Recovery Talk

In this week's episode I discuss the importance of letting go of what I call 'The Behaviour': the one (or more) specific behaviour(s) you conveniently avoid working on in recovery, whilst prioritising 'all the other stuff'. I talk about the consequences of 'cherry picking' what eating disorder behaviours to work on, and the domino effects of neglecting one or more key areas of recovery.

Coaching: letsrecover.co.uk

Instagram: @amalielee/@letsrecover.co.uk

Substack: letsrecover.substack.com

In this this episode I discuss how over-thinking (rumination) and excessive need for reassurance can show up in eating disorder recovery, and how to handle this in a more productive way. Topics covered include:

• Healthy reflection vs obsessive rumination and overthinking
• Reassurance seeking, and when it becomes a destructive habit
• Excessive research behaviours as a way to seek reassurance
• Practical ways of dealing with overthinking and urges to research, ruminate and reassurance-seek

1:1 Coaching: letsrecover.co.uk

Substack: letsrecover.substack.com

Articles mentioned: 'How to Stop Ruminating' & 'How Do I Stop Thinking About This? What To Do When You’re Stuck Playing Mental Ping Pong'

In this episode I discuss eating disorder relapse, and some of the less discussed potential triggers, including:

• Dietary restrictions (including ethical- or medical restrictions, such as in veganism or IBS)
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding and the postpartum period
• Accidentally ending up in a calorie deficit
• "I'll just lose a little bit of weight"/"This time it will be different"
• Seeing food freedom as 'only for recovery'
• Appetite loss (e.g. due to stress, illness or post-recovery factors)
• Never fully recovering/'quasi recovery'
• Resuming exercise too soon or without the right support
• Using the ED as a go-to coping mechanism
• Lack of meaning and purpose outside of the ED/recovery

Substack: letsrecover.substack.com

Coaching & other enquiries: letsrecover.co.uk

In this week's episode I am joined by Megan Reilly, also known as 'Megsy Recovery', for an episode on navigating stuckness, quasi-recovery and sneaky ED behaviours.

Some topics include:

- Starting recovery when feeling ambivalent/not fully ready

- Our lived experiences with full recovery

- "But I am weight restored!"

- Safety behaviours & compensatory behaviours when doing challenges ('undoing challenges')

- Why full recovery is so, so worth it

- Maintenance meal plans

@megsy_recovery | Meg's podcast, community & Youtube channel

Are you asexual, or is it just your eating disorder? Can your relationship with food mirror your relationship with sex?

In this week's episode I am joined by therapist, sexologist and author of 'Nourishing Desire: A Guide to Sexual Recovery and Discovery for People with Eating Disorders', Dr. Jessica Singh.

Topics covered include:

- The biological and psychological impact of an eating disorder on libido

- Body image, and the importance of embodiment

- The 'spectrum of control', and how this relates to eating and sexuality

- Asexuality as a sexual orientation, versus 'ED induced asexuality'

- How shame can impact sexuality

- Practical tips for people struggling with sexual function in recovery

Dr. Jess' website: drjessicasingh.com

Instagram: @appetiteswithdrjess

In this episode I discuss the fear of restoring weight without fully rewiring your brain and recovering mentally - and how this may be your eating disorder in disguise. Topics discussed include:

- Where this fear often comes from (and how to tell if it's driven by your ED or your healthy self)

- The fear of recovery 'not working', or 'wasted weight gain'

- Why weight gain happening before full mental recovery is normal and not inherently bad

- How recovery perfectionism and needing to 'do recovery the right way' can hold you back

- Fear of losing access to care once weight restored

Instagram: @amalielee / @letsrecover.co.uk

Website: letsrecover.co.uk

So you're 'better, but not fully there', and others assume you're fine... Why is taking those last steps to full recovery still so important and beneficial?

In this episode I discuss 'quasi recovery', ambivalence and resistance, the classic ED arguments against full recovery, and the difference between coping versus healing (and why true healing is possible and so worth it!)

letsrecover.co.uk

@amalielee | @letsrecover.co.uk

What is eating like after an eating disorder? In this episode I am joined by fellow Let's Recover coach Louisa to discuss our lived experience journeys from recovery to recovered, and how our beliefs and behaviours around food- and eating has shifted over the years.

Topics discussed include:

• Going from a meal plan to intuitive eating
• Does binge urges truly go away?
• How cravings shift ('will I ever crave fruits and vegetables again?')
• What true, intuitive eating really looks like
• Food noise, and what level of this to expect post-recovery
• How we view calories now versus during our ED
• Food- and body comparison

Coaching and more: letsrecover.co.uk

Louisa's Instagram: @recoverywith.louisa

In this episode I discuss dealing with a decrease in mental- and physical hunger during or after going 'all in'. I explain why appetite may drop significantly after experiencing extreme hunger, how to navigate this without relapsing, and how appetite tends to manifest long- and short term in /after 'all in' recovery. I also discuss weight loss after 'all in', and the difference between overshot tapering off versus a relapse.

For coaching & other enquiries, head to letsrecover.co.uk.

In this week's episode I discuss how those sneaky, 'innocent' little things you do to keep yourself safe actually keep you stuck long term, and are not so innocent. Topics discussed:

• Sneaky behaviours: what they are, why you do them, and how they often manifest
• How sneaky behaviours become automated habits
• The importance of 'opposite actions'
• How no physical harm ≠ no mental harm

For coaching & other enquiries, head to letsrecover.co.uk

Instagram: @amalielee | @letsrecover.co.uk