Welcome to my channel! I'm Sarah Liz King, an accredited exercise physiologist and recovery coach. I've personally overcome an eating disorder and hypothalamic amenorrhea, and now I'm here to support you on your own recovery journey.
In my weekly videos, I provide valuable insights and guidance to help you navigate eating disorder recovery, regain your period, and develop a healthier relationship with food, exercise, and your body. I cover topics such as intuitive eating, body image, food freedom, and more.
Join me every Wednesday and Sunday for new videos packed with practical tips and empowering advice. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button and turn on notifications, so you never miss out!
For additional support and information about my coaching programs, courses, and resources, visit my website: www.sarahlizking.com
Let's embark on this journey together towards healing and reclaiming our lives. Remember, recovery is possible, and I'm here to guide you every step of the way.
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Please I want to know if the coffee is not good for us(hypothalamic amenorrhea)especially during the recovery journey!!!
As long as coffee is not replacing food (for example only having coffee as "breakfast") then it won't impact recovery when you have it in moderation.
Can you share which episode you mentioned at the end that you would link to in regards to feeling more fatigued after you start resting more?
It's this episode here: holistichealthradio.libsyn.com/83-why-am-i-so-tired-all-the-time-reasons-for-fatigue-in-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-recovery
Thank you for this episode! Very helpfull (as always! 🥰). Do you have any advice, how to combine HA recovery with irregular lifestyle- I am a nurse so I work 12h shifts (day and night). I know that sleeping and resting is very important but it is not possible for me right now to have regular routine...😔 xx💙
I think this is a GREAT topic to cover in general. So many people have to do shift work so I think it might be helpful to do a whole episode on it. Thanks for the inspiration and hopefully I can get this one out in the next few weeks.
@@sarahlizking 🥰
Very useful insights, thank you 🥰
You're welcome!
I think i might have an ed but i dont want to admit it. My period is nowhere to be seen for a few months now and my bmi is 17.6 but it's been hard to stop cutting calories and tbh, i want help but i dont want to go back to my old weight or lose the control i feel from controling everything i put into my mouth. What should i do :(?
I know how hard it can be to feel trapped with disordered eating. Reach out and get support if you can. In Australia, the Butterfly Foundation, Eating Disorders Victoria, and Beyond Blue have great resources or seeing your GP is a great place to start. Don't give up hope! Recovery is possible.
Thank you so much for posting on KZread again!! 🙏🏼🙌🏼 🫶🏼 You have the best podcast ❤ Please please please continue to post more episodes 🥺🙏🏼🙌🏼
Awww thank you so much! It's good to be back again making podcasts.
Aaaa love this 🤍🤍 . I’m so happy I can listen to you again and that you feel so much better. Thanks for shearing
Thank you for being here!
Read the title and felt like this is me. Thank you for sharing.
Gosh it's so common isn't it! Burnout is everywhere.
Is it okay if I hit the calorie target, feeling energised and never hungry, but do more a protein and fat rich diet? Not at all low carb, I have oats and pasta / potatoes every day, but it’s maybe just 40% of my diet… 🥺🙏🏻❤️
Thank you so much for this comment! Unfortunately I cannot give personalised nutrition recommendations on social media.
Is HA the same as PCOS?
Nope they are very different! I have a 3 part podcast series on this if you go back to episode 65 of Holistic Health Radio on Spotify or Apple iTunes
Hii! I have a question. I have been watching your videos for a long time, and they are very helpful. But still, I don't have my period back... Today, I believe I got a breakthrough, my own idea as to what could be a possible stressor. And that's cold showers. I just love cold showers so much for the way they increase my ability to focus, my discipline, makes me feel literally so good... But I do think that i never used to take cold showers EVER before like a few years ago.. I had my periods then, and i generally always felt too hot instead of cold. Possibly it reduces blood flow to my female organs too? Anyways, do you think it's something that could be a powerful factor and i should quit cold showers and switch to warm-hot?
Stress can be a factor but the biggest form of stress your body usually experiences during HA is from under eating, too much exercise or psychological stress. I'm not sure of any cold water therapy research in the context of HA so it would be hard for me to comment on this specifically!
I discovered you few days ago and I'm so happy because I finally know from where I am to where to go. God bless you ❤❤❤
What a wonderful episode! Love hearing about lived experience and how unique it is for every person but so relatable! Can also relate to feeling invalidated in my body size and even have had people say I was exaggerating or lying based on how I looked. Thank you for sharing your story! A coach has been invaluable for me!
So glad you loved the episode! Thank you for sharing your experience as well. A body size should never be the reason we feel we cannot ask for the help we know we deserve.
So what’s an ideal breakfast look like? I really struggle with this.
I like using the plate by plate method! So around half your plate or bowl would be grains/starches, then add protein, some colour with fruits and some healthy fats. One of my faves is a big yoghurt bowl with fruit, granola, seeds and peanut butter.
Is a thick slice of bread (around 100 grams) with a lot of butter, liverpaste, slices of ham and some pickles and tomato a good start? ☺️ always trying to eat within an hour after waking up and the eating every second hour through the day around 2500 calories 🤗 usally take A walk after b-fast with my daughter (ivf)
@@jenniferjacobsson8639 that sounds like a yummy combination! Sweet or savoury options are both perfect for breakfast.
I am a busy mom with two kids and have always had irregular cycles. I am naturally high stress and always on the move. I had my last cycle almost 3 months ago…I have made sure to eat high protein meals 3 times a day including snacks. Could stress play a role in regaining regular cycles? And what should I do? I feel like I don’t have an unhealthy relationship with food…but stress might be influencing me at this point.
Stress can be a HUGE factor. I'd look at my podcast Holistic Health Radio and also my website blog where I have episodes on stress. Eating protein rich meals is also great but make sure you're balancing your plate to get enough carbs and healthy fats too so you are getting enough energy in to meet your body's needs.
I feel like my case is unique because I never had a ED, nor was I ever big into exercise…in fact I don’t really do anything at all. Should I be incorporating movement as part of my routine? I also saw your breakfast recommendation about the yogurt, do you think milk yogurt is fine?
God bless you😊you are One of best recovery Expert here on KZread and IG ❤ thankyouuuu so much and ciaoooo from Roma
thank you so much for the kind words! So glad you are finding these videos helpful
This has come to Me at the right time! I hope anyway!
So glad to hear it! There's a stack more episodes that will hopefully give you some helpful advice as well so have a look at those too
do you know about gen-polymorphisms like slow-comt, mthfr.....vdr...? i have them and they interferer with hypothalamus and production of hormones. i would like to hear your opinion.
i was anorexic with ocd around everything and now i am bmi 25 . i still have HA and i am very hungry. scientifically i would need to loose weight again, i rested very much but i have now large apetite. what would you do?
Your bodyweight is only one factor related to HA recovery. Other things like meal timing, exercise, and stress levels all play a part too!
Personally I’d say ignore the whole bmi issue, I’m in the same position, it’s so damaging to worry about your weight when the one thing you need to do to heal HA is eat regularly. Just make sure you’re eating healthy, and don’t over exercise to try and keep the weight down. Women are not meant to be super slim and/or super muscly; in order to have a baby (which is key as you don’t get a period if you don’t release an egg) you need to be nourished, rested and minimal stress. Your body will be on high alert for any signs of stress - not eating enough, overtraining and stressful life situations - which will keep you in HA longer. So relax and eat if you’re hungry. Good luck. Also meant to say you need fat to make sex hormones, so eat plenty of good fat which absolutely should contain animal fat, very healing and nourishing for our hormones.
Another great video, Sarah - thank you so much! What are your thoughts on a protein shake (with full-fat milk, say) as a snack? Is this only appropriate for someone who is physically active in recovery (doing more than just walking, eg. strength training)? Will it dampen my appetite/interfere with digestion etc.? Thank you :))
In general protein is still important! But making sure that energy intake is allowing for enough carbs and fats is something I recommend. So you'd probably need to add more of those to a smoothie to make it a good snack option
Sarah, this is amazing and so are you! #1 is sad in one way (b/fast is my favourite meal of the day so I postpone it until I'm actually hungry...far longer than 1 hour before waking, especially if I eat just before going to bed) but a transformative observation, on the other hand. I'm wondering what the maximum length of time between your last snack/meal before bed and then, eating b/fast is? Or does it not matter because regardless of the length of time you slept for or when your last meal/snack was (e.g. last meal was dinner at 6pm vs snacked at 2am before going to sleep), cortisol will be present when you wake up? Thank you sooo much 😄
Cortisol is the natural hormone that wakes you up and is the opposite of melatonin which puts you to sleep! When you're in a big energy deficit like when you have HA, the cortisol levels we see in individuals are slightly higher so the longer you go without eating when you wake up the more this cortisol hormone will hang around. Try not to get hung up on the length of time between your last meal/snack and when breakfast is as this is likely just another rule you need to break to get your period back!
3:25 9:00 11:00 you need to focus on eating enough food right now Eat enough 11:44 Go ahead and eat more. I encourage you to make sure that your body wants eating enough. Listen to your body. Fuel with whatever it needs whenever it needs. 11:55 And the key takeaway is nourish your body 11:58 Work on your relationship with food and yourself. Because a really fraught relationship with food will only add to the recovery period, staying in a state of hypothermic amenorrhea.
Amazing calcium is in greens and citric fruit. And best of all when eaten together ❤
Sarah - firstly, you are amazing and I gain so much for your videos. I would love your advice on something, when you get the chance, please :) I am super sporty and have struggled with HA on-off with for the past 7 years. Last year, a miracle happened - somehow, I finally managed to strike that food/exercise balance and even though I was training hard 6 days/week (run, swim, cycle, strength), my period was on fire and I was feeling the best I have ever felt I gained weight (rapidly) before my period came back. I can share more with you on how I managed this but basically, by doing a lot of what you suggest to do, except from the fact that sport is such a positive part of my life and it would have made me to sad to cut it out. I was actually training harder then ever and improving by the day! One thing I started doing was eating more non-filling processed carbs, eg. rice puddings, cereal bars, flavored milk, bread. I welcomed this weight-gain with open arms. The only uncomfortable part was that most of this weight fell around my waist. "Uncomfortable" in the sense that I had fat rolls when I sat down and my clothes were too tight, even though I was fitter and stronger than ever. This fat never really went away, until... I went through a very pressurized time and lost the bloody thing again😅It was nothing related to sport/food...for the first time ever lol. I'm determined to get it back again! I have cut cardio and am enjoying slow & controlled weight/resistance training. My BMI is "normal" but at the lower end. My appetite is small and this is what's making it hard to gain weight again. My question - I would really like to avoid gaining weight to my mid-section, this time. Why do you think that so much fat fell there last time? High cortisol (cardio sessions), the fact that I was eating much more sugar than before, the fact that I was eating more overall calories than before, the speed of my calorie increase or just the fact that HA was messing my body up? Can't wait to hear your thoughts, Sarah! Thank you soooooo much :DDDD
This is such a great question! And one that really requires a thoughtful and nuanced response. In essence we see this inverse relationship with low estrogen and higher waist circumference (as seen in women post-menopausally). Combine this with the body being under a lot of stress with HA and it's the perfect situation for centralised abdominal weight gain. It's a very common experience, but if you allow yourself to maintain regular periods and a good nutritional intake/balanced exercise routine then it's quite likely that you'll notice bodyfat redistribution over time (like 1 - 2 years rather than a few months). I know it might now be the answer you want to hear, but hopefully it helps!
@@sarahlizking Sarah, thank you so much for all of your time, efforts and thought in replying to me. So interesting - you have cleared things up for me hugely. This time, I won't be exercising so much during by recovery (I'm actually thinking of pausing my strength training for the next little while). I'm also trying to eat more nutritionally balanced and wholesome foods, rather than just throwing any sort of fast-absorbing carb in me (if my little appetite allows). I'll let you know if these 2 tweaks to my approach change the nature of weight-gain, this time. Regardless, I am getting ready to say "goodbye" to my tight waist and "hello" to ... my life....again 😁 Thank you so much, Sarah!
But is it necessary to stuff yourself so much and gain so much weight? Shouldn't we just eat a normal amount of food ensuring the proper nutrients instead of under eating which is kind of what caused it?
If you've under fuelled yourself for quite some time you might have created a significant energy debt. The activation energy to restart your period may be MORE than what is necessary to sustain it ongoing. Therefore a higher intake of energy might be necessary for a period of time.
I'm 22yo I do heavy lifting 5 days a week plus cardio for 3 years now. The last year I became obsessed with wanting to be skinny, but I also dont want to lose my muscle. So I have been eating almost 0 cabrs everyday, I was eating mostly just protein, and not even fats because I thought if I eat fats I will become fat. So I was mostly eating protein shakes, lean meats and some salads and all in a deficit about 1200cals/day which considering how much I exercise is like starving myself. 3 months later (Sept 2023) my 'period' started coming every 2 weeks, but actually I dont think Ive had a real period since then becasue its just barely spotting. Its so difficult for me to transition to exercising less and accept eating carbs again, I will also try eating high healthy fats. Thank you so much for this video, I think I have my answer
Does this type of amenorrhea cause your hormones to tank? My amenorrhea happened after the death of my momma 2 years ago. I was due for a cycle 4 days after she passed and it never came. It was an extremely traumatizing day for me after 5 years being her caregiver. The doctors just keep brushing me off. I was 32 years old.
This video is exactly what I needed in this moment in time!!! I haven’t had a period for 4 months now and it’s beginning to worry me a lot. I don’t want to go and see a doctor yet as that’s something I’d want to do as a last resort. I’m trying to focus on my nutrition and exercise for the last few weeks and trying to keep myself busy in order to stop overthinking as I feel as though that’s the cause of it. Thank you so much for sharing this informative video 👍🏿
Hello Sarah, Thank you for this detail podcast. I cannot believe how many of us have the same issue. I have been suffering from this condition since 2017 and no success yet! Tried HRT, keeping Thyroid on track nothing worked. These days I am eating well. Initially I went on high protein , greens, and 40g fats each day. diet but I recently discovered that if you eat high protein diet, then your body needs energy to break that down which in HA is a no no. Now I am working on high carb, moderate protein and at least 70g fats a day diet. Will surely post if this works but I know it will. Lots of love!! My question to you is, once your period came back, what was the routine you follow after that? Did you change your diet and exercise or that became a new normal. Thank you for your help. :) <3
I need a baby, l have had 3 kid,but bowl have any menstruation for 10 yrs now,,am 45 yrs of age.😢😢😢
Hi what do I do
Should i start taking pills birth control? Is it safe? Works?
this was helpful. What I find really hard is that all you youtubers talking about Ha all are really slim. Like oh no I gained 20 pounds but you are slim still and all lost that weight much harder for those that are bigger
That is so valid to say and I wholeheartedly agree that my thin privilege can make this less relatable. I'll try to diversify the guests I have on to bring more voices to a variety of experiences of HA.
I really appreciate your podcast I lost my period 6yrs ago after having my first born and am trying to get it back and concieve but ever since I met you I started eating more and though I have not seen it yet life is better now
so proud of you and glad to hear how much better life is for you now! Keep up with the changes, they do add up :)
Thank you! So you would not recommend those extreme diets such as Keto or Carnivore 😢? I am afraid of carbs but can eat a lot of meat 😂
I don't recommend cutting out carbs or following any diets that create rules around what/how to eat. I think it just creates unnecessary fear and perpetuates diet culture! If you are genuinely allergic or intolerant to something as diagnosed by a medical professional, then by all means you do not have to eat that food. Otherwise we should be focusing on making sure we work on including all foods into our diet and allowing ourselves to eat nutritious foods, but also enjoyable foods.
Great video
Thank you!
Sarah, do you think that light walking of about 1 hour or 45 minutes per day could be too much during recovery, especially if our job demands physical movement? It's the only way to destress, if we cut that off too it's going to be a lot harder mentally... :(
I can’t give specific personalised advice over KZread, but what I will say is that it’s incredibly important to start experimenting with other ways to destress. We create this belief system over time that walking may help us to feel better, but if it’s not available to us for any reason (for example, we’re too tired or sick or injured), we need to know we can destress in other ways AND not compensate with any food changes🩷
@@sarahlizking Great advice and of course you immediately got the point about not having to cut back on food if we can't do cardio for some reason! Thanks so much!
Hey, for HA recovery, it's suggested to go over 2500 calories. However I'm petite 5 foot tall...do i also need to have 2500 cals or above to get my periods back? I'm 17, with a history of ed... it's been sickening to see my cals going up...please reply to how i shoulf adjust my diet from now on. I'm looking to recover but falling back to my old habbits of restriction
Hi!!! I often find clients do need a considerable amount of calories if they have a history of disordered eating or an eating disorder. This is because restriction or over exercising can create a huge energy debt that we have to repay during recovery. There also might be an element of needing to weight restore. So I would start by focusing on regular eating FIRST then increase each meal/snack over time to be an adequate amount. If you find yourself reverting back to ED behaviours I would try to seek support so you have someone in your corner to help you through those difficult moments, like the recovery coaching we offer.
@@sarahlizking I've a dietician who has arranged me a weight gain meal plan. However I am not yet able to incorporate it in my diet... I'm too fearful to do that... thinking I'll gain weight significantly. However I know that it'll make my recovery longer...despite, I am still struggling due to the fear...could you make a video or suggest some tips on this psychological aspect of Ed! It'll help people like me more
@@iamlazy4886absolutely! You can also listen to my podcast Holistic Health Radio. I have several episodes on how to tackle the fear of weight gain. Episode 91 and also 174 are great ❤
@@sarahlizking alright coach! Looking forward to🩷 I'll do it today
sarah, I have just found you and cannot express how amazing you are - i am so grateful for you!! no pressure at all to answer this question but while we're on a similar theme, I thought I'd ask... My libido is definitely down and I am vaginally dry (apologies - maybe TMI!). That said, I still have an interest. I'm wondering if it's actually possible to have sex (oral and vaginal) when you have HA (like me, at the moment, unfortunately!)? Thank you SO much :D
there's absolutely no risk to having sex while you are recovering from HA if you are wanting to! That said because ovulation happens BEFORE your period, it's important to use barrier methods of protection to prevent pregnancy. Additionally using a water based lubricant can help with vaginal dryness.
Wow! Your story completely matches mine!
Oh my gosh really?! How are you going with your journey so far?
@@sarahlizking Yes, your journey about Uni and the stress - that was my trigger for feeling like i wasnt good enough and saw a physio who put me on a Type A blood type diet but i cut our carbs and it spiralled into restriction and excessive exercise.I went to an outpatient and got back my periods but the door reopened when i moved out of home and met my husband and gained weight and triggered back into rigidity with exercise and clean eating (living in Bondi made it feel normal!). So its been 7 years and Im now seeing a dietician to help me increase food and quit the gym to avoid temptation. So hoping my periods come soon, but it is hard to still eat and not try to restrict.
I have been told that osteopenia cannot be totally reversed, only to get better at some point! I am very happy for you! Ps sorry for mentioning it, I don't want this to be a trigger for the other girls... I don't know how many pounds you gained through your recovery, however, even though we cannot see your whole body in the video, you seem thin (and really beautiful!).
Everyone's response to treatment for osteopenia and osteoporosis is different, however, for a large majority of the clients I work with we see a significant improvement that occurs over several years. There are lots of components at play and I need to do an episode just on what I did to reverse my osteopenia, how long it took etc
@@sarahlizking That would be extremely helpful, thank you in advance!
Were you ever vegan bc the doctors promote these diets scared me to think meat causes disease
no I eat meat and animal products. I get low iron very easily so a vegan diet doesn't suit me.
And what if our work requires a lot of physical movement? Working as a waitress, I do a lot of kilometers every day... :( No chance of getting my period back? :(
definitely you can! I was a personal trainer while I was recovering so lots of time on my feet. You just have to factor this in when thinking about your energy requirements. And also taking more rest outside of work.
@@sarahlizking Thank you so much. Hoping... :(
Im back here to tell everyone that i lost ny period and struggle with it but after weight gain and rich diet i got it back and im a mom of 2 now😊
so amazing! Recovery is possible
Hii ! I am Louise, I am 20 yo. I had and orthorexia and deficit calorics for 7 months and I lost my periods. I am in recovery for 8 months and I still have days when I eat a lot ( 6 - 7000 k/cal). I took weight of course. How did you deal with your weight gain ?
@@sowhat. I didn’t take any coarse or count calories i just read that i had to gaint 8 to 12 kilos and that was my goal.. i gained around 10 and my period came every other month then became regular
@@OmgRazan Thank you for answering :)
@@sowhat. Omg that sounds exactly like me. Orthorexia and eating 1200 cals/day for a few months and I also lost my period. im 22 yo 5'4 135lbs I exercise 5 days a week intense heavy lifting workouts.. So Ive been slowly killing myself. I want my period back so Im gonna start eating carbs again, high healthy fats and eating more
I have missed my period for 6years now since I had my baby girl, its a lot of years I just can't take it anymore
It's completely possible to recover it. Don't lose hope!
Thank you so much for this podcast! I am currently going through exactly what you are describing and listen to you and your journey is very helpful ❤
You are not alone and help is always available
What if I’m 48 and haven’t had periods since I went off the pill at age 23
You may be moving towards peri-menopause at this stage but helpful to work with a gynecologist and endocrinologist who can help look after your health still. Making sure your bones are protected and you've got a healthy relationship with food is something we can work on at any life stage!
Are we going to create diabetes eating the fats with carbs
Thank you so much for this. Ive come to the realisation that if I plan to make a full recovery I need to honour my cravings and stop counting calories.
So proud of you! These changes are tough but ultimately so life changing ❤