Thoughts Aren’t Facts

UPFs & Nutrition Noise with Maeve Hanan RD

For many, all the recent noise around ultra-processed foods (and diet culture generally) is making recovery really tough. The constant chatter on what to eat — what not to eat — and how to eat is hard at the best of times, and that’s without an ED brain.

With that in mind, we’re joined by Registered Dietitian Maeve Hanan to tackle some of this noise head-on. Maeve is a specialist dietitian with over 12 years’ experience, and who now focuses on supporting those stuck in food rules and anxiety.

Along the way, we unpack the myths around UPFs, nutrition misinformation, and why so much of this messaging can be harmful for people with EDs — as well as some of the ways to protect your recovery going forwards.

Topics covered:

* What ultra-processed food actually means

* Where current UPF fear messaging comes from

* Correlation vs causation in nutrition research

* Why nutrition knowledge can increase food anxiety

* Ultra-processed foods in recovery and long-term health

* Preference vs fear when avoiding foods

* Weight gain, feared foods, and blame

* Using the ACT matrix to support recovery

Connect with us:

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.safiaed.com

Maeve Hanan — Dietetically Speaking

Website: https://dieteticallyspeaking.com

Instagram: @dieteticallyspeaking

Em (copywriter & editor)

Instagram: @em_schone

Resources mentioned:

* The ACT Matrix – https://youtu.be/cCCSpOtDPV0?si=Jf-ezp7zjsr5Wlw9

[DISCLAIMER]

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Living with an ED is one of the most overwhelming, frightening, and isolating experiences a person can go through and sadly, this can also be true for those around them. Especially when you’re a family member or carer who just wants to help.

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Vicki Mountford, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Eating Disorder Service Lead at Sage Clinics, to explore what family support can look like in recovery. We talk about the vital role parents and carers play at every stage of recovery, from early intervention to adulthood. Plus, Dr Vicki shares tools on helping a loved one navigate fear, boundaries and autonomy without losing sight of the bigger picture.

With decades of clinical experience behind her, Dr Vicki brings compassion to a conversation that so many families are grappling with. If this is something you or someone you know is going through, we really hope this episode is useful. Keep going from people who’ve been there, your support means more than you know.

Topics covered:

* Dr Vicki’s background

* The part of parents and carers alongside professional support

* Helping parents feel more confident in their role

* Supporting a child when they feel overwhelmed, panicked, or shut down

* Balancing boundaries with autonomy and choice

* Understanding quasi-recovery and how families can respond

* Supporting adult children

* Making sense of difficult decisions, including inpatient care

* What parents often find hardest – and what helps them keep going

* Reassurance for families who feel exhausted, scared, or unsure

Connect with us:

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.safiaed.com

Dr Vicki Mountford

Instagram: @dr_vicki_mountford

Sage Clinics

Instagram: @sage_clinics

AED Middle East

Instagram: @aedamiddleeast

Em (copywriter & editor)

Instagram: @em_schone

Resources mentioned:

* Skills-based Caring for a Loved One with an Eating Disorder – Janet Treasure et al.

[DISCLAIMER]

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

New Year: If Not Now, When?

Ever found yourself waiting for the “right time” when life is calmer, motivation is higher or everything feels more certain, to start recovery? Be that a new meal plan, a challenge, reaching out to a coach or medical profession, targeting exercise compulsions — this episode is all about this common ED trap, and how that moment rarely (if ever) properly arrives.

We talk about how ambivalence is normal and explore what actually helps you start moving forward: tackling perfectionism, working with (not against!) uncertainty, and understanding that recovery often creates the conditions you’re waiting for, rather than requiring them first.

Topics covered:

* Why the “right time” feels necessary – and how the ED benefits from delaying

* The cost of waiting while life keeps moving

* Ambivalence as a normal part of early recovery

* Perfectionism and the search for “perfect conditions”

* What it really means to start recovery

* Reframing “not ready” and taking those first steps forwards

* The key takeaway – imperfect action builds momentum

Connect with us:

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.safiaed.com

Em (copywriter & editor)

Instagram: @em_schone

DISCLAIMER

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Loneliness is often one of the quietest but most painful parts of an eating disorder. In this episode, we talk honestly about how isolation can show up during an eating disorder and why so many people feel alone, even when they’re not physically by themselves…
We explore how eating disorders shrink your world, sometimes even without you realising, and how recovery can sometimes feel lonelier before it feels better. Drawing on our own experiences of disconnection (and the grief that can come with it), we’ll share what helped us begin rebuilding relationships.
Also, we’ve got an exciting update! Introducing ‘Rewired in Action’, a new community we’ve created for people who want connection, support and shared understanding as they navigate recovery. A place to ask questions, hear from others, and hopefully feel less alone in the process.
Topics covered:


• What loneliness looked like for us during our eating disorders
• How eating disorders create isolation


• The emotional cost of disconnection / feeling left behind
• Why isolation isn’t a personality flaw or a failure


• Why recovery can feel lonelier at first


• Gentle ways to begin reconnecting without pressure


• Why you don’t have to be fully recovered to reconnect


• Rebuilding identity and meaning outside of the eating disorder


• You’re not alone – and your world can grow again


• Introducing ‘Rewired in Action’ community and how it can support you
If you’re curious or would like to find out more, please get in touch (contacts below)! 
SOCIAL HANDLES
Connect with us:
Meg
Instagram: @megsy_recovery
YouTube: Megsy Recovery
TikTok: megsy recovery
Safia
Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach


Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.safiaed.com
DISCLAIMER
 Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Perfectionism in Eating Disorder Recovery

Perfectionism shows up in many forms during eating disorder recovery and often, it doesn’t disappear when behaviours change. Instead, it can quietly shift shape, moving from food and behaviours to how recovery is done.

In this episode, we explore how perfectionism can keep recovery feeling delayed, conditional, or “never quite enough,” and why real recovery is often far messier, slower, and more uneven than we expect.

*Connect with us*
*Holly*
Website: [https://hibeautiful.com.au](https://hibeautiful.com.au)
Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/hi.beautiful](https://www.instagram.com/hi.beautiful)____
TikTok: [https://www.tiktok.com/@aspoonfullofsunday](https://www.tiktok.com/@aspoonfullofsunday)
Substack: [https://aspoonfullofsunday.substack.com](https://aspoonfullofsunday.substack.com)
*Meg*
Instagram: @megsy_recovery
YouTube: Megsy Recovery
TikTok: megsy recovery
*Safia*
Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach
Email: [[email protected]]
Website: [https://www.safiaed.com]
*DISCLAIMER*
Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

The Holidays can be such a difficult time if you have an eating disorder. In this episode we largely focus on Christmas, but this can apply to any holiday you celebrate which can disrupt your routine, bring you around different people, expose you to different foods and comments, and generally create stress for you. We chat around our own experiences of managing the holidays in our recoveries, and how to take actions over the holiday period which move you towards where you want to go in life (aligned actions), and keep you prioritising your recovery so that when the day/season passes you are still on track.

Topics covered:

•⁠ Some of the difficulties of the Christmas period with an ED

•⁠ ⁠Handling comments

•⁠ ⁠Handling different eating times and unknown routines

•⁠ Practicing different foods in advance

•⁠ ⁠Clothing and Christmas outfits

•⁠ ⁠Seeing this year as a stepping stone for next year

•⁠ Managing that need to show up as a ‘super happy’ version of you

•⁠ ⁠New Years - resolution setting and reflecting on another year passing

Connect with us:

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.safiaed.com

Em (copywriter & editor)

Instagram: @em_schone

[DISCLAIMER]

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Embodiment in Recovery with Holly Sunday

This week, we’re joined by the lovely Holly Sunday: co-founder of Hi Beautiful ED Recovery Coaching, co-host of the Beyond Body podcast, and fellow coach at Beyond Body Coaching.

We look at what it means to truly ‘be’ in your body again — and discuss all the difficult feelings that come up at the prospect, especially after years of struggling against that same body. Holly shares her own story of finding full recovery, how she brings embodiment into her work with clients, and the practices that helped her reconnect with herself.

We’ll also explore the process of learning to feel safe in yourself again; using curiosity as a tool; the power of stillness — and the small, joyful rituals that make daily life feel more grounded, be that silent retreats or rediscovering the pleasure of cooking again!

Topics covered:

* What embodiment means and why it matters

* Holly’s journey to full recovery and coaching

* Practical ways to reconnect with your body

* The joy of cooking and mindful nourishment

* Finding stillness through silent retreats

* The role of mindfulness in recovery

* Words of wisdom for early recovery

Resources mentioned:

* Befriending Your Body – Ann Saffi Biasetti

* Embodiment and the Treatment of Eating Disorders – Catherine Cook

Connect with us

Holly

Website: [https://hibeautiful.com.au](https://hibeautiful.com.au)

Instagram: [https://www.instagram.com/hi.beautiful](https://www.instagram.com/hi.beautiful)____

TikTok: [https://www.tiktok.com/@aspoonfullofsunday](https://www.tiktok.com/@aspoonfullofsunday)

Substack: [https://aspoonfullofsunday.substack.com](https://aspoonfullofsunday.substack.com)

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [[email protected]]

Website: https://www.safiaed.com

DISCLAIMER

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Tackling Movement Compulsions

What happens when movement stops being joyful and starts being a rule you can’t break? In this episode, Meg speaks with Safia about her experience of exercise compulsion during her eating disorder – how it developed, what it cost, and how she began to rebuild a balanced relationship with movement.

We talk about the impact of overexercise on mental, physical and social health, and the subtle ways compulsions can still show up even in recovery. From stress responses to value alignment, we explore practical ways to loosen the grip of movement rules and manage triggers — all with the ultimate aim of reconnecting with your body in a more compassionate way.

Finally, we touch on how the Recovery in Action course supports those struggling with exercise compulsions – including its dedicated week on movement — and how to sign up if this sounds helpful for you.

Topics covered:

* When exercise becomes unhealthy

* How movement compulsions affect mind, body and relationships

* The difference between discipline and distress

* Practical tools to rebuild trust with rest

* Navigating triggers and social pressure

* Balancing bone health and recovery needs

* Reframing movement through values

Connect with us:

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.safiaed.com

Em (copywriter & editor)

Instagram: @em_schone

[DISCLAIMER]

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Hope Virgo: Recovery, Faith & Advocating for Change

Hope Virgo is a multi-award winning campaigner, speaker and author of three amazing books: ‘Stand Tall Little Girl’, ‘Hope Through Recovery’ and ‘You Are Free (Even If You Don’t Feel Like It)’. In this inspiring episode, she candidly shares her own personal experience of suffering from an eating disorder and offers lots of great practical recovery tips to stay motivated. With her super cute newborn cuddled up on her throughout this is an episode not to be missed. 

Topics covered:

-Hope’s experience of pregnancy and motherhood, the overwhelming gratitude for her little one as well as the more challenging messaging around food and body that she received when pregnant. 

-Her concerns regarding calories being put on menus and the prevalence of diet culture in children that she has become aware of from speaking in schools.

-The campaigns she has spearheaded: #DumpTheScales and #ChangeTheStory

-Her beautifully written, raw and relatable memoir: ‘You Are Free (Even If You Don’t Feel Like It)’ in which she includes reflective exercises, insightful interviews and advice from her own experiences.

-Why to fight for full recovery and how to break out of the halfway house, stuck-in-the-mud stage of recovery.

-The role her faith has played in her recovery.

-Advice for how to reach out to others you can be vulnerable with for support and motivation.

-Great ideas for supporting loved ones suffering from an eating disorder on their recovery journey. 

You can find us on social media:

Meg

Instagram: @megsy_recovery

YouTube: Megsy Recovery

TikTok: megsy recovery

Safia

Instagram: @safia_edrecoverycoach

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.safiaed.com

Hope 

Instagram: @hopevirgo_

Resources Hope mentioned:

https://feast-ed.org/feast-30-days/

https://firststepsed.co.uk/

Em (copywriter & editor)

Instagram: @em_schone

[DISCLAIMER]

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating, please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.

Please keep in mind we’re not medical professionals, and the podcast content reflects our own experiences and opinions, as well as that of our guests, so it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice. If you’re struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating please reach out to a medical professional to discuss your own situation and get professional help with your own unique recovery.