As an Eating Disorder Recovery Coach, I work with clients around the world full-time to help them achieve full recovery. I also allow my clients to text me at any point in the week with questions related to recovery. So, you can imagine I get asked a lot of eating disorder recovery questions! Many people have similar, if not the exact same questions, so I thought I would highlight some of the most common questions I get asked in this article. Remember, you are not alone. 28.8 million Americans will struggle with an eating disorder at some point in their lives. You are strong, powerful, and completely capable of achieving full recovery!

1. How long will it take to get to full recovery from my eating disorder?

I really wish I knew the answer, but the timeline is different for everybody. I get asked this question a lot, in almost every single consultation call I have with prospective clients. Unfortunately, no one will be able to give you the answer you are looking for, including me. I know that it makes it more challenging knowing there is no guaranteed timeline, but I can tell you that it helps if you are ready and willing to put in the work. I spent years in and out of recovery, going through the motions without an internal spark. When I found that internal spark and discovered that I was willing to take action and achieve full recovery, my life changed! I believe we all have the power to achieve full recovery. You just have to figure out your “why” and the rest of the pieces will fall into place.

2. What would I do in session with an eating disorder recovery coach?

We set weekly goals and utilize specific skills to retrain your thinking and change your behaviors. We celebrate the small victories and develop the best methods for handling your triggers. I am also available to you outside of session 24/7 via text support for challenging moments. Please reach out if you have any questions about what coaching entails! I also wrote a longer blog post here that may shed more light on eating disorder recovery coaching.

3. Was there a specific moment you realized you were healing from your eating disorder?

There was not a “lighting bulb” moment where suddenly everything changed for me. Although certain aspects of physical health can be measured, eating disorders are complex, and full recovery is healing the mind, body & soul. As I moved through recovery stages, I slowly recognized that triggers were losing intensity, food & exercise no longer controlled me, & joy was returning to my life. It was a collection of small moments pushing me forward to the realization that I was free. Those same practices that led me to full recovery also keep me at peace now.

4. How do I survive weekends in eating disorder recovery? It is so hard for me when I am not completely distracted by work. It’s like my brain won’t shut off.

You aren’t alone in feeling particularly challenged on the weekends! This is one of the most common eating disorder recovery questions I get asked. Finding balance on the weekend was very difficult for me in recovery…I lived in extremes for so long, absolute isolation or total chaos. One of my top tips for clients experiencing the same extremes is to establish some kind of balance on the weekends. Try to develop a healthy mix of interacting with friends but also make time to slow down and check in with yourself. This balance helped me reach recovery and continues to make my work week incredibly productive. My weekend non-negotiables include 3 daily meals, movement outside, meditation, and time catching up with friends and family.

5. Is it normal to feel so emotional in recovery? (very common eating disorder recovery question!)

Yes, it is completely normal to experience waves of emotions throughout recovery. Throughout your eating disorder, you used negative behaviors to help cope and numb you from the pain of feelings associated with anxiety, depression, shame, or trauma. When you begin to replace the unhealthy behaviors with new coping skills, you create space for the suppressed feelings. It is normal to experience mood swings as you get back in touch with yourself. In recovery, we work hard to increase self-awareness. Once we recognize our feelings, we can begin to understand our motivations and behaviors. Your feelings & emotions are crucial to recovery. If you are feeling emotional, then please know you are normal and on the path to recovery. I encourage you to process your emotions with an eating disorder specialized therapist. You can find local resources using this database provided by The National Alliance for Eating Disorders.

6. What are some of your favorite resources that I can use to empower myself in recovery?

I recommend fully completing the 8 Keys to Recovery from an Eating Disorder book and workbook by Carolyn Costin. I also recommend following recovery accounts & listening to recovery podcasts to immerse yourself in the recovery world. A few of my favorite eating disorder recovery Instagram accounts include @drmorganfrancis, @kirstenhunneyball, @itsryannnicole, and @wakeupandsmelltherosay. Some of my favorite eating disorder recovery podcasts include The Eating Disorder Diaries, Curious About Recovery, and The Eating Disorder Therapist. And, my favorite thing to do is make an eating disorder recovery vision board where you can have a visual representation of your goals that you look at every day-when you wake up and right before you go to bed. Check out my blog article on how to make an eating disorder recovery vision board here!

I hope I have answered a few of your eating disorder recovery questions. I am sure you have many, many more. And that’s okay! Eating disorder recovery is challenging, and if you feel confused, you are not alone. If you would like more support on your eating disorder recovery journey, I would be honored to work with you. Please contact me here for 1:1 private eating disorder recovery coaching.

Merrit Elizabeth

Merrit Elizabeth is an Eating Disorder Recovery Coach certified by The Carolyn Costin Institute. She holds a master’s degree in Health Promotion Management and has years of experience working with women with eating disorders.