Set Goals to Recover From Anorexia
Patients recovering from the physical and mental consequences of anorexia need to set achievable goals. Anorexia is a disease that cannot be eliminated by a single drug or a miracle therapy that eliminates poor perceptions of self-image. A series of short- and long-term goals can help you recover from anorexia while building a healthy amount of self esteem.
Instructions
1. Build up your body's endurance and strength with a reasonable set of exercise goals. You should work out 5 days a week, alternating between light-weight work and cardiovascular exercises. Get a free consultation from a trainer about a gradual increase in exercise that won't harm your progress.
2. Set a goal to increase your caloric intake gradually as you recover from anorexia. Most doctors will agree that a balanced diet consisting of 1,500 calories is necessary in the early stages. In the later stages of recovery, your diet goals should lead you to eat 3,000 calories a day to put on weight.
3. Accomplish the goal of eating small meals each day to build up your body weight while strengthening your confidence. You should consume your daily calorie requirements in five-to-seven smaller meals to keep energy levels high throughout the day.
4. Maintain a journal of positive thoughts about your appearance and actions while you recover from anorexia. You should make at least one entry each day using positive language about something you accomplished to build up your self-esteem.
5. Decrease the number of times you measure your weight during the week as one of your recovery goals. Anorexia patients will measure weight several times a day. You should slowly pull yourself away from the scale until you check weight only once a week.
6. Eliminate the food rituals that are common among anorexia patients. You should gradually remove rituals, such as cutting your food excessively and tasting food without swallowing, that help you avoid eating.
7. Learn the goal-setting methods of fellow anorexia patients in local support groups. You can use the philosophies of other anorexic patients as tools for reassessing your goals and testing your assumptions about anorexia.
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