Losing the Comparison Game in Eating Disorder Recovery: Will I ever look like Sydney Sweeney?

By: Leslie Ann Glossner M.S.

Have you ever found yourself scrolling through Instagram or TikTok looking at reel after reel, picture after picture of influencers, models, and movie stars? Smiling brightly or smoldering seductively, there is not a hair out of place. Not a pore on their skin. Not a flaw in their appearance whatsoever. 

Perhaps even- they have the body you always dreamed of having. I don’t want to make any assumptions, though at this point, I imagine you start thinking some really unkind thoughts towards yourself and your body. “Why can’t I have skin like her?… why doesn’t my hair look like that?… I wish I had her abs!… How can I lose weight so I can look like her?” And then begins a cycle of comparison, disappointment, and self-loathing. 

Understand Comparison While Recovering from an Eating Disorder

This type of comparison is a losing game for a number of reasons. It makes you feel awful about yourself, what you’re comparing yourself to is most likely fake or very unattainable, and ultimately, this line of thinking will not lead to happiness. So let’s talk about it! 

First of all, playing the comparison game makes you feel TERRIBLE. There’s really no way to “win” in this situation. Nitpicking every part of your appearance while comparing yourself to highly curated photos of highly manicured people is a recipe for disaster. Influencers, models, and movie stars spend a great amount of time and money looking the way they do. Money and time are things that the average person, aka you and me, simply don’t have access to! Private chefs, private gyms, weekly facials, plastic surgery, and other treatments all create the image of the celebrity you want to emulate. Not to mention, nearly every single influencer, model, or actress is edited or lit or filtered to high heaven. Thus, the person you’re comparing yourself to isn’t a “real” person to begin with!

I mentioned Sydney Sweeney in the title because she’s America’s blonde-haired, blue-eyed, buxom “it girl” of the moment. So many articles, TikToks, and reels about how to get a body like hers, what her skincare routine is, or how she does her makeup. Before Sydney, everyone wanted to look like Kim Kardashian, and before her, it was Megan Fox. Earlier, Britney Spears. Before Brit? Cindy Crawford or Pam Anderson. And the list goes on. 

So even if you were to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on cosmetic procedures, personal training, spa visits, and goodness knows what else, someone else will be the cool it girl. There will be new trends to catch up with, more procedures to get, and new body shapes to chase in an effort to become “happy” and love yourself.

Why Genetics Matter: Embracing Your Unique Body Shape in Eating Disorder Recovery

All of our genetics are so vastly different. Again, you can try alllll that to finally look like Miss Sweeney, and guess what? You are still YOU. It’s probably not going to work because our hair, face, and body weight shape and size are determined by biology and genetics. 

For example, and I’m gonna get real with you here, I have what my family affectionately calls “Milanek thighs”. (My mother’s side of the family has some curvaceous lower bodies.) So in the past, I DID spend 1000s of dollars in an effort to get rid of those thighs. I tried personal trainers, fad diets, and even plastic surgery! And guess what? Even at my smallest, I still had my thighs, and I was still unhappy. Because I had only fixed something superficial, the core of my issues were untouched. My emotional world was still in shambles. The Milanek thighs were just the distraction for the deep dissatisfaction inside of me. 

How to Find Healing One Step at a Time

1. Shift Your Focus to Body Respect, Not Body Perfection

Instead of striving to look like a new It Girl each decade, work on building a respectful relationship with your body. This means listening to its cues, honoring its needs, and appreciating all it does for you - regardless of how it measures up to the often fake, filtered, or fixed celebrity images.

2. Curate Your Media for Your Mental Health

Unfollow accounts that trigger comparison or body dissatisfaction, and instead, fill your feed with diverse, body-positive content. Look, you may love the new season of Love Island girls, think Addison Rae has amazing songs, or have adored Rihanna since Umbrella, but if any other their posts are making you feel badly about yourself and your body- UNFOLLOW. Choose media that celebrates all sizes, abilities, and identities to remind yourself that worth isn’t dictated by appearance.

Check out our FREE A Healthy Relationship with Social Media HERE

3. Remember: Health Is Not a Look

From a HAES perspective, health is personal and multifaceted - it can’t be judged by appearance alone. Celebrities often have access to resources, editing tools, and routines that aren’t realistic or necessary for well-being. Not to mention, there is a history of the rich and famous leading terribly unhealthy, self-destructive lives while looking incredibly glamorous and happy! So trust your body’s hard-erned wisdom and focus on health-supportive behaviors that feel sustainable and empowering for you.

4. What You Can Do Today

When you feel ready, take a few minutes today to reflect: 

How has comparison shown up for me recently? 

What would it look like to move toward more compassion and less critique? 

Maybe journal about it, talk it through with a trusted support person, or simply notice your internal dialogue with openness and curiosity. You were born YOU, not Sydney Sweeney and nobody ever be! Well, besides Sydney… So instead of wasting time trying (and failing) to be someone else, care for the person you are. Your relationship with your body is worth nurturing—on your terms.

Closing Thoughts About Therapy for Eating Disorder Recovery & Body Comparison Issues

Our team at Recovered & Restored is here to support you every step of the way, offering comprehensive eating disorder treatment tailored to your unique needs. Whether you’re seeking an experienced eating disorder therapist near me for one‑on‑one therapy, meal coaching to rebuild a nourishing relationship with food, or specialized trauma therapy, you’ll find compassionate care and expertise under one virtual roof. From EMDR therapy and nutrition services to maternal mental health support and athlete‑focused therapy, our multidisciplinary approach ensures you’ll receive the right combination of services to guide you toward lasting recovery.

If you’re ready to explore eating disorder treatment near me in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Florida, Connecticut, Vermont, or South Carolina, our team at Recovered & Restored Eating Recovery Center would be honored to work with you. Meet our dedicated therapists, dietitians, and support staff—each committed to creating a safe, non‑judgmental space where healing and resilience can flourish. Visit our website to learn more about our services, meet the team, and take the first step toward reclaiming your health and well‑being.

Other Mental Health Services Offered in PA, NJ, DE, SC, MD, CT, VT, and FL

We offer a wide variety of services related to eating disorder recovery including trauma therapy!  We offer Weekly Support Groups, Nutrition Services,  and Family and Parent Therapy as well as Coaching, all tailored to meet the specific needs of the individual. We offer our services for Anorexia, Bulimia, Binge Eating, and Orthorexia as well as Maternal Mental Health, and eating disorder therapy for athletes online in New Jersey, Delaware, South Carolina, Maryland, Florida, Vermont, and Connecticut! We are here to offer our support and understanding in a safe and non-judgmental environment.

We have immediate openings right now for eating disorder therapy in:

Delaware, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland South Carolina, Connecticut, Vermont, and Pennsylvania.

And recovery coaching worldwide.

Click here to get started with therapy today!

Recovered and Restored is an eating disorder therapy center founded by Gabrielle Morreale, LPC. We specialize in helping teens and young women heal from eating disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, orthorexia, and binge eating disorder and treat disordered eating, anxiety, depression, and PTSD. We provide eating disorder therapy in the towns of Horsham, Upper Gwynedd, Lower Gwynedd, North Wales, Lansdale, Hatfield, Blue Bell, Doylestown, and nearby towns with eating disorder therapy. Also providing virtual eating disorder therapy in New Jersey, Delaware, and Florida. Some towns served virtually but are not limited to Pittsburg, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Center City, Cherry Hill, Haddonfield, Mount Laurel, Cape May, Avalon, Brick, Dover, New Castle, Bethany Beach, Marydel, and Oceanview