“You feel tired? That’s because you’ve been eating too many sweets.” “You have a headache? Must be from the soda you drank earlier.” “You have acne? Of course, that’s because you had potato chips yesterday.” “Your pants are feeling a bit tighter than usual? Well, that’s what happens when you eat white flour.” If you have an eating disorder, these thoughts might sound familiar. You believe that everything you eat will immediately impact how you look and feel. Feel good? Then you must be eating well. Feel bad? Then eat better. Your eating disorder will jump at every chance it gets to make you fe ..read more

“You feel tired? That’s because you’ve been eating too many sweets.” “You have a headache? Must be from the soda you drank earlier.” “You have acne? Of course, that’s because you had potato chips yesterday.” “Your pants are feeling a bit tighter than usual? Well, that’s what happens when you eat white flour.” If you have an eating disorder, these thoughts might sound familiar. You believe that everything you eat will immediately impact how you look and feel. Feel good? Then you must be eating well. Feel bad? Then eat better. Your eating disorder will jump at every chance it gets to make you fe ..read more

To perform means to entertain an audience. Actors perform when they dress in costume and play the role of a character. Singers perform when they stand on stage and belt the lines to a song. Athletes perform when they practice their sport. A performer is anyone who performs for others to see. Unfortunately, many people approach recovery like it’s a performance. They put on a show to entertain their audience (friends and family members). They want to be applauded and patted on the back for eating. There’s nothing wrong with wanting or needing encouragement. It feels good when your hard work is ..read more

To perform means to entertain an audience. Actors perform when they dress in costume and play the role of a character. Singers perform when they stand on stage and belt the lines to a song. Athletes perform when they practice their sport. A performer is anyone who performs for others to see. Unfortunately, many people approach recovery like it’s a performance. They put on a show to entertain their audience (friends and family members). They want to be applauded and patted on the back for eating. There’s nothing wrong with wanting or needing encouragement. It feels good when your hard work is ..read more

Happy Friday, friends! It’s been a while. To be honest, I haven’t given my blog much thought or attention lately, for a couple reasons. The first is that I’ve been busy. Between work, school, and maintaining a social life, it isn’t easy to squeeze blogging into my schedule. I’m hoping that will change soon. But I make no promises. The second reason I’ve been MIA is that I’ve been working on another writing project. And I’m so excited to announce that it’s finished! Last month, I published a book, Taste and See: A Guide to Eating Disorder Recovery! It’s written directly to those who struggle wi ..read more

Thanksgiving is a week away. I’m already looking forward to having a slow, relaxing day at home with my family. But I know not everyone feels the same way. For those with eating disorders, the holiday season is a time of guilt, anxiety, and high stress levels. So I’ve created a guide to help you through this week of Thanksgiving festivities. Talk to an adult or family member about how you’re feeling. Let someone know upfront that this is a difficult time for you. Ask them for accountability. Be specific about the kinds of thoughts you’re having. Getting it all out into the open allows other pe ..read more

I’ve talked about perfectionism before, but I wanted to talk about it a little more in depth because I think a lot of people who struggle with an eating disorder also struggle with perfectionism. Both boil down to a sin problem. I struggle with perfectionism everyday. I pressure myself with unrealistic expectations, and when I don’t perform at or above the set bar, I punish myself. Then I’m left to wallow in a puddle of self-pity. It’s a vicious cycle, really. Perfectionism is more than just working hard or trying your best. It’s the compulsive urge to do things perfectly. It’s the fear of fai ..read more

Anorexia doesn’t have a look. It’s not a weight condition. It’s not a “thin person’s disorder.” It’s a mental illness. A person can be anorexic at any size, regardless of what doctors or medical personnel say. I hate the term “atypical anorexia” because it implies that people in larger bodies aren’t “sick enough.” It reinforces the idea that you must get below a certain weight to have anorexia. Someone with atypical anorexia meets all the criteria for anorexia except drastic weight loss. When a person is told they have atypical anorexia, they hear, “I’m not being taken seriously. I’m not reall ..read more

Today is Saturday, April 4, 2020 – another day in quarantine. But the skies are clear and the sun is shining, so I can’t complain. It’s been a while since I last wrote, and it’s crazy how much has changed the past couple months. So I just wanted to drop in and leave a bit of encouragement for those that read this. Anyway, we’re living in such a weird time, and I wish I had answers. But I don’t. Many people are worried, confused, and desperately searching for toilet paper. Yes, this is real life. But on a more serious note, I understand the feelings of fear and angst. This isn’t ..read more

Today is Saturday, April 4, 2020 – another day in quarantine. But the skies are clear and the sun is shining, so I can’t complain. It’s been a while since I last wrote, and it’s crazy how much has changed the past couple months. So I just wanted to drop in and leave a bit of encouragement for those that read this. Anyway, we’re living in such a weird time, and I wish I had answers. But I don’t. Many people are worried, confused, and desperately searching for toilet paper. Yes, this is real life. But on a more serious note, I understand the feelings of fear and angst. This isn’t ..read more