To ask you about what I eat in a day?

[oldbeforem]

Posting here for traffic!

This is honestly not a competitive undereating or goady thread – I am just looking for genuine advice.

I have had a very restrictive / disordered diet for the past 10 years and I genuinely have no idea how much normal people eat. I have been referred by my GP and I am currently on a waiting list for NHS eating disorder therapy but that might take months and I am determined to start taking action now.

Can I ask you to critique what I am eating in an average day? However, I know there is no ‘normal’ and everyone is different. I need to increase veg but this more about volume and also enjoying foods I haven’t had for years!

Breakfast – either two Weetabix with milk or yoghurt, fruit and granola

Snack – two biscuits

Lunch – shop bought sandwich and crisps

Snack – two biscuits

Dinner – pasta / veg / fish / pizza and a small pudding

My only drink is water!

It doesn’t sound terrible but I think you’ve identified the main area for improvement - more fruit and veg!

Could you swap the shop bought sandwich out for homemade wraps stuffed with salad and falafels/roasted veggies and hummus/avocado, tomato, rocket and olives...etc? And also maybe swap some of the biscuits for fruit (or add fruit if you’re concerned you’re under eating). Or maybe some nuts - equally calorific but more nutritious than biscuits.

I’ve heard of far worse diets and wish you the very best of luck addressing your issues.

That's pretty standard in my house.

You could add in more fruit and veg but unless your eating tiny portions I don’t see what’s the problem with the amount you’re eating..

Are you under weight?

Volume wise I'd say it sounds fine if a little too much but that would be in terms of calories of the 4 biscuits and crisps every day and the shop bought sandwich which may or may not be healthy. Only drinking water is great. Breakfast lunch dinner and two snacks is definitely normal. Some people wouldn't bother with snacks. Maybe you could replace the biscuits and crisps with some fruit, yoghurt or raw veg and hummus.

Swap the biscuits for some veg, swap the sandwich for soup, swap the cereal for porridge and you've got a much healthier selection of foods in your diet.

Ignore that. You don't need to swap anything. Comparing your diet to other people's on this thread or letting people tell you what is unhealthy or that your habits are unhealthy is not a good idea for someone with ED tendencies. OP please ask for this thread to be removed, it's not good for you x

Sounds quite normal to me. I probably wouldnt have biscuits for both snacks, just for variety really, maybe a banana or a cereal bar for one snack instead.

@Sparkle567 sorry, I wasn't clear. This is the new plan I have made for myself.

The past decade has been been eating around a1/4 of that and yes, my BMI is 16.

Sorry for the confusion all!

What's been diagnosed as disorded about it OP?

Sorry, xpost

I think that sounds really reasonable.
You’ll always have people who say the could only ever eat half a sandwich a day on here, but it sounds like a very normal amount of food

I don't think this is going to help. There is competitive under eating on here.

Just mix it up occasionally. Have eggs for breakfast and something you can microwave, soup even, for lunch.

I think it sounds great. Maybe add in a piece of fruit with the biscuits and a milky drink before bed (if you like milk, not necessarily cows milk). But volume wise it would be about right for me. But I would have 2 coffees as well!

@forrandomposts I think people have misunderstood.

This is a new diet I have put in place until I can see a therapist.

My BMI of 16, laxative abuse and previous restrictions were very disordered.

Perhaps this is the wrong place to post if people need proof!

I see you've already got suggestions of cutting calories. It's not what you need to hear.

You need calories. You need to increase your BMI.

@oldbeforem Your planned diet looks like a great start / plan. There are lots of things you could tweak about it overtime, but that looks like a really sensible amount of food.

Good luck with everything!

That sounds like a normal enough day, OP! You might want to trade out one of the biscuit snacks for some fruit or something instead if you wanted a bit more fruit/veg. Carrot sticks and humous are a nice snack!

I think that sounds good for now and think you are doing brilliantly to address this whilst you are waiting for therapy.
Hopefully now you have explained the situation no one else will suggest cutting calories.

Sounds fairly average to me.. I’m slim but a healthy weight and eat a similar amount. Some days I’ll have cereal for breakfast, with fresh or dried fruit; other days porridge or a cereal bar or toast with peanut butter. Lunches you could mix up with homemade soup and a roll, or a wrap with hummus and roasted veg, or a filled bagel. Dinners just lots of variety and plenty of veggies.. steamed, stir fried, or roasted are often tastier than boiled.

This looks like an excellent plan OP, you should be proud that you've made a sensible one. Perhaps swap out one of your biscuit snacks for some more fruit, and add maybe some nuts but this looks balanced, and it makes sense to keep going steady with lots of nutrients rather than pile on the sugar. Small steps and you'll feel so proud when you do get to your therapist.

Maybe make yourself a sandwich instead of a shop bought one and swap the biscuits for a healthier snack, maybe sliced apple with some peanut butter on top? Hope you're not waiting to long to see a specialist

It’s a good place to start: achievable amounts and types of food, familiar routines, nothing which requires an overwhelming level of shopping and preparation. Good job.

Eventually you’ll probably want to start switching things around and introducing different foods and that’s all to do in your own time.

I would say that's an ok diet but you wouldn't gain much weight if thats your plan.

I agree that this is generally a bad place to post this kind of thread because it brings out the very worst of Mumsnet - if you're BMI is 16, please don't listen to the 'advice' about cutting calories. I also think that, honestly, it doesn't matter that much what you eat, just that you eat and that what you eat is manageable (and, as far as possible, enjoyable) for you. I remember my psychiatrist saying that when he worked on an ED ward, they didn't bother with nutritionists or dieticians because all they cared about was that people were eating and what they were eating (presuming there were enough calories obviously) wasn't really important.

Wishing you the very best of luck. Recovery is hard, especially when you're doing it alone, but it's worth it (so they tell me...)