hi, not sure if this is in the right place but..
i'm 17, 5'2" and about 120 lbs i'm currently ED-NOS leaning heavily towards bulimia, looking to get my metabolism going again and starting to eat right/stop throwing up and stop trying to starve (unsucessful).. i'm not sure where to start as far as how many calories to increase, how slowly, what kind of foods, etc. if anyone could help me with a meal plan it would be greatly appreciated...
i'm looking for foods that WON'T fill me up too much because i hate that, and especially as i start to eat more i can't even fathom eating as many as 1800 calories without throwing up, even throwing up involuntarily. the most amount of calories i usually consume in a day including a binge is probably about 1200, sometimes less (that's why i'm not necessarily a full-blown bulimic; my binges don't really match the standards as i'm still technically starving myself). but anyway, i'm thinking stuff like nuts, dried fruit, etc. because they're very calorie dense. can anyone else reccommend stuff? i want to try to stay away from sweets as they trigger me REAL bad. minimally processed stuff is always good.
also, does anyone have any sample meal plans that are about 1500-1800 calories that i could work off of? i don't want to increase my calories too slowly because i'll get anxious, but i don't want to increase too fast because i'm afraid of all the bloating that i'm going to have to bear. so i don't want to shoot for 1800 right away.
but yeah.. if anyone can help, that'd be great. thanks much.
no one can help? i've been trying to construct a meal plan but can't seem to push past 1200.. it's like more than that seems unreal, i can't imagine fitting it all into one day.
Don't despair, no one is ignoring you. [: These things, people don't always know what to say. Your weight is healthy, firstly, so do be proud of this. It is good you are now looking to sort your metabolism, but you do need to work on your mindset too. If you don't work on that then no matter all the work you do an unfortunate trigger could undo it. So make sure you're getting help beyond increasing, yes? Speak with your doctor if you haven't already. Purging can do serious damage to you.
If you need a discouragement from doing it, know that purging can kill you. Even just if you do it once; even if you have done it before. It's like solvents - I recall being taught in lessons early in school about the errors of using them, and the danger that even one abuse of solvents could lead to sudden death. This made me extremely wary of spray deodorants for about two weeks. (I was also about ten.)
But purging is the same way. It can throw off your electrolytes so severely that it can lead to a heart attack. This doesn't mention long term damage either, like tooth decay, ulcers in the mouth and on the stomach, and possible rupture of the esophagus among other things.
Also, a binge is a binge. Caloric content doesn't matter whether of the binge or in your overall intake. It's a serious problem.
Personally, I'd shoot for 2000 calories sedentary (more if you work out) as your weight is in the right sort of place. You're very right with the suggestions you have already made. Nuts, dried fruit - calorie dense but low bulk things. There is also coconut in all its forms, avocado, bananas, honey, nut butter, seed pastes (tahini, for example), seeds themselves, dense forms of bread, whole fat dairy - and if you cannot literally stomach whole, then half fat tops, red meats, oily fish, pasta, granola, whole eggs. When you do manage to help yourself on the mindset front and feel ready to tackle them try slowly introducing sweets back in as well. You can treat yourself to these once in a while too.
So, for example, have a bowl of oatmeal (very good as a base for loading up on calories) made with whole milk and an ounce of nuts and some fresh banana on top as breakfast, with some 100% OJ on the side. Have a salmon and noodle salad made with thick egg noodles, a fillet of salmon (5oz or greater ideally) and mixed veg of choice, with a soy and ginger sauce or similar, and then a whole fat yoghurt or string cheeses or similar at lunch. Dinner could be anything from a pasta bake to a thai green curry to a shepherd's pie to... whatever sort of things you like. Snacks - granola bars, dried fruit, nuts, apples and/or pears with PB on, toast and PB or toast and honey (or both)... it is easier to think of when you have basic ingredients there.
But make sure you speak to your doc, okay? There really is more to it than just increasing.
hey, thanks so much for the suggestions--they sound really good (except for the salmon, can't stand fish so i'd have chicken instead haha), BUT really costly. lol, our family is kind of short on money right now.. and i'm still trying to get a job.. do you have any money-saving tips to recommend? :p
but yeah, i'm not afraid of gaining weight in recovery.. i know that if i keep going like this i'll gain weight anyway. i feel confident that if i start eating normally i should maintain or maybe even lose a little weight. but what i'm really afraid of is being full, weird as it sounds. there are a lot of reasons, like the fact that being full is what triggers my urge to throw up, i can't do activities while bloated, and i have GERD.. all really inhibit my ability to live a normal life. it really sucks but i want to get rid of this horrible cycle. i know i'm just going to end up gaining all the weight back that i lost via starvation unless i put a stop to this 2 year long horror story really soon.
but thanks a lot, i'm going to try to get an appt. made with my doctor as soon as i can, maybe a nutritionist too.
Pre-planning my meals and finding somebody to do them with significantly helped me get over this hurdle. You feel less guilty because your meals are not from sweet/dessert items that you are likely to binge, you get the satisfaction that you're being healthy and taking care of yourself, and you are less likely to feel anxious when you plan things out ahead of time. If you have the tendency to skimp, try making sandwiches while you're in a good mindset and stocking them for the next day or using frozen dinners (Amy's are great) so your ed doesn't have a chance to act up. Also, I found that staying away from gas producing foods broccoli, dairy etc. and eating calorie dense foods helps significantly. Good luck... sorry you felt ignored
Hi. First it is good you are trying to make changes that is good and also the apts set. Also thow if you throw up your bulimic. Even doing it once can cause a lot of damage. I have a friend who is normal weight and has a pace maker from her bulimia. I am not big on labels because regardless of what you want to call it ednos,bulimia,anorexia it can cause a lot of physical and mental problems. When you eat more and stop throwing up you are going to feel bloated and may retain fluids but it will get better you just have to hang in there. I would encourage you to eat every few hours and a balance of carbs/protein/fat. Money saving tips can you look in the circular and stock up on items that you eat on sale? Hang in there and it sounds like you are really trying to change that is good
thanks for the suggestions all of you, unfortunately my doctor/nutritionist haven't contacted me back yet.. and i'm kind of anxious, i'd rather get to upping my calories asap.. could i get a little help modifying a plan i have so far? right now i have about 1500 calories and i can't really think of anything else to add to my plan without making myself so full that i'll just start gagging stuff up. can anyone recommend some oils or spreads for example that can help me add calories without the bulk?
Breakfast
oatmeal - 150cal
1/4c fiber one - 30 cal
banana - 100 cal
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup: 100
Snack
1/4c nuts - 180 cal
apple pack - 40cal
Lunch
2 slices bread - 140cal
tbsp PB: 100
tbsp jelly: 50
Snack
string cheese: 60
dried fruit: 150
Dinner
4oz chicken: 200cal
1/2c vegetables: 50cal
1/2c pasta: 100 cal
Snack
string cheese: 60cal
granola bar: 100cal
hmm so thats currently 1500?? and you should be 2500 minimum soooo here are my modifications to your menu that wont be too different or filling
breakfast:
oatmeal 150
make this with 1/3-1/2 milk or soymilk depending on how mushy you like it to add some cals without noticing. it tastes better too and add 1/4c raisins. 170
1/4c fiber one- 30
banana 100
1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup 100
glass of milk or oj 110-130
total: 680
snack:
1/4c nuts 180
apple pack 40
1tbsp pb to spread on apples 95
total: 315
lunch:
2 slices of bread....get more calorie dense bread at least 100 cal per slice. 200
2 tbsp pb 190
1 tbsp honey((would you mind switching??)) 60
and then any fruit or veggie of course cuse you need your fruits =]
glass of choco milk made with ovaltine 210
total: 660
snack:
string cheese....which do you buy?? cuse mine are 110 so try and just get a higher cal string 110
dried fruit 150
total: 260
dinner:
4 oz chicken 200
1/2 veggies 50
toss those veggies in some EVOO((extra virgin olive oil)) 120
1/2c pasta 100
common that pasta must need some flavor...either put 1 tbsp butter or 1/2 cup prego pasta sauce on it 100-120
total 590
snack:
string cheese.....same as earlier higher cal 110
granola bar...they make wayyyy higher cal granola bars than that. my lowest ones are 140 but i mostly eat alot of balance bars which are 200 so switch to higher cal ones..they tennd to be yummier. you can even get up to 400 cals in one!!!! 200ishhh
total: 310
GRAND TOTAL!!!!! 2815!!! oh now thats some good calorie adding and you wont even notive most of those add ons
thank you :D i guess i'm used to the lower calorie versions of stuff but i'll look for the higher calorie stuff from now on. probably less expensive anyway. only thing i can't do is PB at lunch at school, way too messy lol. but i'll find an alternative. thankssss
i'm thinking about natural pineapple juice too, i like it better than milk and i hate OJ..
Breakfast: Smoothie (1 cup skim milk, 1 banana, yogurt, 2 TB peanut butter) -475 cal
1/4 cup almonds - 170 calories
Lunch: 2 slices whole wheat bread - 180 calories
3 oz turkey - 100 calories
Nature Valley Granola Bar -180 calories
apple -80 calories
Snack: 1/4 cup trail mix - 140 calories
Dinner: 3 oz chicken 150
1 cup whole wheat pasta - 200
1 TB olive oil & seasoning - 120
salad with dressing - 100
Total: 1895 calories
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