1135: Amelia Boone Takes on Her Biggest Obstacle... A 20 Year Eating Disorder
Oct 7, 2019
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Amelia Boone, a four-time world champion obstacle course racer, opens up about her 20-year battle with anorexia. She discusses the importance of addressing one’s relationship with food and how internal motivations can lead to both success and mental health issues. Amelia shares her treatment experience, emphasizing the need for open conversations about eating disorders. She offers advice for parents and highlights the journey toward self-acceptance, mindful eating, and reclaiming joy in everyday life.
Open dialogue is crucial when addressing eating disorders.
Amelia emphasizes self-discovery and authenticity in recovery post-treatment.
Healthy lifestyle changes post-treatment include setting boundaries and support systems.
Engaging in physical activities like running provides mental stillness and problem-solving opportunities.
Deep dives
Discussion on Eating Disorders and Seeking Help
The episode delves into an interview with Amelia Boone, an accomplished OCR racer, as she publicly discusses her battle with an eating disorder for the first time. Amelia's openness about her struggles and decision to seek intensive help after battling food-related issues sheds light on the challenges faced by individuals dealing with eating disorders. The podcast explores topics such as the origins of eating disorders, the impact on training and workouts, and the importance of seeking support and professional help in overcoming such challenges.
Challenging Stigmas and Normalizing Conversations on Eating Disorders
Amelia's story emphasizes the importance of addressing eating disorders and challenging stigmas surrounding them. By sharing her experiences openly, she aims to inspire others to have candid conversations about their struggles with food and body image. The episode highlights the prevalence of eating disorders and their varied forms, emphasizing the need to destigmatize these issues and promote open dialogue to encourage individuals to seek help.
Recovery Journey and Self-Discovery
The podcast explores Amelia's journey towards recovery post-treatment, highlighting the ongoing process of self-discovery and embracing authenticity. Amelia reflects on the challenges and victories in her path to healing, emphasizing the significance of setting up support systems and guardrails to navigate the ups and downs of recovery. Her story resonates with the complexity of recovery, self-acceptance, and the significance of finding balance and authenticity in personal growth.
Addressing Lifestyle Changes and Integrating Therapeutic Practices
Amelia discusses the integration of healthy lifestyle changes post-treatment, emphasizing the importance of setting boundaries and support systems to maintain progress. The podcast underlines the therapeutic value of exercise for mental well-being, highlighting the distinction between movement as therapy and punitive exercise. Amelia shares insights on redefining her relationship with movement, focusing on the joy and excitement of physical activity as a form of self-care and self-expression.
Promoting Mental Health Awareness and Advocacy
Amelia's journey serves as a platform for promoting mental health awareness and advocacy, encouraging individuals to prioritize self-care and seek professional help when needed. The episode underscores the power of sharing personal struggles to destigmatize mental health issues and create a supportive community for those facing similar challenges. By normalizing conversations around eating disorders and mental well-being, Amelia advocates for authenticity, self-compassion, and the importance of seeking help on the path to recovery.
Connection between Physical Activity and Mental Stillness
Engaging in physical activities like running and working out can provide mental stillness by allowing individuals to work through thoughts and challenges. Focusing on the present moment during exercise enables individuals to address difficult issues in their mind, rather than being distracted by past or future concerns. This mental stillness achieved during physical activities like running facilitates contemplation and problem-solving.
Promoting Healthy Relationships with Food and Body Image
Overcoming eating disorders involves embracing food abundance and not restricting certain foods, fostering a healthier relationship with nutrition. Encouraging a variety of foods into one's diet and removing food restrictions reduces fear and promotes a positive food attitude. Prioritizing self-care and emotional well-being alongside physical health contributes to overall health improvement and better relationships, emphasizing the importance of addressing emotional and mental aspects in conjunction with exercise and diet.
In this episode, Sal, Adam and Justin speak with 4x world champion obstacle course racer Amelia Boone who goes into detail about her 20-year struggle with Anorexia and how she is taking control of this long-term challenge.
Her internal struggle with food and timeline leading up to her entering an eating disorder treatment center. (3:30)
Why it is so prevalent to talk about your relationship with food. (8:34)
How she feels brought to life by a challenge and the triggers that came from it. (9:42)
The value of unpacking bad behaviors. (12:32)
How the internal intrinsic motivations/characteristics that make you excel in so many areas of your life are also the ones that can drive you into mental health disorders. (14:12)
What did the process of treatment look like for her? (17:32)
Why she chose the treatment program she did and what was the most difficult part about it? (22:57)
Were there common things she found that was the underlying issue of the disorder? (28:25)
Her advice to parents regarding their own children. (30:18)
What has she incorporated into her life since being out of the treatment center? (32:25)
Did she share her story to inspire others? (33:45)
Does she feel more like herself since going through this process? (36:38)
Why no two eating disorders look the same: The importance of NOT making foods off-limits. (41:08)
How has she managed her nutrient/hormone levels through this process? (43:47)
Making friends with your feelings. (46:22)
What has the feedback been from her audience? (48:19)
Why we don’t recommend diets, we discuss them. (51:05)
How having GOOD relationships is GOOD for your health and wellbeing. (54:05)
Why we need a cultural shift around the weight stigma and the feeling of being hungry. (58:08)
What foods make her happy now? (1:02:15)
What does her current training look like? (1:04:30)
