If you have dependents others who rely on your income, whether that's children, a spouse, or aging parents you probably need life insurance. The good news is that with the rise of online life insurance companies, it's not nearly as hard as it sounds to get hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of dollars in life insurance to protect your family should you die unexpectedly.

Bestow is one of those companies.

Bestow is an online life insurance company whose mission is "helping people protect their people." Technically, it's an insurance agent, meaning it's the link between customers and the insurance carrier North American Company for Life and Health Insurance.

Bestow offers term life insurance plans that are valid for a specific period of time. Term life insurance, as opposed to whole or permanent life insurance, is the type generally recommended by experts for people in most financial situations. Term life covers the policyholder for only the pre-determined period of time, and then expires after, say, 30 years, when the policyholder might no longer have dependents. Because the value expires, term life insurance is much cheaper than whole life insurance, and the rate and payout are fixed: You'll pay the same amount every month throughout the entire policy, and your death benefit won't change over time.

It's standard when getting life insurance to undergo a medical check-up, but with Bestow (like with some other online life insurance companies), there are no medical visits required. Instead, the company asks you about your health and lifestyle and uses predictive models to get information about your health and wellness. It also provides customer support, advice from licensed life insurance agents, and the ability to cancel your plan at any time.

Let's face it: Life insurance isn't exactly something people love to talk about, but it's an important part of a comprehensive financial plan. Life insurance provides a lump sum of money to your chosen beneficiaries (in most cases, your spouse or children) upon your death. This money can cover the cost of the funeral, help cover loss of your income, or pay any of your outstanding debts.

Anyone who has dependents others relying on their income, whether that's children, a non-working spouse, or aging parents probably needs life insurance.

Bestow offers two types of life insurance plans: 10 and 20-year plans, and more unusual two-year plans (more on those below). The cost of these plans will vary by person based not only on how long they last, but also factors like your age, smoking status, and weight. Note that Bestow offers 20-year terms to people ages 21 to 45, and 10-year or two-year terms to people ages 21 to 55.

Both plans allow you to cancel any time, without paying any fees. You can apply for a plan in a matter of minutes and get approved quickly.

Its 10 and 20-year term life insurance plans start at $8 per month for up to $1 million in coverage.

Under the 10 and 20-year terms, you can get affordable coverage for your family and protect your financial life for the long term. You'll pay the least amount per month if you're young and healthy. The price can go up with an increase in age and any medical issues.

This is a good plan if:

The two-year life insurance plan starts at $3 per month for coverage up to $500,000. According to Bestow, this plan is the easiest to get approved for and has the fastest application. It is designed for people in transition or people who'd like to be covered for a longer period of time but are not sure they qualify.

This is a good plan if:

Life insurance is a serious decision, and there plenty of companies that can help you get it. Here are the primary pros and cons for using Bestow for your life insurance needs:

Pros:

Cons:

If you think Bestow is the right life insurance for you, you can apply online quickly. Here's how it works:

You'll input your gender, birth date, height, weight, and state you live in, as well as whether you currently use any nicotine products.

Bestow

I input my information as an example. I'm mid-30s and height and weight proportional. I don't smoke, and my prospective rate is $22.50 a month for a $500,000 policy with a 20-year term.

Bestow

This is exactly as easy as you'd expect.

After that, you'll answer a quick seven-question survey about your health. The questions are about rapid weight loss, HIV status, disability payments, and depression, to determine whether there are any health conditions that affect you now and could affect you in the long term.

Then you'll answer a 10-question lifestyle survey. You'll be asked if you're a US citizen, where you were born, if you're traveling more than 30 days to another country, your employment type and income, and info about your driver's license.

After that, you'll be asked to provide your Social Security Number and digital signature. You'll be able to review your application before submitting. After, you'll verify your ID. Then, there's the underwriting process for approval. Here's what my final offer looked like:

Bestow

The final number was about $17 a month more than my initial quote, once I filled out the in-depth survey. Your physical and mental health history may affect your final rate.

Overall, Bestow can be a good option for those who want to navigate a life transition with a short-term two-year plan or for those who prioritize convenience and no doctor visits. Just make sure that the maximum coverage works for your needs, and consider getting quotes from other insurers to find the most affordable coverage for you.

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Online life insurance company Bestow offers competitive pricing, for 2 to 20 years at a time. Here's how it works and what to expect. - Business...

JACKSONVILLE Their huge lead had shrunk, and the Bucs were fast-forwarding through a greatest hits list of blunders.

Lets see, there was the turnover that led to the first Jaguars score. There was the sack that led to the second. There was the defensive penalty on fourth down that put Jacksonville one yard away from cutting what had once been a 25-point lead down to a single touchdown with plenty of time remaining.

You were familiar with this story. You knew the characters, and you were already bracing yourself for how it would end.

And then, suddenly, a kid steps in front of a pass and everything changes.

Turns out, the Bucs held on to beat the Jaguars 28-11 on Sunday. Rookie cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting intercepted a pass in the end zone to preserve a fourth-quarter goal-line stand, and the rest of us were left wondering if we had written this team off too soon.

Thats one of those things, coach Bruce Arians said of the goal-line stand, you can take and build off of for a long time.

Tampa Bay has now won three out of four for the first time since 2016. The defense that was looking historically bad a month ago has forced six turnovers and recorded 11 sacks the past two weeks. There is a confidence. There is a belief. There is a reason to look ahead.

Is it possible there is also a new normal for the Bucs?

I know what kind of defense we have, and I knew how we were going to respond in that moment, said cornerback Carlton Davis. Get used to it. Youre going to see a lot of plays like this moving forward.

You could point out that the last three victories have come against teams that are 4-8, 3-9 and 3-7-1. Thats fair. You could also point out that Tampa Bay has lost its three most recent games against teams with winning records. Thats also fair.

But it misses the unmistakable growth seen in Tampa Bays young secondary in the past month. The Jaguars were two yards away from cutting the lead to 25-18 when Murphy-Bunting made a play that he might not have recognized quickly enough just a couple of months ago.

We all talk about being playmakers, and Sean stepped up made a big play, said linebacker Lavonte David, who got in Murphy-Buntings face after the interception. I told him, 'Way to go man. Way to bail us out. Thats what we need to do around here. We need to step up and make plays when we have the opportunity.

And thats whats been happening in the secondary. Davis had a big second-half interception against the Falcons. Two weeks before that, it was Jamel Dean against the Cardinals. This time, it was Murphy-Bunting. Two rookies, and a second-year player. And Davis is the oldest of the bunch at 23.

In this case, the recognition was much more impressive than the execution. Murphy-Bunting was playing the slot receiver inside and Ryan Smith had Dede Westbrook on the outside when the play was snapped. The two receivers crossed paths, and so Murphy-Bunting told Westbrook to switch off.

When I saw him coming across on the slant, I peeked back at the quarterback and saw the ball coming and I just jumped the route, Murphy-Bunting said. At the beginning of the season, I cant tell you if I would have made that play or not. Moving forward I can tell you that play will be made every time.

The Bucs had a late lead against the Giants in September, but allowed rookie quarterback Daniel Jones to drive 75 yards in the final three minutes for the winning score. They had a second-half lead against the Titans in October, but gave up consecutive scoring drives for another collapse.

On the Monday following the Tennessee loss, the defensive backs got together at the training complex after everyone else had left and talked about turning things around.

Basically, we said this has to end. We have to carry our own weight. Our run defense cant carry us every time, Murphy-Bunting said. Teams were literally passing on us at will. Thats never good at the NFL level. We all had to bow up, we had to grow up, we had to show up. We had to do what were doing now.

Its a small sample size, and it might be skewed by the level of competition. But its a start.

And its a lot different from what weve been conditioned to expect.

John Romano can be reached at jromano@tampabay.com. Follow @romano_tbtimes.

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Photos: Buccaneers at Jaguars

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Is Sean Murphy-Buntings interception evidence of the Bucs new normal? - Tampa Bay Times

Mike "The Situation" Sorrentinofrom Jersey Shore: Family Vacation shocked his family when he revealed his post-prison weight loss. According to Mike, his family barely recognized him nearly 40 pounds thinner.

In 2014, the Sorrentino brothers were indicted after their failure to pay taxes on 8.9 million dollars of income between the years of 2010 and 2012. In April of 2017, the brothers were additionally charged by theDepartment of Justice, and both Mike and his brother plead guilty and could have faced a maximum of 5 years behind bars. Mike was required to pay $123,913 in restitution and a fine for $10,000, which he did before starting his jail sentence, waslocked away in the federal prisonfrom January to September.

Related:Jersey Shores The Situation Lost 36 Pounds in Prison from Fasting

While in prison, Mike utilized his time to better himself mentally and physically. While locked up, Mike worked out two to three times every day, even on weekends and holidays. He lost a lot of the nearly 40 pounds through intermittent fasting - not eating for long periods of time during the day -16 hours without food on weekdays and anywhere between 17 and 19 hours on the weekends. Mike revealed via Peoplethat his weight loss really shocked his family when he got out, saying, "Everyone was shocked when they first saw me." Though Mike was only locked up nine months, his family had a hard time recognizing the new and improved Situation. Mike continued, "They said I looked like it was 2009 again. They were practically crying when they saw me."

In the two months since his release from prison, Sorrentino has kept up his rigorous routine. Mike revealed that he goes to the gym five to six times a week and has continued to do intermittent fasting. Before he went to prison, Mike said he never thought he would be in tip-top shape again. He said,"I didnt think that I was going to get my abs back this quickly, but it just goes to show you what diet, exercise, hard work and determination will get you."Mike revealed that his family and friends though that once he was out of prison he would go back to eating whatever he wanted again, but that wasn't the case. Mike explained that he was less interested in eating everything he could, and more interested in keeping the weight off after taking so much time and effort to lose it.

It seems that the ripped Mike that fans and his wife got used to will be here to stay. Hopefully, Mike's transformation will continue to inspire his fans and show that with dedication, time, and hard work - anything is possible. Fans will be able to see the slimmed-down Mike on the new season ofJersey Shore: Family Vacationthat will be airing early 2020.

Next:Jersey Shores Angelina Pivarnick Leaves Own Wedding After Co-Stars Booed Speeches

Source: People

Real Housewives Porsha Williams Calls Loni Love a B*tch Over Comments About Fianc

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Mike Sorrentino Shocked Family With His Post-Prison Weight Loss - Screen Rant

Cynthia Bello says she had no idea skipping breakfast would make her feel so fantastic.

The 40-year-old Los Angeles Police Department detective and mother of two from Placentia started intermittent fasting in March to lose weight after becoming a self-professed junk food vegan.

I was not happy with what I saw in the mirror, she says. I had tried other weight-loss programs, and nothing ever worked.

But, Bello says, when she restricted her eating to a nine-hour window each day, the weight finally started coming off about 15 pounds. She has lost 4 inches from her waist, 2 from her bust and an inch off each thigh.

I was super scared of it because I dont do well when Im hungry, she said. But it was easier than I thought it would be. Bello now eats only between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. and says it has helped her sleep better, given her more energy, and, surprisingly, resulted in fewer problems with seasonal allergies and irregular menstrual periods.

Cynthia Bello makes a raspberry aa bowl with a thick blend of almond milk, one frozen banana, one aai packet and a cup of frozen raspberries topped with coconut flakes, natural peanut butter, granola and fresh raspberries.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

Military wife Colleen Taylor, 52, who splits her time among a home in Huntington Beach, the Joint Forces Training Base Los Alamitos and Great Falls, Mont., said intermittent fasting helped her achieve similar success. Taylor lost 11 pounds the first month of an eight-hour-window eating plan outlined in the Clean & Lean diet by Dr. Ian K. Smith.

Sticking to black coffee in the morning and skipping a late-night glass of wine narrowed her eating window, she said. It was really hard but if I buy good coffee, its OK, she says. I also add a little bit of cinnamon.

But the sacrifice, she says, has been worth it. Shes down 19 pounds on her 4-foot-11 frame just by maintaining a slightly relaxed, but still healthy diet in the eight-hour window. Her husband, Reginald, has lost weight too, just by eating in the same window.

Intermittent fasting has become somewhat of a darling in the wellness world, as a glance at Instagram can attest.

Adherents bill it as the right tool to bust through weight-loss plateaus and stave off a host of chronic diseases and conditions, including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and high blood pressure.

It sounds scary and potentially painful after all, fasting is in the name. But proponents say its a simple hack for curbing the endless snacking and nibbling and nighttime eating that can pack on calories.

Cynthia Bello typically works out at home using instructional videos.

(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)

At its most basic approach, you create a limited window for eating and stick to it. Bello, who eats her first meal at 11 a.m. and her last by 8 p.m., keeps her eating to a nine-hour window, and fasts 15 hours a day. (She followed an online program, the FASTer Way to Fat Loss, and was so taken with it, she now does coaching on the side.) Some followers take it to an extreme: Magician Penn Jillette says fasting 23 hours a day has helped him maintain his 100-pound weight loss.

Ashley Koff, a Los Angeles-based registered dietician who coaches clients on the finer points of intermittent fasting through her website, the Better Nutrition Program, says her followers love it because they dont have to think about counting protein, carbs and fat calories.

Intermittent fasting is a helpful approach for clients who do too much back-loaded eating, getting the majority of their calories in the hours before bed, which makes weight loss and digestion more difficult, she said.

Results from dozens of clinical studies on intermittent fasting, taking a more rigorous look at its impact on disease as well as side effects, are expected to come out in 2020. In the meantime, we talked to fasting experts to come up with a list of eight things you should know if you want to give intermittent fasting a try.

1. You dont have to limit eating to an eight-hour window to reap the benefits. While many fasting plans advocate an eight-hour window, for many that can be problematic and tough to stick to over the long haul. And an eight-hour window is not necessary to obtain many of the obesity and disease-fighting benefits, says Satchin Panda, a professor at the Salk Institute and author of The Circadian Code, an approach to weight loss that revolves around ones natural body clock.

Ten is a good entry point for weight loss, Panda says. That would mean having your first meal of the day at 8 a.m., for example, and making your last caloric intake of the day by 6 p.m. That alone could reduce overall calorie intake, especially since his research shows many Americans eat off and on for around 15 hours a day. A 12-hour eating window still confers many of the benefits to blood pressure and reduced gut inflammation, he said, and appears to be safe for people of all ages.

2. A shorter window, however, appears to confer more benefits for weight loss, and a reduction in disease markers.

In research published last year, Courtney Peterson, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, conducted a time-restricted eating study with pre-diabetic men, giving them an identical meal plan over two time frames six hours or 12 hours. On the six-hour plan, the men had lower levels of insulin and oxidative stress, less nighttime hunger and significantly lower blood pressure. While it didnt significantly affect the number of calories participants burned, it did lower levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin and increased fat-burning over the 24-hour day, the researcher found.

3. But very restrictive intermittent fasting might not be a good long-term strategy. One concern is that eating in windows of six to eight hours could eventually slow your metabolic rate and cause you to regain even more weight when you return to a regular schedule, says Valter Longo, director of the USC Longevity Institute and author of The Longevity Diet.

Moreover, theres some indication that tighter feeding windows over the long term might have an adverse effect on cardiovascular health, Longo said. However, more research is needed. We dont want to get rid of a problem [such as weight] and give you another in the long run, he said. Once you lose the weight, its a good idea, he said, to slowly broaden your eating window closer to the very safe sweet spot of 12 hours.

4. Its OK to mess up occasionally. Life can be unpredictable, and with dinners out or vacations, a tight eating window can be difficult to adhere to. Intermittent fasting for five or six days a week confers many of the benefits, such as reduced body fat, reduced cholesterol, better glucose control, and improved endurance, experts say.

5. It could be an important tool in the fight against cancer. Studies show that fasting can help prevent malignancies, reduce tumor growth and increase the efficacy of cancer treatment such as chemotherapy. A 2015 analysis of data from the Womens Healthy Eating and Living Study found that breast cancer survivors who didnt eat for at least 13 hours overnight had a 36% reduction in the risk of recurrence and were 21% less likely to die from breast cancer.

6. Beverages with calories will break your fast. One of the biggest problems people have getting started with intermittent fasting is accidentally breaking their fast too early in the morning with cream in their coffee or caloric beverages at night, says Smithauthor of Clean & Lean, which advocates whole foods and time-restricted eating.

Calories count, Smith says. You want [to consume] no more than 25 calories during your fasting window or you can consider your fast broken.

7. The old adage Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper still holds. Even if youre cutting off your eating earlier in the evening, its still better to eat your bigger meals earlier in the day, Panda says, because your body can digest them more efficiently. Israeli researchers found in studies that overweight women lost more weight and had greater improvement in blood sugar, insulin and other markers of cardiovascular disease when they ate a large first meal, modest lunch and small dinner compared with the reverse.

8. Its not for everyone. Pregnant or breastfeeding women, or those who are underweight or have a history of eating disorders shouldnt undertake a very restrictive intermittent fasting program, our experts said. Diabetics or anyone on medication should consult their doctor before starting any program.

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Intermittent fasting and weight loss: What you need to know - Los Angeles Times

Facebook/Jennifer JaynesJennifer Jaynes pictured on her Facebook page.

Jennifer Jaynes is the bestselling suspense novelist who died at the age of 47 on November 25.

According to Jaynes obituary, her funeral was held in Lindale, Texas, on November 30. The tribute says that Jaynes had been living in Hideaway, Texas, since 2010. Jaynes died after committing suicide.

Jaynes tragic passing was announced in a heartbreaking Facebook post from her boyfriend Burke Bryant. On November 28, Bryan wrote, It comes with deep sadness to announce the loss of my loving girlfriend Jennifer Jaynes on the 25th of November 2019. She will be missed more than words can ever convey.

An incredible woman with a heart the size of the universe, she always talked lovingly about her readers, fans and friends and looked forward to hearing from you all. We would often stay up late sending out books to those that wanted to read her novels, yet lacked the finances to buy (shed send her books to them regardless). She will be missed, loved and always remembered.

Lets celebrate the life of this wonderful woman, by remembering the love, warmth and care she gave to us all.

Heres what you need to know:

On her official website, Jaynes says that she was born Jennifer Minar on Minot Air Force Base on October 30, 1972. Jaynes says she was inspired to become a writer by Stephen King, James Patterson and Dean Koontz. Jaynes writes that she is passionate about stories that are filled with suspense and psychological plot lines.

According to Jaynes Facebook page, she was the mother to 5-year-old twin boys. On that page, Jaynes discussed her various different careers. They included, a gas station attendant, waitress, dancing waitress, beer girl, shot girl, bartender, closing coordinator, executive assistant, medical assistant, EMT, content manager, webmaster, news publisher, editor, copywriter, weight loss coach and publishing consultant.

On her Twitter bio, Jaynes says of herself, I love wine, sushi, cooking, poker.

Jaynes was a 1999 graduate of Old Dominion University, where she attained a bachelors degree in Health Sciences, according to her LinkedIn page. Jaynes also had a 2013 certificate from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Despite her different jobs, Jaynes said that her dream was to become a novelist. In 2011, Jaynes published her first book, Never Smile at Strangers. Jaynes said the book achieved a place on USA Todays Bestsellers list as well as the number one position on Amazon and Barnes & Nobles e-book charts.

The book was re-released by Thomas & Mercer in January 2015, which was followed by Jaynes second book, Ugly Young Thing in March 2015. A third novel, Dont Say a Word came in May 2016, which was followed by The Stranger Inside in May 2017. Jaynes book, Malice, which was published in 2018, has been held up as a pro-anti-vaxxer book. Jaynes published another work, Disturbed, in 2017.

Many on social media have suggested that Jaynes death was as a result of her novel and possible links to the anti-vaxxer movement. One activist said that Jaynes had been a member of the Facebook group Restore Liability For The Vaccine Makers Group since May 2019.

Jaynes was previously married to movie producer Brian T. Jaynes. The couple has two children together. According to his IMDb page, Brian Jaynes is the Houston-born producer of movies such as Biohazard: Patient Zero from 2012 and Humans vs Zombies from 2011. Brian Jaynes also goes by the moniker Michael Raven for his porno movie directing career. In 2008, Brian Jaynes was inducted into the Adult Video News Hall of Fame. Brian Jaynes was briefly married to porn stars, Sydnee Steele and Julia Ann.

The couple was married in November 2009. Jennifer Jaynes was credited as the producer on the movies, Humans vs Zombies and Boggy Creek. In addition, Jaynes is also credited as the writer of Boggy Creek.

Jaynes boyfriend at the time of her death, Burke Bryant, is the Fort Worth-based president of the Humanitarian Aid and Rescue Project, according to his LinkedIn page. Bryant also works in commercial photography and videography. On his website, Bryant writes that he is co-authoring a psychological thriller and is biohacking [body] for performance and optimization.

READ NEXT: Teenage Porn Star Controversy Rocks California High School

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Elite runner Mary Cain said in the New York Times this month that her experience with the coaching system at the now-shuttered Nike Oregon Project encouraged unhealthy levels of weight loss, leading to five broken bones, mental health problems.

The ordeal also derailed her career, according to Cain.

Her experience eating too few calories, having dangerously low bone density, and missing her periods is illustrative of what seems to be a disturbingly common condition among female athletes: Relative energy deficiency in sports, or RED-S. It's also been called female athlete triad, but most professionals now refer to it as RED-S, in part to include male athletes, and to recognize that undereating isn't always related to an eating disorder.

While the condition or symptoms of it can affect anyone from the weekend warrior to the Olympian, it seems to be an especially pervasive, though still under-the-radar, problem among higher-level athletes, including Division 1 female runners.

When Delaney White, now a Division 1 cross-country and track runner and senior at Portland State University, entered the collegiate running scene, she had already begun to have irregular menstrual periods, she told Insider. She thought it was normal for competitive athletes at her level.

That mentality seems to be pervasive.Cate Barrett, a former Division 1 track athlete, wrote on Instagram that "college programs today are still preaching thinner is fast, and telling women to lose weight, or that low weight and lost periods aren't a problem."

For so long, I thought I was the problem. To me, the silence of others meant that pushing my body past its healthy limits was the only way. But I know we were all scared, and fear keeps us silent. @runmarycain Mary Cain's expos of abuse she suffered while training as a young pro runner is shocking and upsetting. A decorated coach at Nike, Alberto Salazar, pressured her to lose weight to run faster. This is an inexcusable abuse of power. Salazar had nearly every resource available to boost Marys performance, yet chose to emphasize a strategy that risked her health. And it didn't even fucking work. It drove her to slow races, self-harm and quitting the sport. Marys story resonates with the amateur and collegiate running community all too well. We've experienced the same thing. Being shamed for our size. Told that our poor performances were because of weight. And that we were lucky to be here, so we shouldnt complain. That this is part of the sport. I competed for a D1 NCAA track team for all four years of college. While this was a great experience, it did leave me with a disordered view of my body and food. 11 years after I entered the NCCA, I still feel the strain that Im not small enough. I know this is not factual and rational, but my mindset is a work in progress. I do not know any teammates who emerged from the NCAA system unaffected by the pressure to be thinner. It may seem like the entire running community is already woke to this issue, but please listen: IT IS WILD how deep this goes. It is still happening. Girls still need help. College programs today are still preaching thinner is faster, and telling women to lose weight, or that low weight and lost periods arent a problem. College sports are not the only offenders here, but they have to do better. They, along with the whole running world, have the opportunity and obligation to make a positive impact in young peoples lives. I am thankful that Mary Cain and many others have faced their fear and brought their stories to light. This is how we change.

A post shared by Cate Barrett (@beingcate) on Nov 8, 2019 at 12:39pm PSTNov 8, 2019 at 12:39pm PST

And, Andrea Toppin, a former runner at Iowa State, wrote on Twitter that her teammate and boyfriend at the time told her she needed to lose 20 pounds in order to contribute to the team. "All I cared about was the number on the scale and pleasing my boyfriend until I got my first awful stress fracture after 2 muscular injuries and 2 years of not having a period," she wrote.

Research backs up these women's experiences.

While estimates of the ubiquity of RED-S vary widely, but some research has shown women at higher levels of sport may be at greater risk because of the high competitive pressure and specific demands of certain sports, such as running. Research also suggests as many as 54% of female collegiate athletes being unhappy with their weight.

What's more,studies suggest disordered eating is especially common in sports that emphasize aesthetics or leanness, like running and gymnastics, with as many as 69% of female athletes in those types of sports missing their periods.

Eating disorders "have continued to increase for girls ages 15 to 22, which directly overlaps with the peak of adolescence, commonly spent in high school and college sports," professional runner Lauren Fleshman wrote in the New York Times. "Over one-third of N.C.A.A. Division I female athletes exhibit risk factors for anorexia nervosa."

She was one of them, writing that her final year of her collegiate career she restricted her diet to look more like the professional, older runners she hoped to become. "I may have looked the part, but I lost my energy. I lost my period, and injuries set in, derailing the first half of my professional running career."

"Running is an interesting microcosm of our culture," Delaney White told Insider. Flickr/josiahmackenzie

No matter how common, a disrupted menstrual cycle can be a dangerous sign that low calorie intake is messing with the body's hormone levels, which can cause long-term health issues like permanent bone loss and potential fertility problems.

But awareness lags among athletes and professionals alike. A small study found 44% of high-school female athletes reported that they thought losing their period was a normal response to a high level of athletic training, Dr. Aubrey Armento, a sports medicine physician in Colorado, reported on Twitter.

And one 2018 study found that less than half of clinicians, physiotherapists, and coaches could correctly define RED-S.

Women also get cues from the environment that "thin is better," Mary Jane De Souza, a professor of kinesiology and physiology at Penn State who specializes in the syndrome, told Insider. "It's a huge problem," she said. "We need a lot more widespread knowledge to be disseminated that you get to be a great, high-performing female athlete but coaches and other people without dietary expertise don't get to tell you what to weigh."

White's first college team didn't talk about missing periods, body image, eating, and weight. But when she transferred to Portland, she found her new teammates were open about discussing their experiences and checking in with each other.

There, she was told that irregular periods were an important sign that something was going on with her body, and she was encouraged to talk to a female trainer about it. Her performance, and health, immediately improved as a result.

"I was running 74 miles a week, and I didn't realize I needed to be eating more. As soon as I did that, I started getting faster," White said. "It's turned around how I feel about running, my performance is better than ever, and I'm healthier than I've ever been."

As White's experience demonstrates,when caught early, many of the damaging effects of RED-S can be reversed. With enough calories, athletes can begin to recover from energy deficit within days or weeks, according to the most recent guidelines from theFemale and Male Athlete Triad Coalition.

White said having female trainers, and strong female athletes as role models in her life, have made a world of difference. As more women become high-profile coaches, including record-breaking marathon runner Shalane Flanagan, she hopes that more young athletes will have the support, encouragement, and resources they need to pursue elite levels of the sports without risking their mental and physical health.

Ultimately, real progress also means looking at the broader culture that links women's value to their weight, White said.

"Running is a really interesting microcosm of our culture, that you expect women to be strong but if they get above a certain weight, they're no good any more," she said. "Until we change the culture of comparison, our sport isn't going to change."

Read more:

I had the condition that 'broke down' Nike runner Mary Cain's body, and I wasn't even an elite athlete

3 marathoners who are breaking stereotypes about what runners look like

An athlete who spoke out against Nike's running program in 2015 says Mary Cain's allegations could 'change the future of the sport'

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Division 1 female athletes are among those plagued by eating disorders, missing periods, and broken bones - INSIDER