How to Beat Extreme Hunger

Find Food Freedom Without Losing Control

Livia Sara

Liv Label Free

A gift for you!

To say thanks for buying my book, I want to give you access to my online mental hunger training 100% FREE!

In this training, you will learn how to overcome mental hunger for GOOD!

www.livlabelfree.com/extremehungergames

Praise for How to Beat Extreme Hunger

"In How to Beat Extreme Hunger, Livia Sara delivers a refreshing take on overcoming the challenges of extreme hunger with a blend of humor, raw honesty, and genuine understanding. From the very first page, Livia's voice feels like that of a trusted friend who not only acknowledges your struggles but dives deep into the heart of them.

This book is a revelation – a beacon of truth in a sea of misconceptions. Livia fearlessly drops 'truth bombs' that illuminate the hidden aspects of our relationship with food and our bodies. Through her relatable candid storytelling, she unveils the seemingly 'harmless' behaviors that can stop us from overcoming extreme hunger.

Livia doesn't just illuminate the problem; she provides a roadmap out. With a step-by-step approach, she guides readers through the process of claiming true liberation in their relationship with food. Each chapter feels like a breakthrough, with multiple 'ah-ha' moments leading you closer to freedom from the confines of your eating disorder.

What sets How to Beat Extreme Hunger apart is Livia's willingness to address topics that most professionals overlook but should know. That's why this book is the key to recovery. Rooted deeply in authenticity, Livia's words serve as a lifeline for those lost in their struggles, resonating deeply with the soul. As you read, you feel deeply heard and understood.

As a food freedom and body love coach, I wholeheartedly believe that How to Beat Extreme Hunger is a game-changer for anyone seeking liberation from the grip of extreme hunger. I'll definitely be sending each of my clients a copy! If you're ready to embark on a journey that promises more than overcoming extreme hunger, your search ends here. This book is your guidebook to reclaiming your life and embracing true nourishment, inside and out.

Liv, you’re a freaking genius and a positive light in this world!"

– Victoria Kleinsman, Food Freedom & Body Love Coach

"How to Beat Extreme Hunger is an engaging and comprehensive deep dive into understanding a very normal but often misunderstood part of the recovery process. Livia explores this phenomenon from multiple perspectives, helpfully dissecting different types of hunger, the nervous system, hormones, restriction, and much more. Livia is an engaging writer, delving thoroughly into the science of the extreme hunger experience whilst also drawing from her personal journey with deep authenticity and vulnerability. I highly recommend this book to anyone navigating eating disorder recovery!"

– Harriet Frew, The Eating Disorder Therapist

"What a fantastic and incredibly important resource Livia has created in writing the book How to Beat Extreme Hunger. It is written in a way that is easy to understand while also including the science behind overcoming extreme hunger. Livia has created a practical guide to navigating what can often be a terrifying part of recovery from a restrictive eating disorder.

I wholeheartedly endorse How to Beat Extreme Hunger and as an eating disorder recovery coach myself, will definitely be recommending this book to all my clients. Thank you Livia for writing this incredible book!"

– Julia Trehane, Eating Disorder Recovery Coach

Liv takes the confusing and often frightening concept of 'extreme hunger' and makes it relatable, logical, and easier to understand. Anyone dealing with extreme hunger from restrictive eating disorders will likely benefit from the way Liv breaks down the what, how, and why of their seemingly out-of-control hunger patterns. With insights ranging from the cognitive, emotional, physical, physiological, and somatic (nervous system), this book is an empathetic and practical guide for getting through this messy part of recovery.

– Stefanie Michele, Binge Eating and Body Image Coach

"Following in the footsteps of her memoir Rainbow Girl, Livia has once again written a truly inspiring and compelling book which I would enthusiastically recommend to anyone in the ED recovery space. As she states in part 1, this book is meant to be a resource, and cannot do the work of recovery for you. Having said that, it is an extremely powerful resource and will undoubtedly make taking action easier and less lonesome.

Livia’s writing style is truly unique. It’s the perfect blend of pertinent scientific facts and bravely written anecdotes from her own lived experience of extreme hunger and ED recovery. Combined, these modalities result in an informative yet compassionate work that will help ease your fears so that you can take the leap into the unknown.

How to Beat Extreme Hunger, in tandem with Livia’s impressive online course Extremely Hungry to Completely Satisfied, have been integral parts of my recovery journey. I would strongly encourage not only those struggling with an ED but also the therapists, dietitians, and family members involved in the recovery process to take the information eloquently presented here to heart!"

– Valerie, autistic ED warrior and course student

"I’ve read lots of 'recovery' books over the years and I have to say How to Beat Extreme Hunger is the best I have ever read! It is so clear, concise, and well researched. Livia’s newest book is a must-read for everyone. Not only for those who are in recovery from an eating disorder, but also for those supporting someone in recovery…especially those who are neurodivergent!

For me, finding out that I am neurodivergent while recovering from a restrictive eating disorder (and being in my late 30s!) has been quite the journey. Not only am I learning to navigate life without an eating disorder, but I’m discovering how to embrace being AuDHD and live without restriction. How to Beat Extreme Hunger has allowed me to be a lot more compassionate with myself and has helped me view myself and my recovery in a whole new way.

How to Beat Extreme Hunger provides not only science and lived experience, but it clearly explains how integral food is to healing your body, your mind, and your overall outlook on life. Livia goes above and beyond in describing how to rewire your brain, gain a positive relationship with food, and live label free so you can discover true freedom. Please allow Livia to help you on your journey of self discovery and healing!"

– Sabina, autistic ED warrior

Livia encapsulates a phenomenon experienced by those in eating disorder recovery so incredibly well. The scientific explanations and sheer detail Livia goes into really helped me to understand extreme hunger. It’s safe to say I cried a little with relief knowing there’s actually a reason for this process and why it’s nothing to fear. The wisdom and authenticity Livia expresses in her writing makes you feel as though you are having a deep chat with a friend making it feel all that more personal. This book truly raises awareness to extreme hunger and provides hope for those that feel alone during this experience.

– Shannon, autistic ED warrior

How to Beat Extreme Hunger © 2024 Livia Sara

All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission from the publisher or author. Violation of this clause constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property.

This book is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or disease. The information contained herein is based on research and knowledge available up to the publication date. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, personal, or other damages.

ISBN 979-8-9875398-8-0

eISBN 979-8-9875398-1-1

Book cover by Livia Sara

For more information, visit www.livlabelfree.com

To everyone experiencing extreme hunger and their loved ones. It is a terrifying part of the journey, which is what makes your commitment to healing all the more brave.

Contents

Part 1: Mindset

1.Fear

2.Motivation

3.Habits

4.Action

Part 2: The Biology of Extreme Hunger

5.What Is Extreme Hunger?

6.What Causes Extreme Hunger?

7.When Does Extreme Hunger Happen?

Part 3: Understanding Hunger

8.Physical Hunger

9.Mental Hunger

10.Exercise Hunger

11.Eating-Induced Hunger

12.Emotional Eating and Binge Eating

Part 4: Restriction

13.Restriction Awareness

14.Types of Restriction

15.Rewiring Restriction

Part 5: Unrestricted Eating

16.What Is Unrestricted Eating?

17.Junk Food

18.Night Eating

19.Breaking the Cycle

Part 6: Weight Gain

20.Target Weights

21.BMI

22.Weight Restoration and Redistribution

Part 7: Other Bodily Changes

23.The Nervous System

Central Nervous System

Peripheral Nervous System

Somatic Nervous System

Autonomic Nervous System

Polyvagal Theory

24.The Endocrine System

25.Digestive Issues

26.Hormonal Changes

Ghrelin

Leptin

Evolutionary Adaptations to Famine

Insulin

Metabolism

Mood Swings

Aches and Pains

Edema

Puberty, Periods, and PMDD

Sleep

Part 8: Living Label Free

27.Too Much Identification?

28.All In Recovery

29.Victimhood

30.Triggers

31.Diet Culture

32.Guilt

33.Discovery

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About the Author

Endnotes

Part 1: Mindset

1

Fear

If you’re reading this, it’s because you believe it’s possible to bEAT extreme hunger. Your mind may be racing with fear, buzzing with questions, and I’m willing to bet there’s a voice in your head coming up with a million reasons why your extreme hunger isn’t valid. Yet, deep down, you know that a life of fulfillment and satisfaction is possible for you. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be here investing the time and energy to achieve that life!

I wrote this book to act as a stepping stone on your journey. I survived an eating disorder, I overcame extreme hunger, and I’ve had more ups and downs on this messy path called life than I can remember. But I’m now stronger because of it, and I continue to become stronger each day. I’ve been where you are and come out the other side, which means I know it’s 100% possible to overcome extreme hunger and live a life in which you feel satisfied – in every sense of the word. But it wasn’t always that way.

When I was experiencing extreme hunger, I feared I would never stop eating, that I would gain weight forever, and that I just had to accept the unlucky fate of being obsessed with food. I believed I had conditioned my body and brain beyond repair. I believed that full recovery from disordered eating was possible for everyone else, but not for me. I believed I was the anomaly for whom recovery wasn’t going to work, and therefore I doubted whether it was even worth trying.

Despite my uncertainty, there was always a part of me that knew I had to at least try. And when I say try, I mean fully commit. Not dip my toes in the possibility of full recovery, not eat a large amount of food only to stop myself after an amount I deemed acceptable, and not go out to eat only after I had exercised and deserved it. When I say I fully committed to recovery, I mean I fully surrendered to the process and everything it would entail.

Yes, I was filled with every fear possible, but what is fear really? Fear is not trusting the outcome. And why didn’t I trust the outcome? Because I didn’t know the outcome. Just as darkness is the absence of light, fear is simply the absence of knowledge. I feared my mental hunger would never go away because I had never provided my brain with evidence that a life without mental hunger was possible. I feared endless weight gain because I’d never given my body the opportunity to eat unrestricted and settle at a healthy weight. I feared I was the magical unicorn for whom recovery wasn’t possible because I’d never experienced life while being fully recovered.

As ridiculous as they seem to me now, those fears are completely valid. Because it’s true: you have zero proof that recovery is going to work for you. There is no guarantee that your mental hunger will ever go away. The outcome of your putting in the work isn’t certain. But what is certain is that the way you’re living right now is making you miserable. The only guarantee you have is that continuing to live this way will continue to make you miserable.

I realized I had nothing to lose and everything to gain, and that is the moment I gathered the confidence to take the leap. As I describe in my memoir Rainbow Girl, a massive part of the trust required to take the leap was rooted in the knowledge that I could always go back to my eating disorder. Yep, that’s right: if a fully recovered life truly sucks, you can always go back to your eating disorder. But if you continue to engage in your eating disorder without even giving yourself a chance to recover, you’ll never be able to buy back the time you missed.

Although it may sound preposterous of me to share the option of returning to your eating disorder at the beginning of a book about overcoming extreme hunger, I’m just being honest. Having this back door open gave me the courage to jump into the unknown. Knowing that I could always go back to what I trusted, to what I knew, gave me the strength I needed to trust what I didn’t yet know.

Of course, reaching a place of full recovery made me realize that life is far greater than anything I could have ever imagined, so I’m never going back to my eating disorder. Overcoming my fears by facing them head-on taught me about the acronym for FEAR: FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. But when you’re stuck in a thought loop convincing you that this evidence isn’t actually false, having a back door open can be a powerful motivator. And while we are on the topic of motivation, let’s unpack how to stay motivated while bEATing extreme hunger – because you’re gonna need it!

2

Motivation

Us humans (and all species) need motivation when we’re attempting to do something difficult. Becoming a surgeon, training for a marathon, writing a book…these are all endeavors that require discipline and motivation. When we see someone pursuing such a venture and aspire to do the same, we often ask, How do you find the motivation? or Where do you get the motivation from? But we are asking the wrong questions. The real question is " Why are you motivated? And the answer has everything to do with the definition of the word motivation": a reason or reasons for acting or behaving in a certain way.

Someone who dedicates their time and energy to becoming a surgeon doesn’t do it because they need a job. Their commitment may be fueled by their passion to save lives – their dream of saving lives being their reason to work long hours and say no to other activities. Someone who wakes up early to run several miles a day doesn’t do it because they have nothing better to do. Their commitment to increasing their endurance may be driven by their desire to feel the victory of completing a marathon. Someone who writes a book (or several) doesn’t do it because they enjoy the eye strain that comes from staring at a computer screen for long hours. Their commitment to getting words onto the page could be fueled by their drive to make an impact and change lives (I’m speaking from personal experience here!).

In all of these cases, the motivation – the reason for acting a certain way – is rooted in a strong why. Knowing your why is essential when it comes to overcoming extreme hunger because it gives you a strong enough reason to keep pushing through when the going gets tough. To grasp this concept, it will help to understand how the brain forms and maintains habits.

3

Habits

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase that humans are creatures of habit. That’s because we literally are! Every day, you execute tasks without conscious effort. Turning on the shower, brushing your teeth, making your bed – these are all activities you could do practically in your sleep. When you repeat a behavior over and over again, your brain creates a network to store that behavior. This neural network is what we call a habit. Humans’ ability to form and maintain habits is the brain’s way of increasing its efficiency. If you had to get up every morning and deeply think about how to take a shower, brush your teeth, or make your bed, you’d use up all your precious brainpower before the more important tasks of the day could even begin. Thanks to evolution, these daily activities are mere executions of a behavior you’ve conditioned your brain to do.

Because your habits – such as the elements of your morning routine – no longer require conscious thought, you have more energy