Her Best Self | Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast, Disordered Eating, Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia, Body Image, Food Freedom, Calorie Counting, Obsessive Exercise, Food Restriction Podcast By Lindsey Nichol - Certified Health Coach Eating Disorder Recovery Coach Food Freedom Coach Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy Certified cover art

Her Best Self | Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast, Disordered Eating, Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia, Body Image, Food Freedom, Calorie Counting, Obsessive Exercise, Food Restriction

Her Best Self | Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast, Disordered Eating, Anorexia, Bulimia, Orthorexia, Body Image, Food Freedom, Calorie Counting, Obsessive Exercise, Food Restriction

By: Lindsey Nichol - Certified Health Coach Eating Disorder Recovery Coach Food Freedom Coach Eating Disorder Intuitive Therapy Certified
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 Transform Your Relationship with Food and Your Body - Find Freedom from Eating Disorders Welcome to the Her Best Self podcast, where women discover lasting freedom from disordered eating, food obsession, and body shame. Hosted by Lindsey Nichol, eating disorder recovery coach and former anorexia survivor, this show provides hope, practical tools, and expert guidance for women ready to break free from the nightmare of disordered eating and reclaim their lives. Lindsey combines her personal recovery journey with professional coaching expertise to deliver actionable strategies for eating disorder recovery, intuitive eating, body image healing, and food freedom. Each episode addresses the real challenges women face when healing their relationship with food - from weight gain fears and exercise addiction to perfectionism and decision-making paralysis. This show is perfect for you if you: Struggle with chronic dieting, restriction or excessive exercise Are exhausted from food rules and calorie counting obsession Battle negative body image and weight preoccupation Feel controlled by exercise compulsion or movement anxiety Are high-achievers dealing with perfectionism in recovery Want to stop the start-stop recovery cycle and commit fully to healing Are ready to go ”all in” on recovery but need guidance and support Desire food freedom and body peace without endless therapy or diet programs Episode Topics Include: Eating disorder recovery strategies and mindset shifts Breaking food rules and challenging fear foods safely Body image healing and weight restoration support Exercise addiction recovery and joyful movement Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and control in recovery Decision-making, commitment, and overcoming recovery resistance Meal planning, intuitive eating, and mechanical eating guidance Family relationships, social eating, and recovery in real life Lindsey doesn’t just share recovery theory - she provides the raw truth about what recovery actually looks like, the uncomfortable parts no one talks about, and the specific tools that create lasting change. Her approach combines evidence-based recovery principles with spiritual foundation and practical implementation for busy women. Whether you’re just beginning to consider recovery, are in the early stages of healing, or are working to maintain long-term food freedom, this podcast meets you where you are with compassion, expertise, and actionable guidance. New episodes air twice per week (Tuesday’s and Friday’s) featuring solo deep-dives, client success stories, expert interviews, and listener Q&A sessions. Join thousands of women who are choosing recovery, embracing their worth beyond their weight, and discovering that food freedom is not only possible - it’s their birthright. Ready to take the next step? Visit www.herbestself.co for a coaching application, free resources, and community support. Your best self is waiting. Your freedom starts now. _____________________________________________________________________ **DISCLAIMER** Trigger warning: The episodes on Her Best Self podcast may, at times, cover sensitive topics including but not limited to eating disorders & mental health. You are advised to refrain from listening if you are likely to be triggered or adversely impacted by any of these topics. Neither Lindsey Nichol LLC, associates nor guests, shall at any time be liable for the content covered causing offense, distress or any other reaction. The information contained comes from personal insight & education but should not be viewed as clinical support or professional diagnosis. Anything said should NOT be taken as a replacement for medical intervention & is nothing is intended to establish a therapist-patient relationship, to replace the services of a trained therapist, doctor or other health professional, nor treatment. @ Copyright 2025 Lindsey Nichol LLCCopyright 2025 All rights reserved. Hygiene & Healthy Living Personal Development Personal Success Psychology Psychology & Mental Health
Episodes
  • EP 221: Present Over Perfect ~ How Food Obsession Steals Your Life (& 4 Strategies to Get It Back)

    EP 221: Present Over Perfect ~ How Food Obsession Steals Your Life (& 4 Strategies to Get It Back)
    Jun 6 2025
    In this powerful episode, Lindsey explores how eating disorders and food obsession act as "time thieves" and "energy vampires," stealing your presence from the moments and people that matter most. She shares the life-changing realization that when we don't sacrifice for what we ultimately want, we become the ultimate sacrifice - and our relationships pay the price. Key Takeaways 🎯 The Real Cost of Food Obsession Eating disorders aren't just about food - they're mental energy drains that steal your presence from your own lifeThe constant mental chatter about food planning, guilt, and rules exhausts you before your day even beginsYour pursuit of food perfection is sacrificing your ability to be fully present with the people you love 💡 The Sacrifice Revelation "If you don't sacrifice for what you ultimately want, then you become the ultimate sacrifice." What you ultimately want: Connection, presence, energy for what matters, peace of mindWhat's actually being sacrificed: Time with your spouse, conversations with your kids, your ability to be fully present in your own life 🔄 The Present Over Perfect Shift Your family doesn't need a perfect you - they need a present you. Stop waiting to be worthy of love when you "figure out" the food thing. You're worth loving right now, struggles and all. 4 Practical Strategies to Reclaim Your Presence Strategy #1: The 3-Second Check-In Throughout your day, pause and ask: "Where is my mind right now?"If caught in food thoughts during important moments, simply notice without judgmentAsk: "What would it look like to be fully here right now?" Strategy #2: The Energy Audit Track for one day how often you catch yourself in food-related thoughtsMake a mark on your phone each time you're planning, worrying, calculating, or obsessing about foodCount them at day's end - this is how much life force is being redirected from what matters Strategy #3: The Presence Practice Choose one meal/snack daily to eat with complete presencePut phone away, don't plan next meal, ignore calorie countingFocus on taste, texture, satisfaction - practice being fully there Strategy #4: The Connection Redirect When spiraling into food thoughts, immediately reach out to someone you loveText your teenager, call your spouse, hug your petRedirect mental energy toward connection instead of obsession Real-Life Application: The Dinner Table Revolution Make dinner time device-free AND food-rule-free for your mind: No mental calorie counting or meal planning during family timeAsk about everyone's day and really listenShare something about your day unrelated to foodPractice being completely present with your family This Week's Homework Choose one person in your life and commit to being fully present with them for at least 10 minutes every day: Morning coffee with your spouseAfter-school time with your childPhone call with a friend or family memberNo phone, no food thoughts, no mental planning - just you, fully there Episode Quotes "Every moment you spend obsessing about food is a moment you're not fully living your life." "Your kids don't need a perfect mom. Your spouse doesn't need a perfect partner. They need YOU. Present, engaged, fully there YOU." "You are not your thoughts about food. You are a woman with purpose, with love to give, with a life that's happening right now." Resources & Next Steps Join Our Community Her Best Self Society - Our private community where women support each other in choosing present over perfect every day. Stay Connected Visit www.herbestself.co to join our email list and be the first to know about upcoming events and services. Remember Stop sacrificing your presence for the pursuit of perfection. Your people need you here. Your life needs you here. You deserve to be fully present for your own beautiful, imperfect, real life. If this episode resonated with you, please share it with a friend who needs to hear this message. Together, we're choosing presence over perfection, one moment at a time. xo, lindsey Coach with Me -＞Client Application ______ Email me directly -> lindsey@herbestself.co ______ Join the free FB community -> www.herbestselfsociety.com ______ Need a helping hand guiding you girl!? You don’t have to do this alone! Step 1: Go all IN! Decide to commit to yourself & your future! Do it scared girlfriend. Just do it! Step 2: Apply for limited 1:1 & let’s work together -> Client Application Step 3: Leverage the FB community for support & stay tuned for all the resources up & coming to help serve you! YOU TOTALLY GOT THIS! * While I am a certified health coach, anorexia survivor & eating disorder recovery coach, I do not intend the use of this message to serve as medical advice. Please refer to the disclaimer here in the show & be sure to contact a licensed clinical provider if you are struggling with an eating disorder.
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    19 mins
  • EP 220: The #1 Phrase That is Toxic to Your Best Self + The Decision-Making Framework That Actually Works

    EP 220: The #1 Phrase That is Toxic to Your Best Self + The Decision-Making Framework That Actually Works
    Jun 3 2025
    Are you stuck in the cycle of starting and stopping recovery? Always "trying" but never fully committing? In this game-changing episode, Lindsey reveals how one simple phrase is sabotaging your progress and keeping you trapped in what she calls "decision defaulting." Learn the neuroscience behind why "I'm trying" programs your brain for failure, and discover the powerful mindset shift that transforms chronic restarters into recovery success stories. If you're tired of living in the "maybe someday" space and ready to make decisions that stick, this episode will revolutionize your approach to healing. What You'll Learn in This Episode The psychology behind "decision defaulting" and why your brain prefers itHow the phrase "I'm trying" creates neural pathways for partial commitmentThe difference between illusion of control vs. real personal powerSpecific language shifts that activate "implementation intention"Why your eating disorder wants you to stay in "trying" modeA concrete challenge to break the decision defaulting cycle this weekHow to know when you're ready for professional support vs. continued self-help Key Moments & Timestamps Opening CTA for Consultation (0:30-2:00) Lindsey speaks directly to chronic restarters and those hesitant to start recovery What is Decision Defaulting? (2:00-5:00) "'Trying' is just a socially acceptable way of avoiding responsibility for your choices." Client Story: Emma's 3-Year Trying Cycle (3:30-4:30) How one client's language shift changed everything in recovery The Neuroscience of Decision Defaulting (5:00-8:30) Why undernourished brains default to tentative language and how trauma responses play a role From Trying to Deciding: The Power Shift (8:30-12:00) Specific examples of language that creates commitment vs. escape routes Your Decision-Making Challenge (12:00-14:00) Two concrete options to practice decisive action this week Powerful Quotes from This Episode On Decision Defaulting: "Decision defaulting is when you avoid making definitive choices because not deciding feels safer than deciding 'wrong.'" On the Trying Trap: "When you say 'I'm trying,' you're leaving yourself an escape route. You're keeping one foot out the door. You're protecting yourself from the vulnerability of full commitment." On Neural Pathways: "Every time you make a definitive choice and follow through, you strengthen the neural pathways associated with self-efficacy and personal agency. Every time you default on a decision, you reinforce the pathways associated with helplessness." On Eating Disorder Strategy: "Your eating disorder wants you to keep 'trying.' It wants you to stay in that wishy-washy space where you're sort of committed but not really. Because as long as you're just trying, you're not a real threat to its control over your life." On Real Power: "The power isn't in making perfect decisions. The power is in making decisions and sticking with them long enough to see what happens." Language Shifts That Change Everything Instead of: "I'm trying to eat regular meals" Decide: "I'm deciding to eat breakfast at 8am, lunch at 1pm, and dinner at 6pm, regardless of how I feel about it" Instead of: "I'm trying to be less active" Decide: "I'm deciding to take three complete rest days this week and limit exercise to 30 minutes on active days" Instead of: "I'm trying to stop weighing myself" Decide: "I'm deciding to remove the scale from my house and ask my roommate to hide it" Instead of: "I'm thinking about getting help" Decide: "I'm deciding to schedule consultation calls with three recovery coaches this week" This Week's Decision Challenge Option 1: The Immediate Action Decision Choose ONE thing you've been "trying" to do in recovery and make a definitive decision about it today. Write it down: "I am deciding to _______." Take one concrete action within 24 hours. Option 2: The Support Decision If you've been "thinking about" getting help, either decide you're going to take action and schedule consultations or decide you're not ready and stop the maybe-someday torture. Scientific Research Referenced Dr. Carol Dweck's studies on language and behavior creating neural pathwaysDr. Peter Gollwitzer's research on implementation intentions (2-3x more likely to follow through)Dr. Kristin Neff's research on self-compassion and decision-making fear Ready to Stop Decision Defaulting? Free Consultation with Lindsey If you're ready to stop the cycle of starting and stopping recovery, or finally take that first real step into healing, Lindsey is offering complimentary consultation calls. During your call, you'll get clarity on: Where you are vs. where you want to be in recoveryWhat kind of support would best serve your specific situationWhether working together makes sense for your journeyYour next right step forward (with no pressure or obligation) Schedule your call: www.herbestself.co Lindsey personally responds to every application within 48 hours Connect With Lindsey Instagram: @...
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    25 mins
  • EP 219: The Body Story That's Keeping You Trapped with Poor Body Image (+ How to Change It & Write Your Next Chapter!)

    EP 219: The Body Story That's Keeping You Trapped with Poor Body Image (+ How to Change It & Write Your Next Chapter!)
    May 30 2025
    In this episode, Lindsey speaks directly to the exhausted high-achieving woman, who's spent decades restricting food and over-exercising while trying to lead in every area of life. Drawing from her personal recovery from anorexia and years of coaching experience, Lindsey helps you understand how your "body story" - those deep-rooted messages about what your body should look like and what it means about your worth - was written by diet culture, not by you. Learn how to identify the costly messages you've been carrying and discover a framework for rewriting your relationship with your body from shame to self-compassion. What You'll Learn in This Episode How to identify the specific cultural messages that shaped your relationship with your bodyThe hidden costs of carrying shame-based body stories (energy, presence, relationships, dreams)Why your body became a "project to control" rather than a "home to inhabit"The difference between health and size (and why conflating them keeps you trapped)A practical framework for rewriting your body story starting this weekSpecific daily practices to shift from body criticism to body appreciation Key Moments & Timestamps Opening (0:30-2:00) Lindsey speaks directly to exhausted high-achievers ready to break the restrict-exercise cycle The Body Story Begins (2:00-5:00) "When did you first learn that your body was a problem to be solved? You didn't start out hating your body. You learned to." Cultural Messages That Shaped You (5:00-8:00) "Good girls don't take up too much space""Your body is your responsibility to control""Thin equals healthy, healthy equals worthy""Successful women have it all together, including their bodies" The True Cost of Body Shame (8:00-10:30) What carrying these stories has cost you in energy, presence, authentic self, health, relationships, and dreams Rewriting Your New Story (10:30-13:30) "Your body is not a problem to be solved. It's a miracle to be appreciated." Powerful Quotes from This Episode On Learning Body Shame: "You didn't start out hating your body. You learned to. You learned from a culture that profits from your insecurity." On the Prison of Control: "That same control that felt like freedom was actually building your prison, brick by brick, year by year." On Exhaustion: "You're successful in every other area of your life. You lead teams, you manage budgets, you solve complex problems... But when it comes to your body, you still feel like that confused young girl who learned that her worth was tied to her weight." On True Health: "True health includes your mental well-being, your energy levels, your ability to do the things you love, your hormonal balance, your sleep quality, your stress management. None of these things require you to be a certain weight or size." On Taking Up Space: "As a leader, as a woman, as a human being - you are allowed to have needs, to have desires, to exist fully in your body without apologizing for it." This Week's Body Story Rewrite Actions Morning Body Appreciation: Thank your body for something it did for you yesterday instead of immediately focusing on what you don't likeIntuitive Nourishment: Ask "What would feel good and nourishing right now?" instead of "What should I eat according to my rules?"Joyful Movement: Choose movement based on how you want to feel, not calories you want to burnCompassionate Self-Talk: When you catch body criticism, ask "Would I talk to my best friend this way?" Your New Body Story Framework Old Story: "My body is a problem to be solved through restriction and exercise" New Story: "My body is a miracle to be appreciated and cared for with compassion" Old Story: "My worth depends on my size and what I eat" New Story: "My worth exists because I exist - my body is the vehicle for my life, not the determiner of my value" Old Story: "I must control my body to be successful" New Story: "I honor my body's wisdom and treat it as I would treat a dear friend's body" Ready for Personalized Support? One-on-One Coaching with Lindsey If you're a high-achieving woman ready to break free from the restrict-exercise cycle and rewrite your body story with expert guidance, apply for Lindsey's coaching program at www.herbestself.co This intensive program is specifically designed for women who: Are exhausted from decades of fighting their bodiesLead successfully in other areas but struggle with food and body imageWant to reclaim the energy they're spending on food rules and exercise obsessionAre ready to model body peace for their families and teams Connect & Continue Your Journey Join Our Community Her Best Self Society Facebook Group: Connect with hundreds of women rewriting their body stories www.herbestselfsociety.com Email List: Sign up at www.herbestself.co for exclusive resources, workshops, and offers for women breaking free from diet culture Follow Lindsay Instagram: @thelindseynicholWebsite: www.herbestself.co Email: info@lindseynichol.com If This Episode Resonated With You ...
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    22 mins
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