Recommendations for high calorie foods that are easy to eat

[BoofTheFloof]

I posted a message here a while ago asking if my DD had an eating disorder. Got some brilliant support and I think came to the conclusion that she has disordered eating caused largely by 1) not caring about food. 2) playing a lot of sport and 3) being on ADHD medication that reduces appetite further.

As per the advice I've been keeping an eye in things. I've said that if her weight goes below 7 st (she's 5'3") then she needs to stop the gym but she's kept it around 7st 2 for months now. Over Christmas she decided to go off her ADHD medication for a week or so to enjoy Xmas food and to try to gain a bit more weight.

She really seemed to eat a lot for her. Seconds, puddings, chocolate.

She was quite excited to weigh herself- only to find out she'd managed to lose a pound. (How you ask? Well- she's very sociable. She ate a lot when she was at home and meals were presented to her. However when out with friends it doesn't seem to occur to her to eat. I've now had a quiet word with her best friend and boyfriend and they've said they'll remind her. Thing is- they stop for food. DD just doesn't buy any!)

She's now a bit depressed about it. She's back in her ADHD meds as it's her GCSE year and they kill her appetite. I'm making her a big breakfast in the morning and she's eating that and a meal in the evening, but sadly I think she's not able to eat much in the day.

I suggested something like a protein drink she could take in with her and she's quite interested in the idea. Does anyone have any recommendations of drinks that don't taste like chalk and sadness and that are high calorie?

Nuts? Cashew, almond, macadamia nuts are all high calorie.

Protein shakes such as from Bulk taste quite good. Would she try Huel or something like that if it tasted ok? Smoothie with full fat yoghurt?

Avocados, nut butters, jersey milk, protein bars and/or shakes

if all basic nutrition is covered, then sweet things won't hurt to add on either - sugar also makes the inside surface of the stomach expand a little (which one of the many reasons why low carbers avoiding sugar experience reduced appetite including a few other hormone and insulin related things)

Yes still make Complan, 250 calories re serving

You can bulk up a protein shake with Greek yoghurt for more calories, don't use low fat.

Bil has trouble gaining weight. He use to make ice cream smoothies. Milk, peanut butter, couple bananas and a couple spoonfuls of ice cream. You could also chuck in protein powder. Mix it up and let DD put in whatever she wants...oats, Nutella, different ice cream etc. This really helped BIL after an awful break-up when he just didn't want to eat and was looking very very thin and unhealthy.

@Haus1234

Huel? I personally don’t love it but my DH likes it, and you can get all kinds of flavours to add to the base mix.

This looks interesting. Never heard of it before.

I have a 12 year old DD with the exact same issues! Concerta’s side effects of reduced appetite has meant she eats a few mouthfuls a day. She does minimum 15 hours a week exercise and I worry about her nutrition/weight. How did you decide on the 7st limit? Can you also link to your original thread as I’d live to read the advice you received, if you don’t mind?

Ooh and can I ask where you get the protein powder from please? Recommended brands? Thanks

My DD also skips lunch but most things I find that are remotely nutritious contain nuts - especially bars. Schools are strict about no nuts. Smoothies and soups seem obvious options but your DD is likely to get bored if she’s having smoothies for both bfast & lunch.

@BoofTheFloof I could have written exactly this about my 12yr old DD. No interest/appetite for food. On ADHD meds, does 16+ hours training a week. Only eats bfast & dinner and not that much at either of those. We’ve moved from concerta and medikinet to the big standard immediate acting methylphenidate that wears off after 4 hours so that she can at least have a lunch. Second dose after lunch to take her through to dinner. We are still trialing this.
Have you checked with the GP everything ok? I took DD last week and she was immediately referred to the eating disorder clinic, ECG and bloods done. Could be worth having her checked out just to be on the safe side.

*bog standard (not big).
Just to add that the eating disorder assessment was done within a couple of days. They haven’t diagnosed anything as yet as the meds are complicating things and she doesn’t seem to have body dysmorphia. But it’s given her the shock she needed and us a plan.

What do the doctors say? If she’s always been that weight then maybe she’s just not prone to weigh much more? With a big breakfast and dinner she should be getting enough calories even if not eating much at lunch.

At 12 weeks pregnant I was 47kg. The gynaecologist checked my weight from past, did blood tests, etc and said I was perfectly healthy. I gained 20kg whilst pregnant, and Ds was 4kg (8lb8) born, so super healthy and not tiny. I lost the 20kg pretty much immediately, with most gone before I have even left the hospital 2 days later.
Have been 47-50kg since, including breastfeeding for 18 months.
Even with trying to eat more, and I have been I just always settle back to that weight. I eat three decent meals a day, snack sometimes.

Pistachio nuts are very calorific

My DS (13) has ADHD and is on meds and it really suppresses his appetite. To the point that he might have to come off the meds if his weight drops any lower than it is.

He is the same as your DD in that he just can’t face eating anything solid during his school day and doesn’t eat anything from breakfast until his evening meal. So we are supplementing his food intake with one or two Fortisip drinks per day. They are a nutritional drink with 300 calories per bottle. He has put on around 3.5kg of weight (apron 7lbs) since he has been having them. He only has them in days he takes his meds as his appetite is fine at weekends and holidays.

The only thing is that they are really expensive but we have just managed to get them added to his ADHD prescription. Is this something you could look at?

I also have DD (almost 16) who is recovering from an ED. I think I said to you when you originally posted that ADHD meds and ED or disordered eating are a recipe for disaster because of the appetite suppression. I really think you need to keep a close eye on your DD as it is a very slippery slope. What have your ADHD doctors said about your DD’s low weight? Are they concerned at all?

@Complexneeds would you mind telling me what meds you have moved your DD to? DS is on the 8 hour Medikinet. Ideally he needs a 12 hour capsule in order for him to be able to do homework after school but we just can’t afford for him to not be hungry for his dinner. Taking a four hour dose in the morning and after lunch could be something that might work for DS too.

Do you think she would east absent mindedly whilst doing something else? For example if you put a bowl of nuts at my elbow while I’m working or on a screen I will end up hoovering them without really noticing, it’s like a form of fidgeting.

I wouldn’t get too hung up about lunch, if she has a decent breakfast that may genuinely be enough to see her through to after school as long as she eats plenty then.

@Rollergirl11
Medikinet XL lasts 8 hours she was on 20mg
Concerta lasts 12 hours and she was in 27mg
Both methylphenidate but modified release.
Now we are trialling straightforward bog standard immediate acting methylphenidate 10mg at breakfast and 10mg at lunch. Our dr said some clients take a 3rd dose in the afternoon but I think we may get away with 2 doses.
Who suggested fortisip please?

@ComplexNeeds it was DS’s private consultant that suggested supplementing with a nutritional drink if he found it easier to have a drink rather than struggling to get food in to him. Ensure is another one.

@Rollergirl11 that makes sense. I was particularly interested as our ED clinic has said no supplements, no special foods, no sneaky additives - just regular family food. But we are still being assessed so maybe that’s the reasoning.

@ComplexNeeds hmmmn that sounds particularly unhelpful from the ED clinic. I quickly came to realise with our own ED team that they are woefully inexperienced in ensuring successful recovery from an ED. My DD wouldn’t have restored any weight if I hadn’t fortified her meals with butter and double cream whenever I could. They really don’t have a clue.

But just to be clear it was my sons ADHD consultant that suggested the nutritional drink. Not my DD’s ED/CAMH’s team.

@Rollergirl11
@Ah thank you for the clarification I hadn’t read it properly and thought the same child had ED & ADHD.

@ComplexNeeds no thank god! As I said on the OP’s other thread trying to recover from an ED whilst taking any kind of medication that suppresses appetite are absolutely not compatible. And having one child with ADHD on meds and the other with Anorexia I see first hand that there is no way DD would be able to eat enough to restore weight if she were to take her brothers meds. Are you concerned your DD has an ED or do you think it’s just the meds suppressing her appetite?

Are you on the teen ED thread? I was on there for a good while but haven’t posted in a bit but they are an extremely supportive bunch!

@Rollergirl11 yes I’m on the ED thread. GP referred her last week & was seen by the team on Monday. They couldn’t work out if the has ED or not so we are doing 3+3 etc for two weeks at home then they’ll review. We’ve taken her off her meds for a few days now and tbh I’m not convinced it’s made much difference. Teeny tiny appetite. But I’ve been reading quite a bit about adhd and eating. Like this for example... www.thelily.com/your-eating-disorder-could-be-a-sign-of-neurodivergence-it-was-for-me/?fbclid=IwAR1Cjt8TZo2h5j9l4xnX0eSfzIrFjju2VXmxekNZw4C8nhw8Anz5Fr3qV4s

Our DS was prescribed Skandishake as he hates eating and has extremely low BMI. He has ADHD, ASC and ARFID (newly recognised eating disorder without a great treatment path). We started off on 1/8th of a shake after breakfast, same for a snack and so on. Before long we were up to 1/4, then 1/2. As each shake is about 500 calories, this is Big Bang for your bucks if you are not keen on food. He has still never finished a whole shake, but that is not the point, every extra calorie makes a difference and he has gained meaningful weight for the first time in his 14 years. There does seem to be a link between ADHD and eating disorders: The ADHD-Eating Disorders Link.

Incidentally, if others are struggling to get prescribed methylphenidate due to low BMI, they can prescribe kids Guanfacine. This has made some difference to DS as we have worked to get his BMI high enough for methylphenidate.