Difficult to find foods.
Jeshie91
Posts: 24 Member
Unless I eat crap foods I just cannot get my calories up. I average 800-900 a day with my goal set at 1400 (had to be realistic with what I can manage). Im chronically ill and generally cant eat until a few hours after I wake up and generally dont eat till the end of the day because if im up and doing things eating before im able to stop moving around for the day just makes me sick. I dont cope well with carbs - my system struggles to process them. Im vegetarian, lactose intolerant (can tolerate small amounts of cheese but no milk or creams), suspected celiac (undergoing testing, genetic test is positive) and honestly kinda fussy.
Ive been really focusing on upping my protein and a friend turned me on to the protein perfection powders which im loving because they are added to water and arent like the shakes - also gluten and dairy free and vegan and no fat or carbs.
I tend to eat one meal a day and maybe some snacks and drink a lot of water (with or without added protein powder).
Im worried that my calories still being that low (around 800-900 on average) is actually preventing weight loss. I am fighting medication induced insulin resistance and medication induced weight gain - where it doesnt matter what im eating, I still gained weight. Stopping medication has started to reverse the insulin resistance and levels are normalising but im still trying to adjust my system after the way it got confused and messed up by the meds.
Would having a lowish caloric intake be preventing weight loss? I really struggle to get it higher. In the last 3 weeks Ive hit my goal of 1400 twice. And only once did I hit it when accounting for calories spent in exercise. Im thinking of actually lowering my calorie goal to like 1200 just so that I have more of a chance of hitting it regularly.
Thi
Im trying to add in some snacks. The snacks that are easiest for me are things like puree fruit pouches or fruit but because of the natural sugar content they are pretty carb heavy and my doctor wants me to cut down on carbs.
Any food suggestions? I cant do things that require much chopping of hard things a lot (i have to buy my carrots pre-chopped because of pain in my hands). Im trying to eat more eggs but I often just cant stomach the thought of eating eggs.
For an example of what im eating: here was my day today
-Protein water (like 5 scoops? about 35g of protein total)
-Swiss cheese stringer
-Protein Fx Low Carb mini bar
-Homemade burger (soft white roll (small), nutelex, swiss cheese (light), not burger (vegetarian meat alternative), mixed leaf, fried egg (using nutelex), mushroom and onion.
After eating all that i am totally full do not want to eat more not hungry at all.
This all came to 914 calories and I exercised 298cal. So there should be a definite deficit even if my BMR is low (which I strongly suspect it is).
I know this is a bit rambly and long sorry but can anyone help?
Ive been really focusing on upping my protein and a friend turned me on to the protein perfection powders which im loving because they are added to water and arent like the shakes - also gluten and dairy free and vegan and no fat or carbs.
I tend to eat one meal a day and maybe some snacks and drink a lot of water (with or without added protein powder).
Im worried that my calories still being that low (around 800-900 on average) is actually preventing weight loss. I am fighting medication induced insulin resistance and medication induced weight gain - where it doesnt matter what im eating, I still gained weight. Stopping medication has started to reverse the insulin resistance and levels are normalising but im still trying to adjust my system after the way it got confused and messed up by the meds.
Would having a lowish caloric intake be preventing weight loss? I really struggle to get it higher. In the last 3 weeks Ive hit my goal of 1400 twice. And only once did I hit it when accounting for calories spent in exercise. Im thinking of actually lowering my calorie goal to like 1200 just so that I have more of a chance of hitting it regularly.
Thi
Im trying to add in some snacks. The snacks that are easiest for me are things like puree fruit pouches or fruit but because of the natural sugar content they are pretty carb heavy and my doctor wants me to cut down on carbs.
Any food suggestions? I cant do things that require much chopping of hard things a lot (i have to buy my carrots pre-chopped because of pain in my hands). Im trying to eat more eggs but I often just cant stomach the thought of eating eggs.
For an example of what im eating: here was my day today
-Protein water (like 5 scoops? about 35g of protein total)
-Swiss cheese stringer
-Protein Fx Low Carb mini bar
-Homemade burger (soft white roll (small), nutelex, swiss cheese (light), not burger (vegetarian meat alternative), mixed leaf, fried egg (using nutelex), mushroom and onion.
After eating all that i am totally full do not want to eat more not hungry at all.
This all came to 914 calories and I exercised 298cal. So there should be a definite deficit even if my BMR is low (which I strongly suspect it is).
I know this is a bit rambly and long sorry but can anyone help?
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Replies
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And i worry that eating a low cal diet is not helping my system normalise with the insulin resistance and metabolic issues and such that the meds have caused0
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Swap low fat cheese, or light cheese with regular cheese. Eat a real second meal. A real meal instead of a bar. Eat some vegetables. Eat peanut butter. Add an avocado....
If your logging is right, you're not eating enough.
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What in your definition, is crap food?1
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my logging is right. I struggle to eat more. And an issue with my stomach means that whenever I eat a full meal i get nauseas, sometimes throw up and struggle to breathe (waiting to see a specialist but I think the issue with my intestines and stomach means that when I eat they press up against my lungs and make it even harder than usual for me to breathe)
There is also the issue of being disabled cooking more than one meal a day is just not doable - its not something i have the capacity to do with my energy and pain levels, especially if I want to do anything other than lay in bed most of the day.
Im my own worst enemy I know.
Also yes usually there are more veggies - my go to is roast vegies but I was really focusing on the protein today and figuring out ways to get more of it and thats how I got what I did. If it was like my days when im eating A LOT of vegetables the cals would be even lower.0 -
Im hoping to see a qualified nutritionist (or is it a dietician which is the one with proper qualifications?)... will speak to my doctor on the 18th about it. There are so many contributing factors that just make this all harder. Like sometimes being too weak to even be in the kitchen so I just dont eat, or my lungs or stomach not being able to cope with eating, and then add in the psychological factors like the autism meaning I just cannot tolerate certain textures Its distressing as *kitten* - for example peas.
Sorry i know this all sounds ridicculous I swear im not trying to be difficult or make excuses. Im trying to give all the information.0 -
How did you get overweight if you struggle to eat 800 calories?9
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Im hoping to see a qualified nutritionist (or is it a dietician which is the one with proper qualifications?)... will speak to my doctor on the 18th about it. There are so many contributing factors that just make this all harder. Like sometimes being too weak to even be in the kitchen so I just dont eat, or my lungs or stomach not being able to cope with eating, and then add in the psychological factors like the autism meaning I just cannot tolerate certain textures Its distressing as *kitten* - for example peas.
Sorry i know this all sounds ridicculous I swear im not trying to be difficult or make excuses. Im trying to give all the information.
It doesn't sound as ridiculous as much as it does just scary to be honest. You sound like you need a weeks hospitalization.
That said, does your doctor have a list of foods you can/should eat?
Would your financial situation or insurance allow for food delivery or a home health care nurse, part time at least? Someone who can prepare 1 or 2 proper meals a day for you would be a huge help.0 -
What did you used to eat, before you started trying to lose weight?3
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Similar but with more frequent take away because of the whole not being able to prepare food a lot but I actually dislike takeaway so that was pretty easy to give up.0
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the takeaway I would get would generally be stir fries - avoid rice... things like a cashew nut stirfry.
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Im hoping to see a qualified nutritionist (or is it a dietician which is the one with proper qualifications?)... will speak to my doctor on the 18th about it. There are so many contributing factors that just make this all harder. Like sometimes being too weak to even be in the kitchen so I just dont eat, or my lungs or stomach not being able to cope with eating, and then add in the psychological factors like the autism meaning I just cannot tolerate certain textures Its distressing as *kitten* - for example peas.
Sorry i know this all sounds ridicculous I swear im not trying to be difficult or make excuses. Im trying to give all the information.
It doesn't sound as ridiculous as much as it does just scary to be honest. You sound like you need a weeks hospitalization.
That said, does your doctor have a list of foods you can/should eat?
Would your financial situation or insurance allow for food delivery or a home health care nurse, part time at least? Someone who can prepare 1 or 2 proper meals a day for you would be a huge help.
I dont have insurance - Im in Australia though so medicare is pretty good (although the current government is really doing its best to *kitten* that up). Im also on the disability pension so its not like I can afford insurance anyway. I have been looking into trying to get some sort of government funded support worker who can come maybe once or twice a week.
Hospitalization likely wouldnt help - what unit would they send me to - generally when im in hospital its worse - I often dont get fed for days because of my dietary requirements or the food they do bring me is something I cannot eat at all. Like once I was in ED and asked for food to take meds with - they gave me a cheese sandwich and said they couldnt get me food from the hospital catering till at least the morning. Im lactose and gluten intolerant. CHEESE SANDWICH. Ive been left in a room for days and not monitored, not fed and a whole bunch of other *kitten* up stuff (they got reported to the human rights commission).
I have food suggestions from my doctor based on my nutritional needs (because of absorption issues shes like you specifically need more of X nutrient plus huge supplemental doses etc). Im such a complex case that even with my appointments being up to 2 hours every 2 weeks there is never enough time to cover everything so we've never done an in-depth eating plan but shes given me guidelines. I've been looking up sources of the nutrients shes been saying I need and planning my groceries around that (and whats on special). Thats why im going to try see a nutritionist if I can get it covered by medicare (i think i can under my care plan for chronic illness)
Ive also looked at those food delivery companies but because I have such strict dietary requirements there really are none that tick all the boxes plus they are quite expensive.0 -
trigden1991 wrote: »How did you get overweight if you struggle to eat 800 calories?
Trigden. Antipsychotics. They can really *kitten* your *kitten* up. And im one of those people who when their body reacts to a medication, it doesnt half *kitten* it. This particular medication is notorius for weight gain as it alters your metabolism and causes insulin resistance. I think the stats on it are like 1 in 3 will gain like 15kg in the first 12-24 months.0 -
Jeez, hospitals are supposed to help people.Im hoping to see a qualified nutritionist (or is it a dietician which is the one with proper qualifications?)... will speak to my doctor on the 18th about it. There are so many contributing factors that just make this all harder. Like sometimes being too weak to even be in the kitchen so I just dont eat, or my lungs or stomach not being able to cope with eating, and then add in the psychological factors like the autism meaning I just cannot tolerate certain textures Its distressing as *kitten* - for example peas.
Sorry i know this all sounds ridicculous I swear im not trying to be difficult or make excuses. Im trying to give all the information.
It doesn't sound as ridiculous as much as it does just scary to be honest. You sound like you need a weeks hospitalization.
That said, does your doctor have a list of foods you can/should eat?
Would your financial situation or insurance allow for food delivery or a home health care nurse, part time at least? Someone who can prepare 1 or 2 proper meals a day for you would be a huge help.
I dont have insurance - Im in Australia though so medicare is pretty good (although the current government is really doing its best to *kitten* that up). Im also on the disability pension so its not like I can afford insurance anyway. I have been looking into trying to get some sort of government funded support worker who can come maybe once or twice a week.
Hospitalization likely wouldnt help - what unit would they send me to - generally when im in hospital its worse - I often dont get fed for days because of my dietary requirements or the food they do bring me is something I cannot eat at all. Like once I was in ED and asked for food to take meds with - they gave me a cheese sandwich and said they couldnt get me food from the hospital catering till at least the morning. Im lactose and gluten intolerant. CHEESE SANDWICH. Ive been left in a room for days and not monitored, not fed and a whole bunch of other *kitten* up stuff (they got reported to the human rights commission).
All I can do is hope and pray for the best for you - it sounds as if you've covered every base. Not surprising, you know you and your issues better than anyone here....I don't know enough to offer you any more nutritional advice, but others here do.I have food suggestions from my doctor based on my nutritional needs (because of absorption issues shes like you specifically need more of X nutrient plus huge supplemental doses etc). Im such a complex case that even with my appointments being up to 2 hours every 2 weeks there is never enough time to cover everything so we've never done an in-depth eating plan but shes given me guidelines. I've been looking up sources of the nutrients shes been saying I need and planning my groceries around that (and whats on special). Thats why im going to try see a nutritionist if I can get it covered by medicare (i think i can under my care plan for chronic illness)
Ive also looked at those food delivery companies but because I have such strict dietary requirements there really are none that tick all the boxes plus they are quite expensive.
Hopefully more of them see your thread. Best fortune to you...
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It causes metabolic dysfunction. It also alters the way hunger signals work in your brain but because ive been a one meal a day person for so long even with hunger signals going crazy and intense carb cravings I tended not to exceed 1000cal. Struggling to eat now Is also a result of the medication - because of how it messes up your hunger signals and metabolic processes your brain basically has no hunger signals when you come off it and gets very confused and eating becomes more of a chore than anything else... like food is an inconvenience to your brain. It also increases fat storage, causes issues with gut bacteria, hormone changes, and fatigue and lethargy. If you want to look it up Its called Zyprexa.
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It might be helpful if you just gave us a list of what you can eat.
Do you have a crockpot? They are relatively cheap and you can just throw your ingredients in and leave it to cook. You can get several meals ot of most recipes.0 -
These are not excuses btw - I was a healthy weight before this medication. I was super messed up and sick, but I was a healthy weight. I also knew this was a possible side effect and didnt want to take it but doctors in hospital forced me to take it, then when they discharged me I had to continue taking it because stopping would have put me back in hospital because there was really no one taking care of me. I fought doctors for ages trying to get them to let me go off it, knowing that if I did it without medical supervision it would land me in hospital. When it started causing insulin resistance my doctor finally agreed to let me come off it. I have more manic episodes and its harder to sleep ( hence why im on here at 3.40am) but im happier and I feel like I have some control over my body again.0
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First, take a deep breath. Stress makes everything worse, and it sounds like you (understandably) have a TON of stress surrounding food and eating.
Typically, when people come in here saying that they can't hit their calories, they're almost always underestimating and eating way more than they think or it's their first few days on the diet and they've completely cut everything they think is "bad" out. Given your food restrictions, I don't think that's necessarily what's happening here, or at least it's not the whole story.
You said that one of your typical meals would be a takeaway cashew stir-fry. Is that a stir-fry with cashews instead of rice? Because OMG, that sounds amazing, and holy heck, it also sounds like it has a zillion calories for not a lot of volume. You could easily put on a lot of weight while also feeling like you're not eating a lot of food if that's something you used to eat regularly.
It sounds like your system can tolerate fats okay, is that accurate? If you can add things like raw or roasted nuts, peanut butter, avocado or olive oil, that would go a LONG way to getting your calories up.
Do you use a food scale? If not, and if you can afford one, it should be your new best friend. I've found that mine makes my life a lot easier because I don't have to wash measuring cups and spoons every day now.
How long have you been on the diet? If it's been less than a month or so, please try to be patient, hit 1200 calories every day and give your body time to adjust. If it's been longer than a month, there might be hidden calorie sources that you're not seeing that mean you're unintentionally eating more than you think. In either case, a food scale would help your data collection tremendously. Would you be willing to open your diary for a short period of time so we can take a look? You can either make it completely open (and then close it again), open it just to friends (and if so, I'd be happy to take a look if you send me a friend request) or open it but require a key to see it, in case you're not comfortable making it completely open.3 -
It might be helpful if you just gave us a list of what you can eat.
Do you have a crockpot? They are relatively cheap and you can just throw your ingredients in and leave it to cook. You can get several meals ot of most recipes.
I dont have one but have been looking at recipes for one so I might once i have some money to spare.
In terms of what I can eat:
Most vegetables
EXCEPT: Capsicum, cucumber, olives, and i can only have limited amounts of nightshades because its apparently bad for my inflammation levels or something. Im not 100% sure but it does make my pain and stiffness worse if I eat too many.
Limited dairy
Low-lactose, or lactose or dairy free cheeses. Occasional yoghurt depending on my dairy intake that week depends what I can tolerate.
No Meat or Seafood
Limited gluten (i really shouldnt be having any tbh)
Legumes I think are all fine. I also eat as many beans and lentils as I can
Dont really eat anything from the candy aisle. My sweets tend to be Smooze (coconut water based iceblocks)
Eggs are ok but I cant eat them every week or my brain goes nope.
Soy products and meat substitutes are ok but I dont like the ones that are specifically things like fake bacon or fake ham. Textured Vegetable protein is fine. Tofu and tempeh are fine.
I do eat nuts but they are expensive af. My go to is peanuts because they tend to be cheapest. I dont really like how peanut butter coats your mouth though I do like the flavour and I keep it on hand for my dog so I eat it when I can cope with it.
I can eat most fruits except grapefruit and I dont like oranges or mandarins. I tend to eat mostly berries and green apples. Dont like the texture of banana on its own.
You'll notice a lack of grains in this - Ive been told to limit my grains - because they tend to be carb heavy and my body struggles to process carbs.
I tend to be quite restricted in what I eat and not very balanced which is quite common among autistic people. I tend to become preoccupied with certain foods and develop fears (often not lasting more than a month) of certain types of foods. For example at the moment im apparently terrified of fruit. Even though just last week I was eating grapes and blueberries quite happily. And now im fixated on protein water and if I didnt force myself I would be quite content to just have protein water all day every day. Which contains 0 carbs or fats... its literally just the aminos, so I'd probably get sick pretty fast.1 -
First, take a deep breath. Stress makes everything worse, and it sounds like you (understandably) have a TON of stress surrounding food and eating.
Typically, when people come in here saying that they can't hit their calories, they're almost always underestimating and eating way more than they think or it's their first few days on the diet and they've completely cut everything they think is "bad" out. Given your food restrictions, I don't think that's necessarily what's happening here, or at least it's not the whole story.
You said that one of your typical meals would be a takeaway cashew stir-fry. Is that a stir-fry with cashews instead of rice? Because OMG, that sounds amazing, and holy heck, it also sounds like it has a zillion calories for not a lot of volume. You could easily put on a lot of weight while also feeling like you're not eating a lot of food if that's something you used to eat regularly.
It sounds like your system can tolerate fats okay, is that accurate? If you can add things like raw or roasted nuts, peanut butter, avocado or olive oil, that would go a LONG way to getting your calories up.
Do you use a food scale? If not, and if you can afford one, it should be your new best friend. I've found that mine makes my life a lot easier because I don't have to wash measuring cups and spoons every day now.
How long have you been on the diet? If it's been less than a month or so, please try to be patient, hit 1200 calories every day and give your body time to adjust. If it's been longer than a month, there might be hidden calorie sources that you're not seeing that mean you're unintentionally eating more than you think. In either case, a food scale would help your data collection tremendously. Would you be willing to open your diary for a short period of time so we can take a look? You can either make it completely open (and then close it again), open it just to friends (and if so, I'd be happy to take a look if you send me a friend request) or open it but require a key to see it, in case you're not comfortable making it completely open.
Ive been tracking my food for a long time on and off (years). And Ive had multiple doctors checking it as well and all tell me im not eating enough. Im obsessively detailed about my logs. I am certain they are acurate.
Cashew nut stirfry is stir fried vegetables with a few cashews chucked in and some chilli jam. Omg no the cashews dont replace the rice - this is a dish that msot people eat with rice. I just dont.
ive got peanut butter. Cant buy the other things until they are on special because they are expensive.
Same with the food scale - I'll get one when its on special. I do have measuring cups and I also tend to add things by item (like 1 x medium carrot for example rather than by eyeballing the grams)
Ive been trying to fix this even before I got off the medication but because of medical issues and being sick all the time it hasnt been going very well. Im still sick all the time - because thats how chronic illness works, but im functioning a bit better the last month so im trying to get into routine and figure things out better while i can so its easier when i do inevitably get sicker again.
Im sorry i feel really weird about opening my diary - but my best friend has access to it and also my doctor.
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Try a big pot of soup. Load it down with all the vegetables that you eat...some spices...add some tofu.
You can get all of your vegetables frozen if you like and just open the bags and dump them in. Add vegetable broth and some cans of tomatoes. Throwing some seasoning in. I don't cook with tofu but I imagine that you would add it right before the soup is finished. In about an hour you could have several meals ready to go.
Try egg salad. You might can tolerate that better. Just chop up your boiled eggs and add some mayo and whatever else that you want.
I usually prepare at least 4 servings at once. It really takes very little more time than if you are preparing just one serving. That way I always have a few meals in the fridge and I don't have to cook as often.2 -
Try a big pot of soup. Load it down with all the vegetables that you eat...some spices...add some tofu.
You can get all of your vegetables frozen if you like and just open the bags and dump them in. Add vegetable broth and some cans of tomatoes. Throwing some seasoning in. I don't cook with tofu but I imagine that you would add it right before the soup is finished. In about an hour you could have several meals ready to go.
Try egg salad. You might can tolerate that better. Just chop up your boiled eggs and add some mayo and whatever else that you want.
I usually prepare at least 4 servings at once. It really takes very little more time than if you are preparing just one serving. That way I always have a few meals in the fridge and I don't have to cook as often.
Oh I forgot to say - I hate frozen vegetables. Its gotta be fresh or at least refridgerated steamer packets. I have frozen edamame and im gonna see if I can tolerate that but frozen vegetables i generally even if i cook them and try to eat them just cannot deal with the flavour and texture.
The soup is a good idea. I used to do that. Need to buy a big pot (moved into a new totally unfurnished apartment a few months ago). I think I would keep the tofu seperate though and add it before serving. Its likely to get quite mushy otherwise. I do have quite the stock of soups in my cupboards but I tend to go through phases of hating soup or there only being one soup that I like.0 -
Maybe smaller, calorie dense options? Peanut butter, cheese, etc. My intestines, digestion, whatever is messed up royally so I feel your pain about feeling like crap after eating. I can't eat much volume before I bloat up and look 8 months pregnant.1
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andrea4736 wrote: »Maybe smaller, calorie dense options? Peanut butter, cheese, etc. My intestines, digestion, whatever is messed up royally so I feel your pain about feeling like crap after eating. I can't eat much volume before I bloat up and look 8 months pregnant.
God yes. the bloat struggle is real. Walking around afterwards and I feel huge. Even being overweight i dont really have the big stomach thing but it pops out after I eat and I feel so uncomfortable and like there is so much pressure. Even if its not a big meal.
Ive got peanut butter. Im going to try adding it to yoghurt to see if its easier to cope with the texture when its covered in something more silky.1 -
I use very few frozen myself because I don't like the texture. Just buy the pre-chopped veggies. You will have to cook it a little longer.
Google "vegan soups" to give you ideas and then just substitute the ingredients that you can't eat for some that you can.0 -
My sister is a really good vegan. Might see if she can help me with meal planning coz shes also a good cook. My go to soup used to be leek and parsnip but I cant find the recipe anymore and the ones Ive found are for it with just chopped up bits of leek and parsnip in it and the one I liked had it all blended together so it was a lot thicker.0
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Or maybe I can bribe her into making me a massive batch of soup since I dont have a blender atm (or i do but its a tiny one I use for nuts and butterbean mash)0
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spinach salad with avocados and strawberries, nuts especially almonds, lentils are the most complete non animal protein available. The are a legume not a grain but you can use them like a grain in a lot of dishes. I like to make them into soup. Best of luck.1
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I'm slightly confused. In the original post you stated that an example of a meal would be a homemade burger that included a roll and cheese. But later you state that you are lactose intolerant and have a gluten allergy. Can you clarify?1
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I suggest you keep looking in any disability support that might be available = is the NDIS in your area? And do you qualify? If you aren't in an NDIS area, then ask your doctor about a referral to the local disability support service (it will vary state by state) and see if you can get any assistance with shopping and meal prep.
If that's not an option, then I would call in favours if you can - it sounds as though your sister, for example, might be willing to help. Or perhaps your local council or health service might be able to put you in touch with a volunteer group who could help.
Cooking batches of things that can go in the fridge or freezer would give you some meals to fall back on. As you like soup, that would be a great place to start. You can add in chicken or nuts or legumes to bump up the protein, plus use a bit of oil in the cooking then blend it all in and you have something that has some decent nutrition and calories.
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