Boundaries for Continued Disordered Eating Recovery

A good friend of mine who is a sports physician wrote the majority of this post. Most of the information is programming content for growing athletes. Oftentimes she consults me on nutrition pieces in which we end up with collaborated works such as this one. Since boundaries can be helpful on multiple life fronts, I thought I would share it here as well. 

Boundaries help to define where things start and end. They help to organize and make strategies. Interpersonal boundaries are similar to structural boundaries. They help define interpersonal relationships, such as how far you let someone into parts of your life. Poorly defined boundaries can lead to conflicts. Good boundaries will help you deal with conflict that arises throughout your life. 
 
Understanding healthy boundaries allows us to know who we are and who we are not. Having healthy boundaries will help us be empathetic, and to treat ourselves and others with appropriate respect. The health of your values and beliefs can determine the health or your boundaries. 

Core values are the foundation for healthy boundaries.  When an individual knows what is important, it is clear what behaviors are acceptable and unacceptable for themselves and others. One fundamental skill is being able to communicate your needs effectively. In addition, knowing appropriate behaviors for various social contexts will convey your respect of others’ boundaries.
 
There are many different types of boundaries. 

• Word boundaries describe the comfort level with certain language. This boundary can encompass how someone allows another person to speak in their presence. It can also include how somebody allows another’s language to affect them.
• Physical boundaries are the comfort levels regarding personal space. Some individuals are comfortable in close proximity, while others find personal space to be more important.
• Requirement boundaries are the expectations we have for ourselves and what we think others demand on us. For example, people who always say yes, or who volunteer for everything, have limited requirement boundaries. 
• Online boundaries are the limitations we employ regarding time spent online, content one chooses to consume, and decision to share personal information. *Note: It is also key to understand the context of any interaction you have. For instance, interactions with your neighbor may be dramatically different than an interaction you would have with a “follower” on social media.

So what do boundaries have to do with nutrition? For someone moving towards eating disorder recovery, assessing boundaries (and also adjusting them when needed) is crucial. For example, working with a therapist to troubleshoot "diet talk" that happens at school with your friends may  be helpful. Setting social media boundaries such as setting time limits (which is proven to improve mental health), choosing content more in line with your values, or deciding to avoid engaging in online confrontations could all be healthy boundaries.  
 
Communication is the key to helping others know what you will tolerate. Learning more about your communication style and what interactions you prioritize will go a long way in how you can  communicate effectively. Contact us for more information on therapists who specialize in this area.