Tag: ed recovery
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Don’t Believe These 3 Common Myths About Eating Disorders
It’s Eating Disorder Awareness week. Yet, I’d argue most people are already aware of eating disorders. However, they likely don’t have an accurate picture of one one looks like. That’s why I want to dispel three eating disorder myths many people believe. We all know of the thin, young, white, middle to upper class girl…
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7 Years Later My Belly and Life Are Much More Full
WOW! Seven years ago today I returned to treatment. For the third time. I didn’t even know if recovery was possible for me. I was almost 42 years old and ashamed I couldn’t get my life and food “under control.” The only thing that scared me more than gaining weight was the idea of living…
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5 Things You Need to Know About Body Love and Acceptance
The terms body acceptance and body love have been floating around a while. They pop up in hashtags, magazine covers, out of psychologist’s mouths. But what are they? And how do you attain them? For decades I was haunted by poor body image. I’d spend hours picking apart every inch of my reflection in the…
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Important Recovery Truth: I Don’t Get to Control My Weight
Recovering from an eating disorder, dieting, and disordered eating is a long process. Filled with ups and downs. It’s easy to get stuck in a middle place. Somewhere between sinking back into food/body hell and the side of recovery that feels like freedom. One single mantra helped me finally make the leap from struggle to…
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Why You Need An Amazing Theme Song in Recovery
Do you have recovery song? Or your own personal theme song? If this sounds ridiculous, hear me out. Keep reading… At the risk of dating myself, I admit Ally McBeal was one of my favorite TV shows back in the day. Filled with hilarious story lines the show was about a quirky lawyer working with an…
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Gaining Weight? How to Handle Fear of Judgment
For years I worried about gaining weight. I was paralyzed by fear that everyone I know was judging my body. Desperately wanting to hide my shape-shifting body behind baggy clothes, thoughts of my body constantly swirled in my head. As I pushed myself to let go of restricting and dieting, those worries grew larger. “What…
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8 of the Best Recovery Resources I’m Grateful For
The holidays used to fill me with panic and dread. But since recovery from disordered eating and dieting, my mind has shifted focus. Free from hours of obsessing about food, exercise, and my body, I now have much more time to focus on what I’m thankful for. That’s why I want to share 8 recovery…
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Eating Disorder Recovery Tattoo: Why It’s So Helpful
I gave myself a very special gift for my 44th birthday. It’s an eating disorder recovery tattoo. NEDA’s (National Eating Disorder Association) symbol for recovery is weaved inside a butterfly with the world “allow” is underneath. My eating disorder recovery tattoo is a symbol of metamorphosis. It represents my recovery and freedom from anorexia and bulimia. And although…
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14 Things Your Loved One With An Eating Disorder Wants You To Know (but is afraid to tell you)
Eating disorders are prevalent, complicated, and often stigmatized. People struggling with an eating disorder typically have difficulty speaking up and expressing their needs directly. I’ve been fortunate enough to have some very well-intentioned and supportive friends and family in my life. Sadly, there are many times they’ve made comments or asked questions that were harmful to…
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Surviving Difficult Emotions- Only Way Out is Through
Standing in a busy doctor’s office, medical professionals buzzed around me. On a table, my anxious four year old sat clutching his arm. He was waiting for them to put a bright orange cast on his broken wrist. His wide eyes stared at me; panic stirred in my belly. I made my best attempt to look calm…