Two Important Skills For Managing Weight Gain Fears in Recovery

Is a fear of weight gain and a changing body holding you back in eating disorder recovery?

In the latest episode of Fear Less, an audio series on The Recovery Warriors Show podcast channel, hosts Jessica Flint and Andrea Wells explored two essential skills to better manage fear and anxiety around weight gain and body size.

Keep reading to discover the power of facing weight gain fears head on, and embracing the unknown to unlock your true potential in recovery and beyond.

Anxiety in Recovery

Anxiety, a more elaborate form of fear, can often hinder the ability to fully participate in life and achieve full recovery from an eating disorder.

However, by developing two essential skills, managing uncertainty and managing discomfort, you can learn to navigate anxiety around weight gain and embrace the unknown.

In this article, we will explore these two skills and how they can help us overcome our fears and anxieties around weight gain.

Skill 1: Managing Uncertainty

Uncertainty is an inherent part of life, but it can greatly contribute to a fear of weight gain in recovery.

The fear of the unknown, particularly when it comes to what will happen to your body if you recover, can often hold you back from taking risks and going outside of your comfort zone.

By learning to manage uncertainty, you can cultivate resilience and embrace the possibilities that lie ahead.

Step into what makes you uncomfortable, and get practice in tolerating not knowing.
Jessica Flint

To manage uncertainty, it is important to shift your perspective and recognize that not knowing the outcome is not a sign of failure or incompetence. Instead, it is an opportunity for growth and learning.

Putting Skill 1 Into Practice

One effective way to manage uncertainty is by focusing on the present moment.

Practicing mindfulness and self compassion, along with grounding techniques can help redirect attention away from future fears around weight gain and bring you back to the present.

Remind yourself that right here, right now, you are okay. And that no matter what happens, your body size is not your worth.

By being gentle with yourself and shifting focus to what you can control in the present, you can approach uncertainties with a clearer and calmer mindset.

Skill 2: Managing Discomfort

Discomfort is an essential and transformative aspect of eating disorder recovery, but it is often associated with anxiety, fear, and avoidance.

You may tend to avoid discomfort because it challenges you and pushes you out of your comfort zone. It can feel safer to avoid nourishing yourself and embracing body changes because these things are so uncomfortable, both physically and mentally.

Choosing avoidance means spending a life on the sidelines.
Jessica Flint

However, by actively managing discomfort, you can confront your fears head-on and gain confidence in your ability to cope and overcome obstacles.

Putting Skill 2 Into Practice

To manage discomfort and face it head on, it’s crucial to acknowledge and confront your emotional state. By embracing your fears and anxieties in the recovery process, you can better understand their underlying causes and work towards resolving them.

Taking action in the face of discomfort is another vital aspect of managing it. By stepping out of your comfort zone and taking calculated risks, you can gradually expand your boundaries and build resilience.

Remember, the best things in life are on the other side of fear.

From Weight Gain Fear to Body Peace

Overcoming fears around weight gain requires a proactive approach that involves mastering two essential skills: managing uncertainty and managing discomfort.

By embracing the unknown, you can cultivate resilience and open yourself up to full recovery.

Remember, fear and anxiety around weight gain are natural parts of the recovery process. It’s through these experiences that you have the opportunity to learn, evolve, and create a life that aligns with your true passions and desires, rather than a life ruled by food and body struggles.

I realized that I don’t need to have a small body to live my dreams, and achieve my goals.
Andrea Wells

By incorporating these essential skills into your life, you can rise above the fear around a changing body, and embrace the bigger life that awaits in eating disorder recovery.

So, let’s embrace the unknown and take a step towards a life of courage, growth, and fearing less.

Take a listen to the full episode to hear the body image fears that hosts Jessica Flint and Andrea Wells are overcoming, and join in as we continue the Fear Less journey together, one episode at a time.