Her Best Self with Lindsey Nichol | Eating Disorder Recovery Podcast — Less Food Noise. More Life. EP 233: Be The Boss of Your Thoughts! The Triple Threat Tool ~ A 3-Step Framework to Stop Disordered Thoughts from Controlling Your Day
Tired of being held hostage by thoughts like "When can I eat next?" or "I need to work this off"? In this game-changing episode, Lindsey introduces her signature Triple Threat Tool that stops ED thoughts from spiraling and puts YOU back in control of your mind. Learn the exact 3-step framework to go from being controlled by eating disorder thoughts to being completely in control of your recovery.
Key Takeaways- You can't fight what you don't acknowledge, and you can't change what you don't challenge
- Your ED thoughts aren't actually YOUR thoughts - they're learned responses
- The Triple Threat Tool threatens the lies, the spiral, and the ED's power over your choices
- You're allowed to have the thought - but you don't have to believe it or act on it
- Deciding your comeback in advance stops spirals before they start
Purpose: Identify whether this is your ED voice or your authentic voice
How to Do It:
- Give your ED voice an actual name (Restriction Rachel, Control Freak Carla, Body Critic Betty)
- Separate the ED voice from who you really are
- Recognize these aren't YOUR thoughts - they're learned responses from diet culture
Example:
- ED Thought: "I shouldn't eat this cookie"
- Name It: "That's Restriction Rachel trying to control my food choices"
Purpose: Acknowledge the thought without giving it power
How to Do It:
- Refuse to let the ED voice drive the bus
- Thank the voice but decline to take orders
- Set boundaries with your ED thoughts like you would with a demanding person
Example:
- Tame It: "Thanks for sharing, Restriction Rachel, but I'm not taking orders from you today"
- Lindsey's Example: "Rachel, you've been fired. I'm in charge of my nourishment now"
Purpose: Replace ED lies with recovery-aligned thoughts
How to Do It:
- Create thoughts that feel true and move you toward recovery
- Not fake positive affirmations - authentic recovery truths
- Choose thoughts that serve your healing journey
Example:
- Frame It: "My body needs consistent fuel throughout the day, and this cookie is part of my recovery"
ED Thought: "I need to work out extra today because I ate something different last night"
- Name It: "That's Control Freak Carla"
- Tame It: "Carla, exercise isn't punishment for eating"
- Frame It: "I move my body because it feels good, not to earn or burn off food"
ED Thought: "I look disgusting in this dress"
- Name It: "That's Body Critic Betty"
- Tame It: "Betty, your harsh comments aren't welcome here"
- Frame It: "My body deserves to be treated with respect, and I choose clothes that make me feel comfortable"
- Is harsh, critical, and demanding
- Uses words like "should," "can't," "need to," "have to"
- Makes you feel anxious, guilty, or ashamed
- Wants you to be smaller, eat less, control more
- Is kind, curious, and flexible
- Uses words like "I choose," "I want," "I deserve"
- Makes you feel peaceful, empowered, or hopeful
- Wants you to be nourished, rested, and free
- "When can I eat next?"
- "What am I allowed to eat?"
- "How can I avoid eating?"
- "I need to work this off"
- "I shouldn't eat this"
- "I look huge in this outfit"
- "If I eat that, I'll gain weight"
- "I'm bigger than everyone else"
- "People are judging my body"
- "I'm disgusting"
- "You can't fight what you don't acknowledge, and you can't change what you don't challenge."
- "Your eating disorder thoughts aren't actually YOUR thoughts."
- "You're allowed to have the thought. There's no judgment in having an ED thought pop up."
- "You are not your thoughts. You are the thinker of your thoughts."
- "Your ED voice is loud, but your authentic voice is stronger."
- In front of the mirror when body image thoughts attack
- At meal times when food anxiety kicks in
- The moment any ED thought enters your mind - don't wait for it to spiral
- During social eating situations
- When getting dressed or shopping for clothes
- Before, during, and after exercise
- Give your ED voice a name (make it specific to your struggles)
- Identify your 3 most common ED thoughts
- Write out your Triple Threat response for each one
- Practice your comebacks - decide in advance what you'll say
- Use the tool immediately when any ED thought pops up
Situation: Standing in front of closet, choosing what to wear
- ED Thought: "You can't wear that dress, you look huge, everyone will notice how much weight you've gained"
- Name It: "That's Gina trying to make me hide my body"
- Tame It: "Gina, you don't get to dictate my wardrobe choices anymore"
- Frame It: "I'm choosing clothes that make me feel comfortable and confident in my recovery"
- Result: Wore the dress, had an amazing day, realized Gina's opinion had nothing to do with reality
- Food thoughts consume your mental energy throughout the day
- You spiral from one negative thought into restriction or shame
- You feel controlled by thoughts about your body or food
- You believe every critical thought about yourself
- You can't distinguish between ED voice and authentic voice
- You catch ED thoughts before they spiral
- You feel empowered instead of controlled by your mind
- You can enjoy meals and social situations without mental chatter
- You respond to body image thoughts with compassion instead of criticism
- You're present in your life instead of trapped in your head
If you want to learn how to use the Triple Threat Tool in every situation and build an entire toolkit of weapons against ED thoughts, go to www.herbestself.co and fill out an application to work with Lindsey.
Stop trying to figure this out alone. Your ED voice has had you for years - but it doesn't get to have your future.
Connect with Lindsey- Website: www.herbestself.co
- Private Facebook Community: www.herbestselfsociety.com
- Client Applications: www.herbestself.co/services
Lindsey Nichol is a former competitive figure skater turned God-led entrepreneur, boy mom, and digital CEO. She created the Triple Threat Tool during her own recovery journey and now teaches women how to boss around their ED thoughts instead of being bossed by them.
If this tool empowered you, please share it with someone who needs to learn how to control their ED thoughts. Your support helps more women discover they don't have to be held hostage by every thought that pops into their head.
*While I am a certified health coach, anorexia survivor & eating disorder recovery coach, I do not intend the use of this message to serve as medical advice. Please refer to the disclaimer here in the show & be sure to contact a licensed clinical provider if you are struggling with an eating disorder.