What if your relentless pursuit of fitness is actually destroying your health? In this episode of The Anthony Amen Show (formerly Health & Fitness Redefined), I sit down with Dani Sheriff to expose the hidden danger many high-achieving, health-conscious women never see coming: losing their menstrual cycle as a result of extreme training and chronic under-fueling.
Dani shares her deeply personal journey as an Olympic weightlifter who lost her period for eight straight years — a condition known as hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA). At the time, she wore it like a badge of honor. “I was so balls deep in fitness that I thought my period was optional,” she admits. But behind the scenes, her six-day-a-week training, rigid food rules, and constant caloric deficits created the perfect storm for hormonal shutdown.
We break down what actually happens inside the body when energy becomes scarce. The brain makes brutal survival decisions: keep your heart beating and lungs functioning… and disable “non-essential” systems like reproduction. But the consequences go far beyond fertility. Dani reveals how HA impacts bone density, cardiovascular health, sleep, cognition, metabolism, stress tolerance, and emotional well-being — all issues we see frequently in women at Redefine Fitness in Stony Brook and Mount Sinai, NY.
The conversation highlights the psychological side too. The more rigid the food rules, the stricter the exercise regimen, the higher the cortisol — which further disrupts hormones. Constant discipline becomes constant stress.
Then we explore the middle ground where real health lives. True wellness isn’t extreme restriction or reckless abandon — it’s balance, nourishment, strength, and consistency. Dani offers practical signs to look for, actionable steps to restore hormonal health, and a refreshingly human perspective: sometimes the donut is actually healthier than the guilt.
We also discuss:
• How to know if you’re overtraining
• Why women lose their periods from exercise + dieting
• The difference between discipline and dysfunction
• How to fuel properly for strength and hormone balance
• Why a “semi-regular” workout routine often produces better long-term health
• How to rebuild metabolism and hormonal resilience
Whether you're chasing fitness goals, navigating hormonal issues, or simply curious about what healthy really means, this conversation will shift your perspective. At Redefine Fitness, we say fitness is medicine — but only when applied intelligently, sustainably, and with respect for the body’s signals.
Listen, subscribe, and share this episode with the person who needs to hear that health does not live in extremes — it lives in balance.
Learn More at: www.Redefine-Fitness.com
