Did Anna Kendrick have an eating disorder? (7 meal plan tips for eating disorders)

In this blog post, we shall answer the question “did Anna Kendrick have an eating disorder?” and look at who Anna Kendrick is, her life and journey recovering from eating disorders, and what eating disorders are. We shall also look at the meal plan tips for managing and treatment of eating disorders.

Did Anna Kendrick have an eating disorder?

Yes, Anna Kendrick had an eating disorder. The actress opened up about how she struggled with eating disorders in her 20s and mentioned how difficult those days were for her. She also mentioned how the actors of her age, she included, had the pressure of being perfect and how it haunted her.

She was, however able to get over it and recover by getting the proper help and motivation. Before we look at Anna Kendrick’s recovery journey let us look at who Anna Kendrick is.

Who is Anna Kendrick

Anna Cooke Kendrick is an American actress who began her acting career performing in theatre productions at a very young age. She has acted in high society, camp, twilight saga and starred in pitch-perfect film series. She also has prominent roles in the films: end of watch, 50/50, into the woods, cake, Noelle, trolls, a simple favour, etc.

She has also sung on various soundtracks for her films and published a memoir, scrappy little nobody in 2016. She is one of the youngest people to be nominated for the “triple crown of acting.”

Anna Kendrick’s eating disorder

Anna mentioned that she was struggling with eating disorders in her early 20s. The pressure of being perfect haunted her. Many people in the film industry have opened up about the pressure that comes with being in the limelight. Many are pressured to portray unrealistic standards of beauty and this pushes them to develop eating disorders.

Anna was able to recover from her eating disorder with a lot of support and motivation from people around her. She has now accepted her body as it is by saying, “size does not matter, strength does.” 

Presently, she is constantly talking about food, “carbs and dairy” and sweets. Anna has an uncomplicated and balanced diet and loves Taco bells and desserts. She also tries to eat vegetables and whole foods to stay healthy.  She doesn’t cut any food out of her diet completely but tries as much as possible to avoid alcohol and dairy food for the sake of her voice. She tried to cut out some meals and became vegan but was not able to sustain it.

For her, breakfast is the most important meal of the day and she eats the same thing for breakfast daily and drinks ginger juice every day. She keeps wellness shots made with ginger, cayenne, and lemon stocked in her fridge at all times and always finds a way to have them, even if she’s out of town. She also explained that after turning 29, she has been trying to keep healthy by working out and eating vegetables. 

She confessed to hating vegetables but said that they made her feel better. About changing her diet, she said, “I was really hoping I would just do it as an experiment. And I would feel exactly the same, and I could go back to eating Taco Bell whenever I wanted.” she then realized that she had more energy and felt better overall once she started eating more vegetables and less fast foods.

She also enjoys baking and enjoys margaritas once in a while. Anna believes in moderation and that balance has been the key to her success. “‘Everything in moderation is such a cliché, I know, but it’s true. The times in my life when I tried to restrict the foods I love always backfired, and I ended up feeling miserable.” Anna is all about being present in her body but not depriving herself.

We can learn a lot from Anna’s story. She sticks to her diet but doesn’t deprive herself of her food choices. She loves sweets and carbs but balances them out with nutritious fruits and vegetables. This balance works for her and helps keep her diet consistent and overall healthy.

Before we discuss meal plan tips for those recovering from eating disorders, let us look at what eating disorders are and briefly discuss their types.

What are eating disorders?

Eating disorders are mental illnesses characterized by abnormal eating habits, and complex and damaging relationships between food, exercise and body image that impairs physical and mental health. These are just a few glaring statistics concerning eating disorders and the figures are always on the rise as a result of changes in lifestyle, diet, economy, genetics and the demands of a vicious society. 

Considering this evidence, it is safe to conclude that eating disorders are serious and are a cause of global concern. Eating disorders are also known to cause death. In fact, about one person dies every hour because of an eating disorder. (Eating Disorders Coalition, 2016)

There are many factors that contribute to the development of eating disorders. Anna Kendrick said that in her 20s, she had pressure to fit in made her have body image issues that led to her disordered eating. This is afflicting many young people who are bowing to the unrealistic standards of beauty as portrayed by the media.

A good support system helped Anna Kendrick to recover from her eating disorder. She was also able to stop the defeating thoughts about her body and accepted herself the way she is.

Meal plan tips for those recovering from eating disorders

In an interview with Ellen, Anna mentioned ‌she has been trying to eat healthier by eating more vegetables. She also mentioned that she was exercising, avoid alcohol and dairy products. She,however, confessed that eating vegetables was awful at first and is also finding it difficult to give up dairy products.

She is not rigid with her meals and once in a while treats herself with peanuts butter,Oreos or triscuits. Her meal plan is doable and exceptional for people recovering from eating disorder to avoid the development of another disorder.

Getting back to eating in a way that is ‌normal is difficult for those who have been diagnosed with eating disorders. Many find that preparing meals and eating causes anxiety despite them having a desire to get better. 

The following tips can help ensure that you are nourishing your body while avoiding things that can trigger a relapse:

Let someone else make it for you

Since the process of preparing food can cause anxiety and can make you overwhelmed, it is okay to let someone else make your food and let them do it alone. This leaves you with only the worry of eating it. Anna Kendrick described herself as an emotional eater so there are a few meals that are off her menu.

If you feel like you are an emotional eater, let someone else prepare your meals.

Avoid regular healthy eating sites

Steer clear of normal healthy eating sites as many of them promote low sugar and fat foods which are actually crucial and necessary for weight restoration and recovery. Eating and living: recipes for recovery, is a book by Francesca Baker that talks about her first-hand experience in the struggle of making food safe again when recovering from eating disorders.

Choose meals that bring back positive food memories

This will help in recreating positive associations with food. Memories create positive spaces in recovery and help in rebuilding a healthy relationship with food.

Think quality over quantity

Although Anna Kendrick describes eating vegetables as the worst, she also says it feels good and that it works. Eating large portions of food cannot be easy for someone who is in the early stages of recovery. However, choosing nutrient-rich foods in small portions can be manageable and less stressful. Try including proteins, carbs, fat, fruits and vegetables and have them in small portions.

Plan your meals ahead

Anna has a menu that she follows and shares with her fans and followers. Make time once a week and plan meals for the week ahead of you. After deciding, make one big shop each week. 

This will help reduce the stress of what to eat and makes sure you have a balanced diet. It will also help you make fewer stops to the grocery store while you are in recovery, it is important to note that even if making a prior plan is important do not limit yourself to it; if your plans for the week change, alter your meal plan. The purpose of a meal plan is not to restrict yourself, but to give you safe guidelines to work with.

Structure your eating

Have meals at a specific time and plan what to eat in advance. Try to stick to these times whether you are hungry or not, as it is a good way to create a normal eating routine as you wait for your eating habits to return to normal.

See food in a different light

See food as something that will make you stronger instead of a tasking activity. Anna Kendrick describes eating vegetables as awful but continues t eat as it makes her feel good and it works in keeping her healthy. This, however, does not work for everyone so find a positive aspect to food that will help reduce the anxiety that comes with food.

Recovery food ideas

It might take some time to go back to normal eating habits. In the meantime, these to-go-to foods provide nutrition in small portions and are a great starting point:

• Baked beans
• Avocados
• Eggs
• Fish
• Nuts and seeds

Conclusion

We have looked at who Anna Kendrick is and discussed her journey in recovering from her eating disorder. We have also defined what eating disorders are and looked at the six types of eating disorders. Finally, we have discussed 7 meal plans that can help a person recover from eating disorders that can help one get back to healthy eating patterns.

Frequently asked questions: Did Anna Kendrick have an eating disorder? 

How does Anna Kendrick stay so small?

she tries to eat plenty of vegetables and whole foods to stay healthy.

Does Anna Kendrick like Taco Bell?

Kendrick openly admitted she loves all things Taco Bell.

Is Anna Kendrick a vegan?

Anna Kendrick no longer follows a vegan diet.

Citations

Holmes L. (June 17, 2022). Anna Kendrick Eating Disorder: Is It True Or Not? (Latest Updates). Retrieved from https://newswatchlist.com/2022/06/17/anna-kendrick-eating-disorder/

American Psychiatric Association, (2013). Eating disorders in Diagnostic and statistical manual for mental disorders (5th edition). American Psychiatric Association.

Healthy celeb. Anna Kendrick Workout Routine and Diet Plan. Healthy celeb. Retrieved from: https://healthyceleb.com/anna-kendrick-workout-routine-diet-plan/

Single care team. (February, 15, 2022). Eating disorder statistics 2022. The check up by single care. Retrieved from https://www.singlecare.com/blog/news/eating-disorder-statistics/