Traditional eating disorder recovery advice tends to be harmful for autistic people. Many regulation techniques are often labeled as behaviors to be eliminated, which can lead to feelings of hopelessness. But there is another way!

In today’s episode, Livia speaks to Rob about his personal journey with binge eating disorder and how discovering his autism has helped him develop more effective coping strategies. We discuss the limitations of one-size-fits-all approaches to recovery, the concept of the “adaptive eating spectrum,” and the importance of forging your own path when it comes to living a meaningful life.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The nuanced view of calorie counting as a potential self-regulation tool rather than always being harmful
• How walking can help anchor autistic people in safety
• Why traditional eating disorder treatment approaches often fail autistic individuals
• Impact of the pandemic on eating habits and mental health
• Viewing eating “disorders” as adaptive responses to a neurotypical world
• Developing personalized coping mechanisms that work for your unique nervous system

🌈 Join the Autistically ED-Free Membership
🎙️ Listen to my free audiotraining on Autism and Eating Disorders
📖 Access my free extreme hunger guide for answers to the top 10 questions about extreme hunger!

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Contact Rob at bingefreerob[at]gmail[dot]com

It’s time for another spontaneous life update! In this unscripted episode, I share some major changes and exciting announcements – including new books, moving overseas, the launch of the Autistically ED-Free Membership, reflections on the fear of relapse, and how I’m dealing with my own fear of failure.

🌈 Join the Autistically ED-Free Membership
💗 Join the Liv Label Free weekly newsletter
🎙️ Listen to my free audiotraining on Autism and Eating Disorders
📚 Read my books about autism and eating disorders

How many calories should you eat in anorexia recovery? I used to obsessively watch “What I Eat in a Day” videos and scroll Reddit threads in a desperate attempt to answer this question. But the more I searched, the more lost and confused I felt. If you resonate with the fear of “not knowing how much to eat,” this episode will transform how you approach food freedom.

You’ll learn:

• Why asking “how much should I eat?” is rooted in fear of weight gain rather than a genuine lack of knowledge
• The connection between early-onset eating disorders and difficulty trusting hunger cues
• What a typical day of extreme hunger looks like in anorexia recovery
• Why the unpredictable nature of honoring hunger is especially challenging for the autistic mind
• Why the recovering body requires far more calories than society deems “normal”

🌈 Join the Autistically ED-Free Membership
📚 Grab your copy of How to Beat Extreme Hunger
📖 Access my free extreme hunger email course for answers to the top 10 questions about extreme hunger!
📝 Read the blog post of this episode

It’s no secret that people with anorexia often engage in excessive amounts of exercise. When you combine that hallmark restlessness with neurodivergent traits like anxiety, perseverance, masking, and a constant state of fight-or-flight mode, you have the perfect storm for exercise addiction. But what if these same traits could become powerful tools in ED recovery? In the second installment of this 2-part series on Autism and Anorexia Athletica, Livia Sara explains how to transform movement from an escape into an energetic outlet. You’ll discover how three autistic traits can influence our relationship with exercise and how to harness them for healing.

Episode highlights:

• How the athletic identity can serve as a mask for autism and why creating a new identity is crucial for recovery
• Why viewing "compulsive" movement as adaptive behavior can shift our understanding of exercise addiction
• How nervous system dysregulation drives the urge to move in autistic individuals
• The paradox of how restrictions can increase the urge to move, and what to do about it
• The power of creating "freedom routines" that provide structure while allowing flexibility

Resources mentioned:
🎙️ Listen to my free audiotraining, “3 Steps to Recovery From an Eating Disorder as an Autistic Person”
📖 Access my free extreme hunger email course for answers to the top 10 questions about extreme hunger
🌈 Enroll in the Autistically ED-Free Academy
📚 Read my books about autism and eating disorders
💗 Join my newsletter to receive Liv Label Free updates
📝 Read the blog post of this episode

When you think of exercise addiction and eating disorders, you might picture someone trying to burn calories or using movement as punishment. But for neurodivergent individuals, the story often looks different. In today’s episode, host Livia Sara shares her journey with exercise addiction through an autistic lens, challenging common misconceptions and offering a fresh perspective on the complex relationship between autism, movement, and eating disorders.

You'll learn:

• How the athlete identity can become a mask for undiagnosed autism
• Why labels like "compulsive exercise" may oversimplify the complex motivations behind movement in autistic individuals
• How exercise restrictions in treatment can trigger PDA (demand avoidance) in neurodivergent folks
• Why understanding the connection between autism and movement is a crucial component of neurodiversity-affirming ED recovery

This episode kicks off a powerful two-part series examining how autism can influence our relationship with exercise and how traditional treatment approaches might actually backfire for neurodivergent individuals. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we’ll explore three key autistic traits that can influence exercise addiction and how to transform them into tools for recovery.

Connect with Livia:
💗 Join my newsletter to receive episode updates
🌈 Grab your copy of Rainbow Girl, my memoir of autism and anorexia
🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders
📝 Read the blog post of this episode

Do you feel like you're never good enough? In this unscripted, spontaneous episode, I dive deep into my current struggle with perfectionism in writing and the surprising parallels to eating disorder recovery. Recorded with no planning or outline, this raw exploration reveals how the fear of failure follows us beyond recovery into creative pursuits.

What you'll hear:

• Why I'm experiencing intense anxiety and fight-or-flight responses when sitting down to write
• How perfectionism isn't actually about being perfect, but about confirming our belief that we're failures
• The connection between setting constantly higher standards in ED behaviors and creative work
• Why my most resonant podcast episode was the unplanned one recorded at midnight
• How Kierkegaard's concept of "the dizziness of freedom" explains why rigid rules feel safer than possibilities
• The revelation that recovery doesn't mean life becomes magically perfect – we just face new forms of fear

This episode marks the beginning of a potential new series sharing unfiltered thoughts and reflections. I'd love to hear if this format resonates with you!

💗 Join my newsletter to get first access to "How to Get Out of Quasi Recovery"
🌈 Learn more about the Autistically ED-Free Academy
📚 Read my books about autism and eating disorders
🌐 Contact me via my website

"What if I can't handle being healthy?"

This question haunted me for years, echoing through my thoughts each time I contemplated recovery. My eating disorder was never about the food, the weight, or even the physical aspects of health – it was about what being "well" would mean. Because being healthy meant being responsible.

In this episode, we explore how eating disorders can function as a shield against adulthood, particularly for neurodivergent individuals navigating a neurotypical world. Through examining the complex relationship between autism and anorexia, you'll discover why recovery isn't just about changing behaviors – it's about redefining freedom on your own terms.

Key Topics:

• The paradox of being "mature for your age" while fearing adulthood
• How eating disorders can become a response to undiagnosed autism
• Why the fear of being healthy is often about avoiding responsibility
• The unique challenges neurodivergent people face in eating disorder recovery
• Finding freedom through appropriate boundaries rather than restrictions

Connect with Livia:
💗 Join my newsletter to receive episode updates
📚 Read my books about autism and eating disorders
📝 Read the blog post of this episode

Are you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or in crisis? You're not alone. As someone who understands the unique challenges at the intersection of autism and eating disorders, I've created this guided audio to be your hand to hold in moments of darkness and despair.

What This Recording Offers:

• Immediate anxiety and panic relief through guided breathing
• Grounding techniques for autistic people and their caregivers
• Supportive affirmations for meltdowns and shutdowns
• Compassionate guidance from someone who understands the autism-anorexia connection
• A reliable resource to return to during moments of crisis

Having navigated both autism and eating disorder recovery myself, I created this recording to be the support I wished I had during my darkest moments. Whether you're experiencing a meltdown, shutdown, panic attack, or are supporting an autistic person struggling with an eating disorder, this guided meditation provides immediate support.

Remember: This too shall pass. You are safe. You will get through this.

Connect with Livia:
🎙️ Get FREE Audio Training on Autism and Eating Disorders
📚 Read my books about autism and eating disorders
💗 Join my newsletter to receive episode updates