181. My Journey With Nutrition + Athletics: Part 1 with Lindsey Cortes, RDN

Trigger warning: this episode talks explicitly about disordered eating behaviors, calories, and other numbers that other people might find triggering. Feel free to give this episode a pass, or ask a trusted person to check this episode out before you.  This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition podcast is the first in a 2-part episode series about me! After almost 4 years of weekly podcasts, we have a lot of listeners who probably don’t know my story, so here it is! Today, I dive into my beginnings with nutrition as a young gymnast and track athlete, who became obsessed with food as a means to be healthier for my sport and control my body. As we’ve heard before, this was a slippery slope into RED-S and an eating disorder that led to multiple injuries and illnesses, delayed puberty and amenorrhea. Obsessed with food, counting calories and macros, I studied nutrition in college, and this fuelled my eating disorder. Growing up I was known as “little Lindsey” and I fixated on this identity, attempting to control my body through exercise, purging, and restriction. I share about my struggles accepting weight changes, especially during times of injury and illness. Ultimately, years of underfueling and over-exercising prevented me from reaching my athletic potential as an NCAA Division 1 athlete, and led me to mental and physical burnout. This exhaustion was the catalyst for my recovery, and I started exploring nutrition in a healthy way, fueling my body properly and finding intuitive eating. Stay tuned for Part 2 next week in episode 182! TOPIC TIMESTAMPS: 1:15 Introducing this 2-part episode series on my story  4:50 My early nutrition and body story: youth gymnastics, calorie counting, diet culture  13:00 Studying nutrition in college 18:45 Puberty and primary amenorrhea, and an ovarian tumor 21:30 An ovarian tumor and health struggles; impacts on athletics, weight, and eating 26:45 Amenorrhea in athletes; birth control and periods   29:00 Disordered eating and weight concerns as a college athlete 34:35 Injuries and illness from underfueling  36:00 Weight gain reactions: over-exercising and purging  38:35 Recovering from disordered eating and over-exercising 41:10 Finding distance running and sports nutrition in a healthy way 43:00 Further challenges with body composition, fueling, and injuries 45:00 Making peace with food and body changes; re-entry into competitive sports 50:00 Starting my business Rise Up Nutrition; learning from my struggles  Follow me, your host Lindsey Cortes, @female.athlete.nutrition  Support the podcast with a financial contribution: https://www.patreon.com/femaleathletenutrition   New Website Coming SOON! Join our email list to be notified!: https://riseupnutrition.activehosted.com/f/6  THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp  Previnex: https://www.previnex.com/ use code RISEUP for 15% off at checkout InsideTracker: www.insidetracker.com use code LINDSEYCPRO25 for 25% off the entire store  THIS PODCAST IS ALSO SUPPORTED BY: Orgain, head to www.orgain.com and use the code RISEUP30 for 30% off your first order. Repeat customers can use the code OA2203 for 25% off future orders. Practice Better Click the link below to view plans and get a 14-day free trial. Then use the code RISEUP20 for 20% off your first 4 months: https://practicebetter.grsm.io/runp Jen & Keri: https://jenandkeri.com/ use code RISEUP10 for $10 off your order