Explanation & Practical Tips… I used to feel triggered/ competitive/ upset by other anorexic people, and it made my recovery (and life) harder. In today’s episode I share how I overcame this! Overview: Tips for being triggered by anorexic people in public/ strangers. Tips for dealing with your friends who have eating disorders. An explanation to people who have never struggled with an ED- helping you understand the anorexic thoughts… Thank you for listening! I hope you found the episode help...
Aug 08, 2023•34 min•Ep. 27
Recently classed as RECOVERED from Anorexia, Izee shares her advice + lived experience with mental illness in our open & vulnerable chat. We covered these topics... What does 'fully recovered' mean ? + Izee’s checklist for being recovered. Social media & receiving hate online. How to accept SH scars & deal with comments from other people. Advice for friends & family of those struggling. Can it be triggering/ invalidating to be classed as 'recovered'? Helpful treatment professiona...
Aug 05, 2023•49 min•Ep. 26
Neuroscience explained + tips for coping with body changes... Today's episode is an interesting one! If you experience strong feelings of disgust (among other negative emotions) when weight-restoring in anorexia recovery , you are not alone! There is nothing wrong with your body- hopefully the episode can point that out by highlighting the biological mechanisms of how body-image & disgust can relate. Overview : Tip 1 : Focus on self-care, hygiene, and other aspects of your appearance. Neuros...
Jul 23, 2023•24 min•Ep. 25
We covered some of the most DIFFICULT parts of eating disorder recovery (see below) … Victoria recovered from 20+ years of EDs & body-hate. She now coaches other people to fully heal (no quasi recovery bs). Hearing her speak will give you valuable guidance, practical tips , and a view into the world of confidence, self-love, and true food freedom. Topics we covered (in order) : How to start recovery? How to cope with feeling a loss of CONTROL? Recovery & different personalities- can you ...
Jul 17, 2023•1 hr 13 min•Ep. 24
How to handle routine changes, overwhelm, hot weather, unpredictability… Overview: Intro Coping with HEAT (& the effect it may have on body image due to discomfort & swelling) Coping with ROUTINE CHANGES (tips for planning) How to use be okay when THINGS GO WRONG and use unpredictability as a moment of growth. Putting your needs first & maximising COMFORT Outro Eating disorders can increase rigid thinking, anxiety, overwhelm . They can make us less able to tolerate discomfort and all...
Jun 29, 2023•17 min•Ep. 23
Pressure to diet, look good in photos, have a buzzing social life… How to deal with triggers , access relief & self- compassion , and overcome insecurities this summer. Overview: Intro DIET CULTURE.. . (how to not be triggered when people around you are trying to lose weight) FOOD RESTRICTION (why some people can restrict & why YOU shouldn’t) SOCIAL MEDIA (everyone is ‘living their best life!!!’ ) FOMO- 2 ways to handle this … (self compassion + allowing rest) + (challenging your anxiety...
Jun 29, 2023•45 min•Ep. 22
Practical advice for coping with body-image this summer (including a journaling exercise walk-through!) Overview: Intro Body exposure work Preparation/ planning to maximise comfort Journaling exercise walk-through Comparison Bloating Viewing your body as an organism vs an object Outro Don’t forget to check out parts 2 & 3 of this summer mini-series! Links: Etsy shop: RealRecoveryUK Website: www.realrecovery.co.uk Instagram: @realrecoveryuk Podcast Instagram: @realrecoverypodcast Substack: re...
Jun 29, 2023•42 min•Ep. 21
8 Evidence- based coping skills... what to do when 'have a bath' doesn't work?? How to prevent panic attacks??? This episode discusses some of the most effective techniques I have discovered for QUICKLY lowering anxiety levels. These tips have been helping me successfully prevent panic attacks (for over a year!) and have made my difficult days with OCD/ Anxiety easier to cope with. I hope they can help you too! Overview I give a brief summary of my experience & history of anxiety/ panic atta...
Jun 23, 2023•38 min•Ep. 20
How to MOVE FORWARDS? How to step out of your comfort zone without getting overwhelmed ? Overview of the tips I share… Reconnect with your old passions/ hobbies. Go with your gut instinct in everyday decisions. Engineer your social media environment to enhance non-ed parts of yourself. Join a club. Start a meaningful project. Cut ties with toxic reminders of your ED. Make plans frequently that feel manageable to YOU. (+ how to make all of this less stressful!) Unlike pt. 1 &2 of this 'identi...
May 31, 2023•25 min
Let me throw a bunch of tips at you... In today's episode, I share how (and why) I accessed my 'Recovery Identity'. Identifying as 'a person in recovery' was a great short term solution for me. It enabled me to take positive action and reduce guilt & shame. I hope this episode helps you! Part 2/3 of my 'identity' mini series... Thanks so much for listening! If you find the Real Recovery Podcast helpful, please rate & review because it helps more people find it! Instagram: @realrecov...
May 24, 2023•24 min
Identifying as 'anorexic' makes all aspects of recovery feel WRONG and BAD. Gaining weight, eating more food, eating fear foods, grappling with hunger cues etc...; all of this is NECESSARY, yet can cause immense guilt and shame because it clashes with our self-perception. It can make us feel like we are 'failing' at starvation (for example), but that feeling is only there because your 'anorexic' sense of self has been in control. It's time to change that... In today's episode I share my best tip...
May 22, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 17
7 practical & effective strategies for improving body image.... In today's episode I share how I managed to do a complete 180...I always struggled with body insecurities, and this turned into terrible self-hatred & punishment of my body during the worst of my anorexia. Now, I rarely experience 'bad body image days', and when I do, it doesn't have the same emotional toll. It doesn't consume my day or impact my sense of self worth. It's a great place to be, and its possible for you too! Yo...
May 15, 2023•39 min•Season 1Ep. 16
Qualified therapist Scarlett O’Connor recovered from 25 YEARS of severe eating disorders. Now she devotes her life to helping others do the same. In today's episode we shed light on binging, purging, and ED behaviours that are not spoken about. Scarlet shares details of her first steps into recovery almost 10 years ago including...how she battled excruciating binge/purge urges, the terrifying sensation of food in the stomach, and what it felt like to experience emotions after decades of suppress...
May 09, 2023•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 15
7 strategies to deal with the 'upper limit' problem surrounding calories, weight, exercise & more. If you find it impossible to restore weight past a certain number, increase your intake above a certain number of calories, or overcome obsessive step counting, this episode is for you! Limiting yourself to 'safe' numbers can hold you back in recovery from anorexia. Sticking to minimums will keep you trapped! Clinging to disordered (and arbitrary) numbers surrounding weight, food, and exercise ...
Apr 26, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 14
Do you compare yourself to other people with Anorexia? In today's episode, I address one of the MOST COMMON questions I get asked...'How do I stop being triggered by other people? How do I stop comparing myself????'... Comparison is a natural human instinct, but when it comes to eating disorders, it can fuel toxic competition , invalidation , and lead to people delaying recovery due to them 'not feeling sick enough'. But you can overcome this kind of thinking! I discuss the 3 main points of prob...
Apr 17, 2023•26 min•Season 1Ep. 13
A practical guide for 'letting go' of your eating disorder. In today's episode I take you through how I managed to let go of Anorexia's rules and allow myself to move forward in recovery. overview: - I breakdown of 6 my personal reasons why I 'needed' my ED to cope. - I share the alternative strategies I discovered to meet each need, therefore, aiding me in 'letting go'. This episode focuses on the role eating disorders play in 'helping' a person COPE and meet their EMOTIONAL NEEDS. I revisit on...
Apr 08, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 12
'I've gained weight but I dont feel better mentally. What do I do???' ... I get asked this question so often! You are not alone if you are struggling with this in recovery from anorexia, or any eating disorder that involves weight restoration. In today's episode I take you through WHY this can happen, and give you ACTION STEPS to take to help you get unstuck. This experience is emotionally difficult and can cause extra feelings of invladiation and guilt . It can also cause your fear of weight ga...
Mar 27, 2023•44 min•Season 1Ep. 11
Listen until the middle/ end for the best tips! (I start this episode with the more obvious/ basic tips for improving your mood.) Today's episode is about how to cope with low mood in eating disorder recovery. I really enjoyed talking about this topic and sharing how I successfully help my mood day-to-day. This episode is NOT targeting people with clinical depression (although some tips may be relevant). I go into this more in the episode as there is a difference between depressive disorders and...
Mar 07, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 10
Okay but hear me out... In this episode I discuss my thoughts about TikTok and the effect it can have on people with eating disorders. I cover... the mental illness bubble tiktok creates beauty standards & comparison the glamorisation of eating disorders the dangers of being a recovery/ ed content creator the focus on 'extreme' bodies & how this fuels 'not sick enough' thoughts. WIEIAD and FDOE videos the general mental health consequences of TikTok I hope you find this episode interesti...
Feb 17, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 9
LISTEN UNTIL THE END for the best piece of advice!! In today's episode I offer 8 of my best practical tips for managing guilt in eating disorder recovery. This episode could help you if you struggle with negative emotions (guilt & shame) after eating certain foods, resting, or gaining weight. Visible reminders Understand guilt as a symptom Focus on the positives of the food/ behaviour Have a 'worst case scenario' plan Compassion towards yourself Remove physical discomfort Journaling (+ promp...
Feb 06, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 8
In today's episode, I tell you how to ACTUALLY cope with weight gain in ED recovery. I wish I knew these things during my own weight-restoration journey! I give practical tips and solutions for these emotions surrounding weight gain... Disgust Anger Guilt Bad Body Image Fear Feeling Invalid Social Anxiety Grief Disclaimer - Not everyone with Anorexia becomes underweight because it is a mental illness primarily. There are also people who are currently underweight for their body - but perhaps not ...
Jan 09, 2023•28 min•Season 1Ep. 7
In today's episode, I give practical tips & advice for how to handle the difficulties of New Years in ED recovery. I cover… -How to handle diet- talk and triggering comments. -Fitness obsessions and gym goals. - Post- Christmas guilt and weight gain. - Recovery and not having the safety net of a weight-loss plan anymore. -Perfectionism & New Year’s resolutions. - How to set recovery goals that actually help. If you enjoyed this episode please rate & review as it helps more people fin...
Jan 01, 2023•32 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, I talk about every difficulty you may encounter around Christmas if you suffer from an ED. I give practical tips and reminders to make this time of year easier. Topics I discuss... -Social Eating (unknown foods, fear foods, eating out, burnout, lack of routine) -Diet & Exercise talk (triggering comments, January diets, family restricting) -Seeing Family (body comments, feeling alone, guilt/ embarrassment, feeling like you have 'faked it', seeing people after weight gain) -Ch...
Dec 09, 2022•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 5
In today's episode, I talk about the ways in which journalling is the most helpful tool in my ED recovery. I take you through... how to start journaling my experience & why I find it so helpful to combat anorexia #1 - journalling exercise for anxiety. #2- journalling exercise for rewiring irrational ed thoughts and guilt. #3- journalling exercise for when you have just been triggered (eg. unhelpful comments, comparison, diet talk, etc.) other journal prompts/ tips for ed recovery. (values, u...
Dec 04, 2022•41 min•Season 1Ep. 4
In today's episode, I talk about rapid weight gain at the beginning of recovery/ refeeding. It's a common thing that can happen, however, it's not talked about enough. I talk you through the scientific reasons why this may happen and provide some tips to help manage emotionally. I am not a medical professional/ expert, however, I did experience rapid weight gain during the very start of my own recovery. I hope this episode helps! If you want to request a topic for the next episode, please messag...
Nov 28, 2022•24 min•Season 1Ep. 3
This episode takes you through the 9 step process I use to challange my fear foods in Anorexia recovery. This episode is not medical advice, however I hope it helps some people out there! An overview of my 9 tips: Get motivated Write a list Rewire these foods Accountabilty/ committment Modify your environment Anxiety management Support Distractions Repeat 10 times Please note, there is mention of a triggering topic in the last couple of minutes of this episode. This segment is after all the main...
Nov 25, 2022•26 min•Season 1Ep. 2
In this episode I talk about two of the most poisonous ED thoughts; 'What if I'm not sick enough?', and 'What if I'm faking my ED'. I share my thoughts and experiences during Anorexia recovery and give you some PRACTICAL tips on how to overcome this issue. This episode will apply to you at any stage of recovery if you are feeling these things. Feel free to message me on Instagram and ask questions, share your opinions, or request a topic for the next episode. Timestamps intro ends = 3:06 'Not si...
Nov 24, 2022•22 min•Season 1Ep. 1
