As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist in the Women’s Health realm, I hear this all the time: “My hormones are a mess.”

Irregular periods, intense PMS, anxiety, poor sleep, stubborn fatigue - many women assume these symptoms mean something is fundamentally wrong with their bodies. Hormones get blamed quickly, and understandably so. But in practice, I often see something else driving these issues: chronic under-fueling.

Fertility struggles can be physically and emotionally challenging, and they are far more common than many people realize. As a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), I often work with individuals who feel pressure to “fix” fertility challenges through diet or body changes. It’s important to state clearly: fertility is complex, and challenges are rarely caused by a single factor. Although it is often a significant focal point when an individual is faced with struggles conceiving, body weight alone is not a reliable predictor of fertility. Subsequently, focusing solely on weight loss can distract from more meaningful, supportive changes.