fats

ok so ive been plodding along , because im eating and gaining i guess i thought that was ok . but when i look around i see what other people have i realise im totally fat phobic. it started when i had treatment 14 yrs ago  for my ed ,the place i was in was not geared up in ed there idea was to feed me up on fats fast theyd put butter on everything, even under cheese on toast, id be given pies several times a week fatty meat it was a nightmare. im aware though im avoiding the issue. i dont think im having much fat alot of what i eat is low in fat i dont have butter i eat alot of quorn , i have 1 % milk  the highest fat thing i probably have his fish fingers. id so like to change this , im not able to eat out because of it, my food is tasteless, and i think my body is needing it. any ideas what i could do to try and change this ? i like most things although i dont eat red meats and i dont like nut h x

plus im eating so much ketchup heinzs would never go bust with me

Well, I personally feel like you can never go wrong with cheese.  And there are so many different kinds you're bound to find one you like.  And there's so much you can do with it.  Try browsing some recipes by ingredient. 

There is a soup that my mom used to make for my grandmother when she was very, very sick with cancer that had a high fat/calorie content (because she was so ill from the chemo and... well, I'm sure you've known people who've been cancer patients for a long time).  I'm going to visit my mom later this afternoon, and I'll get the recipe if you want it, just let me know.

helen, i know how hard that is! i can totally relate to you. in the beginning of my recovery i lived off of carbs and protein. i knew that's what body builders ate, and i wanted muscle without an ounce of fat. the main thing that turned me around was hearing my doctor say that he would be happy with me when i got my period back even if i was still underweight. since i didn't want to end up big, i loved this idea of being healthy (or at least functioning with a period) and still being skinny.i switched to a diet of lots of full-fat cottage cheese, avocado, etc. it was later that i realized i need everything- fats, carbs, and protein- to recover. but don't be scared of fats. another thing i learned when i started eating fats was that although they helped my skin, hair, etc., they did not automatically make me gain weight. it's still a struggle and will take a long time. but the point is that eating fats isn't going to make you fat. at all. there's nothing to be scared of.

I really struggled with this and still do. I avoided all fats and was horrified at the thought of anything containing fat.

Then I began to realise that a calorie is a calorie, so eating something with more fat in it isnt going to make me fat. Fat is a vital part of our diets, it helps our metabolism and body absorb certain vitamins and nutritients.

I do still struggle eating things with fat in them though.  I find if something is visably fatty looking e.g. greasy foods like battered stuff, I just cant eat it. So I find eating things like nuts easier because yes they contain a higher percentage of fat than other things but its not noticable if that makes sense? So I add nuts and seeds to my yogurt and cereals. Also maybe try eating something like a Larabar or a Nakd bar, they contain nuts and dried fruits so its an easy way to get some fats in as well. I really used to hate cheese and even now I`m still a bit so so about it, but its quite nice if you melt it over stuff I find the taste isnt as strong then. Or what about something like a Babybel cheese, I find these are very mild tasting, hardly taste of anything.

Also when your making something for your dinner for example why dont you try lightly frying some of your meat in some oil? It doesnt have to be a lot, just a little to start with and then work your way up, its a good way to sneak in a few cals as well without adding extra bulk. So take some chicken, chop it up, fry it with some onion and garlic, add a little sauce and eat with some pasta/potatoes/rice, that should liven up your food a little.

You dont have to plaster your food in butter and eat really fatty meats there are other good sources about.

Can you start by adding a small amount to each meal and snack? When you make vegetables stir fry in olive oil,eat reg eggs,spread toast with cream cheese or margerine. There are some good dips for veggies like a ranch dip or honey mustard. I know you are out of the us but there are many omega 3 products even like mayo. Do you like nut butters? You can put that in oatmeal or on bread. Healthy fish like salmon is good too. You really need adequate fat like others said it helps you absorb nutrients,protects nerves/tissues,period,etc. At first I know adding more fat caused stomach distress but your body does adjust.

I was very afraid of fats at first too Helen. I had to make it a goal for myself, that every time I increased my calories I would add at least 1 source of fat.

Something to keep in mind is that as someone recovering from a state of malnourishment and starvation, saturated fats are actually going to be very good for you. They help rebuild and restore cellular integrity, organ tissues and brain function (thats why babies and toddlers are given whole milk - for their brains)

Things to try:

Whole milks, yogurts, ice creams, sour cream, whipping cream and cheeses

Coconut (flaked or milk) any sort of nuts, nut butters, seeds (like flax, pumpkin, pignolia) olives

Avocado, guacamole, salad dressings, olive oil

Full-fat granolas and other high-calorie cereals made with nuts

Also, don't be afraid to treat yourself to desserts and bakery goods as well. Things like muffins, brownies and such are great to challenge ED with and deliver a good amount of calories/fat that your body needs. I personally eat a few squares of dark chocolate or have a nice big bowl of full-fat ice cream on a daily basis. I follow the 90% healthy and clean, 10% fun rule.

i agree with all the advice here. you don't have to go eat ben & jerry's or deep fried chicken or things dripping with butter if you don't want to just yet. you can do things like adding dressing to your salads- start with a light vinaigrette, it doesn't even taste very oily- or cooking meat/eggs/pasta with oil. i remember the first time my dad took my boca burgers, my safe food, and cooked it in a teaspoon of olive oil. just a teaspoon! 40 tiny calories! i cried the whole time i was forced to eat it, but i had to admit (not out loud) that it tasted sooo much better than without oil. not oily, but the outside was just a little bit crunchy. i also switched from fat free milk to unsweetened soy milk, not to gain weight but to get used to the fat content. the two have equal amounts of calories, but the soy milk has four grams of fat. after i became more okay with the fat i started drinking 2% and whole milk as well as sweetened soy milk and almond milk. it's nice to have some variety! you could also try granola in the mornings, which personally i don't think tastes oily at all, or wheat germ, my favorite, which is awesome for you and also doesn't taste the least bit oily.

It's so so good that you are admitting to yourself you have a problem with this. For some reason, I never personally had a problem with fats! But like anything, the only way of overcomming the fear is to take that first step out of your comfort zone.

Betty (Laura) reccomended a bar of some kind. I seriously think this is an awesome idea to start challanging your fat phobia. Go out and get a larabar, or a clif bar, or a luna bar- or even a random granola bar from the grocery store that has nuts in it. Buy it, eat it, and finish it. That can be step number one.

Next time you go out to buy milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, etc. force yourself to buy the higher fat kind. Stand outside the grocery store, promise yourself that you're going to do it, go in, and buy it. Once you taste how creamy oatmeal tastes in higher fat milk, you won't turn back, I swear ;)

It took me a billion years to be able to pour olive oil on my food, but its worth it- so tasty, calories without bulk, and it makes things taste good. Start with one tablespoon. It gets easier, it really does.

Oh and Laura- I'm not really a cheese person either! Although I do like soft cheeses like feta, goats cheese, and cottage cheese.

thanks everyone you are all so helpful , it always means alot from someone who understands, i now have loads of ideas to try , so no excuses for me :). betty what you said was particuarly helpful , i can deal with fat so much more if its not visible , chocolate is a good example, where as battered fish would probably really freak me. i am starting to realise though just by changing from skimmed milk to 1 % fat milk , god its so much better i never realised just how not nice skimmed milk is its like water . and full fat versons of yogurt are so much more tasty and filling . thanks vicky for that advice , theres alot of negativity put on muffins cakes etc and saturated fats, when you are suffering from an ed you kind of forget that you are different from the people they are targeting with this advice. after 10 years its important to me to start menstruating hence me posting this topic thanks guys h x

rebelchick - that is a great post and it has done wonders to re-motivate me especially when i have had a tough few days where my boyfriend and i went to stay with his mum for the weekend (birthday dinners etc) and she is a fan of 'feeding her growing boys' and doesn't really understand the concept of portion control! :)

I really liked your point referencing this back to the mind as well as this is something I have often wondered and still cling to the hope of - as i improve my eating habits and eat more to make my body healthy, will my mind become healthier??? I am in the same boat as others that i do find it difficulat to include fats but am slowly getting better at this and if it may improve my mind set then i am determined to get even better at it!!!

Thanks also for your points in the last paragraph. I have posted on here previously about coming to terms with incorporating 1 or 2 of my fear foods into my meal plan a day (e.g a muffin or ice cream or chocolate) and the fear i have that i wont be able to control this intake but your 90%/10% comment is so true!

Do you eat peanut butter ? Its high in healthy fats and tastes amazingly delicious. =]

If your looking to have a big breakfast have the

Dekkos Deluxe:

1 Cup of cooked oatmeal

1 Tbsp of Crunchy Peanut Butter

1 large banana

1 oz of almonds

1 oz of raisnins

8oz of any type of milk

edit: Add 1 tbsp of honey

OMG best breakfast ever its probably about

900 or 800 calories =]]]

edit grand total: around 1000 cals =]

You didn't say if you cooked at home or not.  Extra Virgin olive oil is something that I add at least 1 Tablespoon a day in my diet.  Sometimes the chicken is too dry, or the salad is too bland.  You might search for healthy fats links here.  I know there is a ton of them. 

OMG, dekkos, your oatmeal sounds wonderful.  Must have for breakfast tomorrow!

kitty I thought of another useful ingredient.

1 tbsp of honey.

OMG I've got to add honey tommmorow. .

Im gonna be in heaven for breakast !!!

thanks dekko your breakfast sounds lovely, minus the peanut butter im not a fan

thanks kitty , yes i do cook at home im no nigella lawton though its all basic stuff