In this episode, I talk with a client of mine, Anna Grace, who recently graduated from our Female Athlete System of Transformation program (aka the FAST Track). Anna Grace shares about how her drive to perform at her best in soccer led her down a path of disordered eating and over-exercising that zapped her energy and impaired her performance. Anna Grace explains how the comparison trap to professional athletes and desire to “look like an athlete” fuelled her drive to train harder and restrict her diet more. This “discipline” backfired leaving Anna Grace frustrated at her lack of athletic improvement, ultimately injured and not achieving her goal of participating in NCAA D1 sports. Listening to podcasts like the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, coupled with the low of being injured, led Anna Grace to recognizing signs and symptoms of RED-S in her own life, including: low energy, mood fluctuations, menstrual irregularities and amenorrhea. We discuss how her internalized image of what an athlete looks like wasn’t a picture of health. Anna Grace’s journey to getting healthy wasn’t a quick fix, nor is it for anyone recovering from chronic under-fuelling and overtraining, but with patience and persistence she has made huge progress. Anna Grace reflects back on the challenges of recovery, and speaks on the despair she felt from an overload of information when the severity of RED-S really hit home for her. Seeking help from specialists like Dr Nicky Keay, who I spoke with on Episode 38 of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, and myself at Rise Up Nutrition, Anna Grace shares the progress she made regaining her menstrual cycle, changing her thought patterns and mindset, and building up her training in a health-supporting way.   We discuss the emotional rollercoaster of RED-S recovery: first the frustration of not achieving athletic results and the denial of anything being wrong, to acknowledging disordered habits and then working to change them, to the fears of body change and feeling  trapped and powerless to change. While Anna Grace wished for a quick fix and instant solution, the journey she went on, engaging in the Rise Up Nutrition FAST Track program, has created far more sustainable and worthwhile changes that have set her up for greater long-term health and happiness. Anna Grace leaves us with the reminder to trust the process and have patience and hope throughout. Follow Anna Grace’s food Instagram @athletes_love_food. Anna Grace’s Official Bio: Born in Memphis, TN, Anna Grace now calls Albuquerque, NM, home when she is not at college. Anna Grace has played soccer since she was 4yrs old, competing at a high club level throughout her teenage years with goals to play NCAA Division 1 soccer. Anna Grace has recently gotten into running while still playing club soccer at Mississippi State University, where she is a junior majoring in computer science with a minor in Biochemistry. Anna Grace enjoys posting on her food Instagram @athletes_love_food. Learn more about Lindsey's Services and the Team at Rise Up Nutrition: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com Worried that you have RED-S? Curious to know how we could help or how you can recover fast?! Download the RED-S Recovery Race & see how you place for more support: www.RiseUpNutritionRUN.com/REDS