
Liv Label Free | Neurodivergent Eating Disorder Recovery
Want to understand the link between neurodivergence and eating disorders? The Liv Label Free Podcast provides you with insights and strategies for recovery through meaningful conversations and stories of lived experience. Your host, Livia Sara, is an autistic ED warrior that now guides other neurodivergent individuals and their loved ones to a life of freedom. Learn more about Livia on her website livlabelfree.com and follow her on Instagram @livlabelfree!
Latest episodes

Oct 28, 2024 • 56min
Overcoming 40 YEARS of Eating Disorders w/ Julia Trehane
Do you believe you’re too old to recover from an eating disorder? Have you been struggling for so long that you don’t see a way out? You’re not alone, and today’s episode will show you that recovery is always possible! Livia Sara is joined by Julia Trehane, an eating disorder recovery coach who has herself recovered from over 40 years of anorexia, orthorexia and exercise addiction. She is now on a mission to use her own experience, research and knowledge to help others who are wanting to recover but struggling to do so. Julia is qualified in CBT for eating disorders, transformational life coaching and spiritual life coaching and uses those, alongside a deeply supportive and loving nature to guide and support clients from all over the world.
Topics Discussed:
Family dynamics contributing to eating disorders
The impact of motherhood on eating disorder symptoms
Sensitivity as a factor in eating disorder development
The necessity of Inner Child Work in recovery
Transformative power of Recovery Coaching
Building effective support systems for recovery
Using restriction and exercise addiction as emotional suppressants
Unintentional validation for eating disorder behaviors by others
Navigating control vs safety
Moving from self-loathing to self-love
The challenges of finding appropriate treatment
Recovery is possible at every age
Prioritizing self-care and seeking help are essential
The role of shame and secrecy in eating disorders
📖 Download my FREE GUIDE with answers to the top 10 most frequently asked questions about extreme hunger!📚 Grab your copy of How to Beat Extreme Hunger
Connect with Julia:🌐 WEBSITE🍩 INSTAGRAM🎙️ PODCAST
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

Oct 24, 2024 • 17min
Existential Suffering After an Eating Disorder
An eating disorder creates suffering – there’s no doubt about that – but can recovery itself cause suffering as well? This episode takes a philosophical and neurodiversity-affirming approach to creating purpose after an eating disorder, exploring how meaningful suffering can lead to a fulfilling life.
💗 Join my newsletter to receive episode updates🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders👉🏻 Join Autistically ED-Free Group Coaching
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS
📝 Read the blog post of this episode
You might also enjoy...Fear of Growing Up and Being HealthyAutism, Eating Disorders, and ExistentialismAutism and Existential Loneliness

Oct 21, 2024 • 51min
Navigating Orthorexia Recovery as a Gay Man w/ Jason Wood
How does the intersection of orthorexia, masculinity, and sexuality impact the journey to recovery? In today's episode, Livia Sara chats with Jason Wood. Jason turned his battle with orthorexia into a mission to break the stigma around men’s mental health by publishing his memoir Starving for Survival. He is proud to serve on the board for two eating disorder recovery organizations, Running in Silence and SoulPaws Recovery Project. Jason is the Director of Community Engagement at ANAD and facilitates the organization’s new men’s peer support group. Through speaking engagements, his writing, and his advocacy work, Jason strives to be part of the important conversation that encourages everyone – especially men – to speak up, share their stories, and get the help they deserve.
Key Topics Discussed:
Jason's memoir "Starving for Survival" and his journey with orthorexia
Stigma around men asking for help and showing vulnerability, leading to reluctance in seeking support
Struggles with processing emotions and identifying them accurately
Internalized homophobia and societal pressures around sexuality
The power of words and language in shaping perception
Childhood relationship with food, bullying, and fear of illness
The hidden nature of eating disorders, the difficulty in recognizing their impact during the active phase, and the long-term effects they can have
Accepting that we don't know everything and being open to learning from others
🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders🌈 Buy Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia
Connect with Jason:🏳️🌈 Website🌀 Instagram🌐 ANAD
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

Oct 16, 2024 • 18min
The Hard Truth About Overshoot Weight in Eating Disorder Recovery
Have you surpassed your target weight in eating disorder recovery? Are you struggling to cope with weight gain and accept your larger body? This podcast episode is for you! Livia Sara explains the science behind body fat overshooting and how to deal with this challenging aspect of ED recovery. You'll learn:
Why it's important to overshoot your weight when recovering from an eating disorder
How long weight overshoot lasts
What you need to know about Set Point Weight Theory, BMI, and goal weights
How to lose your overshoot weight in anorexia recovery
Mindset shifts to cope with weight gain in eating disorder recovery
📚 Grab your copy of How to Beat Extreme Hunger🍩 Enroll in my course, Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS
Mentioned episodes:👉 Extreme Hunger While Being Weight Restored👉 The Simple Truth About BMI👉 Biological Importance of Honoring Extreme Hunger
📝 Read the blog post of this episode (with sources)

Oct 13, 2024 • 19min
But I'm Already Weight Restored! Extreme Hunger Without Being Underweight
Are you worried that your extreme hunger isn't valid because you're already weight restored? You're not alone! I didn't experience physical extreme hunger until I was at the highest weight I'd ever been in my life. Because I was suddenly so hungry, I feared I would gain weight forever if I gave into my extreme hunger at this point in my eating disorder recovery journey. I feared that I was "swinging to the other side" and developing binge eating disorder. If you resonate, you're not going to want to miss this episode! I explain why you have extreme hunger AFTER gaining weight and what you can do to overcome extreme hunger in anorexia recovery.
🍩 Enroll in my course Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied📚 Grab your copy of How to Beat Extreme Hunger⚖️ The Shocking Truth About BMI
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS
📝 Read the blog post of this episode

Oct 9, 2024 • 20min
Extreme Hunger or Binge Eating Disorder? How To Tell The Difference!
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 fear I had! In this episode, you'll learn the key difference between extreme hunger and binge eating disorder so you can embark on the recovery path that's right for you.
🍩 Want more help? Grab a copy of my book How to Beat Extreme Hunger🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here 📖 Download my FREE GUIDE with answers to the top 10 most frequently asked questions about extreme hunger!📝 Read the blog post of this episode
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

Oct 6, 2024 • 32min
The Science Behind Extreme Hunger in ED Recovery
Extreme hunger, like many aspects of eating disorder recovery, can be incredibly frightening. As an autistic person that always needs to know the "why" behind concepts so I can take informed action, understanding the science behind extreme hunger was an important part of my ED recovery journey. This episode delves into the role extreme hunger plays in achieving a state of full recovery, including:
What is extreme hunger and when does it happen in eating disorder recovery?
Biological reasons people with a history of restriction, such as anorexia or bulimia, experience extreme hunger
Different types of extreme hunger in ED recovery, including mental hunger, eating-induced hunger, and exercise hunger
📚 Grab your copy of How to Beat Extreme Hunger🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here📖 Download my FREE GUIDE with answers to the top 10 most frequently asked questions about extreme hunger!📝 Read the blog post of this episode
Connect with Livia:🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

Oct 3, 2024 • 10min
No Longer Being Able to Restrict in ED Recovery
Do you feel like you've lost the ability to restrict in eating disorder recovery? Are you developing binge eating disorder after anorexia because you can't stop eating? In this episode, Livia shares her lived experience of no longer being able to restrict in anorexia recovery and how she overcame the frustrations around this.
👉🏻 Join Autistically ED-Free Group Coaching📚 Buy my books here💌 Receive Liv Label Free weekly emails
Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE🫶 SUBSCRIBE

Sep 30, 2024 • 55min
Are Eating Disorders Anxiety Disorders? w/ Chris Sandel
In this discussion, Chris Sandel, a nutritionist and expert in eating disorder recovery, sheds light on the close relationship between eating disorders and anxiety. He emphasizes how addressing anxiety can aid in preventing relapse and the importance of creating a life vision beyond just recovery. Chris also advocates for embracing fear foods to build resilience, the healing power of love in recovery, and recognizing negative thoughts as separate entities. His insights highlight a holistic approach to fostering recovery and well-being.

7 snips
Sep 26, 2024 • 48min
Reflecting on my Eating Disorder Through an Autistic Lens
Livia shares her powerful journey through eating disorder recovery while navigating autism. She discusses how mundane life events can trigger overstimulation and the unique challenges of living with others. Insights on coping strategies highlight the interplay between sensory needs and recovery. Livia reflects on the emotional weight of weight gain, addressing all-or-nothing thinking. By connecting her past struggles to everyday mishaps, she emphasizes the importance of compassion in understanding neurodivergent experiences and the path to healing.