Im recovering from an eating disorder?

Ive struggled with my eating habits and body image since my freshman year in high school. Im now a freshman in college, and Im trying very hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Im eating better and I exercise every day, but Im still having trouble accepting myself and my body. Even though my actions may be healthier, I am constantly thinking about what I am eating, when and how hard I should be working out, and overanalyzing my body. I am so tough on myself, but I dont know how to stop. I am recieving help, but I wanted to ask some more people for any advice. If you can relate, what little things do you do to inspire or motivate you and to take your mind of your body?
Thanks!

First of all, congratulations on overcoming something so difficult. I know a lot of people who have suffered from eating disorders, and it is a difficult thing to overcome. This has shown that you have a lot of strength, and you should admire that strength within yourself. Find something about yourself that you love. This may be your smile, your brain or your funny sense of humor. Think about what makes you feel good about yourself and who are you usually around when you feel at your optimum? This is definately a mind over matter issue. Most of all, don't compare yourself to others. This is hard to do, and we all do it. The thing to realize is that we are all different genetically. This means different bone densities, structures and muscle composition. What may look "big" to you, is probably not big to others. Do what makes you feel good, but don't beat yourself up if you miss a few days exercising, or if you eat some delicious chocolate (my favorite! =) Focus on what you are eating when you eat. Try not to watch TV when you are eating, and really enjoy every bite. This will bring a different attitude on towards food.....or at least help. I think we all struggle with this, so please don't feel bad. Unfortunately, we are raised in an environment where pelvic bones are in. This has got to change, so lets unite and bring a different body image to women across America =) Keep up the good work.

i have the same problem. i've been over my disorder for like 6 months now! although thats not very long im really proud. haha.

i think paying attention to what you eat and how much you eat is important, so i try not to think of how my body looks, rather, how im keeping it healthy. i loovee to go shopping and find a really cute pair of jeans or a bathing suit and try them on, and think to myself that not a lot of people have the body i have and i should be proud of it. going to the gym and toning my muscles helps a lot too! any kind of reassurance. :)

Work out hard and long. Watch EVERYTHING you eat. The time you spend worrying about your image , instead worry about your next step in making it better.

No one will tell you what will really work. This is an answer that takes WORK. It uses your negetivity to make you feel better.
Educate yourself on how to improve, find new problems to improve on once you have become bored wth the WORK of improveing the last skepticism. Then look beyond yourself.... but , why not first get closer to perfection?

Go to the gym and STAY there, talk to people there and ask questions and listen to the answer.

I have an eating disorder and I posted a the same question. Some of the people put some great advice, if you want to look at it then just go to my profile and go to my questions and I think it is named Anorexia... so yeah read some of that.
Good Luck, I know how you feel it seems impossible to recover from this.

i have never had a eating disorder but when i feel down about myself i tell myself 3 good things about me and if you can have a best friend tell you what they love about you it can help a lot also

the bible may help. jesus loves you just the way you are.

I have had eating problems in the past. The problem is it lessens, but never completely goes away. I'm 28 now and I have been in recovery for years, but I still struggle. I have found it gets better with age, the older you get, the more balanced you become, the more you learn to love yourself. I know it sounds like you've heard it all before, but believe me, it is true. Accepting who you are isn't giving up and being lazy, it's just loving another person. I was kind of shocked out of it when something happened in my life that pretty much destroyed me, it wasn't totally about me, and i realized how much I was needed by those who love me. How could I be there for them if I were dead or so absorbed in food and trying to be perfect? Besides the emotional stuff, I don't have a scale, I don't own one and have no idea what I weigh. I cut the sizes out of my jeans and try to avoid numbers as much as possible. I also tell myself, "look, your not famous, does it really matter if you are underweight? You don't have to be for your job so why would you want to be? Isn't it ok to just be a healthy weight?" It will lessen in time. The word "Healthy" used to freak me out, I hated hearing I was healthy, I wanted people to tell me I should eat something before I broke in half. Now I know I'm more valuable then that and that beating myself inside was getting me nowhere. I guess I had to learn to be there for myself, because at one point in my life, if I wasn't there for myself, no one else was going to be, things were that bad. I also like to think there are all kinds of beautiful and all kinds of shapes that look good, I know, sounds pretty old, but it's true. Continue to get help and don't be so hard on yourself, you don't have to be. Also, since you are in college you can start over with new friends. Try to find some friends who are not superficial, like, for example, instead of being in a group of girls who gossip and shop, try finding some nerdy friends who are more into brainy things then obsessive grooming and perfect outfits. (It worked for me, the more I embraced my true inner nerd-self the happier I became!) Just remember, it's a mental illness and should be taken seriously, by you and everyone who knows about it. I wish you all the luck in the world, you'll get through this, I did.