Tips for Navigating Weekends and Downtime in Eating Disorder Recovery
If you are in a place in eating disorder recovery where you receive support five out of the seven days of the week or struggle with downtime, this post is for you. Gaps in care can feel overwhelming, making weekends or off days particularly challenging. Many outpatient programs offer support throughout the week, but BALANCE is excited to provide programming every day—weekends included!—so you never have to navigate recovery alone.
Here are four tips for navigating weekends and positively filling downtime with hobbies or activities that support your eating disorder recovery.
Tip #1: Keep Your Weekly Routine and Structure
When working with your eating disorder treatment team, it is likely you created a schedule to follow regarding when, where, and what you eat. Now, it is important to mention that recovery looks different for everyone, but going back to the basics, it typically consists of consuming three snacks and three meals daily. If the meal plan you made with your team looks different, please follow that.
Nevertheless, keeping your snack and meal schedule on the weekend can help foster the structure and routine you created during the week. This can look like waking up at the same time to ensure you eat breakfast and/or your morning snack in addition to eating each of your meals and snacks at or around the same time that you do throughout the week. The structure helps fight eating disorder thoughts, giving you a plan to follow when urges or triggers pop up.
Tip #2: Rely on Your Support System
Eating disorder thoughts and urges are easier to follow and listen to when you are all by yourself, which makes alone time or downtime difficult. This is why it is crucial to have a support system to guide you away from disordered thoughts and behaviors and towards more recovery-oriented ones. If you know the weekends and the downtime that may come with them are hard to navigate alone, make plans with someone you love and trust to help hold you accountable. A few hours of time together may be enough to keep you on track, but if not, ask them if you can be together for the entire day.
If you prefer to be alone, spend time outside, read a book, visit an art gallery, or take yourself shopping – anything to help clear your mind and get the good vibes flowing to keep you on track in recovery!
Tip #3: Take Time to Reflect
This tip may not be for everyone, especially depending on where you are in your recovery, but it is here whenever you are ready and feeling up for it. Taking time to reflect or write down your progress from the day or week can help boost your morale and help you during the inevitable slumps that occur during recovery. Doing so will allow you to tangibly see your progress, even when it feels like the week was hard and full of eating disorder thoughts and behaviors.
You can also reflect on the coming week and any goals you want to set. These can be specific to eating disorder recovery or more personal – both are great to give you things to work towards.
Tip #4: Remember Your Whys
Why did you decide to take the step to recover? What about your relationship with your eating disorder made you decide enough was enough? It is important to note that reflection can be incredibly difficult, especially at the beginning of your commitment to recovery. Be kind to yourself and try this tip when you feel ready.
Navigating recovery can be challenging, especially during weekends or downtime when structured support may feel less accessible.
At BALANCE, we recognize that recovery doesn’t pause when the weekend arrives, which is why we’re proud to now offer programming seven days a week.. With our daily options and program structure, our team is here to help you strengthen your recovery. You deserve consistent, compassionate support every step of the way.
BALANCE eating disorder treatment center™, located in New York City, offers free consultation calls to help you explore next steps. We provide in-person programming seven days a week and are in-network with UnitedHealthcare (UHC), Cigna, Emblem, and Oscar, with Aetna coverage coming soon. Support is available, and recovery is possible. Schedule a free consultation call with our admissions team here and stay connected with BALANCE on Instagram here.
This post was written by BALANCE Blog Contributor, Tori Barkosky (she/her).
Tori is a graduate of St. Catherine University, having earned a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Nutrition Science. Tori is passionate about all things related to intuitive eating, HAES, mental health, body respect, eating disorders, and disordered eating. Tori currently works as a Mental Health Practitioner at an eating disorder clinic and teaches yoga. Outside of work, Tori enjoys finding new coffee shops, exploring nature, and spending time with family and loved ones. She is also a self-published author of a memoir, Release, concerning her recovery from anorexia nervosa.
