This one has been a long time coming. For 15 years, I lived inside the prison of an eating disorder that is anorexia, bulimia, food addiction, and body dysmorphia. It was loud, lonely, and exhausting. I hid it behind smiles, success, and “healthy” habits…until I couldn’t anymore.

In this deeply personal episode, I open up about what recovery has really looked like, the pain, the progress, and the quiet miracles that changed everything. I share how I healed my relationship with food, with my body, and most importantly, with myself.

✨I let you in on:

• The real cost of living with food obsession
• How shame kept me silent for years
• The turning point that led to healing
• What “freedom” actually feels like today

If you or someone you love is struggling, please know: you’re not alone, there IS help, and healing is absolutely possible. 🫶🏼

Here are three free, reputable places to get help:

💛NEDA: Free screening tools and a 24/7 crisis text line (text NEDA to 741741). 

💛ANAD: Free virtual support groups and one-on-one peer mentoring at https://anad.org/. 

💛Project HEAL: Helps people access treatment when cost or insurance is a barrier at https://www.theprojectheal.org/. 

You’re not alone, and real support is available. 🫶🏼

If this episode speaks to you, please like, comment, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs it. And for even more support, listen to Ep. 77 with eating disorder therapist, Dr. Morgan Francis.

Watch the full episode on YouTube here or head to https://www.youtube.com/@RealHeidiPowell.

Here are the key moments from the episode:

00:00 The Untold Battle I’ve Hidden for 15 Years

03:42 Living in the Grip of an Eating Disorder

07:15 The Physical Damage No One Talks About

13:35 What Body Dysmorphia Really Feels Like

17:02 Why Recovery Isn’t a Straight Line

24:49 Hiding My Disorder in Plain Sight

29:22 When Love Meets Self-Doubt

33:17 The Moment I Realized Shame Breeds Secrecy

36:41 Trading One Destructive Pattern for Another

41:02 Hurting Myself to Feel in Control

49:54 Redefining Self-Worth Beyond the Mirror

54:03 How Childhood Shapes Body Image

58:29 The Pressure to Be Perfect in a Public Life

1:02:45 Breaking Free from the Need to Be “Enough”

1:07:16 What True Healing Actually Looks Like

1:11:33 Learning to See My Body Through Love

1:16:04 The Role of Therapy, Faith, and Self-Work

1:20:12 Why Vulnerability Is the Gateway to Healing

1:24:36 Lessons I’ve Learned from Past Relationships

1:34:03 The Hard Truth About Long-Term Recovery

1:39:41 What I Want Every Woman Struggling to Know

1:44:25 How to Help Someone Who’s Struggling

1:49:37 Finding Meaning in My Story

Connect with Heidi:

Website: https://heidipowell.net/

Email: [email protected]

Instagram: @realheidipowell

Facebook: Heidi Powell

YouTube: @RealHeidiPowell

Train with Heidi on her Show Up App: https://www.showupfit.app/