351. From Bingeing to Food Freedom: Breaking the Cycle w/Amber Abila , The Confident Eater

Lucy (Dr. Weeks), a student of the HHAP program, comes on the show today to share her story of amenorrhea, many unsuccessful rounds of IVF, two successful rounds of IVF, her experience as a student doctor and practicing doctor who is also dealing with this issue.Join The Period Recovery Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

In this episode we're talking about a topic of conversation that has been coming up a lot inside of The HA Society (our community for women with HA) so I wanted to share it.When you're a highly motivated, strong willed and disciplined woman, it's hard to put those things down in the name of rest. For so long your body has been a vehicle for you to achieve, achieve, achieve... so when your body finally tells you enough ... in the way of losing your period, chronic fatigue, infertility - whatever it is, and you have to listen... listening to it is hard. It's like hearing from a neglected friend how you've hurt them but also not really wanting to change your treatment of them. You desire to want to change, but you don't really want to. That's a hard spot. Let's talk about it!Join the Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

This podcast episode walks through how we use lab work before working with a woman with hypothalamic amenorrhea, when we use and how to understand it for your missing period.Join the Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindBecome a Coach:https://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Get the Lab Guidehttps://thehasociety.com/labguideWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

For 17 years, Laura lived without a cycle.She was told not to worry.She wasn’t trying to get pregnant.So she assumed she had time.She did have hypothalamic amenorrhea.And she believed she could recover whenever she was ready.Laura joined the Holistic HA Practitioner (HHAP) Certification to better understand her own body. As she worked through the lab modules and we reviewed her bloodwork together, something became clear: Her HA had progressed into Primary Ovarian Insufficiency (POI).In this episode, we talk about:• Being dismissed because you’re “not trying for kids”• Assuming HA is always reversible• The danger of waiting too long• The moment you realize your window may have closed• The grief, regret, and responsibility that comes with thatThis is not a fear-based episode.It’s an honest one.If you’re living in quasi-recovery, telling yourself you’ll address it “one day,” this conversation matters.Laura joined HHAP to understand her own labs and that education is what revealed the shift.Enrollment for the Holistic HA Practitioner Certification opens March 13-17th.Because understanding your hormones shouldn’t take 17 years.Join The HHAP Programhttps://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Join the Mastermindhttps://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindGet the Lab Guidehttps://thehasociety.com/labguideWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

In this episode Ashley shares a case study about her client who chased the PCOS misdiagnosis for 10+ years...when it was HA all along.Interesting in taking this certification? Here's what you can do:Register for the mastermind https://holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindApply for the program (it opens October 14th!): https://holistichapractitioner.com/enrollVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarciaThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

In this episode, Ashley shares her decade-long journey with HA from losing her cycle during an eating disorder in college, to being reassured by doctors that it was “normal” and nothing to worry about.She was praised for her low weight. Told to eat 1,800 calories. Advised to go on birth control if that didn’t work.At one point, she was even misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes due to an elevated A1c, which pushed her into more restriction, only to later discover she was severely anemic from malnourishment, falsely elevating her labs.After joining our FREE Recovery Bootcamp, she finally had the tools to fully commit and recover on her own.In this episode, we cover:The subtle behaviors that kept her stuck (even when she thought she was "all in")The comfort zone disguised as “healthy habits”How validation from her GP reinforced the problemUsing FAM to objectively track progressThe discomfort of real recoveryHer biggest regret: waiting so longIf you’re hovering in half-in recovery, told you’re “fine”, know deep down you’re not doing everything…This one is for you.Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comHHAP Period Recovery Mastermindhttps://www.holistichapractitioner.com/mastermindJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia/https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

In this episode we discuss our personal relationships, past and present, with our bodies. We also comment on fear of weight gain and control from the perspective of being YEARS past recovery and YEARS past dieting. We also share our insights on these topics as experienced coaches of many women who are trying to tackle their low hormone function. Enjoy!You can also watch this episode on Youtube! Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia/https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

Binge eating is part of so many HA stories, even if we don’t always talk about it. In this episode, we’re joined by Amber, Binge Eating & Overeating Coach (aka The Confident Eater), to unpack the restrict–binge cycle and what it actually takes to feel normal around food again.After years of struggling with “all the eating issues”, restriction, overeating, bingeing, food obsession, Amber decided enough was enough. She immersed herself in therapy, coaching, books, and deep self-work until she found true food freedom.Now, she helps women stop binge eating in a way that’s faster, simpler, and more sustainable than white-knuckling willpower ever could be.Inside this episode, we cover:The real root causes of binge eatingWhy restriction and bingeing are more connected than you thinkWhat you’re actually getting from a binge (it’s not just about food)How long it realistically takes to stop binge eatingHow to rewire your brain and break the patternThe role of artificial sweeteners and “natural flavors” in overeatingWhat food freedom actually feels like on the other sideConnect with Amber:theconfidenteater.orghttps://instagram.com/theconfidenteater_Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia/https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

Lexi’s story is one so many women in HA recovery will recognize. On the outside, she looked healthy, disciplined, and “high functioning.” On the inside, her body was quietly waving red flags. Years of under-fueling, over-exercising, and being praised for it made it hard to see there was a problem at all.In this episode, Lexi shares what it was like to live in half-recovery—doing some of the work, but still negotiating with food, exercise, and control. We talk about how identity and denial can keep you stuck longer than you realize, and the moment she finally understood that real healing required full surrender, not just small adjustments. If you’ve ever felt like you’re doing “enough” but still not getting your cycle back, this conversation will hit home.Jool Wellnesshttps://joolwellness.comJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingVisit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffhttps://instagram.com/ashley_marie_smith_https://www.instagram.com/itsmishigarcia/https://www.instagram.com/abbylowekey/The Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations

In this powerful episode of The Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Podcast, Victoria opens up about her deeply personal journey through eating disorders, body image struggles, and the long road to restoring her menstrual health. From developing restrictive habits as a teenager to receiving a potential PCOS diagnosis after coming off birth control, Victoria’s story offers a raw and honest look at what recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) can really look like.Victoria shares how her struggles with overexercising, calorie restriction, dieting culture, and external pressures escalated during COVID-19 and followed her from Singapore to London. She discusses how traditional therapy often fell short and how working with a coach helped her shift her identity away from “being anorexic” and toward building a life centered on nourishment, joy, and well-being.Inside this episode, you’ll hear:Victoria’s experience with HA, birth control, and losing her period for six monthsHow her medical team suspected PCOS and how she navigated the confusionThe moment that sparked her mindset shift—from fear of weight gain to wanting to actually live her lifeHer experience in the HA Society’s Restore Program and working with coach AbbyWhat helped her finally ovulate and get regular periods againHow she balanced reduced exercise, increased food intake, and stress managementHer decision to prioritize comfortable clothing and body respect over sizing pressuresWhy having the right community and guidance made all the differenceNow actively enrolled in the HHAP certification track, Victoria is working toward becoming a women’s health and recovery coach herself, transforming her lived experience into a new mission to help others.If you’re struggling with hypothalamic amenorrhea, disordered eating, overtraining, or the pressure to shrink your body, this episode is a must-listen. Victoria’s story is relatable, encouraging, and a true reminder that full recovery is possible with the right support.Join Restore Your Fertility (Enrollment open now-1/23/26)https://www.thehasociety.com/restore-liveJoin The HA Societyhttp://thehasociety.com/joinWork 1:1 with us to get your period backhttp://thehasociety.com/coachingBecome a Certified Holistic HA Practitionerhttps://www.holistichapractitioner.com/Visit us on YouTubehttps://youtube.com/c/danisheriffFollow us on IGhttp://instagram.com/thehasocietyhttp://instagram.com/danisheriffThe Content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-hypothalamic-amenorrhea-podcast/donations