recovering from an eating disorder

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Replies

  • Iknewyouweretrouble
    Iknewyouweretrouble Posts: 561 Member
    I'm currently struggling to recover from a restrictive eating disorder, but I'm having a really hard time getting enough to eat. Part of it is that I've simply forgotten what a "normal" day of food or "normal" meals look like, and I know part of it is also the mental obstacle of making myself eat.

    So for anyone who is in recovery/has recovered, what were some foods/recipes that you found manageable, despite being high calorie? I've tried looking up therapeutic foods for anorexia recovery but surprisingly I didn't find much. I know that nut butters and avocado are high fat/calorie, but I can't think of any way to eat them other than on bread, and I'm getting so tired of sandwiches (plus eating a lot of carbs is very stressful).

    Also, I find it really hard to eat large amounts of a single food, so if anyone had any ideas that combine some high calorie foods that would be helpful. Last night I was pretty far under my minimum calorie intake so I forced myself to eat a coconut butter, chocolate, and sunflower seed butter sandwich, which was hard but it did help that I could use 1 tbsp of each of the butters instead of using lots of just one of them.

    And I've found it hard to meet my protein requirements without getting way too full, so I'm not sure what to do about that.

    finally, I'm a vegetarian (been vegetarian since I was 5 so it's not ED related), so I don't eat meat or fish.


    Thank you !

    And thanks to everyone who has come onto sites like this and calorie count to talk about recovery and recovery meal plans, your bravery has really motivated me to recover and helped me feel less alone.
    this is an individual thing. sometimes people add more of their safe foods. other people will begin to *finally* eat some of their binge or bad foods. others simply cannot eat those.
    the beauty of a meal plan is you can select from all the food groups.
    meal planning did not work for me because I treated it like a game to win to be thinner, or, I treated it as a means for "failure."
    what did work for me was a (still restrictive) diet eaten around my friends. the social food influence actually worked for me instead of driving me in the other direction. I used to eat alone and they wouldn't tolerate it when I brought my little veggie bowl over. it wasn't acceptable. I became very accepted, I felt safe, I watched them enjoying food, and I tasted the food they had.
    I was socially brave.
    not everyone is the same, not everyone can do what I did. part of my Ed was the cycle of isolation and abnormal thinking. so I surrounded myself with healthy people who were therapeutic for me in the end.
    maybe bein here and seeing some of our meal plans can do the same for you.
    <3 keep up the long tough but good work!
  • Annie4235
    Annie4235 Posts: 4
    I'm also a vegetarian and am starting the recovery process. I feel the same way! Its so hard to know what "normal" is but I find that I do best when I follow the models of people around me. The danger here is that I begin to compete with them or treat their normal eating patterns as a challenge that I should try to beat.

    Right now I have a friend with me who is serving as a great model for WHEN to eat. I still am struggling to actually put appropriate foods into my body at the right time, but I'm hoping that this can get me by until I can enroll in treatment in a month. If you want to add me I'm always willing to chat, cuz I need the support too.

    I hope you are finding the support you need somewhere:)
  • b7bbs
    b7bbs Posts: 158 Member
    Try slicing the avocados onto a bed of lettuce with some other vegetables. Avocados are high in calorie, and although other veggies are low, they are still good for you. Try eating more bananas, they have at least 90 to 100 calories depending on the length. Also, maybe try various types of nuts, like almonds and cashews.

    Are you a vegetarian or a lacto-ovo vegetarian (I googled it to check) in which you eat eggs? if you do eat eggs try making an egg however you prefer it cooked, and putting it over the avocado. If not, then I apologize.

    I wish you the very best on your rode to recovery.
  • keem88
    keem88 Posts: 1,689 Member
    just checking in to see how you are doing?
  • MsAudreyC94
    MsAudreyC94 Posts: 4 Member
    Hi! I am currently recovering from restrictive diet eating disorder as well. I have a hard time reaching my calories as well because I eat small but a few things that help me are: 1. drinking milk (I don't know how being a vegetarian works so I'm not sure if you are able to do this one, but if you are able to I would stick to 1% and try to get 3glasses in a day, 300cal right there and it is good for your bones!), 2. Hummus is a good protein option and you can eat it with veggies, chips, unsalted pretzels, salads...the list is limitless! 3. I try to do a little bit of peanut butter on crackers/carrots/celery at least once a day as my snack which helps me cure my sweet tooth. I really like sweet potatoes as well, if you cut them up, roll them in olive oil and bake them you can have really healthy fries! Nuts are also protein and calorie packed. Almonds are my favorite and easy to mix with oatmeal/salads/etc. I hope this helps you a little bit!! Keep your fingers crossed for me as well! Don't give up :)
  • canorth40
    canorth40 Posts: 5
    Hi
    Do you eat eggs? Whip up an omlet with whatever veggies you like.
    Also - chocolate bars - they can really put on the weight! I know they are mostly sweet but..... the coconut ones are not bad.
    How about pasta? With that creamy sauce, instead of the spaghetti sauce. It is high fat, but that is what you need perhaps?
    Potatoes - make scalloped - ask if you want an easy recipe.
    Drink whole milk if you can or 2%.
    Just a few ideas.
    I wish you the best!
    hugs,
  • raselrony
    raselrony Posts: 5
    Just try to eat what you like to eat, something delicious and healthy.
  • Lakegrl54
    Lakegrl54 Posts: 4
    Oh dear, where do I start? It sounds like you need inpatient help, it is for your health and life. You cannot do it alone, please seek help!! You need a team: ED dr, therapist and nutritionist.
    Stop exercising please
    Throw out your scale
    Get your team in order
    You need a professional meal plan made between both you and your nutritionist, so You are comfortable with the choices, and you don't become overwhelmed with thinking about what to eat
    Your nutritionist will be able to help you choose the right foods, no matter what advice a layperson gives you on what you should eat, you need professional help. This is what they specialize in and they know what to do to help you get your health back, safely!
    Good luck, take care of yourself by embracing professional help
    This website may feed into your ED, as micromanaging calories/fats/sugars/ etc. is what your nutritionist will steer you away from
    I have a close friend who has battled this, and I supported her throughout her path towards recovery, next to her team, I was her closest support system
    :smile:

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