When I'm recovered

To me, fully recovering from anorexia will mean being completely free to live the life I want to live. I will consider myself fully recovered when I can do the folowing things.........

Eat when i'm hungry

For me this will mean that I am able to trust my hunger cues and listen to them intuitively. If I am extra hungry one day, I will eat more and if I don't have a big appetite other days, I won't eat quite as much. I will not only eat at my usual meals times. Sometimes I might sleep in and miss breakfast and other days I will eat between meals just because I feel like it. If I am full before I completely finish my plate and dont want to keep eating, I will be able to stop.

Eat what I feel like

I won't feel as though I have to eat any particular foods. I will not plan meals and will be able to just eat what I am craving at that particular time. I will go to a restaurant and order exactely what I feel like without letting any other thoughts influence my choice and if I want dessert, I will have it. I will not necessarily eat a chocolate bar everu single day but If I ever crave chocolate, I will have some.

Stop counting calories

I will not count calories and will not feel uncomfortable about not knowing how many calories I eat each day. I will not have to make sure I eat a certain amount of calories throughout the day and will still be healthy as I will be giving my body the energy it needs by listening to it. I will never feel the need to measure or weigh any food as I will not feel anxious or what that I am eating too much.

Exercise for enjoyment only

I will not feel as though I can't exercise or that I need to limit my exercise, when I want to exercise because my body will be strong and healthy enough to cope with it. I will never feel guilty for not exercising If I am too busy or if I am injured or unwell. I will only exercise when I genuinely want to, purely for enjoyment purposes.

Comfortably eat food prepared by others

I will be able to eat any food that is cooked by other people and I will be able to enjoy it. I wont feel anxious or scared about how it was prepared and I wont think about how many calories it contains as I honestly wont care. Socialising will become easier for me as I can easily go and stay with friends or spend days away without having to worry about taking my own food or what I will be eating.

Enjoy a day shopping

When I am recovered I will be able to enjoy a day shopping with friends or even on my own. I won't have trouble finding clothes that don't hang off of me and I won't need to look in the childrens section to find something that fits. I will not look in the mirror and critisize myself. I will be able to instead look at the things I like about my body and appreciate the fact that I am healthy and strong.

These are just a few of the things that I feel I must be able to do before I will classify myself as fully recovered.