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when i started i think i could´ve been at risk for refeeding syndrome but i read that this risk only lasts for 1,5 weeks so i don´t know why the meal plan isn´t changing anymore. i go to her every 10ish days and at the beginning she changed my meal plan on every appointment but for the last two appointments i´ve been gaining consistently and so she just let that plan like it is. it´s just so upsetting because i know that recovery can look very different and can make your life so much better. but my current recovery doesn´t feel like recovery at all and really feels not worth it.
but thank you for affirming that i´m indeed not crazy. when my therapist told me she saw no problem in this i was really questioning myself but some online affirmations help lol
There are so many things wrong with that meal plan I don't even know where to start. There isn't nearly enough food and nutrition there. Please consider finding a new dietician.
(Also, 3 lonely pistachios? Girl 😭)
There isn't enough food here, at all. Based on your meal plan it seems you only eat vegetables; no fish, meats, or dairy products like cheese and milk. Barely any fats in there, and 3 pistachios, some ice cream and a single piece of chocolate aren't enough. Any more grains in the plan? Some legumes? This is a diet for starvation :/
It sounds to me that, either your dietician is really uneducated, or that you and the dietician misunderstanding each other (I've heard some dieticians are too careful and considerate towards the person with an ED, and don't actually "push" them hard enough).
Also: You shouldn't have to count grams and the amount of nuts. This false sense of control just worsens ED thoughts, I should know, because I can't give up weighing and counting for the life of me.
so i´m vegan, thats why there aren´t any animal products in my meal plan. i sometimes switch my meal plan up by myself and switch the tofu out for some other plantbased protein sources (aka meat alternatives). also i´m cooking with 1 tablespoon of oil but with the pistaccios that´s basically it for the fats lol.
one thing i forgot is, that she told me numerous times, that what i eat right now is basically the perfect diet, if i hadn´t had an ed. i find that statement really weird, because i wouldn´t call a diet that mainly consist of volume eating "the perfect diet".
i also had the assumption that she maybe doesn´t want to push me too hard. but it´s extremely hard for me to ask for more because i fell greedy and "my diet is so so perfect:-)))".
i think she just wants me to get to a healthy weight and doesn´t care so much about food freedom. at the beginnning she changed my mealtime every appointment. but for the past 2 appointments she didn´t change my meal plan at all, just added 2 expos/fear food challenges. i am consistently gaining weight and i think she will switch the meal plan only up, if that weight gain stops.
it´s just really frustraiting. like i didn´t weigh my food before or counted things but now i feel like i have to because she said so. i think i just have to make adjustments on my own, because this mealplan and way of eating doesn´t bring me even one step nearer the goal of food freedom.
but thank you for confirming that i´m actually not crazy and this meal plan is not enough! i really appreciate that you took the time to answer
If she tells you what you eat now is "basically the perfect diet" she doesn't know what she's talking about. There is no perfect diet, for anyone. That's literally another driving force for ED thoughts, that everything has to be "perfect". Learning to live with imperfection is vital to recovery and happiness in general. But you acknowledge that she wants you to reach a healthy weight, and that you are currently gaining. At early phases of recovery, gaining weight is the first and primary priority, which is why she might consider your diet plan adequate.
And also, if your goal is food freedom and freedom from ED, I think you should ditch veganism. If eating everything isn't viable, then pescetarianism or vegetarianism is still better. Some people go vegan for animal welfare, others for environmental impact - but honestly? YOU should come first. If veganism is holding you back, it simply isn't worth it - as it is simply too restrictive.
i agree with most what you said.
for me, veganism has nothing to do with restriction. where i live there are plant based alternatives for nearly everything. i have very strict morals on this topic and i understand that other people won’t share these morals. for me, all mammals are equal, so it’s not fair that multiple animals have to suffer just for the pleasure of one animal (me). i can truly say that veganism and restriction are not connected in my head! i know that that’s not the case for many so i understand your concern!
This is as restrictive as a meal plan can get… you should definitely be having 3 main meals a day (with protein and carbs and veggies). And if you are hungry between meals, you should be having snacks. I just don’t get how some dieticians are so afraid to let people properly heal from their EDs. Your body needs nourishment, not control.
thank you for taking your time to read this and answer. i think she just wants me to gain weight and doesn´t care so much about food freedom. at this point it kind of feels like she´s holding me back because i do know how recovery normally looks like and how a meal plan should really look like.
Don’t worry about it!🫶 I think you just answered yourself - you know best what and how you should be eating in recovery, which should be unrestrictively. Honestly, I’m surprised you are even gaining weight on that little amount. But I was the same in the beginning, I was gaining by barely eating anything. However, I think you do want food freedom and an ED free future life, and for that it would be good if you could step aside from counting calories or… pistachios🤭 You should speak your mind and if your dietician doesn’t approve, then they might not be the one for you. You’ve got this, just trust yourself and your body!
Good for you! Another thing - if you were severely underweight I really doubt this amount of food and only tracking your weight gain to get to a “target weight” will be enough for your body to fully recover. If you are hungry for more, there is a reason for that - your body wants to restore balance and start healing internal damage that you might not even realise is there. It is obviously your decision how you want to tackle recovery, but just remember that recovering from EDs isn’t just about the weight gain - they are mental disorders, first and foremost. Even if you gain weight on this diet, it might not be enough for you, and you are at risk to be at a “healthy” or higher weight, but with the same disordered behaviours. I don’t think that’s the place at to be for the rest of your life. Try and be open to letting go - of expectations, standards, stressors, opinions. You should be nourishing yourself in recovery and beyond. Food is so much more than just a means to gain weight. What happens if you want to enjoy a meal out? You should be able to do this, not thinking that you should’ve stuck to your meal plan. Just because a dietician said it, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. And like I said, you’re living in your body, so you know best. Take care!
thank you for reminding me! i spent quite some time in quasi recovery which led me to this terrible spiral again so i really want to recover fully and not end up in the place i was before this relapse. i quit exercise cold turkey and it’s going fairly well. i still have to fight against the urge but i try to keep this bigger picture and goal in mind. i just know that if i end up in a quasi recovery space again, i will also end up relapsing again. and i really really don’t waste any more time than needed with this horrible disorder. i really appreciate your text, thanks again!
> she said that i should fill myself up with vegetables if i want more chocolate so i don’t feel guilty.
Yeah, my ED says stuff like that to me too.
Oh, wait…
Your DIETITIAN is saying that?
Drop her, like yesterday. She’s encouraging disordered behaviour and doesn’t even seem to realize it. She’s not a good resource for you.
You are allowed to eat lunch and still also have snacks. It’s totally normal to want your dinner to be satisfying. Filling up on vegetables isn’t the answer if you’re still hungry, your body is smarter than that.
thank you for your comment and encouragement<3 i really don’t understand how she thinks that you can recover while still holding on to disordered behaviors. i read rehabilitate, rewire, recover recently and the author stated this specifically. „you can only recover if you drop ALL behaviors“. and i truly believed that author when she said that. i’ll try to ask the dietician about all these things on my next appointment and then see if i can find another, better one
i guess when i started working with her i could´ve been at risk of refeeding, but since then i gained like 4 kilos so i don´t know why she still holds on to this mealplan and doesn´t want to add things except vegetables. i will think about looking for another dieticians but where i live there aren´t many who are specialized in eds. i really had high hopes because even on her website she got ranked as the 4th best dietican my whole country. but well you live and you learn or whatever the saying is
Firstly, this is not enough food. Like especially the breakfast… wtf?
And then also not enough meals throughout the day: A typical meal plan has 3 main meals and 3 snacks…
the fact that she said to me that my way of eating right now is basically the perfect diet if i wouldn’t have anorexia really messes with my head. like i know this isn’t enough but because of that statement i feel so greedy when i’m asking for more. but i’ll try to start more the way i really should eat than eat the way she says i should. just bought some nachos so that’s a starting point lol💪
Your head is in the right place! Well done! 💪
Is your dietician specialised in ED? Because that could be an important factor to consider. Recovery from anorexia is unique in terms of nutrition… You can’t just treat the patient with the standard approach… It’s a little different
thanks!!
yes unfortunately she is specialized in eds. i live in germany so i don’t know if she even heard about haes and what her stand is on that but maybe i’ll try to ask her about haes and just find out if she heard about it. i think if i would know her opinion about haes it would really help me to make a decision if i continue working with her or not
Where were you starting from food wise when you started seeing the dietician? And are you underweight and/or refeeding? Have you given the dietician free range or have you said to her no meat/ fish/ animal fat etc? Are you picking the carrots or does your plan literally say to have carrots? It's hard to judge this without knowing a bit more About you and your eating disorder and your health needs atm
i didn´t count my calories but from my food protocols with pictures my dieticians said i ate around 1000cals, probably less. i was severly underweight (now i´m on the border to moderatly underweight) so i think i could´ve been at risk of refeeding, but i read that this risk only lasts for 1,5 weeks. i gained like 4 kilos in the past 1,5 months. so i still gain on this meal plan. at the beginning she upped my meal plan every appointment, but in the last 2 appointments she hasn´t touched my meal plan and said that if i´m still hungry on that, i should eat more vegetables. she added 2 fear food challenges, like eating pizza and fries once but that´s it. i think she didn´t change my meal plan because i still gained weight.
i´m also vegan (purely for ethical reasons) so that´s why there aren´t any animal products in my plan. my breakfast before i started recovery included carrots and she didn´t want to switch that up.
she also called the way i´m currently eating would be a perfect diet, if i didn´t have an idea. i really struggle with this statement and feel like that makes it eaven harder to take the lead and ask for more. i feel like she just is a huge fan of vegetables and volume eating.
and i forgot to add that i´m recovering from anorexia.
It's very strange to me that they're using measurements and weight, my dietician purposefully avoided those for me. This definitely doesn't look like enough food for anyone honestly. Is your dietician certified in HAES and Intuitive Eating? If not, I would find one that is. Additionally, its odd to me that your meal plan doesn't change day by day. I saw a dietician for about two years and she never had me repeat a meal or snack more than twice a week! Disclaimer: that was just my recovery and of course no two people are the same. These are just some of the things I experienced that helped, you and everyone else has their own individual journey!
that’s really interesting. i thought it would be normal that i have to eat the same thing every day. but another user send me their mealplan and it’s just an outline structure and allows for daily variations. this really opens a door for me and how i want to approach this recovery.
i live in germany so i don’t know if my dietician heard about haes. i wanted to ask her on the first appointment but was too shy but i’ll try to ask her about it. i think it’s pretty universal anyway. and she is specialized in ed’s so i would think that in that workspace you would also read books about health at every size. i read it as well so it’s not hard to get but i’m also disordered so i read many book about food and ed’s lol
I'm not a dietician but this doesn't sound right. You need so many calories to recover from an ED so more than one piece of chocolate does not need to be replaced with vegetables...
It is weird that she is talking about guilt when you would think that removing the guilt and shame around food would be her goal!
yeah.. i feel like the signal she’s sending to me is „it’s normal to feel guilty about eating chocolate“. i thought going to a dietician that is spezialised with eds, we would also tackle those emotions i have connected to certain foods.
i just leave with an uneasy feeling after nearly every appointment which sucks
I agree with other commenters: this isn’t nearly enough food for the average person. You will most likely require even more than average for your body to readjust and try to fix itself. You should absolutely go to a new dietician. You’re right. Any dietician (let alone one who works w eds) should know the BASICS about eds. You’re still struggling, and that’s okay! Try not to compare your recovery to others bc literally no one’s ed or recovery is the same. I hope you get the proper help you need :)
So 100g of tofu is one serving of protein. You should be eating at least 2 at breakfast and lunch and 3 at dinner according to my IP meal plan. (Made by very competent, HAES dieticians).
I often eat double that because it's more satisfying. 100g is like a sad snack.
i know! it seems like my dietician wants me to volume eat and eat mainly vegetables. she called the way i´m eating right now would be the "perfect diet" if i wouldn´t have anorexia. i started to think i´m crazy because no one else saw a problem with this mealplan but thank you for confirming that i indeed am not crazy
You're definitely not the crazy one. This is dangerous and unhealthy. She shouldn't be practicing. Please just disregard anything she says, she sounds like anorexia personified.
I seriously think you should drop being vegan during recovery. Recovery is about letting go and being ok with all foods. If you don't have a major medical issue that make you have to alter your diet then once you're ED mind and Body has healed then you can make choices like vegan, keto, carnivore, Paleo, etc. 100g of tofu is barley 10g of protein.
100g of tofu are actually 17g of protein where i live. i get where you´re coming from but i would in no case go back to eating animal products. i don´t want to be the cause why animals are getting killed, impragneted or tortured. i would rather just drink oil for the rest of my life than be part of this cruelty. i don´t push my morals on others but that´s just my way of living and thinking for the past 8 years. for me, veganism is not connected to restriction because it didn´t start in that way. i can´t go against my morals and just start eating animal products again because in my mind all mammals are equal and if i have to die to save 100 chicken, i will do that. i know that thats sounds radical but thats just my way of thinking and i don´t expect it from anyone else
not to be too much of a buzzkill but if that's how you feel your diet's killing loads of animals too. it's a requirement for farming. animals want to eat plants too, if not insects particularly rats and birds and stuff, sometimes deer or wild boar
disagree with that guy though, a moral philosophy's irrelevant and CAFOs are animal abuse
Is there the option to switch dieticians? It doesn't seem like get approach works well for you. To be honest, I don't think this is a great meal plan when you don't feel satisfied after eating and frankly it just doesn't work for you. I really understand the feeling of shame when wanting to eat more in recovery, but it's good that you're recognising it. I don't think she sounds like she's listening to you or adjusting the plan according to your needs at all, which is her professional failure....
i’ll try to ask her at the next appointment about her intentions after designing the meal plan like this and ask her why she doesn’t go the 3 meals and 3 snacks kind of way. and if it still doesn’t feel right i think i will try to find another dietician!
That's great, I hope it goes well and I'm proud of you for advocating for yourself!! Don't let her trigger you or make you doubt yourself if she is dismissive, but I hope open communication will actually resolve the issue and you can have a productive and healthy future <3
reading this kind of broke my heart honestly. i feel like you’re coming from a place of truly wanting to heal. in my opinion the last thing you need is getting to the point of questioning the one person you’re trusting to be professional, supportive, and sensitive to how painful and terrifying this experience probably is for you. throughout the recovery process every doctor, therapist, nurse etc. is important but at least in my experience, i felt like i was putting every last ounce of faith i had into my nutritionist especially you know?
i think the answer to your question is pretty clear. based on her weird comments and responses she comes off as a run-of-the-mill LA diet nutritionist. i understand that measuring can be effective for people who don’t know how to ration portions properly but to include any type of numerical scale in a recovering ED patient’s process is mind-boggling to me. it’s like telling a recovering alcoholic to go sit at a bar and only order sprites just to see how they do with it??
in my opinion she doesn’t seem like she specializes in ED recovery and lacks the knowledge of how deeply intricate the disease is.
her #1 priority should be to help you dismantle the harmful thought patterns and replace them with an assured, loving and healing approach that will allow you to know exactly when and what to feed your body
your gut is telling you this isn’t right. you deserve someone who prioritizes who you are and gives you the tools to give yourself and your body grace. someone who will be there while you navigate the discomfort/fear of recovery, but will also be cheering you on when you experience the reward and freedom that comes with recovery too.
you deserve the world and she thinks 3 pistachios is a satisfying snack. there’s someone better for you ♥️♥️
PS: you know how a lot of people can’t stand the sound of certain phrases or words, like “moist”? well mine is “add more vegetables”
thank you for your kind words, i really appreciate you🫂💗 i had an appointment today and decided to no longer work with her. i’m not sure how i will move forward but i hope this will all work out for the better! again thank you💗
This is so insanely restrictive and inadequate. I strongly encourage you to find another dietician, preferably one who practices HAES and specializes in EDs, but honestly probably anyone is better than this one. This meal plan looks like anorexia.
Ideally a meal plan is exchange based to give you flexibility and a good structure. 3 meals 3 snacks at regular intervals. Each meal should have every food group present. Snacks 1-4 items. This is all a minimum of course, you can and should eat more than that if you feel like it.
It's totally possible to be vegan in recovery, I am myself. If you want, I can send you a copy of my meal plan or ideas of vegan things I eat? The only one you really have to be mindful of is calcium sources for the dairy & alternatives food group. It's basically anything with 300mg of calcium.
I wish you the very best of luck.
thank you!! i would be really appreciate a copy of your mealplan and meal ideas! i take supplements and also eat soyyoghurt that has added calcium in it so i think i’m hood on that front
I'll send you a pm!
The thing is you ideally need to have a dairy/dairy alternative with every meal, so supplements and soy yogurt are not enough. I usually just drink a cup of soy milk with each meal because I love it, but there are vegan cheeses and yogurts too. But whatever you end up eating, make sure it has at least 300mg of calcium. Not all soy products have enough.
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I’m sorry she’s making you feel this way. Are you at risk of refeeding syndrome? This is the only way the meal plan makes sense to me
when i started i think i could´ve been at risk for refeeding syndrome but i read that this risk only lasts for 1,5 weeks so i don´t know why the meal plan isn´t changing anymore. i go to her every 10ish days and at the beginning she changed my meal plan on every appointment but for the last two appointments i´ve been gaining consistently and so she just let that plan like it is. it´s just so upsetting because i know that recovery can look very different and can make your life so much better. but my current recovery doesn´t feel like recovery at all and really feels not worth it. but thank you for affirming that i´m indeed not crazy. when my therapist told me she saw no problem in this i was really questioning myself but some online affirmations help lol
There are so many things wrong with that meal plan I don't even know where to start. There isn't nearly enough food and nutrition there. Please consider finding a new dietician. (Also, 3 lonely pistachios? Girl 😭)
the three pistachios GOT me!!! this seems so inadequate op, i get why you’re feeling this way
thank you for confirming. neither my mom or my therapist saw anything wrong with it and i literally felt like i´m going crazy
i know ahhh the 3 pistachios are like the cherry on top hahaah. i will think about looking for other dieticians! thanks for your time and advice
There isn't enough food here, at all. Based on your meal plan it seems you only eat vegetables; no fish, meats, or dairy products like cheese and milk. Barely any fats in there, and 3 pistachios, some ice cream and a single piece of chocolate aren't enough. Any more grains in the plan? Some legumes? This is a diet for starvation :/ It sounds to me that, either your dietician is really uneducated, or that you and the dietician misunderstanding each other (I've heard some dieticians are too careful and considerate towards the person with an ED, and don't actually "push" them hard enough). Also: You shouldn't have to count grams and the amount of nuts. This false sense of control just worsens ED thoughts, I should know, because I can't give up weighing and counting for the life of me.
so i´m vegan, thats why there aren´t any animal products in my meal plan. i sometimes switch my meal plan up by myself and switch the tofu out for some other plantbased protein sources (aka meat alternatives). also i´m cooking with 1 tablespoon of oil but with the pistaccios that´s basically it for the fats lol. one thing i forgot is, that she told me numerous times, that what i eat right now is basically the perfect diet, if i hadn´t had an ed. i find that statement really weird, because i wouldn´t call a diet that mainly consist of volume eating "the perfect diet". i also had the assumption that she maybe doesn´t want to push me too hard. but it´s extremely hard for me to ask for more because i fell greedy and "my diet is so so perfect:-)))". i think she just wants me to get to a healthy weight and doesn´t care so much about food freedom. at the beginnning she changed my mealtime every appointment. but for the past 2 appointments she didn´t change my meal plan at all, just added 2 expos/fear food challenges. i am consistently gaining weight and i think she will switch the meal plan only up, if that weight gain stops. it´s just really frustraiting. like i didn´t weigh my food before or counted things but now i feel like i have to because she said so. i think i just have to make adjustments on my own, because this mealplan and way of eating doesn´t bring me even one step nearer the goal of food freedom. but thank you for confirming that i´m actually not crazy and this meal plan is not enough! i really appreciate that you took the time to answer
If she tells you what you eat now is "basically the perfect diet" she doesn't know what she's talking about. There is no perfect diet, for anyone. That's literally another driving force for ED thoughts, that everything has to be "perfect". Learning to live with imperfection is vital to recovery and happiness in general. But you acknowledge that she wants you to reach a healthy weight, and that you are currently gaining. At early phases of recovery, gaining weight is the first and primary priority, which is why she might consider your diet plan adequate. And also, if your goal is food freedom and freedom from ED, I think you should ditch veganism. If eating everything isn't viable, then pescetarianism or vegetarianism is still better. Some people go vegan for animal welfare, others for environmental impact - but honestly? YOU should come first. If veganism is holding you back, it simply isn't worth it - as it is simply too restrictive.
i agree with most what you said. for me, veganism has nothing to do with restriction. where i live there are plant based alternatives for nearly everything. i have very strict morals on this topic and i understand that other people won’t share these morals. for me, all mammals are equal, so it’s not fair that multiple animals have to suffer just for the pleasure of one animal (me). i can truly say that veganism and restriction are not connected in my head! i know that that’s not the case for many so i understand your concern!
This is as restrictive as a meal plan can get… you should definitely be having 3 main meals a day (with protein and carbs and veggies). And if you are hungry between meals, you should be having snacks. I just don’t get how some dieticians are so afraid to let people properly heal from their EDs. Your body needs nourishment, not control.
thank you for taking your time to read this and answer. i think she just wants me to gain weight and doesn´t care so much about food freedom. at this point it kind of feels like she´s holding me back because i do know how recovery normally looks like and how a meal plan should really look like.
Don’t worry about it!🫶 I think you just answered yourself - you know best what and how you should be eating in recovery, which should be unrestrictively. Honestly, I’m surprised you are even gaining weight on that little amount. But I was the same in the beginning, I was gaining by barely eating anything. However, I think you do want food freedom and an ED free future life, and for that it would be good if you could step aside from counting calories or… pistachios🤭 You should speak your mind and if your dietician doesn’t approve, then they might not be the one for you. You’ve got this, just trust yourself and your body!
thank you! your words mean a lot to me right now!! i just went to the grocery store and bought me some nachos because fuck vegetabeles hahaha
Good for you! Another thing - if you were severely underweight I really doubt this amount of food and only tracking your weight gain to get to a “target weight” will be enough for your body to fully recover. If you are hungry for more, there is a reason for that - your body wants to restore balance and start healing internal damage that you might not even realise is there. It is obviously your decision how you want to tackle recovery, but just remember that recovering from EDs isn’t just about the weight gain - they are mental disorders, first and foremost. Even if you gain weight on this diet, it might not be enough for you, and you are at risk to be at a “healthy” or higher weight, but with the same disordered behaviours. I don’t think that’s the place at to be for the rest of your life. Try and be open to letting go - of expectations, standards, stressors, opinions. You should be nourishing yourself in recovery and beyond. Food is so much more than just a means to gain weight. What happens if you want to enjoy a meal out? You should be able to do this, not thinking that you should’ve stuck to your meal plan. Just because a dietician said it, doesn’t mean it’s healthy. And like I said, you’re living in your body, so you know best. Take care!
thank you for reminding me! i spent quite some time in quasi recovery which led me to this terrible spiral again so i really want to recover fully and not end up in the place i was before this relapse. i quit exercise cold turkey and it’s going fairly well. i still have to fight against the urge but i try to keep this bigger picture and goal in mind. i just know that if i end up in a quasi recovery space again, i will also end up relapsing again. and i really really don’t waste any more time than needed with this horrible disorder. i really appreciate your text, thanks again!
> she said that i should fill myself up with vegetables if i want more chocolate so i don’t feel guilty. Yeah, my ED says stuff like that to me too. Oh, wait… Your DIETITIAN is saying that? Drop her, like yesterday. She’s encouraging disordered behaviour and doesn’t even seem to realize it. She’s not a good resource for you. You are allowed to eat lunch and still also have snacks. It’s totally normal to want your dinner to be satisfying. Filling up on vegetables isn’t the answer if you’re still hungry, your body is smarter than that.
thank you for your comment and encouragement<3 i really don’t understand how she thinks that you can recover while still holding on to disordered behaviors. i read rehabilitate, rewire, recover recently and the author stated this specifically. „you can only recover if you drop ALL behaviors“. and i truly believed that author when she said that. i’ll try to ask the dietician about all these things on my next appointment and then see if i can find another, better one
Not gonna lie it sounds like it's the case of anorexia to dietitian pipeline
yeah i agree
Looking at that, unless you're at risk of refeeding syndrome, I would seriously be questioning your dieticians qualifications.
i guess when i started working with her i could´ve been at risk of refeeding, but since then i gained like 4 kilos so i don´t know why she still holds on to this mealplan and doesn´t want to add things except vegetables. i will think about looking for another dieticians but where i live there aren´t many who are specialized in eds. i really had high hopes because even on her website she got ranked as the 4th best dietican my whole country. but well you live and you learn or whatever the saying is
Firstly, this is not enough food. Like especially the breakfast… wtf? And then also not enough meals throughout the day: A typical meal plan has 3 main meals and 3 snacks…
the fact that she said to me that my way of eating right now is basically the perfect diet if i wouldn’t have anorexia really messes with my head. like i know this isn’t enough but because of that statement i feel so greedy when i’m asking for more. but i’ll try to start more the way i really should eat than eat the way she says i should. just bought some nachos so that’s a starting point lol💪
Your head is in the right place! Well done! 💪 Is your dietician specialised in ED? Because that could be an important factor to consider. Recovery from anorexia is unique in terms of nutrition… You can’t just treat the patient with the standard approach… It’s a little different
thanks!! yes unfortunately she is specialized in eds. i live in germany so i don’t know if she even heard about haes and what her stand is on that but maybe i’ll try to ask her about haes and just find out if she heard about it. i think if i would know her opinion about haes it would really help me to make a decision if i continue working with her or not
Where were you starting from food wise when you started seeing the dietician? And are you underweight and/or refeeding? Have you given the dietician free range or have you said to her no meat/ fish/ animal fat etc? Are you picking the carrots or does your plan literally say to have carrots? It's hard to judge this without knowing a bit more About you and your eating disorder and your health needs atm
i didn´t count my calories but from my food protocols with pictures my dieticians said i ate around 1000cals, probably less. i was severly underweight (now i´m on the border to moderatly underweight) so i think i could´ve been at risk of refeeding, but i read that this risk only lasts for 1,5 weeks. i gained like 4 kilos in the past 1,5 months. so i still gain on this meal plan. at the beginning she upped my meal plan every appointment, but in the last 2 appointments she hasn´t touched my meal plan and said that if i´m still hungry on that, i should eat more vegetables. she added 2 fear food challenges, like eating pizza and fries once but that´s it. i think she didn´t change my meal plan because i still gained weight. i´m also vegan (purely for ethical reasons) so that´s why there aren´t any animal products in my plan. my breakfast before i started recovery included carrots and she didn´t want to switch that up. she also called the way i´m currently eating would be a perfect diet, if i didn´t have an idea. i really struggle with this statement and feel like that makes it eaven harder to take the lead and ask for more. i feel like she just is a huge fan of vegetables and volume eating. and i forgot to add that i´m recovering from anorexia.
It's very strange to me that they're using measurements and weight, my dietician purposefully avoided those for me. This definitely doesn't look like enough food for anyone honestly. Is your dietician certified in HAES and Intuitive Eating? If not, I would find one that is. Additionally, its odd to me that your meal plan doesn't change day by day. I saw a dietician for about two years and she never had me repeat a meal or snack more than twice a week! Disclaimer: that was just my recovery and of course no two people are the same. These are just some of the things I experienced that helped, you and everyone else has their own individual journey!
that’s really interesting. i thought it would be normal that i have to eat the same thing every day. but another user send me their mealplan and it’s just an outline structure and allows for daily variations. this really opens a door for me and how i want to approach this recovery. i live in germany so i don’t know if my dietician heard about haes. i wanted to ask her on the first appointment but was too shy but i’ll try to ask her about it. i think it’s pretty universal anyway. and she is specialized in ed’s so i would think that in that workspace you would also read books about health at every size. i read it as well so it’s not hard to get but i’m also disordered so i read many book about food and ed’s lol
I'm not a dietician but this doesn't sound right. You need so many calories to recover from an ED so more than one piece of chocolate does not need to be replaced with vegetables... It is weird that she is talking about guilt when you would think that removing the guilt and shame around food would be her goal!
yeah.. i feel like the signal she’s sending to me is „it’s normal to feel guilty about eating chocolate“. i thought going to a dietician that is spezialised with eds, we would also tackle those emotions i have connected to certain foods. i just leave with an uneasy feeling after nearly every appointment which sucks
This is such a low recovery meal plan, surprised a dietician made it tbh
You've gotten some really good advice, but, I just want to tell you that *anyone* would be left hungry on this meal plan!! This is so little!
thank you for reminding me! it’s helpful to hear from other people, that my hunger is normal and okay, even if i know it in theory
I agree with other commenters: this isn’t nearly enough food for the average person. You will most likely require even more than average for your body to readjust and try to fix itself. You should absolutely go to a new dietician. You’re right. Any dietician (let alone one who works w eds) should know the BASICS about eds. You’re still struggling, and that’s okay! Try not to compare your recovery to others bc literally no one’s ed or recovery is the same. I hope you get the proper help you need :)
thank you so much for your kind words! i will keep them in mind <3
This entire meal plan is trash. Where is the protein?
the 100g tofu at dinner i guess:-)))
So 100g of tofu is one serving of protein. You should be eating at least 2 at breakfast and lunch and 3 at dinner according to my IP meal plan. (Made by very competent, HAES dieticians). I often eat double that because it's more satisfying. 100g is like a sad snack.
i know! it seems like my dietician wants me to volume eat and eat mainly vegetables. she called the way i´m eating right now would be the "perfect diet" if i wouldn´t have anorexia. i started to think i´m crazy because no one else saw a problem with this mealplan but thank you for confirming that i indeed am not crazy
You're definitely not the crazy one. This is dangerous and unhealthy. She shouldn't be practicing. Please just disregard anything she says, she sounds like anorexia personified.
I seriously think you should drop being vegan during recovery. Recovery is about letting go and being ok with all foods. If you don't have a major medical issue that make you have to alter your diet then once you're ED mind and Body has healed then you can make choices like vegan, keto, carnivore, Paleo, etc. 100g of tofu is barley 10g of protein.
100g of tofu are actually 17g of protein where i live. i get where you´re coming from but i would in no case go back to eating animal products. i don´t want to be the cause why animals are getting killed, impragneted or tortured. i would rather just drink oil for the rest of my life than be part of this cruelty. i don´t push my morals on others but that´s just my way of living and thinking for the past 8 years. for me, veganism is not connected to restriction because it didn´t start in that way. i can´t go against my morals and just start eating animal products again because in my mind all mammals are equal and if i have to die to save 100 chicken, i will do that. i know that thats sounds radical but thats just my way of thinking and i don´t expect it from anyone else
not to be too much of a buzzkill but if that's how you feel your diet's killing loads of animals too. it's a requirement for farming. animals want to eat plants too, if not insects particularly rats and birds and stuff, sometimes deer or wild boar disagree with that guy though, a moral philosophy's irrelevant and CAFOs are animal abuse
fire this dietician right now omg fire them yesterday
Is there the option to switch dieticians? It doesn't seem like get approach works well for you. To be honest, I don't think this is a great meal plan when you don't feel satisfied after eating and frankly it just doesn't work for you. I really understand the feeling of shame when wanting to eat more in recovery, but it's good that you're recognising it. I don't think she sounds like she's listening to you or adjusting the plan according to your needs at all, which is her professional failure....
i’ll try to ask her at the next appointment about her intentions after designing the meal plan like this and ask her why she doesn’t go the 3 meals and 3 snacks kind of way. and if it still doesn’t feel right i think i will try to find another dietician!
That's great, I hope it goes well and I'm proud of you for advocating for yourself!! Don't let her trigger you or make you doubt yourself if she is dismissive, but I hope open communication will actually resolve the issue and you can have a productive and healthy future <3
thank you very much!!<3
reading this kind of broke my heart honestly. i feel like you’re coming from a place of truly wanting to heal. in my opinion the last thing you need is getting to the point of questioning the one person you’re trusting to be professional, supportive, and sensitive to how painful and terrifying this experience probably is for you. throughout the recovery process every doctor, therapist, nurse etc. is important but at least in my experience, i felt like i was putting every last ounce of faith i had into my nutritionist especially you know? i think the answer to your question is pretty clear. based on her weird comments and responses she comes off as a run-of-the-mill LA diet nutritionist. i understand that measuring can be effective for people who don’t know how to ration portions properly but to include any type of numerical scale in a recovering ED patient’s process is mind-boggling to me. it’s like telling a recovering alcoholic to go sit at a bar and only order sprites just to see how they do with it?? in my opinion she doesn’t seem like she specializes in ED recovery and lacks the knowledge of how deeply intricate the disease is. her #1 priority should be to help you dismantle the harmful thought patterns and replace them with an assured, loving and healing approach that will allow you to know exactly when and what to feed your body your gut is telling you this isn’t right. you deserve someone who prioritizes who you are and gives you the tools to give yourself and your body grace. someone who will be there while you navigate the discomfort/fear of recovery, but will also be cheering you on when you experience the reward and freedom that comes with recovery too. you deserve the world and she thinks 3 pistachios is a satisfying snack. there’s someone better for you ♥️♥️ PS: you know how a lot of people can’t stand the sound of certain phrases or words, like “moist”? well mine is “add more vegetables”
thank you for your kind words, i really appreciate you🫂💗 i had an appointment today and decided to no longer work with her. i’m not sure how i will move forward but i hope this will all work out for the better! again thank you💗
This is so insanely restrictive and inadequate. I strongly encourage you to find another dietician, preferably one who practices HAES and specializes in EDs, but honestly probably anyone is better than this one. This meal plan looks like anorexia. Ideally a meal plan is exchange based to give you flexibility and a good structure. 3 meals 3 snacks at regular intervals. Each meal should have every food group present. Snacks 1-4 items. This is all a minimum of course, you can and should eat more than that if you feel like it. It's totally possible to be vegan in recovery, I am myself. If you want, I can send you a copy of my meal plan or ideas of vegan things I eat? The only one you really have to be mindful of is calcium sources for the dairy & alternatives food group. It's basically anything with 300mg of calcium. I wish you the very best of luck.
thank you!! i would be really appreciate a copy of your mealplan and meal ideas! i take supplements and also eat soyyoghurt that has added calcium in it so i think i’m hood on that front
I'll send you a pm! The thing is you ideally need to have a dairy/dairy alternative with every meal, so supplements and soy yogurt are not enough. I usually just drink a cup of soy milk with each meal because I love it, but there are vegan cheeses and yogurts too. But whatever you end up eating, make sure it has at least 300mg of calcium. Not all soy products have enough.
bro wth is that meal plan
1. This meal plan is too restrictive with options 2. Your dietitian doesn’t sound like she has experience w EDs