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Her Best Self ~ Eating Disorder Recovery, Anorexia, Bulimia & Food Freedom

Her Best Self ~ Eating Disorder Recovery, Anorexia, Bulimia & Food Freedom

By: Lindsey Nichol - Certified Health Coach ED Recovery Coach ED Intuitive Therapy Certified
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About this listen

Her Best Self is THE eating disorder recovery podcast for women who are exhausted, stuck, and ready to finally break free.

Hosted by Lindsey Nichol, former figure skater and recovering perfectionist turned eating disorder recovery coach—this show is for women who've tried therapy, treatment programs, and going at it alone, but are still trapped in food obsession, body anxiety, and the mental prison of disordered eating.

If you can't stop thinking about food, if you've been struggling for 10, 20, or 30+ years, if you're tired of wasting your life on this disorder, and if you're ready for someone who's BEEN where you are—this podcast will help you find freedom.

Twice per week, you'll get real talk about: anorexia recovery, bulimia recovery, binge eating recovery, orthorexia, restrictive eating, compulsive exercise, food anxiety, body dysmorphia, perfectionism, people-pleasing, quasi-recovery, eating disorder relapse, and faith-based recovery for women ready to reclaim their lives.

This show is for women in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and beyond who are DONE—done with obsessing, done with restricting, done with the constant mental chatter about food and body. Whether you've been in treatment before, tried therapy that didn't work, or feel like you can't do this alone—Lindsey gets it because she's lived it.

You'll learn how to: stop obsessing over food and your body, break free from restriction-binge cycles, overcome perfectionism and people-pleasing, build body trust and food freedom, find support when you're exhausted from fighting this alone, and finally live the life you're missing while stuck in this disorder.

New episodes every Tuesday and Friday. Apply to work with Lindsey 1:1 or learn more about her services and free resources at www.herbestself.co. Join The Recovery Collective ~ the recovery support group that gets the struggle and wants to see you win at recovery at www.herbestself.co/recoverycollective.
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**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 2026 Lindsey Nichol LLC

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Episodes
  • EP 276: "Who Am I Without My Eating Disorder?" Choosing Your Own Labels in Recovery

    EP 276: "Who Am I Without My Eating Disorder?" Choosing Your Own Labels in Recovery
    Mar 20 2026
    "I am no longer willing to abandon myself in service of others." This quote rocked my world, and I have a feeling it's going to do the same for you. Because here's the truth: Every label you wear is actually a choice. For years, I carried labels that weren't really mine—"the skater," "the high achiever," "the fit friend," "the skinny one." These became my entire identity, like coats I wore every day that got heavier and heavier over time. But during recovery, I realized I had to make a choice: care what others thought and die inside, or choose my future over their opinions. I couldn't hold both beliefs any longer. In this episode, you'll discover: What labels really are and why every one is a choiceWhy we care so much about others' opinions (the research will shock you)How external labels keep you trapped in recoveryThe permission you need to disappoint othersHow to do a "label audit" and choose your own identityWhy your authentic self matters more than their expectations If you've ever wondered "Who am I without my eating disorder?" this episode is your roadmap to finding out. THE TRUTH ABOUT LABELS A label is an identity marker—a way we define ourselves or others define us. "The skinny friend," "the successful one," "the perfectionist," "the healthy eater." Here's what you need to understand: Every label you put on is a choice. Even the ones that feel automatic, even the ones you've worn for years. Your current circumstances have just been built from years of labels that may not align with who you truly are. Maybe they were aligned at one point, but you are allowed to change. In fact, you ARE going to change. And so is your body. WHY WE CARE SO MUCH (THE SHOCKING STATS) Fear of social rejection activates the same brain regions as physical pain. Being judged literally hurts like being physically injured. 90% of people make judgments within the first 7 seconds of meeting someone—and we KNOW this, so we're constantly performing. Women spend an average of 2.5 hours per day thinking about how others perceive them. That's nearly 1,000 hours per year in other people's heads instead of your own. People who define themselves by internal values report 40% higher life satisfaction and 60% lower anxiety levels than those defined by external expectations. THE COAT METAPHOR Every day, you're putting on different coats: "The disciplined one" coat around health-focused friends"The successful one" coat at work"The small one" coat at family gatherings"The perfectionist" coat everywhere Over time, these coats get heavy. You forget what you look like underneath all those layers. In eating disorder recovery, external labels can be life-threatening. If your identity is "the skinny one," what happens when recovery asks you to gain weight? You can't recover while wearing someone else's coat. THE CHOICE TO REDEFINE You get to choose new labels. Not the ones your family gave you. Not the ones your eating disorder whispers. Not the ones society puts on women. The ones that align with who you actually are. Instead of "the skinny one" → "the brave one" Instead of "the perfectionist" → "the authentic one" Instead of "the people-pleaser" → "the boundary-setter" This isn't about becoming someone different. It's about becoming who you actually are underneath all those coats. YOUR LABEL AUDIT What coat are you wearing right now? What labels have you been carrying that don't belong to you? Write them down. Every single label you've been wearing. Then ask: Who am I when I'm not trying to be what everyone else expects? What labels would you choose if you knew no one was watching? If you couldn't disappoint anyone? If your worth wasn't tied to meeting their expectations? Those are your real labels. Those are the ones worth wearing. PERMISSION TO DISAPPOINT You have total, unapologetic permission to disappoint others. Their comfort is not your responsibility. When I chose recovery, some people were disappointed. They missed "the old Lindsey" who was always in control, always small. Their disappointment was the price of my freedom. You cannot recover from an eating disorder while wearing the coat of other people's expectations. KEY QUOTES 💛 "I am no longer willing to abandon myself in service of others." 💛 "Every label you wear is actually a choice." 💛 "You can't recover while wearing someone else's coat." 💛 "The day I decided to care more about my future than their opinions was the day I won the battle in my head." 💛 "What other people think about you is none of your business." 💛 "Their disappointment was the price of my freedom." 💛 "Your life, your recovery, your authentic self matters MORE." 💛 "The world needs the real you, not the version you think everyone else wants to see." YOUR NEW IDENTITY Recovery isn't just about changing your relationship with food—it's about choosing to show up as your authentic self, even when that self disappoints others. Maybe you're not "the skinny one" anymore → ...
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    18 mins
  • EP 275: Still Stuck After Years of Treatment? Stop Piecing Together Recovery Advice ~ The Freedom Formula Experience™

    EP 275: Still Stuck After Years of Treatment? Stop Piecing Together Recovery Advice ~ The Freedom Formula Experience™
    Mar 17 2026
    If you wake up every morning with that familiar heaviness—another day of obsessing over food, second-guessing every bite, feeling like you're never doing it right despite years of trying—this episode is your personal invitation to something different. Maybe you've had traditional treatment and got some great tools, but you still struggle to apply them in real life. Maybe you've worked with therapists and professionals but you're tired of having the same conversations with yourself day after day. You know what the worst part is? You're doing this alone. You're piecing together advice from books, podcasts, social media, but without consistent guidance from someone who's actually walked this path. And you keep falling back into the same patterns. Today I'm sharing my Freedom Formula Experience—a personalized approach designed to help you break free from food obsession and finally experience the freedom you deserve. In this episode, you'll discover: Why traditional treatment alone often isn't enough for lasting freedomHow doing recovery alone keeps you stuck in cyclesWhat the Freedom Formula Experience includes and how it worksReal transformation my clients are experiencingWhy you shouldn't be piecing this together by yourself anymoreHow to take the next step if you're ready to stop struggling alone THE REALITY OF DOING RECOVERY ALONE You're piecing together advice from books, podcasts, and social media, but without consistent guidance from someone who's actually walked this path, you keep falling back into the same patterns. How do I know this? Because I did the exact same thing (except there weren't cool podcasts to listen to during my recovery). I've been exactly where you are—feeling trapped, trying everything, yet still feeling stuck like you're in quicksand going nowhere. The truth: You're exhausted from constantly thinking about food and your body. You feel like you should be further along by now. You wonder if complete freedom is even possible for someone like you. WHAT IS THE FREEDOM FORMULA EXPERIENCE? This is a personalized approach designed to help you break free from food obsession and finally experience the freedom you deserve. Unlike generic programs or traditional therapy alone: ✅ My coaching is tailored specifically to your unique struggles, patterns, and where you are right now ✅ Combines practical tools with deep mindset work to get you moving ✅ Focuses on real-life implementation, not just concepts ✅ Offers consistent support between sessions when triggers and challenges arise ✅ Brings in a spiritual dimension often missing from traditional approaches ✅ Draws from my personal experience of complete recovery I'm not speaking from theory, sis, but from living this transformation myself. WHAT WE'LL WORK ON TOGETHER Through the Freedom Formula Experience, we'll untangle the complex webs of your eating disorder. We'll address: Not just the food behaviors but the perfectionism, people-pleasing, and "never enough" mindsetThe root causes keeping you trapped in cyclesReal-life implementation of recovery toolsBuilding trust with yourself and your bodyCreating lasting change beyond just stopping behaviors Working with me isn't just about stopping behaviors—it's about reclaiming your entire life. WHAT MY CLIENTS ARE EXPERIENCING Through the Freedom Formula Experience, my clients achieve: ✅ Freedom from constant mental chatter about food, calories, and body size ✅ The ability to eat intuitively without rules, restriction, or compensating ✅ A compassionate relationship with themselves, replacing the harsh inner critic ✅ Skills to manage difficult emotions without using food ✅ Confidence to show up authentically in relationships instead of hiding behind perfectionism ✅ A renewed sense of purpose beyond body and appearance ✅ The joy of redirecting energy toward things that truly matter You can't put a price tag on redirecting all that mental energy toward what actually matters to you. IMAGINE THIS LIFE Imagine waking up and food not being your first thought. Imagine enjoying meals with loved ones without anxiety. Imagine having the mental space to pursue your passions. This isn't just possible, friend. It's what I help my clients achieve every single day. HOW THE FREEDOM FORMULA WORKS You'll receive: 🌟 Weekly one-on-one coaching sessions tailored to your specific needs and challenges 🌟 Voice or text support between sessions for when you need guidance most 🌟 Customized tools, exercises, and science-based resources based on your unique recovery journey 🌟 My proven framework that addresses both practical and emotional aspects of recovery 🌟 Faith-based support that honors your spiritual healing journey WHY ME? I'm not just a coach who studied eating disorders. I lived one. I lived the nightmare and spent years trapped in the same cycle you're in right now. I tried every single approach and finally found my own way. I've synthesized everything I learned in ...
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    8 mins
  • EP 274: Nobody Cares About Your Body ~ 9 Brutal Recovery Truths That Will Set You Free✨

    EP 274: Nobody Cares About Your Body ~ 9 Brutal Recovery Truths That Will Set You Free✨
    Mar 13 2026
    I'm about to tell you something that might sting: Nobody cares about your body. But stick with me, because that truth is going to set you free. We spend SO much energy terrified of what people will think if we gain weight, if we eat normally, if we stop restricting. We're scared of judgment. But here's the raw truth: People are way too busy worrying about their own bodies to spend time judging yours. Today I'm sharing 9 brutal recovery truths that no one will tell you—but I absolutely will. Because I'm tired of watching women stay stuck settling for "good enough," when full freedom is absolutely possible. These aren't feel-good platitudes. These are boss-babe-energy truths that will wake you up and change everything. The 9 Raw Truths: Your health is your wealthNobody cares about your body 2b. You will be judged no matter what—at least be judged for something meaningfulConsistency matters more than perfectionRecovery takes months or years—not weeks or daysYour comfort zone and "settling" will destroy your dreams of freedomNo one is coming to save youYou can't pray yourself away from ED behaviors—you must pray AND actTime never comes backYou cannot recover from an eating disorder alone. THE 9 BRUTAL TRUTHS BREAKDOWN Truth #1: Your health is your wealth. You can fake your health to the world for a while, but malnourishment catches up with you. Your bones will tell the story. Your hormones will tell the story. You can lie to everyone else, but your body keeps the receipts. When you look back in 10-30 years, your health is what will matter most—not the number on the scale. Truth #2: Nobody cares about your body. Everyone is way too worried about their own insecurities to spend time analyzing yours. The person at the grocery store? Worried about their own body. Your coworker? Stressed about their own appearance. The people who matter don't care what size you are. And the people who care what size you are don't matter. Truth #2b: You will be judged no matter what—at least be judged for something meaningful versus your pant size. Would you rather be judged for playing small, for restricting your life, for being the woman always "on a diet"? Or judged for being bold, for showing up fully, for living a life that actually matters? People will have opinions regardless. Make sure you're living a life worth having opinions about. Truth #3: Consistency matters more than perfection. Boss babes understand this in business but forget it in recovery. You can take random action, but it's what you do consistently that leads to true freedom. Recovery isn't built on perfect days—it's built on showing up day after day, even when it sucks. Truth #4: Recovery takes months or years—not weeks or days. Trying to rush recovery is like trying to rush building a business empire. You can't shortcut the process and expect lasting results. The women who understand this is an investment in their future are the ones running companies and living their dreams while others are still counting calories. Truth #5: Your comfort zone and "settling" will destroy your dreams of freedom. Quasi-recovery isn't boss babe energy—it's small energy. It's staying in the kiddie pool when you were meant to swim in the ocean. Settling for quasi-recovery is like building a business to 50K and stopping because you're "comfortable." Your eating disorder is betting on you settling. Truth #6: No one is coming to save you. Your parents can't fix this. Your partner can't love the eating disorder away. Your therapist can't want recovery more than you do. This is your life. Your recovery. Your empire to build. That's overwhelming but also the most empowering truth—you have ALL the power to change everything. Truth #7: You can't pray yourself or "try" to get yourself away from ED behaviors. Faith is powerful. Prayer is essential. But you must pray AND act like the boss babe God created you to be. God gave you a brain, body, and free will for a reason. Use them. Trying is just failing with intention. Stop trying. Start doing. Truth #8: Time never comes back. Every day you spend restricting is gone forever. Every opportunity missed because you're obsessed with food. Every relationship you half-show up to because you're mentally calculating calories. Boss babes understand time is the most valuable currency. Stop spending yours on something that will never pay dividends. THE FINAL TRUTH TO SET YOU FREE: #9: You cannot build an empire alone, and recover from an eating disorder is the exact same. Eating disorders thrive in isolation. Every successful woman has a team, support, someone who won't let them quit when things get hard. The women who recover are the ones who stop trying to figure it all out alone and invest in themselves. KEY QUOTES 💛 "Nobody cares about your body. People are way too busy worrying about their own bodies to spend time judging yours." 💛 "You can fake your health to the world, but your body keeps the receipts." 💛 "The ...
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    16 mins
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