Key Takeaways
- An eating disorder is a severe mental health condition estimated to affect up to 9% of all Americans.
- Nobody chooses to have an eating disorder, but with the proper support, it is possible to recover.
- Use our 22 empowering eating disorder recovery quotes for an instant pick-me-up while healing.
An eating disorder is a severe mental health condition that impacts all aspects of your well-being.
It’s important to know that nobody chooses to have an eating disorder, and its development has been linked to a combination of genetic, social, biological, and psychological factors (many of which are out of your control).
Your physician or specialist must diagnose you before you can start treatment.
Your treatment plan may include individualized therapy, outpatient support, group therapy, journaling exercises, and self-help tools to assist with your recovery.
Inspirational quotes may help reinforce a positive mindset and promote strength when your motivation to recover feels low.
To get you started, we’ve created 22 quotes you can refer to during eating disorder recovery.
Keep reading to get inspired and learn why working with a dietitian could aid healing.
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What is an Eating Disorder
Living with an eating disorder can warp your relationship with food and preoccupy most of your thoughts.
The National Institute of Mental Health defines eating disorders as mental health conditions characterized by severe disturbances in a person’s eating behaviors and related thoughts and emotions. Common eating disorders include anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.
Other types include:
- Rumination.
- Pica.
- Specified feeding and eating disorders, including orthorexia and night eating syndrome.
- Avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
- Unspecified feeding and eating disorders.
Reasons to Recover From an Eating Disorder
You may have wondered what recovering from an eating disorder could look like.
The good news is that the changes positively affect your mental and physical well-being.
After recovering (or possibly during recovery), you should feel more energetic and at peace around food.
Here are a few other benefits of recovering from an eating disorder.
- It improves your mental well-being.
- It increases self-esteem and confidence.
- It can enhance your physical health.
- You can learn how to enjoy food intuitively.
- You can build a healthy relationship with your body.
- You can improve your overall quality of life.
If you’re ready to address your relationship with food, consider reaching out to a dietitian specializing in eating disorders for individualized support.
20 Inspirational Eating Disorder Recovery Quotes
Repeating inspirational quotes can lift you up on days when you need positive self-talk. Here are 20 inspirational eating disorder recovery quotes you can try.
For Self-Love
1. I am more than my eating disorder, and it does not define me.
2. I am practicing self-love by healing my relationship with food.
3. I am worthy of love, always.
4. I choose to leave behind relationships or social media accounts that are hindering my recovery.
5. I am capable, strong, and resilient.
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For Motivation
6. My life has meaning and purpose, and I will get through any challenges that come my way.
7. Ups and downs are a normal part of recovery, and I don’t “fail” if I have a slip.
8. Food is essential, and eating helps me have the energy to be social, active, and present with my loved ones.
9. I will measure my progress by tracking happy or peaceful moments throughout the day instead of monitoring my food intake.
10. I am on my own healing journey and don’t need to compare myself to others.
To Improve Body Image
11. My outer appearance is one small part of my identity, and it doesn’t define me as a person.
12. I don’t need to look a certain way just because society tells me to.
13. I choose not to criticize my appearance anymore. I will give myself compliments instead.
14. My body size does not determine my self-worth.
15. My thighs are some of the most important muscles in my body because they help me stay mobile, and I am grateful for them.
16. My arms allow me to hug my loved ones (including pets), and I am grateful for them.
For Hard Days
17. Today was hard, but I’m proud of all my progress throughout my healing journey.
18. I’m not alone in my recovery. I have a supportive, non-judgmental team I can contact when I need help.
19. My eating disorder voice is not my voice. Every day, I get stronger and more capable of challenging it.
20. I did not choose to have an eating disorder, but I am doing the work to recover.
21. My recovery journey will take time, but every small step forward helps me heal.
22. Feeding myself is not a punishment; it helps me flourish and have energy.
Other Ways to Stay Motivated
Other self-help techniques you may want to explore include visualization techniques.
They help you picture a solid mental image of your future, which can be motivating.
There isn’t any research linking it to help with eating disorders. Still, you may find it inspiring to imagine how your life could be different after recovering from an eating disorder.
Sit in a quiet, comfortable space sheltered from distractions to practice this technique.
Close your eyes and try to relax by doing some deep breathing—take a long breath in for three seconds and exhale for three counts.
Repeat this until you feel calm, then imagine a version of yourself in the future that has recovered from an eating disorder.
Try not to focus on physical appearance, but instead, ask yourself:
- How do you feel (happy, excited, giddy, mellow, calm, etc.)?
- What activities are you doing (swimming, running, grocery shopping, road trips, etc.)?
- Who’s with you (family, friends, co-workers, etc.)?
You can write down descriptions of these visualizations and refer to them when you need inspiration.
Takeaway
Recovering from an eating disorder takes time, and you need to feel mentally and physically ready to take that step.
You should use professional resources throughout your healing journey, such as receiving nutrition and mental health counseling from licensed healthcare providers.
Also, using self-help tools, like quotes or visualization techniques, between appointments may help you stay motivated as you recover.
Try repeating any of our inspirational quotes when you need an instant pick-me-up.
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How a Dietitian Can Help
A dietitian is a nutrition expert and licensed healthcare professional.
They work closely with your healthcare team to provide holistic care that can help you heal from an eating disorder.
During your nutrition appointments, you’ll review your current nutrition intake, and your dietitian may recommend dietary changes to ensure you get enough energy and can satisfy your nutrient requirements.
Your dietitian will never push you to eat foods you aren’t comfortable with. Instead, they’ll provide a supportive and compassionate space for you to voice your thoughts and concerns.
They are your ally and want you to feel empowered as you recover.
Work with Nourish
At Nourish, all appointments are online, and you’ll have 55 minutes with your eating disorder dietitian.
We work closely with insurance providers nationwide to help you get paid visits.
We’re proud to share that 94% of our users pay zero dollars out of pocket.
Download the Nourish app to stay connected between visits with your dietitian.
You can quickly message your dietitian and gain access to other resources.
Find a dietitian who accepts insurance through Nourish.
Do you have any of these insurances?
Frequently Asked Questions
A good quote is subjective, but here’s a suggestion for a good quote referring to eating disorder recovery: “My recovery journey will take time, but every small step forward helps me heal.”
Here are three good, short, positive messages:
- I am more than just my eating disorder.
- I am practicing self-love by healing my relationship with food.
- I am worthy of love, always.
