Can You Fully Recover from an Eating Disorder? What Full Recovery Really Means
Eating disorder recovery is a long, vulnerable process and is never linear. While in recovery, many wonder if full recovery from their eating disorder is even possible. In active recovery, eating disorders can feel all-consuming, and recovery and healing may feel like a faraway or impossible destination to reach. While the road to full recovery may be difficult, it is absolutely possible and worth the time and effort.
As a dietitian, I hear from clients often that it feels like their eating disorder will never go away or ease, and it is one of the greatest moments when I see their recovery strengthen over time as they prove themselves wrong.
What Does “Full Recovery” Really Mean?
Full recovery means the eating disorder no longer impacts one’s life emotionally, mentally, and behaviorally. While eating adequately and ceasing behaviors are major goals, full recovery is more than that – it means that food isn’t controlling your life, and your body doesn’t feel like a battlefield. There will still be difficult days, but recovery means learning to trust yourself to get through them and no longer engage in disordered behaviors.
Full recovery from disordered eating & an eating disorder include:
Freedom around food: Eating without guilt, shame, or obsessive thoughts
Body respect: even if you don’t love every part, you don’t punish or fight your body
Emotional resilience: Using tools beyond food to cope with life
Life expansion: Engaging in relationships, work, joy, rest, and spontaneity
Full recovery looks different for all my clients. It has looked like eating regularly and adequately with more ease and effort, being able to eat at any restaurant without fear or guilt, and coming to sessions with more life updates than to discuss challenges with food or body image.
Some may say that recovery is a lifelong process or that you will always be “in recovery.” At SBSN we believe that full recovery is possible, even if it takes time, relapses, and a lot of support. The research suggests that full recovery rates vary widely, but we see improvements when there is early intervention, strong support, and long-term care. Many recovered folks go on to live completely free from their eating disorder thoughts and behaviors.
What’s the difference between being “recovered” and being “in recovery?”
Full recovery takes more than just eating more or stopping behaviors– it’s deep work. It includes healing relationships with food, body, emotions, and control.
Key Areas to Work On:
Body image healing – practicing neutrality, respect, and, eventually, trust
Emotional coping tools – learning how to feel and manage emotions safely
Belief shifts – unlearning diet culture, perfectionism, and worth = weight beliefs
Support system – therapy, dietitian, group work, community
Some “aha” moments clients have that help them realize they’re truly recovering: noticing they listened to their hunger/fullness appropriately after the fact, recognizing how differently they handled and felt about a situation like eating out, or noticing food/body thoughts become less and less frequent.
Even if it doesn't feel like it right now, full recovery is possible! Healing is a long journey, so reach out for support and stay committed through the ups and downs.
The Role of a Dietitian Nutritionist in Eating Disorder Recovery
Outpatient MNT is appropriate for those who are medically stable and motivated to change. A dietitian on our team will help develop a unique plan tailored to your or your loved one’s specific nutrition needs. We provide comprehensive care and often collaborate with other providers during treatment, such as therapists, doctors, psychiatrists, or speech-language pathologists.
If you're ready to take the next step in your recovery, our dietitians at Side by Side Nutrition are here to help. We’d be honored to support you on your journey.