STRATERGIES AND ADVICE
- TO RECOVER FROM AN EATING DISORDER YOU MUST LEARN TO:
- Listen to your feelings.
- Listen to your body.
- Trust yourself.
- Accept yourself.
- Love yourself.
- Enjoy life again.
ASK FOR HELP
The first thing to do when recovering from an eating disorder is to ask for help. A trusted friend, family member, religious leader, school
counselor, or work collegue are perfecr people to gain support from to take the next step. If you are not confident enough to explain your illness, you might find it more comfortable seeking help from a councellor or a nutritionist.
DO'S & DONTS
Do…
- allow yourself to be vulnerable with people you trust
- fully experience every emotion
- be open and accepting of all your emotions
- use people to comfort you when you feel bad, instead of focusing on food
- let your emotions come and go as they please without fear
Don’t…
- pretend you don’t feel anything when you do
- let people shame or humiliate you for having or expressing feelings
- avoid feelings because they make you uncomfortable
- worry about your feelings making you fall apart
- focus on food when you’re experiencing a painful emotion
LEARN HEALTHY EATING HABITS
Stick to a regular eating schedule.
You may be used to skipping meals or fasting for long stretches. But when you starve yourself, food becomes all you think about. To avoid this preoccupation, make sure to eat every three hours. Plan ahead for meals and snacks, and don’t skip!
Challenge your strict eating rules.
Strict rules about food and eating fuel anorexia and bulimia, so it’s important to replace them with healthier ones. For example, if you have a
rule forbidding all desserts, change it into a less rigid guideline such as, “I won’t eat dessert every day.” You won’t gain weight by enjoying an
occasional ice cream or cookie.
Don’t diet.
Healthy eating—not dieting—is the key to avoiding weight gain. Instead of focusing on what you shouldn’t eat, focus on nutritious foods that will energize you and make your body strong. Think of food as fuel for your body. Your body knows when the tank is low, so listen to it. Eat when you’re truly hungry, then stop when you’re full.