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For far too long in my own recovery I was convinced I had to take recovery “at my pace”. If I could carefully manage my own recovery then one day I would be free. It took me a long time to recognise that pattern as appeasement - this was exactly playing into the hands of my ED. I was tweaking tiny parts of my intake and hoping that it would smash the cage entirely open. Needless to say, it did not work. Taking baby steps only maintained my ED for even longer. The ED thrives o

One of the least favourite characteristics of my time with an ED was my tendency to be a food snob and a very picky eater. In my opinion, one of the most fun attributes in a person is an openness and willingness to go with the flow. A curiosity about the world, including what to eat. An ease of being the person who can let others decide what they would really like. When I had an ED, one of the ways that restriction showed up - in quite a socially acceptable way - was to turn

From what I understand of the internet there can be a lot of misunderstanding out there around what exactly a recovery coach is, and what exactly they do. I’m hoping that this blog post can clarify what a coach is, what it isn’t, and how it might differ from other forms of support.  I’m in the fortunate position to be a recovery coach who has also been through the coaching process in my own recovery. I know what it is like to be on both sides of this equation. And with this e

Let’s start this post with a conversation about why regular eating is so important when recovering from a restrictive ED. It is likely that you have spent a significant amount of time - sometimes decades - overriding your body’s hunger cues. It might therefore be a very big ask to reconnect to that true hunger from Day 1 of recovery. This is not universal and remember that there is an entire spectrum of experiences when it comes to recovery and hunger in recovery. But regardl

In the depths of an ED there is usually an inescapable knowing that you are struggling. Often others have noticed your behaviours and a difference in how you present (not just physically) and are worried about your wellbeing. In this state it is hard to deny that something needs to change. Things may have progressed to a state where you simply cannot function in life anymore. This is often the point that interventions are required and hospital stays become non-negotiable. Thi

I am not alone in having spent years “trying” to recover. When I reflect on that time now I can see that I was trying to recover on my ED’s terms. I was searching for a way to recover that wouldn’t come with such distress. If I could just find the magic formula - the perfect balance - then I would do it. This trying was always confusing and always left me feeling stuck and like I wasn’t making meaningful progress. Something changed in my final recovery attempt. I realised tha