Rehabilitate, Rewire, Recover!: Anorexia recovery for the determined adult

by Tabitha Farrar

Anorexia recovery for the determined adultRehabilitate, Rewire, Recover! focuses Nutritional rehabilitation to heal the body. - Neural rewiring to shift neural pathways of restriction, exercise compulsions, and anorexia-generated thoughts and behaviours in the brain. Using experience from her own recovery, and accounts from adults whom she has worked with as a recovery coach, Tabitha Farrar takes you through the process of building your own, personalised, recovery. As well as non-traditional ideas and concepts, this book delivers a "Toolkit" to help with the neural rewiring process, and action-based ideas to help you eat without restriction.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mental Health, Self Help, Psychology, Health, Unfinished, Food

557 pages, Paperback

Published June 20, 2019

Reviews

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The number one book I recommend for anyone struggling with a restrictive eating disorder. This book is the solution. Tabitha Farrar saved my life

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally! To my knowledge, this is the only book that outlines the specific steps necessary to recover from anorexia. This is not some airy-fairy "eat by the light of the moon" embrace your inner child BS. Instead, the wonderful Tabitha Farrar takes the (sadly) underrated non-psychoanalitical approach. She explains her reasoning using scientific research to support her position. The illness develops in people with the anorexia genetics and is set in to motion via energy deficit. Therefore, in order to recover she proposes a two-pronged approach: a) nutritional rehabilitation, and b) neural rewiring. All of which makes so much sense it amazes me more treatment providers do not subscribe to this agenda.
Farrar discusses the nutritional rehabilitation at length. The sufferer must eat in abundance until his or her body has reached its set point (and often go beyond this weight for a time as a protective measure.) The part that is new and enlightening and essential to ensure fully recovery, is neural rewiring. This is done through smashing every single one of the maladaptive habits and detrimental beliefs. Amazingly, she has covered all of them! Little pesky things such as only using certain utensils and larger, more destructive habits involving movement. For each one she shares either her own personal experience or one from a person with whom she has worked. This is akin to the exposure therapy often used with OCD. She doesn't sugar coat any of this; it is going to be a struggle, it is NOT going to feel good. But, the light at the end of the tunnel is full recovery, something no other approach can proclaim.
This book confirms my long-held beliefs. The theories about anorexia stemming from trauma, bad parenting, control issues, fear of growing up, or any other such rubbish that has been proposed have never made sense to me because they fail to explain why this monster can have such a tenacious grasp on an otherwise rational human being. This explains why traditional talk therapy is unable to bring about permanent behavior changes. A genetic disorder cannot be altered by talking about it, meditating, or saying positive affirmations. Those things may help with other issues but they are not adequate to rewire a malnourished brain. Tabitha Farrar's approach can.

[Alissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must have for anyone in recovery from anorexia. This book has helped me so much!

[Adrienne Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enlightening and funny!

This book is a real wake up call to people like me who supposedly recovered from anorexia years ago but still live a very restricted thinking. It made me rethink many of my behaviors and attitudes about weight gain and my dear of it while also reassuring me that most of the craziness was related to the disease and can be overcome. This is the only book I've ever read on the subject that hasn't made me feel worse. I would also highly recommend watching Tabitha's YouTube channel and reading her blog. Both are filled with humor and good advice!

[cate · Rating 4 out of 5]

hitting my treatment team in the face with this

[lilyrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish that everyone with an eating disorder read this book. As someone who has been "in recovery" for nearly eight years, I find it absurd that I have never heard of the recovery methods and theories that Tabitha lays out in this book. It all makes so much sense. Along with science, Tabitha provides her personal experience with an eating disorder AND her clients, people in recovery, researchers, etc. I felt so understood and comforted reading other peoples' quotes about different aspects to recovery, and it was helpful to hear from various perspectives.

Tabitha is incredibly insightful and brutally honest. You will get so much out of this book if you read it with the intention of following what she says and committing to recovery. Highlight. Take notes. Copy quotes into a journal. Read it over and over again. I truly believe that this book, and Tabitha, is the key to full recovery for chronic sufferers. I wish I could rate this 10 stars, because, honestly, it has saved my life and given me the motivation to attempt recovery yet again and refuse to succumb to the disease.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a parent carer of a child with AN, this is one of the most helpful books that I have read to help navigate recovery. While the book is repetitive in some parts, it was easy to absorb. Tabitha's no nonsense style is refreshing and she has put language to some of the challenges of AN recovery which have helped me as a parent.

I would put this book in my Top 10 of most helpful books on this subject.

[jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a recovery bible

If you struggle with restriction and compensation and want freedom from your eating disorder, do yourself a favor and read this. It is potentially life-saving.

[Kristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabitha really hit the nail on the head from page one. It may come across as blunt at times, but spoken from truth and experience. I appreciated how she wove research, personal experiences, and client quotes into the book. I’ve read countless books on anorexia and would put this at the top to recommended to those with anorexia.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. I am absolutely stunned. This book was beyond amazing. "*not to be dramatic or anything but...*" this book (along with my numerous resources and supports to which I am endlessly grateful) helped me in saving my own life.

I wish I had found this book sooner. Everyone should read this book. If you have been there, this book will validate you and guide you into knowing that you are not alone. If you have not been there, this book will certainly help you understand and empathize with those of us who have.

Most importantly, this book aided in me accepting that, like food, support has to be entirely unrestricted in recovery and while after "recovery" as well.

Thank you for this book.

[Marco Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read!

I recommend this to everybody and anybody...it is fabulous, inspiring, motivational, moving, heart felt, life changing, honest, interesting, mind boggling, understanding, educational, and darn right good/great! I definitely relate to just about everything is talks about in this book and it has opened my mind/eyes even more. Love the stories, examples, and her experiences. Thank you so much Tabitha.

[Chingyin · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 A must read for ED recovery. I was amazed by how practical and detailed this book was, and I’m sure enough to say that most of the problems one is likely to encounter in recovery are mentioned and well explained in this book. Also, love love love Tabitha for being the unapologetic no-bullshit queen as she is, much respect!

[Beatriz Esteban · Rating 4 out of 5]

3'5-4, no estoy muy segura. Desde el punto de vista académico lo que me ha resultado más interesante ha sido la teoría de la migración y la explicación de este tipo de trastornos desde un punto de visto más neuropsicológico y antropológico. Y ha avivado más mi rabia hacia la gordofobia, especialmente en contextos clínicos :) Creo que Tabitha Farrar ha conseguido ayudar a mucha gente a recuperarse y a perder el miedo y ha sido interesante conocer su historia también.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tabitha’s insights and lived experience as a recovered adult (who put herself through recovery, learning through doing what her body needed!) are invaluable. I learned a lot. Highly recommend to anyone working through recovery themselves, or who has a loved one struggling with AN.

[Elly · Rating 5 out of 5]

great book, horrible editing

[Euwuuwue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not in alignment with the theory of migration, etc etc etc, but this treatment plan makes more sense than anything I have thus far encountered.

[Emmaby Barton Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

tabitha farrar forever !! like so many others, her approach to recovery just clicks and is what i need. always appreciate her ability to be compassionate and considerate but still give tough love and be brutally honest in ways that empower and motivate you to take control of your own recovery.

your brain is a sponge: rewiring your brain
- “where your attention goes, energy flows”
- “remember, the brain doesn’t think, it reacts to data. lack of food coming in is date to support the notion that food is scarce in your environment… your brain does a similar process as google search does with stimuli that you encounter in the world. if you think of pizza, your brain will draw on your previous reactions or outcomes that are associated with pizza… every time you run into fear and survive, you give your brain information that whatever it was that sparked the fear reaction is actually safe”
- “by not responding to hunger, you just gave your brain data to support the perception that food is not available. you just reinforced the food scarcity notion”

don’t overthink it
- “if you are thinking about food, your body wants food”
- don’t necessarily agree with taking a fully non-psychoanalytical approach/ignoring ED thoughts?? mixed feelings about this - i can see how important/helpful it can be but also, this is what I did the first time I recovered, and I agree its helpful to an extent, but without dealing with the underlying issues, i ended up severely relapsing after 4 years in recovery. but i do agree it is important - thinking of AN as a biological disease etc helps make it easier to counter. moreover, reminds me of the floating ball analogy - you can try and push the beach ball below the water but it’ll keep popping up, sometimes it’s more helpful to validate the thoughts and recognise their function etc.
- minnesota starvation experiment - validation in seeing these are starvation responses not unique to AN
- “i am a mammal. you are a mammal. mammals respond to periods of famine via feasting. this is why the desire to eat once we start eating is so intense. you cannot and should not try and override this basic biological desire to eat a lot of food”
- “i often get asked if i feel “intuitive eating” is possible for a person with anorexia. i don’t like that term as it sounds pretentious to me. i tend to just call it eating”
- “it helped me to let go of all the soul searching and come down to earth with the humbling truth that humans are mammals. of course, we love to think that we are so superior, and blessed, and chosen, but in reality, we’re probably just mammals that got lucky. and that my human body was a hungry mammal desperate for food. and like all of the other down-and-dirty animal instincts that we like to pretend we are better than, there was an urgency to my need to eat. and that i should respect and trust that”
- “anorexia is not evil… the personification of the illness… may serve a purpose in early recovery… but i don’t think it is indefinitely helpful when we start to overly personify the illness. anorexia is not a nefarious imp. anorexia is not a demonic possession. anorexia is not your ex-boyfriend. anorexia is not evil. rather than personifying anorexia and hating it, i found it more productive to look at my situation a little less emotionally”
- “no amount of talking about why you should eat more, and no amount of science is going to stop your brain from freaking out if you eat more. this is because the fear response is coming from your reptile brain and this will override logical thinking”
- “i ate out of anger. i ate out of fear. i ate out of bliss. i ate out of loneliness. i ate out of hate. i ate out of regret. i ate out of exhaustion. some would call that comfort eating. some would call it emotional eating. i would say: stop trying to psychoanalyse eating. i am eating because i have been starving for years. i am eating. that is all. and anyway, even if it were ‘emotional eating’, then i had ten years to make up for. so out of my way and make me a cheeseburger. double”

flee famine perspective
- again, interesting in terms of rationalising anorexia - when you understand why the thoughts are happening, it can be easier to ignore them etc. - thank you brain for trying to protect me, but i know this isn’t accurate etc.
- not eating enough + anorexia genetics = migration response: eating desires shut down to promote migration
- fear of eating too much = can’t stop and eat too much until get to abundant food location, competing with others for food - if you stop and eat too long while they move on…
- understanding biological response = like a toddler. can validate then move on. no longer relevant

toolkit
- spam folder - “shut down anorexia thoughts without giving them further attention. giving attention to these thoughts spends valuable mental energy, which only reinforces these neural pathways… where your attention goes, energy flows”
- staying present - eat and forget, back-to-black
- DRR - detect, reject, redirect - “when you reject a thought, you do not argue with it. you do not spend ten minutes justifying why you should not do what it says. arguing with thoughts is still giving them mental energy and you will still strengthen them unwittingly. rejecting thoughts is like putting up a big red stop sign to that thought. it is like a wall blocking that thought. it is like a barrier than means you cannot give that thought another moment of your energy”
- thinking how i do this with other instruvie thoughts
- deep breathing - “breathing slowly really works… it has to work actually, because it is how your body is designed. it is impossible to freak out when you are breathing long and slow deep breath’s”
- parasympathetic nervous system practice (PNSP) - “by mentally rehearsing… every time you imagine eating a fear food and feeling calm and relaxed about doing so, you are giving your brain data to support the notion that eating that food is nothing to be afraid of”
- “fuck it! what is the worst that can possible happen if I [behaviour ED is scared of]”
- functional detachment from emotions - “i feel guilt, but i am not guilty. i feel disgust, but i am not disgusting. i feel regret, but i have no reason to be regretful”

emotional intelligence - you are not your thoughts. you are in control
- “emotions are not silly indulgences or inconveniences that get in the way of logical thinking. rather, they are rather brilliant sorting methods where awareness, understanding, and memory are built. emotions tell us what is important”
- recognising and accepting = more helpful than dismissing - have compassion for how you choose to cope - recognising reasons, brain trying to help you - once you understand the why, you can start to work on other ways to achieve this function, address the lack, treat your ED like an irrational toddler - thank you for trying to protect me but…
- “a thought is just a thought. having a thought doesn’t mean that thought is true. having a thought doesn’t mean that you have to believe that thought. having a thought doesn’t mean that you cannot choose, in that instance, to dismiss that thought without further ado. when you invest your attention and energy into negative thoughts, you strengthen the neural pathways that spark them”
- “this takes mental discipline. it gets easier with practice. you never, ever, have to allow a thought or emotion to dominate you. you are the wizard in control of your own brain”

utilise your traits/strengths
- “anorexia cannot make you do anything. it can merely suggest an action… you always have a choice… you take control by running towards it… you’ll feel a lot more in control about it all if you are the one pushing for change”
- “you are not powerless in recovery. far from it. you are the person who will make this happen. and that is great news, because you can do anything you set your mind to”
- use your desire for achievement to be good at recovery: “there was a sense of contentment and peace to be found in the fact that i was really good at eating less than anyone else… when i started [recovery]… i also felt powerful. i knew i was doing it. i was doing recovery. but there was at times, a sense of loss. i didn’t know what i was good at now that restriction and exercise were not an option. it is a bit like taking a chessboard away from a world class chess player. the game i had winning at meant nothing in the real world. the only thing that i was really great at held no value. i struggled a lot with missing being good at something. it was important for me to do something that made me feel successful in the recovery time… that filled a gap”
- dr laura hill and temperament based therapy - “using your character traits to your advantage in recovery” e.g., determination, stubborness, courage, self-compassion, bloody-mindndness
- using your rules/traits to your benefit: e.g., if you do find yourself comparing calories, have to choose the higher calorie option; if you can’t stop counting calories, set minimum goals each day instead

other helpful recovery reminders
- “you cannot beak your metabolism. your metabolism is not a china vase. when your metabolism reacts to energy deficit by slowing down, it is not broken, it is actually doing its job of conserving energy in times of energy scarcity perfectly”
- “failure is a gift to learning… failure gives you information that success cannot. self-disparagement is a distraction you cant afford to indulge in.”
- “if any aspect of your life is compromised by an eating disorder, then you are unwell enough to take recovery action… don’t settle for anything less than full recovery”
- reframing ‘binge eating’ as ‘feasting’
- chapter on mental/extreme hunger very validating and definitely a chapter to return to
- “chocolate bars are delicious… who the hell doesn’t like chocolate bars?”
- “it doesn’t matter what the general recommendations for the general public are in terms of nutrition. you are different. you are special. you have anorexia - it could kill you should you allow food rules and energy deficit to take over. you simply cannot afford to allow your brain to go there. all food is equal. no scrap that, in fact, for someone like you, chocolate cake is healthier than kale because chocolate cake is far more likely to keep anorexia at bay”
- “we baulk and scrabble around looking for science to give us permission to [eat more]. and the chances of finding large peer-reviewed studies on people like myself who simply surrendered to mental hunger and messily and freely ate their way into recovery aren’t there, because we’re outside of the system and, therefore, not counted. so ultimately you have to make a choice that is right for you… i chose food... i chose to stop fighting and to allow unrestricted food”
- “strong, authentic people do not suppress their natural body weight”
- “sitting and arguing with the computer doesn’t fix it… i could sit there and argue with anorexia all i wanted but doing so changed nothing. taking action put me in a position to rewrite the code”
- “what are the tiny, almost insignificant ways i make daily living harder than it should be? how can i make life for myself?”

other interesting/important bits
- history of anorexia: “the cultural mask… anorexia hid behind religion in the same way that it currently hides in our thin-obsessed society. the reasons for anorexia are shaped to fit whatever the culture of the time period” - had heard of the fasting saints etc but never clicked that as still being anorexia because i always associated anorexia with current society…
- energy debt metaphor: debt of running a house, but debt becomes more because not been able to do upkeep a lot more to pay off
- interesting research - anorexia and epigenetic - increased changes in DNA methylation for people with AN for longer; societies where thinness is valued/promoted = over-expression of genes that suppress appetite/weight gain
- who is included/left out of research? research generally own from those who are statistically underweight because other people aren’t generally diagnosed so not in samples. people who recovery in ways that don’t align with the system (e.g., don’t follow a meal plan and eat according to extreme hunger, outside of IP etc) aren’t included in the research
- “the even more important point i need to make here, is that it was scarier for me to eat a restrictive amount of food and gain 2lbs a week than it was for me to eat an unrestricted amount of food and gain more… when i ate only a couple thousand calories a day and my malnourished body began to gain weight on that, it scared me. i would step on the scale at the end of the week, see it rise, and reflect on the fact that i had been starving hungry all week and i still gained weight. i could have eaten so much more. that felt out of control. conversely, when I went gung-ho and ate as much as my mental hunger really wanted, i stepped on the scale and saw the weight gain - but i felt in control. of course I had gained weight! i had eaten with that intent. it is soul destroying to be eating a little more but still restricting heavily and gain weight. it is devastating to see the scale rise and reflect on the past week and realise that you had been hungry the whole time. i decided I was going to take control of my own weight gain by eating enough to really gain weight”

[Esmay Rosalyne · Rating 5 out of 5]

life-changing, this should be required reading in recovery!!!

[Hollie Korreckt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the Bible for eating disorder recovery. A must read for anyone struggling with anorexia.

[Laura Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly the most helpful book I'll ever read.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

"It can be frustrating that nobody other than someone who has experienced anorexia themselves really understands the significance of the type of courage that one has to rev up all day every day in order to get oneself into a recovered body" (552). Tabitha Farrar most definitely understands what it is like to live with一and recover from一an eating disorder. In Rehabilitate, Rewire, Recovery! she presents the reader with a clear, science-based approach to anorexia recovery. Her perspective一that anorexia is a genetically wired predisposition that is triggered by an energy deficit一is fascinating. She argues that in people with a genetic predisposition to anorexia an energy deficit triggers a "migratory response." This means that when our ancestors (Mr. and Ms. Caveman, as she jokingly dubs them) were faced with a period of famine they migrated (rather than what most people would do to survive: immediately find food and lay low). "In mammals that migrate, a desire to eat can get in the way of the process of migration, so the desire to eat gets shut down while the animal is in migration mode," (46). I have read many books about eating disorder recovery, but none that tackled the subject from this particular starting point. In reading Farrar's book, I started to think that it actually may be helpful to "channel [my] inner mammal and drop the human tendency to overthink," (413). Moreover, if my decades-long struggle with an eating disorder can be attributed to something deeply ingrained in my brain, perhaps it really is possible to abandon those well-worn neural pathways and establish new, healthier ones.

Learning that "anorexia recovery involves consistently giving your brain data to weaken the perception of threat. You do this by running into the fear that you feel, rather than away from it. Every time you run into fear and survive, you give your brain information that whatever it was that sparked the fear reaction is actually safe," has given me a real sense of what I can do in order to recover from an eating disorder. Farrar offers a clear-cut guide to recovery and, refreshingly, argues that full nutritional rehabilitation is about "mental state" and not "target weight" (something that I many treatment providers need to be reminded of).

This book makes me feel a bit more hopeful that one day I too can reach full recovery. As Farrar points out, this can really only come about if I face my fears again and again, if I challenge (and do not act on) eating disorder thoughts (her Detect, Reject, Redirect tool has already proved very useful), if I trust that my body knows what to do (the more I learn about the body, the more I wonder how I could ever believe that I know better than it does; that I can deign to think that I control it), if I accept that I cannot exist at a suppressed weight (well, I suppose I can exist, but I certainly can't thrive) and that I have to gain weight, if I accept that recovery is a process and that it takes a heck of a lot of work, and if I eat (especially to mental hunger). Perhaps it is truly time to fully invest in the recovery experiment because, after all, "where did listening to [my] anorexia mind ever get [me] anyway?" (423). To the fucking depths is where. I will return to Farrar's words throughout this process; I feel like they are the ammunition I need to fight.

[I knocked one star off my rating because this book really could have used some serious editing; I thought that all the typos and the frequent misuse of commas sometimes distracted from the message.]

[lucy♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was incredible. Phenomenal. The best book about anorexia recovery that I've ever had the pleasure of reading.

I adore Tabitha Farrar, from her book, to her podcast, to her youtube channel, this woman has saved me in ways I can't even begin to explain. Through this guide, she manages to educate people on the reality of anorexia and other eating disorders, explaining from a biological perspective what causes someone to starve themselves, why it happens and what we can do to recover from it. She details step-by-step on how to rewire your own brain and cognitive distortions, deal with the symptoms and side-effects from this disease and how to heal and restore life.

This book has been so incredibly helpful, teaching me things that sufferers aren't often educated on, such as extreme hunger, 'recovery feasts' and physiological changes that occur during nutritional rehabilitation. I've learned more in these five-hundred pages than in years of treatment and discovered why I behave in a certain way (such as having an insatiable appetite in recovery and why hoarding cereal bars in my bedside table draw seems like a necessity) and learn that it is completely normal. This sense of validation and comfort I received from reading this is indescribable. Words fail to express my gratitude for Tabitha for this.

I loved the purely biological approach and explanation for this illness, rather than the psycho-dynamic theories. They make a lot more sense to me and makes me understand eating disorders a lot more, allowing me to blame nature and a very unlucky genetic make-up rather than my environment and life circumstances for the reasons why I got poorly.

Tabitha's entire attitude towards recovery is absolutely astonishing and admirable. Although her tough love can initially seem cruel and harsh, it's something that has saved me countless times and shown me the truth, that this illness is deadly.

Furthermore, another thing I loved was that it details every element of anorexia (and to an extent, other restrictive eating disorders such as orthorexia and EDNOS) From the symptoms of starvation, to the ones you get during refeeding, the science behind the faulty thinking, everything is there, backed up by studies and reliable sources. It is the perfect guide for anyone struggling and I would recommended it to anyone.

I particularly appreciated the toolkit segment. Sufferers are often only taught to distract themselves from the unpleasant emotions experienced post-eating and that's not always enough. Tabitha suggests other approaches and ideas on how to deal with eating and reduce anxiety and I can't even tell you how much nicer mealtimes have become due to this.

In conclusion, all the words in the dictionary aren't enough to show how much I love this book. This is now my Bible, a book I will live by, a tool that has been the most helpful in my recovery. If you have a restrictive eating disorder, I urge you to pick this up. I don't know where I'd be without it.

[Rachael Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like many of us, I'm on a long waiting list for professional support and things were getting worse so I started to look into ways to help myself. I detest self help books. The overly fluffy psychoanalysis drives me nuts. I know there is a psychological element to anorexia but it's more than that, it's a very real physical illness too. This is what I love about Tabitha. Unlike regular self help books, she doesn't ask me to spend 3 hours analysing what happened to me at 11.37am one day when I was 5, instead she gets into the genetics of the illness and the impact it has on your body. It's a much more scientific way of knowing your enemy and one that resonates more with me.

There's enough scary stuff in here to justify it being catagorised in the horror section but that's a good thing. As she says, if we're feeling comfortable then we aren't pushing ourselves hard enough.

I've just finished my first read through. My next plan is to get a notebook to start working through her plans and techniques (once again, very practical and not fluffy). I hope to bring these to my therapy when it begins and take the best of both supports and implement them. I have a feeling this book may become a bit of a bible. 20 years of dealing with episodes of anorexia and I'm done. It's time to get better and this book gives me hope.

To anyone considering this book, take the gamble. I wish you well in your own recovery. Good luck

[Hannah Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best recovery books going, without a doubt; and I have read many. Insightful, personal, truthful, and a completely no-bullshit approach to the recovery process. Tabitha discusses the theoretically-simple, yet extremely difficult, principles that are involved in nutritionally rehabilitating and neurologically rewiring those pernicious pathways of the brain. She is honest that there are no quick-fixes. However, this manual does a brilliant job in highlighting how out-of-whack the neural connections have become in the brain; providing optimism with the reassurance that these pathways need not be thought of as concrete. The evidence of neural plasticity in scientific research provides real hope to those of us who may have given up believing that life could be any different. Tabitha emphasises that tangible change can really be possible. I utterly adore this lady and completely admire the strength and determination she has shown to battle her demons. Her story of life - a life of real quality and depth - after severe anorexia is a shining beacon of light to myself and so many others. Thank you for your wisdom and bravery to write such a powerful book. A solid 5 stars, all the way!

[Kari Burke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book while in an in-patient residential eating disorder treatment center. The first section of the book was very insightful, informative and fascinating. The famine migratory theory was all new to me and I was truly intrigued by the evidence and data presented. The toolkit section of the book was also helpful to a degree.

The rest of the book was VERY triggering for me. The author shares her personal recovery journey and says over and over the only way to recover is to eat unrestricted- all the time. She keeps pushing the point of eat, eat, eat as much as you want and more. And she focuses a lot on encouraging high calorie foods. I had to put the book down because I am not in a place to do any of that yet. I hate the idea of eating all day long and enduring overwhelming hunger cues.

A great book if you are 100% fully ready for recovery ....for someone still on the fence and looking for motivation...not so much.

[Natalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Este libro es probablemente el más importante que haya leído hasta ahora. Tiene un enfoque científico, personal y práctico. Me ha hecho sentir más liberada, más comprendida ante el maldito TCA. Este trastorno me tenía tan absorbida que no era consciente de que muchas de mis conductas no eran mías, sino de mi TCA. Identificar esto me ha ayudado a soltar algunas de mis compulsiones y sentimientos de culpa. Algunas ideas se repiten a lo largo del libro, lo cual ayuda a reforzarlas. Los testimonios y sus propias vivencias ayudan muchísimo a sentirse acompañado, comprendido. Tiene muchísimos ejercicios prácticos que conducen a la recuperación y resulta muy esperanzador. Estoy muy agradecida de haber dado con este libro en este proceso tan duro.

[Celeste · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dieses Buch, aber noch mehr ihr Youtube Kanal haben mir sehr geholfen mein Leben zu verändern. In der Theorie weiß man vermutlich das Meiste - oder ahnt es. Die Bestätigung und wissenschaftliche Hintergründe zusammen mit persönlichen Erfahrungen anderer Menschen machen das Buch für mich wirklich zu einem MustRead für jeden mit einer Essstörung. Der Titel ist etwas irreführend - denn das Buch richtet sich keinesfalls nur an Menschen, die nach dem medizinischen Begriff anorektisch sind! Es gibt wirklich eine Hilfe, um jede Essstörung vollständig hinter sich zu lassen.

Uneingeschränkte Empfehlung! Nicht nur für das Buch, für alles was die Autorin macht!

[Racheal · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has really helped me understand how to move beyond nutritional rehabilitation and pseudo recovery to eventual full recovery. It helped me see many more anorexia rules I have been hanging on to and convinced me the only really way to challenge them is to tackle them head on. The toolkit gave me ideas to cope with the anxiety while challenging the anorexia. It’s not easy work but gives me hope for the future. I do think the book would benefit from some heavy editing but I could mostly overlook that for the practical help it has given me. Actually naming many anorexia rules and ED OCD symptoms was very helpful for me to realize these in my own life.

[Lola Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

read this a while ago but I think ANYONE should read this book. There is not enough true (!!!) awareness around eating disorders in society which makes recovering from it even harder.

If people around you and the healthcare system start to truly understand what it is, and what is needed for those struggling to recover, the world would be a better place. There is so much shit out there, so much terrible information from diet-culture, trying to mask itself as “wellness”

I can get really mad about it. Anyways. This book should be read by anyone also those who don’t struggle with ED’s or disordered eating.

[Jordan Clement · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book changed my life. I’ll never forget reading this on the airplane as I flew across the country for treatment while I took breaks sobbing uncontrollably to my mom. The hate I felt, the anger, the sadness, the panic, the pain and the emptiness rolled into one. The inability to accept what was happy. What I did to myself. I took this book, pretending I was not going back to the hospital, imagined a life where I did not have this weight. This book gave me the little extra bit of courage I needed to let my mom walk out the doors without me.