Episodes
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This week on the pod I’m sharing some REAL tips on how you can enjoy your holiday season completely free from the urge to binge.
I know it might sound too good to be true, and you’ve probably already tried a million things to not act on the urge to binge.
My approach is different.
It’s not about finding ways to NOT eat when that urge hits.
It’s about getting to the root cause and eliminating the urge all together.
If you started binge eating after losing weight or getting fit - this episode is for you.
The 7 tips are:
#1: Start disordered eating recovery NOW (this is going to involve actually acknowledging you HAVE disordered eating and that the solution is not to just “have more willpower”)
In the podcast episode - I define what recovery means in depth. But basically, it involves 3 steps:
Letting go of control over your weight Giving yourself permission to eat Giving yourself permission to rest#2: Implement a mental health morning routine
I recommend:
5-10 minutes of mindfulness meditation to ground your mind and body.
Writing out any thoughts that are causing anxiety or guilt around food and reframing them to statements that feel more true, compassionate or aligned with how you WANT to feel.
#3: Eat consistently throughout your day - don’t skip meals
3 meals, 2 snacks, starchy carb/protein/fat in each of them, eating something within 1-2 hours of waking and going to bed, and eating every 2-3 hours throughout the day are good places to start.
#4: Expect uncomfortable fullness in the beginning - that’s normal.
Your mental hunger is going to be higher than what your physical stomach is used to, these cues will regulate over time as you continue to honor your hunger and cravings.
#5: Stop body checking - hide the scale, cover the full length mirrors, peel yourself away from the mirror
#6: Focus on physical self-care behaviors like prioritizing sleep, moisturizing your skin, and creating an ambience of cozy/calm in your home
#7: Open up to your trusted and loving family and friends about what’s going on with you and the process you are following
More details in the episode itself + supportive free resources in the show notes!
Hope this helps and sending lots of love.
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Learn more about my group program + fill out an application: bit.ly/normaleater
✨ Watch my free class - How I Stopped Binge Eating: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating
✨ Free meal guide: bit.ly/bprmealplan
✨ Free workbook: bit.ly/ekfreeguide
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This was my story and I’ve heard it HUNDREDS of times from women I’ve worked with over the years:
You grow up feeling obsessed or insecure about your body.
You lose weight (usually through an intentional fitness/weight loss journey but sometimes due to illness, grief or a traumatic event).
You experience an INFLUX of compliments and you LOVE what you see in the mirror.
You become *anxiously attached* to this result…your subconscious mind says: “I MUST KEEP MY BODY LOOKING THIS WAY. AT. ALL. COSTS.”
❗This is the moment❗
You start restricting food to the point of ignoring your human needs.
➡️ Physical needs - hunger cues/cravings
➡️ Emotional needs - connecting with others over food
➡️ Mental needs - enjoying food for pleasure, honoring cravings, feeling flexibility and freedom in what you can eat
Symptoms start developing as the body’s (smart) way of trying to get its needs met:
Constant food thoughts
Extreme hunger/cravings
Binge urges
Missing periods
Slowed digestion (constipation, bloat)
If you can relate to this story and are experiencing these symptoms now…play with me for a sec.
🪄 Let’s turn back time and consider an alternate reality with the same original circumstances:
You learn healthy coping skills to deal with your body image issues.
You get into fitness and make some conscious changes to your diet *without* restricting in an unhealthy way.
You lose fat and build muscle.
You experience the flood of compliments and the pride in how your body looks.
The voice comes in: “WE MUST KEEP THIS BODY AT ALL COSTS”, but this time…
…it’s no longer so intense.
And you’re AWARE of it.
Your CONSCIOUS (smart, higher brain) comes in and says:
“We hear you - AND we need to still meet our needs.”
“Our bodies will be exactly what they’re supposed to be when we are taking care of our needs.”
“Anything that would require us to sacrifice mental or physical health is not truly going to bring us health/happiness and is not sustainable.”
“I will accept wherever my body ends up when I’m meeting my needs and I understand these things will change with time.”
You may practice *restraint* around food to try to maintain your physique…but it does not lead to restriction.
You:
Continue to honor hunger cues
Continue to honor strong desires for food, and pull back when cravings are not as strong
Don’t obsess or stress over eating socially or spontaneous eating experiences because you know these are non negotiables for your life
Negative symptoms DON’T develop because your body and mind feel safe.
You don’t think about food between meals.
Your hunger and cravings ebb and flow but don’t feel intense most of the time.
Urges to binge do not develop.
Periods remain normal.
Digestion remains healthy.
And you proceed on your merry way to enjoying a full life feeling confident in your skin and at peace around food 💃🏼.
✨ YOU CAN STILL GET TO THIS PLACE NOW ✨
You can effectively turn back time by letting go of restriction and healing your relationship with food and body image.
It’s been an honor to help hundreds of women get here over the last 5 years, and I’ve done it myself.
To learn more about all of this, listen to this episode!
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Learn more about my group program + apply: bit.ly/normaleater
✨ Watch my free class - How I Stopped Binge Eating: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating
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Episodes manquant?
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Stephanie Buttermore is a fitness influencer who in 2019, popularized going “All In”.
She’d spent years tracking macros, cutting and bulking, and working to be as lean and muscular as possible.
But she was struggling with extreme hunger, irregular periods, and constant thoughts about food.
The “All In” approach, for her, meant eating to complete satiety, every meal.
Eating to satiety means eating until you feel completely content. You genuinely don’t want to eat anything else.
Stephanie Buttermore did this for several months and at the beginning was eating over 5000 calories per day.
Her Youtube videos showed her VERY physically full, with a distended belly…but feeling satisfied and like she actually could stop thinking about food between meals.
She gained weight rapidly in the beginning, then hit a plateau a few months in, and about a year later seemed to lose some body fat naturally.
If you’re struggling with binge eating, thinking about food and feeling hungry all the time…
…or you’ve lost your period and have a similar background to Stephanie Buttermore, you may wonder if this approach is right for you.
As an RD who works with women along the disordered eating/eating disorder spectrum, and have guided MANY clients through the all in process…
…I have some thoughts.
Who “All In” is right for:
People who lost weight, got fit and are considered the “picture of health” - and that’s when these symptoms started:
People who’ve grown an enjoyment for nutritious food, an understanding of macros, and are in the habit of creating “balanced” meals.
People with OK mental health, not dealing with severe mental health issues OR are working with a therapist that you find very effective and helpful at providing skills to cope with difficult emotions.
Who “All In” is NOT right for:
Someone who is currently struggling at a very high body weight.
Someone has been dealing with severe restriction or purging - like in the case of Anorexia, Bulimia or ARFID - or are at a clinically low body weight.
I give lots more detail/nuance and explain the WHY behind each of these points in this week’s podcast episode!
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater
✨ Watch my free class - How I Stopped Binge Eating: bit.ly/howIstoppedbingeeating
Resources for this episode:
Nicola Rinaldi - noperiodnowwhat.com
Stephanie Buttermore’s Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@StephanieButtermore
Eating Disorder Helplines: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/
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Heather’s story is nothing short of amazing.
She went on a MAJOR weight loss journey, losing 210 lbs over 2 years, and then went into the other direction:
Restricting food so heavily as she became addicted to the numbers.
Leading her to lose her period for a year, and start experiencing out of control episodes of binge eating.
She went to Overeaters Anonymous to try to gain control around food - but it didn’t work.
Finally she realized - her missing period and urges to binge eat were signs that she was not eating enough food.
She took the plunge to join my group program and face her fear of weight gain so she could heal her body from the effects of under eating and find a healthy balance.
Now?
She’s stronger than ever in the gym (hello 200 lb deadlift 😍).
Her binge urges are gone.
Her period comes every month.
And she can finally LIVE a full life again - travel, enjoy delicious food, and make memories with her husband and friends.
This is what TRUE health and fitness looks like in my humble opinion.
If you want to get inspired af - give this episode a listen!
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater
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This week on the podcast I had a licensed clinical therapist, Amy Margolis, share her own story of recovery from anorexia and perfectionism + how she now helps her clients do the same.
She talks about the “anorexic mindset” and how it extends far beyond food.
If you’re someone who’s struggling with anxiety, guilt or feeling out of control around food AND…
➡️ You always feel like you need to be doing MORE…
➡️ You need to do a million things to EARN something pleasurable (whether that be rest, food or a shopping spree)…
➡️ You’re highly disciplined and it’s brought you success but you’re not able to actually ENJOY the fruits of your labor because you can’t relax and take a break…
…this episode is going to help you.
Finding a peaceful and free relationship with food can coexist with being a high-achieving, driven person.
But it’s going to require you to LET GO OF CONTROL and FACE YOUR FEARS.
We talk about:
Allowing yourself to be SLOPPY
Taking the leap of faith to give yourself permission to eat
Knowing how to restrict but not knowing how to GIVE to yourself without guilt
Eating when you’re hungry, eating what you want and learning to trust your body
Looking at what comes BEFORE a binge (were you fully listening to your hunger? Were you planning to restrict later on?)
As someone who has disconnected her perfectionism from food/body/exercise but still REALLY struggles with it in other areas of life…I really loved recording this and can’t wait for you to hear it.
Amy’s Resources:
Here’s the Memo Book: https://amymargolislcsw.com/new-book-from-amy-margolis-heres-the-memo/
Amy’s Website: https://amymargolislcsw.com/
Amy’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heres_the_memo/
Contact me (Elena):
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater -
In school to become a dietitian, I was struggling massively in my relationship with food.
Weekly binge episodes that felt like an addict getting their fix - lying, stealing and hiding so I could eat, then crying and feeling depressed for days after.
Intense anxiety in any situation that was off my “usual routine” with food - holidays, parties, restaurant meals.
I distinctly remember one day, sitting in lecture and learning about eating disorders.
The words “Anorexia Nervosa” plastered across the big projector in front of class.
Pictured was an emaciated woman standing in front of a mirror that reflected a larger bodied lady back at her.
I resonated with all the big 3 eating disorders, but not fully.
I had the extreme fear of weight gain of anorexia, but I was never clinically under weight.
I had at times fasted, exercised more, or used laxatives after a binge - but not frequently enough to be classified as bulimic.
I struggled with the binge eating episodes described in binge eating disorder - but I DID compensate sometimes after a binge.
“So”, I reasoned, “I don’t have any eating disorder. It must really just be a will power issue then.”
And I went back on my not-so-merry way, reading articles from my favorite fitpros every night with advice on how to stick to your plan with food to reach your physique goals.
If you can relate, I want you to know these 3 things:
➡️ Relationship with food is a spectrum from normal, healthy eating to a full blown eating disorder.
➡️ “Disordered eating” has serious mental and physical health consequences and requires specific solutions to heal from (hint: not general advice from fit pros or wellness influencers).
➡️ The vast majority of disordered eating involves food restriction, and you can be unhealthily restricting food while still being at a “healthy weight”.
The sooner you take your issues seriously, the sooner you can be free from them.
This episode of The Binge Eating Dietitian Podcast unpacks eating disorders vs disordered eating and gives you resources for healing!
Learn more about my group program + book a free discovery call: bit.ly/normaleater
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
Eating Disorder Helplines:
Australia
The Butterfly Foundation: Phone: 1800 334 673 | Email: [email protected]
InsideOut Institute: Phone: (02) 8627 5690 | Email: [email protected]
Eating Disorders Victoria: Phone: 1300 550 236 | Email: [email protected]
Eating Disorders Queensland: Phone: (07) 3844 6055
Australia & New Zealand Academy for Eating Disorders: Phone (AU): +61 491 134 289 | Phone (NZ): +64 9 887 0552 | Email: [email protected]
New Zealand
Canopy Eating Disorder Support Services: Email: [email protected]
EDANZ: Phone: 0800 233 269 | Email: [email protected]
United States
National Eating Disorders Association: Phone: 1-800-931-2237 | Email: [email protected]
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders: Phone: 1-888-375-7767 | Email: [email protected]
The Alliance for Eating Disorders: Phone: 1-866-662-1235
Canada
Body Brave: Phone: 1-905-312-9628 | Email: [email protected]
National Eating Disorder Information Centre: Phone: 1800 866 NEDIC 20 (1-866-633-4220) | Email: [email protected]
National Initiative for Eating Disorders: Email: [email protected]
United Kingdom
BEAT Eating Disorders: Phone: +44 (0)808 801 0677 | Email: [email protected]
Ireland
Bodywhys: The Eating Disorders Association of Ireland: Phone: 01 – 2107906 | Email: [email protected]
Denmark
LMS: The National Association against Eating Disorders and Self-Harm: Phone: 7010 1818 | SMS 7710 1818 | Email: [email protected]
Norway
Norwegian Society for Eating Disorders: Email: [email protected]
The Eating Disorders Association: Phone: 22 94 00 10 | Email: [email protected]
Middle East
Middle East Eating Disorders Association: Email: [email protected]
South Africa
Eating Disorders South Africa: Phone: (+27) 073 593 2722 | Email: [email protected]
Project HEAL: https://www.theprojectheal.org/what-program-is-right-for-you
Citations:
Types of Eating Disorders: https://nedc.com.au/eating-disorder-resources/find-resources/show/issue-13-dsm-5-overview-of-changes
Eating Disorder Statistics: https://anad.org/eating-disorder-statistic/
DSM 5 binge eating disorder: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK338301/table/introduction.t1/
DSM 5 anorexia nervosa: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t15/
DSM 5 bulimia nervosa: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519712/table/ch3.t16/
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So last week I sent an email to my list talking about food freedom and fat loss.
I said:
“Food freedom feels like being in control around food but not NEEDING to control food - because:
1. It’s just not AS exciting anymore (don’t get me wrong I still LOVE food but I don’t feel addicted to it)
2. You trust your body. That when you have more cravings or hunger you must need the food, and you know it will balance out later on”
And one of my list members responded.
She said:
“If that is the case then why do people become overweight or obese in the first place if they listen to their body? Isn't that the trouble, that listening to our bodies can make us unhealthy, unfit, reduces life span etc?”
VALID.
This is basically the biggest fear my clients have when they start my program.
They are fit women struggling with binge eating, missing periods and digestive issues.
These are all signs of under-eating.
And I tell them they need to take a break from exercise and start eating what they want, when they want, until they don’t want anymore food.
They're like…uhhh Elena? Aren’t I just going to endlessly gain weight and end up on “My 600-lb Life?”
But that’s not what happens.
Listening to their hunger and giving their bodies temporary rest allows their hormones to heal, their binge urges to go away, and their cravings to decrease.
And I’m explaining WHY in this episode of the podcast.
It’s truly too long for me to type in an email lol, so I hope you give it a listen.
Any questions?
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Click here to learn more + apply for my small group program: https://6c4aacdb6e461e386fe04ab2538fc20f.mykajabi.com/normaleater
Resources for this episode:
Previous episode: Hyperpalatable foods: How to Trust Yourself Around Them https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/hyperpalatable-foods-how-to-trust-yourself-around-them
Metabolically healthy obese
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2802164#:~:text=Main%20Outcomes%20and%20Measures%20Metabolically,%2DC)%2C%20or%20triglycerides%20based
Dieting predicting future weight gain:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3759019/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16650913/
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41366-020-0547-1#:~:text=The%20notion%20that%20dieting%20makes,classic%20longitudinal%20Minnesota%20Starvation%20Experiment.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1471015315000045
2014 meta-analysis showed: Compared to normal weight-fit individuals, unfit individuals had twice the risk of mortality regardless of BMI. Overweight and obese-fit individuals had similar mortality risks as normal weight-fit individuals.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0033062013001552?via%3Dihub
Restraint vs Restriction past podcast episode: https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/dietary-restraint-vs-restriction-the-key-to-reaching-physique-goals-without-binge-eating
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For 4 years I was trying to stop binge eating.
I was a disciplined person.
Dean’s list 4/4 years at Penn State on track to become a dietitian.
Worked out 6 days a week and hit my 10-15k steps daily.
Was complimented for my abs, my commitment to “eating healthy”.
But behind the scenes:
I’d wake up in the morning at least once a week and the despair would sink in as I remembered eating a whole box of cereal, all of my roommates peanut butter pretzels, and going to the store for more food.
Throughout those 4 years I tried EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to control the urge to binge.
Every piece of content from the fitness professionals I followed that said:
“Discipline equals freedom”!!
“Just put your head down and do the work”!
“No one said it was easy - RESIST the hunger if you want to get to your goals”
Would temporarily motivate me and give me a dopamine hit, as I wrote out a plan for how I would eat to lose fat and commit my will power to resisting the urge to binge.
…I’d feel so good for those 5 days that I was able to stick to my goals.
…and utterly hopeless by the end of the week when I binged YET AGAIN.
If you can relate to this - you may have been tempted by the “Winter Arc” trend on Tiktok.
It may have given you this sense of hope that if you can use discipline and follow a list of rules for the next 3 months - you can resist the urge to binge.
One of my client’s recently brought this trend to my attention - so I decided to do a podcast episode about it.
I would have totally jumped on this trend back in my binge eating days.
But it wasn’t until I LET GO of rigid control around food, took a break from fat loss and physique goals and started listening to my body's hunger and cravings that I finally stopped binge eating.
I’ve been binge-free for 6 years, and I’m still a very disciplined person who loves to push herself hard in the gym.
I still am mindful of my physique - I recently made some changes to my diet and lifestyle to lose a bit of fat - but it’s not the most important thing to me any more and I WILL NOT sacrifice my mental or physical health, or enjoyment of life in the process.
I accept my body at its natural set weight range and understand that certain levels of leanness are just not healthy for my genetic make up.
And if you too are tempted by this “Winter Arc” trend as yet another approach to ignore your hunger and cravings and try to “just have more will power”...
…may I suggest a different approach?
I unpack more in this episode! Give it a listen and let me know any questions/feedback
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Click here to learn more + apply for my membership - NORMAL EATER: bit.ly/normaleaterdetails
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After my 4 year struggle with binge eating, trying desperately to regain the control around food I had at the beginning of my fitness journey, I was fucking done.
I finally realized that RESTRICTION was the root cause - my missing periods, uncontrollable urges to eat anything in sight, and chronic constipation and boat were clear evidence of that.
But I didn’t know HOW to eat anymore without rules, calorie targets, or a specific diet plan to follow.
So I read the book Intuitive Eating and tried to start implementing the principles:
Reject the diet mentality!
Give yourself unconditional permission to eat!
Honor your hunger!
Feel your fullness!
This all made sense. But when I tried to do these things I felt lost and confused.
“Am I really hungry or just bored?”
“I just ate an hour ago but I’m thinking about food a lot…I can’t be hungry again?”
“Okay…” *puts down fork mid-meal to assess fullness level* “I guess I’m full…but I still want to keep eating. Fuck it. Let’s just open the floodgates and eat everything.”
The binges improved a bit, but still continued.
Can you relate to this??
It’s something I see frequently in my clients.
I tend to work with women who are very fitness-focused, Type-A, perfectionistic and goal-oriented. They tend towards anxiety and overthinking.
I attract you because I AM YOU 😅 - and I’ve found that we need a slightly different approach to the Intuitive Eating framework.
When I made these shifts (that I’m sharing with you in this episode), and when my clients make them:
Binges IMMEDIATELY stop, food thoughts between meals disappear, periods return on average within 3 months, digestion improves, hunger/cravings hit a peak before settling to their “normal” levels AND…drumroll please 🥁…you develop a normal + healthy relationship with food where you can prioritize fitness and physique goals in a way that is actually achievable and does not cause food to consume your life.
Here are the shifts:
1️⃣Fully break the diet mindset - don’t try to satisfy hunger with the “lower calorie” option. This process is not about minimizing calories at all. Trust that your body will decrease your hunger and desire for food overtime when it’s got what it needs.
2️⃣Focus on eating what you want, when you want, until you don't want it anymore. Don’t overanalyze - if there’s even a question if you want to eat or not, err on the side of EATING.
3️⃣Erase the word “overeating” from your vocabulary - there is only eating what you want and eating until you feel genuinely satisfied, and yes that might mean your stomach is pretty damn full in the early stages.
4️⃣Honor all forms of hunger - those that show up in your mind (desires for food) as well as body.
Hope this helps!
If you want to hear more about my personal story with this (as someone who is now 6 years binge-free and able to prioritize fitness and fat loss goals in a way that does not trigger food anxiety, binge urges or missing periods)
+ more details on all things discussed in these shownotes - listen to the full episode!
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Click here to learn more + apply for 1:1 coaching: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources for this episode:
Past episodes where I share my story:
https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/how-i-stopped-bingeing-and-got-my-period-back-without-the-pill-after-5-years-of-struggle
https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/my-fitness-binge-eating-journey
Intuitive Eating Principles: https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/
Past episode on emotional eating: https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/how-to-stop-an-emotional-binge-qa-with-elena
Past episode on “mental hunger”: https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/why-you-cant-stop-thinking-about-food-how-to-stop
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If you’re reading this, it’s likely because you’re struggling with some combo (or all) of these 4 symptoms:
➡️Binge eating
➡️Missing periods
➡️Constant food thoughts
➡️Anxiety/guilt around food
You went through a fitness/weight loss journey, felt SUPER in control and “finally” confident in your body, but then these issues crept in and it’s been a struggle to regain control ever since.
The reason you’re struggling with these things?
You are engaging in RESTRICTION around food vs RESTRAINT or Intuitive Eating.
☝️Restriction = rigid and extreme dietary control to reach or maintain a certain weight or aesthetic goal, or pursue “health”.
It’s governed by pre-planned rules around what, how much and when one can eat.
🤗Restraint = moderate and flexible dietary control to reach or maintain a certain weight or aesthetic goal or pursue “health”.
It’s focused on general intentions around health/aesthetics that influences food choices and ebbs and flows day to day, moment to moment.
🌈Intuitive Eating = both a 10-step program of healing from chronic dieting/diet culture and eventually a long-term way of life.
It focuses on letting go of control over weight and instead listening to hunger and fullness cues, honoring food preferences/cravings, engaging in physical movement for health/feeling good…
…and integrating how different foods make you feel + providing your body the nutrients it needs to thrive as part of decision-making around what/how much to eat.
RESTRICTION is associated in the research with feeling out of control around food vs restraint.
Intuitive Eating is the MOST associated with a peaceful relationship to eating.
So how do you shift from restriction to restraint, you ask?
1️⃣Focus on becoming an Intuitive Eating FIRST
2️⃣If you’re struggling with disordered eating or an eating disorder, work with a dietitian to create a plan to eat adequately + consistently throughout the day BEFORE transitioning to intuitive eating
3️⃣Heal/manage the root causes of low self worth and anxiety that caused you to become restrictive in the first place
Want to learn more about all this?
I go into lots more detail in this episode.
Give it a listen and let me know what you think/any further questions you have!
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
✨ Click here to learn more + apply for 1:1 coaching: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources for this episode:
Research on restraint shown to be less associated with LOC than restriction: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36688566/#:~:text=Public%20significance%3A%20Some%20research%20suggests,both%20within%20and%20between%20individuals.
10 Principles of Intuitive Eating - https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/
Past podcast episode on Mental Restriction (what, when and how much food rules): https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/mental-restriction-the-hidden-cause-of-your-binge-eating
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You may have heard before that in order to get your period back with Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (aka a missing period due to under eating, overexercise and/or STRESS)...you need to exercise less.
With my clients, I actually recommend taking a FULL exercise break.
I believe this to be proven by the data we have on women who lose their periods due to HA, and the BEST path to regaining optimal hormonal health + become truly healthy and fit.
I took a 3 month exercise break back in 2018, and have walked hundreds of clients through this process.
I break down the what, how and why behind exercise breaks in this episode.
An exercise break = Temporarily stopping all structured exercise and only doing low-intensity exercise IF truly desired in the moment.
Taking an exercise break helps you get your period back by:
Reducing cortisol (not suppressing the hypothalamus)
Creating the proper calorie surplus to increase estrogen, leptin and insulin (sends signals to the hypothalamus: “we are fed”)
🤓 Evidence to back this up:
According to the research conducted by Dr. Nicola Rinaldi (author of the book No Period Now What), women who…
Decreased intensity of exercise from a score of 7 to 3.5
Reduced their time spent exercising to 3 hours per week at a lower intensity
Immediately reduced exercise vs gradually reduced exercise
…were most likely to regain their cycles.
Other reasons an exercise break is helpful (especially for those who are also struggling with binge eating and constant food thoughts):
Removes the hunger suppression effect that exercise can have, preventing extreme hunger and binge eating episodes later on
Decreases the feeling of never satisfied, and feeling uncomfortably full by the time you’re done eating
Improves digestion by getting out of “fight or flight” and into “rest and digest”
Disconnects exercise as a crutch to allow yourself to eat, or be okay with your body image - so you can have a TRULY joyful, empowering, non-stressful relationship with it
What reincorporating exercise after a break looks like:
Waiting till 3, consecutive cycles (“recovery periods”)
Reintegrating slow and steady
Increasing to the amount/intensity you desire over time
I go into loooots more detail and nuance in this episode - so give it a listen if you want to learn more!
Click here to learn more about my coaching programs + free resources: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
Resources for this episode:
https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/target-heart-rates (low intensity heart rate zones)
No Period Now What Book (Page 158)
https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/the-cause-of-your-missingirregular-period-how-to-get-it-back-qa-with-elena (What is HA)
https://elenakunicki.libsyn.com/returning-to-the-gym-after-an-exercise-break (Returning to exercise after a break)
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So you’ve seen a “bad” photo or video of yourself.
You were kind of shocked at what you saw, it doesn’t match with how you think you look. Or it’s “worse” than what you thought.
You’re picking apart certain parts of your body - your face, your belly, your arms - and maybe judging them as “fat” or “ugly”.
A COMMON response is to say: “Omg. Something needs to change. It’s time to start working out more, eating less, or doing a new diet so I can lose weight and change these parts of my body.”
This is where many people’s disordered eating begins.
They reactively restrict food and move more to lose weight.
They lose sight of their overall values, hobbies and interests in life.
They lose sight of their mental and physical needs to be holistically healthy.
They ignore their hunger cues and follow rigid, unsustainable food rules.
Periods go missing, they think constantly about food, they isolate themselves from social situations, friends and family to stick to their eating and exercise schedule and avoid temptation to eat.
And eventually, in most cases, they start losing control around food and/or experiencing full blown episodes of binge eating.
Then have to continue restricting/dieting to “make up” for the binge. And the cycle repeats.
If you can relate, here are 9 ways to cope with seeing a “bad photo” of yourself in a HEALTHY WAY (that allows you to maintain a good relationship with food):
PAUSE. Check in with thoughts and feelings.
Responding with restriction and disrespecting your body’s needs for food *literally* doesn’t work
Mantra: “This is my body. It’s okay. I don’t have to change it. There is no right way for a body to look.”
Mantra: “There is nothing inherently wrong with this body”
Picture yourself as another woman you’ve seen (maybe online) who doesn’t fit the beauty standard and rocks it. If you don’t have an example - use your imagination. Picture yourself in your current body, completely accepting and loving it. Even feeling confident in it and embracing it. Feel how that energy is magnetic and enticing.
Picture yourself as a fluid, flowing, fertile, feminine goddess. See old paintings of aphrodite or the renaissance women.
Remember that our society conditions us to pick apart our bodies - you get to decide if you want to buy into this or create your OWN life and reality by design, based on what really matters and how you want to feel at the end of your life. You can live an amazing life in THIS body. Go out and do the things that bring you joy, that give you a sense of purpose, find things you’re passionate about. See and feel that there is so much more to life than how your body looks
Ask - how can I continue to meet my body’s needs for enough food and rest despite how I’m feeling about how it looks right now?
Trust that your body will look exactly how it’s meant to when you are *holistically* healthy and well (which includes a peaceful, flexible relationship with food)
*All of this is not to say that you can’t want to change how your body looks in a healthy way.
But it only *really* works when led with self-love and respect for your bodies above all else, not desperation.
For more on this?
Listen to the full episode!
Other episodes disscussed in this one:
How to Pursue Fat Loss and Physique Goals in a Healthy Way
Contact me:
DM me on Instagram @elenakunickird
Email me [email protected]
Learn more + apply for 1:1 coaching: bit.ly/ekprivatecoaching
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If you’re struggling with disordered eating as well as period problems - I’ve got some information to help you.
My clients are women who have a history of dieting, losing weight and undergoing a “fitness journey”, after which they start struggling with missing or irregular periods as well as binge eating or constant food thoughts.
Many of them spend months-years trying to figure out WHY their period is irregular, getting little-to-no answers from their doctors other than:
“You probably have PCOS”
“You’re just super fit! It’s normal for fit women to lose their periods”
“We’ll just get you on the pill to regulate your cycle”
If you can relate - you’re probably like me and the women I work with; you want to know WTF is going on in your body and get to the ROOT CAUSE so you can be optimally healthy!
Well in this episode of the podcast, I’m sharing how you can do that.
SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE TO FIND THE SUGGESTED LAB WORK IN DETAIL.
Above all though, I want you to know that you don’t need ANY of this testing to start the process of healing your relationship with food.
Regardless of what’s going on with your hormones, you need to stop restricting food, stop dieting and learn how to listen to your body's hunger and satisfaction cues so you can become truly healthy with a good relationship with food.
Hope you enjoy the episode! Sending love!
Contact me:
Email at [email protected]
DM me on Instagram at elenakunickird
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching, group program and free resources here: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources from this episode:
Stress and high prolactin levels - https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/hyperprolactinemia#:~:text=In%20women%2C%20physical%20or%20psychological,lead%20to%20elevated%20prolactin%20levels.
Women diagnosed with an eating disorder were at higher subsequent risk of developing autoimmune diseases - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/finding-a-new-home/201909/the-relationship-between-autoimmune-and-eating-disorders
Diagnosis of HA https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7418467/
Diagnosis of PCOS https://advancedfertility.com/infertility-testing/pcos-fertility-testing/#:~:text=Diagnosing%20PCOS%20with%20FSH%20and%20LH%20Hormone%20Levels&text=Normally%20this%20ratio%20is%20about,%2C%20or%20even%203%3A1.
Low Vitamin D and eating disorders in adolescents - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25130505/
Sam Abbot - @pcos.nutritionist (see her podcast episode here)
SEE RECOMMENDED LAB WORK BELOW 👇
Bloodwork:
Standard Blood Work (this is what you typically get at your yearly check up)
Complete Blood Count (CBC)
Basic Metabolic Panel
Comprehensive Metabolic Panel
Lipid Panel - cholesterol can be elevated due to restriction
Blood glucose and Hba1c
Full sex hormone panel
Estradiol - low/normal in HA, normal to high in PCOS
Testosterone (total) - low/normal in HA, high in PCOS (all the androgens)
Testosterone (free)
Adrostenedione
Progesterone
Prolactin - can be elevated due to stress, pituitary tumor
DHEAS - can be elevated due to stress in HA
LH - typically less than or the same as FSH in HA, greater than FSH in PCOS
FSH
SHBG - low can be a sign of PCOS
Full thyroid panel
TSH - can be high in both HA and PCOS
Total T4 - can be low in HA and PCOS
Total T3 - can be low in HA and PCOS
Free T4
Free T3
Reverse T3
anti-TPO
Anti-thyroglobulin antibodies
Nutrients
B12 - all of these levels can be low in PCOS and HA and worsen symptoms, or can be depleted by the pill
Folate
Iron
Ferritin
Vitamin D - protect bone health
Zinc - digestive health
Lab work/assessment
2. Transvaginal ultrasound (rule out structural abnormalities, look at cysts on the ovaries)
*Cysts on the ovaries can be present with both HA and PCOS
3. Detailed review of your history and current reality with food, exercise and weight loss (with red flags being currently trying to lose weight, history of any weight loss, exercising a lot) - MOST IMPORTANT
**This podcast does not diagnose or treat any medical conditions. Speak with your doctor about this information and before taking any action around your medical care.
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My clients often struggle with listening to and TRUSTING their hunger cues.
After years of dieting and controlling their weight, they’re more used to following external food rules than their bodies.
This not only leads to things like missing periods, digestive issues, food obsession and binge eating…
…it also leads them to ask the question “am I REALLY hungry? Or am I just bored?”
😵💫When they’re sitting at their desk working and can’t stop thinking about the pre-prepped asian chicken and rice they made for lunch (despite not feeling physical hunger pangs yet)
😴 When they have a relaxing day and have to constantly resist the temptation to eat, whereas on their busy days that voice feels more quiet.
If this is you, read on. 👇
You see, “boredom eating” is FAR more likely to happen when you have a history of restricting food.
Under eating and rigid food rules make us hungrier, with more cravings 😬.
It increases the pleasure and comfort we get from eating which makes us more likely to reach for the ice cream carton when emotional 🍨.
The solution?
Is not to “try not to eat” 🙄.
(As if that ever worked long term anyways)
Instead, I have 3 tips for you:
1️⃣ ALLOW yourself to eat when bored
Listening to your desires for food will allow your body to get the calories it needs + eliminate the scarcity mindset. This will eventually lead your hunger and cravings to decrease and your urge to eat emotionally to go away.
2️⃣ Follow the “regular eating” principle
3 meals, 3 snacks, with all 3 macronutrients in them (starchy carbs 🥖, fats 🥑 and protein 🍳) evenly spaced throughout the day.
OR - eating with your hunger cues throughout the day, INCLUDING mental hunger (the desire to eat) and stopping eating when you are truly satisfied (not just physically full)
3️⃣ Address other common causes of boredom eating such as ADHD and lack of pleasure/fulfillment in life
…but address these in ADDITION to stopping food restriction, not in replacement because you are afraid of weight gain.
That’s even more of a sign that restriction is likely the main root cause of your “boredom eating” and the true work you need to do to find freedom and peace with food ❤️.
I explain all of this in more detail on this episode 🎤!
Hope you love it.
If you want to contact me with any questions:
Email at [email protected]
DM me on Instagram at elenakunickird
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching, group program and free resources here: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Get the Binge Eating & Period Recovery Meal Plan: bit.ly/bprmealplan
Resources for this episode:
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
Troubleshooting Unconditional Permission to Eat
Becca King’s episode (@adhd.nutritionist on Instagram)
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Past client Emily is back on the podcast this week sharing her 1 year update.
She went from being so obsessed with “healthy” eating that she was deathly afraid of sugar and dairy 😁…
…to casually saying yes to ice cream on a date for the experience, and naturally not finishing it 🤷🏼♀️.
From feeling literally possessed by a demon during her binge episodes…
…to sitting in disbelief that she ever even had the urge to binge 🤯(that’s how at peace she feels around food).
From feeling constant pressure to exercise to burn calories 🏃🏼♀️😰and maintain a certain physique…
…to going for runs at 10 PM after work because she GENUINELY WANTS TO and enjoying a post-workout meal with zero fear about eating “too late”.
This is a juicy one - you get fantastic insight into what life looks like when you truly, fully heal your relationship with food, body image and exercise.
Lots of profound mindset shifts that will nourish your brain 😌🧠 so you can start taking different actions and find this freedom and peace with how you eat, how you move and how you feel in your skin.
Hope it helps!
Email at [email protected]
DM me on Instagram at elenakunickird
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching and group program: bit.ly/elenakwebsite -
➡️ You think you’ve stopped restricting food, but you’re still struggling with binge eating…
➡️ You’re baffled as to why your period is missing because you’re at a “healthy weight” and think you eat enough...
➡️ You have a history of a “restrictive period” where you’re like:
🤔 “Yea. I was definitely under eating and overexercising back then…”
😡 “...but now I’m fine! I eat way more. I allow myself to eat less healthy foods in moderation. I just can’t STOP eating them once I start. Why can’t I just be ‘balanced’?!?!”
If you resonate with any of these…you’re not alone.
💡 There’s a scientific explanation for what you’re experiencing.
It’s called Metabolic Adaptation.
Basically, it’s how your body decreases the calories you burn and tries to drive you to eat more when it senses that it doesn’t have enough long term (body fat) or short term (glycogen aka stored blood glucose) energy stored.
Metabolic Adaptation feels like:
Slowed digestion (think chronic constipation, bloat and toxic farts)
Constant food thoughts
Extreme hunger and cravings
Low energy for life and decreased performance in your workouts
Urges to binge eat
Missing periods
How do you correct Metabolic Adaptation?
❗ THROUGH EATING MORE FOOD
I go over all of this, including how to recover from Metabolic Adaptation so you can feel like a normal person around food again and more easily maintain a healthy, fit body fat percentage for YOUR unique body in this episode!
Give it a listen if this topic interests you and email or DM me with any questions
Email at [email protected]
DM me on Instagram at elenakunickird
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching and group program: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources for this episode:
Defining metabolism: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546690/ , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metabolism
Metabolic adaptation: https://journals.lww.com/nsca-jscr/fulltext/2022/10000/metabolic_adaptations_to_weight_loss__a_brief.39.aspx
Microbiome effect on energy balance: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7285218/
Minnesota Starvation Experiment: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/10/hunger
Non-exercise Activity Thermogenesis: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279077/
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😢 “I was a fat child who loved food too much”
🍫 “I’m just addicted to sweets”
😪 “I’m always just going to have to try to control myself around them”
⬆️ I couldn’t be around sweets without spiraling into a binge episode, and these were my real thoughts as to why.
🍬I always loved sweet foods as a child, but it wasn’t until I started dieting that I started feeling obsessed and out-of-control around them.
If you can relate - know you’re not alone.
👋 I’m 6 years free from the urge to binge and can naturally eat sweets in moderation using little to no will power.
Sometimes I eat more sweets, sometimes less but overall I don’t even have a big sweet tooth anymore 🤷🏼♀️.
And I don’t stress about them AT ALL 🤯.
I truly never thought I would get here when I was in my 4 year battle with food 💔.
🎤 In this episode I’m sharing how I did this and how I’ve helped hundreds of my clients do the same.
This is not bullshit or something that only worked for me…
…it’s an evidence-based process of healing your relationship with all foods including the ones we’re told are “inherently addictive” 🙄.
Hope it helps!
Learn more about working with me 1:1 or in a group setting: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Let me know any feedback/questions by contacting me:
Email is [email protected]
DM me on Instagram at @elenakunickird
Resources from this episode:
Client Interview Episodes
Brittany
Liv
Kristin
Emily
Free binge eating & period recovery meal plan: bit.ly/bprmealplan
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In 2018 I took a 3 month break from exercise.
No lifting.
No cardio.
I didn’t even go for walks unless I GENUINELY wanted to (which I didn’t in the beginning).
This was part of healing from the previous 4 years of under-eating and overexercise…
…which led me to lose my period, struggle with massive binge eating episodes at least once per week, and feel controlled by my obsession with food.
Now, 6 years later?
I’m about to compete in my first Crossfit competition.
I train HARD and often, and I’ve even done some two-a-days in preparation.
I fucking love it.
And I continue to maintain a healthy period and a peaceful relationship with food.
So how does this apply to you?
I want to share with you how I got here - all the way from my exercise break to pushing my body hard again.
Because I know, if you’re anything like me or my clients, you LOVE fitness.
You love the feeling of pushing your limits and showing yourself what you’re capable of physically, you love the confidence that this brings…
…and you’re ready to get more fit than you’ve ever been but this time WITH freedom and peace around food.
So in this episode I’m doing just that.
Hope you enjoy it!
I’d love to hear your feedback or follow up questions.
DM me on Instagram at @elenakunickird
Email me at [email protected]
Learn more about my services to help you stop binge eating, get your period back and find your healthy balance with food and fitness here: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources for this episode:
Episode #48: Returning to the gym after an exercise break
Mark Breedon: follow on Instagram @training.strong.women
Listen to Mark Breedon’s episodes on the podcast: here and here
Knees over toes guy, Ben Patrick, Athletic Truth Group: https://www.atgonlinecoaching.com/
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If you’ve been consuming my content you hear me say this all the time.
The KEY step to stopping binge eating and getting your period back without the pill is to let go of ALL food rules and give yourself unconditional permission to eat.
What does this mean?
Eating WHAT you want, WHEN you want, until you DON’T WANT ANYMORE.
What’s the purpose of giving unconditional permission to eat?
To provide your body with the calories it needs to heal from under eating and overexercise
To psychologically “habituate” to your fear foods so you can stop obsessing over them
To release all fear and anxiety around food and learn to trust your body
However, doing this is NOT easy.
There are a lot of fears and struggles that come up when trying to eat freely after years of being governed by food rules and feeling out of control.
In this episode I am troubleshooting these common struggles for you:
➡️ Binges getting worse
➡️ Telling the difference between binging and extreme hunger
➡️ Feeling sick to your stomach or extreme digestive issues
➡️ Feeling so distressed, guilty, upset, overwhelmed by how much and what you’re eating
➡️ Feeling physically lethargic, bloated, depressed, bad body image
➡️ Eating so much “unhealthy food” and thinking “this can’t be healthy”
➡️ Not feeling satisfied
Let me know any feedback/questions by contacting me:
Email is [email protected]
DM me on Instagram at @elenakunickird
Learn more about my 1:1 coaching, single sessions or my group program via this link: bit.ly/elenakwebsite
Resources Referenced in this episode:
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
Food Habituation Research: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S003193842100202X
Episode 175 Daily Meditation and Journaling Routine for Binge Eating & Period Recovery. Click here to listen
Episode 162 Why You Can’t Stop Thinking About Food and How to Stop: click here to listen
Minnesota Starvation Experiment: https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/10/hunger
Episode 66 Balanced Meals for Binge and Period Recovery: Click here to listen
Episode 163 Hyperpalatable Foods - How to Trust Yourself Around Them: Click here to listen
Meal Plan for Binge Eating and Period Recovery: bit.ly/bprmealplan
Episode 173: “I Feel Fat” - How to Cope: Click here to listen
- Montre plus
