Blind Weigh In’s During Eating Disorder Recovery

While weight is not indicative of health, in eating disorder recovery (regardless of the diagnosis or dominant eating disorder behaviours) weight monitoring is an essential data point in the journey.

It is an uncomfortable and necessary part of treatment. It's estimated that 70% of people experience anxiety when weighing and 50% of people with eating disorders avoid weighing themselves all together, while the other 50% are hyperfocused on weight and weight preoccupation. 

There are two schools of thought when it comes to people and weigh ins in recovery from eating disorders. Traditional thoughts requires individuals to see their weight as their body changes. Exposure therapy is the methodology, with the goal being a desensitization to the number on the scale through repeated exposure. 

The theory behind this practice makes theoretical sense. Exposure is a powerful tool for many psychological disorders that disrupt daily life and overall well-being. It is the same tool used in food normalization. 

At The Holistic ED Recovery Center we believe in blind weigh ins for two primary reasons. 

First, knowing your EXACT weight is not necessary for everyday function. Many individuals live a full, happy and healthy life without ever knowing their exact weight. While exposure therapy is necessary to decrease fear and anxiety pertaining to things and/or situations that detract from daily life (food, germs, etc) knowledge of weight is NOT a requirement for engaging in daily life. 

Second, due to the hyper-focus on weight and the enmeshment of weight and worth in eating disorder clients, we believe it is necessary to create space between the scale and the individual in order for them to deprioritize the influence the number on the scale has in their behaviours, self talk, and choices. 

Blind weigh ins have been found to reduce anxiety and distress by up to 50%, improve body image by up to 30%, and increase treatment adherence by up to 25%.