A Crucial Positive Affirmation for Eating Disorder Recovery

Positive affirmations in eating disorder recovery can be life-savers. "I am more than a body," is one of the most crucial eating disorder mantras to adopt because one of the harmful myths an eating disorder will urge you to believe is that physical appearance is all you can offer this world. But the truth is you are more than a body. Adopting positive affirmations in eating disorder recovery helps you heal, and here's what makes this one affirmation crucial.

The shape of your torso, width of your thighs and bone structure of your face are not the deciding factors of who you are. It's crucial to realize that, as a human being, you possess three core attributes—body, mind and spirit. Together they form a holistic and integrated person, but when the body is hyper-scrutinized, the mind and spirit become ignored, segmented or disconnected from your whole self. However, you can nourish these mental and spiritual qualities with positive affirmations for eating disorder recovery by affirming that you are more than a body until it becomes your recovery mantra.

Why Is this Positive Affirmation for Eating Disorder Recovery Crucial?

Affirming that you are more than a body leads to body acceptance.

This image-obsessed culture tends to emphasize one narrow, physical standard, but each body is just as unique, diverse and nuanced as the individual within. The socially constructed idea of a "perfect body" that's lean-but-not-too-lean and strong-but-not-too-strong cannot exist in reality. In fact, assuming that everyone should conform to a distinct size or shape violates the science of human anatomy, making this an unsustainable—and often dangerous—benchmark for most people to strive for.

Each body has a genetic setpoint which determines the natural weight range needed in order to function. This setpoint can fluctuate within 10-20 pounds, but when your weight drops below that threshold, your metabolism adjusts to conserve energy and regain a healthy setpoint. Due to this biological process, a one-size-fits-all body measurement is both outrageous and impossible. Understanding the fallacy behind that cultural message can help you become more body positive and receptive to the inclusion and acceptance of all bodies—even your own.

Examples of Positive Affirmations for Eating Disorder Recovery

Whenever you begin to fixate on the curves of your stomach, cellulite of your arms, creases of your skin and other perceived "flaws" that need to be tucked, tightened or toned, remember that you are not just a physical being. Instead, you're a sum of the experiences, character traits, relationships and idiosyncrasies that make you different from anyone else. A body is something you have—it can never define who you are.

The next time you catch yourself attaching worth to appearance, keep these positive affirmations for eating disorder recovery in mind. They're beneficial in my own healing process, and they just might help yours, too.

1. You are the snorts of laughter sputtering from your nose.
2. You are the tears that flow without shame or restraint.
3. You are the billboard top-40 songs blaring on your radio.
4. You are the motivational quotes taped onto your mirror.
5. You are the life talks you've shared over Starbucks lattes.
6. You are the voice that's not afraid to speak its raw truth.
7. You are the flaming red sunsets on brisk autumn nights.
8. You are the campfires enjoyed with the closest of friends.
9. You are the acts of kindness impacting someone's life.
10. You are the passion and intensity that will not be contained.

Sources

1. Center for Clinical Interventions. Set Point Theory.