Recovery Talk

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