You Are Not Eating Enough For The Results You Expect

The Hidden Risks of Under Fueling: Why Eating More Boosts Results In this episode, Didi dives into the often-overlooked impact of under fueling on women's health, performance, and hormonal balance. She emphasizes the importance of energy availability and shares practical insights for women striving to optimize their results through better nutrition. Key Topics: The connection between energy availability and hormonal health in women How under fueling manifests as stress and impacts performance The relationship between restricted eating, nutrient deficiencies, and health issues like anemia and menstrual irregularities The importance of understanding true calorie intake versus perceived intake How fear of eating more creates a cycle of restriction and anxiety Personal stories of switching from restrictive diets to intuitive eating and its mental health benefits Practical advice on experimenting with increased calorie intake and rest to see positive changes The significance of tracking symptoms and understanding your body's signals during refeeding Mismatch between high activity levels and inadequate nutrition in women in fitness and competitive sports Timestamps: 00:00 - Why under fueling is a hidden risk for women's health and performance 00:31 - The impact of high activity with low energy intake on hormones 00:54 - How under fueling disguises itself as discipline and stress response 01:18 - The cycle of restriction, overeating, and nutrient deficiency 01:47 - Red blood cell breakdown, anemia, and recovery challenges 02:12 - How emotional disconnect from the body worsens health issues 02:32 - The distorted perception of calorie intake in active women 02:50 - The volume and density mismatch in food and activity levels 03:18 - How disordered eating distorts perception of fueling and output 03:42 - Brain's survival mechanism and its role in injury and sleep issues 04:05 - The broad impact of chronic under eating, including on thyroid and menstrual health 04:26 - The importance of aligning input with activity to prevent health consequences 04:48 - The feedback loop between low thyroid and menstrual irregularities 05:12 - Focus on what your body needs rather than what you remove 05:29 - The role of anxiety and overthinking in eating behaviors 05:58 - Challenging the resistance to eating more for better results 06:22 - Personal story of transitioning from restrictive eating to intuitive eating 06:50 - How unconditional permission to eat can be an act of self-love 07:18 - The mental health benefits of weight gain and hormonal balance 07:40 - Releasing control reduces nervous system stress and improves performance 08:07 - Strategic eating increases glycogen, performance, and progress 08:30 - Encouragement to experiment with higher calories and rest periods 09:10 - Allowing cycles to reveal true health impacts, typically over three cycles 09:40 - Tracking symptoms to understand your body's response 10:25 - Connecting with bodily signals like pain and mobility for injury prevention 11:06 - Addressing the mismatch of activity levels vs. nutritional intake in women 11:49 - Reflecting on the language of nutrition—shifting from calories to energy availability 12:16 - Final encouragement to prioritize healthy, regulated, and sustainable habitsResources & Links: Intuitive Eating by Elyse Resch and Evelyn Tribole Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S) Connect with Didi: Instagram Website