What is regular eating and how does impact recovery?
Dieting has become such a big part of our culture. Even children are prodding their tummy’s and telling us ‘I’m fat.’ It’s impossible to get away from and as someone who’s in recovery from Anorexia Nervosa, I find it difficult to engage with people once they start diet talk. I know I can’t get away from it indefinitely. Dieting has become so tightly intertwined with our society that it would be nearly impossible without shutting myself indoors and staying away from all forms of media.
Every day I come across people watching their weight and displaying signs of unhealthy eating habits. I can count on one hand the number of people I’ve met who have the balance just right.
What is “normal” eating?
Before looking into adopting regular eating habits, I wanted to take a brief look into what is considered to be ‘normal‘. Surely dieting can’t be standard by which all people are held?
Recovery Warriors describe ‘normal eating‘ as the following;
Many people consider it “normal” behavior to anxiously monitor their weight every day, to worry about their amount of exercise, to obsess about whether to eat dessert. But is a lifetime of guilt about food and weight really normal? Is this how we want to live our lives? Is our physical appearance the only way we measure our success in the world?
Mary Anne Cohen, Recovery Warriors.
There are considered to be six aspects to “normal” eating;
- Eat when hungry.
- Only eat what will satisfy.
- Stop eating when full.
- Face feelings directly rather than over or under eating.
- Express emotions directly rather than stuffing down on food.
- Don’t beat yourself up if you overeat, under-eat, or gain a couple of pounds.
What does ‘regular eating‘ mean?
As part of treatment, adapting a regular eating schedule is considered one of the key components for recovery from an eating disorder. It can be very daunting, and with so much conflicting advice can seem nearly impossible. If you’re not working with a treatment team this is made even harder because you lack the guidance from a trained, medical professional.
Once a meal plan is in place, you can begin to gradually make positive changes to other eating habits.
Regular Eating is described as;
- Eat at regular times throughout the day.
- Avoiding long periods of time without food. It’s usually suggested to eat roughly every three hours.
- Routinely eat at the same time every day.
- Eat breakfast, lunch and an evening meal, with three snacks included in between.
My personal meal plan currently means that I eat every three hours, and must ensure that I eat six times a day. This would mean three hearty meals, followed by three snacks spread throughout the day.
It’s difficult, I’m not going to lie about that. I’ve suddenly had to go from skipping every meal to eating six times daily, and my brain is still struggling to process this. The reality is that the majority of people who eat regularly aren’t overweight. They’re also less likely to become overweight because they aren’t binging due to ongoing restriction.
You may be interested in: What recovery will bring to my life.
How to adapt your meal plan;
Make regular eating a priority:
Mealtimes need to become an important part of your day. In the beginning, this may mean compromising other areas or activities in your life, but after a while, you should be adjusted to your new schedule.
Create an effective meal plan can only begin with your full commitment.
Plan your meals and snacks:
Know when your next meal is and what you’re having. It’s always useful to bring snacks with you if you’re going out anywhere. When in treatment the ‘I was out and didn’t have food’ excuse doesn’t sit well, so it’s always best to carry a cereal bar or piece of fruit with you at all times.
When I first entered treatment I went around my local store and made a list of things I could easily carry with me in my handbag or pocket.
Eat what you want:
I know it sounds daunting if you’re coming from a place with Anorexia Nervosa. The concept that I can eat whatever I want scares me because Anorexia has never let it be that way. But in recovery, it’s paramount that you start off eating what you want, be it a chocolate bar or a banana.
In the initial stages of recovery, it doesn’t much matter what you eat, as long as you eat regularly and a substantial amount. The rest will come later.
DON’T Purge:
This one should be self-explanatory. If you suffer from Bulimia or bulimic tendencies, then the urge to purge will be ever-present. Resist the urge to take part in purging i.e vomiting or laxative use.
This will only counter the effects of a regular eating schedule.
Do not skip meals;
Being busy or forgetting snacks doesn’t cut it.
Stick to eating every 3-4 hours:
Aim to eat every 3-4 hours. Going long periods without food can lead us to feel several negative side effects such as irritability, light-headed, trouble concentrating and weakness.
If you have trouble remembering when to eat try setting an alarm on your phone to remind you.
Don’t eat between meals and snacks:
This is known as grazing and I’ve been warned against by my therapist. Grazing is counterproductive. It’s unstructured and ultimately confuses your body about when it should and shouldn’t be hungry.
If we stick to eating at set times each day and don’t stray from it, then our bodies naturally adapt to being hungry at those specific times. This would ultimately eliminate the bodies need to ‘graze.‘
However, if you find yourself persistently hungry try and stand against it. Drink some water or distract yourself in another way. If it continues despite this, it could be time to consider leaving smaller gaps between your meals or upping what your intake at mealtimes.
DO NOT give up!
Whether you’re in recovery or you just want to adjust your eating schedule remember; Never give up! Practice makes perfect and over time it will get easier to eat regularly, and you’ll feel so much better for it!
Whether you’re in recovery for an eating disorder or not, almost everyone could do with adopting a regular, scheduled meal plan. I hope this was both informative and useful for you no matter what you’re going through in regards to your diet.
** If you like what I do please consider donating to my Ko-Fi. Your support helps keep this blog alive and helps improve my content in the future.
