Food diary

BrianOconnor1

Would use be able to have a look at my diary and let me know how someone who struggles with eating could eat more. Trying to recover from anorexia and it says I only need to eat 1980 but that's a sedetenary as people say they usually over estimate these but normal people with anorexia need about 3000 so how do I know the amount I should eat?

psuLemon

Your diary is closed.

BrianOconnor1

I had it only available to friends. Available to everyone now

psuLemon

Protein seems rather low, and I wouldn't recommend getting half your calories from cookies. I would look at more nutrient dense foods such as nuts, avocados, meats, fish, whole grains or even protein powders if necessary. I would also ask if you are working with a therapist on your recovery because that is just as important as the food.

mooosy

Hi Brian, first of all good luck with your recovery. With regard to figuring out how many calories you need, there is no hard and fast rule. I am trying to lose weight so I started with a goal as low as I felt I could cope with and tried to hit it consistently. After that I reduced it until I started losing weight. You'll just need to do it the other way round! I know the struggle of only feeling like eating certain foods. Maybe try adding banana to your weetabix and vegetables to your pasta. Getting more vitamins will help you feel more balanced and help you get used to eating things you don't fancy at the time.

AliceDark

The MFP recommendations aren't designed for people trying to recover from EDs. You should follow whatever calorie goal your doctor has given you and ignore the 1980 calories you got from MFP; calorie goals for people in anorexia recovery are typically higher than what the MFP calculator will spit out. 3000 calories for a male in recovery doesn't sound out of line.

Regarding what foods to add, I second the idea for more nutrient-dense foods like nuts, avocados, meats, fish, etc. Typically, adding fat will help get your calories up without adding bulk to your meals. Could you make small changes, like swapping out the semi-skimmed milk for whole milk, half and half or even heavy cream? That would get more calories in you without adding to the volume of food you're trying to eat.