Nutritionist going to make me fat!??

Hi, I'm new and I've been struggling with Anorexia recovery for a couple of months now, having just start to commit to my meal plan this past week.  The problem is that I have never eaten very much, and when I follow what my nutritionist says, it's way too much- more than I've ever eaten in my life!

The meal plan she's started me on is apparently just the 'base' amount for a 19 year old girl- it's not even for weight gain. It's

Breakfast

1 serve cereal (3/4 cup)

1 cup milk

1 serve fruit (e.g. 1 banana)

2 slices bread and butter

Snack

1 serve dairy

Lunch

1 sandwich- 2 slices bread, 1 serve protein, salad

snack

1 serve breads and cereals

1 serve dairy/fruit

Dinner

-go by what family eats (normal portions)

snack

1 serve dairy/starch

Also, my nutritionist is quite big, and I'm afraid I'm going to end up like her- my Mom's really thin and she said it's reasonable but this whole thing is so confusing, because if I follow the plan, I know I'm eating a lot more than her. 

Also, the info she gave me on what is a 'normal amount' in a day seems excessive.  It's 8+ starches, 2+ protein, 4+ dairy, 6+ fruits and veg, and 5+ fats. And it says that 1/2 cup of peanut butter or 1/4 of a bbq chicken (100g) is a serving of meat, 3/4 cup cooked rice or pasta is a serving, and 20 grapes/strawberries (1 cup) is a serving of fruit!

Please help.  This is seriously unfathomable to me, and it's making me so anxious because I've been eating when I'm full and confused about what is too much that I'm afraid I've had some brushes with binge eating.  I also don't know what's happened, but now I'm starting to want all this food and I feel disgusted and ashamed of myself, because I'm going to become overweight at this rate. Please help- I'll do anything to avoid having my parents see me in inpatient, but this meal plan seems like way too much food!

Edit: sorry- just some ED thoughts- I know I just have to trust the plan to recover:P

You do have to trust your nutritionist to have your best interests at heart.  You clearly need the food because you're enjoying it and starting to want it..... that's a sign that your appetite is getting back to some kind of normality.  It's completely natural that you eat more than your mother because presumably she's 20 or 30 years older than you.  

Nutritionists can provide meal-plans to give someone the right nourishment but often don't have the training to deal with the mental side of disordered eating problems.... the feelings of 'disgust' at eating normally, etc.  If you have access to a specialist counsellor or psychologist or even if you can just talk things through with your family until you get used to this, that can all help.

wow my nutr wanted me eating 12 servings of starches and 8 of protien,  mind you i mostly eat fruits and vegs and needed to reintroduce food,  and i know about that shameful feeling if its not a safe food it is shameful,  but we must squash this!!! everything is fine in moderation!!  its like a mantra we need to teach ourselves.

but that is not a crazy amount of food.  why are you competing with your mom,  is it possible she has an eating disorder too all the women in my family do....they dont know if its nature or nurture but i am sure it was both with us.  you need to talk to your mom about this.  maybe its best not to eat with her.  i know you should eat around people, but that need for comp is not good for you right now.

congrats on starting down the road to recovery. roll with it. nutrition is a good thing. good luck girl.

If you are seeing a nutritionist for anorexia, don't you think her perspective is probably a lot more valid than yours at this point?  Listen to the professional, not your ED.

I think maybe you have got the wrong end of the stick,

If you look at food in your condition as just added weight and physical quantity and in your mind just visualize it as weight then I dont think you will ever eat healthy.

food is SO MUCH MORE than just a number on a scale, at the moment I would imagine that your nutritionist knows that your body needs to repair the damage that has been done by your anorexia, bone damage, muscle loss and damage, organ damage and circulatory damage, and although you may not feel the damage yourself, it is there and needs to be repaired, and there is only one source of repair and that is food.

Food will give your body the nutrients, vitamins minerals protein carbs and YES FAT that your body need to repair itself and keep it running in a smooth order.

I used to eat all the time fatty fried foods and drink lots of alcohol, now I have cut out the alcohol completely and only eating healthy fresh foods one thing I have noticed is that I am loosing weight, but actually eating a bigger quantity of food than before, that is because I am eating the correct foods that my body needs in the correct quantities with the correct nutrients, the result is that I am loosing weight (which is what I am doing here), feeling healthier, not so tired and actually looking more healthy,

The reason you are using a nutritionist is because they are skilled in determining what you need personally to return to health and begin eating a healthy diet and living a healthy lifestyle.

I would imagine that in the coming months and even years your nutritionist is going to change your diet several times to reflect the different stages in your recovery.

Think of it like this :

Before you build a house you need to dig down deep into the ground and build a solid foundation out of concrete, without that foundation the house will stand for a while, but overtime it will start to collapse and crumble into nothing.

Your body is the house, the food you are eating now is the concrete foundations, as soon as the foundations are set then you will be able to build your house into whatever you want it to be, and most important it wont collapse or crumble, and remember when building your house your house will look like a building site until its complete.

Good luck and I wish you health and happiness and remember that it takes a long time to build a nice house, there are problems, ups and downs, but if you follow the plans you will end up with a very nice home to live in .... :)..

Believe me, that is a very moderate, even "skimpy" meal plan for someone recovering from an ED!!!

I go to a very young, beautiful, THIN nutritionist, and she has me on a plan with 3 HUGE meals and 3 snacks and 3 supplement drinks (aka over 1,000 calories JUST in supplement drinks, not even including the 3 meals and 3 snacks and drinks that go along w/ them).

I know it's hard to start recovering, and I know it seems like SO much food and that you'll blow up like a balloon, but believe me, you won't. Your nutritionist only has your HEALTH in mind. I actually have been having TROUBLE gaining, even on my huge meal plan. 

PLEASE do not restrict, even if you are afraid and tempted. Take it slow, and don't stress. You will NOT end up fat. Especially if your mother is very thin. Your nutritionist is trying to get you to a healthy weight, not make you a cow!

I don't want to be harsh, but I do know how terrible it is for your body to stay thin for too long. Push through it and follow the plan. You can do this!

Any questions, please don't hesitate to ask me. I'm no expert, but I'm 21 and also recovering, so I have some experience.

First of all, please note that I am not an expert when it comes to aneorexia ... so my response is only in regards to nutritionists and the meal plan you have described as it relates to normal eating, not aneorexia. 

Please excuse my bluntness but that meal plan is terrible. I've gone to nutritionists before as well and in my opinion they do not understand anything about how the human body works, they only spew what they've been taught in class to regurgitate to every client - and it's incorrect. That much starch/carbs is a DISASTER. Where the heck is the protien?!? The calories seem about right, but I wouldn't eat that even if I was trying to gain weight, it's not healthy.

Here's what I'd suggest:

Breakfast

1 serve cereal (3/4 cup) oatmeal

1 cup milk

1 serve fruit (e.g. 1 banana)

2 slices bread and butter   2 eggs (or egg whites)

Snack

1 serve dairy 1/2 cup cottage cheese

Lunch

1 sandwich- 2 slices bread, 1 serve protein, salad

snack

1 serve breads and cereals protien (maybe an apple with peanut butter or a protien/berry shake)

1 serve dairy/fruit

Dinner

-go by what family eats (normal portions)

snack

1 serve dairy or starch plus protien

I am not actually quite sure how nutritionists work,

I think if I was a nutritionist then I would work out a dozen or so daily eating plans with specific foods the the client likes and needs, with information about calorie content, proteins/carbs and fats for each meal, and not serve suggestions for food groups or types, its very vaugue and not very appetising to look at, at least this way the client will have a good understanding of calories, proteins/carbs and fats and other nutrients

When I look at this list and then look at my daily lists in my calorie count food log I know which one I would prefer to choose.

Maybe you should ask your nutritionist to discuss with you your food likes and dislikes and then create several eating plans based on that, with actual foods listed including all information (and not serve suggestions but actual weight measurements which will help you in the future when you are confident enough to come of your nutritionists plans)

also have a look at this thread .. there are some good suggestions there from people like you recovering, you may be able to contact them directly about their experiences and what works and doesnt work.

http://caloriecount.about.com/post-recovery-m eal-plan-ft64552

I also found this on another site from somebody recovering that explains a little what some of the foods and nutrition does when recovering

Hi there!
I am very pleased you want help!
I am new to the forum!!
I am a recovering anorexic and it is going quite well. I'm attending an eating disorder clinic (initially against my will) and they have explained to me the calories etc... I need to put on weight steadily (around 1lb a week).

Breakfast - 2 slices toast with spread or bowl of cereal

Snack - Yoghurt/pancake/scone/bun/crisps etc...

Lunch - Sandwhich with protein filling (ham, chicken, cheese) and with butter or mayo, followed by a lighter desert (yoghurt/apple etc...)
You need a source of carbohydrate, dairy and protein

Snack 4pm - SAME AS FOODS AS SNACK BEFORE carbohydrate

Dinner - carbohyrates such as 2 small potatoes, rice, cous cous, pasta or bread
- source of protein such as sausage, 3 fishfingers, chicken breast, mince (2 ladels), steak, pork, fish
- vegetables
Dessert - cheesecake, custard

Supper - toast/ cereal/ tea and biscuits etc...

Keep your fluids up so you don't get dehydrated, milk is great and it also coats your stomach so you will belch less often!

Carbohydrates are good as they release energy and put on muscle rather than fat.

You need the 2-3 portions of protein to encourage muscle building so your strength increases

Vegetables are needed to get your vitamins so your nails and hair etc... will become stronger. Vit C is needed to absorb iron especially for muscle building and greens are great too.

Dairy is vital to maintain calcium as you don't want to lose bone mass. I have severe osteoporosis and i'm 16 so not fun!

One suggestion I have is to eat REALLY slowly chewing everything right down. You won't get as full as fast or feel bloated. Initially you might bloat slightly but that is only due to water retention it's not actual weight going on but it can be a bit frightening. Also, maybe avoid really spicey foods initially as they could result in indigestion.

Original Post by curiousb:

Also, the info she gave me on what is a 'normal amount' in a day seems excessive.  It's 8+ starches, 2+ protein, 4+ dairy, 6+ fruits and veg, and 5+ fats. And it says that 1/2 cup of peanut butter or 1/4 of a bbq chicken (100g) is a serving of meat, 3/4 cup cooked rice or pasta is a serving, and 20 grapes/strawberries (1 cup) is a serving of fruit!

Those serving sizes don't sound excessive at all.  100 g of chicken is 1 serving.  1 cup of grapes/strawberries is 1 serving.  I'd actually have said 1 cup of cooked rice/pasta is 1 serving.  You're used to smaller portions than that because you were undereating, but your portions weren't 'servings'.

Thanks for all the help and replies...when I was really restricting I didn't obsess over calories as much as eat just a tiny bit of food- like 'breakfast' would be 2 spoonfuls of lowfat yoghurt, and a snack would be like 1/8 of a banana.  Normal portions still seem a little big, but it's getting better:)

Also, how do you deal with eating while full?? It takes me like two hours to eat breakfast because my stomach is sooo tiny and if I try to eat faster, I get anxious and I'm worried about getting into the habit of anxious eating, where you can't listen to your body.  Will there come a point where I can eat intuitively again, and food wasn't an issue, like it was when I was growing up?

Your body will adapt and repair itself if you look after it, so dont worry too much :)... Things will only get better if you REALLY want to recover and eat and look normal :)..

Original Post by curiousb:

my stomach is sooo tiny  

 Actually, it isn't any smaller than anyone else's.   The stomach is made of an incredibly stretchy material which expands and contracts every time you eat or drink.  You may not be used to larger amounts but your body can cope, no problem.    The best way to eat more is to try to eat more briskly... have another forkful ready to go as you're chewing the first and fill your fork back up as you're swallowing.   Any anxiety has to be ignored and it does get easier with practice.

'Eating intuitively' is something of a misnomer.   Eating habits are learned as you grow up and can be re-learned when something goes wrong.   Few people eat intuitively and most will base their eating habits around set mealtimes taking into account hunger levels and also eating for pleasure.

The meal plan isn't excessive; if a banana, two pieces of toast, and a tiny bowl of cereal is ''more than you've ever eaten in your entire life'' then it's probably a good idea you're seeing this nutritionist.

I know it seems hard at first, but soon your stomach will grow accustomed to eating this way and it won't be such a struggle. Best of luck to you~!

I remember my first ip and the start plan which was like this felt so big but in no time I was eating over 3000. It is going to feel big and scary cause it is a change. Your mind and body is confused and it will become easier and you will see things in a healthier light if you stick with it. You have to push through the uncomfortable stomach. It is part of the process. Try to not focus on others and what they eat or weight. This is about YOU. You are underweight and undereating. I encourage you to sit down and pre plan your meals and snacks. At first you will feel more preoccupied with food and calories and the anxiety will be high. It is part of this but it can get better. Stay in the day and try to not worry about what if's