Rosa Power of Two Raw Sisters: RED-S, Eating Disorder Recovery, and Rebuilding Trust with Food and Body #11

Welcome back to The WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast 🤍Today I'm joined by the wonderful Rosa Power,  the other half of Two Raw Sisters, the New Zealand food and wellbeing brand she co-founded with her sister Margo. Together they've built five bestselling cookbooks, a podcast, cooking workshops around the country, and an app with hundreds of recipes that takes the overwhelm out of whole-food cooking and makes it feel genuinely accessible.Rosa was an elite athlete for eight years, specialising in the 3000m steeplechase, before her body (and her mental health) started to be challenged under the weight of overtraining and under-fuelling. By 18, she had the bone density of a 70-year-old, didn't get her period until she was twenty-one, and was navigating a diagnosis of RED-S (relative energy deficiency in sport) and an eating disorder, all while still in the thick of competing on the world stage.This episode is honest, hopeful, and deeply human. Rosa speaks with so much warmth and clarity about her challenges with food, her body and over-training, and her courageous recovery. I know her reflections will resonate well beyond the world of athletics, with all of us able to identify with parts of her inspiring journey.In this episode, we explore:✨ How Rosa’s love of running transitioned from a hobby into an obsession✨ Her RED-S diagnosis, what this meant for her body, and how she began her recovery journey ✨ The body comparison that's almost unavoidable in elite athletics and the “not good enough” thoughts she navigated✨ The rock-bottom moment that led to Rosa’s healing journey✨ Grieving the Olympics that didn't happen, reclaiming an identity outside of "the athlete," and how Two Raw Sisters became the next chapter✨ How pregnancy, postpartum, and motherhood gave Rosa a whole new appreciation for her body✨ The mindset shifts around food and movement she lives by nowTo see more of the wonderful Rosa Power and everything Two Raw Sisters has to offer, explore their app, cookbooks, and podcast at tworawsisters.com and follow along on Instagram @tworawsisters.Mentioned in this episode:Two Raw Sisters app — over 850 recipes, search by ingredients, filter for dietary needs, take the decision fatigue out of cookingThe WHOLEistic Psychology Podcast episode with Margo Flanagan — Rosa's sister Margo on chronic illness, identity, and food as part of her healing (the companion episode to this one)RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) — an under-recognised but very common condition in female athletes, affecting hormones, bone density, and overall energy availabilityThe role of a multidisciplinary recovery team — endocrinologist, nutritionist, psychologist, physio, and family — in supporting recovery from RED-S and disordered eatingWant even more WHOLEistic Psychology? Here's where to find more support and resources:Website & Client Enquiries Learn more about WHOLEistic Psychology and my fantastic team HERE.Join the Newsletter My monthly(ish!) newsletter curated for you to show you all about mind-body wellness, through psychological tools, recipes, research and more! JOIN HEREBlog Take a read of my thoughts and learnings I want to share with you. READ HERE.