What REAL Progress Looks Like in Food Addiction & Disordered Eating Recovery

When we think of progress in recovery from food addiction and disordered eating, it’s easy to look only on the number on the scale when what we desperately want is to lose weight. We’ve been conditioned to believe that our success is measured by pounds lost.

But here’s the truth: progress is SO much more than that.

I want to talk about what real progress actually looks like, especially when it comes to healing your relationship with food and your body.

1. Downward Trend in Weight Over Time (Maybe)

Yes, oftentimes there’s weight loss. But it’s important to recognize that true healing isn’t just about losing weight. It’s about gaining freedom. The downward trend might be there, but if it’s not, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. Your journey is about so much more than the number on the scale.

2. Changes in Measurements

Your body is constantly changing as you heal. Maybe your clothes fit differently, or your measurements shift even when the scale doesn’t budge. That’s progress! And it often indicates better health and healing from the inside out. Body decomposition (losing fat and maintaining or increasing muscle) trumps weight loss any day.

3. Clothes Fitting More Comfortably

This is one of my favorites because it feels so good when something that used to be tight feels comfortable again. But even if your clothing size doesn’t change, feeling more comfortable in your body as you heal is a huge win.

4. Seeing a Difference in the Mirror

Sometimes, progress looks like seeing hope return to your eyes or a

less harshness or depression in your expression that wasn’t there before. It’s not just about size; it’s about radiance, energy, and health.

5. Increased Strength & Better Workouts

Maybe you’re lifting heavier weights or walking longer without discomfort or pain. Feeling stronger physically is often a direct result of nourishing your body well and taking care of your mind. Strength is an awesome sign of progress.

6. More Consistency with Exercise & Nutrition

Finding a way of eating that truly supports your health and feels sustainable is a big deal. Maybe you’re moving your body in ways that feel good rather than like a punishment. Maybe you’re learning what foods genuinely serve you well. That consistency is progress!

7. Better Relationship with Food

Now we’re getting to what really matters. What does progress look like here? It looks like making food choices from a place of self-care rather than compulsion and so from disordered thoughts and beliefs. It looks like freedom from obsession and learning to trust yourself with food decisions.

8. Less Negative Self-Talk

Wow, this one is huge. Rewiring those deeply rooted beliefs about yourself takes time. But every time you fight back against the voice of your eating disorder, speak kindly to yourself, then every time you are choosing geace over guilt, that’s progress.

9. Improved Confidence & Self-Worth

When you start to see yourself as valuable and worthy of care, it changes everything. You begin to realize that you are so much more than your weight, your past food choices, or your past mistakes. And that, my friend, is beautiful progress.

The Bottom Line

True progress in food addiction recovery is about healing and growth, not just shrinking your body. when you get just about shrinking your body, your results are going to be temporary at best and you stay stuck in the cycle. It’s about freeing yourself from the destructive cycle of dieting, bingeing, and self-loathing. It’s about building a life that feels peaceful and fulfilling—whether or not the scale moves.

So, if you’re feeling frustrated because your progress doesn’t look the way you thought it would, I encourage you to pause and take a closer look. I bet you’re making more progress than you think.

Ready to break free and find your own Food Freedom? I’m here to support you on that journey. Watch my program video by clicking on the image below to learn more!