Meal plan advice/ recovering from an ED

Alouiisee

Not sure whether this is the best place to post this, but I have looked elsewhere on the web and struggling to find any forums that could help. Plus, I know there are a few people on MFP who have experience recovering from an ED. Just to clarify, I am recovering from bulimia. I do not need to gain weight but I do need to learn how to choose balanced foods and eat regularly! Plus, my food diary is inconsistent and often not completed- so please do not judge on that!

Basically, I need someone to help me with a recovery meal plan. Or someone to just post their NORMAL daily food intake. I have no idea what a normal day would look like. At the moment, I am doing something like this. Is it too much? Not enough? Varied enough? Compared to a normal diet.

B (8.30am): Cup of yoghurt and muesli, cup of fruit, tea. (maybe a glass of juice)

MM (10.30am): A piece of wholemeal toast with butter + a piece of fruit

L (2.pm) : A turkey salad with mayo, a cereal bar or fruit, a yoghurt with some nuts.

S (6pm) : More fruit, maybe a cereal bar or more yoghurt. Lots of tea.

D (8pm) : Something like chicken with veg, a baked potato, fish with rice and salad, veg stir fry etc


So yeah. I am inactive- swim a couple times a week and walk but have a 9-6 office job.

TavistockToad

you need to give your stats and calorie/macro goals. how can anyone know if that's 'enough' when they don't know how many calories you need?

how many calories that day adds up to would help as well.

Alouiisee

TavistockToad wrote: »

you need to give your stats and calorie/macro goals. how can anyone know if that's 'enough' when they don't know how many calories you need?

how many calories that day adds up to would help as well.

Not counting calories is a very important part of ED recovery. I understand I have to have a ball park figure- but I am encourage not to obsessively log every single thing I eat- very unhealthy. I suppose I am eating around 1800. I am never hungry and I am eating very regularly- I am more just interested in what you think this looks like. Does it look normal?

martyqueen52

You need professional help / advice. Not randoms on MFP.

Alouiisee

martyqueen52 wrote: »

You need professional help / advice. Not randoms on MFP.

Obviously, this is a given. But where is the harm in asking if anybody has advice they could share? Especially as there are people on the forums who have been through similar things. So, thanks for the input anyway. Real helpful.

JoRocka

- you've literally shot down the only two comments with a direct response as to why that isn't valid/relevant/helpful.

No one's going to be able to help you with an attitude like that. Or obviously you know all the answers (as it seems) and you don't really need answers. So we are just wasting our time- and you wasted it by asking a question- which makes you a troll.


You're on a calorie counting site. We count calories- this is a point of contect- this is our frame of reference. Without that- its like me telling you you need 10 more inches.

Ten more inches of what? for what? Exactly- it's LITERALLY meaningless as it has no anchor or context/frame of reference.

You can either be more specific about how active you are- how tall you are and how many calories you are eating. or the smart - more recommended thing to do is to go see a specialist.

Good luck.

TavistockToad

Alouiisee wrote: »

TavistockToad wrote: »

you need to give your stats and calorie/macro goals. how can anyone know if that's 'enough' when they don't know how many calories you need?

how many calories that day adds up to would help as well.

Not counting calories is a very important part of ED recovery. I understand I have to have a ball park figure- but I am encourage not to obsessively log every single thing I eat- very unhealthy. I suppose I am eating around 1800. I am never hungry and I am eating very regularly- I am more just interested in what you think this looks like. Does it look normal?

Honestly, it doesn't look anything like a normal day for me, no. but if you get enough responses, I'm sure some people will find it normal for them.

I agree with ED sufferers not being encouraged to count calories, but the things you list could add up to 1000 cals or 2500 depending on your portion sizes etc. Breakfast for example could be low cal fat free yoghurt with a teaspoon of museli for about 150 cals or full fat greek yoghurt with 200g of museli for over 500 cals

mbaker566

there is an OA group here too. I don't know how active it is but you might be able to reach out to those people to see who is active.
They probably have a great amount of experience and would be able to help you with specifics and support having been there. From what I understand, it is relearning your relationship with food and your body

martyqueen52

Alouiisee wrote: »

martyqueen52 wrote: »

You need professional help / advice. Not randoms on MFP.

Obviously, this is a given. But where is the harm in asking if anybody has advice they could share? Especially as there are people on the forums who have been through similar things. So, thanks for the input anyway. Real helpful.

No problem . But I'm sure you're aware, since you know it all like Rocka stated.... that this is a case by case / person by person issue.

Just because someone does X,Y, and Z.... doesn't mean it will work for you. Hell, it could possibly even backfire.

I can tell you per example, that my wife read books before our daughter was born, on what to expect, and what to do the day or labor. She thought when her water broke that she would have time to go home, shower, eat, pack her bag, then leave....... it didn't work like that, at ALL. Despite the countless books, letter, blogs, etc. she read where other women stated they waited a good time in between when their water broke before going to the hospital.

Same concept, different issue. Person by person / case by case.

breathebelievejen

Alouiisee wrote: »

I do need to learn how to choose balanced foods and eat regularly!

I would focus on this ^ It seems like you're eating regularly enough in terms of eating several meals through the day. However, are you more or less eating the same each day? If you're still sticking with 'safe' foods and a meal plan or eating what you consider to be 'good'/diet foods then it might be wise to shake your meals up a little and incorporate some foods that you are less comfortable eating (baby steps so as not to trigger ED thoughts or behaviours). Re: eating balanced meals I would suggest making sure you're eating your carbs, protein and fats (not restricting certain macros..) and focusing on getting in a variety of fruits and veggies (your 5 a day or whatever) or basically aiming to include nutrient dense foods that nourish your body and mind and help you recover! Learning and eating normal portion sizes might also be helpful (google or use the recommended portion sizes on food packaging) because this can get distorted and you may still be under or over eating certain foods based on them being good/evil/binge foods. It might also be useful to keep a food diary noting time, meal (not counting calories), how you felt before and after the meal and any ED symptoms..

Hope this is vaguely helpful, just my personal input. As others have mentioned, it'd be best to get some professional input. There are several books on EDs and mindful eating that might be helpful too. Good luck and all the best in your recovery x

Alouiisee

JoRocka wrote: »

- you've literally shot down the only two comments with a direct response as to why that isn't valid/relevant/helpful.

No one's going to be able to help you with an attitude like that. Or obviously you know all the answers (as it seems) and you don't really need answers. So we are just wasting our time- and you wasted it by asking a question- which makes you a troll.


You're on a calorie counting site. We count calories- this is a point of contect- this is our frame of reference. Without that- its like me telling you you need 10 more inches.

Ten more inches of what? for what? Exactly- it's LITERALLY meaningless as it has no anchor or context/frame of reference.

You can either be more specific about how active you are- how tall you are and how many calories you are eating. or the smart - more recommended thing to do is to go see a specialist.

Good luck.

Because the comments were not really helpful?! Perhaps the first one- but if you read the following responses, then you can find an example of what I find to be helpful, non rude comments. Do not be so aggressive?! Come on. I understand the limitations of the question but I am posting here to get as much advice as possible. Do not act so violently.

JoRocka

There is absolutely nothing violent about my post.

"what you find to be helpful" is not always what is actually helpful- or what you want to hear.

so what you've said is " I didn't hear what I wanted to hear so I'm just going to exuse these things- and then keep going till I hear something that makes me happy"

just because you don't like it- doesn't mean it's not helpful.

Sorry you don't appreciate the straight forwardness of some of the comments- but that's probably where you're going to get the most help.
Again.
Good luck.

reachingforarainbow

OP, how long have you been in recovery for?

Lizzieana

You may want to consider using recovery record (another free app for phones) rather than mfp. You're trying not to count calories, and you seem to be doing ok with having enough meals per day. RR will help you log thoughts and behaviors about food.

I also noticed, yogurt may be a 'safe food' for you. Challenging that could be a step in the right direction. You also may be low on carbs, depending on the types of yogurt and fruit you're eating, so I would take a look at that and make sure you're reaching approximate macro goals.

Best wishes for your recovery!