3 Tips to Navigate Body Image Changes in Eating Disorder Recovery
Eating disorder recovery is a challenging journey that can be characterized by a variety of physical and mental challenges. One of the most common challenges that an individual may experience is changes in the physical body. This can cause emotional distress and create recovery obstacles. Navigating these changes can be difficult, and it is a very important and necessary component of eating disorder recovery.
3 Tips to Navigate Body Image Changes in Eating Disorder Recovery
Work with a team of professionals
It is crucial to have a treatment team in eating disorder recovery. Eating disorder recovery involves emotional, physical and behavioral work and therefore, it is recommended that a treatment team include the client, a therapist, registered dietitian and medical doctor at minimum. Your team will be able to support you in all aspects of body changes, amongst the other challenges along the way in recovery.
Separate your core values from your eating disorder’s values
A lot of the time, there is minimal crossover between what your authentic self values and what your eating disorder values. This is especially true when it comes to providing your body with what it needs to function properly and what you desire to find fulfillment in life. This lack of separation of self from eating disorder is often responsible for feeling ambivalent about experiencing body changes. You may find that your eating disorder’s values are keeping you from experiencing and living your core values.
Cultivate body neutrality
Utilizing self-compassion, professionals often find it is helpful for their clients to work towards a place of feeling neutral about the body. This means coming to a place of where we can honor the body’s needs with a sense of body respect without feeling obligated to hate or love the body. You do not have to love your body to be kind to your body. You do not have to love your body to take care of your body.
Remember, what doesn’t challenge you doesn’t change you! We understand how difficult the body image piece of eating disorder recovery is. We make it a point to always work on this with our clients and meet them where they are at in the process.
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At Namaste Nourished we understand finding a treatment team for eating disorder recovery can feel overwhelming. We are here to make that process as smooth as possible, providing you with the proper support, guidance, nutrition education and behavior change tools to help you on a path of life that you want to experience.