travel in ED recovery — my honest survival guide | the recovered-ish podcast ep. 23

Episode DescriptionTravel is one of the hardest things you can do in eating disorder recovery. New foods, broken routines, different meal times, swimsuits, pictures — it's a lot. And nobody really talks about how to actually get through it.In this episode I'm sharing my honest survival guide for traveling in ED recovery — from what it looked like when I was deep in my disorder on a family trip to Hawaii, to what it looked like this past month traveling to New York and Maryland fully recovered. The difference is everything.Whether you're in early recovery, somewhere in the messy middle, or further along and still noticing the eating disorder show up on trips — this one's for you.In This Episode:Why travel is one of the biggest pressure cookers for an eating disorderThe Hawaii trip that showed me how much my eating disorder was already stealing from my lifeWhy nothing reveals an eating disorder faster than being pulled from your routineHow to handle the airport, time zones, and meal timing on travel daysWhat my travel day actually looks like now — 11 years into recoveryThe "eating disorder is not invited" mindset trick — and how to use itHow to find safe foods and guardrails for early recovery travelWhen to use travel as a recovery challenge — and how to approach it strategicallyBody image on vacation — swimsuits, less clothing, and how to prepareWhy your body is not going to change as much as your eating disorder says it willHow to flip the script from body-focused to experience-focusedTimestamps:0:00 Intro + business updates 2:00 Recovery Skills Training summer workshops announcement 3:00 Quasi-Recovery Exit group program update 4:00 Today's topic — travel in ED recovery 7:00 Why travel is so hard when you have an eating disorder 8:00 The Hawaii trip — what early disordered eating on vacation looked like 13:00 Missing ice cream with my family — how the ED steals moments 15:00 Why nothing reveals an eating disorder faster than leaving your routine 17:00 How uncertainty triggers the eating disorder nervous system 18:00 The airport — where travel anxiety starts 19:00 Time zones, meal timing, and the meal plan confusion 20:00 What my travel day actually looks like now 24:00 How to navigate travel days in early recovery 26:00 The "eating disorder is not invited" mindset trick 29:00 Preparation is everything — practical tips for packing and planning 31:00 Safe foods, guardrails, and when to challenge yourself 33:00 Using travel as a strategic recovery challenge 35:00 Finding a model person to eat alongside 36:00 Body image on vacation — swimsuits and less clothing 38:00 How to find a swimsuit that feels tolerable 40:00 Avoiding the mirror and packing for sensory comfort 41:00 Your body is not going to change as much as your ED says 43:00 Flipping the script — experience first, body last 45:00 Closing thoughts + summer workshop promoPractical Tips From This Episode:Talk to your dietician before you go — walk through your itinerary and plan meal timing togetherStay on your home body clock on travel days until you adjustPack familiar snacks so you always have a safe option availableUse the "eating disorder is not invited" reframe — mentally leave it behind before you boardFind a model person with a healthy relationship with food and follow their leadPractice wearing your swimsuit at home before the trip as a small exposurePack clothes that feel comfortable and don't draw sensory attention to your bodyAvoid the mirror as much as possible on vacationSchedule a therapy session before you leave and when you returnUse difficult moments on the trip as information to bring back to recovery — not as evidence you failedQuotes from This Episode:"Nothing reveals an eating disorder quicker than when a person is plucked from their routine.""Eating disorder, you are not invited. You will be staying home. I'll attend to you when I return.""Your body is not checking the time. Your body just knows — I need nourishment and I need it consistently.""The eating disorder makes your world so small. Travel is a reminder that the world is so much bigger than your eating disorder."Resources + Connect with Me:Recovery Skills Training + Summer Workshops: use code PODCAST57 for $57 off — https://recoverwithchloe.thrivecart.com/recovery-skills-training/The Quasi-Recovery Exit — applications open: https://recover-with-chloe.moxieapp.com/public/quasi-recovery-exit-applicationInstagram: @recoverwithchloeLeave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple PodcastsSubscribe on YouTubeKeywords/Tags: travel in ED recovery, eating disorder and vacation, summer travel eating disorder recovery, how to travel with an eating disorder, eating disorder routine disruption, vacation body image, recovered-ish podcast, chloe cox, ED recovery podcast, eating disorder therapist, quasi-recovery, food freedom travel, eating disorder summer, airport eating disorder recoveryResources + Connect with Me:Instagram: @recoverwithchloeRecovery Skills Training: use code PODCAST for $57 off!Leave a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple PodcastsSubscribe on YouTube!