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Connect with Jeunesse

📲 Instagram: @jennisdoctor

Episode Transcript

Ryann

Hello, everybody. Welcome back to the Food Freedom Lab. I am thrilled. I have Janiece here with us today. Jeunesse and I connected on Instagram, what, like, I feel like a year ago. And she and I started chatting because she was getting married like five months before I was getting married. And it was so fun to go back and forth between all of the wedding conversations because I mean, I never got married before, obviously. So all of the stress, all of the feelings, all of the questions, she and I were able to chat back and forth and we got connected via just that and then started to chat a little bit more about her recovery and relationship with food.

And when I was deciding to have guests on here share their story, Janiece was so kind to offer to share hers. And so I was sharing with her earlier, I’ve heard bits and parts and I’m just excited to hear the whole thing. So, Jeunesse, thank you so much for taking the time to be here today, I’m so excited to have you.

Jeunesse

Good, thank you for having me. I’m really excited to share my story.

Ryann

Yay! So, will you take us through, like, when you first remember either, like, having this, like, negative view of your body when you first started kind of playing with your food, changing your food, kind of the depths of when you started to realize, okay, like maybe this is a problem, where it kind of took you. And then when you decided I need to do something different.

Jeunesse

My story is kind of a long one. Cause it started way back when I moved to New Zealand, like I was sharing before. So I moved to New Zealand when I was around nine. And I think that’s when my first ever kind of binge, binges started happening. Back then, obviously, because I was nine, I didn’t realize there were binges or like there were anything to do with food. So culturally I’m Filipina and we love food. Food is a very big part of our culture. We’re always having parties. We’re always having get togethers with like tons and tons of food. And so culturally I grew up in a place where it’s rude not to eat when someone offers you food, it’s rude to refuse food from like others.

And if you go to like a party or like a gathering, even if you’re full, it’s rude not to finish your plate, like that kind of custom. And so obviously like moving from like a completely different country and then just trying to fit in, that was really hard. And so I guess that’s when it first started. But then also as I got a little bit older, it just continued and I didn’t really know what it was. And so I think, yeah, like, you know, you’re growing and you’re, you’re, you look different from when you were seven or five. And I started to like develop a lot faster than my friends. And, you know, I’d started swimming at this age, I think. And yeah, a lot of nine year olds looked a little bit different to me. And I started to like realize because I couldn’t wear the same sizes, like bathing suit as them, for example.

And my family would always comment that I was like getting chubby and I should stop eating so much because I always had a really big appetite growing up. And I think around when I was 12, when I started going through like puberty and stuff like that, it really increased from there. And then I like got my period quite early, which was like the age of 13. And I had started netball as well, and they have really short, tight dresses. And obviously, like, I was already self-conscious, and like, I’d already gone through, like, all this stuff with swimming, and like, not fitting into bathing suits and stuff. And so that just, like, made it super hyper, like, dramatic. And, and so yeah, like, I just wasn’t fitting into like much clothes and stuff. And I just like started rapidly gaining weight from there.

Like, because I would like binge and restrict because people were saying like, like I literally had a grandma say that, Oh, you’d be so much prettier if you were skinnier. And like, I remember at that age, I was like, I was just so shocked because I was like, I don’t understand because like you’re so young. And so hearing that from people at such a young age, you’re just like, oh my gosh, do I need to lose weight? Like what’s wrong with me? And up to that point, I don’t think I ever had a problem. Well, I didn’t know that I had a problem up to then because that’s what kick started everything a bit more. And sorry, that backtrack, that was when I was 16. I heard that.

And so when I was 16, that’s when it really kickstarted for me. And I remember I went to like a conference and I saw pictures of myself after this had happened, after my grandma had said this, and I like, was like, wow, I’m so much chubbier than everybody else. And so when I got home from that conference, I like kick started this weight loss journey. Like I was literally like, I like 16, right. And so I was still in high school at the point. And I literally would run six days a week and I would just like not eat as much. And I was doing this for like six months and I lost weight. But you know, when you hit like a plateau because your body is like used to doing what it’s been doing and it’s just like over it and it’s so exhausted. So that happened after six months and I’d stopped losing weight. But up to this point, I’d already lost like quite a bit. Like I’d lost like almost 15 kilos in the space of like this six months.

Ryann

Right.

Jeunesse

Which was crazy. So when people would see me, they’d be like, Oh my gosh, you look so great. Like not realizing that they were feeding this like binge restrict, like yo-yo dieting cycle and an eating disorder. And so I took it up a notch and I remember my parents didn’t really catch on. They thought I was losing weight. They didn’t know any better, you know, and they bought me a treadmill, which at the time I was like, this is really great! Like I don’t have to run outside the house. And so I would like literally run like maybe twice a day sometimes. It was crazy, like seven days a week. I’d feel so guilty if I didn’t run for like a whole day. And on top of that, I was starting a new school. And so more change and it freaked me out. And I literally stopped eating for like, you know, a couple of days.

Like I’d have like, um, Milo was my biggest thing, like just to keep me going. The sugar to spike my glucose, whatever. And I’d have like muesli bars, but like, that’s nothing like that’s barely anything. And I was growing at the time. So yeah, it got so bad from 16 to like around 18, it was my peak like anorexia. And I really, really struggled. And, but no one knew because I was bigger, like than everybody else. I grew up bigger than everybody else. And so even though I had anorexia, like no one could tell, like they thought I was just losing weight, you know? And I don’t think I ever got to that point where people were like, well, like you should calm down. Like no one ever said that.

Like everyone always just said, Oh wow, you look so good. And when people say that, when you’re in that state, they don’t realize what this person is going through and they don’t realize the impact of what they’re feeding, you know, like, is it an eating disorder? Is it like a sickness? Is it something else? You know, like that’s why I always like, I get so angry at people who are like, who comment on other people’s weight, regardless of if it’s like a positive thing or a negative thing, you know, because like, you don’t understand what that person is going through, you know? And so yeah, 16 to 18, I just got in like so desperate, I think. And my parents moved to Australia. I stayed in New Zealand to finish off my last year of, we call it college, but you guys call it high school, I think. Yeah, so I finished off my last year of high school and they moved here. So it’s different, like it was, it was messy. And because I was living alone for the first time, like it just got even worse.

And like, obviously I’d already started the yo-yo dieting sort of stuff. And then when they leaved, I like upped it up a notch. And I started to make myself throw up and stuff like that. And so I would restrict, restrict to the point where I just had to eat. Like I just, my body physically could not handle not having food and I would just binge. And like binge to the point where like I would just black out, like not be able to breathe it like after my binges. And I would just like eat everything that I saw inside, like whatever was there I would just eat it. And then I’d feel so guilty and so bad about myself that I would throw it all up. And this went on for years and years. And I went to respite that year and because I was really, really struggling with binge eating and like bulimia and stuff at that point.

And I remember it was so crazy because in respite, they would feed you and like sit with you until you ate everything. And like, that made me go insane because I was like, I don’t want to be watched while I’m eating because when you’re in that state like you don’t like people watch, well I don’t know, but for me I didn’t like people watching me eat and stuff like that was really weird to me and obviously at that point because I’d had my blood pressure was really low because of what was I was doing to my body so I was constantly having to get my blood pressure. Back then also, like in recovery, or anorexia recovery more so, they have to weigh you and I hated that. Like I hated that so bad.

And I got to the point where I had to ask the doctor to cover the weighing scale because it was just getting into my head too much. And yeah, in respite I met some really, really lovely people, don’t get me wrong, but like I wasn’t ready for that type of recovery I think. So after respite, I just went straight back into it. And this went on for, for ages and ages. And I think around at the age of 19, 20, I went through my very first breakup, like a really bad breakup. I moved back to Australia with my family and I went through a really rough breakup. And, you know, it was really chaotic because I moved again, like to Australia. And so my life was just really, really crazy. And I think up to this point, I’d seemingly recovered, but like, I just had stopped binging and I’d stopped like doing like phycosobilemia and anorexia, but I was still dieting. So that was still an issue.

And when I first moved to Australia, it was around December and uni didn’t start till February. And so I had no friends and I just had my family, but me and my family aren’t very close. Well, we weren’t back then, we are now. And so I just felt so alone. And my mum, thinking she’d help, and she did, like, don’t get me wrong, she did help. She was like, I’ll pay for your gym membership for the year and like, you can make friends that way. Because she knew how much I loved the gym back then. But you know, I was going through a lot back then too. And so she paid for my gym membership and everything. I’ve always been really extroverted, so it wasn’t really hard for me to make friends, but so much had changed and I was going through so much with like the breakup and just having moved to Australia.

And so I went to the gym and I met so many cool people and I was doing like a lot of the classes and stuff like that because back then I was like, like kind of new to the gym and I’d only ever played sports and stuff growing up. And so I was like, I don’t know how to lift weight. And so I like did the classes and stuff. And I think then it like kind of kick started everything too, because I had started chiro school. So if you don’t know, I studied chiropractic and as an allied health professional or as a health professional, or like being in the fitness industry, for example, there’s this like saying, well it used to be very prominent back then, not so much anymore, that you had to look a certain way, you had to like present yourself in a certain way, for example, otherwise you weren’t going to get clients and like clients wouldn’t want to work with you because you look this other way sort of scenario.

Even PTs go through it. And so because So because that happened to me, like I was already struggling so much with like my body image and stuff. Going into chiro school, it really didn’t help. And I remember being again, thicker than a lot of the people in class and thinking that there was something wrong with me because I didn’t have a six pack or like, I didn’t, I wasn’t like shredded like everybody else. But then if you look at it, like if I look at it now, looking back at it, I was like, wow, a lot of those people also were struggling with their relationship with food. Because a lot of the people I went to uni with were like bodybuilders and like stuff like that. And you know, like how it takes to even get to a presentable weight on stage.

Ryann

Yeah.

Jeunesse

So that like really kick started everything for me. And then I ended up injuring my ankle my very first year of chiro school and I tore a ligament in my ankle. And so I was in a moon boot for around six to eight weeks. And because I was heavily restricting before that, like going to the gym a lot and everything, I like gained so much weight and it really freaked me out because when I’d lost all that weight from before, I was like, in my head, I was like, I’m never going back to that weight ever again in my life. Like that’s, that’s not something I want to look at. And like, I was just really negative towards that young self of mine, even though she didn’t even know better. And yeah, so, because I was so negative, I gained so much weight. And then my gym did this thing where it was like a six week challenge.

And I was like, yes, I’ll have to do it because everyone, like all my friends were doing it. And I remember I was feeling like so confident after I’d injured my ankle to go back to the gym and to like do all these things again and like lift weights again and stuff. And so the six week challenge was like, oh yeah, this is like such a start. And I could definitely maintain this after the six weeks was up. And so I did the six week challenge and I had to count all my macros and all that stuff, and I was like meal prepping and like people thought I was so disciplined because I wasn’t eating what everybody else was eating and I was meal prepping once a week, taking that to uni and like people just thought that I was super disciplined and I lost around like close to 10 kilos in six weeks which is crazy to me like now that I look back at it I’m like what are you doing? And it was because like literally I was only having protein shakes for breakfast and I was doing like fasted cardio as well, which was a thing back then too.

And I was like barely, I was probably eating like a tuna salad for lunch and like maybe some potato and mince for dinner, which is nothing, like nothing compared to what I eat now. And I remember like being so praised for that, like weight loss. But then there were other people and cause they do the six week challenge and then you have like a little party to celebrate everybody, which now I think I look back and I’m like, wow, that’s really toxic. And so I went to this party and I remember like a lot of people had lost more weight than I had, which I look back now. I’m like, that’s really crazy because I lost so much weight and people, like there were more people that had lost more than me.

And when I asked them like, hey, what’d you do? Like, how’d you lose all that weight? And they were like, I cut carbs. And I was like, that is insane. And yeah, and it didn’t really stop there. So, um, the redemption story is coming and it’s great. And yeah, but yeah, so I didn’t stop there. I ended up finding another gym that did another weight loss challenge, eight weeks this time. And I remember, I’m not proud of this, but I literally paid $500 just to lose more weight. Like this is how crazy insane I was. So like the challenge was you paid $500 and then you get your money back if you lose weight or like body fat or whatever, or if your body fat got to a certain percentage. And I think mine got up to like 19 and it was really crazy. And also, again, I lost like nine kilos.

So all in all, I’d lost like almost 20 kilos a year, which is insane. And yeah, and then I was told by the PT at that gym to cut carbs. And I had never done that before. I remember back then, another PT, like a female one, she told me, because she knew my history with eating disorder, she was like, make sure that you’re prepared for this, because if you’re cutting carbs, so the history of eating disorder, that can really play with your eating disorder. And back then, I kind of was like, you don’t know anything about me. And I just didn’t listen because I, like, I didn’t know any better again. And I wanted my $500 back. Like, thankfully, like, now I’m looking back and she said that to me, I’m like, she was actually right. So if she’s watching this, you’re right, Becca. But again, I didn’t know any better. So I literally would have like avocados and eggs for breakfast, like boiled eggs.

And now I can’t stand avocado because of that experience. So I hate avocado now, like I can’t even like smell avocado now. I love eggs still, which is thankful. But yeah, I hate avocado. And yeah, like also was just having like salads and stuff. So I can’t stand spinach now. And yeah, but yeah, so I lost heaps of weight then. And I remember again getting praised and it was then though that my aunties and stuff started noticing I was losing too much weight. It was at that point that people were like, okay, you should really look at what you’re doing because, well, because they couldn’t even like, I’d gotten so skinny that people were just like, you look sick. Like, are you okay?

And it was at that point that people started asking that. And I was like, like, because I’d, I’d gone through so many years of not hearing that I was like, and thinking that this is okay. And I was looking great. That when finally someone asked that, I was like, actually I’m not. And I like opened up to someone about it. And like, it was around also around this time I’d met my husband now when we started dating. And I embarked this like massive weight loss journey when he was here. And I told him, I had finally opened up to him because he didn’t even know. And I was like, actually, yeah, I’m struggling. Like, you know, I’m like, I didn’t think I can keep this up. I didn’t think I can keep losing weight like this. I didn’t think I can like keep fluctuating in weight and feeling so crappy every time I eat something bad. And yeah, and then like the pandemic hit and I was slowly starting to, I didn’t know until I started eating it, but I knew that I wanted to not diet anymore.

And so 2020 hit and obviously the pandemic hit and everything kind of changed and everyone was indoors and a lot of things happened. And this is when social media became very prominent in society because of the pandemic and no one could really catch up in person. And 2020, I guess, like I found you, I found you in 2020. And I think you’re the very first person that started talking about binge eating. And I was like, this is normal. Like people go through this, like I’m not alone.

Ryann

I didn’t know this.

Jeunesse

Yeah. And so I literally was like, there’s a way out. Like that’s when I started being like, wow, there’s literally a way out of this. I don’t have to feel this forever. In my head, I always just thought, I’m going to go through this and this is just going to be my life now. Because I know so many people still in that cycle, and I know so many people still yo-yo dieting and doing challenges and stuff.

I feel for them because that used to be me. And also around this time like I started going to a new church as well and there were really big encouragers at the same time as when I was finding pages like you. And so I started to see like a little bit of hope and stuff like that. I got engaged at the end of 2020. All my recovery, I mean it didn’t go out the window but it was a little bit more insane as well because wedding, weddings bring on a lot of, are you gonna lose weight for that dress? And like, what are you doing for your wedding dress and stuff like that. And at this time I joined F45 because I really wanted to get my fitness levels back up and stuff. And we finally were able to go back to the gym and I hadn’t had that during the pandemic. So as much as like I slowly recovered, I didn’t realize I needed a period of recovery also from the gym.

So when I kick started back into the gym, it kind of brought up all these things again. And I was like, wait, but I thought I’d recovered. But then because, but then now I’m like, as I’m getting further into my journey, it’s like you always have to choose recovery. And that’s what I’m learning. But back then I thought like, because I’d recovered that I wouldn’t go back and I didn’t have to like really work on it anymore, but yeah, because of the gym and like all those things about weddings and fitting into the perfect wedding dress. And, um, so mine was a little bit different. My wedding dress came from the Philippines and so it arrived probably four months before the wedding. And because in my head, I was like, I have to fit into this wedding dress. Like all my choices kind of followed. And so I did end up losing a little bit of weight, but at this point, like I’d stopped weighing myself.

Like I wasn’t measuring myself anymore. I wasn’t tracking calories anymore, but like I was still mentally restricting because of the food choices I was eating. And then I ended up getting really sick in the middle of all that. I ended up getting pancreatitis. I don’t know if you know what that is. But it’s really sore. And it was because of my food choices that, and I was so stressed as well because of the wedding and the pandemic. And I remember I ended up in the hospital for like only a night, but I’d already kind of struggled with pancreatitis stuff for a couple of years. Um, IBS sort of stuff as well.

Ryann

Yeah.

Jeunesse

So I ended up in the hospital because I was doing this detox thing and I was drinking like all these natural, um, like supplements and stuff, but it made me so sick, like I was fully throwing up every meal. It was, it was horrible. And again, people were commenting, Oh my gosh, you look so good. You lost so much weight. And I was like, I was just like, so over at that point. After the wedding, I got hit with COVID. And then I ended up breaking my toe.

Ryann

Oh my God, double whammy.

Jeunesse

But it was actually such a big blessing because I ended up like getting stuck into church more. I started to play bass again, which I hadn’t played music in such a long time.

Ryann

Aw.

Jeunesse

Yeah, and I started to, oh, I stopped the gym for like a couple of months and it was exactly what I needed. Like I obviously gained weight and stuff, but it doesn’t matter. And I just ended up like buying bigger clothes than what I was used to. And that’s okay. At this point, because I’d already told people like, please stop commenting on my weight, like I’d already set all those boundaries with people, they weren’t saying anything. And because I’d been pretty open on my social media like, you know, binge eating recovery, and I’ve been pretty open about like not commenting on people’s weight and like all that sort of stuff, my family slowly like started to be like, okay, maybe we shouldn’t come in and her vet anymore. And so people didn’t come in anymore. And like, it was really good because it’s been really helpful for my recovery.

So now, yeah, like now being on the other side with all that crazy stuff that happened, I am slowly getting there. Like I’m obviously not 100% like there yet. Like it’s an everyday, like I said, everyday work in progress. And like now I don’t weigh myself anymore. I don’t still like don’t measure myself and I make decisions based on my gut health, obviously, because it’s not that great, but also what I feel like. If I feel like a cookie, I’m going to have a cookie. If I feel like ice cream, I’m going to have ice cream. Like I have a very big sweet tooth and like I love baking and I’m not going to be ashamed of what I bake. And yeah, so like there are days where I’m like running from one place to another place, but I have to make sure I always get like a big breakfast to start off my day. And then during the day I eat like little snacky things, but they’re like filling snacky things.

And then have a big like dinner with my husband and like, we just talk about our day and like, you know, I’ve really implemented like not watching TV while we’re eating. I like just listen to podcasts when I’m eating. I sometimes still watch like videos on my phone, but still, it’s just like, you know, I’m still working my way up to food freedom and like all that stuff, like, and like intuitive movement. I’m working my way up. So thankfully my PT, she’s really great and she practices intuitive eating too, which is why I picked her. And she’s very understanding. If like, I don’t feel like working out that day, she’ll be like, yeah, fine, you don’t have to come today. If I feel like just going for a walk instead of lifting some heavy weights, like, she’s okay with that too.

Because I, yeah, like, like I said, I really struggled back in the day with gym stuff. And so now I have to like, really take a step back and be like, am I punishing my body today for what I ate yesterday? Or am I actually wanting to go to the gym. And more times now than before, I’m like, actually, I really wanna go. And they’re like, listen, wait. So it’s like brought in some like excitement again. Like, I don’t have to keep saying no to when people ask me to go to barbecues or like when people ask me to go out to eat, like, I’m not like, no. It’s like my, one of my girlfriends wants coffee and a muffin. Like, I’m like, yes, I’m there.

Ryann

Hell yeah!

Jeunesse

Like, if my friends just like, want to go out to like, eat at a pub or something, like I’m 100% there all the time. Also before I didn’t like drinking either, but like now I can have a drink or two and like, it’s fine. And yeah, I can have a quick Macca’s run with my husband and not feel guilty about that either. Slowly we’re getting there. I’m in a much better place now than I was before.

Ryann

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for sharing all that. I mean there are so many different elements of that that I relate to. Like the period when you were like, okay, like I did the weight loss challenge and then like it just went down from there and then I went and I did it again. I don’t think I’ve ever really talked about this, honestly, because it’s something that I feel like I’ve put out of my mind, but I too did something like that, where I paid the gym for a weight loss program, and it was called, you know, Biggest Loser, and it was also like 500 bucks, and I was 16. Like, why that was even allowed, I am unsure. And just the insanity of like, okay, that didn’t work, I’m gonna do this one. That didn’t work, I didn’t do this one. And I don’t see a problem. The problem is that I’m not losing weight. And like all of the denial and like the chaos that we go through until it’s like, wait a minute, what is happening?

Jeunesse

It’s crazy because you don’t like think that it’s gonna impact you.

Ryann

No.

Jeunesse

Until you’ve done it and you’re like, I’m not happy still. You know, like, like I got, I actually got to like my goal, weight loss, like I remember talking to my husband about it and I like had gotten to my goal, like that was my literal goal. I had like a number and that was my goal. And after this weight loss challenge, I had gotten to it, but I was still like, I need to lose five more kilos. And I remember like still going to the gym, but then after the weight loss challenge anyway, like I gained two kilos in that same week, just cause I was starting to eat everything again because I was literally like dying. And yeah, it’s just, it’s crazy to me because people, I still know people who are going through it, putting themselves through that, not realizing like there’s got to be another way, you know?

Ryann

Yeah.

Jeunesse

Because if, when I get to set point weight and I don’t even think it’s going to be close to what I envisioned my perfect weight to be.

Ryann

Yeah. Yeah.

Jeunesse

And that’s why I like always ask people like, cause I still have friends today who are like, if I get to this weight and if I get to this, then I’ll be happy, but I’m like, what’s stopping you from being happy right now? Cause I can guarantee you, if you’re not happy right now, in five years time, when you’ve achieved everything that you wanted, and if you’ve lost all this weight and you’re at this certain dress size or weight size, are you truly going to be happy if you’re not happy right now?

Ryann

Yeah.

Jeunesse

That’s what I like still struggle with on a daily. I think everybody does with like being enough right here, right now, with my life right now and finding purpose and like, like you say, why? And like these moments right here, because when you look back, do you want to look back at you struggling to lose weight and you paying for weight loss challenges and you being so hungry all the time you couldn’t even go out to your friend’s birthday party? Like, you know?

Ryann

Yeah.

Jeunesse

And now that I like look back at my old life, I’m like, I appreciate her because she did. She tried, you can’t blame yourself for not knowing back then. The important thing is, you know, now, and like, you know how to implement this moving forward. And I thank God that I found like you and all these other pages that like empowered me to love myself right now. And to seek like food freedom and like all that stuff because now when I have children I can tell them about it and they don’t have to grow up with that scarcity mindset that I had to.

Ryann

You’re changing the story.

Jeunesse

Yeah and they’re gonna be badass intuitive eaters.

Ryann

Hell yeah.

Jeunesse

They’re not gonna have to struggle with food the way I did or my husband did. You know like it’s gonna be great.

Ryann

I’m really curious to know when you went to treatment for the first time and you said like, I just wasn’t ready. Oh, I relate to that so much. What was the difference between then and then when you were ready?

Jeunesse

I’m not sure if it was the same for you, but for me it was environment and also mindset. Like it was a bit of both. Like I was in a really toxic relationship when I first went into recovery and then also on top of that I was just not in the mind state. Like because I was so worried about my relationship with the guy and I was also very worried about what people would think. Like why I was in recovery for and stuff like, cause no one knew at the time I was struggling and I didn’t open up about it. I think also that’s another thing, like I didn’t open up about my struggles. So when I went out, no one could support me. Like no one knew what to say. Like no one knew how to support me out of recovery and recovery back then also, they just had to get you to a certain stable weight, they had to make sure you were eating, but then they couldn’t keep you there. I feel like recovery is recovery, but a lot of recovery still happens at home.

So you leave recovery, but if you’re not mentally prepared to go home, you’re just not gonna do the work they teach you in recovery. So because I wasn’t ready and like my environment after leaving recovery was a little bit rough and a little bit like no one knew how to support me, no one knew how to say it’s going to be okay, I’ll be here with you, you know. Like just having that person to be like you’re going to be okay, it’s going to be fine, makes a big difference. And because I didn’t have that and I didn’t know how to recover outside of home, I just wasn’t ready. Like it just wasn’t time.

And once I went back to the environment I’d always been in, once I went back to school because I was at school at this time and absolutely no one knew, I went back to my old ways because everyone thought that was normal for me. So yeah, I guess to answer your question shortly, yeah, like just no one knew and so if you don’t open up, no one’s gonna know how to help you. I think a big part of recovery also, yeah, is to reach out for help.

Ryann

Yeah.

Jeunesse

Like have to tell people, hey I’m recovering from this, like I’m struggling, I need help. That is a very massive thing because then people are going to be like, oh, like I need to be there for you more. And yeah, sure, you might lose a few people. I definitely did. But if the people who are meant to be in your life will stay through all that bad recovery phase, you know, like, so.

Ryann

Totally. Oh, chills, chills. Denise, in honor of the Food Freedom Lab, what does food freedom mean to you?

Jeunesse

Food freedom is just being able to spend time with family and loved ones without feeling guilty for eating cake and cookies and dessert. It’s just, it’s made my life so much better, honestly. And made me closer to people too, because I’m not always thinking about food.

Ryann

Yeah, I love it. I love it. Thank you so much for sharing all of that. I mean, I know there’s so much of that that I relate to. And I think that just being able to hear like, oh my God, like, there’s so many similarities, but look at where you are now and look at what you’re experiencing now. It’s not easy. It’s not easy. And with you saying I’m not 100% recovered yet, that’s okay. But the fact that you’ve already made the major strides that you’ve made since 2020, huge. And you’re freaking doing it.

Jeunesse

Yeah. Recovery is possible for everybody.

Ryann

It is, it is. Thank you so much again. I so appreciate your time.

Jeunesse

Thank you for having me.

Disclaimer: If you have or suspect that you have an eating disorder, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical or health emergency, please call 911 or call for appropriate emergency medical help.