Holistic Health Radio

Welcome back! This week Elyse Lawry and I get a little personal as we share the biggest mistakes we made in our recovery journeys.  We go over the mistakes we made with regard to stress management, mindset, body image, exercise, and diet, and how you can avoid making the same ones during your own HA recovery. ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out details and sign up here: https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/ ❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking out our signature coaching program, Recover and Thrive. ❤️ Work with me and my team to improve your relationship with food and exercise by heading to www.sarahlizking.com and filling out the contact form. ❤️ If you enjoyed this episode please leave a 5⭐️ review and share a screenshot on Instagram by tagging myself @sarahlizking 

Today on the show I’m joined by dietitian, nutritionist, and Credentialed Eating Disorder Clinician Georgia Hexter. She provides a compassion filled, non-judgmental space for clients to explore challenges with food, eating and body image, and is committed to collaborating with her clients to help them meet their goals.  Georgia follows a non-diet, Health at Every Size approach, and assists clients to listen to and respect their body’s hunger and fullness signals to foster calm, mindful and intuitive eating experiences. Outside of work, Georgia enjoys spending time with loved ones, her greyhound Poppy, and creating recipes. She also loves watching reality TV (Kardashians and Real Housewives), and is continuing to practice downtime/non-productive, enjoyable activities.  In this podcast episode Georgia and I discuss the connection between ADHD and eating disorders including: What is ADHD and what are the signs/symptoms people can look out for? How ADHD affects eating behaviours? If there certain eating disorder

Jennifer Edmonds knows first hand the journey to motherhood isn't always linear. After marrying the love of her life, Jennifer decided to stop hormonal contraception as she and her partner were ready to start a family. But her period never returned. She was told by doctors to wait it out and give it a few more months, but her missing period did not come back. Jennifer saw countless specialists who gave little insight into why her periods were MIA, so at age 35 she decided to go down the route of IVF to try to conceive her first baby. This episode follows Jennifer's journey to motherhood through the ups and downs of IVF, the impact of lifestyle factors on fertility (something she wish she knew earlier), her experience with miscarriage, the turning point when she found fertility yoga, and the miracle of pregnancy after loss. You can connect with Jennifer through her social media and website below: Instagram: @jen.elementpilatesyoga Tiktok: @elementpilatesyoga Website: www.elementpilatesyoga.com ❤️ Ready to get

During recovery, weight restoration or weight gain is an inevitable byproduct of working towards food freedom, and a regular menstrual cycle. However, the fear of weight gain is usually one of the biggest obstacles that hold many of our clients back from fully embracing the process of change.  The fear of weight gain usually encompasses worries of not knowing how much weight they might need to gain, what will their body look like, or what will other people think. All of the above fears are completely valid and are a shared experience during recovery for all of us. But in addition to gaining weight, many of us also frequently discover that doing so brings about a host of other advantages and freedoms that improve our quality of life. So, you’ve gained weight… but what else have you also gained in the process?  Today Elyse and I touch on 8 core benefits that come alongside weight gain. We hope that this episode will encourage you to view your recovery through a lens wider than simply putting on weight. It may e

The need for control is a double edged sword. On the one hand, the more we know about the world, the safer we feel. Conversely, the less we know the more uneasy and scared we feel. Thus the need for control is deeply rooted in fear and those exact fears will be different for everyone. Today I’m going to discuss: Why eating disorders perpetuate a need for control How attempts to exert control often negatively impact our lives Understanding the different facets of control and how these show up in eating disorders What can be gained by letting go of control How to start letting go of control so you can recover and reclaim your life ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out details and sign up here: https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/ ❤️ Take the next steps towards full recovery by checking ou

Today on the podcast I'm overjoyed to share Gem Woods' real recovery story with you. Gem’s recovery story has taken 10 years to write its self. And a 10 Year journey to find herself. After years of restrictive and bingeing behaviour, her periods stopped when Gem added a new love of intense exercising, with the addition of practicing bikram yoga, alongside a new vegan and gluten free diet. Gem had lost some weight, but she looked well and ate really healthy. Her doctor did her bloods and found she had Hypothyroidism. For a few years this was the excusable reason her missing periods. It took another 7 years of investigating, seeing specialist, trying everything from acupuncture, Bowen therapy to reiki, to extensive research of HA, to then finding Sarah, and her well designed HA recovery course. In this episode Gem and I discuss: Her relationship with food growing up and how this shifted after a moment of shame  How she struggled through her teens with bingeing and restricting The biggest struggles she faced in

Today on the podcast I’m joined by Alex Rodriguez, an accredited practicing dietitian and eating disorder recovery advocate based in Brisbane, Australia. Combining his own lived experience and passion to pursue a career in the eating disorder field, Alex aims to help and inspire others on their recovery journeys. In today’s episode Alex and I discuss his own eating disorder recovery journey, the impact of unrealistic body standards on men, the biggest myths that perpetuate unhelpful beliefs about eating disorders, and what it’s like working as a dietitian in the field now he has reached full recovery. You can follow Alex on Instragram @arod_dietitian ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out details and sign up here: https://sarahlizking.com/healing-ha/ ❤️ Take the next steps towards full rec

We're here with a bit of a contraversial topic today so I'm gonna start this off with a content warning: in this episode we discuss alcohol and its impacts on recovery, as well as ensuring you have a safe and healthy relationship with alcohol. If you find this topic triggering in any way please skip this episode and tune back in next week. During this podcast Elyse and I discuss: Signs you may have a strained relationship with alcohol from disordered eating point of view Should you consume alcohol if it's just "empty calories" The drunkorexia phenomenon of consuming alcohol in place of calories from food Like food restriction, how the restriction of alcohol in the short term may lead to cycles of binge drinking later on Is it actually safe to consume alcohol in eating disorder or hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery? What does a safe and moderate amount of alcohol look like? How both alcohol and malnutrition impact the body and liver function in different ways The link between excessive alcohol consumption and m

If you've ever struggled with a rigid or compulsive exercise, it can be hard to imagine a life where your workouts feel fun, and work around your schedule instead of dictating it. Well, the good news is you CAN get there.  Today's podcast highlights 7 key elements that underpin a healthy relationship with exercise so you know exactly what you need to be working towards when you're going through eating disorder, disordered eating or hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery. In this episode my co-host Elyse and I discuss: Why flexibility with your workout routine in so important and how this looks in real life How to let go of exercise you hate and focus on workouts you love Ways of identifying if exercise is fitting into your life or ruling your life and dictating your schedule Why you should make functionality related goals when it comes to working out What a health-at-every-size and non-diet approach to exercise actually looks like  How to stop using exercise to earn or burn off the food you've eaten What to do if

Today I'm joined again by the delightful Isabel Dawkes to discuss all things meal plans: what they are, as well as why, when how we use them to help individuals in recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea, eating disorders and disordered eating. In this episode we chat through: What is a meal plan? How many meals and snacks should be included in your meal plan? Common traps people fall into when eating from a meal plan How often a meal plan should be updated? How long a meal plan should be used for when recovering from an eating disorder, disordered eating or hypothalamic amenorrhea? A step-by-step guide on how to transition off a meal plan towards more intuitive eating How to rebuild trust and confidence in your body's natural hunger and fullness cues Tips to ensure you eat adequately after transitioning off a meal plan If it's ever helpful to go back on a meal plan after transitioning off of one Be sure to follow Isabel on Instagram @isabeldawkes_health For all details on our support programs and to book a

When it comes to hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery, there is a lot of emphasis that gets placed on eating enough and reducing exercise, but what about the impact of stress?  Both psychological stress and physical stress can both cause and be a consequence of hypothalamic amenorrhea. In today's episode we discuss: How stress causes hypothalamic amenorrhea Whether stress is a contributing factor to your missing period The different types of stress out there and how they show up in your life The scientific pathways on how stress and stress hormones affect your sex hormones and menstrual cycle The interplay between anxiety and hypothalamic amenorhhea recovery What to do if you think stress is the cause of your missing period Ways to manage your stress during hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery ❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image" ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic

Today I’m joined with Isabel Dawkes, a Registered Nutritional Therapist specialising in disordered eating and women’s health conditions such as PCOS, endometriosis and hypothalamic amenorrhea. Her previous life as chef and love of food is what inspired her to pursue further studies to help others discover that food can be both nutritious as well as enjoyable and delicious. In this episode we’re chatting all about the differences between binge eating, emotional eating and overeating. In today's podcast we discuss: Isabel's past as a private chef and her current work in the eating disorder recovery space What binge eating actually is and the differences between a subjective and objective binge The signs and symptoms of binge eating disorder The difference between unconditional permission to eat and binge eating Why emotional eating isn't inherently bad Positive and negative emotional eating Building a toolbox of strategies to overcome binge eating or emotional eating The definition of overeating and why or whe

This week we're expanding on a question received in the weekly Q&A's both myself and Elyse do on our Instagram which is "why should I recover my period if I don't want to get pregnant? What are the benefits of having a menstrual cycle other than fertility?" We thought it was an amazing topic to expand upon which is why we're dedicating an entire episode to it! In today's podcast Elyse and I discuss: How regaining your cycle can improve your bone health What amount of bone you may be able to build back after HA recovery if you have osteopenia or osteoporosis The role estrogen plays in cardioprotection and our overall heart health The impact regaining your period can have on your libido, sexual health and pleasure How recovering from HA and regaining your period will lead to better bladder function (so you're not peeing all the time!) Brain boosting effects of estrogen and how this promotes better energy and concentration Why regaining your period can also mean more gains in the gym through improved muscul

Today I’m joined by Athina Crilley, Biochemistry graduate, copywriter, and host of her own podcast Finding my Flo (which I was lucky enough to be a guest on). Having gone through her own journey of HA recovery, Athina now uses her platform and podcast to empower women to become the happiest, healthiest versions of themselves by making positive changes in their lives. Today on the podcast we chat through Athina’s relationship with food and exercise, how this changed over time, when she figured out she had HA and how she navigated through her recovery journey. Follow Athina on Instagram @findingflopodcast ❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image" ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out de

In a society that always encourages a “more is better” attitude when it comes to working out, today I want to touch on exercise myths that are holding you back in recovery and with your relationship with exercise in general. Now, I want to start out by saying that exercise is beneficial. It improves our mental and physical wellbeing, but this should not come at the cost of you feeling guilty for taking a day off or stressed if your work schedule changes and you can’t train that day. Having more realistic standards for your workouts is key to not only finding better balance in recovery, but maintaining a lifelong healthy relationship with exercise that allows you to adjust what you’re doing based on how you feel, your schedule, your availability to the exercise you want to do and so much more. Reaching this point where exercise takes up the relevant amount of time, energy and brain space is completely possible, but normally the first step is to unlearn a whole lotta different myths that are rooted in diet and

Today I’m joined by Kat John, an authenticity coach, speaker and soon to be author who inspires every around her to powerfully manage the thoughts in their head so they can channel their energy into giving fks where they matter most. In today's episode Kat tells her incredibly powerful story of how she overcame incredible pain through the power of meditation and how this simple tool gave her the ability to navigate unhelpful thoughts and unlock the powerful person within. During this podcast Kat and I discuss: Her story of chronic pain and when meditation came into her life Using her "why" to keep going when doubt started to creep in What the "ego" is and how to identify it Learning to listen to your healthy self and how to strengthen that internal voice Easy ways to get started with a meditation practice  How to let go of the "people pleaser" mentality How to develop a healthy relationship with yourself through a meditation practice and self-enquiry Follow Kat John on Instagram @kat.john and find out more

If you’re on tiktok you might have come across this trend of women struggling and openly speaking about their digestive issues under the hashtag “hot girls have IBS”. While this might seem innocuous and even a great way for individuals to speak openly about their pain, discomfort and the stigma associated with uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, constipation and diarrhoea, there’s also an insidious side that I want to discuss today which is the fact that eating disorders and disordered eating often go hand in hand with digestive concerns. Namely, is this trend harmful in normalising disordered eating behaviours, such as cutting out or demonising food groups? Additionally, if someone is struggling with digestive issues, how do they navigate those symptoms and get the help they need without falling down a diet culture rabbit hole. In this episode I’m going to discuss: How common digestive disorders are in those struggling with eating disorders Why digestive concerns occur in those with eating disorders, diso

Sabine McKenzie is a CCI recovery coach supporting individuals on their journey to full recovery by assisting clients with the practical aspects of recovery like tackling food fears, shopping, re-establishing a healthy relationship with movement and so much more. Today she joins us on the podcast to discuss how to identify and overcome comparison in recovery and what to do if you notice disordered behaviours of those around you. In this episode we cover: Why comparison can be problematic when working on recovery from an eating disorder, disordered eating or hypothalamic amenorrhea Sneaky ways comparison can show up in recovery How comparison impacts recovery and your ability to stay true to your own goals and needs Helpful and practical strategies for navigating and overcoming the comparison trap in recovery Plus Sabine shares some tips on what to do if you notice others around you have disordered behaviours, how to navigate diet and body talk, as well as her best advice for those currently going through rec

Today’s podcast is all about unpacking the statement “listen to your body” because it’s a phrase thrown around on social media by health influencers, people in the recovery space and those who promote intuitive eating. But what does it actually mean? And how do you truly listen to your body? In this episode I’m going to go through: What “listening to your body means” How to tune into your body’s cues and respond to them  Why we often struggle with listening to what our body needs When “listening to your body might” might be a food or exercise rule in disguise ❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also receive a FREE copy of my eBook "31 Ways to Boost Your Body Image" ❤️ Ready to get your period back? Join the next round of Healing Hypothalamic Amenorrhea! This 8-week, hybrid group and 1:1 coaching program is designed to help you recover your period while improving your relationship with food, exercise and your body. Find out details and sign up here: https://sarahlizkin

During recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea or disordered eating, you often have to eat mechanically rather than intuitively in order to heal your relationship with food, regain your menstrual cycle and help your body restore all its body systems back to an optimal level. But what do you do after this? How do you go from following a meal plan or structured approach fuelling your body to a more intuitive approach? What does normal eating look like and how do you know you’re there? In this podcast I’m going to cover all of this and more. By the end of this episode you’ll understand: What is normal eating? The principles of intuitive eating is and how to incorporate it into your recovery The principles of intuitive eating that are overly focused on How to navigate hunger and fullness Signs you’re ready to begin eating more intuitively How to move away from a meal plan towards and incorporate a more flexible approach to eating ❤️ Join my newsletter list for weekly motivation and inspiration and you'll also rec