Bulimia Recovery, Body Work & Self-Acceptance: A Conversation with Pilates Studio Owner Laura Ceppelli

Disclaimer: This conversation reflects lived personal experience and is not medical advice. If you or someone you love is struggling with disordered eating, please reach out to a qualified healthcare provider or support organization. Recovery is possible, you don’t have to do it alone.

In this honest and vulnerable conversation, Barcelona Pilates studio owner Laura Ceppelli opens up about her 24 year journey through bulimia and her path toward recovery. Laura wrote a personal essay for the Pay It Forward Book Series: Notes To Your Younger Self where she shares how her bulimia affected her self-worth and relationships. Laura discusses the power of movement, especially yoga, Pilates, and breath work, as positive coping mechanisms that helped her reconnect with her body and mind. She also highlights the role of writing as release, reprogramming the subconscious, and the empowerment that comes from finally sharing her story. Throughout the episode, Laura reflects on the evolving conversation around body image, strength, and self-acceptance, emphasizing the importance of community support, healthy tools for healing, and understanding that recovery is an ongoing, personal journey.

TAKEAWAYS

Bulimia can exist in silence. Laura lived with bulimia for 24 years while “ticking the boxes of life,” proving that many people suffering appear outwardly fine.
Body work helped Laura reconnect to herself. Pilates, movement, and breathwork strengthened not only her body, but also her emotional regulation and mind-body connection.
“Nourishment” replaced calorie counting. Becoming a mother and business owner helped her see food as fuel and care, not something to control or restrict.
Positive coping mechanisms can replace harmful ones. Yoga, Pilates, breathwork, writing, and meditation became healthier outlets and tools for emotional processing.
Self-worth affects relationships. Low self-esteem showed up in dating choices, people-pleasing, and not knowing how to advocate for herself.
Memories of shame can imprint deeply. A small childhood moment became embedded as guilt, showing how trauma can be subtle but long-lasting.
Community and support matter. Even though recovery is deeply personal, movement classes, family, motherhood, and writing helped Laura stop feeling alone.
Laura doesn’t claim to have “the solution.” She emphasizes that everyone’s recovery looks different. What she can offer is honesty, hope, and the belief that recovery is possible.

CHAPTERS

07:15 Reflections on Self-Worth and Healing

10:34 Understanding Bulimia as an Addiction

13:10 The Impact of Relationships on Self-Worth

15:51 The Journey to Recovery and Nourishment

18:35 The Role of Yoga and Physical Activity in Healing

20:54 Ongoing Recovery and Awareness of Eating Disorders

21:20 Finding Balance in Life and Work

23:11 Positive Coping Mechanisms and Personal Growth

24:34 Reprogramming the Subconscious Mind

27:18 The Journey of Self-Acceptance

31:47 Overcoming Shame and Guilt