What is Health? A Compassionate Reminder for Eating Disorder Recovery

For anyone navigating an eating disorder, whether you’re in recovery, newly diagnosed, or somewhere in between, the idea of “health” can feel confusing, scary or even overwhelming. In a world that often equates thinness, rigid diets, or perfect workouts, with health, it can be easy to internalise harmful beliefs.

But here’s the truth: health is not a size, a weight, or a look. It is a collection of behaviours—not rules—that help you feel safe, nourished, whole and, support both mental and physical wellbeing.

You Are More Than a Body

We all have a body, but it is simply a vehicle that caries us through life and we are so much more than how our bodies look. Eating disorders thrive in environments where bodies are judged and wellness is reduced to appearance. Recovery challenges those norms by asking: What if health isn’t something you achieve through control, but something you reclaim through compassion?

You are worthy of care, rest, and nourishment—right now, in the body you’re in.

Health Behaviours That Matter (and Have Nothing to Do With Size)

Instead of measuring health by a number on the scale or how “clean” you eat, let’s focus on long-term, sustainable behaviours that can gently support healing and wellbeing:

Eating regularly and adequately:

Honouring hunger and fullness cues can be difficult in recovery, but practicing consistent, non-restrictive eating is a huge act of self-care.

Restoring a peaceful (and flexible) relationship with food:

All foods have a place. Giving yourself permission to eat without rules, without judgement or guilt will help you heal your relationship with food and, actually, allow you to feel more in control overall.

Moving for enjoyment (if and when it feels safe):

Movement does not have to be punishment. In recovery, rest is often more healing than exercise. When movement is reintroduced, it should be joyful, flexible, and non-compulsive. Think of when you were a child, did you ride your bike for fun, dance in the kitchen, rum because it felt right in that moment? That’s the type of mindful, ejoyable movement we’re talking about.

Prioritising rest and sleep:

Nope, this does not mean you are “lazy”. Your body needs time to restore and repair from the physical and emotional toll of an eating disorder. Sleep is not a luxury, it really is a key pillar of overall health.

Tending to emotional well-being:

Mental health is health, stop thinking there is something to be ashamed of! Therapy, journaling, creative expression, and boundaries are all valid health-promoting practices.

Community and connecting with others:

Supportive relationships help buffer stress and remind you that you're not alone. Health is nurtured in connection, not isolation.

Practicing body respect:

You don’t have to be all signing and shouting “body love” goddesses, BUT, we do need to work towards having body-acceptance. This means treating your body with respect: feeding it, dressing it comfortably, and allowing it to take up space.

A Gentle Reminder

Health is not about chasing a certain body type or about control!

Health is not a size. It is a relationship—with your body, your needs, your values, and your life.

And recovery - imperfect, ongoing, scary, frustrating, beautiful - it’s choosing to put yourself and your health centre stage and say, “I deserve this, I am worth this”, because, trust me… you are!