Tip 1. Embrace Convenience Foods
Despite what diet culture says about convenience foods and how toxic, cancer causing and world ending they are, convenience foods are actually a lifesaver! Especially when you’re busy or feeling overwhelmed. They provide quick, accessible options to ensure you’re nourishing your body regularly. If you’re reading this blog, you are probably early in your recovery journey. So, forget EVERYTHING that diet culture or your annoying aunt has ever said to you about nutrition, and trust me and other actual health professionals instead when we tell you that convenience foods are A OK. It’s just food that is quick and easy. It’s certainly not Chernobyl artefact waiting to explode in your body.
Quick Meal Options
- Petrol Station Sandwiches: Many petrol stations offer pre-made sandwiches that are great for a quick meal or snack. They’re perfect for those days when you’re out and about and need something fast and convenient. A sandwich is rarely enough to be a meal on its own, but you can eat other foods alongside it to make it into a meal.
- Up & Go Drinks: These are quick, easy and portable, providing you with plenty of nutrients and energy. While they shouldn’t replace meals, they can be a great addition to your breakfast or a handy snack on the go. Diet culture says you shouldn’t be drinking your calories? Tell diet culture to get stuffed and drink your calories to stay energized and nourished throughout your day!
- Breakfast Bars and Muesli Bars: These are excellent for a quick snack. Experiment with different flavors to find what you enjoy most.
- Babybel Cheese: These small, individually-wrapped cheese portions are perfect for a convenient and tasty snack. They stay fresh for hours, making them ideal for busy days. I sometimes carry them in my bag for the whole day and no matter how hot the weather is, they always pull through and stay fresh!
- Hummus and Veggies: Pre-cut veggies and hummus are readily available at Coles and Woolworths, and a bunch of other places too. They’re easy to prepare at home too and make a great snack at work, school, university, etc.
Tip 2. Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is crucial! Fail to plan, plan to fail as they say. Simple preparations ensure you always have something ready to eat, which means you stay on track and don’t stress as much about what and when you will be eating next. In fact, it is super important that you know exactly what and when you are eating at all times during the early stages of recovery.
Meal Prep Ideas
- Overnight Oats: Prepare a few jars of overnight oats with your favorite toppings (like fruits, nuts, and honey) for an easy breakfast or snack. It’s a delicious way to start your day and keeps you energized for hours! My favorite recipe comes from here: Easy Overnight Oats {2-Ingredient Base Recipe} – Feel Good Foodie
- Yogurt and Fruit: Keep single-serve yogurts in your fridge along with a variety of fruits for a quick snack or on-the-go breakfast. You can also add some nuts and choc chips to make it extra tasty and satisfying!
- Pre-made Sandwiches and Wraps: Make a batch of sandwiches or wraps at the beginning of the week. Store them in the fridge for a quick lunch or snack. Options like peanut butter and jam, cheese and salad, or tuna are easy to prepare and usually store well. You can totally experiment with fillings to find something that works for you. Don’t worry about nutrition, your body knows what it needs and as long as you are eating regularly and enough food, it will get what it needs.
- Batch Cooking: Prepare larger meals at home and use the leftovers for lunches or snacks throughout the week. This not only saves time but ensures you always have something ready to eat. Plus, it’s a great way to save money. Double win!
Tip 3. Keep Your Kitchen Stocked
A well-stocked kitchen can be your best ally in maintaining a regular eating schedule. By having a variety of nutritious options at your fingertips, you can make mealtime and snack time much easier. Here are some key items to keep in your pantry and fridge to support your recovery journey.
Essential Kitchen Staples
- Versatile Produce
- Fresh Fruits and Vegetables: Keep a mix of your favorite fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. They’re perfect for adding to meals, blending into smoothies, or eating as snacks.
- Frozen Produce: Frozen fruits and vegetables stay fresh for ages, which means you never run out of food at home, yay!
- Dried Fruits: These are convenient for snacking and can be added to oatmeal, yogurt, or salads for a natural sweetness and nutrient boost.
- Snacks
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and chia seeds are great to have around. They’re easy to snack on and can be added to a variety of meals. Whether roasted, salted, unsalted, or raw, nuts are amazing so please don’t feel guilty for having them in your house and eat as much as you like!
- Nut Butters: Peanut butter, almond butter, and other nut butters are versatile and can be spread on toast, added to smoothies, or if you’re anything like me, eaten straight from the jar. Sorrynotsorry.
- Quick Protein Sources
- Cheese: Keep a variety of cheeses, such as Babybel, string cheese, or pre-sliced options, for quick snacks or additions to meals.
- Yogurt: Single-serve yogurts are convenient and provide a good source of protein and probiotics.
- Canned Tuna and Salmon: These are great for quick sandwiches, salads, or snacks and are rich in protein and healthy fats.
- Protein Shakes: I don’t recommend buying protein shakes as they are not necessary, but if you happen to have some already go ahead and use them. They are very easy to have but be mindful that they do NOT substitute a meal and unless you add milk, nut butter, fruit, and other things to them they won’t keep you full for long.
- Convenient Meals
- Pre-packaged Meals: While homemade meals are great, having a few pre-packaged options can save time and ensure you have something to eat when you’re in a pinch. Supermarkets have plenty of options these days in the fridge aisle. Don’t read the calories on them, just go for whatever looks good.
- Frozen Meals: Stock up on frozen meals that can be easily heated up for a quick mela when cooking is just not going to happen.
Tip 4. Prioritize Regular Eating Over Healthy Eating
When recovering from an ED, regular eating is so MUCH more important than striving for a perfect ‘healthy’ diet. Here’s why:
- Stability and Consistency: Regular meals and snacks help maintain blood sugar levels, reducing the risk of binge eating later.
- Body’s Healing Process: Your body needs consistent nourishment to heal. Skipping meals or snacks can set you back and the eating disorder voice will be all too ready to step in and take over.
- Mental Peace: Reducing the pressure to eat ‘perfectly’ can alleviate stress and anxiety around food, improving your relationship with food and reducing “food obsession”.
Tip 5. Be Kind to Yourself
Recovery is not a linear process, and there will be ups and downs. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and be gentle with yourself on tougher days. It’s about building a sustainable, balanced approach to eating that works for you. Remember, everybody has setbacks. No one has ever decided to recover and just like that recovered. It’s a journey with ups and downs that ultimately leads to a much happier and healthier place!
Self-Compassion Tips
- Celebrate Small Wins: Every meal and snack is a step towards healing and reclaiming your body. Acknowledge and celebrate these small victories. You’ve got this.
- Practice Self-Compassion: Be kind to yourself, especially on days when eating feels super hard. Remember, it’s okay to have bad days and everyone has bad days. Don’t let one bad day become 1 bad week and 1 bad year. Keep going.
- Seek Support: Don’t think twice about reaching out to friends, family, or a psychologist when you need support. Recovery is tough and the more support you can get, the better!
Tip 6. Focus on Building a Positive Relationship with Food
Developing a positive relationship with food is essential for recovery and happiness. You must be tired of obsessing over food and worrying about what you’re eating? So, try a radical approach and let go of your control of your eating. Focus on eating 3 meals and 3 snacks per day but make them flexible and tasty, and eat whatever looks appealing to you!
Mindful Eating Practices
- Listen to Your Body: Pay attention to your hunger and fullness cues. Eat when you’re hungry and stop when you’re full or satisfied. Try to not worry about overeating, as this will only make you obsess over food even more. If you overeat it’s really not a big deal, your body will process the extra energy and keep you energized for longer!
- Enjoy Your Food: This is your official permission to enjoy your food! Take the time to enjoy your meals and snacks and pick the foods that you feel like eating. Appreciate the flavors, textures, and the nourishment they provide. Nothing is off limits, eat whatever you want to eat and become a diet culture rebel!
- Remove Judgments: Avoid labeling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad.’ All foods can fit into a balanced diet, and variety is key for your health and sanity. So, if you want a biscuit, have a biscuit, do not try to substitute a gluten free sugar free organic vegan hemp cacao choc ball for a biscuit if you actually want a biscuit. It just won’t work and you will likely overeat biscuits at a later date when exposed to them (eg., friends house).
- Add forbidden food: At least once per week challenge your inner voice that tells you that X is bad and will make you fat. Go and get X and eat X and see what happens. For example, for a person who believes that burgers are the devil, I would encourage them to go out once a week with a close friend who knows about their eating struggle and eat burgers, fries and milkshakes. Why? Because it’s how you will learn that food is neutral and no single food will make or break your health or weight or whatever it is you’re worried about. Everything can be enjoyed and should be enjoyed, life is too short!
Long-Term Recovery
Recovery is a long-term commitment, and building sustainable habits is crucial. Here are some final tips to support your ongoing journey towards a healthier relationship with food.
Routine
- Consistency is Key: Try to eat at roughly the same times each day. This helps your body get used to regular eating patterns and makes things predictable.
- Flexible Structure: While a routine is helpful, be flexible. It’s okay if your mealtimes shift occasionally due to life’s demands or social events. You want to prioritize eating regularly as much as possible, but if you make brunch plans with a friend that fall outside of your eating window don’t stress, adapt to this change and move on.
- Prioritize eating: Make regular eating your number 1 priority in life. This is going to help you so much in your recovery and I promise you will not have to do this forever! Eventually, you will function normally and food will not be a big thing for you anymore.
Seeking Professional Help
- Therapeutic Support: Working with a psychologist specializing in eating disorders can provide personalized guidance and support. Some disordered eating issues can be healed with a good self-help book, however, many eating disorders are serious and can be deadly. So please do not delay getting professional help if you’re struggling with food obsession, weight loss, weight gain, binge eating, feeling bad about yourself, feeling fat, feeling awful about your body, or if you have put your life on hold until your body is in ‘better shape’.
- Nutritional Counseling: A registered dietitian can help you develop a meal plan that meets your nutritional needs and supports your recovery even further. A good dietitian is worth their weight in gold, and I can recommend some awesome ones so shoot me an email if you want recommendations.
Final Thoughts
Try out these tips so you can support yourself on your recovery journey and develop a better relationship with food and your body. Prioritize regular eating, embrace convenience, and remember that every meal and snack is a step towards healing. Recovery takes time, patience, and self-compassion. Be kind to yourself, celebrate your progress, and seek support from others. You’ve got this!
Take care,
Ksenia
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog post is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be considered as medical or psychological advice. While we aim to offer helpful insights into disordered eating and related topics, it is important to consult with a qualified healthcare professional or mental health provider for personalized advice and treatment.