7 Do’s and Dont’s To Recover from Eating Disorder

Recovery from an eating disorder may be a struggle. Treatment professionals will mostly tell you a lot of things you “can” do. Although the doctor may have the best interests at heart, they do not always discuss the activities that you can stop doing while you try to get better. There are a few tips to remember while you strive to heal from an eating disorder.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up

Feeling self-critical frequently goes along with many other symptoms of eating disorders, so it doesn’t serve to empower you or serve you heal. Alternatively, being excessively critical of yourself will intensify feelings of guilt and unpleasant reactions that you can have, exacerbating an otherwise stressful situation. Act to remain motivated and use reinforcement techniques to help combat self-critical thought.

Don’t Insist That You Can Recover on Your Own

Evidence suggests that people with eating disorders are most likely to benefit from a specialist support program in place. In most cases, determination, self-help books, and independent jobs cannot override the professional advice of a therapist, dietitian, and physician. Many specialists have years of experience and preparation to support you on the journey to healing.

Don’t Keep Your Condition a Secret

Keeping secrets about tough things in your life will lead to feelings of guilt and discourage you from asking for support when you need it. Use people who have gained your trust when it comes to revealing your story. If they know what’s going on, they ‘re more likely to be there in ways that can benefit you.

Avoid Skipping Meals

Setting up a daily diet routine and sticking to it is one of the successful ways to avoid binge eating. Skipping food can lead to cravings and raise the risk of overeating.

Small 2-month research found that consuming one big meal a day can raise blood sugar levels and the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin to a greater degree than eating three meals a day.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking lots of water every day is an easy and efficient way to relieve cravings and avoid overeating. In reality, studies indicate that increasing water intake may be related to reduced malnutrition and calorie intake.

For example; one study of 24 older adults showed that consuming 500 ml of water before eating a meal reduced the calorie consumption by 13 percent compared to the control group.

Eat More Fiber

Fiber travels slowly through your digestive system, leaving you feeling full longer. Many studies show that increasing fiber consumption may reduce cravings, reduce appetite, and improve food intake.

A limited, 2-week study showed that supplementation twice daily with the form of fiber showed in vegetables reduced appetite and calorie intake while increasing fullness.

Start Hitting The Gym

Studies suggest that adding exercise to your routine could avoid binge eating. For example; a 6-month study of 77 people found that an increase of weekly exercise duration prevented binge eating in 81% of participants.

Another research in 84 women showed that combining cognitive behavioral therapy with physical exercise was substantially more effective in decreasing the incidence of binge eating than therapy alone.

Reference: https://www.verywellmind.com/things-to-stop-if-you-have-an-eating-disorder-1138275

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/how-to-overcome-binge-eating#section8

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