Episode 20: Mindful Movement, Sports Nutrition & Compulsive Exercise with Amy Gardner, MS, RD, CEDS-C, RYT

<p>What happens when athletes become so disconnected from their bodies that they learn to override hunger, fatigue, pain, and the need for rest?</p><p>In Episode 20 of <strong>Eat Kale &amp; Cupcakes</strong>, Laura Cipullo and Shannon Herbert sit down with <strong>Amy Gardner, </strong>MS, RD, CEDS-C, RYT, a registered dietitian and certified eating disorder specialist with more than 20 years of experience in the eating disorder field. Together, they explore the intersection of <strong>sports nutrition, mindfulness, exercise, eating disorders, and the mind-body connection</strong>—with a particular focus on adolescents and athletes.</p><p>Amy shares how her own experience as a former athlete, along with her work with eating disorders, shaped her approach to helping athletes reconnect with their bodies and develop a healthier relationship with movement and food.</p><p><strong>In this episode, we discuss:</strong></p><p><strong>Compulsive exercise vs. beneficial movement: </strong>How can you tell when exercise has shifted from something that supports health and performance to something driven by obligation, guilt, or compulsion?</p><p><strong>Fueling adolescent athletes: </strong>Why adequate nutrition matters for growth, development, training, performance, and recovery—and what can happen when athletes consistently underfuel.</p><p> <strong>The mind-body connection in sport: </strong>Why athletes can become disconnected from hunger, fatigue, pain, and other body signals, and how mindfulness can help rebuild body awareness.</p><p><strong>Using mindfulness to enhance athletic performance: </strong>Amy shares practical ways athletes can use breath, body awareness, and present-moment attention during strength training, walking, and other forms of movement.</p><p><strong>Signs of training too hard and underfueling: </strong>What athletes, parents, coaches, and healthcare professionals should watch for when training demands begin to exceed recovery and nutritional support.</p><p><strong>Hunger cues and structured fueling: </strong>Why athletes in recovery may need both mindful eating and intentional meal and snack planning—and why waiting for hunger isn&#39;t always enough.</p><p><strong>When athletic identity changes: </strong>How injury, retirement, transition out of sport, or changes in athletic identity can affect food, exercise, body image, and eating-disorder risk.</p><p><strong>Movement as connection—not disconnection: </strong>How we can shift the purpo