236: Athlete Mental Performance with Hannah Silva Breen

Female Athlete Nutrition

236: Athlete Mental Performance with Hannah Silva Breen

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Published on Sep 11, 2025, 5:00:00 AM
Total time: 00:52:42

Episode Description
This episode of the Female Athlete Nutrition Podcast features Lindsey Elizabeth Cortez, a sports dietician, and Hannah Silva Breen, a PhD student in sport, exercise, and performance psychology. They discuss the mental health and body image issues that female athletes face. Hannah shares her journey from being an athlete to focusing on mental health and body image research.
 
The episode delves into practical strategies to improve body image, the impact of social media, and the importance of body functionality. They also discuss systemic changes needed in sports culture to support female athletes better.
 
In this episode, Hannah shared Body Confident Sport, a free online tool researched and co-developed by Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport and the Centre for Appearance Research, with support from Dove and Nike. This tool is globally informed and tested, and works! There are brief education modules for coaches of girls, and resources for coaches to share directly with their athletes.
 
Episode Highlights:
  • 01:27 Meet Our Guest: Hannah Silva Breen
  • 03:32 Understanding Mental Performance vs. Mental Health Counseling
  • 09:49 Stigmas in Sports and Mental Health
  • 14:19 Hannah's Journey: From Athlete to Mental Health Advocate
  • 23:52 Addressing RED-S and Nutrition for Female Athletes
  • 26:27 Body Image and Weight Bias in Different Sports
  • 27:29 Exploring Body Image Issues in Team Sports
  • 29:39 Impact of Social Media on Athletes' Body Image
  • 32:10 Fitness Influencers vs. Athletes: A Comparison
  • 35:40 The Misconception of Body Image and Performance
  • 40:07 Strategies to Improve Body Image in Female Athletes
  • 45:55 Creating a Supportive Environment for Athletes
  • 50:35 Conclusion and Resources for Female Athletes
 
For more information about the show, head to work with Lindsey on improving your nutrition, head to:
Join REDS Recovery Membership: http://www.lindseycortes.com/reds
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More about Female Athlete Nutrition

As a Sports Dietitian for NCAA, professional, and recreational athletes alike, I know how powerful nutrition can be. I also know how quickly a female athlete can fall into the trap of under fueling which severely limits their health. That’s why I’m sharing my knowledge of female-specific nutrition, training, body image, and mindset to help you fuel your body to perform at your highest level. Whether you are looking for a competitive edge with your nutrition training and mindset, or looking to overcome harmful nutrition habits and body acceptance, you’ve come to the right place!