Can trying to be healthy actually become unhealthy? From competitive sports and restrictive eating to PCOS, hormone challenges, and chasing the latest wellness trends, Elena Morales knows what it's like when taking care of yourself starts feeling like a full-time job. In this candid conversation, Elena joins Sandy to share how her relationship with food, exercise, and her body evolved, and why learning to let go of perfection became such an important part of her wellness journey. Together, they explore the all-or-nothing mentality, women's health, the pressure to look a certain way, and how curiosity, self-trust, and realistic habits can help us build a healthier relationship with wellness. Because sometimes being healthier isn't about doing more. It's about finding what actually works for you.
What happens when the pursuit of health starts taking a toll on your physical and emotional well-being?
In this episode of Wellness Explained, Sandy sits down with Elena Morales for an honest conversation about perfectionism, body image, PCOS, women's health, and redefining what it means to live well.
From her years as a competitive athlete to experimenting with restrictive diets, intermittent fasting, and intense exercise routines, Elena shares how her pursuit of wellness eventually led her to question whether she was truly supporting her health.
Now a mother and successful Northern Virginia real estate professional, Elena offers a refreshing perspective on building sustainable habits, trusting your body, and finding joy in movement, food, and everyday life.
Dr. Stacy Sims Women's Exercise Physiology and Nutrition
Dr. Stacy Sims is an exercise physiologist and researcher known for her work on female-specific exercise and nutrition considerations. Elena discusses her work in relation to the historical underrepresentation of women in sports and exercise research.
Website: https://www.drstacysims.com/
Mary Cain “I Was the Fastest Girl in America, Until I Joined Nike”
Elena references Mary Cain's story about the pressures of elite athletics, weight expectations, and the consequences of inadequate fueling. Her experience highlights important conversations around athlete health, menstrual function, and performance.
Watch/read via The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/07/opinion/nike-running-mary-cain.html
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents Lindsay C. Gibson, PsyD
Elena shares how this book helped her reflect on family relationships, emotional patterns, boundaries, and developing greater self-trust.
Additional topic: PCOS and women's hormonal health
Elena shares her personal experiences navigating a PCOS diagnosis and exploring different approaches to her health. Her story is a reminder that everyone's circumstances are different and individualized medical guidance matters.
Elena Morales is a Northern Virginia real estate agent and member of an all-women team ranked #2 among medium-sized teams in Virginia, with more than $150 million in combined sales in 2025.
Before building her real estate career, Elena's journey included competitive basketball and volleyball, long-distance running, strength training, and yoga. She also worked on an organic fruit farm in Hawaii, managed cold-pressed juice sales and deliveries throughout Northern Virginia, and served as a store manager at South Block in Clarendon and Vienna.
A Northern Virginia native and Virginia Tech alumna, Elena began her real estate career in Northern California before returning home to raise her family and continue growing her business.