Today’s episode of Phoenix Tales comes with a trigger warning, as we will be discussing eating disorders. Host Yuliana Kim-Grant speaks with Amanda Murdock, the Senior Director of Fitness for the Daily Burn. Amanda shares her candid story about struggling with an eating disorder while working in the wellness industry, what prompted her to finally seek help, and how this experience ultimately made her stronger and more resilient. Amanda opens up about her long road to recovery, the connection between mental illness and eating disorders, as well as the common trigger of needing to feel in control when life becomes chaotic. Amanda explains how she keeps this urge in check as she deals with life’s inevitable challenges moving forward, and she tells Yuliana about taking her recovery one day at a time. You’ll also hear how Amanda’s experience informed her passion for body positivity and body acceptance, and why she feels people of all shapes and sizes deserve to enjoy fitness and working out.

To learn more about Amanda’s inspiring story and the importance of believing in yourself, follow her on Instagram. Thank you for listening.

Episode Highlights:

• How Amanda’s struggles with an eating disorder changed the trajectory of her life, physically, emotionally, and professionally, and made her more resilient
  
• Navigating being a training and preaching about healthy living while dealing with an eating disorder - this made her feel like an imposter and pushed her to get help
  
• Amanda has always had body dysmorphia, but a series of big changes in her life pulled the trigger and caused her to develop a full-blown eating disorder
  
• She isolated from family and friends and felt that no one noticed what was going on
  
• The connection between mental illness and eating disorders
  
• A toxic relationship prompted her to seek help and really invest in her recovery with the support of a nutritionist
  
• Eating disorders are often triggered when you feel like your life is out of control
  
• She takes her recovery one day at a time, one moment at a time
  
• Amanda is resilient by nature, and always knew she would eventually recover - it was just a matter of when
  
• The eating disorder treatment program at Laureate really prepared her for how to deal with the outside world
  
• She is getting ready to start her family, despite years of worrying anorexia had affected her fertility
  
• Amanda does not talk about weight or “earning your food” in her fitness career, and feels passionately that people of all shapes and sizes deserve to enjoy fitness and working out
  
• Body positivity and body acceptance
  
• The one song that best represents Amanda’s life
  
• The importance of believing in yourself, and instilling that in her clients as well as her unborn child

Links:

Phoenix Tales on Instagram

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Amanda Murdock on Instagram