Hypothalamic Amenorrhea - how I am combating this condition

I am very nervous to talk about this as my whole livelihood is based around girls becoming the best and healthiest versions of themselves. However how can I help people if I am not my healthiest self. So it is time I make a change.

I wish I had someone to talk to about this/knew of someone who had been through this for as long as I have to be there for support, to know what to do, how long it takes to get your period back etc etc.

I have been suffering from Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA) for over a year now. For those who do not know what this is - this is a condition where you lose your period for at minimum of three months due to your hypothalamus not releasing enough GnRH, this can lead to very low oestrogen levels. HA can lead to many long term problems like bone density issues and fertility problems later down the line.

From numerous visits to the GP in the first few months, to blood tests, to scans - I was basically not really given any clear guidance of what was going on. My first few trips to the doctor I was told, oh it is normal don’t worry about it just give it a few more months stress can cause your period to go away but it will come back. It got to about 8 months down the line and I decided enough was enough I needed to find out what was going on and I was tired of being told to just “wait it out”. I went to a Women’s clinic and got literally everything tested from inside & out.

The only thing that didn’t come back normal was the fact I had a few cysts on one ovary, which apparently is not enough to be diagnosed with PCOS, and my oestrogen was very low. So again, Western medicine was a bit stumped, and the answer was ‘go back on the pill’. After almost a year of trying to get to the bottom of things, the result I was given was go back on the pill, this was completely disheartening.

After this, I was confident there must be some other way, so I booked myself in to have a consultation with a Naturopath and Nutritional Therapist. I am such a strong believer that food is fuel, so I decided I would use it as medicine too. I really wanted to get to the root cause of my condition and my naturopath helped me to dig deeper.

A conclusion was made that there were likely numerous factors that contributed to the onset of HA - one being cutting carbohydrates out of my diet completely for two weeks, and largely restricting them there after for a significant amount of time. I am not saying this was the exact cause, but this was definitely a catalyst. I also increased my exercise by a lot around the same time as I started doing my PT qualification, whilst just moving to a brand new country. So there were a lot of factors. However, severely cutting carbs out of my diet lead to my restriction behaviours with food that I am only just combatting now. Improper fuel, and too much exercise has ultimately lead to where I am today, still with no period.

I think I went from eating too little carbs, to eating too little fats when I started calorie counting and ultimately putting myself in deficits that were too little and totally unattainable for my body and lifestyle. So I would just end up overeating on bad foods on the weekends, and not nourishing my body with the healthy foods that I would eat during the week. And for my line of work, and passion (fitness) - food is absolutely essential for muscle recovery and growth. However I was just thrown into the whole instagram highlight reel seeing how other people ate and thinking, oh well if they can restrict that much and still be healthy then I must be able to - this is just a vicious cycle. Remember the best diet is the one you can adhere to, not the one that you see on someones highlight reel - and let me tell you that is probably 20% of their normal food intake.

The reason I wanted to bring my condition to light and make this public is because I am sure there are other girls out there who are in the same position and need support - I wish I had read something like this when I first lost my period. Just know you are not alone. Normal girls, with normal lives and normal bodies go through this too (this condition is usually seen in anorexics, ballerinas, gymnasts etc, anyone with basically 0% body fat).

It is so important for us to listen to our bodies, and I don’t want anyone else to have to go through what I am going through feeling uncertain, and letting it get to a point where the effects are almost irreversible, and harder to come back from. If you are in my position, over a year on with no period, you can get it back! You may just have to put in the work, and be okay with taking a step back, as well as gaining a few pounds. Shifting your mindset is the hardest part, especially when you have been dieting/over exercising for so long, you believe this is the way it is meant to be done. But your body is literally telling you that the way you are living your life means you are not fit to carry a baby. Something needs to change.

Here are the steps I am taking to help heal my body and gain back my cycle:

  • EATING what I want, when I am hungry, until I am satisfied. Now when I say what I want, I love eating healthy and my body craves healthy food, so I am nourishing my body, and am conscious of this - remember you have to use food as medicine. Roughly I am sitting anywhere between 2,000 - 2,500 calories per day. I have a very active job so this is probably around maintenance/just above for me.

  • Introducing more HEALTHY FATS into my diet. From trying the keto diet last year, I almost went the other way and basically cut out any form of fats from my diet for the fear of the caloric content. However, fats are absolutely essential for hormone growth, repair, and rebalancing. I have added 10g of flax seeds to my morning oats, as well as two brazil nuts per day as conscious change as these are phytoestrogens (oestrogen boosting foods). I have also started cooking in olive oil and coconut oil instead of using spray (and my food tastes so much better), lastly, I am not being so stingy with my avocado portions hehe. This is all I am doing in terms of increasing fats and it is making a massive difference. I feel satiated after every meal, do not feel the need to snack or binge, and I have more energy (fats are your long term energy store). On top of this my skin is bloody fantastic, huge bonus for me.

  • SUPPLEMENTS - introducing these slowly, just one every couple of days as I if I have any adverse reactions, I want to know what is causing this. I have started taking a Vitamin D supplement, a fish oil/evening primrose oil blend, I am also going to introduce some pre and probiotics, a hormone balancing supplement and an inflammation/stress easing supplement. I will touch more on these as I introduce them.

  • EXERCISE - this will be my biggest challenge, however my overexercising is a serious contribution to my HA. I absolutely love exercise and being active in every way, however the recommendation for me at the moment is to exercise three days a week and reduce my steps from 10,000 to 5,000 per day. This is not forever I am sure, but just until I have everything back on track. Considering I teach 12 classes a week, as well as have private clients, my job just requires me to basically be exercising all the time. This is why my food is so important and that is going to be my main focus. Hopefully when lockdown eases and gyms open again I will not be required to actually pretty much do all my classes, as most of them are online. At the moment, I am doing all of my classes purely bodyweight, on top of this I have just started resistance training again twice a week, with a bit of skipping here and there. This sounds like an awful lot still as I am writing it down, I still have work to do but its a slow process for me considering I am actually a fitness addict :’D

  • there are a few other little things I am implementing like educating myself with books, dry body brushing to boost circulation and reduce inflammation, little naps here and there if I feel tired etc etc etc.

I am very excited to document this, and I truly believe I will be able to get my cycle back without having to go back on the pill or doing anything artificial. I will document the whole process and anything new I learn from my experience and educating myself, as I would love to have had something like this from someone I know, or just to know that I was not alone and there are others around going through the same thing. So if you are, or know someone that is suffering from what they think might be HA, then please reach out, read this, and share with anyone who needs to read this. Even if you are not suffering, but you feel stressed, burned out, overworked, anxious - these are all signs that your body is telling you to slow down, take a break, and maybe there is something in your life you need to change, not forever, but for a little while. Our bodies talk to us and we mustn’t ignore what they have to say <3

Covid-19: It's okay not to be okay

Covid-19: It's okay not to be okay

Corona Virus has taken over the world and brought everything to a standstill. Everyone is impacted on one way or another. We are all trying our hardest to stay positive, and everyone says we need to stay strong, and we will get through this, which is true. And for the most part, this is what we are all trying to do. But I just wanted to jump on here and say it is totally okay to feel shitty. I am giving you permission to have some time to feel sorry for yourself, drink wine, eat pizza and sulk, sometimes this is what is needed.

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Reasons why you should have a Personal Trainer

I am going to dive into some points to do with why I think it is so important to have a Personal Trainer if you are serious about reaching your fitness goals. Now, I am not saying this because I just got certified and I want you to hire me (but hire me! I am fab I promise ;)). I am saying this because I am talking from experience.

When I was training myself way back when, yes I saw little changes here and there, but never big differences that you would expect to see. It is only really within the last six months that I have seen phenomenal changes above and beyond what I tried to do for myself in two and a half/3 years, due to the fact that I decided to invest in Personal Training. I gained so much knowledge it was crazy, it just simplified things for me in terms that I could grasp, understand, and it was just great to have someone create a workout programme for me that I knew was right, I didn’t have to worry about not seeing results because the programme was tailored to what I wanted to achieve. See the pics I have posted below, there is no more than 2 years between the photos, and trust me when I say the changes were mostly within this year, I just don’t have many pics sadly (please always take progress pics, your weight fluctuates, your figure will not).

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Nutrition wise, a trainer is so valuable here, they can work out your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) for maintenance, therefore they can plan your macros towards a deficit, a surplus or maintaining. I mean, anyone can figure these numbers out, however it isn’t usually something we would think about doing. I never did - and in actual fact, it is the foundation of your training. You cant build a brick house without bricks, look at it this way. Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand, which is something that kind of needs to be drilled into you by a professional in the field, because as much as we know this, we don’t want to believe it until we are really told by someone. My nutrition was not on point until this year, and this is when my changes sped up. Coupled with the right type of weight training for my goals you will be unstoppable seriouslyyy. This brings me onto what a trainer can do for you exercise wise.

A lot of the time, I am sure you just get inspo for your workouts from Instagram or Youtube, you know the videos where they tell you “this will grow your booty” or “six pack abs”. I too have fallen into this trap - now I am a big advocate of any kind of exercise is good exercise, as long as you are moving your body. And these videos are great if you are just starting out and need a little bit of extra confidence to push yourself into the weight area - this is what I used them for, I went by Youtube vids for years, and they actually helped me find my passion for weightlifting. However, they are only usually what I like to call on the surface videos. They do not explain the reasonings behind the reps and sets that they do, or the type of exercise, what it does and how it works. It is important to know this. If you are really serious about changing your body, you need a proper programme that is completely tailored to you and your specific goals. A lot of the time, what you see online are also just accessory exercises, these will do absolutely nothing for you if you do not start off with a basic strength foundation that is gained from your compound exercises, getting all of the muscles fired up.

There is also the element of cost when it comes to training. But to be honest, if you are serious about making a change in your life - you will invest in yourself and find a way. Say a trainer costs 70 pounds for an hour, maybe sacrifice a mid week dinner and drinks (which will easily come to 70 quid if you live in London). There are also other options, some trainers offer group sessions. Maybe you and a friend have the same goals, so try group training, this usually is the same price, but split in half between you and a friend e.g. instead of 70 you will pay 35 pounds each. But I cant speak for all trainers, you will have to speak to them about what they can offer you to help you financially. As I said, if you are serious, there are always options, and you will find a way.

Lastly, so many of us just have no idea where to start when it comes to weight training, muscle growth and fat loss. We also lack confidence when it comes to getting into the gym. A trainer can be your guide, and teach you everything you need to know, to give you that confidence to go off and do it on your own.

Taking all of this into account - and I know I said I was not going to #shamelesslyplug myself - but I want to give you amazing guys that read my blog the opportunity to have a FREE consultation and session with me. Starting from October, based in the Fulham area. So please hit me up! You can email me on hello@tashlankester.com, get in touch via insta, or the blog, or, if you are a friend, just message me girl I’m here to help. Any type of training you would like! We can have a sit down & chat over coffee, and then do any kind of session you desire, whether it be weights, outdoors etc, I am also available for a FaceTime consultation if you are not in London, I have got you covered. If this is the little kick you needed to start your fitness journey - it’s a sign! Don’t let it slip away. I will only be holding this offer open for October so get in quickkkk. Just a way of saying thanks so much for reading my blog I really appreciate it <3 <3 <3.

ALSO - stay tuned for my Sunday blog. It will be a daily routine vlog and everything that I do on a normal day-to-day. E.g. work, fitness, food, social etc etc. It will be a good one. I will also be posting it from SYDNEY. I am off to Australia for my graduation so make sure to follow my Instagram to see what I will be getting up to. I am so so excited. Will be a beautiful time filled with family, friends, laughter and all of the food and drink - because you can’t not when you are on holiday. And oh my goodness is it needed.

Thanks so much for reading, and please share with your friends and loved ones if you think they could benefit from a read.