Eating Disorder Recovery: How to Know If You’re Eating Enough
Eating disorder recovery: how to know if you’re eating enough
Recovering from an eating disorder (ED) is a unique process that requires time, patience, and a commitment to providing your body with the proper fuel it needs to heal. In almost all eating disorder types, a challenging aspect of recovery can be learning to eat enough for your body’s needs. Research has shown that individuals with eating disorders often underestimate how much they truly need to eat, and their perception of "enough" can be skewed. In this blog, we’ll explore some key factors to consider when determining if you’re eating enough in your recovery process, along with strategies that can help guide you.
Why It’s Hard to Know If You’re Eating Enough
Many people recovering from an eating disorder find it difficult to accurately gauge their nutritional needs. This is partly due to the way eating disorders impact hunger cues and appetite. Some of the factors that might make it harder to assess whether you’re eating enough during eating disorder treatment include:
Underestimating Portion Sizes: People with eating disorders often have a distorted perception of what constitutes a "normal" portion size. This can lead to consistently eating too little, which can slow down the recovery process
Early Satiety and Slowed Gastric Emptying: Some eating disorder symptoms can alter how quickly the body processes food, making individuals feel full more quickly or for longer periods. This may lead to us feeling full when in reality the body needs more fuel.
Anxieties Around Food: The anxiety and stress associated with food & eating can dampen your appetite, making it harder to recognise physical hunger and respond to it effectively.
Why do I need to eat so much in ED recovery?
In eating disorder recovery, eating enough food is crucial for repairing the damage caused by starvation. One key concept in recovery is the idea of an energy debt—your body requires extra food to repair the physical and psychological damage caused by starvation. Even if you're eating enough to maintain basic functions, additional energy is necessary to restore the physiological & psychological processes that have been disrupted by malnutrition. This extra food provides the necessary nutrients that have been depleted, allowing your body to begin the healing process.
In addition to physical restoration, eating enough can help reduce eating disorder behaviours, such as binge eating, and improve food-related thoughts that can perpetuate the eating disorder. By nourishing the body with the appropriate amount of food, individuals can begin to challenge and break the cycle of disordered eating and the negative thoughts that often accompany it.
How to Tell If You’re Eating Enough in recovery
If you’re unsure whether you’re eating enough during your recovery, here are some things to keep in mind to help you increase the likelihood that you’re meeting your body’s needs:
Eat Regularly – Even When You’re Not Hungry: It's important to make eating a priority, even if you're not physically hungry. Our bodies often need more food than we may feel like eating, especially during recovery. Eating regularly provides the foundation for "normal eating" through structure. It also stimulates metabolic function, improves digestion, and helps maintain stable blood sugar levels. Regular eating supports energy, mood, and concentration. It helps the body and metabolism return to natural patterns, allowing hunger and satiety cues to return. Aim to eat a meal or snack every 3-4 hours, with a good guideline being 3 meals and 3 snacks a day.
Respond to Mental Hunger:Mental hunger is just as important as physical hunger. If you find yourself thinking about food, it can be a signal that your body needs nourishment. Don’t ignore these thoughts.
Mental hunger can feel uncomfortable, but it is often temporary while your body re-learns its natural hunger and fullness cues. The sooner you allow yourself to eat and nourish your body, the faster your body will begin to heal, and food-related thoughts will gradually decrease.
Ask for Feedback Having a trusted support person, such as a close friend or family member, can help you assess if you're eating enough. They can offer perspective and provide feedback on your meals, serving sizes, and frequency of eating. If you find it easier to eat with others around, schedule time to sit at the table with a loved one. It’s okay to ask for reassurance while you're still figuring out this new way of eating!
Work with an Eating Disorder Dietitian One of the most effective ways to ensure you're eating enough during recovery is to work with a dietitian specialising in eating disorders.
Role of Eating Disorder Dietitian
A dietitian can provide personalised guidance, supporting you with meal ideas and meal guides tailored to your unique needs. This can help take the guesswork out of things and allow you to focus purely on eating, which can bring you closer to recovery. We often find that clients may find it distressing to choose what to eat, especially when they’ve had a very narrow range of ‘safe’ foods for so long.
Dietitians can provide food options that work for you and your unique circumstances—whether it’s food preferences, easy and quick meal and snack ideas, or helping to establish eating routines and habits that support regular intake.
If you’re struggling with knowing whether you’re eating enough, it may be time to consult with an eating disorder dietitian for personalised support.
Final Thoughts
Recovery from an eating disorder is not a linear process, and it can be difficult to know whether you're eating enough. Having an eating disorder can sometimes mean thinking about food a lot, which can lead to food-related thoughts being replaced by worry about whether you’re eating enough.
By focusing on eating regularly, eating when you think about food, working with a trusted support system, and seeking professional guidance, you can navigate the journey more effectively.
Remember, your body needs food to heal. Once the body starts to feel safe and is receiving adequate nourishment, things will start to get easier, and you will learn to trust your inbuilt hunger and fullness cues—this can often take time, and that's okay! As long as you focus on providing your body with fuel, you will get closer to this each day.
If you're unsure whether you're eating enough or are struggling with your relationship with food, reach out for help. A TWC eating disorder dietitian can guide you every step of the way. Book an appointment today with one of our experienced eating disorder dietitians and take the first step toward reclaiming your health and well-being.