In this episode I explain The Unicorn Syndrome, and why you are not a unicorn (but a regular horse instead). I touch upon common Unicorn Syndrome manifestations, and why this phenomena happens in the first place. Additionally, I talk about eating disorders and complex co-morbidities.
What does it mean when you miss the eating disorder? In today's episode I talk about a common but taboo topic; missing being sick, and romanticising having an eating disorder (both by yourself and by society at large). The aim of the episode is to offer some perspective and reality checks, and provide some helpful tasks to do when the nostalgia hits.
In this episode I am introducing you to Ancel Keys' Minnesota Starvation Study, a study that completely revolutionised how I view and approach eating disorders, and changed the trajectory in my own recovery many years ago.
Does an eating disorder permanently damage metabolism? How do you speed things up? In this episode I explain the basics of human metabolism and how it adapts to restriction - and adjusts to recovery.
What is a set point weight, and how does one know they're there? What happens if you gain below or above it? And if BMI is BS, why do underweight recoverers need to push up their weight? These are just some of the things I answer in this week's episode on setpoint weight, BMI and weight restoration.
January and the New Year's period is high season for diet culture BS, and can be quite triggering from those attempting recovery from an ED. In this episode I try to offer some helpful reminders and perspectives for how to handle it.
What is self care, and how can you apply it to your everyday life and recovery? In today's episode I talk about how self-care looks different from everyone, steps to take when caring for yourself is difficult and what plants (and The Sims) can teach us about taking care of ourselves.
Christmas can be a difficult time for people with eating disorders. In this episode, I attempt to offer some comfort and practical advice on how to make this time of the year more manageable - or even pleasant.
Is it true that if you've had an eating disorder, you can never fully recover? Will the ED always be there in the background, like a ticking bomb waiting to go off? Today I talk about why I do believe full recovery is possible, coping with vulnerabilities towards relapse, and why sometimes, our vulnerabilities can be strengths (and our suffering can have lessons).
How come some therapists are not aware of certain very basic aspects of recovery, such as extreme hunger, set point weight and metabolism? Are they all just "incompetent"?! Not quite! In this episode I talk about why some therapists lack certain knowledge, and the different psychological trainings and approaches towards eating disorders, hoping to answer the question of WHY your therapist did not tell you that.
This is a bonus episode where I talk about coaching and working with me, as many have requested more information about this!. If you have any further questions or requests, send me an email at contact@letsrecover.co.uk (check junk inbox if no response) or see letsrecover.co.uk/coaching
What do you do when you are not hungry in recovery? How do you handle eating beyond the point of fullness? Does not feeling hungry mean you don't really need the food? Today I answer these common questions, and more related to lack of hunger and/or appetite in eating disorders (and recovery from them).
What is extreme hunger in recovery, and how do you handle it? In this week's episode I talk about one of my favorite topics, extreme hunger, or reactive hunger (as I call it). I touch upon the psychology and biology behind why you feel so ravenous, the fear of going "from one eating disorder, how to tackle the hunger hands-on, and what treatment professionals often get wrong about this very common phenomena.
How do I know if I'm fully recovered? What does recovery feel like? Is it even possible? These are some of the questions I'm answering in this week's episode. I dig into what full recovery feels like as a recovered person, and also some signs you're heading in the right direction.
Today we talk about comparison in eating disorder recovery, and the importance of keeping your eyes on your own plate. I explain the difference between comparison and inspiration, how to handle comparing yourself to others, and why what others do at the end of the day don't matter at all.
Today we talk about why challenging fear foods in recovery is absolutely crucial, and how the fear is not always about the specific foods, but also about amounts and/or context. I also give listeners a recovery task I usually give to clients on how to challenge fear foods structurally and consistently.
Should I exercise in recovery? What counts as exercise? Why do I feel such intense urges to move, and how do I handle rest? These are some of the questions I answer in today's episode, where I touch upon the biology and psychology of exercise and eating disorders.
In today's episode we talk about everything period related - from how to getting your period back, to how not everyone with an ED loses their period or have a period to begin with!
What is intuitive eating, and when/how should you apply it in eating disorder recovery? Today I talk about intuitive eating as a concept, my interpretation and application of IE as a coach, plus how diet culture has co-opted the term.
Today we talk about a phenomena amongst people with ED's where the initial stages of the disorder actually wasn't that bad. Instead, they'd might have felt excited, elevated and/or experienced external validation. I call this the "honeymoon phase". As a result, many hold on to the ED trying to chase that initial high, or hoping the honeymoon phase will return. It won't. In today's episode I explain why, and the parallels between an ED and an unhealthy relationship.
What do you do when your fear of life outweighs your fear of death? In this episode I talk about a challenging phenomena that occurs in some people with eating disorders - the crippling fear of living without having the ED to fall back on or blame.
In today's episode I talk about the "recovery comfort zone"; when recovery becomes the new comfort zone, and the fears of letting go of recovery itself.
Today I talk about the key to recovering from Bulimia, and what mainstream treatment too often gets wrong. I explain the biological drivers behind this eating disorder, and the one important question to ask yourself for full recovery.
Today I talk about the dreaded "you look healthy"-comment, and how to handle well-meaning (but unpleasant) comments in recovery. I also talk to those supporting someone with an ED, explaining why this comment can be triggering and what to say instead.
Today I talk about being obsessed with food, mental hunger, the fear of "emotionally eating", and how restriction actually is the driving force behind all. I also talk about how anxiety and excitement are often interconnected and why overeating don't "hit the same" post-recovery. I also give advice on what to do when you're not gaining weight in recovery despite eating a lot.
In today's episode I have the wonderful Danie van Kay with me (@daniellevankay) to talk about our coming course Bye ED (letsrecover.co.uk/bye-ed-course), extreme hunger and Danie's experience eating 8000+ calories in recovery, and what to do when your treatment professionals fear the same thing as your eating disorder.
Feeling stuck and demotivated in recovery is a common experience. Why does this happen, how do we get out of the quasi rut, and how do we keep going when we want to quit?
Why do so many people with eating disorder feel tempted to pursue body fitness, and is it really healthy? In today's episode we talk about the dark sides of the fitness industry, and how our perceptions of health is rather skewed.
Recovering in a world that often reinforces disordered behaviors can be challenging. In today's episode we talk about self-protection and self-responsibility, recognizing when we are activated, the importance of boundaries, seeing the world through eating disorder tinted glasses and why expecting the world to cater to our triggers isn't realistic.
Welcome to Recovery Talk the podcast! A quick disclaimer and welcome message to new listeners.
