Tips For Recovery
Positive Things About Recovery
- More head-space for hopes and dreams
- Stopping the cycle of negative, shaming, depressing, sick thinking
- Getting lost in laughter
- Regaining trust
- Having eyes full of Life
- Finding an identity outside of food
- Enjoy food?? YES!!
- A social life? THAT TOO!!
- Discovering worth beyond the number on the scale
- Life less interrupted (without going to treatment and whatnot)
- Having a less judgmental head
- Better body temperature regulation
- Self love
- Self acceptance
- Physical activity for FUN
- The option to procreate
- Experience emotions, not just be numb
- More energy!
- More joy
- Family and friends aren’t that worried anymore
- In the morning, not dreading the day to come
- Freedom from the insidious monster (Ed)
- Physical strength, weariness diminished
- Negating the lies that are screaming when confronted by a mirror
- No more body comparisons
- So much less anxiety ( when further along in recovery )
- A mind for beautiful creative thinking, not calculating calories
- Glow-y skin
- To help others
- Enjoy Life
- Making goals
- Beating death
- Having pride for accomplishments (well deserved)
- Gratitude for little things
- Confidence
- Motivation
- Having Hope
- Genuine smiles
- Being able to inspire someone
- Saying NO when necessary and not feeling so guilty
- Things can actually be funny
- Progress not perfecktion
- Breaking problems into baby steps, more manageable, higher chances for success
- Being able to relax
- Eye contact
- Staying in the moment
To Improve Body Image: Courtesy of NEDA
- Put away your scale.
- Laugh it off.
- Dress to feel comfortable.
- Draw attention to parts of your body you are proud of.
- Walk proud.
- Put away your skinny clothes.
- Start the morning with good grooming.
- Recognize that your thinking about your body may be distorted.
- Realize you are not being singled out because you think you have gained weight.
- Be comfortable and familiar with your body.
To Cope with Eating
- Change the subject when other people talk about food, weight, or body size and shape.
- Set a routine – eat three well-balanced meals that are satisfying.
- Make menus for a day ahead of time and post them.
- Eat with people who do not bug you about eating.
- Make lunch your main meal.
- Have a back-up plan for eating if you can’t eat a meal.
- Develop a support system for times when eating has been a problem.
- Plan things to do at times when other people are snacking.
- Avoid alcohol. It is a set-up for a binge.
- Occupy yourself after a meal.
- Walk away from the table after meals.
- Plan healthy snacks.
- Eat healthy foods instead of junk foods.
- Make meals ahead of time.
- Plan meals a day ahead of time.
- Make a date to eat with someone.
- Set your meal times 4 to 5 hours apart.
- Don’t buy binge foods.
- Make a shopping list and stick to it.
- Eat before you go to a party (Do not go hungry).
- Set a time limit for eating.
- Make sure to enjoy more about your meal than just the food.
- Stay away from bathrooms after meals.
- Start the day with breakfast.
- Make decisions about eating and stick to them.
- If you have trouble knowing when you are hungry, plan to eat regularly.
To Control Urges to Binge
- Work on hobbies and handcrafts.
- Go for a walk.
- Watch a movie.
- Take a risk. Do something different.
- Talk to and pet animals.
- Don’t take extra money when you go out.
- Shop.
- Take a nap.
- Clean (for yourself, not for others).
- Give up childhood by looking at the past; pictures, scrap books, etc.).
- Talk with someone supportive.
- Avoid the kitchen when you walk in the door.
- Take a walk before coming into the house in the evening.
- Listen to music.
- Take a warm shower or bath.
To Deal with Feelings after a Binge
- Forgive yourself.
- Allow yourself to feel forgiven.
- Find something else to do.
- Get away from your eating place.
- Talk with someone else. You may or may not talk about your eating behaviors.
- Nurture yourself even if you don’t feel like it.
- Try self-talk. Say you do not look any different than you did a few minutes ago.
- Get yourself back on track with routine eating.
To Improve Your Self-Esteem
- Start the morning with self-care, grooming to feel your best.
- Acknowledge your feelings.
- Be creative (crafts, music, clothing, etc.).
- Look back on awards and achievements.
- Display a “brag wall.”
- Keep a scrapbook or photo album handy to review proud moments.
- Make a checklist of accomplishments.
- Learn something new.
- Become an expert at something and talk about it.
- Assert your opinion when you feel confident.
- Take a self-defense class.
- Allow yourself to feel angry.
- Ask for help and support.
- Allow yourself to be good enough, not perfect.
- Accept compliments without reservations.
- Take a self-awareness or assertiveness class.
To Tell Yourself You’re Okay
- Set short term goals one day at a time.
- Look at the positives of being away from your symptoms.
- Anticipate good times and how you might handle bad times.
- Forgive yourself.
- Keep a diary and write your good and bad feelings.
- Encourage yourself with self-pep talks.
- Tell yourself that you are normal.
- Tell yourself you need to eat to keep your energy level up.
- Review your strengths.
- Mark a calendar every day you keep symptoms in control and look back at your own improvement.
- Allow yourself quiet time.
- Get satisfaction from relationships rather than from food.
- Tell yourself your number one priority is your health.
- Remember the positives of not getting involved with symptoms.
- Make a transition from work to home with a quiet time.
To Nuture/Reward Yourself
- Shop for yourself.
- Take a bath.
- Set money aside for a goal.
- Vacation.
- Wear clothes that have special meaning for you.
- Wear perfume.
- Ask someone else to give you a foot or back massage.
- Get your hair or nails done.
- Listen to music you like.
- Snuggle.
- Have lunch with a friend-make the food secondary.
- Window shop.
- Buy yourself flowers.
- Call a friend.
- Read a novel.
- Pretend to be a child, then consciously return to being an adult.
- Go to a movie.
- Pat yourself on the back.
- Tell yourself you have done well.
- Allow yourself to vegetate.
- Buy new makeup.
- Steal time for yourself even if you are busy.
To Deal with Feeling Isolated
- Be a volunteer.
- Go someplace where you can be with people even if you do not want to talk.
- Call a supportive person.
- Join in a group game.
- Join an club.
- Make eye contact with people around you; smile and be open to others approaching you.
- Plan activities with friends or family.
- Read to someone else.
- Develop a hobby and go to specialty meetings.
- Join a choir or a band.
To Deal with Tension
- Accept your feelings as they are.
- Cry, scream, let it all out.
- Make yourself a “scream room” where you can be loud.
- Shout into a pillow.
- Designate a pillow as someone you are mad at and talk to it.
- Punch a pillow, your mattress.
- Be assertive about your rights.
- Avoid small upsets that accumulate to a big blow up.
- Exercise but remember that exercise can’t replace saying what is bothering you.
- Use humor.
- Learn to relax.
- Practice saying your feelings to a mirror or tape recorder.
- Keep a journal.
- Change the subject.
To Hold Your Own Assertively
- Expect and extend courtesy to and from everyone-even your family.
- Acknowledge the other person’s rights.
- Say what you want, but be willing to negotiate.
- Say what you need and insist on your rights.
- Assume you are on equal standing with everyone.
- Allow yourself time outs to feel mentally stronger.
- Keep good eye contact but do not stare.
- Keep yourself open to other people by looking around.
- Use your support system and ask for positive feedback.
- When things are not going well, do not assume it is all your fault.
- Clarify what is going on; ask other people.
- Accept your own feelings, choose if you want to act on them.
- Understand that you may not have a choice. You may have to disagree but go along. Let people know you disagree and then get on with it.
Great Post very helpful! xx
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