Do you ever feel like your best is never good enough?
You might find yourself constantly setting high expectations, always pushing for more, and never feeling satisfied with what you accomplish. Maybe you set strict rules for how you eat, how much you exercise, or how you manage your recovery. And when things don’t go perfectly? You feel like you’ve failed. That’s perfectionism talking, a common trait among those with eating disorders perfectionist tendencies.
Perfectionism is the belief that if things aren’t done perfectly, they’re not worth doing at all. It’s the voice that tells you, “I can’t make any mistakes,” or “If I’m not perfect, I’m not good enough.” For many people with eating disorders, perfectionism plays a huge role in how they view themselves and their behaviours. It turns healthy goals into rigid expectations, making it difficult to feel good about any progress unless it’s “perfect.”
Perfectionism and Eating Disorders: What’s the Connection?
Perfectionism often fuels disordered eating patterns. You might feel like your self-worth is tied to how “perfect” you can be in controlling your food, body, or recovery. For example, you might set unrealistic goals for your weight or feel like you need to eat in a very specific, controlled way. And if you slip up—if you don’t follow those self-imposed rules perfectly—you feel like you’ve failed completely. This is a clear example of eating disorders perfectionist behaviour.
Here’s how perfectionism often shows up in eating disorders:
• Rigid rules around food: You might feel like you can only eat certain foods or that meals must follow a strict schedule or portion size. Anything outside of those rules feels like a failure.
• Constant self-criticism: Perfectionism makes you your harshest critic. You might feel like you’re never doing enough, never eating right, never exercising enough, and never measuring up to your own standards.
• All-or-nothing thinking: You might see things in black and white—either you’re perfectly in control, or you’ve completely failed. This leads to cycles of restriction and bingeing, or obsessive exercising followed by guilt for missing a workout. This is common among those with eating disorders perfectionist thinking.
But here’s the truth: perfect doesn’t exist. No one can live up to those impossible standards, and chasing perfection only keeps you trapped in a cycle of dissatisfaction and frustration.
The Impact of Perfectionism on Recovery
Perfectionism doesn’t just affect how you approach food or your body—it also impacts your recovery. You might feel like you need to recover perfectly, without any setbacks. You might set strict goals for your healing journey, only to feel discouraged when things don’t go as planned. This pressure to be perfect can actually make recovery harder for an eating disorders perfectionist.
Here’s how perfectionism can hold you back in recovery:
• Fear of failure: If you feel like you need to recover without any mistakes or setbacks, you might avoid taking meaningful steps forward in case you fail.
• Self-sabotage: When things don’t go perfectly, you might feel like giving up or slipping back into old habits, because why bother if you can’t get it right?
• Constant pressure: The weight of perfectionism can make you feel exhausted, anxious, and constantly under pressure to meet unrealistic expectations—whether it’s about food, your body, or how fast you’re recovering.
But here’s something to consider: recovery isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. Every small step counts, even if it doesn’t look perfect. The more you focus on progress over perfection, the more you create space for growth, learning, and self-compassion. This can be crucial for an eating disorders perfectionist on their recovery path.
How the “Progress Over Perfection” Workbook Can Help
In my “Progress Over Perfection” workbook, I’ll guide you through how to let go of perfectionism and embrace progress in your recovery. The goal is to help you challenge the unrealistic expectations you’ve set for yourself and replace them with more balanced, compassionate thinking.
Here’s what you’ll explore in the workbook:
• Identifying perfectionistic thoughts: You’ll start by becoming aware of the thoughts that keep you stuck in perfectionism, such as “I must do this perfectly” or “I can’t make mistakes.” This awareness is the first step to change.
• Challenging perfectionistic beliefs: Once you’ve identified these thoughts, you’ll learn how to challenge them. This means questioning whether perfection is really necessary and allowing yourself to be imperfect.
• Reframing progress: In the workbook, we’ll work on shifting your focus from perfection to progress. You’ll learn how to celebrate small wins, embrace flexibility, and recognise that recovery is a journey—not a race to be perfect. This is an important shift for eating disorders perfectionist individuals.
By the end of this section, you’ll have tools to help you let go of the need to be perfect and start embracing the beauty of progress.
Curious About Letting Go of Perfectionism?
What would your recovery look like if you let go of the pressure to be perfect? What if you allowed yourself to make mistakes, take small steps, and embrace the process of learning and growing? The “Progress Over Perfection” workbook is here to guide you through that journey, helping you release perfectionism and focus on the progress that truly matters.
Ready to Stop Chasing Perfection?
Perfectionism is holding you back—but it doesn’t have to. Order your copy of the “Progress Over Perfection” workbook today, and start building a recovery journey rooted in self-compassion, growth, and progress.
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