Nhs eating plan making me gain weight

[Maztek]

I’m in treatment with the eating disorders service currently, I’m very overweight from years of eating disorders.
Im essentially learning how to eat again, and have been put on a strict plan. 3 meals and 3 snacks. I’ve been doing it for a week and I know I shouldn’t have weighed myself but I did this morning and I’ve put on 2 pounds which is devastating for me. I’m not allowed to count calories on this plan.
I don’t really know what to do. I can’t afford to keep gaining more weight but I also need to treat the disorder.
Had anyone else been on this plan?

Generally speaking, I think it's not unusual to fluctuate up and down in weight once you alter your diet, as it will take a bit of time for your body to adjust to the changes. Please speak to your dietician if you're worried and don't be tempted to ditch the eating plan.

I agree with everyone who says to trust the process. Although I know how hard that probably is.

None of us are experts and know how your disordered eating has manifested and as others have said this plan is presumably to get you eating regularly.

As hard as it it I would ditch the scales.

I am sure you feel quite panicked just now but I would recommend as others have that you contact the dietitian if possible.

And could you try to reframe it in your head that you are nourishing yourself with a healthy balance of foods not punishing yourself with a diet? It will naturally take some time for your system to adjust both physically and more importantly mentally. Trust the process and be kind to yourself.

It’s hot so your weight gain is very likely to just be water retention.

Your meal plan is a medical one. Asking for advice here is like asking someone asking on here to suggest a different dosage of your medication. You need to speak to your dietitian.

I would get rid of the scales, and concentrate on nourishing your body. You deserve to look after yourself and your health. Get in touch with what your body needs, and treat yourself kindly and gently. Become curious about how you feel and how you can nourish yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Get outside in nature if you feel able to.

Being nourished well is important, and a lot of the low-calorie diet advice that's been around for decades is not about good, balanced nutrition.

If your eating has been disordered, that will have affected your digestive system and gut bacteria. Changes in your intake of food will change those as you adjust. You may have differences in your body's output or bloating as you adjust. The weather is hot and that can cause water retention. The time of the month. There are multiple reasons why it's normal for weight to fluctuate around within a day and for it to be totally meaningless.

Follow the professional advice you've been given by the experts who have your history.

2lb in a week, as a one off, I would assume natural fluctuation. Please give them a ring or bring it up at your next appointment.

Maybe you don't want to because you've "broken the rules" by weighing yourself, but honestly they will have seen it all before and they will understand. It wouldn't surprise me if they say you've done well to resist for a while week.

*whole week

When you weighed before was in on clinic scales and different time of day and different time in your cycle? As Yes to anyone of these things could mean a difference in weight

fluctuation of weight is normal.
heat and menstrual cycle play a big role. can easily mean 2kg up and down just for that.

if weighing stresses you out then don't.

all the best

Please don’t come to mn for advice on this. You need to trust your ED team and ask them.

A maintenance diet within an ED team allows for fluctuation +/- 3lb is considered maintenance.

Also, you’ll be replenishing glycogen stores in your liver, and rehydrating. An initial gain is normal. The healthiest thing you can do is address your ED.

Have you read the Minnesota starvation study? It’s a fantastic insight into the physiology of refeeding.

Please don’t post your food intake here. It will be highly triggering for you.

OK, thoroughly berated by all the experts! Massive apologies

My dd (adult) followed the plan. She had binge eating issues amongst others. She did not weigh as this was an important aspect of addressing her behaviour around food. We threw away the scales in her home and ours.
She has dropped from a size 20/22 to size 16/18 in a year. It did re educate her. She also did Paul McKenna binge eating therapy at the same time.

You already know you shouldn’t have weighed yourself.

It’s an important part of the treatment plan.

Don’t sabotage yourself, please.

People with healthy eating patterns by and large do not weigh themselves much, not regularly in order to see if they’re losing or gaining weight.

What you ‘can’t afford’ is to not commit to treating the eating disorder. So please trust the process.

You can do it - it’s really hard but you’ve started to tackle it with help and that’s the hardest step. Keep going.

A two pound gain could be just because you need a good shit.

Weight fluctuates massively day to day based on water retention and how much is in your guts still. Hormones also affect this. Your body almost always freaks out a little when you start a new diet as it's not sure what is happening and this affects how your body processes and eliminates waste. Give it a couple more weeks to let yourself regulate a bit.

Higher weight doesn't always mean you have more fat on your body. I'm currently a stone heavier than I was 3 months ago but my waist is two inches smaller as I'm holding on a lot of water weight in my left leg.

Is there someone on the program you can speak to about it this morning? To raise your concerns?

I would stick with the plan. People who know what they are talking about have come up with it for a reason.

Also antidotally I can flux 2/3/4 lbs day to day!

Are they trying to re educate you to eat the same amount daily to avoid feast and famine cycles? Please don’t worry about such a tiny amount. You’ve only been on the plan a week.

Would chunking the time your next appointment into small goals so it seems more manageable be useful? Eg I’m going to stick to the plan and on Sunday I will relax in the sun. Then on Monday, it’s get through til Wednesday then you’re half way through the week and planning something, whatever you want to do like a soak in the bath or putting on a face mask after work. Remembering to tell yourself, I will trust the process.

Do you have anyone irl to call to support you?

so my experience of this is that you have to see it as a 2 stage process and you are in the first stage. this is to learn how to control and regulate when you eat. so not grazing all day one day and eating nothing the next. to normalise the pattern as it were. once this pattern has been established then to look at what you are eating and how to ensure calories in are less than calories out. Best advice is to drink water, whatever you are drinking now double it. try and up your exercise so even something small like going up and down stairs every hour and try not to focus too much on food but look for distractions in your day to day life. its bloody tough, it really really is. there isnt a quick fix because if there was we would all (those of us who are very overweight) be doing it. but also be pleased with yourself because you have taken a massive first step and its the first step towards regaining control of your eating. well done you.

I am also in treatment for an eating disorder and my weight has gone up in the last couple of months. It is very difficult to live with, but I have to trust the process. I could lose the weight very quickly if I go back to dieting, but that's what fuelled my eating disorder and caused me to gain weight.

I got a message from the nurse to weigh myself today and I am dreading it. And eating disorder is so different to other mental health issues because it is written on the body. And society is awfully negative towards an overweight body, so it is easy to internalise that negativity, but part of our struggle OP is to learn to appreciate ourselves no matter what our body size.

I have come to realise that even when I'm very slim I am not happy with my body and criticise my bigger tummy etc when nobody else can see it.

It's important not to keep body checking (standing on the scale). The meal plan is helping you to make peace with your body.

Sorry - I meant to say that the meal plan is helping you to make peace with food. The body will soon adjust.

I think it's a good plan. Just focus on eating healthily, as directed, don't count calories or weigh yourself. The only thing that will work long term is being in tune with yourself enough to eat the right things in the right amounts most of the time and having good activity levels. Try and build in some exercise to your day, even if it's a 15 minute walk. listening to an audiobook or music can help. Then gradually build up and do it more briskly etc.

You need to get rid of your scales, even temporarily - give them to someone to look after while you're in recovery.

I'm an ex eating disorder sufferer and don't weigh myself as it leads to really negative thought processes that can quickly spiral. I'm actually a bit scared of weighing myself now, and if I need to be weighed at the doctors I close my eyes!

I can almost guarantee that two pounds isn’t two pounds of fat. You have to eat an excess of thousands and thousands of calories to gain two pounds of fat.

It’s much more likely to be water weight, as PP have said. It’s much more important to sort out an eating routine right now.

It's really not the same at all.

I think they will be prioritising sorting out your health and relationship with food

As you start to develop a more healthy diet and stop making food such a focus your Wright will start to even out but it shouldn't be your focus just now

It's a battle but I'm sure you will get there