In this conversation, I’m joined by Functional Nutrition and Metabolism Specialist Alysa Reyes to unpack what happens when discipline becomes misapplied and starts working against your physiology.

Alysa shares her story of losing her menstrual cycle for nearly nine years due to under-fueling and overtraining, being repeatedly told it was “normal,” and navigating the cascade that followed — thyroid dysfunction, hormonal shutdown, burnout, and years of medical gaslighting.

We walk through what RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) actually is, why a missing period is never something to ignore, and how high-achieving, Type A women often double down on control when their body is asking for recovery.

This episode connects the dots between under-eating, over-training, stress, nervous system load, and hormonal dysfunction and shows why the path forward isn’t another extreme protocol, but rebuilding foundations.

In this episode, we cover:

• What RED-S actually is and how it develops

• Why losing your period is a physiological red flag, not an inconvenience

• How bodybuilding-style dieting often gets confused with health

• The cascade from under-fueling → thyroid dysfunction → hormonal shutdown

• Why eating more and training less can be the turning point

• The psychology of the disciplined, high-achieving woman who struggles to slow down

• How poor recovery (especially sleep) compounds hormonal dysfunction

• Why gut protocols won’t work if your relationship with food is still chaotic

• The difference between structured tools and rigid restriction

• What true sustainability looks like after athletics, dieting, or burnout

If you’ve been told your labs are “normal” but you don’t feel well…
If your cycle is irregular, painful, or missing…
If you keep thinking you just need to tighten things up a little more…

This conversation will likely hit close to home.

Connect with Alysa:Instagram: @alee_reyes24
@beyondtheweightscoachingBeyond The Weights Podcast