What are the signs of recovery?
This “recovery roadmap” is invaluable for my patients to see signs along the way and to know they are on the road to recovery.
- Eating occurs at regular intervals and is guided primarily by physical rather than emotional hunger
- Metabolic rate, if measured, is restored and maintained at a healthful level
- Weight for height, age, and gender is restored to a healthful range
- For females, menstruation is achieved and maintained without oral contraceptives
- Skin health, dental health, body temperature, hair growth and digestion are restored to normal
- Healthy body composition (lean body mass and body fat) is restored and maintained
- Caloric intake is appropriate for maintaining body composition
- Purging behavior is absent
- Use of diet pills is absent
- Excessive exercise is absent
- Binge eating is absent
- The ability to tolerate (even enjoy) a wide variety of foods is maintained
- The ability to tolerate normal shifts in weight (3-5 lbs) related to such factors as hydration, illness, seasonal and age related changes.
- Weight gain does not deter from eating well
- Acceptance of genetically determined body type, size and shape.
- The ability to take care of ourselves and effectively cope with problems without resorting to eating or food related behaviors.
- Feelings of connectedness to self and others.
- Having an eating disorder and/or engaging in any ED behaviors no longer makes sense.
*Tamara Pryor, PhD
Clinic Director
The Eating Disorder Center of Denver
Tamara is the clinical director at The Eating Disorder Center of Denver and a Fellow with the Academy of Eating Disorders. Her expertise has been recognized in the field of eating disorder treatment and in the clinical and research arena for decades.