How to start taking rest days in recovery In recovery, most people need to take a step back from exercise and either reduce their workout load and frequency, or take some time away from the gym altogether. For many, this can be even more challenging and confronting than addressing food intake and behaviours. After all, exercise is glorified in society, elevated to be this symbol of health – and for many of us, it becomes an obsession or an identity. But it’s really important to learn to let that go in recovery, if you want any chance of recovering your period and your health, and achieving ..read more

How to stop hating your body Do you feel a sense of dread, self-loathing, criticism or dejection every time you catch a glimpse of your reflection? Do you hate your body, no matter how much you change and warp its appearance? Sadly, you’re not alone in feeling this way. But hating your body can keep you stuck in quasi recovery, and prevent you from finding full freedom from the negative habits you find yourself stuck in. To do so, you have to understand this: hating your body almost always has nothing to do with how your body looks. You could change your body, and achieve the “goal” shape o ..read more

How to ask for help when you’re struggling in recovery Recovery is challenging and confronting and full of ups and downs, wins and setbacks.  But the key to full recovery lies in staying committed, doing the work, and getting back up again whenever you fall. However, you don’t have to do it alone. In times where you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, defeated, or you just want to throw in the towel, ask for help. Whether it’s from your family, friends and loved ones, or a team of health professions or psychologists, never be afraid to reach out and ask for support. Speaking up shows st ..read more

Are you a “fussy eater”, or are you in denial about your food rules? “I just don’t eat sugar because I don’t like it.” “Dairy doesn’t agree with me, it makes me feel unwell.” “I’d eat the donut if I wanted it, I just genuinely don’t like donuts.” Sound familiar? These kinds of justifications are something we see time and time again. Many people in recovery attempt to justify their continual avoidance of certain foods and food groups by convincing themselves and others that they truly don’t like the food they’re trying to limit. While some of the time, this might be true or you may be suffer ..read more

Why stress management is an essential aspect of HA and ED recovery Addressing stress is a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea or eating disorders. Not only can stress be a significant contributor to the development of these conditions, but it can also be the result of them. Experiencing prolonged periods of heightened stress can encourage people with a history of disordered eating or eating disorders to fall back into these patterns as a coping strategy, so learning to manage your stress is crucial if you’re trying to recover from HA or an eating ..read more

How to cope with an identity crisis during recovery For many people who have struggled with disordered eating or exercise behaviours for long periods of time, it is all too easy to get so swept up in these patterns, they become a foundational part of your identity and how you define yourself. So, naturally, recovery can pose a threat to the carefully constructed version of yourself you’ve created. If you’ve become used to thinking of yourself as an active, “healthy”, fit individual, having your exercise and food patterns taken away from you or challenged can feel like a direct threat to you ..read more

How Long Does HA Recovery Really Take? Whether you’re just embarking on your recovery journey from hypothalamic amenorrhea, or you’ve been at it a while and desperately want to know how much longer you’ve got ahead, we’re spilling the tea on how long you can expect your recovery to really take. The short answer: it depends… It depends on how long it takes you to go “all in”, or fully commit to recovery and all it entails. On how willing you are to move past quasi recovery, conquer your fears, and overcome your discomfort to achieve lasting behavioural and lifestyle change. This is the deter ..read more

Do I need to gain weight to restore my period? Often when it comes to recovering from eating disorders, hypothalamic amenorrhea or disordered eating, the idea of weight gain is the thing which keeps people in quasi recovery, or delaying recovery altogether. While many people say they want to recover, the idea of needing to gain weight is just too overwhelming, scary or unimaginable. So do you really need to gain weight to recover from hypothalamic amenorrhea, or is it possible to avoid putting on the extra kilos while still regaining your period? Why do you lose your period? Hypothalamic am ..read more

The impact of shame in eating disorders Shame invades so many areas of our lives, particularly for those struggling with disordered eating patterns and behaviours. It’s a bit of a “chicken or the egg” scenario – while shame can heavily contribute to the development of eating disorders for many reasons, it can also be pervasive and all-consuming for those stuck in the throes of an eating disorder, making it difficult to break free of disordered patterns and seek support. Let’s explore the intricate relationship between shame and eating disorders more closely. What is shame? Shame can be defi ..read more

Breaking the cycle of self-sabotage in recovery Are you standing in your own way? Is the greatest obstacle to your recovery goals you? If so, you’re not alone. What is self-sabotage? Self-sabotage simply refers to any action you take which is getting in the way of your goals or progress. It can be as small as procrastinating seeking help, or denying you need support in the first place, or it could look like repeatedly reverting to old, damaging patterns and behaviours on your recovery journey. Self-sabotage essentially undoes all the hard work you’ve done to progress on your journey to reco ..read more