Eating disorder recovery can be a long process which requires continuous effort. Due to the strenuous recovery journey, developing critical self-care tips is important. Learning how to manage your emotions towards food and yourself will help you develop a healthy outlook on eating, food and diet.
However, if your eating disorder is having a negative impact on your everyday life and functioning, it is important that you reach out for professional support.
Changing Your Eating behaviour
Changing your perspective on your eating behaviour and diet can be a time consuming and long process. It is therefore crucial to shift your mindset and give yourself time to make progress.
Mindful Eating
Emotional hunger has been associated with mindless eating, and so practicing mindfulness while eating can be a great way of allowing yourself to enjoy a meal while reinforcing the positive experience of eating.
Reflect over your emotions: Whilst taking time to reflect, think about how you are feeling emotionally and why. This might help you have a better understanding of why you are emotionally eating and how to respond differently next time.
Reflection of cravings: Before giving in to your cravings, try to think about the times you are craving food, and give yourself a chance to make different decisions. Instead of telling yourself that you’re not allowed to have what you want, set a certain time in the week where you can allow yourself to enjoy a treat.
Turn off anything distracting: If you do decide to give in to your cravings, switch off from any distractions as this can make you less aware of what and how much you are eating.
Portion control: Avoid eating straight from the bag or the box. This way, you will become more aware of much you have eaten and help you avoid overeating.
Do not deprive yourself of food
Avoid depriving yourself from food. Instead, try to eat satisfying amounts of healthy foods and snacks, such as fruit and nuts. Food deprivation can lead to binge eating followed by feelings of guilt and frustration, and hence reinforcing the cycle of your emotional eating behaviour.
Always remember that food is a source of energy and nutrients for your body to function optimally. Your body requires different amounts of macronutrients and micronutrients, and when you deprive yourself from these, it can have a negative impact on your health.
For instance, choose meals high in protein and fibre which provide you with sustainable energy throughout the day and keep you fuller for longer. A low-protein diet can often lead to fatigue and lack of energy.
Eating disorder Treatment
Suffering from an eating disorder can feel lonely and isolating. You might try to hide your behaviours because you feel ashamed and embarrassed, or you are afraid that others may judge you.
Targeted therapeutic interventions will help you challenge inner self talk that drives you to maintain unhelpful behaviours, and teach you how to tolerate stress and other emotions without the need to turn to food as a way of coping.
At WeightMatters we have designed a bespoke eating disorder help plan, Rebalance, which combines nutritional support with psychological therapy.
Our Dietitian will guide you towards recovery, and will help you take control of your eating, even if you are scared and unsure of the changes you need to make.