Ep. 79/Building a Strong Foundation for Future Performance

Apr 3

Rest, Nutrition, and Period Recovery: A Guide for Recreational Athletes

In this episode of The Period Recovery Podcast, Cynthia Donovan, The Period Nutritionist, welcomes back Registered Dietitian Elena Kunicki to dive deep into how active women can recover their periods—without giving up their love for movement forever. They discuss why rest and proper nutrition are non-negotiable for healing from hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) and how to shift your mindset during recovery.

What Is a Recreational Athlete?

Cynthia and Elena define a recreational athlete as someone who trains hard—running, lifting, doing CrossFit, or attending HIIT-style classes like Orange Theory—most days of the week. Even if you’re not a professional athlete, this lifestyle can disrupt hormonal balance, especially when paired with under-fueling, low body fat, or chronic stress.

Why Rest Is Critical for Period Recovery

Let’s be honest—rest is hard for high-achieving, active women. But if you’ve lost your period, your body is waving a red flag. Cynthia and Elena explain that HA is like an injury: it requires intentional rest to heal. That could mean full rest days or significantly scaling back your workout routine.

“You can’t hustle your way out of HA,” Cynthia says. “More food and less movement is the path to recovery.”
What a Real Rest Day Looks Like

Hint: it’s not a ‘light jog’ or a hot yoga session.

A true rest day involves no structured movement. Sleep in, enjoy breakfast without a step goal in mind, and embrace slow living. Rest days support hormone production, stress recovery, and metabolism regulation—key for getting your period back.

Customize Your Exercise Plan

Not everyone needs to completely stop working out, but intent matters. Are you exercising to feel good—or to compensate for food? Elena urges women to examine their motivation and get honest with themselves. Some may be able to keep light movement, while others need a total break to reset hormones.

Nutrition Is Non-Negotiable

Exercise reduction is only half the equation. Without eating enough—consistently—your period won’t return. Cynthia and Elena emphasize:

Prioritizing fats (like olive oil, nut butters, full-fat dairy)
Eating balanced meals every 3–4 hours
Meeting (or exceeding) energy needs daily

This isn't the time for low-carb, intermittent fasting, or eating “clean.” It’s time for real nourishment.

Why This Matters: Long-Term Health & Strength

Recovering from HA isn’t just about fertility. It’s about building a body that can sustain strength, cardiovascular health, and hormonal resilience. Elena shares how taking a break actually helped her gain more strength and energy long-term.

Low estrogen (common in HA) increases the risk of:

Heart disease
Osteoporosis
Poor muscle recovery
Fatigue and burnout

Mental Shifts Around Exercise

The hardest part for many women? The emotional ties to movement. Cynthia and Elena talk about finding identity beyond fitness—through relationships, hobbies, and joy that isn’t tied to calorie burn.

Start small: what did you love as a kid that had nothing to do with exercise?

Final Thoughts

Recovering your period doesn’t mean giving up your goals—it means putting your body first so you can chase them with strength and confidence in the future. Rest isn’t weakness. It’s your greatest tool for hormonal healing.

Apply for coaching w/Cynthia: https://0u8h3wddwmr.typeform.com/StrategyCall

Discover the truth about HA: click the link to download Cynthia's fact sheet that debunks common myths and misinformation!

Website: https://www.periodnutritionist.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/period.nutritionist

Reach out to Elena via email at: elena@elenakunicki.com

Check out Elena's podcast The Binge Eating Dietician Podcast

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elenakunickird/