Our relationships with our bodies can be complex, evolving as we move through different experiences, environments, and personal challenges. For those who have struggled with disordered eating, an eating disorder, and/or body image concerns, adopting a mindset of body acceptance—or even neutrality—can feel daunting, maybe even impossible at times. But it’s important to remember that body acceptance doesn’t require perfection. Expecting to love every part of yourself all the time is unrealistic—and that goes for anyone.
Body acceptance means learning to respect and care for your body just as it is. This is important, especially on tough days when loving your body feels hard. Body acceptance isn’t a final destination to arrive at, but rather a practice you can engage in daily with patience and compassion.
For many people with eating disorders, body image challenges deeply intertwine with disordered thoughts and behaviors, and recovery often involves gradually untangling these connections. At The Emily Program, we recognize the close link between body image and eating disorders. We’re here to support you in building a kinder relationship with your body—one rooted in respect, care, and self-compassion.
What is Body Acceptance?
Body acceptance is the practice of recognizing and respecting your body for more than just how it looks or how it measures up to conventional standards. It’s about seeing your body for what it is, beyond surface-level judgments. Body acceptance doesn’t require that you feel positive about your body at all times—an expectation that can feel unrealistic, especially for those living with eating disorders, disabilities, or chronic health conditions.
Instead, body acceptance encourages a gentler, more personal relationship with your body. It invites you to acknowledge your body’s needs with kindness and care, even when you feel dissatisfied with it or frustrated by its limitations.
Body acceptance differs from mainstream body positivity, which often emphasizes loving your body no matter what. While this approach can be empowering, for many, the call to “love your body” at all times feels unattainable, especially under the weight of cultural appearance ideals.
On the other hand, body acceptance offers a more flexible and inclusive path—one with room for discomfort and difficult days, while still encouraging self-compassion and care. It also recognizes the unique challenges faced by individuals holding marginalized identities—such as people of color, nonbinary or transgender people, folks with disabilities, or those in larger bodies—navigating a world with narrow, exclusionary, able-bodied standards.
At the heart of body acceptance is the understanding that your worth isn’t dependent on how you look or what your body can do in comparison to others. Your value is inherent and doesn’t rely on appearance or abilities.
How Body Acceptance Supports Eating Disorder Treatment and Recovery
At The Emily Program, we understand the significant role body image plays in fueling eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. For many people with eating disorders—such as anorexia nervosa, binge eating disorder, or bulimia nervosa— disordered eating becomes a way to cope with deep-seated fears about body size and shape. This harmful coping mechanism can lead to an insidious cycle of shame and self-criticism. Body acceptance breaks this cycle by shifting the focus from self-assessment to self-compassion and recognizing the body’s worth beyond its appearance.
Body acceptance is a gradual process that requires time, patience, and consistent practice. Here’s how it’s incorporated into treatment at The Emily Program:
- Rebuilding Trust through Embodiment: Individuals with eating disorders often feel disconnected from their body’s cues, such as hunger, fullness, and fatigue. At The Emily Program, we integrate embodiment practices like yoga and mindfulness to help individuals tune back into these signals, encouraging them to listen to their bodies with curiosity and compassion.
- Challenging Societal Standards: At The Emily Program, we support clients in confronting and breaking down rigid internalized ideals that often fuel body dissatisfaction. By questioning and rejecting impossibly narrow beauty standards, clients learn to define their worth on their own terms.
- Supporting Body Diversity: Body acceptance isn’t a one-size-fits-all journey. How you connect with and feel about your body is very personal, shaped by your identity, history, and cultural background. At The Emily Program, we recognize the uniqueness of each recovery path. Our individualized approach to care respects and celebrates these differences, honoring the needs and lived experiences of each client. We are committed to fostering an environment where you feel truly seen, heard, and respected throughout your healing.
Improving body image in eating disorder recovery is hard work. It usually occurs later in the therapeutic process, after restoring physical health and addressing disordered thoughts and behaviors. Challenging deeply entrenched body image concerns requires a foundation of both physical and emotional stability. Once they achieve stability and clients can begin this work, they learn to meet insecurities with self-compassion, reducing the urge to turn to disordered eating behaviors as a way to cope. This shift is key for long-term healing, helping individuals move from criticism and control toward curiosity and care.
Moving Beyond Appearance in Recovery
Rewriting the story you tell yourself about your body can be both liberating and challenging. Messages that equate personal worth with appearance bombard us every day. Breaking free from these pervasive cultural narratives requires dedicated time and concerted effort.
At The Emily Program, we redefine self-worth by putting the focus on what the body lets each client experience, not how it looks. This paradigm shift nurtures a fuller sense of self, grounded in core values, meaningful relationships, and interests and hobbies.
Here are some strategies for moving beyond appearance in recovery:
- Redefining Self-Worth: Recovery offers the opportunity to reflect on who you are beyond your body. What qualities do you value in yourself? What are your passions? By exploring the internal aspects of yourself—such as your creativity, empathy, and resilience—you can build a sense of identity rooted in your inherent worth, independent of external validation or physical appearance.
- Practicing Joyful Movement: Many people with eating disorders use exercise as a way to manipulate their bodies or as a form of punishment. In recovery, it’s important to reframe movement as an expression of care and connection, not control. Joyful movement involves engaging in activities that feel good and honor your body’s limitations. The “best” kind of joyful movement will look different for everyone. Your care team can recommend activities that respect your body’s needs and abilities.
- Appreciating Your Body’s Experiences: Recognizing how your body lets you engage with the world can help you move beyond appearance. Your body plays a role in your relationships and daily life—enabling you to hug your loved ones, feel the sun’s warmth, or simply breathe deeply. By focusing on these experiences, you can shift your relationship with your body from adversary to ally, even if your body’s abilities differ from others around you.
- Consuming Media Mindfully: Social media frequently reinforces the belief that certain bodies are “bad,” which can contribute to negative self-image. Can you curate your social media feeds to include more diverse body representation? Or tune into a podcast to learn more about systemic issues that prevent people from feeling safe in their bodies? Engaging with more inclusive content can free you from societal ideals. It can also help you deepen your acceptance of your own body.
As your recovery deepens, so does your sense of self. The hold of appearance-based self-worth can loosen, freeing you to connect more meaningfully with the people, passions, and experiences that truly matter to you.
Body acceptance is a journey—but you don’t have to take it alone. At The Emily Program, we’re here to help you build a kinder, more compassionate relationship with your body and yourself. Call us at 1-888-364-5977 or complete our online form to take the first step toward healing.