Unrestrict-ED

In this episode, Han & Emily discuss abundant eating beyond a baseline structure. The key takeaways are:

• A desire to stick to the plan is often related to fear of “too much".
• Spearhead whatever the ED deems as ‘excessive’ / 'unnecessary'. 
• View any structure as a minimum. If it isn’t viewed in this way, it is diet plan.
• Baseline meal plans must be boldly recovery wise.
• Pay attention to the importance of adequacy. 
• Bare minimum is never the aim.
• Ask yourself: what is the mission here?
• Stop any ceiling reinforcing behaviours 

In this episode, Emily and Han are joined by fellow recovery coach Claire (@omnomclaire). The key takeaways from this episode are:

• Best time for recovery is always Now
• Rewiring can happen at any age
• Experience and understanding of your ED can be weaponised
• Honesty about responsibilities; where can you delegate, seek more support with, where can you release?
• Autonomy is a benefit
• Your ‘new’ identity will naturally reveal itself
• Lean into your knowledge of what has or hasn’t worked for you thus far 
• Frustration and ‘doneness’ with the ED can be a wonderful stimulant

In this episode, Han and Emily speak through the topic of alcohol consumption whilst in recovery, and in life beyond. The key takeaways are

• Reconnect with your core self and values
• Act with the next best step for your recovery in mind
• Protect and promote your recovery agenda
• Look at the reason behind the resistance (e.g., ED fear)
• Focus on what your CAN
• Your brain is watching and learning
• Validating your own stance with self trust is a huge outcome of recovery

In this episode, Han and Emily discuss the necessity of honesty and commitment when assessing full satisfaction.

1. If in doubt, eat!
2. Fullness is not the same as satiation.
3. Full commitment -> simplification.
4. Well fed is best.
5. You are the expert on you.

In this episode Han and Emily talk through feeling behind. The main takeaways are:

1. Feel your feelings (RAINN)
2. Fulfilment / goals are subjective
3. Societal timelines are not mandated, nor necessarily reflective of you leading with authenticity.
4. Social media offers mere glimpses into a curated life - rarely showing the full picture: struggles, sacrifices.
5. Take ownership of your role as the pilot of your life
6. Start where you are now
7. Healing provides competencies that other people may not have

In this episode, Emily and Han discuss making decisions in recovery. 

The key takeaway points are:

1. It is ok to want everything. This is so often the root cause of paralysis.
2. Do not attempt to please both (ED and recovery). This is impossible.
3. Utilise the concept of ‘and’ not ‘or’
4. Remember: there is no upper ceiling 
5. Utilise quick, convenient and ED unapproved Go-To’s.
6. Challenge ED driven perfectionism 
7. Abundance mitigates paralysis. Stop tickling hunger!

In this episode Han and Emily discuss food quantity in recovery. The key  takeaways from this episode are:

• The RAVES model showcases how formative adequacy is for all other aspects of your healing

• Adequacy and abundance of food is at the foundation of neural rewiring

• Your body feeling safe from famine largely depends on food abundance

• Volume eating of non-recovery aligned foods is not the same as food abundance. 

• A truly good relationship with food is being able to eat food without conditions or caveats, not just tick a box of 'I can eat X'

• Permission and necessity of food adequacy does not reduce with physical progress 

• Take action upon your awareness

In this episode, Emily & Han discuss how to make recovery work whilst studying. The key takeaways from this episode are:

• Position recovery at no.1 of your to-do list

•  Remember that your health is at foundation of everything else

• Do not continuously adopt the ‘I just need to get through this’ delay tactic

• See this as an opportunity to head towards Ed unapproved (e.g., messiness, convenience, rush)

• Consistently remind yourself of where you want to be long term and what your studying is ultimately all for. 

In this episode, Han and Emily speak through an array of reminders that were important to hold close when diving into a committed recovery. The key takeaways are…

• Surrendering involves consistently doing. Even in the presence of doubt.

• Doing good often doesn’t feel good.

• Your brain doesn’t have to be on board.

• Neuroscience and psychology tells us the brain is wired for familiarity and survival, not joy or fulfilment.

• Your thoughts are not the truth. They cannot force you to act.

• Hunger is normal and safe. A body relentless communication of it (including mentally!) is absolutely reasonable.

• Discomfort is temporary. The hard moments will pass. 

• Slips are not failures. Recovery is non linear.

• Embrace the fact that recovery is messy.

• Recovery is absolutely possible, and absolutely going to be worth it!

“What Are The Most Important Things a Recovery Buddy Should Know About Recovery?”

In this episode, Emily and Han speak through advice for a recovery buddy who is supporting a healing journey. 

The key take away points are…

- Get to know the basics about recovery in order to be able to provide grounding advice that reconnects your loved one with their healthy self (see rec. resources)

- Stand by their side through that discomfort without enabling them to use disordered means to alleviate anxiety. Holding somebody to account to follow through with the most recovery aligned action is the kindest thing you can do. 

- Acknowledge that the place that somebody is in their recovery is not represented by their weight. Somebody can be ‘under weight’ at any weight, if they are beneath where their body wishes to be. 

- View recovery with urgency until the point of fully recovered. The amount of deficit somebody is in shows up their behaviours and inner experience.

- ‘Better than before’ is not good enough. Encourage unrestricted eating. Remember that under eating is often invisible.

- Engage in practical support where possible. Keep offering. Keep challenging. Hold to your word with consistency and plenty of hope. 

- Acknowledge that the ED will not like the recovery buddy. Friction that arises is not representative of your wrongdoing. Stand firmly in the recovery ground. 

-Some resources that we both recommend:

1. Tabitha Farrar's 'Rehabilitate Rewire Recover'.
2. Becky Freestone's YouTube videos.
3. Helly Barnes' blog
4. Chris Sandel's '@sevenhealthcompany'.