Beth asked in her comment on the post below how I'm eating in in my program. Excellent question. Let me explain...
When I entered the inpatient program, the goal was to nourish my body, stabilize the effects of malnourishment and screwed up labs and get me to eat on a regular basis again.
My meal plan basically consists of 6 small meals a day...but much more balanced than what I was willing to eat as "just" a gastric bypass patient. Each meal is based on exchanges, very similar to what is recommended by the American Diabetic Association.
My total caloric intake at this point is supposed to be 1300-1400 calories, a reasonable amount for a woman of 40 years, measuring 5'6" and weighly somewhere in the 160s. When I started in the hospital, I think my intake was closer to about 1000 calories a day. But I don't count calories on the program.
Here's what my meal plan for a day looks like
Breakfast: 1 protein, 2 exchanges of my choice (grain, fruit, veg, milk), a fat if I want it.
Snack 1: 2 exchanges of my choice (somewhere like 130-190 calories total...I do have some specific snack choices.)
Lunch: 1 protein, 1 grain, 1 exchange of my choice, 1-2 fats
Snack 2: 2 exchanges of my choice
Dinner: 1 protein, 1 grain, 1 exchange of my choice, 1-2 fats
Snack 3: 2 exchanges of my choice
How does that translate into real eating? Like this (from last Tuesday):
Breakfast: scrambled egg, mini muffine & yogurt.
Snack: granola bar
Lunch: Black Bean Burger, carrots, apple, ranch dip
Snack: cheese stick and 3 packs of wheatworth crackers
Dinner: Salmon, wild rice, summer squash
Snack: apple
Just this Friday, I actually got permission from the nutritionist to add an extra snack in the afternoon, especially if my one snack is closer to 100 calories. Now that I am eating on a very regular basis, my body wants to be fed like every 2 to 2-1/2 hours. Sometimes the space between the afternoon snack and dinner can be as much as 4 hours. And then my body is screaming for energy.
The biggest change for me has been the addition of grains. Read: carbs. I've eaten some spaghetti, mashed potatoes and wild rice, as well as sliced bread from a loaf. All things that have been "fear" foods for me: eat them and instantly inflate to 317 pounds. But this program has helped me see that I can eat them and I can maintain a weight. And I'm actually enjoy the variety now.
My nutritionist is also very helpful in portion sizes. She understands that only so much can go in, so she doesn't expect me to eat a 6 oz. chicken breast, a baked potatoe and beans for dinner. But I do have to do at least 2 oz of protein for a serving...and my measurable carbs are usually about 1-4 to 1/2 in size.
I'm a stickler about eating on time, now that I'm firmly entrenched in my meal plan. I hate skipping snacks now. Mostly because I want to get 100% compliance on my meal plan...in case they give out gold stars to the best bulimic in the program. Ha!
I'm not always perfect, but I'm getting better at recognizing triggers and reacting appropriately. I haven't purged in nearly 4 weeks. My last binge eating was a week ago tonight. My last restricting day, including laxatives, was a week ago yesterday.
This is all good news. I can't expect to have every day of my life be perfect, but I can hold myself accountable for each meal. And some days, the only way I get through the ED thoughts is to take is all one meal by meal, one bite by bite.
Any other questions? Ask away!
I CHOOSE
...to love myself.
...to treat myself gently, with patience and respect.
...to accept responsibility for every aspect of my life.
...to be present, awake, aware.
...to be open to possibility.
...to leap with the intention of landing.
...to do amazing things.
...to treat myself gently, with patience and respect.
...to accept responsibility for every aspect of my life.
...to be present, awake, aware.
...to be open to possibility.
...to leap with the intention of landing.
...to do amazing things.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
How She Eats
Posted by JUST JEN at 8:05 PM
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Jen,
Reading that makes me realize how very close to the edge the rest of the WLS world IS to disordered eating.
(My situation is slightly different, with my stupid blood sugar reactions, that menu couldn't fly right now.)
BUT - still - I think, wow - I couldn't eat that much - even if I realistically do, it looks like so much more.
I'm telling you - this WLS stuff is screwing with evolution.
I know. It sounds like a lot. Too much. But it's really not. I freaked out when I had to start eating like that. But I choose food combos that sit well. (I cannot eat oatmeal, yogurt and a banana for breakfast...too much. But I can eat All Bran Flakes, yogurt and a banana.)
I am coming to realize that a lot of WLS eating is rather disordered when taken to an extreme. Many nuts don't preach balance. They say protein first, we eat only protein. We live by the fear that we will be fat again. And we pay the price.
Don't even get me started on the physical changes in the human brain that happen when a body is deprived of energy, malnourished or starved. Holy Shit. There was a big study during WW2 on conscientious objectors in the US. I'll try to find it and post it.
I think you do deserve a gold star :)
Wow- that looks so,so...balanced. I really mean that.
Balance- oh how I crave that, not the extremes one way or the other.
Thanks for posting this, it was really interesting!
I think you sound great and your honesty is inspiring. I wish we could all be so open about how thin a line it is between one eating disorder and another. Being in touch and aware so that we don't trade compulsive overeating for another form of disordered eating is SO IMPORTANT if we are to be healthy. And that was always the goal...wasn't it? Thanks for reminding me and keeping it real.
Once again I applaud you for sharing your personal progress with us. I am happy that you seem to be adjusting well to the new eating... and most imporantaly are feeling better. I hope your progress continues.
Post a Comment