EP 228: The Recovery Mindset Shift That Ends All-or-Nothing Food & Body Thinking Forever + The 3 Step Framework to Implement it Just for You!

If you're trapped in the exhausting cycle of all-or-nothing thinking around food and recovery, this episode will revolutionize your entire approach. Fresh back from vacation, Lindsey shares the powerful "Both/And Recovery" strategy that finally breaks you free from black-and-white extremes and helps you find the beautiful gray area where real healing happens.

You'll discover why perfectionist recovery keeps you stuck, learn specific Both/And reframes for common recovery struggles, and walk away with a tangible 3-step practice to implement this week. This isn't about being perfect at recovery—it's about being human while healing.

What You'll Learn

✨ Why all-or-nothing thinking keeps you trapped in recovery cycles ✨ The revolutionary Both/And approach that changes everything ✨ Specific reframes for "good vs. bad" food thinking ✨ How to hold space for fear AND commitment simultaneously ✨ Why the "gray area" is where your freedom actually lives ✨ A practical 3-step method to implement Both/And thinking this week

Key Takeaways The All-or-Nothing Prison

Your brain categorizes everything as perfect or disaster, on-track or off-track, good foods or bad foods. This binary thinking keeps you swinging between extremes and never experiencing the freedom you crave. The space between extremes isn't the danger zone—it's where all the magic happens.

The Both/And Revolution

You can hold two seemingly opposite truths simultaneously, and this is where real healing occurs. Recovery isn't about choosing sides—it's about embracing complexity and being beautifully, imperfectly human.

Why This Changes Everything

The Both/And approach removes the pressure that keeps you stuck. When you stop trying to be perfect at recovery, you actually start recovering. Recovery isn't about eliminating difficult thoughts—it's about learning to hold space for all of it.

Powerful Both/And Recovery Examples Fear & Courage

Instead of: "I have to be brave to start recovery" Both/And: "I can be both scared of recovery AND committed to it"

Restriction & Nourishment

Instead of: "I either restrict or I'm out of control" Both/And: "I can both want to restrict AND choose to nourish myself"

Body Image Struggles

Instead of: "I have to love my body all the time" Both/And: "I can both love my body AND have days when I struggle with it"

Food Morality

Instead of: "Foods are either good or bad" Both/And: "I can be both 'good' at eating AND have chaotic food days"

Recovery Process

Instead of: "I'm either perfect at recovery or failing" Both/And: "I can be both in recovery AND not perfect at it"

Weight & Health

Instead of: "I'm either fat or skinny" Both/And: "I can both be my natural weight AND not love every inch every day"

Structure & Flexibility

Instead of: "I need rigid routine or I'm lost" Both/And: "I can both crave routine AND need flexibility"

Your Both/And Recovery Practice (This Week) Step 1: Notice Your All-or-Nothing Thoughts

Catch yourself thinking in extremes about food, body, or recovery. Examples:

• "I ruined the day"
• "I'm either on track or off track"
• "I have to be perfect at this"

Step 2: Practice the Both/And Reframe

Transform extreme thoughts with "both/and" language:

• "I both had a challenging food day AND I can nourish myself at my next meal"
• "I both struggled today AND I'm still committed to my healing"

Step 3: Choose Your Next Right Action

From this Both/And space, take one small step toward recovery:

• Eat your next planned meal
• Call a friend for support
• Practice self-compassion instead of self-criticism

Revolutionary Quo