ways to make mealtime easier
Eating disorders are commonly misunderstood as being only about eating, exercising and restriction. However, if you or a loved one has ever struggled with an ED, you know the real issues lie beneath the eating disorder behaviors. With that being said, food is necessary for survival and is needed every day, multiple times a day. Because of this, those in recovery must find a way to eat even when they’re still struggling with ED thoughts and behaviors. I have come up with a few of my favorite tips for making mealtimes easier in your recovery.
Eat with someone who supports your recovery
Having support in the moment is very helpful for anyone struggling with an ED. If you are seeing others eat around you in a normal and healthy way, it will help you to feel a little more comfortable.
If you’re family (or whoever you typically eat with) is not supportive of your recovery or contributes to negative food talk, try texting with a friend before or after the meal. Even during if you’re able to! This can help you feel supported even if someone isn’t physically eating with you.
Make a picture card
When I was in treatment for my eating disorder years ago I made a gift for a friend to help her through her meals. She was a mother and always had photos of her kids with her. I made her a little card she could bring to meals that had photos of her children on it. That way she could look at it during meals and feel comforted even if they weren’t physically with her. If you’d like a full tutorial on ways to do this – leave a comment in the comment box!
Distract during the meal
If you do have a supportive environment during your meals, suggest playing games or bringing up an engaging topic of conversation.
JOURNAL!
Journaling is a powerful tool for anyone getting through a challenging time. For those in recovery from an eating disorder, it can be especially helpful because it is common for individuals in recovery to have a difficult time labeling their feelings. Journaling before and after your meal may provide some extra insight into the underlying feelings you’re having regarding that meal. Try this worksheet I made about making mealtime easier in recovery. This worksheet is free and can be downloaded instantly!