Life After Diets

Overcoming Binge Eating by Christopher G Fairburn has been adopted by the NHS as the gold standard approach for binge eating recovery. This episode offers our personal and professional opinions on the OBE approach and is not meant as a substitute for, or a deterrent against, using this book as part of your own recovery process. We discuss: Who is Fairburn and how did he start working with BED? Whe...

An obsession with healthy eating has become part of the Eating Disorder and disordered eating spectrum. But how do we differentiate between taking responsibility for our health and disorder? Where's the line? This episode looks at: What's wrong with valuing health and nutrition? What is orthorexia? How did Stef develop orthorexia in her 30's? Healthy eating as a vehicle for black and white thinkin...

The most common time of day for people to overeat and/or binge is in the evening. After work, after dinner, after the kids are in bed, after the quiet sets in. Those hours between dinner and bedtime can be the hardest to navigate and there are many reasons why this happens so much -- we're here to take a comprehensive look at many of these reasons. We'll discuss: The #1 reason people eat more at n...

This episode is different from our usual ones in that it was created not just for you, dear listener, but for your loved ones. If you've ever felt like you want your friend or family member to understand eating disorders better, but just don't know how to describe it or feel like it's hard for them to understand what you're going through in recovery, this episode if for you AND them. The rational...

Self-esteem has implications in eating disorder recovery, and this episode explores some of those -- including self-compassion, connection, competence, comparison, social expectations, shame, and even anger! Tune in for this nuanced conversation about self-esteem (and self-worth, by extension) with topics including: What comes first -- low self-esteem or disordered eating behaviors? The relationsh...

What if you're recovering from an eating disorder and it's not all it's cracked up to be? What if the "better life" everyone talks about doesn't feel true for you, and you wonder if it was actually better before? In this episode, we look at this very nuanced, delicate, and lesser-talked-about aspect of some people's experience. Does it matter if you have other "things" in your life to fall back on...

This episode, livestreamed to our Facebook community, is a response to a listener question that asks: How do we know when we're making progress in recovery? If we aren't celebrating pounds or dress sizes lost, how do we mark the "successes" of recovery? And how do we deal with the fact that no one else can "see" it? Stef's moment in the kitchen, yesterday Sarah's mincemeat pies (and a tangent disc...

The fourth and final in our Back to Basics Series (following a set list of: (1) Do I Have a Problem ? (2) How Did I Get Here? and (3) A Recovery Toolbox).  This episode looks at what recovery looks like from a process perspective. How does it actually look as you go along? How long does it take to recover? Stef's Tetris analogy -- what if you've been working on recovery forever and your behaviors...

The third in a four-part series of Back to Basics; this episode reviews helpful tools for recovery from disordered eating and eating disorders. Tools include cognitive, somatic, emotional, behavioral/practical resources to support your recovery with a list of helpful accounts, books, podcasts, and links below.  Education from social media, books, podcasts, etc The case for regular eating How ghrel...

Second in a four-part Back to Basics Series, this episode looks at the question of how we develop disordered eating, eating disorders, and body image issues. What causes it to get so...well, disordered... for some people and not for others?  The Minnesota Starvation Experiment Social and Family influences Growing up in the 80s, 90s and 2000s Why do some people develop a disorder and not others? Pe...

The first in a four-part series called: Back to Basics to explore the foundational concepts of disordered eating and eating disorders from the ground floor. We hear from so many people who weren't aware that their experiences had a name, or that other people are dealing with them, too. In this first session, we're looking at the question: Do I Have a Problem? Is what I'm dealing with considered a...

Two annoucements! Join our mailing list if you want to be in the know about upcoming events in the UK this May 2024; and our next four episodes will be a Back To Basics Series. Now on to this week's episode...we're reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to the new one, but not in the mainstream fashion of toxic positivity or or New Year New Me crap. If you need to get away from that energy,...

We believe that authenticity can have to do with our relationship with food. In this episode, we explore those intersections and tell personal stories abour our own experiences with authenticity and how that has impacted our behaviors with food. The definition of authenticity How it feels to be authentic...and to be not authentic Can disordered eating behaviors come from an authentic place? "Racke...

Catastrophizing things like what we've eaten or how much weight we've gained (for example) can often led to despair or fear-based decision-making. In this conversation, we explore what catastrophization is, why we do it, and strategies to deal with it. We also discuss: Feelings of catastrophization post binge "Meta-eating" as a version of catastrophizing (meta-eating is Stef's terminology for eati...

Aside from body image, health seems to be one of the biggest concerns about gaining weight. Because weight gain is common for many people recovering from eating disorders, health is a big sticking point making recovery harder and more complicated. In this episode, we're looking at the relationship between weight and health, to include: Stef explains why she can't look at her bloodwork results as t...

Geneen Roth coined the terms " permitters " and " restrictors " to differentiate between two types of (disordered) eaters -- the latter, who tend to restrict food and adhere to food rules and regulations; and the former, who reject food rules and regulations. The rule-followers vs the rebels, if you will. Which camp do you identify with?  What can we learn about ourselves and our relationship with...

If we're no longer dieting, should we keep all of our trigger foods and/or "fear foods" in the house? Will we just end up eating them all and feeling MORE out of control? On the other hand, would it be restricting to not have them around? It's complicated! We're here to talk about the nuances of this question, including: Does not keeping foods in your house mean the same thing as abstaining from t...

This week we talk to Marcus Kain, a nutrition coach and trainer specializing in binge eating recovery. Marcus, who also hosts the Strong Not Starving Podcast, shares with us his own journey into and through an eating disorder.  Marcus discusses his journey with food and body image issues, tracing back to childhood and the influence of his environment. He highlights the impact of early experiences,...

Do you ever feel like you're just kidding yourself about things? About how you're going to just get it together one day, or finally arrive in that smaller body you keep striving for? What is the difference between hope and self-deception? This episode talks about: Stef is just soooo self-aware Self deception might look like: "just one last time; I won't binge tomorrow." Does self awareness change...

Sarah and Stef review the book Dopamine Nation by Dr Anna Lembke, professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and chief of the Stanford Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic. Dopamine is a fascinating neurotransmitter when it comes to binge eating for its role in the pain and pleasure connection in the brain. This episode covers: What is dopamine's role in the brain and bo...

Are you a "should"-er or a rebel? Let's talk about Kettle Chips, for example Milkshakes, beliefs, and ghrelin (the hunger hormone) What if our mind wants more than our body needs? Collecting data & experimenting with portion sizes How Stef worked with portions of peanut butter Satisfaction and bottomless pit syndrome Can you eat a whole box of mac and cheese? Is that normal? If eating feels compul...

How do you feel eating in front of other pepole? Do you tend to become self-conscious about your food choices, or find yourself overly influenced by what other people are eating? This episode looks at these questions and... Stef & Sarah's food experiences in Dublin and how self-consciousness played (and didn't play) a role Ways it can be helpful to be influenced by other people's choices How safe...

This week, we're talking to Elena Kunicki RD who recovered from binge eating and an obsession with exercise that led to hypothalamic amenorrhea (when your period stops due to excessive exercise, stress, and disordered eating). In this episode, Elena shares her story of how she recovered, including how she was able to return to exercise without feeling addicted, obsessed, or out of control. We disc...

This episode discusses several aspects of mental hunger including its relationship to physical hunger. It emphasizes how mental hunger can feel like an insatiable desire for food, often arising from emotional and psychological factors rather than physical need. We also touch upon the significance of nervous system regulation and the complexities of achieving satisfaction while eating. The conversa...

In this episode, we dive into the concept of self-abandonment and the journey towards self-compassion. We explore the role of shame and the profound loneliness that often accompanies self-abandonment. By learning to separate feelings from shame and embracing self-care, we can navigate life's challenges without losing ourselves. Topics include: Exploring the journey of self-discovery and self-care....