Imi's Insight Podcast

Why are eating disorders on the rise, and could our changing society be contributing?A recent study published in JAMA Psychiatry found that Australia has the highest estimated prevalence of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa globally, while the number of cases worldwide has increased by 71% since 1990.We're diving into the potential factors contributing to this rise, from social media and the glorification of extreme thinness to diet culture, modern-day stress, societal pressures and the normalisation of restrictive eating behaviours.We explore how our sociocultural environment influences body image, why weight loss and restriction are so often praised, and how dieting can trigger and reinforce eating disorder behaviours in vulnerable individuals.Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses, but it's time we questioned the societal messages and behaviours we continue to normalise and celebrate.

You might be eating more, gaining weight and feeling physically healthier… but does that mean you're fully recovered from your eating disorder?In this episode, we're talking all about quasi recovery — what it means, the signs you might still be stuck in it, and why eating more doesn't necessarily mean you're eating enough or truly letting go of your eating disorder.We explore the subtle ways restrictive behaviours, food rules, compulsive exercise and fears around weight gain can continue to hold you back, even when you've made significant progress.Most importantly, we discuss how to move beyond quasi recovery and towards genuine food freedom, a healthier relationship with your body and a life no longer controlled by your eating disorder.

What weight is your body actually meant to be? And how do you know where your weight will settle in eating disorder recovery?In this episode, we're unpacking set point theory, how our bodies regulate weight, and why the weight you've maintained in the past isn't necessarily the weight your body naturally wants to be. We'll also discuss weight gain fears, weight suppression, and why finding your body's healthy weight isn't about chasing a specific number, but allowing your body to heal and thrive.

Are you struggling with bloating, body image changes, or anxiety around weight gain as you navigate HA recovery? In this Q&A episode, we deep into the challenges of getting your period back while balancing an active lifestyle. Today, I’m answering your listener-submitted questions to help you navigate the toughest parts of hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) and disordered eating (ED) recovery. Have a question for the next HA Recovery Q&A? Leave a comment below or send me a message!

In this episode, we unpack the desire to control eating disorder recovery. Whether it is weight, calories, food, exercise, steps or body changes ...and why truly recovering means letting go of the rules, rigidity and need for control

What actually matters when it comes to getting your period back after hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA)?In this episode, I share what several of my clients who have regained their periods had in common. Despite having completely different lifestyles, exercise routines and recovery journeys, one thing remained consistent: restoring energy availability.Let's talk about why eating enough, particularly carbohydrates, is so important for HA recovery.

In this episode, I’m talking about body checking (particularly in eating disorder recovery, when weight gain and body change are necessary parts of healing). We unpack how repeatedly checking, assessing and monitoring your body can reinforce the subconscious belief that your body needs to look a certain way for you to feel safe, worthy or okay.I also share my own experience with body checking, why getting reassurance from what you see doesn’t necessarily make the behaviour harmless, and how reducing body checking can help you teach your brain that your body doesn’t need to be constantly monitored.

“Recover your period without losing the body you built” — we need to talk about this messaging.In this episode, I unpack why hypothalamic amenorrhoea recovery should be about restoring health, adequate fuelling and normal physiological function — not trying to maintain a certain weight, shape or level of leanness. We’re talking body changes, fear of weight gain, low energy availability, and why adequately nourishing your body is never “ruining” it.Your body is not something you lose by getting healthy.

What happens when your body starts to look “recovered”… but your mind still feels anything but?In this episode, I’m talking about a really difficult and often unspoken stage of eating disorder recovery: the fear of no longer looking “sick.” When you’re still struggling mentally, gaining weight and letting go of an underweight body can feel like you’re losing the physical proof that you’re struggling, or that people will assume you’re completely better before you actually feel that way.We unpack why this can become such a powerful barrier to recovery, the validation and identity that can become attached to looking unwell, and how to keep moving forward when your body is recovering faster than your mind.A reminder: you do not need to look sick to be struggling, to deserve support, or to still be in recovery.

In this HA recovery Q&A, I’m answering your most common questions about getting your period back — from how long recovery actually takes and whether you may need to gain more weight, to returning to exercise, carbs and fats, bone health, stress, metabolism and more.