A Body Running on Cortisol: Overtraining, Amenorrhoea & the Protocol That Got Ella Pregnant

In this episode of Below Her Surface, Lily sits down with long-time client and friend Ella Iskander: founder of a fast-growing content and marketing agency, and someone who spent the better part of a decade overtraining, undereating, and running on cortisol while her body quietly shut down the systems that matter most.This conversation moves beyond surface-level wellness and pulls back the curtain on what chronic overtraining and undereating actually does to a woman's hormones and what it takes to reverse it.In this episode, Lily and Ella explore:Not having a cycle and thinking it was fine. Why young women normalise amenorrhoea, when that stopped being okay, and what hitting breaking point actually looked like.Fight or flight as a lifestyle. How overtraining, undereating, and chronic stress compounded into a body that couldn't regulate, sleep, or function.Twelve years of calorie tracking. What finally broke it, why an overseas trip felt lighter than home, and the relationship between head noise and body composition.Why nutrients can't outwork a calorie deficit. The iodine, B12, iron problem: what you're actually doing when you optimise micronutrients on an insufficient base.Pre-conception blood work as standard. Why Lily insists on full visibility before conception, and what that process looked like for Ella.Pregnancy nutrition myths. What maintenance calories actually look like, why most women aren't hitting them, and why "eating for two" is not the brief.Training through pregnancy. Going from five to six sessions a week to four, learning to use rest days, and what recovery actually produces.Building a business that moves fast. From corporate media agency to running her own marketing studio and elevated merch label.Family and ambition together. Why pregnancy gave Ella more drive, not less, and what she'd say to women who think they have to choose.The north star: a body that couldn't conceive isn't a broken body. It's one that needed the right protocol, not more willpower.Ella IskanderInstagram:⁠ @ella.iskanderConnect with LilyInstagram:⁠ @lilycook⁠⁠Apply to work with Lily⁠Disclaimer:The content in this episode is for educational purposes and reflects the clinical experience of the host and guest. It is not a substitute for individualised medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified practitioner before making changes to your nutrition, training, or medication.