Liv Label Free | Neurodivergent Eating Disorder Recovery

What impact does hustle culture have on autistic people? In this episode, Livia chats with Louise AKA @neurodivergent_lou on how to navigate autistic burnout, the importance of slowing down, and how to lead a meaningful life in a society that is obsessed with productivity. Lou answers the following questions: What does day-to-day life feel like for you when it comes to time? We live in a society of “hustle culture.” What do you believe are some additional pressures us autistics face when it comes to work and productivity? How do the societal expectations around productivity contribute to autistic burnout? On Instagram, you recently shared how you’ve been unable to keep up with the pace of life in the same way when you were younger. Can you elaborate on that? How have you started slowing down in life, and what impact has this had on your physical and mental health? Part of slowing down means letting go of activities that fill up your time with “busy work.” What activities have you specifically incorporated or let go of? I believe slowing down can help us feel more present, and thus live a more meaningful life. What does a meaningful life mean to you? 🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here Connect with Lou:🍩 Instagram ♪ Tiktok✖️ X Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM🌐 WEBSITE📚 BOOKS This episode is sponsored by Nuzest. Nuzest Clean Lean Protein is a 100% plant-based protein powder made from premium European golden peas. Allergen-free, sensory-friendly, and lab tested to ensure the highest quality vegan protein! Get 20% off Nuzest worldwide here 🌱

Join Livia and Laurence for part 2 of their chat on the relationship between neurodivergence and eating disorders. You'll learn about: Executive functioning difficulties and how they effect memory and motivation Co-occurring ADHD and the correlation of higher risk of eating disorders Alexithymia and how it can relate to eating disorders and eating habits Demand avoidance and how it is overlooked or not worked with in eating disorder treatment  Providing compassion for underlying autistic traits, from providers to patients and from a patient to themselves Ensuring neurodivergents are allowed sensory coping mechanisms Invaluable advice for treatment providers; whether working with neurodivergent individuals or neurotypicals A harrowing story of an eye-opening and sad experience of neurodivergent discrimination in a treatment center 🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here Connect with EDNA:🌐 Website🍩 Instagram Connect with Livia:🍩 INSTAGRAM🌐 WEBSITE📚 BOOKS

How are eating disorders and neurodivergence linked? One of the best ways to understand this common connection is through stories of lived experience. On the podcast today, Livia interviews Laurence, the Chair and Research Lead of Eating Disorders Neurodiversity Australia (EDNA). You’ll learn: Laurence’s experience of eating disorders as a neurodivergent individual Why “evidence based” treatment protocols aren’t always helpful for neurodivergent folx The difference between loneliness and aloneness and why autistic people tend to need lots of alone time How an autism diagnosis can help understand the roots of disordered eating behaviors The impact of interoception, exteroception, alexithymia, masking, and executive functioning on the autistic experience of eating disorders Why fullness may be a foreign sensation to autistic people and how this can lead to bingeing and feelings of discomfort 🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here Connect with EDNA:🌐 Website🍩 Instagram Connect with Livia:🍩 INSTAGRAM🌐 WEBSITE📚 BOOKS

It’s time for another update on all things Liv Label Free! In this episode, I talk about: How slowing down has helped me navigate autistic burnout My experience of food poisoning in Bali The chaos that comes with uncertain living situations How I’m approaching my four different book projects Progress on the Rainbow Girl audiobook as well as the Dutch version Progress on my book about beating extreme hunger Why I’m on social media less How Ciandra Birnbaum (Flourish with Ciandra) infringed on my copyright 🌐 View the screenshots of Ciandra’s copying my work Connect with Livia:🍩 INSTAGRAM🌐 WEBSITE📚 BOOKS

What role does the nervous system play in eating disorders and disordered eating? In today’s episode, Livia speaks to Stefanie Michele, a binge eating and body image coach that specializes in somatic experiencing. You’ll learn: How binge eating disorder formed the core of her difficulties with bulimia and orthorexia A desire to fill the gap in treatment for body image and hope to reverse the cultural damage self-image has brought with it Somatic experiencing and nervous system trauma responses in relation to eating disorders How there's more than emotional work necessary for healing anxiety and how this relates to the nervous system The role of eating and, particularly, binge eating in relation to nervous system dysregulation Finding and creating safety within ourselves Cultivating trust in "slowing down" amidst a chronic flight-or-fight state Letting go of perfectionism in eating disorder recovery and how going “all in” isn't for everyone Discovering your own needs in eating disorder recovery The role of executive function and overwhelm; practical tips to quell the somatic responses ▶️ Watch my free training How to Win the Mental Hunger Games 🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here 🌈 Buy Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia 💜 Connect with Stefanie on Instagram ❤️ Connect with Livia on Instagram

The underlying reasons behind the fear of weight gain are often very different for autistic people struggling with eating disorders. In this episode, you'll learn about the following five factors that may contribute to the fear of gaining weight in autistic individuals. Difficulty with change Desire for predictability Sensory perception Gender dysphoria Fear of responsibility 🌈 Buy Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

How can an autistic special interest spiral into an eating disorder? In today's episode, I chat with Annamarie, a fellow autistic female and ED warrior. We discuss: Early health and nutrition education snowballing into an obsessive autistic special interest Disordered thoughts turning to secretive behavior, foregoing social activities due to fear of food exposure The transformation of the disordered special interest into a hyper-focus on recovery and ED recovery resources and science Learning to give herself time and space to recover in the way that works best for her. How Gradual vs All-In might be the preferred method for those on the spectrum Writing out the disordered food rules into a physical list helped conquer them one-by-one Severing the ties to comparison with others and standing up to the Eating Disorder Bully How an adult autism diagnosis helped overcome the challenges of ED Recovery; learning to pause and understand the why's and the where's of tendencies and disordered thought Feeling confused and different as a child and young adult without ever knowing why until the diagnosis Letting the mask down and tossing pressure to conform aside And finally, her practical, common sense advice for anyone out there with the will and want to recover 🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders🌈 Buy Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here 🍩 Connect with Annamarie on Instagram Connect with Livia:🍩 INSTAGRAM🌐 WEBSITE📚 BOOKS

What’s the relationship between autism and binge eating? In today’s episode, you’ll learn how autistic traits can lead to the following 9 types of binge eating: The Sensory Binge The Hyperactive Binge The Black & White Binge The “Make Sense” Binge The Analysis Paralysis Binge The Procrastination Binge The Interoceptive Binge The Hormonal Binge The Extreme Hunger Binge 🍩 Enroll in my course, Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here📝 Check out the blog post of this episode Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

It’s time for another chat with an Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied alumni! In today’s episode, I'm speaking to Valerie, an autistic female who shares her experience with overcoming extreme hunger. You'll learn: Survivor's guilt manifesting into perfectionism and eventually into an eating disorder Energy debt being like living paycheck to paycheck Daily activities consumed by mental hunger and planning for or compensating for meals The chaotic nature of extreme hunger as an autistic The experience of stealing and hoarding food from friends and family How a false belief in "lack of willpower" contributes to disordered habits Discovering self-realization through late-in-life autism diagnosis  The power of letting go and relinquishing yourself to the process of recovery Valerie's evergreen advice to soothe your recovery worries 🍩 Enroll in my course, Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied 🌈 Buy Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia 🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here 💜 Connect with Valerie on Instagram Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS

Eating disorder recovery often looks very different for autistic people, so what additional challenges might a trans/non-binary individual face? Today I am joined by Lex, a former coaching client and extreme hunger course student turned best friend.  They share: Seeking solace in food and exercise related behaviors when coming from a marginalized community Discovering sensory preferences and growing up masking food preferences "Unmasking" food preferences and learning to advocate for likes and dislikes instead of fearing being difficult Transitioning and being influenced by stereotypical societal expectations of gender-related eating behaviors Making the choice not to carry the eating disorder with them post-transition Body dysmorphia as a trans person and how bodily changes in recovery are especially difficult to grapple with The wonderful freedom of no longer thinking about food Being denied treatment due to not fitting the stereotypical ED model and making yourself sicker to prove you're sick enough The incompatibility of traditional ED treatment procedures with autism Being left out of the eating disorder conversation as a non-binary individual and need for improving language use Respecting and working with the differences between men, women and non-binary in regards to mental health 🌈 Buy Rainbow Girl: A Memoir of Autism and Anorexia 🍩 Enroll in my course, Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied 🫶 Schedule a consultation call for 1-1 coaching here 🍩 Connect with Lex on Instagram Connect with Livia: 🍩 INSTAGRAM 🌐 WEBSITE 📚 BOOKS