From Eating Disorder to Recovery: Sireen’s Story

Intro from Arwa (with a pseudonym)

In this post, I’m sharing a powerful story written by one of my clients — a university student who went through a difficult journey with restriction, excessive exercise, and body image struggles.
We’ll call her “Sireen” to protect her privacy.

Sireen’s words reflect an experience that so many people go through — and you may find pieces of your own story in hers.

I’m sharing it here with her permission, because like me, she believes in the power of storytelling. She hopes that by sharing her journey, others will feel less alone — and more hopeful that a new way is possible.

Sireen’s Story 

Eating disorders are a deeply sensitive topic — and yet so many people misunderstand or dismiss them.
Unfortunately, in our communities, there’s still very little awareness or support. And somehow, it has become completely normal to hear comments like:
“You’ve lost weight!”
“You looked better before.”
“Try so-and-so’s diet!”
“You’d be prettier if you just dropped a few kilos!”

These phrases are often said with good intentions, but rarely with any awareness of what the person is truly going through — emotionally or physically.
They normalize a way of talking about bodies that can do real harm.

With these kinds of comments being so common, many of us end up chasing an image of “perfection.”
We stop choosing food based on what we enjoy and start choosing whatever has fewer calories.
We exercise not for joy or strength — but only to burn.
Life becomes a numbers game: calories in, calories out. And the only goal? Weight loss.

That’s how my eating disorder began.
But no one saw me as “sick.” On the contrary — people praised me. They admired my “willpower” and discipline.
And I believed them. I thought I was doing something others couldn’t do — I thought I was succeeding.
But in reality, I was suffering.

I just wanted to live normally.
To eat without fear.
To move in ways that felt good.
To choose workouts I actually liked, not the ones that burned the most calories.

Eventually, I burned out.
I asked myself: Why am I doing all this? Who am I doing it for? When will it end?

That’s when I started to search for a different way.
I found videos on recovery. I started following professionals who spoke about food and mental health.
I set small goals for myself. One tiny step at a time, I began to challenge the fear.

One of the most helpful steps in my journey was joining Arwa’s coaching program.
For the first time, I felt seen, supported, and understood.
I gradually reduced my excessive workouts, started eating more, and faced the foods I used to fear.

Today, I feel a peace I haven’t known in years.
I no longer live by calorie counts or other people’s opinions.
I move with ease, eat with confidence, and have made peace with my body in a whole new way.

And I genuinely hope that anyone struggling with an eating disorder finds their way to this kind of peace. Because real happiness isn’t in the number on the scale — it’s in the relationship you have with yourself.

Closing words from Arwa

If this story sounds anything like your own, or touches you in some way —
this might be the sign you’ve been waiting for.

You can start with a small step:
Download my free Emotional Eating guide – https://bit.ly/KifayaEE
Or book a free discovery call where we can talk safely and explore how I might support you – https://bit.ly/AnaArwaBookings