Can you heal adrenal fatigue naturally?
If you are an active fitness fanatic like me, it isn’t difficult to end up with health issues and potentially reach a point of adrenal fatigue. Why? You’ve heard me talk about this a lot on the show, and I use my own experience (stay tuned, I’ll write a post and share a new podcast on my own experience in getting adrenal fatigue and worse- adrenal burnout, and how I got better, mostly inspired by this lady in this interview– Alex!!) — but the truth is, it’s very easy once you become addicted to fitness, for your healthy obsession to turn into an unhealthy obsession. And we often don’t even realize it- but sooner than we think we are overtraining and under-eating, our sleep suffers, our menstrual cycle suffers, and our stress increases. It becomes a bad cycle and over time our bodies cannot handle the wear and tear. Enter Adrenal Fatigue. It’s a very real thing- whatever you might hear on the internet (some know-it-alls claim there is no such thing. WHATEVER.)
This 2-part interview with Alex Mazzurco will flood you with more a-ha moments than you can imagine. Alex was an active figure competitor and killing it in the gym, until she very suddenly hit a brick wall with her health. Weight gain and fatigue were just the beginning of her body just plain giving out on her. Learn how she took a year to HEAL from the inside out and now is thriving both physically and emotionally. This interview will teach you so much about the importance of self-care and self-LOVE. Fitness should be FUN not punishment. Be sure to listen to both parts of this 2-part episode! This is part 2, you can listen to part 1 if you haven’t done so yet by CLICKING HERE.
About Alex Mazzurco
From her online bio: “Day One of my fitness journey, I ate one piece of toast instead of two and did a 45-minute Hip Hop Abs video with my Mom. From that day on I did something to change my health every day for 50 days. I say health and not body because, unlike most girls, I didn’t have a body image issue—I had health and wellness issue. With my focus and determination, I had lost almost 15 pounds in those 50 days just by making uneducated “healthy” changes to my typical college lifestyle. Not only did my health and wellness improve, but I noticed the changes my body had made, and all it took was one day that compounded into weeks, then months, then years.
After healing, I needed another challenge. I was always the skinny runner girl in high school, so why not go back to my cross-country roots? I started training for Tough Mudders and half marathons. I ran a lot—cardio cleared my mind, and each mile time became something to beat. But when you run with the goal of a PR every run, you burn yourself out and end up with stress fractures… like me.
Things happen for a reason. I was broken and had to find a new outlet. I came across bikini competitions and immediately knew that was my next challenge. Little did I know the rollercoaster I was hopping on. Who knew becoming a bikini competitor meant you needed to eat more, lift a lot, do less cardio, buy a bedazzled bikini for hundreds if not thousands of dollars, become an Oompa Loompa, buy clear heals off of an exotic dancer website, learn how to pose, and learn how to do stage makeup?!
After a year of competing the wrong way, I made the decision to give it one more try with a healthier approach. I found macros and my coach, Adam Atkinson, and my life changed. I interviewed him for over 2 hours and demanded answers, explanations, and attention, all things a coach should provide. I realized I was different—my muscles grew quickly and they utilized carbs differently. I researched, I communicated, I was in tune with my body, and Adam listened to me.
Most of you know that story and you know my journey on the stage did not end well.
In 2017 I went from a 110 lb. athlete to a 150 lb. girl who couldn’t train, let alone stay awake for more than 8 hours. Through testing I found out I had SIBO/Dysbiosis, adrenal fatigue and severe nutrient deficiencies. I have spent the last two years healing and learning.
Everything happens for a reason—especially then. This experience humbled me, made me a better coach, and a healthier human.
I want to encourage young women that they can have their (buff) cake and eat it too. That you need to eat to fuel your body which builds muscle which builds your metabolism. Who doesn’t want to eat more? You don’t have to spend hours on the treadmill like a hamster on a wheel and you need to eat more than a rabbit.” You can find Alex at her website by CLICKING HERE. You can follow her on the gram by CLICKING HERE.
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