It’s been about one month since I shared about my miscarriage, so I thought it was a good time to share a little overview of what the last year of my life has been like behind the scenes — as far as getting my hormones in order in order to get pregnant. You see, it took almost one full year to balance out my hormones - and ultimately get pregnant, (I share more about my story on my IG stories here). The journey was a tough one, but also one I am so thankful for, after learning that I was struggling with a hormonal imbalance caused by hypothalamic amenorrhea, which I will go on to explain, but first, let me start from the beginning...

My History with My Hormones and My Period

Thinking back to my very first period, I don't really remember a time that I had "normal" monthly cycles. Because I had eating disorders at the age of 14, which the time periods are just starting to regulate for most young women, mine were non-existent for years during my battle.

When I finally reached a healthy place in my body in my 20's, I got a few periods with months in between, but my hormones never really got a chance to settle before jumping into nursing school. Nursing school was the most pressure and stress I have ever felt in my life, which can throw anyones cycle off, and it was around this same time that I started then started a new workout program 5-6 days a week; The combination of the two made my period go bye-bye for another 5 years during college. I was always concerned in the back of my mind, but because I had never really had a "normal" monthly cycle, I didn't give it too much thought, nor did I have the time to think much about it at that time.

Things Changed When I Desired to Get Pregnant

Fast forward to when Sean and I were married for about 3 years, and I was working my new nursing job (where I was extremely stressed out), and was still working out 5-6 days a week, of course, I still didn't have a period. When and we wanted to start trying for our first baby, I knew this was something I had to address.

I went to a doctor, (and I had been to quite a few during the 8 years I went without a period), but every time I went to an OB/Gyn, they told me I should either go on birth control to regulate my hormones (which I never did, or they drew my blood and sent me on my way with little to no follow up, leaving me feeling like nothing was really that "wrong" with me.

When I First Knew There Was a Problem

It wasn't until I started praying and seeking the Lord when I desperately wanted a baby that the Lord showed me what the cause could be for my absent-periods. It was a condition called Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA). I first learned about it after doing some research online, and a book popped up that caught my eye called "No Period Now What" by Nicola Rinaldi. I ordered the book and skimmed the pages, and I decided to give the protocol for restoring your period a try.

The book breaks down one of the common- but rarely discussed- reasons for a missing period due to Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (HA). HA is the loss of a menstrual cycle — where your brain basically tells your body to stop the reproductive process because there is either not enough energy, or too much stress from lifestyle or exercise (or a combination of the two) to bring a baby into the world. Having this condition also means that your body isn't putting energy into producing balanced hormones, because it needs to use the energy it is getting to make your vital organs work.

To be honest, when I read about HA, I didn't feel like I identified at all. In fact, I just thought to myself there is no way this could be my problem, I was only workout 5-6 days a week for about an hour, and eat plenty of food, (or so I thought). Thinking I was active and healthy. I could admit to myself that I was stressed at times, because of my Type-A perfectionist personality- but I simply did not think I was over-exercising or under-fueling. However, I was DESPERATE to get pregnant, and without a regular cycle, I knew it would be near impossible unless something changed.

Addressing the Issues

I started to follow the protocol suggested for healing your body and restoring a natural cycle "loosely" because again, I really didn't think this was my issue, but I was willing to give anything a try. The protocol to regain your period in "No Period Now What was simple- eat a surplus of calories, around 2500 calories per day in order to give your body a "safety net" to restore and rebuild hormones, and cut out all intense exercise (yoga or walking was ok), and as much lifestyle stress as possible.

Right away I stopped counting calories, and let myself eat anything that sounded good, and as much and as often as I wanted. I don't know that I ate the recommended 2,500 calories, but I do know that when I was only allowing myself 1,500 per day I still felt hungry. When I stopped tracking calories and I allowed my body to eat whatever it wanted and needed, I would guess that I was more than 2,000 calories per day, which I now know my body needed to heal and restore my hormones.

I also cut my workouts down from 6 days a week to 4, and cut back on my intensity level dramatically. I also cut out extra lifestyle stressors, and started to say "no" a lot more, and pray about every opportunity to see if it was what the Lord would have for me.

And finally, I rested. A lot. I took naps, and sat and read the bible or a good book, which was something I never allowed myself to do. I always felt that if I wasn't working, or doing something productive, that I was wasting time.

As I began to make these changes (eat more, exercise less, rest more), I naturally gained weight. At first I would weight myself, but then i quickly learned that in order to be in a place of full surrender- and honor my body, I had to stop weighing myself as well. Within three short months of making these changes, I got one period, then before my second cycle ever came, about 50 days later, I found out I was pregnant with Maddie. A true miracle!

Going Around the Same Mountain

In so many ways it was wonderful that I got pregnant after just one cycle, but looking back it also set me up for a bit of confusion going forward. I remember thinking about my periods returning when I was weaning Maddie from breast feeding, (which by the way, during my entire pregnancy and the entire year I breast fed, I continued to listen to my body, and fuel and workout according to how my body felt; Always honoring my hunger, rest, and movement accordingly).

However, after one year of breast feeding - I kept waiting and waiting for a period to return, and nothing. On that same note, right around the time that I was done nursing, I joined a fitness challenge at my gym, which included 5 days per week of extra intense workouts, tracking food, and physical challenges, (and this was on top of the stress of being a first time mom to a one-year-old.) Looking back, it's no wonder I didn't get my period back!

I just kept telling myself it would come, but life got busy, and I just sort of went to thinking of myself as hormonally broken. I told myself- "you never have a normal period, and you take great care of your body", and if i'm being honest, since I didn't want another baby right away, I pretty much ignored it.

Correction On a Heart Level

Fast forward to the year Maddie turned 3. I'm sure most moms can relate when I say, when your baby turns 2 or 3, something in your heart just "ticks" and you start to desire another baby. This was the case for me, and when Maddie was about 2 1/2 we decided we would be try again around her third birthday. When she turned 3, I assumed my body would get pregnant fairly quickly, considering it had done it before, but there was one little thing that was still missing- my menstrual cycle.

At first I decided to make the same changes I did with Maddie- lessen my workouts, fuel more, and stress less. I did this for three months, and nothing. I was so confused and frustrated! So I started seeking the Lord about what the issue was, and I knew that He was after something deeper this time- not just a temporary fix in order to get pregnant- but a true heart change. I knew this meant I had some work to do, and to be honest, I wasn't thrilled about it. (Are we ever thrilled or ready for correction!?)

That next week the Lord started to speak to my heart about going on a fast, specifically a fast from working out. He called me to trade in my fast-paced exercise with a slow simple start to the day- quite time and a walk with Him each day.

Now i'll be admit that this fast wasn't an easy one for me to agree to at first, especially when I knew God was telling me to fast the gym for 21 days, but I knew from experience that there has never been a time in my life when obedience to Him wasn't worth it. Obedience always bring some of the greatest blessings, and a deeper walk with Him which is priceless; So on my 21 day walking fast I went, and boy did I grow!

The Purpose of Exercise and Eating Healthy

One of the greatest things the Lord spoke to my heart was about the purpose of exercise and eating. It wasn't just about doing it to reach or maintain a certain weight, or to look a certain way, but to live a long healthy life on this earth so we can fulfill His plans and purposes for our lives.

Although I know this to be true, I know that if I was eating and exercising in a way that wasn't bringing health (and yes, a period is a key sign of health), then I was doing it with the wrong motives. I will admit that this was one of the most difficult things to admit and realize, because I truly do love to exercise, eat healthy, and preach and teach it; BUT, again, if it wasn't done from a place of truly honoring my health, then I can't say that I was done with the right purpose or motives in mind.

What Are Our Motives

This was when the Lord started to speak to me about the deeper issues of the heart as it relates to beauty, fitness, eating healthy, etc. As much as we would all like to say as women that we do it for our health, many of us would admit that we also do it to maintain a certain weight, jean size, appearance, etc.; And while I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with wanting to feel good... the motive and heart behind it has to always be in order to live out our purpose with strength and vitality!

I started to see that it really goes back to motives. Am I trying to maintain a certain size/appearance in order to look good in the mirror, and in the end it is costing me my true health, my peace, my strength, my true joy!? If the answer is yes, and my actions are more destructive than beneficial, then I already know that the motive is wrong.

It can be a very tricky thing to recognize in a world that glorifies beauty, appearance, and self-image- which is also tied very closely to the dieting and fitness industry, which can skew our view of true beauty and health very quickly if we aren't aware.

Getting Back on Track

In my pursuit of regaining my period over the last year, the Lord brought me back to the same scripture He started my journey to health with way back in my 20's, when I was recovering from eating disorders, Romans 12:1-2.

It says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

I come back to this scripture again and again whenever I hit a roadblock in my life. I always know that if something isn't bringing peace in my life, I can almost always trace it back to getting outside of God's will and way somehow in my life.

I can then follow this verse backwards, and trace being outside of God's will to conforming to the pattern of this world, instead of letting God's word renew my mind- and not making myself a living sacrifice unto God in an area.

The more time I have spent seeking the Lord in this area, the more freedom He has revealed, (and continues to reveal unto me) on how to view food, fitness, and health in light of the His plan. He is so faithful to meet us where we are when we come to Him, even if we find ourselves taking our own way! The more I renew my mind to His ways, and refocus my motives to glorifying God, the more I find I stay in balance and naturally want to bring honor to Him with all of my choices!

Practically speaking, I have found that a combination of intuitive eating, (with a good balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins), rest, keeping stress to a minimum, and working out no more than 3-4 hours per week, (not including walking), is what works best for my body to keep it hormonally healthy and happy!

Other Ways I Helped Support My Hormones

Outside of changing stressors to my body and fueling properly, I also did some research on supplements that would help support my hormones naturally. These in no way make up for or replace the lifestyle changes I had to make, but just helped support my body's natural functions. Here's what I added:

1 Tbs whole flaxseed to my daily shakes. Flaxseed can help balance your body's estrogen levels naturally.

500 mg Vitamin C. Research has shown that women who take vitamin C have significantly increased levels of progesterone in their systems,

Mega Food Prenatal. Being that I am trying to get pregnant, I chose a prenatal, but any good multivitamin is good to ensure your body is getting what it needs.

Vitamin B Complex. B-Complex has also been shown to support estrogen optimization.

400 mg Magnesium. Magnesium calms the nervous system and reduces the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis which is affected with HA. When the nervous system is calm, it has positive effects on your menstrual cycle and overall health.

Complete Omega supplement. Omega fatty acids are constituents of the membranes of all cells in the body and are precursors of hormones,

Getting Pregnant With Baby #2

Now you may be wondering, how did the journey to getting my period back for the second time impact my fertility? Well, after my fast in February 2021, I made all of the changes listed above, and stayed consistent with them even when it was hard. There were many days I wanted to have a good intense workout, many days that I felt uncomfortable in my clothes (because with these changes came inevitable weight gain), and many days I had to fight the temptation to find my identity in my fitness level and appearance.

I pursued the Lord with my whole heart and allowed Him to change my heart daily. As I did, He strengthened my heart and I my desire to obey became more important to me than anything I left behind... And in May I got my first cycle back! I didn't have a cycle in June, because I became pregnant with my second baby, (more about this pregnancy here).

Looking back, I am so thankful that I persevered and stuck with all of the changes the Lord led me to make! It was't easy, but the journey is certainly worth it to be fertile and hormonally healthy!

Where Am I Now?

It's now been about 4 weeks since my miscarriage, and am continuing to do the things the Lord called me to do before getting pregnant. Care for my body and do everything from a place of honoring my health and Him, and that is where I plan to stay. The focus is health, and making every choice from the place of being truly healthy. Not a certain weight, size, fitness level, or appearance, but health.

Yes, I want to be hormonally healthy so I can get pregnant again, but God has changed me on a heart level, and because of that, I want to be truly healthy from this time forward, regardless of if I want to be pregnant or not. Aside from that, hormonal health is so much more than fertility! Balanced hormones are important for heart health, bone health, hair and skin health, digestive health, and even our vision! Your hormones also determine your weight, your energy levels, your appearance, your metabolism and of course, your fertility.

God is so incredible, and He truly did intertwine so many intricate parts of our being! When one isn't working correctly, even if it's a system we don't think we need working- it is important because one system impacts everything else!

Why Do I Share?

As I was going through my second bout of HA, I did a lot of research and found many women were speaking out about being "too fit" and "too healthy" to have balanced hormones and a regular monthly cycle. I know now that it’s a lot more common than people would like to admit in the health and fitness industry. So, I share my story to help others who may not realize why they aren't getting a period, or if they do realize they might have HA, but don't have the courage to make the changes they know they need to!

While there are many women out there who are athletes and are super fit and have no problem getting pregnant or keeping a regular cycle, not all women can. I’ve learned that every single body is different and some are more sensitive than others.

I’ve also learned that being super lean and fit is not the best way to be when you want to conceive. In fact, a little extra cushion around the middle and a higher body-fat percentage is ideal for a woman who wants to regulate her hormones and get pregnant.

I’ve also totally learned that most bodies don't do well with extremes. Two hours of high-intensity workouts a day. A low calorie diet with minimal carbs or fat. Running 100 miles an hour with no rest. These are extremes that will eventually lead to breakdown and burnout.

Do You Identify?

If you can identify with what I've shared, here’s my challenge to you.

Do you know if you get a regular cycle without birth control? If so, that’s great! If not, you should find out. Even if you don’t want to get pregnant, not getting a regular period naturally means something is off. Our periods are our bodies’ natural indicators of overall health.

Any problems with your period (like irregularity, heavy cramping or heavy bleeding) may mean that you have problems elsewhere, and it’s worth identifying those to fix them. If something is off, you could be stressing your body too much, you could get injured, your gut may not be functioning properly, your sleep may be affected, your brain may be foggy and you may feel exhausted and burned out all of the time. Not having a period also puts you at risk for endometrial cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease, just to name a few.

I would encourage you to seek and pursue true health, because you only have one body, and one life to live! If you need support or have questions, reach out! I have learned so much through this journey, and am so thankful I have chosen to honor my body and health above all! I'm happy to share everything the Lord has shared with me- and to help others if I can.

Life is all about choices, and health is the greatest choice of all! xo Katie