Liv Label Free | Neurodivergent Eating Disorder Recovery

Why do people with Anorexia fail to perceive the severity of their illness? According to the Adapted to Flee Famine Hypothesis, this occurrence would have facilitated survival in times of famine. The AFFH proposes Anorexia to be the result of three core adaptations: restriction, hyperactivity, and denial of starvation. In part 4 and 5 of this 7-part series, we unpacked restriction and hyperactivit...

Why do people with Anorexia feel driven to exercise even at a dangerously low weight? Although it appears paradoxical, this behavior is actually very logical when looked at through the lens of the Adapted to Flee Famine Hypothesis. The AFFH proposes Anorexia to be the result of three core adaptations: restriction, hyperactivity, and denial of starvation. In part 4 of this 7-part series, we unpacke...

Welcome to part 4 of my Adapted to Flee Famine Hypothesis series! The AFFH proposes that Anorexia symptoms are the result of three core adaptations that would have facilitated survival in times of famine. These three adaptations are: restriction, hyperactivity, and denial of starvation. In this episode, we’re going to be focusing on restriction! You'll learn: How animal models can be used to under...

So what EXACTLY is the Adapted to Flee Famine Hypothesis? This third video of my 7-part series will be answering that very question! You'll learn why most treatment approaches fail, why Anorexia can be seen as an adaptive evolutionary mechanism, and how the Adapted to Flee Famine Hypothesis provides a (r)evolutionary perspective in eating disorder research and treatment! 💗 Join my   newslett...

Welcome to part 2 of my series on the evolutionary biology of Anorexia! In part 1, I shared my personal experience with Anorexia and how I never resonated with the stereotypical beliefs around the illness. In this video, I'll be explaining 4 current theories of which most treatments for Anorexia are based off, and why each theory lacks in creating a comprehensive understanding of the paradoxical d...

I am SO excited to be starting a 7-part series all about the Adapted to Flee Famine Hypothesis! A theory by Clinical Psychologist & Evolutionary Biologist Dr. Shan Guisinger, the AFFH takes an evolutionary perspective of Anorexia Nervosa. In this first episode, you'll learn: Why the current definition of Anorexia Nervosa is not comprehensive Why the current stereotype of Anorexia leads to not...

A very common misconception about autism is that autistic people are not (as) capable of feeling love as neurotypical people are. In fact, one of the most Googled questions about autism and love is “Can an autistic person fall in love?” Clearly, we have a lot of myth-busting to do! In this episode, I give 6 reasons why dating and romantic relationships can be difficult for autistic people, my...

Listen to this guided meditation to find mental freedom from your eating disorder thoughts. You deserve to live a life of abundance! 🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching  here 🍩  Enroll in my course,  Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied 🧘‍♀️ Listen to all of my Autism and Eating Disorders Meditations Connect with Livia: 🍩   INSTAGRAM 🌐   WEBS...

Sometimes, you need to get lost in order to find yourself again. In today's vulnerable episode, I share how I'm rediscovering my passion and purpose through embracing change and going with the flow. You'll learn: Why balance doesn't exist The #1 mistake people make in ED recovery What full recovery really feels like How to trust the process 🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching  he...

Procrastination is a very common autistic trait. In today's episode, I'll be sharing my personal experience with procrastination as an autistic person, why I believe autistic people have difficulty executing tasks, and you'll learn my top three tips to STOP PROCRASTINATING you so can actually get sh!t done! 💗 Join my  newsletter  to receive episode updates 🫶 Schedule a consultation cal...

The food scale was one of the hardest things for me to let go of in recovery. So hard in fact, that I used it for a lot longer than I care to admit. At one point, I didn't even know WHY I used my scale anymore; it had simply become a habit! Whatever purpose it was seemingly serving, the act of weighing food kept me trapped in a restricted life. I am incredibly proud to say that I have been able to...

Digestive issues are one of the most painful parts of recovery! Not only do they cause incredible discomfort, but GI issues can be embarrassing and downright inconvenient! When you commit to full recovery and start honoring your extreme hunger, a LOT of bodily changes will occur. Most often, this comes with weight gain, but there are COUNTLESS other changes that we cannot see as clearly on the out...

When you are in recovery from a restrictive eating disorder and are actively trying to STOP micromanaging your food, the very LAST thing you should be doing while eating is overthinking whether or not you should be eating! Nonetheless, "mindful eating" has become a very popular method of treatment for eating disorders in recent years. In today's episode, I turn the tables and explain why mindful e...

Setting goals to change is one thing, but taking consistent action to achieve them is another! Because we often don't know how or where to start when it comes to taking action, we put it off to avoid the overwhelm. However, TAKING ACTION is the only way to improve your life and create new habits. In this episode, I explain three core principles to finding and keeping motivation so you can FINALLY...

We all know what guilt feels like…it’s a painful, gut-wrenching emotion that no one wants to experience. If you have an eating disorder, chances are you CONSTANTLY feel fear of guilt - I know I did! So how do we LET GO of guilt? What do we need to do in order to challenge the eating disorder WITHOUT the nagging thoughts of guilt in the process? In today's episode, you'll learn: The root cause of g...

Researchers are still trying to understand the overlap between autism and anorexia. A strong desire for predictability & routine, difficulty with change, and obsessive interests are commonly shared traits between the neurodevelopmental disability and the eating disorder. But what is the biological reason for the frequent co-occurence of the two conditions? Alexithymia may be a possible scienti...

Let's talk about overshoot weight in eating disorder recovery! While experiencing extreme hunger and gaining a lot of weight as a result are scary and uncomfortable, overshooting your weight is an incredibly important aspect of recovery that is not talked about enough. In today's episode, I share everything I wish I had known about overshoot when I was navigating my own recovery so that YOU can na...

We all know some version of the saying "fill your own cup first". Maybe you know it as the example from the airplane "to put your own mask on before helping others", or perhaps you know the version "you can't pour from an empty cup". Whichever metaphor you prefer, they all come down to the same core concept: you must take care of yourself before you are of service to others. Honestly, this has alw...

What’s your WHY? Why do you want to recover? Why do you want a different life? One of the most important lessons I learned in my own recovery, is that you can only create long-lasting change if you have a reason to. Today, I chat all about taking inspired action with one of my best friends, Dharma. Dharma is a self-taught yogini, former gymnast, and ED warrior with a brave heart and powerful story...

Getting an eating disorder wasn't your choice...but recovery always is! Today, I chat with Iris @growingjourney_, a motivational speaker, writer, and fellow ED warrior! We dive deep into several topics that are very close to my heart, from the impact of family dynamics in the development of an eating disorder, to the reality of what it really means to recover from a mental illness. You'll learn: C...

Have you ever wondered what ED recovery looks like from a male's perspective? And how do Autism and other mental health issues contribute? In today's episode, I chat with Thomas Henley from @aspergersgrowth. Thomas is a Biomedical Sciences honors graduate from the University of Manchester, a Commonwealth Gold Medalist in Taekwondo, and a mental health advocate who is on a mission to spread awarene...

I BOOKED MY FLIGHT! Surprisingly, it's NOT to San Diego...so where AM I going? What are my plans for the future? Today's episode is an incredibly raw, open, and vulnerable monologue all about the journey I'm currently on. More importantly, it's about how I'm TRUSTING the journey that I'm on. I share with you: Where I booked my flight to! Why I'm moving to California with ZERO plans How to shift yo...

Are you afraid that you're "swinging to the other side" and developing binge eating disorder after a restrictive eating disorder such as anorexia or orthorexia? You're not alone, and you have nothing to be ashamed of. One of the most common fears in ED recovery is the fear that honoring extreme hunger will lead you to become addicted to food and thus, become a binge eater. This is definitely a fea...

Are you or a loved one currently experiencing extreme hunger in eating disorder recovery? While incredibly scary, honoring your extreme hunger, including mental extreme hunger, is a critical aspect of the anorexia recovery process. This episode of the Liv Label Free Podcast dives deep into the science of extreme hunger so you can understand why your body desperately needs an incredible number of c...

So what exactly is Autism? What are Autistic Traits? How do you know if you're really Autistic? In my chat with Louise @neurodivergent_lou, we answer everything you need to know about Autism & how it's related to mental health! Louise (Lou) is a 19-year-old Autistic advocate who documents her journey as a neuroDIVERGENT individual in a neuroTYPICAL world. She aims to break the stigmas around m...