“You’re too much.”
“You have no self-control.”
“Good foods” vs. “bad foods.”
“I feel fat.”

Language is powerful. The words we hear, as well as the ones we say to ourselves, can shape how we see our bodies, our worth, and our recovery. In eating disorder recovery, part of healing is unlearning harmful messages we’ve internalized and reclaiming words that were once used to shame, control, or diminish us.

Why Language Matters in Recovery

Language influences how we think, what we believe, and how we behave. When someone says “You look so healthy” it can trigger anxiety or misinterpretation for someone in recovery. When we say things like “I feel fat,” we reduce a complex emotional experience to a judgment about our bodies. Words can become internal scripts.

The good news? They can also be rewritten.

Words We’re Reclaiming — and Redefining

1. Healthy

Used to mean: “You’ve gained weight.”
Now we reclaim it as: “I am nourishing my body. I am respecting my needs.”
Healthy isn’t a look — it’s a process of care. It’s about mental, emotional, and physical well-being, not a size or a number.

2. Enough

Used to mean: “You’re too much” / “You’re not trying hard enough.”
Now we reclaim it as: “I am enough exactly as I am.”
We’re reclaiming enough as a boundary-setting, self-affirming word. Enough food. Enough rest. Enough just by being.

3. Fat

Used to mean: An insult or a fear.
Now we reclaim it as: A neutral body descriptor, not a judgment.
We reclaim fat as one of many body types — not as something bad, not as something to avoid. Reframing this word helps undo fatphobia and opens the door to body diversity and acceptance.

4. Control

Used to mean: Restricting, punishing, over-exercising.
Now we reclaim it as: Choosing what aligns with healing.
In recovery, control doesn’t mean obsession — it means owning your choices, setting boundaries, and learning how to respond (not react) to emotions and urges.

5. Full

Used to mean: Guilt, discomfort, “too much.”
Now we reclaim it as: A sign that our body is doing its job.
Full is not the enemy. It’s feedback from your body that you’ve honored your needs. In recovery, fullness becomes something we learn to sit with — and eventually, to trust.

6. Indulgent

Used to mean: Shameful, “bad,” unnecessary.
Now we reclaim it as: Deserving, joyful, satisfying.
You are allowed to enjoy food. You are allowed to eat something just because it tastes good. Reclaiming indulgent is about making peace with pleasure.

Rewriting the Script

Recovery isn’t just about changing behaviors — it’s about changing the narrative. The more we become aware of the language we use, the more we can rewrite it in ways that support healing, not harm.

Here are a few journal prompts to reflect on:

• What words have been used to shame or define me in the past?
• Which of those words do I want to reclaim?
• What new definitions or meanings feel more truthful to me now?

There is nothing wrong with you for having internalized harmful language. But healing is possible. You get to choose the words that build you up. You get to rewrite the story.

You are not “too much.” You are not “less than.” You are whole, worthy, and in the process of becoming free.

 

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We look forward to connecting with you soon!