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 
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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