Feck It, Fun, Fabulous & Free Eating Disorder Recovery

Eating disorder recovery comes with a significant risk of lapse and relapse, especially while still consolidating your progress. This is the third post on the topic of relapse and covers how to prevent an eating disorder relapse and what to do if you do slide back. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot www.hellybarnes.com

Eating disorder recovery is hard and lapses and relapses are part of the recovery cycle. It's important to quickly catch any slide back and turn things back around towards a recovered life. This episode goes through some of the most common signs of a lapse or relapse in eating disorder recovery.  My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

Lapses, relapses and pre-lapses are part of the cycle of recovery from an eating disorder. But what do these terms mean, what's involved and what is happening in the brain when you have a lapse or relapse in eating disorder recovery? This is the first in three episodes about relapses and lapses with an eating disorder.   My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot www.hellybarnes.com

Maintaining motivation in eating disorder recovery isn't easy when the process is hard and can take months and years. Life can take over, small improvements will seem enough and it's easy to stop pushing forwards before you have found full freedom. This episode provides a simple tool to help you maintain motivation and focus in recovery. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot www.hellybarnes.com

Overcoming an eating disorder is so hard. And the powerful return of emotions during the process is a key factor in making it so challenging. In this episode I talk about the return of emotions in eating disorder recovery, why your emotions can return so suddenly and how to manage this difficult stage of the process. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot My website: Hellybarnes.com  

Self-empowerment is critical to overcome an eating disorder and build a free life. This involves taking control of the process and gaining confidence that you can recover, doing so in your own way. This episode discusses what self-empowerment involves, why it matters and how to develop it in YOUR eating disorder recovery. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   Me: www.hellybarnes.com  

To choose eating disorder recovery and commit to it is advice that's often given. But this well meant advice over simplifies a process that necessitates so much more. There are several other key ingredients for eating disorder recovery success and that's what I talk about in this episode. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Eating Disorders Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com  

If you never had children because of an eating disorder and you are now in your mid life, you might face unique and difficult emotions. This episode covers some of the reasons an eating disorder can stop you from having children, the emotions you might experience and finally, how to move forwards. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

An eating disorder can make it easy to adopt a victim mindset. It can make you feel that life is happening to you. But what if you can choose to be a hero, not a victim in eating disorder recovery?   My Books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

It's time to get real about 'quasi-recovery' and eating disorders… it's usually a state of being 'highly functional' but still with an active eating disorder. In this episode I talk about what I mean by this and what to do if you are in this situation at the moment. There is still so much hope for a FULL recovery!!   My Books: Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders and How to Overcome One Aiming for Overshoot - The Handbook You Need to Fully Overcome a Restrictive Eating Disorder   www.hellybarnes.com

In this episode, which is part of a series about overcoming an eating disorder when you are in your mid or later life years, I talk about some of the specific challenges that arise from overcoming an eating disorder as a parent and the extra considerations that you will face as a result of having children.   My Books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

An eating disorder will impact on your ability to have real fun in life but fun in life is so important. This episode considers why fun matters and the importance of finding more of it as you overcome an eating disorder and build yourself a life that is eating disorder free and a little more feck it and fun! My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot  

Setting eating disorder eliminating goals or new year resolutions is important in the process to overcome an eating disorder. But to achieve those bigger goals, establishing daily intentions can help you to stay focused and accountable, so that you make meaningful progress.  My Books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com  

Are you trying to make food decisions to find your freedom from an eating disorder and struggling each day with overthinking and anxiety? Perhaps it is time to apply the 'Don't Think-Just Eat' approach! My Books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot www.hellybarnes.com

Food decisions with an eating disorder and when overcoming one can be hard, emotional and have a lot of anxiety and overthinking attached. This episode discusses the idea that maybe you don't have to decide between different foods or food situations... My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com  

In this episode I challenge the very common narrative in our modern Westernised culture that restrictive eating disorders are at their core driven by a fear of weight gain. I believe that this view is an oversimplified and convenient narrative that has been convenient to draw but it also prevents eating disorders being more widely understood.    My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com  

This final part of the series about the Minnesota Starvation Experiment, relating its findings to restrictive eating disorders, covers what the Minnesota Starvation Experiment teaches us about starvation syndrome and the physical, emotional, cognitive and behavioural effects that semi-starvation alone can have on a person.   My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot www.hellybarnes.com  

The Minnesota Starvation Experiment gives us the best evidence we have of what starvation can do to a person and what happens when emerging from semi-starvation. In this episode, the experiment and its findings are compared to what can be experienced with restrictive eating disorders and recovering from one. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

If you have a restrictive eating disorder then you need to know about the Minnesota Starvation Experiment and its findings. This experiment, carried out during the Second World War, is the most important evidence we have for the effects of hunger and starvation on a person and what happens as they 'refeed' and rehabilitate back to health. This episode is part one of two on this topic and this post includes information about what the experiment involved and some of the key findings. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

In this second episode of the series about overcoming an eating disorder when you are in mid or later life, I talk about the extra considerations that you need to account for when you have a partner or spouse. A partner or spouse can be a benefit to the eating disorder recovery process but there are also challenges that can come too. It is also important to remember the impact that the eating disorder and the process to overcome it has on your partner or spouse. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

Your self-identity can be deeply affected when you have an eating disorder. When you are overcoming an eating disorder, an important part is to let the eating disordered parts of your self-identity go and allow yourself to learn who you are without it. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit  Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

Eating disorders are hard to overcome at any age but when you are overcoming an eating disorder in mid or later life, there are more factors to consider, with the 'adult' responsibilities and limiting beliefs you might have. This is the first in a series of posts on this topic and this focuses on the importance of self-belief that you can recover, no matter what age you are, alongside being able to let the eating disorder identity go. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

With a restrictive eating disorder, your brain can lose the ability to understand what it means to eat without restriction, let alone let you actually do it. One effective way to push past this brain fog and to really overcome the eating disorder, reprogram your brain and emerge from energy deficit is eating to gain... Eating to gain weight and eating to gain your life back.    My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

We are taught to avoid anger, to suppress it and not show it but anger is a valid human emotion and serves a purpose. When you are overcoming an eating disorder, anger and angry eating can be a powerful means to help push you forward in making more significant changes if you direct that anger in the right direction. I talk about this in more detail in this episode. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   Me: www.hellybarnes.com

Are eating disorders a choice? Does someone choose to develop an eating disorder and what about in whether they overcome an eating disorder or not? In this episode, I explore this topic in more detail. My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot

Eating disorder recovery can be compared to a pendulum-swing effect. It can feel like the eating disorder pulls you to one extreme and as you let the eating disorder go, you go through centre to the other extreme in all kinds of ways, such as high hunger, eating more, feeling exhausted, weight gain and body changes which can all be alarming.  My books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

Restrictive eating disorders and the things you need to do to overcome one will affect your digestion and your poop in ways that can be uncomfortable and even alarming if not expecting them. In this episode I talk about some of the symptoms that you might experience and how to cope with them. Don't miss my two books that are also available now about eating disorders and how to overcome one: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot Both are available through most online book retailers.   www.hellybarnes.com  

Restrictive eating disorders and the ability of the brain to develop an addiction to energy deficit has an evolutionary explanation. This episode explores how and why the brain adaptations that occur with a restrictive eating disorder were once a much needed survival response and not the 'mental illnesses' they are considered today The information for this episode is taken from my newly available book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders', which you can buy now ... And my second book is also now available and it is called, 'Aiming for Overshoot', available if you click here.   www.hellybarnes.com  

The stereotype of restrictive eating disorders having a look and only being present in people who appear emaciated is damaging and completely false. Restrictive eating disorders don't have a size and the symptoms and risks of an eating disorder are the same, no matter where a person falls on the BMI spectrum. Find out more in my books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

My second book, 'Aiming for Overshoot' is available to buy now and is a complementary handbook to 'Addicted to Energy Deficit'. This episode of the podcast introduces the book and why you should aim for overshoot to overcome a restrictive eating disorder. My two books: Addicted to Energy Deficit Aiming for Overshoot   www.hellybarnes.com

Refeeding syndrome is a potential risk when you are abstaining from restriction and overcoming a restrictive eating disorder and addiction to energy deficit. An awareness of the risks and how to prevent them will help to ensure you are able to continue to do all you need to beat the eating disorder out of your life safely. More on this is available in my book: 'Addicted to Energy Deficit' which you can buy now. hellybarnes.com

When overcoming a restrictive eating disorder and addiction to energy deficit, you can apply an abstinence or moderation approach. This post explores what moderation to overcome a restrictive eating disorder & addiction to energy deficit can look like and when you might choose this method. Find out more from my book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders'.   www.hellybarnes.com

Restrictive eating disorders can also be described as an addiction to the state of energy deficit. The gold standard approach to overcome any addiction can is often considered to be abstinence... But how do you abstain from a restrictive eating disorder? This episode discusses this and you will find out more in my book, Addicted to Energy Deficit.   www.hellybarnes.com    

The withdrawal symptoms when you are overcoming a restrictive eating disorder and addiction to energy deficit can be intense. This episode explains what symptoms to expect and what causes them. To know even more, please see my book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders'.   www.hellybarnes.com

Rituals and restrictive eating disorders go hand in hand. If you have a restrictive eating disorder or are working to overcome one, it is important to understand rituals - what they are, how to recognise them and why it is so important to address them. Want to know more? My book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders' covers this in a lot more detail and so much more besides. www.hellybarnes.com

When you have a restrictive eating disorder, your brain has developed an addiction to the state of energy deficit. But what is it that made energy deficit so rewarding to your brain in the first instance that it led to this addiction? The answer to this is explored in this episode. To understand more, my book, Addicted To Energy Deficit is available to buy now and covers so much more besides. www.hellybarnes.com

Understanding restrictive eating disorders as a form of addiction, it helps to understand the neuroscience behind an addiction to energy deficit. In this episode I explain the the dopamine balance model to addictions and to restrictive eating disorders and how this impacts on the symptoms you will experience in overcoming an eating disorder. To understand more, please pick up a copy of my newly published book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit' from most online book stores around the world. www.hellybarnes.com

Understanding eating disorders as an addiction allows you to then understand a little more of the neuroscience to an addiction to energy deficit.   This episode focuses on the deep learning processes that occur in the brain in the development of an eating disorder and overcoming one.   To understand more, please pick up a copy of my book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders'.   www.hellybarnes.com

As I continue to introduce my newly published book, 'Addicted to Energy Deficit - A Neuroscience Based Guide to Restrictive Eating Disorders', I continue from the last episode, with an explanation about what an addiction to energy deficit actually is and what behaviours and symptoms it can lead to. The book is available now to buy on Amazon and other online book retailers. www.hellybarnes.com

I have written a book!! It's called 'Addicted to Energy Deficit' and it is all about what restrictive eating disorders are, using neuroscience and research to finally de-mystify exactly what is happening with a restrictive eating disorder and how to use this information to overcome one. This episode introduces the book and why eating disorders are a form of addiction. Please support me, my work and podcast by buying a copy! www.hellybarnes.com

A scarcity mindset is a very powerful feature of a restrictive eating disorder and will add extra layers to the impact the eating disorder has on your life, how you live, think and function.   It's important to recognise the symptoms of a scarcity mindset so you can address it, aiming for abundance for a while instead!   www.hellybarnes.com

A very helpful tool to use as you are going through the process of overcoming an eating disorder, or eating disorder bashing as it is also known, is something called a pre-mortem. This is where you get out your crystal ball to predict disaster and then take steps to ensure disaster does not strike. Intrigued?  Have a listen to find out more. www.hellybarnes.com

This episode is a personal one in which I share more of my journey to overcome the eating disorder and a point in the process in which I was mentally exhausted, emotionally drained and ready to give up on it all and let the eating disorder fully consume me again. This is for anyone in that position now. www.hellybarnes.com

When you eat restrictively for any length of time through a restrictive eating disorder or as a result of dieting, your body metabolism will be affected.  Many people have concerns and questions about this. In this episode, I cover what the metabolism is, what it means to have a high or a low metabolism and how restrictive eating can impact on this, alongside what happens to the metabolism if you start to consistently eat more again.  Finally, the question 'is my metabolism broken?' is answered! www.hellybarnes.com

When you are overcoming a restrictive eating disorder and bringing your body out of a state of energy deficit, weight gain is inevitable. But when you are gaining weight despite still engaging in some level of restrictive eating and disordered behaviours, it can feel unjustified and make the process even harder. Therefore, this episode is about making sure the weight gain that is part of your healing is justified through your actions. www.hellybarnes.com

Many people make commitments in the process of overcoming an eating disorder which might be things like, 'I will eat without restriction'; 'I will non purge' etc etc... These commitments are great but they are also up in the clouds and not entirely meaningful to the brain. One way to make those commitments work FOR you is by using If-Then statements to pin those commitments down to your real life and see them through. Take a listen to find out more! Oh and if you listen on apple podcasts, please leave a review and subscribe to the podcast because it does help other people find it - thank you!! www.hellybarnes.com

In eating disorder recovery, many people experience very high or 'extreme' levels of hunger. The extreme hunger experienced can be overwhelming and frightening when it hits, especially when a person is coming from a history of very restrictive eating. This episode is about what extreme hunger can feel like and it is about some of my experiences when it came to navigating it. www.hellybarnes.com

In part one (the last episode), I discussed the analogy of eating disorder recovery as a tug of war and explained that when it feels like you are fighting that inner battle with the eating disorder, it is time to put the rope down and walk away... This episode covers some practical recovery examples of what battling the eating disorder in that tug of war looks like and what it does look like to stop the fight and just move towards your future free life. www.hellybarnes.com

Eating disorder recovery very often feels like a constant game of tug of war between you (in recovery) and the eating disorder.  This looks like constant mental battles, mental gymnastics and negotiations.  It is exhausting, anxiety provoking and distressing. However, what if recovery doesn't need to be like this? What if you don't need to engage in that tug of war and still make progress in your recovery? www.hellybarnes.com

The way in which the body monitors our energy levels and need for food is through a variety of different processes, chemicals and structures (all very complicated!). In this episode, I explore what these processes are in a 'healthy' person and how they differ when someone is experiencing an eating disorder. www.hellybarnes.com

Hunger can manifest in many different ways, particularly when you are in eating disorder recovery, your physical hunger cues are unreliable and you have lost the ability to recognise what is hunger and what isn't in the way 'normal' people do. In this episode I talk about all the different ways hunger can manifest physically, mentally, emotionally and in the way you behave. www.hellybarnes.com