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Functionally Speaking
Welcome to Functionally Speaking— the podcast where two clinicians share one brain cell and way too many opinions.
We’re here for the nuance, the hot takes, the facts your certification skipped over, and the occasional spiral into chaos. If you’re a health coach, practitioner, or clinician who’s slightly functional (just like our mitochondria and our recording process), you’re in the right place.
We’re not here to sugarcoat the science or pretend there’s one right way to do this work — we’re doing it our way. Unfiltered. Slightly feral. And always with love for the humans we serve.
Let’s get into it.
Functionally Speaking
16. How Undereating Wrecks Hormones, Metabolism, Sleep, and Sanity
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Are your clients hitting the gym, eating “clean,” and still feeling exhausted, anxious, and bloated? We see it all the time—women who are praised for their discipline but are actually deeply undernourished. And sometimes? Clinicians miss the signs too.
In this episode of the Functionally Speaking podcast, we’re talking about one of the most common but overlooked issues in functional and conventional healthcare: undereating. Whether it's hiding behind food sensitivities, excessive exercise, or outdated calorie goals, under-fueling shows up in all sorts of sneaky ways.
This one’s for clinicians who want to support their clients more holistically—and for high-achieving humans who are doing “everything right” and still not feeling like themselves.
In this episode, we cover:
- 01:36 The impact of undereating on hormones and metabolism
- 02:19 How diet culture teaches women to fear hunger
- 05:22 When discipline disguises disordered eating
- 09:51 Sneaky symptoms and lab clues your client is under-fueled
- 16:03 Why macros aren’t enough—micronutrients matter, too
- 17:37 What mineral depletion says about your metabolism
- 18:00 The relationship between stress, food, and capacity
- 18:51 Helping clients shift from weight loss to true health
- 21:22 What to watch for in thyroid and sex hormone labs
- 23:38 Coaching with compassion: the “capacity” conversation
- 27:40 Sneaky signs of under-fueling even seasoned pros miss
- 30:53 Why performance ≠ health—and how to help clients see that
Links and resources:
- The Anatomy of Anxiety by Ellen Vora: http://goodreads.com/book/show/58385699-the-anatomy-of-anxiety
Connect with Unconventional Collaborative:
Join Us: https://unconventional-collaborative.mn.co/
Website: unconventionalcollaborative.com
Instagram: instagram.com/unconventional.collaborative
Connect with Laura Ligos:
Website: https://thesassydietitian.com
Instagram: instagram.com/thesassydietitian
Connect with Danielle Kepics:
Website: https://www.empoweredmindbody.co
Instagram: instagram.com/danielle.kepics
The information provided in this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast.
This podcast does not create a doctor-patient, provider-client, or supervisory relationship between you and any of the hosts or contributors.
Additionally, health coaches, fitness professionals, clinicians, and other practitioners are solely responsible for how they interpret and apply the information shared.
Unconventional Collaborative and its contributors assume no responsibility or liability for any outcomes resulting from the use or misuse of the information provided in this podcast.
