In this episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast, host Lindsey Elizabeth Cortes, a registered sports dietitian, interviews Jules Vazquez, a former Division I and professional soccer player who struggled with disordered eating, exercise addiction, and hypothalamic amenorrhea. Jules shares her journey of recognizing the unhealthy extremes she went to in pursuit of athletic success, the severe health complications she faced, and her gradual path to recovery.
Through incremental changes like eating more, implementing rest days, reducing high-intensity workouts, and working with a functional medicine practitioner, Jules was able to restore her health, including regaining her menstrual cycle and healing gut issues. The conversation highlights the importance of listening to your body, redefining discipline, and having a strong support system. Jules' story is a powerful reminder of the consequences of extreme behavior and the challenging but rewarding journey towards true health and balance.
Jules Vazquez is passionate about helping female athletes avoid the struggles she went through. She recently launched BalancedFemlete (like Female Athlete) an Instagram platform where she shares her journey and empowers women to rebuild their health, redefine their identity without extremes, and find balance.
Outside of her advocacy work, Jules is a health sciences professor and works in the health tech space, blending her academic expertise with real-world experience to drive meaningful change in how we approach female athlete health.
Episode Highlights:
- 01:31 Meet Jules Vazquez: A Journey of Struggle and Triumph
- 03:22 The Dark Side of Perfectionism in Sports
- 06:39 The Physical and Mental Toll of Disordered Eating
- 07:41 The Path to Recovery: Recognizing the Need for Change
- 17:55 Health Consequences and the Road to Healing
- 27:19 The Decision to Step Away from Soccer
- 34:07 Finding Your Why
- 35:24 First Steps to Recovery
- 36:12 Adjusting Exercise and Diet
- 44:37 Healing the Gut
- 46:25 The Role of Testing and Professional Help
- 53:20 Current State and Future Plans
- 57:26 Advice for Others
- 01:01:29 Conclusion and Resources
Connect with Jules on Instagram @balancedfemlete
For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:
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