Friendly Reminders For Anyone in ED Recovery (from a recoverED teen)
- mae
- Aug 16, 2023
- 3 min read
"Every small step you take toward recovery is a victory worth celebrating. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge your efforts."
Congratulations on taking the IMPERATIVE step of choosing recovery. Slowly but surely, you are moving past the chains of disordered eating and moving towards living a free, LIVED life. I'm so proud that you are changing your mindset (I know it's hard to break old habits) and not letting food fears/anxiety stop you from enjoying the little and big moments, as well as consuming your thoughts.
However, I know that our mind/self is the biggest challenge we need to overcome. In the end, it's often our thoughts that cause us to relapse. These are some reminders that I hope help you in ED Recovery the same way they helped me in my journey (and remember: every journey is different)!
Life is too short to not live it up to the fullest
imagine you are 80 years old, and you look back on your life and wish you could go back to your 20s, when you could move, explore new towns, try new forms of movement, go out with friends, watch the sunset, etc...but then you realize you spent those years worrying about the size/weight/appearance of your body. Not only do you feel like you wasted your years away, but you also realized those years went by way too fast. Right now, ED recovery IS hard, but it is the ANSWER.
You will be much happier with a better relationship, not a “healthy” or skinnier body
In the end, we don't care about appearances as much as we care about personality. Wouldn't you feel safer in a compassionate presence? Wouldn't you laugh more with a humorous person? Disordered eating takes these traits away from our personality, causing us to focus on stress/anxiety and the superficial aspects of ourselves, rather than focusing on maintaining relationships with our loved ones or the personalities within ourselves. As I said before, life goes fast! So take the time you have right now to focus on relationships.
You need to fuel yourself if you truly want to grow
When you were a kid, did your parents ever say you need to drink milk to grow? Or you need to eat because you are growing? Even if the milk statement isn't true, the foundation itself is true enough. We need food to grow, whether that means growing taller or supplying our body with the nutrients we need to actually fuel our body's cells. Facts are facts.
The hardest moments are also your strongest moments
Think about it. If you can push past this, what else can you accomplish? Aren't you curious about how much farther can you go? When I think back on my journey, I went pretty far, and I KNOW you can, too.
Recovery is worth it
Need I explain more?
Your worth is not defined by your body’s shape, size, weight, or color
You are beautiful inside and out. You don't need a number/quantity to define that. Don't people repeat the phrase quality over quantity for a reason? Focus on the quality of which you are treating your body. Stop focusing on the quantity/numerical values of it all (including calories, weight, and measurements). When you shift your focus on providing your body with whole foods, cravings, and mindful movement, health becomes much easier to manage.
People have/will remember you for your personality, not your looks or what you ate on a random Thursday
What did you eat on August 2, 2010? Can't remember? Thank you for proving my point.
Eating less nutritious food is always more healthy than restricting the food to attain a “healthy” and “clean” diet
Restriction leads to cravings, which leads to bingeing. Stop the cycle. It starts with this step. Listen to your body, mental hunger, and gut. Your body knows you best.
Remember, you've got this. Progress is NOT linear. And we never have failures; we only have steps that lead us to success.
I hope this helped your mindset! Follow my Instagram for more content and share this post if you know it will help someone.
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