'My obsession with exercise came at a big cost – others must know about the health risk'

A woman, who worked out up to three hours a day, has opened up about why she had to change her fitness regime after being warned it could impact her fertility.

Kristy Iervasi began losing weight in her teenage years by restricting her diet and exercising excessively due to "societal pressures and a lack of nutritional understanding".

Now 33, Kristy recalls how her obsession started, and the doctor's warning which changed her life.

She shared: "At high school, I started with one gym class a day, then two, then walking on the treadmill before and after the classes. After a few years, I left the gym and started CrossFit and the addiction got even worse."

The nutritionist admitted that during this period, she "couldn't go a day" without exercising for more than two hours, and if she did, it would affect her mood.

Furthermore, Kristy was worried that taking more than three days off from working out would cause her to lose strength and regain the weight.

Little did the fitness enthusiast know at the time, her obsession with exercise posed a risk to her health and she was later diagnosed with Amenorrhea.

According to Healthline.com, Amenorrhea is the absence of menstrual bleeding, which can impact things like bone density and fertility.

It naturally occurs during pregnancy and after menopause, but having it at other times may be a sign of a medical issue.

Initially, Kristy was subjected to multiple misdiagnoses before doctors finally determined the cause.

The women's health coach from Sydney says: "My family and friends raised a lot of concern, but I never listened. I would get mad at them when they kept going on about it because I couldn't see the damage it was doing to me at the time. "

She continued: "The lowest point came when I ran a half marathon and 15km with a ripped meniscus, but continued the race. A week later I did the Tough Mudder Run - a 21km obstacle course - with my knee in severe pain.

"Then the next week I wanted to go back to training so badly but I knew my body wouldn't cope, so I gave my mum my car keys so I couldn't go to the gym."

The lack of oestrogen caused by her stalled periods led to Kristy's bones weakening, a condition known as Osteopenia.

Kristy, upon discovering her health decline, confessed she was "riddled with guilt" and wished she had been more informed about Amenorrhea.

"And due to my over-exercising and under-fuelling, I now have weaker bones and may have infertility," she added.

The fitness enthusiast has since fully recovered by regaining weight, reducing her exercise regime, and eliminating mental stressors to achieve her first recovery period.

It then returned every three months for a year before becoming regular again six years ago.

Kristy now enjoys a healthier relationship with her body, food, and exercise, and attends the gym three times a week for strength training and bone protection.

Recovery from Amenorrhea wasn't a smooth journey for the Australian, who admits it "was also one of the hardest things I've ever done".

She further shared: "At that stage of my life, I was a competitive powerlifter, with ten world records, I had won the world championships and I had to give it all up, put on 8kg, and go for gentle walks every day to get my period back. I had to do a complete 180.

"Recovery from exercise addiction is scary and hard but possible. I don't want anyone to go through what I did with Amenorrhea.

"It's important for women to understand the side effects of period loss and excessive exercise," she told Cover Images Agency."

Kristy emphasises that "rest days" from exercise, are "just as important as active days".