What is real recovery according to me

Ok, so this post will be a bit of a thought and ramble post. This is what i think Full recovery means to ME. Though everyone is different and not all of these will apply to people who are fully recovered because not all of these apply to normal and healthy people. But this is just what i personally feel that  if you are fully recovered you would be ok with these things... but these can also be things you can look forward to!!!


Staying up late watching films with your family/friends/partners and eating lots of snacks such as chocolate, crisps, ice cream etc and being ok with it!

Going to the shop and buying whatever it is you are craving! Are you craving bagels with cheese for a snack... go buy it! Are you craving a fresh berry smoothie? Go buy those ingredients. You want a questbar with almond butter as well as a whole milka oreo chocolate, go enjoy that!

You look forward to going out to eat with friends or family. 

You can look forward to spending time with friends, family, partner. 

You dont plan your days around working out or your meals... but that they are just part of your life. You cant workout one day because you need to study extra long on a group project? Thats fine. You  dont get to eat your normal snack because you go for ice cream with a friend and you're ok with that.
  Infact its YOU who enjoys suggesting to go out to eat.

You can do things spontaneously, not worry about plans or routines or habits. You can travel and just live. Take each moment as it comes, not panic or worry about what you eat, whether you ate too much or too little or didnt exercise.
   In my opinion, worrying about whether you eat too little isnt a good thing either... i mean, if you do lose weight easily then you might want to be more cautioous of not eating too little for a longer period of time, but you shouldnt just panic because one day you eat a little less (this is if you are healthy!)

Looking forwad to the future and being able to plan things and not be stuck to routines or habits that hold you back from doing new things or experiencing something new.

Spending a whole day, or 5 whole days in bed watching films or series because that is what you want to do.

Or being super happy and energetic for your morning run, or your workout...  (And NO not everyone likes to workout. THAT IS FINE. This is just examples from me!)

For the most part being happy to wake up, that you feel life is worth living even if some days are tough.

Being happy in your body and not caring what others think of you, not caring how others look. But just being able to smile and feel confident in your own body.

Being able to ask for help when needed.

Being able to cope with things that might be tough.

Real recovery is enjoying food, enjoying life, living life, having hopes, dreams and goals. Able to cope with the ups and downs. Be spontaneous, follow rules but also break rules. Make choices, be happy, cry tears of joy and tears of sadness. Be angry, be irritated, be free. Do what you want to do, make choices that make YOU happy, that bring you forward in life. Dont keep repeating past mistakes or stand and stomp in the same place. Real recovery is about happiness and health, whatever that may mean to you. They are different to everyone which is important to remember.

You can read this post about: What happens after recovery
There is life after an eating disorder

(2011 vs. 2013)