NUTRITION HOTLINE: Criteria for Recovery?
By Diane Keddy, MS, RD
Reprinted from Eating Disorders Recovery Today
Spring 2007 Volume 5, Number 2
©2007 Gürze Books
Q: How will I know when or if I am recovered?
A: Experts cannot agree on a set of criteria for recovery from anorexia, bulimia, binge eating disorder, or eating disorders not otherwise specified. However, factors to be considered include:
- Maintaining a healthy body weight with normal menstruation (for females)
- Maintaining a healthy body weight with normal testosterone levels (for males)
- Normal laboratory data including protein and iron levels
- The ability to eat any food without guilt, anxiety, or the need for compensatory behavior (i.e., purging, restricting, or exercising)
- The ability to use alternate coping mechanisms when stressed
- The ability to eat when hungry and stop when comfortably full
- The ability to eat a varied diet with 3 meals and 1–3 snacks per day
- Being able to live a joyful life where eating disorder thoughts and behaviors do not interfere with enjoyable activities
- Being able to eat restaurant meals and feel comfortable
- Accepting that no body is perfect and having a positive body image.
