mean her plan had failed

• How one testosterone result could have sent Haley down the PCOS path, and the clue that showed it was actually her hormones surging right before ovulation

• Caroline’s story: a 10/10 stress level, a quiet fear of weight gain, and why knowing what your body needs isn’t the same as being able to do it

• Why “close to ovulating” isn’t the same as “ready for pregnancy”

The biggest takeaway: your labs are a snapshot, not a sentence. They can tell you how suppressed your hormones are and give you a sense of your timeline, but they can’t tell you what needs to change. That comes from connecting your numbers to your food, your training, your stress, and the rules you don’t even realize you’re following. When someone connects those dots, recovery happens in weeks and months, not years.

If you’ve been sitting in your labs wondering what they mean, or you’ve been doing everything “right” and still don’t have your period back, the Missing Period Assessment is open now. You’ll get your hormone labs reviewed, your food log analyzed, a personalized video breakdown from Lindsey, a custom plan, and a 1:1 strategy call with the lead dietitian. Enrollment closes Thursday, October 22 at midnight Central, and this is the last time it’s opening this year.

Links & Resources

• Enroll in the Missing Period Assessment (closes October 22)

• Book a Discovery Call

• Take the Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz

• Learn More About Lindsey

• Join the Email List

When you hear “food freedom,” you probably picture one of two things. Either the donuts-for-breakfast, cake-for-dinner free-for-all that's all over social media, or the quieter version your favorite wellness accounts are selling: eat whatever you want… as long as it's 90% whole foods, portion controlled, and “in moderation.” One sounds like chaos. The other sounds balanced, but look closely and it's just more food rules wearing a cuter outfit.

In the final part of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series, Lindsey redefines what food freedom actually is (hint: it was never about what's on your plate) and speaks directly to the three women most likely listening right now: the one who just had the lightbulb moment, the one who's already tried everything and doesn't believe she can change, and the one who wants to know if all this work will actually get her pregnant.

This episode wraps up the series, so if you haven't listened yet, start with Episode 115, Episode 116, and Episode 117 first.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why real food freedom happens in your head, not on your plate and what it looks like when food takes up almost zero space in your brain

• The two biggest myths about food freedom, and why “food freedom with strings attached” is just more food rules in disguise

• Why realizing you have food rules is the fastest part of the process, and how to keep that clarity from cooling off into “that was a good episode”

• Why past attempts with a dietitian, a therapist, or going “all in” on your own may not have worked — and why that isn't a character flaw

• How food rules, resistance to body changes, and constant food noise tell your body it isn't a safe time to make a baby

• Why your period was never proof of a healthy cycle, and what your options really look like when ovulation is missing

• A real-life picture of food freedom: a spontaneous weekend getaway with no workout plan, no menu research, and no fight in your own head

This episode is the final part of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series. Up next, Lindsey has one more mini series to share and she's saved the best for last.

The biggest takeaway: food freedom isn't a rulebook or an all-or-nothing free-for-all. It's quiet. It's food taking up so little space in your head that you can say yes to the spontaneous trip, order what actually sounds good, and come home remembering the trip instead of managing it. That's what's on the other side of this work — not just a period or a positive pregnancy test, but your actual life, back in your own hands.

Wherever you're standing after this series, there's a next step for you. If you just had your mind blown, book a discovery call. If you're not sure you're ready yet, get on the email list and keep listening. And if you need proof before you can believe any of this, join the waitlist for the Missing Period Assessment, opening October 15th.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 115 – Food Rules and Your Fertility (Part 1: What Food Rules Actually Are)

• Episode 116 – Food Rules and Your Fertility (Part 2: Naming Your Food Rules)

• Episode 117 – Food Rules and Your Fertility (Part 3: Common Pitfalls)

• Episode 112 – All About Ovulation: Why Your Period Is Not Proof You Ovulated

• Episode 114 – Do You Need Medication to Ovulate?

Links & Resources

• Book a Discovery Call

• Take the Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz

• Food Freedom Fertility Society

• Join the Missing Period Assessment Waitlist
• Join the Email List

You did the homework. You named a food rule, maybe two, and you started challenging it you added the snack back, skipped tracking for a day, even had the bagel you hadn't touched in a decade. And at first it felt fine. But a few weeks in, something feels off: your period still isn't back, you haven't ovulated, or you got one cycle and then stalled right back out.

In part 3 of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series, Lindsey names the most common pitfalls that quietly stall period recovery, even when you're doing “everything right.” None of these mean you're doing it wrong or not trying hard enough most of them are subtle by design, which is exactly why they're worth naming out loud instead of circling for months hoping you catch them on your own.

This episode builds on parts 1 and 2, so if you haven't listened yet, start with Episode 115 and Episode 116 first.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why a food rule doesn't have to be about food to still be running the show and how to spot when it's relocated to weighing, comparison, or avoiding help

• The eight most common pitfalls keeping women stuck, including eating only “whole foods,” never actually naming your food rules, avoiding fear foods, the “unicorn” mindset, calling it “intuitive eating” while still under-eating, controlling your weight, ignoring sleep and stress, and comparison

• How to tell the difference between a genuine food preference and a fear-driven rule

• Why quasi-recovery (getting your cycle back without ever naming the underlying rules) isn't the same as full recovery

This episode is part three of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series. In Episode 118, Lindsey wraps up the series with Part 4: Finding Food Freedom, walking through how to actually start letting go of these rules.

The biggest takeaway: awareness without a decision is just a more informed version of staying stuck. Before you do anything else today, go back through the list of pitfalls and name the one that's actually yours not the easiest one, the one you felt your stomach drop on. Say it out loud, write it down, or tell one person. That's the assignment.

If you recognized yourself in more than one of these, that's not a sign something is wrong with you it's a sign it's time to get honest about what's really driving your food decisions. Grab your list from the Part 2 homework, get some accountability, and meet Lindsey back for Part 4.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 115 – Food Rules and Your Fertility (Part 1: What Food Rules Actually Are)

• Episode 116 – Food Rules and Your Fertility (Part 2: Naming Your Food Rules)

• Episode 109 – Orthorexia Deep Dive: Why “Clean Eating” Can Tank Your Hormones

• Food Freedom and Fertility – Alliance for Eating Disorders support

Links & Resources

• Take the Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz

• Food Freedom Fertility Society

Picture this: it's your birthday, and underneath the excitement there's a twinge of dread because you know dessert, family dinners, and “what will people think” are all coming with it. It's not just birthdays. Every holiday brings the same tug-of-war between excitement and anxiety, and if celebrations feel more like a threat than a gift, that's not “just being health conscious.” Those are your food rules running the show.

This episode is part two of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series. Last episode named what food rules actually are today Lindsey gets specific, walking through the ten most common food rules she sees in her practice, why “just eat intuitively” isn't the fix yet, and a simple homework activity to help you start untangling your own.

In this episode, we cover:

• How to tell the difference between a food rule and genuinely liking to eat healthy and why it comes down to your level of distress, not the food itself

• A homework activity to help you identify your own food rules and what would change in your life if you let go of them

This episode is part two of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series. In Episode 117, Lindsey wraps up the series by walking through how to actually start letting go of these rules and moving toward a more peaceful relationship with food.

The biggest takeaway: figuring out whether you have a food rule or just a preference isn't about the food itself, it's about the distress you feel when you can't follow it. Once you start noticing one rule, the floodgates open, and you'll likely be shocked at how many you actually have. Awareness is step one, and just listening to this episode already puts you ahead of most women.

If you heard yourself in even one or two of these rules, that's not a sign something is wrong with you, it's a sign it's time to start naming them. Grab a notebook, do the homework in this episode, and meet Lindsey back for Part 3.

Mentioned in this episode:

• Episode 86 – What Every Woman Needs to Know About Carbs and Fertility

• Episode 109 – Why Clean Eating Can Tank Your Hormones (orthorexia deep dive)

• Food Freedom and Fertility – Alliance for Eating Disorders support

Links & Resources

• Take the Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz

• Food Freedom Fertility Society
  

If you've ever felt a flicker of panic before a dinner out, or noticed quiet rules running in the background of what you “allow” yourself to eat, this episode is for you.

This episode kicks off a new three-part series, Food Rules and Your Fertility, unpacking how these quiet, often invisible rules run in the background of your biggest trips and your most ordinary Tuesdays and how they can quietly suppress your hormones too.

In this episode, we cover:

• What a food rule actually is, and why almost every one starts out as something genuinely healthy before it turns rigid and restrictive

• Why your body can't tell the difference between a real threat and a made-up one, and what that means for your hormones when you restrict, skip meals, or panic over food

• How survival mode shuts down the exact signals your hypothalamus sends to your ovaries, and why “survival mode does not equal fertility mode”

• The under-the-radar signs you might still be under-fueling even after correcting an obvious energy deficit, like a low resting heart rate, waking between 2–4am, and estrogen that won't climb above 30 pg/mL

• How under-fueling impacts your digestion (including SIBO, bloating, and slowed transit time), your mental and emotional health, your muscles and bones, and your nervous system

• What the Minnesota Starvation Experiment revealed about food obsession, mood, and mental health—even in men with no prior history of disordered eating

• Why you don't need to be in a measurable energy deficit for food restriction to impair your working memory and focus

• The hidden, ritual-like behaviors around food that can be red flags for disordered eating, even when they feel like “just being healthy”

This episode is part one of the Food Rules and Your Fertility series. In Episode 116, Lindsey gets specific—walking through the ten most common food rules she sees in her practice, a simple homework activity to help you identify your own, and the pitfalls of jumping straight into intuitive eating for period recovery.

The biggest takeaway: almost every food rule started as something genuinely healthy, but the moment flexibility disappears and guilt shows up, your body reads it as a threat, not health. And your body will always choose keeping you alive over helping you conceive every single time.

If you've caught yourself in the clean eater, the macro tracker, or the calorie queen, that's not a sign something is wrong with you. It's a sign your body has been running on a rulebook it never should have needed.

Links & Resources

• Take the Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz

• Food Freedom Fertility Society

If you're standing at the crossroads between fertility treatment and working on restoring your fertility naturally, this episode is for you.

The episode closes out the series with three sets of questions: ones to ask yourself, ones to bring to your reproductive endocrinologist, and ones to bring to your dietitian or root-cause practitioner, so you can move forward from a place of real information rather than defaulting to “what medication do we add next.”

In this episode, we cover:

• Why ovulatory dysfunction isn't always just about under-fueling, and how autoimmune thyroid disease or PCOS can be a separate issue, or one made worse by under-fueling

• The real first question to ask when someone isn't ovulating: not “what medication fixes this,” but “why isn't this happening”

• How Clomid and Letrozole actually work, and why Letrozole has become the preferred first-line option for most women

• Why women who are under-fueled often already have a thinner uterine lining, and what that means when you add a medication that suppresses estrogen further

• Why a short luteal phase can still show up even when ovulation is confirmed, and the questions worth asking if you're bleeding within a week of ovulating on medication

• What the fertility intervention ladder can look like in practice: Letrozole, dose increases, Menopur, Estrace, trigger shots, and timed intercourse or IUI

• Why there's no established medical standard for when to escalate from oral medication to injectables, and how a PCOS vs. HA misdiagnosis can send treatment in the wrong direction

• Three sets of questions to ask yourself, your reproductive endocrinologist, and your dietitian or root-cause practitioner

This episode is the final part of the All About Ovulation series. If you haven't listened to Episode 112, where Lindsey covers why bleeding isn't the same thing as ovulating, or Episode 113, where she introduces the HA Spectrum, start there first, since today's episode builds directly on both.

The biggest takeaway: medication has a real place in fertility care, but it's a tool, not a starting point. The question is never just “how do we make ovulation happen.” It's “why isn't it happening, and what does my body actually need?”

If you've been on the fertility treatment merry-go-round without anyone asking why ovulation stopped in the first place, that's not a sign you're doing something wrong. It's a sign you're missing a plan built around your actual body, not just the next prescription.

Links & Resources:

• Free Training: How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period

• Food Freedom Fertility Society

• Episode 112: All About Ovulation, Part 1
• Episode 113: The HA Spectrum
• foodfreedomandfertility.com

If your period shows up every month like clockwork, it's easy to assume your hormones are fine.

But a regular cycle is not the same thing as healthy ovulation.

In this episode, Lindsey continues the All About Ovulation series and introduces what she calls the HA Spectrum, a framework for understanding that ovulatory dysfunction is not a light switch. It's not simply "ovulating" or "not ovulating." There is a whole range in between, from a completely healthy cycle all the way to full hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), and most women have no idea where they actually fall on it.

Many women rule themselves out of this conversation entirely. They picture HA as something that only happens to underweight women, athletes, or people with an eating disorder, and since that's not them, they assume it doesn't apply. But you can be much closer to the HA end of the spectrum than you think, even with a period that looks completely regular on paper. If you're curious whether you fall closer to HA or PCOS, Lindsey has covered that distinction in several past episodes: 48, 74, 102, and 108.

In this episode, we cover:

• What ovulatory dysfunction actually is, and why it exists on a spectrum rather than a yes-or-no state

• The four points on that spectrum: ovulatory eumenorrhea, subclinical ovulatory disturbances, oligomenorrhea, and hypothalamic amenorrhea

• Why a "totally normal" 29-day cycle can hide the same root issue as a missing period

• Why subclinical ovulatory disturbances matter, including their link to bone loss, mood, sleep, and cardiovascular health

• Why normal labs don't rule out an ovulation problem

• The real root cause of functional ovulatory dysfunction: your brain deciding now isn't a safe time to reproduce

• The main drivers: low energy availability, overtraining or under-fueling around exercise, psychological stress, and dieting history

• Why you do not have to be underweight, have an eating disorder, or be a competitive athlete for this to apply to you

• Self-check questions to help you figure out where you might fall on the spectrum

• What recovery actually requires beyond "eat more" — training load, digestion, stress, blood sugar, sleep, and your relationship with food

• Why recovery isn't linear, and why guessing at one change at a time often drags the timeline out longer

This episode is part two of the All About Ovulation series. If you haven't listened to Episode 112 yet, where Lindsey covers progesterone and why bleeding isn't the same thing as ovulating, start there first, since today's episode builds directly on it.

The biggest takeaway: ovulatory dysfunction isn't a light switch, it's a spectrum, and you can be a lot closer to the HA end of it than you think, even with a cycle that looks completely regular. A period is a good sign, but it isn't proof your body is fully hormonally healthy or fertile.

If today had you nodding along, or you've been piecing this together on your own for months without much to show for it, that's not a sign you're doing something wrong. It's a sign you're missing a plan built around your actual body, not just general advice.

Links & Resources:

• ⁠Free Training: How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period⁠

• Episode 112: All About Ovulation, Part 1⁠
• Episode 108: HA vs. PCOS⁠
• ⁠Episode 102: HA vs. PCOS⁠
• Episode 95: with Dr. Christiana Shufelt⁠
• Episode 74: HA vs. PCOS⁠
• Episode 48: HA vs. PCOS

Most women are taught that getting a period is the main event of the menstrual cycle.

But the truth is, ovulation is the main event.

In this episode, Lindsey kicks off the All About Ovulation mini series and breaks down why ovulation matters for fertility, hormones, and long-term health.

She explains why bleeding does not always mean you ovulated, why progesterone matters far beyond pregnancy, and how hormonal birth control can suppress ovulation while masking underlying hormonal issues.

In this episode, we cover:

● Why ovulation is the main event of the menstrual cycle
● Why getting a period does not always mean you ovulated
● How ovulation leads to progesterone production
● Why progesterone matters for mood, sleep, bones, heart health, and fertility
● Why hormonal birth control suppresses ovulation
● Why a pill bleed is not the same as a true period
● How birth control can mask missing, irregular, or painful periods
● What to know about birth control, nutrient depletion, AMH, SHBG, gut health, and thyroid markers
● Why missing cycles after coming off the pill are a sign to look deeper
● Why labs are helpful, but do not always show the full picture

Ovulation is not just about getting pregnant.

It is a monthly sign that your body has enough safety, energy, and hormonal communication to support reproductive health.

And if you are not ovulating, you are not making meaningful amounts of progesterone — a hormone your brain, bones, heart, mood, sleep, and fertility all depend on.

Hormonal birth control can be helpful and necessary for many women, but women deserve informed consent around what it does in the body.

The goal is not just to bleed.

The goal is a healthy, ovulatory cycle that supports your fertility, hormones, and long-term health.

If you are missing your period, coming off birth control, or trying to understand your labs, Lindsey is hosting a $27 live training on July 16th called Read Between The Labs

If you’ve gotten your period back after hypothalamic amenorrhea, it can feel like the finish line.

And honestly, it is a huge milestone. Getting a bleed again can be such a powerful sign that your body is responding to more nourishment, more rest, and a safer internal environment.

But getting your period back and being fully recovered are not always the same thing.

You may have gained weight, started eating more, stopped tracking calories, gotten a few cycles, or reintroduced some fear foods and still feel like food, exercise, and body image are taking up way too much mental space.

Or maybe you feel more mentally free, but your cycle is still missing, irregular, inconsistent, or showing signs that ovulation and progesterone are not fully restored yet.

In this episode, we cover:

● Why getting your period back does not always mean you are fully recovered● The difference between physical recovery and mental recovery● Why some women get one bleed but struggle to get consistent cycles after● What regular, predictable cycles should look like after HA recovery● Why ovulation matters more than simply bleeding● How BBT can help confirm whether ovulation is actually happening● What a healthy luteal phase looks like and why it matters for fertility● Why very short or light periods may signal that hormones are still rebuilding● The role of fertile cervical mucus as a sign of hormonal health● Why minimal PMS can be a marker of improved cycle health● Why mental recovery is just as important as physical recovery● How disordered eating, food rules, and perfectionism often show up in HA recovery● Why food should take up less brain space over time● What it looks like to feel flexible around restaurants, travel, social plans, and fun foods● Why being able to rest, skip workouts, and let life interrupt exercise is a major recovery milestone● How exercise can shift from body control to enjoyment, energy, and support● Why bad body image days do not have to become diet plans● How full recovery helps your identity expand beyond food, exercise, and your body

Physical recovery matters.

A regular cycle, consistent ovulation, a healthy luteal phase, enough cervical mucus, and a period that lasts more than a couple of days are all important signs that your body is becoming hormonally safer and more supported.

If you are ready for that level of recovery, we would love to support you inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society. The program application is linked in the show notes.

Temp Drop Affiliate Link

When you’ve been told that you’re “so healthy,” but your period is still missing, it can feel confusing, frustrating, and incredibly lonely.

You may be eating well, exercising, seeing doctors, running labs, trying to “do the right thing,” and still not getting answers. And when every provider tells you nothing is wrong but your body still isn’t ovulating it can leave you wondering if IVF, medications, or fertility treatments are your only option.

In this episode, Lindsey is joined by Alex, a former client who is now 21 weeks pregnant after recovering her period and ovulation naturally.

Alex shares her story of losing her period during a stressful season of school, intermittent fasting, weight loss, and intense exercise and how years of being told she was healthy kept her stuck in confusion. After seeing multiple providers, trying to piece together recovery on her own, and wrestling with the fear of body changes, Alex eventually joined the program and began learning what her body truly needed to feel safe again.

This conversation is an honest look at the emotional, physical, and mindset work of period recovery. Alex opens up about food rules, body image, surrendering control, navigating miscarriage, continuing to fuel her body after getting her period back, and the power of having support instead of trying to figure it all out alone.

This episode is a powerful reminder that getting your period back is not always about simply “eating more and exercising less.” It is about understanding your body, addressing the beliefs and habits that are keeping you stuck, and learning how to nourish yourself consistently enough to support ovulation, fertility, and pregnancy.

In this episode, we cover:

• Alex’s story of losing her period during dental school, stress, intermittent fasting, weight loss, and exercise

• Why being told “you’re so healthy” can keep women stuck without answers

• The frustration of seeing multiple providers and still not getting to the root cause

• Why Alex felt in her gut that fertility medications and IVF were not the first answer for her

• How she tried to recover her period on her own before realizing she needed more support

• Why eating breakfast and “eating more” still was not enough at first

• How high-protein, low-carb, clean eating can still leave the body under-fueled

• The fear of adding more carbs, fun foods, and flexibility into her diet

• Why surrendering control around food became one of the biggest turning points

• How body changes and weight gain impacted Alex emotionally

• The mindset shift that helped her stop doing recovery at 60% and fully commit

• How Alex got her period back around the 90-day mark after going all in

If you are missing your period, struggling to ovulate, or feeling like you’ve been doing everything “right” without getting answers, Alex’s story is such an important reminder: your body is not broken.

There is a reason your period is missing.

And even if recovery feels uncomfortable, even if your body changes, even if surrendering control feels scary you do not have to figure it out alone.

Your body can heal. Your cycle can come back. Ovulation can return. And with the right support, nourishment, and consistency, pregnancy may be possible naturally.

There is always a reason your period is missing, and it is possible to support your body in finding its way back to ovulation and fertility. Watch Lindsey’s free training, How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period, to learn how healthy, active women can restore ovulation naturally and create the conditions for pregnancy.

If you’re eating all organic, high-protein, “clean” foods but your period is still missing, it can feel confusing to know what your body actually needs.

You may be tracking ingredients, avoiding processed foods, following wellness influencers, and doing everything you’ve been told is “healthy.” But what happens when those healthy habits start creating more stress, rigidity, food fear, and under-fueling? And what if clean eating isn’t the full story?

In this episode, Lindsey takes a deep dive into orthorexia and how the pursuit of healthy eating can quietly become fear-based, especially for women struggling with missing periods, hormone issues, or fertility challenges.

Many women with orthorexic tendencies do not identify as having an eating disorder. They genuinely believe they are just being healthy, optimizing hormones, reducing inflammation, healing their gut, balancing blood sugar, or improving fertility.

But over time, the pursuit of health can quietly become fear-based instead of nourishing. And physiologically, your body does not care whether restriction came from trying to lose weight or trying to be healthy. Under-fueling is still under-fueling. Chronic stress around food is still stress.

This episode is a powerful reminder that looking healthy on the outside does not always mean your body feels safe on the inside, and that the right support depends on understanding what is actually driving your missing period, hormone symptoms, or fertility struggles.

In this episode, we cover:

• What orthorexia is and why it can be so hard to recognize

• Why many women with orthorexic tendencies genuinely believe they are just being healthy

• How wellness culture can normalize rigid, fear-based food rules

• Why eating clean does not always mean your body is adequately fueled

• The difference between intentional nourishment and obsession

• Why thinking about food all day can be a red flag, even if the foods are “healthy”

• How feeling morally better for eating clean can point to a deeper issue

• Why going out to eat, eating fun foods, or breaking food rules may still feel stressful

• How food rules can evolve over time while the same fear and control remain underneath

• Why trying to eat perfectly enough can backfire for hormones and fertility

• How chronic food stress impacts cortisol, the HPA axis, GnRH, LH, ovulation, estrogen, progesterone, and fertility

• What true food freedom and true health can actually look like

Clean eating may be part of your story.

Under-fueling may be part of your story.

Food rigidity, perfectionism, and chronic stress around food may be part of your story.

But your body is not broken, and needing more nourishment, flexibility, and support does not mean you have failed. Sometimes the missing piece is not another supplement, more control, or stricter nutrition, it is understanding what your body has been asking for all along.

There is always a reason your period is missing, and it is possible to support your body in finding its way back to ovulation and fertility. Watch Lindsey’s free training, How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period, to learn how healthy, active women can restore ovulation naturally and create the conditions for pregnancy.

If you’ve been diagnosed with PCOS but your period is still missing, it can feel confusing to know what your body actually needs.

You may be told to eat fewer carbs, exercise more, take Metformin, start Letrozole, or move straight to fertility treatments. But what happens when those recommendations don’t work? And what if PCOS isn’t the full story?

In this episode, Lindsey walks through three real client case studies of women who were told PCOS was the reason they weren’t ovulating but after looking deeper at labs, lifestyle history, under-fueling, overtraining, food restriction, stress, and hormone patterns, the picture became much more nuanced.

Some clients were misdiagnosed with PCOS when the real driver was hypothalamic amenorrhea. Others truly did have PCOS, but chronic under-fueling and overexercising were still major roadblocks to restoring ovulation and getting pregnant.

This episode is a powerful reminder that missing periods are not always explained by one diagnosis, and that the right support depends on understanding what is actually happening in your body.

In this episode, we cover:

•  Why PCOS can be a misleading diagnosis when under-fueling is not fully assessed
• The difference between PCOS/PMOS and hypothalamic amenorrhea
• Why many women with HA can meet PCOS diagnostic criteria
• What labs can reveal about whether PCOS or under-fueling is driving a missing period
• Why low estrogen, normal LH:FSH, low testosterone, and normal androgens may point away from PCOS
• How restrictive eating, fear of weight gain, and overexercise can suppress ovulation
• Why “managing PCOS” too aggressively can sometimes make fertility harder
• How under-fueling can exist even when someone looks healthy, fit, or has a normal BMI
• Why fertility medications may not work well if the body is still under-supported
• How three clients restored cycles, ovulation, and pregnancy by addressing the real root cause

PCOS may be part of your story.

Under-fueling may be part of your story.

And for some women, both can be true at the same time.

But your body is not broken, and a diagnosis does not mean you are out of options. Sometimes the missing piece is not another medication, more control, or stricter nutrition, it is understanding what your body has been asking for all along.

There is always a reason your period is missing. And with the right support, your body is capable of finding its way back to safety, nourishment, ovulation, and fertility. Join Missing Period Lab Recovery Waitlist

Ep 12: Do I have HA or PCOS

Ep 19: When your PCOS turns out to be HA

Ep 32: Dieting at as a child, PCOS Misdiagnosis, and HA recovery when fertility isn't a goal

Ep 48: PCOS and HA? Navigating nutrition when you have both

Ep 74: HA or PCOS? You may not know, and it may not matter

Episode 102: Your Body Isn’t Broken: The Missing Piece in HA & PCOS Recovery

If you’ve been told your AMH is low, it can feel like the clock is suddenly ticking faster.

You may hear things like: “You should freeze your eggs,” “You may need IVF,” or “You’re running out of time.” But AMH is one of the most misunderstood fertility markers especially if you’re not ovulating regularly.

In this episode, Lindsey walks through Kaitlyn’s story: a fit, active woman in her early 30s who hadn’t had a period in over a year, was told her AMH was extremely low, and was encouraged to freeze her eggs immediately. But instead of jumping straight into fertility treatment, Kaitlyn focused on restoring ovulation first and eventually conceived naturally.

This case study is a powerful reminder that low AMH does not always mean low fertility, and that missing periods, under-fueling, overtraining, and stress physiology can all impact how your body shows up in labs.

In this episode, we cover:

• What AMH actually measures and what it does not tell you

• Why AMH can look falsely low when you’re not ovulating regularly

• How hypothalamic amenorrhea, under-fueling, and overtraining can suppress follicle development

• Why low AMH does not automatically mean IVF is your only option

• Why restoring ovulation should often come before panicking over lab results

• How consistent nourishment, exercise reduction, recovery, and targeted support helped her body feel safe again

• The role of Vitamin D, egg quality support, and foundational fertility nutrition

• Why “normal” labs are not always optimal for fertility

Low AMH does not mean your body is broken.It does not mean natural pregnancy is impossible.And it does not always mean you need to rush into IVF or egg freezing.

Sometimes, the most powerful first step is understanding why ovulation is missing in the first place and giving your body the support it needs to feel safe, nourished, and fertile again.

If your period is missing… and you feel like you’re doing everything “right” with food… this episode might shift everything.

Because many habits that look healthy can actually signal stress or underfueling to your body keeping ovulation turned off.

In this episode, Lindsey breaks down the 5 most common food habits that disrupt hormone signaling and delay ovulation and what your body actually needs instead.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why ovulation stops when the body senses low or inconsistent energy• How fasting or skipping meals impacts hormone signaling• Why low carb intake can suppress reproductive hormones• The hidden risks of “clean eating” and food rigidity• How tracking calories/macros can lead to underfueling• Why comparing your food intake to others keeps you stuck

Your body isn’t broken, it's responding to the signals it’s receiving.
Ovulation happens when your body feels safe, nourished, and consistently fueled.

Ready to Understand What Might Be Affecting Your Ovulation?

If your period is missing, irregular, or you’re unsure if you’re ovulating consistently, take Lindsey’s Fit Girl Fertility Quiz.  It will help you uncover what’s blocking your fertility.

Fertility challenges don’t always show up clearly in lab work.

In this episode, Lindsey breaks down a clinical case study of a client who was told her elevated FSH could be a major concern for fertility. But as you’ll hear, the real issue wasn’t ovarian failure, it was the environment her body was operating in.

Through this story, Lindsey explains why lab values alone don’t tell the full story, how subtle stressors can disrupt ovulation even in “healthy” women, and what actually needs to shift for the body to feel safe enough to conceive.

If you’ve been told your labs are “off” or even “normal” but something still feels off in your cycle or fertility journey, this episode will help you understand what may really be going on.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why elevated FSH doesn’t always mean diminished fertility
• How the brain and ovaries communicate during ovulation
• The difference between functional hormone disruption vs clinical diagnoses
• Subtle signs of hormonal imbalance that often get overlooked
• How restriction, binge patterns, and control impact fertility
•  Why “healthy habits” can still create stress on the body
• The role of energy availability in supporting ovulation
• How reducing exercise intensity can improve hormone function
• Why consistency matters more than extremes in fertility recovery
•  What actually helped this client restore ovulation and conceive

Elevated FSH isn’t always a sign that your body is failing.

Sometimes, it’s a sign your body is trying harder to ovulate  and needs the right support to do so.

Ready to Understand What Might Be Affecting Your Ovulation?

If your period is missing, inconsistent, or you’ve been trying to conceive and aren’t sure whether you’re ovulating reliably, Lindsey’s free training - Getting Pregnant with HA, will walk you through exactly what to look for and where to start.

It will help you identify what may be keeping ovulation weak, inconsistent, or absent and what to address first.

Episode 104: Navigating Pregnancy After Loss: A Clinical Case Study

Pregnancy after miscarriage isn’t just about “trying again.”

It’s about rebuilding ovulation, stabilizing the nervous system, and protecting against relapse especially for women with a history of restriction, over-exercise, or hormonal suppression.

In this episode, Lindsey shares a clinical case study of a client who navigated period recovery, pregnancy loss, and pregnancy again. She breaks down how the body heals after miscarriage and why ovulation reliability and mental safety must be addressed together.

If you’ve experienced miscarriage and feel pressure to get pregnant again quickly, this conversation will help you understand what your body actually needs during recovery.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why pregnancy after loss requires more than just trying again• How stress, restriction, and over-exercise can suppress ovulation• The realistic timeline for ovulation returning after miscarriage• How to track ovulation without becoming obsessive• Why relapse prevention is critical for women with ED history• How mental safety impacts hormone health and fertility outcomes

Pregnancy after loss isn’t about doing more, it's about helping your body feel safe enough to ovulate again.

Ready to Understand What Might Be Affecting Your Ovulation?

If your period is missing, inconsistent, or you’re trying to conceive again after loss and unsure if you’re ovulating reliably, take Lindsey’s ovulation quiz

It will help you identify what may be keeping ovulation weak, inconsistent, or absent and what to address first.

If You’re Still Stuck in Period Recovery, You’re Probably Solving the Wrong Problem

Most women don’t stay stuck in period recovery because they’re not trying hard enough. They stay stuck because they’re focused on the wrong problem.

In this episode, Lindsey reframes one of the biggest reasons women stay stuck in recovery not lack of effort, but misdirected effort.

If you’ve already made changes like eating more, reducing exercise, improving your relationship with food, or trying supplements and testing but still don’t have a cycle back this conversation will help you understand why.

This isn’t a checklist episode. It’s a mindset shift.

Because ovulation doesn’t happen when everything looks perfect on paper it happens when your body feels safe.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why most women focus on outputs (weight, calories, labs) instead of the real root issue

• The difference between “doing more” and creating true physiological safety

• Why weight gain alone often isn’t enough to restore ovulation

• The trap of chasing supplements, testing, and perfect protocols

• How hyper-vigilance and trying harder can actually delay recovery

• Why ovulation is a safety signal not a performance outcome

• The mindset shift that helps women finally move forward in recovery

If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing everything “right” but still not getting results, this episode will help you zoom out and see the bigger picture.

Because period recovery isn’t about controlling your body harder it’s about creating the conditions where your body feels safe enough to ovulate again.

Ready to Stop Guessing and Start Moving Forward?

If this episode felt like it was describing you. If you’re tired of second-guessing every decision in your recovery. 

Start with our free training:How To Recover Your Period and Get Pregnant

Because your body isn’t broken it just needs the right environment to feel safe again.

In this episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey breaks down a complex client case where hypothalamic amenorrhea and PCOS overlapped and why mislabeling the problem kept ovulation from happening for years.

This client came in after nine months with no period, a failed Provera challenge, failed ovulation meds, and multiple PCOS diagnoses — even though her labs, symptoms, and history told a very different story.

What ultimately helped her ovulate wasn’t trying harder or restricting more — it was proper sequencing, lab-based insight, and restoring safety before treating PCOS physiology.

If you’ve ever felt confused by mixed diagnoses or stuck despite “doing everything right,” this episode will help you understand why and what actually works.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why this client’s history and labs pointed to HA, not classic PCOS
• What a failed Provera challenge and low estrogen really indicate
• How HA can mask underlying PCOS physiology — and unmask it during recovery
• Why treating PCOS too early can suppress ovulation further
• The importance of sequencing: restoring safety before addressing insulin and androgens
• How lab trends (not single snapshots) guide recovery decisions
• The strategy that led to two natural ovulations — and a spontaneous pregnancy
  

Ready for a Clearer Path Forward?

If you’ve been told it’s PCOS, but your story includes restriction, overtraining, or missing periods — there may be more going on beneath the surface.

You can apply to work with our team inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society.
That application helps us understand your history, your goals, and whether we’re the right fit to support you.

Because your body isn’t broken it just needs the right strategy to ovulate again.

In this clinical case episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey breaks down one of the most confusing period recovery scenarios she’s seen: a client who was eating 2,500–3,000+ calories per day, had gained weight, stopped intense exercise, and still didn’t ovulate for over five years.

This episode explores why calories alone don’t turn ovulation back on, and how safety, signaling, nervous system regulation, and control around food and movement can quietly keep reproduction shut down.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’m eating enough… so why is nothing changing?” — this episode is for you.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why eating more calories doesn’t automatically restore ovulation

• How ovulation depends on perceived safety, not just intake or weight

• Why rigid food tracking can suppress fertility even at high calories

• The difference between weight gain and hormonally supportive body fat

• How exercise and lifting can divert energy away from reproduction

• Why fertility meds fail when the brain still feels unsafe

• The key shifts that allowed ovulation to return within weeks

This case is a powerful reminder that the body doesn’t need to be forced into fertility treatment before asking the right questions.

When the brain finally believes energy is abundant, reliable, and safe, ovulation can come back online even after years of silence.

Ready to Measure Progress and Stop Guessing?

Download my free Lab Guide to understand:

• Which hormone labs to request

• What optimal ranges look like for health and fertility

• How to use labs to track real progress (not just effort)

In this milestone 100th episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey shares a deeply practical, no-fluff conversation about what she would actually do if she woke up tomorrow without a period armed with everything she knows now after helping 400+ women restore their cycles.

Instead of a highlight reel or celebration episode, Lindsey walks you through how she would think, prioritize, and sequence recovery not as a checklist, but as a strategic approach rooted in physiology, pattern recognition, and support.

If you’ve been “doing all the right things” but still feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure why your period hasn’t returned, this episode will help you zoom out, stop chasing the wrong problem, and reframe what recovery truly requires.

In this episode, we cover:

• Why the first step is zooming out and looking at the last 6–12 months instead of the last week

• The HA spectrum and how hormonal red flags often appear long before your period disappears

• Why quick fixes and tweaks fail when the foundation itself needs rebuilding

• How food becomes both a physical and psychological stressor in period loss

• Why low energy availability shuts down ovulation regardless of BMI or diagnosis

• The double impact of under-fueling + fear of food and weight gain

• Why reducing training is essential to signaling safety, not “giving up”

• How chronic fight-or-flight keeps reproduction turned off

• Why objective progress tracking matters and how labs can guide recovery

• The blind spots of DIY period recovery and when support becomes essential
  

Ready to Measure Progress and Stop Guessing?

Download my free Lab Guide to understand:

• Which hormone labs to request

• What optimal ranges look like for health and fertility

• How to use labs to track real progress (not just effort)

In this episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey has an honest, grounding conversation about exercise, identity, and why so many women stay stuck in recovery without realizing their training habits are part of the problem.

If you’re trying to get your period back or hoping to get pregnant in 2026, this episode is a must-listen. Lindsey breaks down why movement that once felt empowering (especially for former athletes or women with a history of restriction) — can quietly work against ovulation and hormone balance when your goals change.

Drawing from physiology, lived experience, and years of working with women inside the Food Freedom & Fertility Society, this episode explores how old identities, fear-based movement, and unintentional underfueling can keep your body in survival mode — even when you believe you’re “doing everything right.”

If you’ve ever thought:
 “I eat pretty well and exercise responsibly — why hasn’t my period come back?” this conversation will help you see what might actually need to shift.

In this episode, we cover:

• How athletic identity, discipline, and “pushing through” can quietly work against ovulation
• The difference between training for performance vs. training for fertility
• How underfueling happens even when you’re not dieting or intentionally restricting
• Why low energy availability is one of the most common (and overlooked) reasons ovulation doesn’t return
• The physiology behind why your body is saying “not yet” — and why that doesn’t mean it’s broken
• What training for fertility actually looks like (and why it often feels uncomfortable at first)
• The mindset shift required to move from fear-based movement to body trust and safety
• The honest questions that reveal whether your current habits are truly aligned with your fertility goals

Resources Mentioned:

• Research on Low Energy Availability (LEA) and ovulatory suppression
• Sports medicine guidelines on menstrual dysfunction in active women
• Episode 1 of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast (Lindsey’s personal recovery story)

Ready to Restore Your Period Without Letting Old Food and Fitness Rules Run Your Life?

Watch my free training: How To Recover Your Period and Get Pregnant With the Food Freedom Fertility Society

You’ll learn exactly what’s keeping you stuck — and the proven path to recovery inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society.

Episode 98: 5 Things That Helped Me Overcome My Fear of Weight Gain

In this episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey opens up about one of the biggest fears women face in hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery: the fear of weight gain.

After years of disordered eating, compulsive exercise, and living in a body that was far below her natural set point, Lindsey shares the mindset shifts, science, faith, and lived experiences that helped her finally let go of control — and ultimately restore her period, heal her relationship with food, and get pregnant naturally.

If you’ve ever thought:
 “I know I need to gain weight… but I’m terrified,”
 this episode is a must-listen.

These are the exact tools Lindsey used to overcome 15+ years of body image struggles and build the freedom-based relationship with her body she has today.

In this episode:

• How curating your social media feed can rewire body image beliefs and stop reinforcing the “smaller is better” narrative
• The science behind HAES, set point theory, and weight bias — and how education dismantles fear
• Getting radically honest about under-eating, over-exercising, and long-term weight suppression
• Why weight gain is often the missing link for ovulation and pregnancy (even when your BMI is “normal”)
• How faith, surrender, and true exposure to weight gain helped Lindsey break free from quasi-recovery
  Why avoiding full weight restoration keeps you stuck — and the identity shift that happens when you finally let go
• What real freedom feels like when you stop fighting your body’s natural size

Resources Mentioned:

• Health at Every Size (HAES) framework
• Intuitive Eating principles
• Episode 1 of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast (Lindsey’s personal story)

Ready to Restore Your Period Without Obsessing Over Every Bite?

Watch my free training: How To Recover Your Period and Get Pregnant With the Food Freedom Fertility Society

You’ll learn exactly what’s keeping you stuck — and the proven path to recovery inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society.

In this episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey sits down with former client Taylor, a full-time touring musician and songwriter who went from years of restrictive eating, industry pressure, and a completely missing period… to restoring her cycle naturally and getting pregnant on the very first month she and her husband tried.

If you've ever felt like your lifestyle is “too busy,” “too demanding,” or “too public” for recovery — or you fear what will happen if you stop controlling food and movement — Taylor’s story will remind you what’s possible when your body finally feels safe again.In this episode:

• How childhood body comments and teasing can shape your body image as adult 
• The hidden pressure of the music industry — and how praise for extreme leanness can reinforce disordered habits
• When your wedding diet spirals into panic attacks, IBS, and insomnia
• Why Taylor chose to join the Food Freedom Fertility Society (even though she was terrified to change)
• Getting your first natural period in just 5 weeks — after years of suppression on birth control
• How to protect progress while performing, traveling, and touring across multiple states
• The shocking way Taylor found out she was pregnant on her first “try” 
• Advice for the high-achieving woman who keeps waiting for the “right time” to start recovery

Ready to Understand What’s Keeping You Stuck?Take my free quiz: Fertility Fix for the Fit GirlGet your personalized report and the next steps your body needs to restore ovulation naturally.

In this episode of the Period Recovery & Fertility Podcast, Lindsey sits down with former client Tori, who went from years of missing periods, two rounds of amenorrhea, and “DIY recovery”… to restoring ovulation and getting pregnant on her very first ovulation inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society. She’s now 27 weeks along and thriving.

If you've ever thought “Why isn’t this working for me?”, “I should be able to fix this myself,” or “I’m scared to ask for help,” this episode will speak straight to your heart.

If you’ve ever been told to “just go back on the pill” when you lost your period, or you’ve been dismissed with a misdiagnosis like “PCOS type D,” this episode is a must-listen.

Today, Lindsey sits down with Dr. Chrisandra Shufelt, Chair of General Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville and a leading researcher in Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (FHA). Dr. Shufelt has spent decades studying how hormones, stress, metabolism, and lifestyle interact to influence women’s health—especially heart health.

Together, they break down:

• What FHA actually is (spoiler: it’s not just “no period”).

• Why high-functioning, health-conscious women often miss the diagnosis.

• How low estrogen + chronic stress impacts bone density, cardiovascular function, inflammation, and brain signaling—even when you feel “fine.”

• Why one in every three women with FHA may already be showing early cardiovascular changes, even in their 20s.

• How ongoing research is working to improve diagnosis, treatment, and awareness—including two major new studies that need participant voices.

  
  

This is a supportive, science-backed, empowering conversation that every active woman needs to hear.

About Our GuestDr. Chrisandra Shufelt, MD, MS

• Chair, Division of General Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic Jacksonville

• International researcher in women’s hormonal health, cardiovascular risk, and menopause

• Principal investigator on multiple studies examining FHA and long-term health outcomes

  
  

Resources & Research Participation

Dr. Shufelt and her team are actively recruiting for two important research studies:

1. REVEAL Registry (Virtual / Worldwide)For women with missing or irregular cycles, with or without a formal diagnosis.No clinic visit required.

→ Join the REVEAL Registry: https://noperiod.info/reveal

2. ARCH FHA Study – Mayo Clinic Jacksonville (Travel Stipend Provided)A 3-month research study evaluating cardiovascular + bone health in women with FHA.Travel expenses are covered.

→ Apply for the ARCH Study: https://noperiod.info/arch

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: @‌food.freedom.fertility

Website: www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/

Twitter:@lindseylusson

Tiktok: @‌food.freedom.fertility

Lindsey sits down with Taylor, a former elite marathoner who qualified for the Olympic Trials twice—but spent 15 years without a period.

After years of overtraining, under-fueling, and convincing herself she could “fix it” on her own, Taylor finally surrendered control, restored her cycle, and went from no period to pregnancy within months.

This is a raw, faith-filled conversation about what it really takes to let go of perfectionism, heal your relationship with exercise, and rebuild trust with your body.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why partial recovery never works when control is still in the driver’s seat

• The mindset shift that helped Taylor surrender her addiction to running

• How faith and community helped her rebuild a healthy relationship with food

• What recovery looked like week by week—and how she got her period back after 15 years

• Understanding when fertility treatment is okay after recovery 

• The unexpected lessons she’s learned now navigating pregnancy after HA

  
  

Connect With UsIf you’ve been “trying to do it on your own” and still don’t have your period, let Taylor’s story be your nudge that it’s time for real support.

👉 Learn more about the Food Freedom Fertility Society:https://www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/ 

Take the free quiz to uncover what’s keeping your cycle stuck:Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl Quiz 

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

We’re back with the final episode of our 3-part series on functional testing for fertility! 🎉

Lindsey is joined again by our functional fertility dietitian, Anabelle, to unpack one of the most popular (and misunderstood) advanced hormone tests: the DUTCH test.

If you’ve ever wondered whether the DUTCH test could be the missing piece in your fertility journey, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• What the DUTCH test actually is (and why it’s different from standard bloodwork).

• The hormones and metabolites it measures—estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, and more.

• Why the timing of the test matters (and why it’s not useful if you’re not currently ovulating).

• Who benefits most from running a DUTCH test—and who doesn’t.

• How results can uncover hidden hormone imbalances contributing to symptoms like:

  • Short luteal phases

  • Heavy or painful periods

  • PMS or estrogen dominance

  • PCOS-like patterns

• How a practitioner interprets results and creates an actionable, individualized plan (and why running the test on your own can feel like reading another language).

  
  

Next Steps:👉 Curious if advanced testing like the DUTCH is right for you?
Take our free quiz to uncover what’s blocking your fertility and what your next personalized step should be.

Take the Quiz Here

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠⁠⁠

Welcome to part two of our mini-series on the top functional tests for your fertility. Today we’ll discuss GI-MAP stool testing—a powerful way to uncover what’s really going on in your gut and how it’s impacting your gut symptoms, your hormones, periods, and fertility. I’m joined again by our functional fertility dietitian, Annabelle, to break down everything you need to know.

In this episode:

• What the GI-MAP test is and what it measures (microbiome balance, pathogens, inflammation, digestion, immune markers, and more).

• Why gut health and hormones are inseparable—from estrogen detox to nutrient absorption.

• How digestive symptoms like bloating, constipation, and reflux can be early red flags of hormone imbalance.

• Client stories where uncovering gut issues (like H. pylori) helped restore fertility and support natural pregnancy.

• The surprising way gut imbalances may contribute to acne, skin flares, and unexplained infertility.

• Why only 10% of our clients need advanced gut testing to fix their digestive issues

Links & Resources:

• What’s blocking your fertility? Take our 2 minute quiz: ⁠The Fertility Fix for the Fit Girl ⁠
• Interested in learning more about how to work with our team? Apply here 

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠⁠

This is part one of a three-part series on functional lab testing with our Functional Fertility Dietitian, Anabelle. Over the next few episodes, we’ll dive into the three main labs we use to help clients get to the root of:

• Hormone imbalances

• Fatigue and burnout

• Missing or irregular cycles

• Fertility struggles and unexplained infertility

In today’s episode, we’re starting with one of our favorite tests: the Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA).

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• Why HTMA is often the first test we run for clients who feel stuck in their fertility journey.

• How mineral patterns reveal your body’s ability to handle stress, produce energy, and support hormone balance.

• The three stages of stress (alarm, acute, and burnout) and how HTMA shows where your body is on that spectrum.

• Why even women who “eat really clean” may still be mineral deficient due to soil depletion, stress, or under-fueling.

• Real-life client stories where HTMA uncovered hidden burnout and helped guide targeted support—leading to restored fertility and pregnancy.

• How this simple, low-lift test offers insight into thyroid health, adrenal function, hydration, and overall resiliency.

  
  

Why This Matters: Many women are told their labs look normal—yet they still feel exhausted, anxious, or struggle to get pregnant. HTMA helps uncover what’s going on beneath the surface by showing us the mineral imbalances that drive hormone and energy dysfunction. This can be both validating and empowering, giving you the clarity you need to move forward with confidence.

Next Steps:We run HTMAs inside our Food Freedom Fertility Society as an add-on, and they’re included in our new Functional Fertility Package with Annabelle, which offers private coaching and personalized lab interpretation.

👉 Curious if minerals are the missing link in your fertility journey? Take our free quiz: 

What’s Blocking Your Fertility (and What to Do About It)

It only takes a few minutes and will point you toward the best next steps.

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠⁠

Just because you’re bleeding doesn’t mean your cycle is healthy—or that your body is ready for pregnancy.

In this episode, I’m walking you through the five most common red flags I see in women who have gotten their period back but are still struggling to get pregnant. This is especially relevant for the 40% of our clients who come to us already cycling but still facing hidden hormone imbalances, cycle irregularities, or subclinical signs of under-fueling and stress.

If you've worked hard to restore your period but are still facing frustrating fertility setbacks, this episode is going to help you understand what your body is trying to tell you.

We’ll cover:

• What an irregular cycle really means (and why it may be anovulatory)

• The most overlooked signs of weak ovulation

• Why a short luteal phase matters (and how it's connected to under-fueling and stress)

• What your bleed quality can reveal about hormone balance

• Why periods sometimes disappear again—and what to do about it

  
  

You'll also learn how we help clients inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society move from “just cycling” to thriving hormonally with regular ovulation, balanced hormones, and cycles that are truly ready to support pregnancy.

Whether your period just came back or you’re still dealing with short cycles, no ovulation, or low progesterone—this episode will help you connect the dots.

🔍 Related Resources & Links:

• 👉 Apply for the Food Freedom Fertility Society

• 🎧 Episode 79: Low Blood Sugar, High Cortisol & No Period: A Fertility Red Flag

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠⁠

If your doctor told you “everything looks normal” but you still can’t get pregnant… this episode will blow your mind (and validate your gut instinct).

I’m joined by Dr. Aumatma Simmons, board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist and the powerhouse behind @‌holisticfertilitydoctor, to talk about why unexplained infertility isn’t actually unexplained—and how to uncover what your body’s been trying to tell you all along.

We dive into the root causes missed in traditional fertility care, how to tell if your labs are actually optimal (not just “normal”), and what high-achieving women need to understand about stress, estrogen, and their nervous systems if they want to get pregnant naturally.

Dr. Simmons also shares the real deal on the age and fertility myth (spoiler: it’s based on data from the 1800s) and gives us a first look at her AI-powered root cause analysis tool, Madre Fertility.

• Why “unexplained infertility” is a lazy diagnosis—and what’s actually going on

• The 5 most common root causes most doctors miss

• Why normal labs ≠ optimal fertility

• How high-achieving women accidentally block ovulation

• Easy ways to regulate your nervous system and boost hormones

• What it actually takes to increase estrogen and restore ovulation

• Take the Root Cause Quiz → www.madrefertility.com

• Work with Dr. Simmons → www.holisticfertilityinstitute.com

• Follow her on Instagram → @‌holisticfertilitydoctor

  
  

Episode Highlights:

• [03:10] The personal fertility journey that led Dr. Simmons to this work

• [09:30] Where the “fertility cliff at 35” myth actually comes from

• [14:45] Toxins, gut health, stress & the real root causes of infertility

• [25:40] Why your estrogen is low (and what to do about it)

• [33:10] Why normal labs can be misleading

• [41:00] How perfectionism and high cortisol block your cycle

• [50:00] 3 free tools to regulate your nervous system and boost hormones

• [58:00] What to do if you feel like you’ve tried everything

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠

Are you eating more, gaining weight, and still not getting your period back? Or maybe you’ve gotten one bleed and assumed you were fully recovered—but still can’t get pregnant? In this episode, Lindsey breaks down the 10 most common mistakes she sees women make when trying to restore their cycle and support natural fertility.

Spoiler alert: it’s not always about the calories, and it’s definitely not just about weight.

Whether you’re tracking macros, still overtraining, or waiting for a doctor to “diagnose” you before taking action, this episode will help you identify what might be holding you back—and what to do instead.

In this Episode:

• Why tracking calories might actually be slowing your recovery

• The hidden harm of “clean eating” when it comes to hormones

• Why fiber isn’t always your friend if you have low estrogen

• The role of your nervous system in ovulation

• Why one period ≠ full recovery or full fertility

• Why fertility treatments don’t always work (and what to do first)

• Why it’s never too early to care about getting your period back

📚 Referenced Episodes:

• Ep. 14 –Disordered Eating and Digestive Issues

• Ep. 39 – What Happens if you don’t Recover your Period

• Ep. 76 – You don’t have to be Underweight to Lose your Period 

• Ep. 86 – What Every Woman Needs to Know About Carbs & Fertility

📥 Links & Resources:

• 💻 Free Training: How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period

• Submit a listener question for the podcast

🧪 Grab our Lab Guide: Understand Labs with HA

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠⁠

If the idea of “slowing down” makes you panic… this episode is a must-listen.

Jennifer is a Yoga, Pilates, Meditation & Breathwork teacher who specialises in fertility & women’s health. During a long & difficult fertility journey of her own, Jennifer eventually found the practice of Fertility Yoga. This practice was able to ease her anxiety while TTC, relieve chronic insomnia, re-balance a thyroid condition…and eventually it helped her to fall pregnant naturally. She now runs an online business, Element Pilates & Yoga, helping women all over the world to overcome fertility challenges & find their way to motherhood. 

In this Episode

• Why giving up high-intensity workouts felt impossible—and why she finally did it

• How fertility yoga helped regulate her cycle, balance hormones, and heal insomnia

• What most doctors miss when diagnosing cycle issues or "early menopause"

• The real science behind blood flow, nervous system regulation, and fertility

• Practical tips to shift out of fight-or-flight and reconnect with your body

  
  

If you're stuck in the "all or nothing" mindset around exercise, think fertility yoga sounds boring, or feel like rest equals failure—this episode is here to change your mind (and maybe your cycle).

Want to try fertility yoga with Jen?Jen is hosting a free 3-day Fertility Yoga Workshop! You’ll get daily practices, breathwork, and calming tools to help regulate your hormones and reconnect with your body.

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠

I’m tackling one of the most common and misunderstood topics in the world of hormone health and fertility: carbohydrates. Specifically, how well-intentioned choices—like following a low-carb or "clean" eating plan—might be silently disrupting your cycle, impairing ovulation, and delaying your chances of getting pregnant.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why eating “clean” or low-carb might backfire when it comes to hormonal health

• The science behind how carbs fuel ovulation, thyroid function, and estrogen balance

• How low energy availability—even if you're eating a lot—can shut down your reproductive system

• What happens to LH pulses, T3, and gut health on a low-carb or high-stress lifestyle

• Why mindset matters as much as macros when it comes to recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA)

  
  

I’m breaking down the exact physiological reasons why your cycle may still be MIA—even if your labs look “normal” and you’ve already increased calories.

This isn’t just about how much you eat… it’s about what you’re eating (and what signals you’re sending your brain).

You’ll also hear:

• Why we see so many Type A women, athletes, and “wellness girlies” struggling to ovulate

• Real stats from our program (91% get their period back in 90 days!)

• Why your gut health and hormone health are more connected than you think

  Resources mentioned:

• Free Quiz: Are You Too Healthy to Get Pregnant?

• Episode 14: Disordered Eating and Digestive Issues with Dr. Heather Finley

• Episode 85: Why Healthy, Type A Women Might Be Struggling to Get Pregnant

 

💛 Ready to stop second-guessing and start ovulating again—without going low-carb, burning out at the gym, or dropping $1,000s on supplements?

Take the quiz linked above and find out what’s keeping your period and fertility stuck. Your body wants to heal—you just have to give it the right tools.

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠

In this solo episode, Lindsey gets real about why the conventional fertility model isn’t built for the high-achieving, fit, Type A woman struggling with a missing or irregular period. If you're eating clean, working out, and doing everything right—but still not ovulating—this episode is for you.

You’ll hear:

• Lindsey’s personal fertility story and how she got pregnant naturally—three times—after being told IVF was her only option

• Why a "normal" BMI, healthy labs, and regular workouts don’t mean your body is hormonally ready for pregnancy

• How under-fueling and overtraining can silently sabotage your fertility, even if you look healthy on the outside

• The research behind body fat, energy availability, and ovulation—and why increasing your intake might be the key

• Why IVF may not be the golden ticket (and what to do before going that route)

• The exact 4-part framework our team uses to help clients restore cycles and get pregnant naturally inside the Food Freedom Fertility Society

💡 Whether you’ve been told IVF is your only option or you just know something deeper is going on, this episode will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and hopeful.

🎧 Mentioned in This Episode:

• Episode 1: Lindsey’s Full Fertility Story

• Episode 64: Natural Pregnancy after 3 years of IVF

🎥 **Free Training: **How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period — Learn the 3-part framework our clients use to restore ovulation and get pregnant naturally (even if they’ve been told IVF is the only option)

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson⁠

In this powerful and honest episode, Lindsey sits down with past client Caitlyn, a nurse practitioner who went from a decade without a natural period to pregnant in under 6 months—all while working 12-hour hospital shifts and navigating a deeply ingrained identity around health and fitness.

In this Episode:

• Why working in  healthcare can help you identify the root cause of your missing period

• The daily “healthy” habits that might actually harming your fertility

• How to not let your work schedule interfere with recovery 

• Why you shouldn’t put recovery off just because it’s summer 

• How to advocate for yourself when your doctors ignore your symptoms 

• Tips for Type A women struggling to conceive naturally

  
  

Leave a Review + Share:If this episode encouraged you, please consider leaving a 5-star review and sharing it with a friend who's ready to take charge of her fertility.

📥 Ready to get your period back ASAP?  Apply now to work with our team and get the support, structure, and strategy that helped Caitlyn go from no period to pregnant in just 3 months.

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson

In this packed listener Q&A episode, Lindsey dives into some of the most frequently asked (and misunderstood) questions in the HA recovery and fertility space. Whether your period is back but ovulation is still MIA, or you're unsure if you're doing “enough” to support your fertility—this episode breaks it all down with compassion, science, and practical steps you can take today.

Questions Answered in This Episode:

• "How long after cervical mucus should I expect a period?"

• "Why is it so hard to eat carbs consistently throughout the day—and why does it matter?"

• "My period is back, but I’m not ovulating. Is it still an under-eating issue?"

• "Is HA recovery about total calories or specific macros—especially carbs?"

  
  

Key Takeaways:

• Cervical mucus is a positive sign but not a guaranteed countdown to ovulation

• Nutrient timing matters as much as total intake—especially for LH and FSH signaling

• Eating all your calories at night may keep your body in survival mode

• Mindset blocks like “earning your food” or fearing fullness can silently sabotage your progress

• Carbohydrates are critical—not optional—for hormone production and ovulation

• Recovery isn’t just about food—it’s also about stress, sleep, movement, and mindset

  
  

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Training – How to Get Pregnant with a Missing Period

• Episode 69: Nutrient Timing for Period Recovery

• Low Carb for Period Recovery? What the Science Says (Blog Post)

• Submit a question for a future Q&A episode → Listener Q&A Form

  
  

Want support from Lindsey and her team?
Check out the Food Freedom Fertility Society to get expert guidance and community support through every stage of period and fertility recovery.

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠@lindseylusson

Today’s guest is Sarah—a former college basketball player whose journey with missing periods began during her time as a student-athlete. After college, Sarah pursued a career as a gym teacher and athletic director, but despite her active lifestyle, her period never returned. For years, she was reassured that it was “normal” for athletes, but everything changed when she got married and began trying to start a family. 

When lower-intervention fertility treatments failed and her doctor began recommending IVF, Sarah found herself at a crossroads. That’s when she discovered she was severely underfueling—and connected with Lindsey to begin a new chapter in her fertility journey.

In this Episode 

• The information that gets missed after getting diagnosed with HA

• Take charge of your fertility journey after 5 failed Clomid cycles 

• The accidental under fueling that can happen as a 3 sport athlete 

• Getting your period back in just 3 weeks

• Natural pregnancy just 2 months later 

• Why you should care about a missing period as a college athlete

Want to learn more about how to go from no period to pregnant in under 6 months? Grab my free training here 

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠⁠

Twitter: ⁠⁠@lindseylusson

Susan Portz is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition for women with unexplained infertility and those undergoing fertility treatments like IVF. After experiencing her own six-year infertility journey—including multiple rounds of IVF—Susan understands firsthand the emotional and physical toll of trying to conceive. Now a mom, she is passionate about helping other women optimize their fertility through science-based nutrition and sustainable lifestyle changes.

Through Fertility Nutrition Simplified, she provides expert guidance, compassionate support, and practical strategies to help women take control of their fertility. She offers a free training and a comprehensive course designed to help women improve their chances of conception with the power of nutrition.

 

In this Episode:

• Why nutrition matters even if you’re doing IVF

• Understanding a realistic timeline for pregnancy when using fertility assistance

• Why so many millennial women are under fueling for fertility

• Top foods and supplements for boosting fertility

• How eating perfectly for fertility can be a gateway into disordered eating

• Helpful mindset shifts to make if you’ve been TTC for multiple years

To learn more, find susan on Instagram ⁠https://www.instagram.com/nutrition.for.infertility/⁠@‌nutrition.for.infertility or reach out at ⁠susan@simplejoyfulnutrition.com⁠.

course link (with 40% discount!): ⁠https://go.simplejoyfulnutrition.com/fertilitynutritionsimplified-5284⁠

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠@food.freedom.fertility⁠

Website: ⁠foodfreedomandfertility.com⁠

Twitter: ⁠@lindseylusson

In This Episode:

– Average recovery times for clients following the Food Freedom Fertility method

– Why it doesn’t matter how long your period has been missing

– Understanding weight restoration and what it means for your fertility 

– Will exercise delay your recovery time?

– Unpacking what full recovery from HA looks like

– Why more information isn’t what you need to get your period back

Links and Resources:

– Episode 39: What happens if I don’t get my period back?

– Find ED support: allianceforeatingdisorders.com

– Apply for the Food Freedom Fertility Society: Click HERE

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: @food.freedom.fertility

Website: foodfreedomandfertility.com

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Jillian Greaves (MPH, RD, LDN) is a Functional Medicine Dietitian, Women's Health Specialist, podcast co-host, and founder of the highest-rated dietitian and functional nutrition business in Boston. She has been recognized across major publications such as Dr. Axe, Healthline and EatingWell for her transformative and unique approach to wellness. Jillian’s mission is not only to empower women to understand and treat the root causes of their health issues naturally, but also to guide them in breaking away from the pursuit of perfection in doing so.

It was early on in Jillian’s career when she realized the potentially damaging consequences of the “pill for every ill” approach traditional medicine often takes. After years of struggling with her own health, she realized that what she learned in her professional experience and her doctors’ orders to “just take birth control” were not enough to help her truly reverse her symptoms. Fueled by her own personal health challenges and frustration with being told that “everything looks normal” while her body was telling her otherwise, she decided to build her own private practice.

Through her private nutrition coaching and courses, Jillian has helped thousands of women – and counting – heal their gut and hormone symptoms while breaking away from dieting extremes through personalized and sustainable programs. Her unique approach to helping clients achieve whole-person health is focused on helping them foster empowering relationships with food and their bodies.

In this Episode

– Understanding the stress bucket 

– How under eating derails blood sugar balance and increases cortisol 

– Dangerous social media diet trends for hormones and fertility

– Understanding how the circadian rhythm impacts hormone production 

– Nutrition to boost egg quality and the importance of fermented foods 

– Debunking myths about AMH and your ability to get pregnant 

– Learning the line for what’s too much exercise for fertility

 

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: @food.freedom.fertility

Website: foodfreedomandfertility.com

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Mallory Cooper is a devoted wife to her husband, Colton, of five years, a proud dog mom to her two golden doodles, Dood and Doodette, and, most recently, a loving mother to her little miracle boy, Hendon. She is passionate about her faith, cherishes time with family and friends, and embraces every opportunity to soak up the sunshine.

In this Episode:

– The toxic environment of them gym when battling exercise addiction

– Why a missing period should be a red flag for disordered eating support

– Unpacking the financial and emotional costs of IVF

– Moving out of denial and into alignment with your true values

– Advocating for yourself and why permanent period loss is a myth  

– Using recovery tools to support your body postpartum 

– The importance of addressing your relationship with exercise  

– How to go from no period to pregnant in 5 months without fertility treatment 

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: @food.freedom.fertility

Website: foodfreedomandfertility.com

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Maggie lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and cat. She works in IT audit, and in her free time she loves spending time outdoors, reading, and exercising (now--in moderation!). Maggie and her husband welcomed a baby boy just a few weeks ago at the end of January!

In this Episode:

– The perfectionist pathway into period loss

– The sobering results of not responding to the Provera challenge 

– How to overcome food guilt during recovery 

– The macro counting trap preventing you from eating enough

– How motherhood will challenge your relationship with food 

– Getting your period back in 6 weeks 

– The benefit of restoring your period before fertility treatment

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: @food.freedom.fertility

Website: foodfreedomandfertility.com

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Jennifer L. Gaudiani, MD, CEDS-C, FAED, is the Founder and Medical Director of the Gaudiani Clinic. Board-certified in internal medicine, she completed her undergraduate degree at Harvard, medical school at Boston University School of Medicine, and her internal medicine residency and chief residency at Yale. Dr. Gaudiani served as the medical director at ACUTE Center for Eating Disorders prior to founding the Gaudiani Clinic, which is a Denver-based outpatient medical clinic that offers telemedicine throughout the US and is dedicated to caring for people with eating disorders, disordered eating, and malnutrition. Dr. Gaudiani’s first book, Sick Enough: A Guide to the Medical Complications of Eating Disorders is available on Amazon.

In this Episode

The gap in doctors identifying and diagnosing eating disorders Defining Relative Energy Deficit in Sport (RED-S) Identifying the body systems impacting by undereating How to distinguish between healthy behaviors and ED behaviors Why women in their 40s are at a higher risk for developing an eating disorder Is full recovery from an eating disorder even possible? Why some women lose their period, and others do not The shocking statistics of EDs among patients seeking fertility assistance

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

In the Episode:

• What is set point weight?

• Is it possible to overshoot your setpoint and when will your weight return to baseline?

• Expectations for your 2nd recovery period 

• Why cycle tracking is an important tool for hormonal health

• How to know whether or not you’re ovulating

• Troubleshooting if your period are irregular after recovery 

• The role body and exercise plan in fertility

  
  

Wanna ask a question for me to answer on the pod? Add it here 

Invest in a wearable fertility device: Tempdrop 

Use code “AFfoodfreedomfertility” for 20%off

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

While the etiology of HA and PCOS are very different, the two conditions can present very similarly in the clinical setting. In this episode, Sam and I unpack the similarities and differences between HA and PCOS and share some foundational nutrition and lifestyle habits that are beneficial for healthy hormones and fertility if you’re unsure which condition you have.

 

Sam Abbott, MSEd, RD, LDN, is a registered dietitian nutritionist who helps those with PCOS ditch diets and balance hormones without feeling guilty or stressed about food. She is the owner of PCOS Nutrition Company, where she helps clients  improve hormone regulation without a side of diet culture or weight stigma. In her Nourished with PCOS Program Collective, her non-diet nutrition membership, she empowers people with PCOS to find peace and balance with nutrition, hormones, body and life. You can find Sam on Instagram at @‌pcos.nutritionist or on her podcast, the Nourished with PCOS Podcast, where she gives free tips and support around managing PCOS without dieting.

 

In this Episode

• Why weight shouldn’t be the focus when it comes to balancing your hormones

• Looking holistically at each individual to accurately diagnose PCOS

• Why nutrition recommendations for PCOS and HA don’t have to conflict

• Understanding the different “types” of PCOS

• Is adrenal PCOS just HA? What does the research say

• Why comparison is the worst metric for whether or not you’re eating enough

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Jamie joined the Food Freedom Fertility Society in April 2024 after being told IVF was her only option. She is a 28-year-old nurse with a love for running, living in St. Louis MO. She dove in and started diligently following the FFF Method. In just 2.5 weeks, Jamie saw a return of her period! 2 months after that, she got pregnant naturally.

In the Episode

• Why rapid weight loss should be met with concern, not praise 

• Losing your period when on the pill and why that’s not normal

• Is ovulation induction a waste of time with HA? 

• Overcoming the fear of gaining all the weight back

• Why it’s unhealthy to restrict and overtrain during fertility treatment 

• The power of community for motivation in your recovery journey

• How to approach your fertility journey with confidence 

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Michelle is a Registered Dietitian with her Master's in Health Psychology. She is the owner/founder of Yates Nutrition with a mission to both treat and prevent eating disorders for women all over the world. Michelle ultimately leads women away from habits and behaviors which can be destructive, discouraging, and disordered and leads them to a healthy relationship with food, fitness, and their bodies. Michelle hosts Nourished & Free: The Podcast and lives in the Midwest with her husband, 2 kids, and cat.

In the Episode

• Does the field of dietetics set you up for developing an eating disorder?

• The overlap between restrictive EDs and binge eating

• The top things women who struggled with binging need to know 

• How perfectionism with food can drive binge eating 

• Understanding the clinical definition of Binge Eating Disorder (BED)

• The first steps to healing from BED and improving your relationship with food

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson

Renae lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with her husband, Trevor, and goldendoodle, Derby.

She works as a Physician Assistant in Dermatology and loves all things - SKIN.

Reane and her husband are currently pregnant with a baby boy, due in December 2024!

 

In this Episode:

• Can you recover from HA while doing IVF?

• The role proper nutrition can play in egg retrieval

• Creating safety in an over-stressed body

• Tracking recovery progress while using supplemental hormones

• Why many doctors will tell you to skip IUI

• Honesty is key when working with a fertility specialist

• How to make HA recovery a positive experience

• Overcoming the fear of gaining weight

Connect with Lindsey:

Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@‌food.freedom.fertility⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.foodfreedomandfertility.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Twitter: @lindseylusson