Today I'm focusing on developing a food plan when you are recovering from addictive eating and addictive food behaviors. This is a general plan that will work for those who are still eating animal products. The important thing in the beginning is getting off of the bigger addictive substances: sugar and refined carbohydrates. I find that animal protein and fats are also addictive, and I have adopted a whole foods, plant based food plan. But it may be overwhelming for some to give up everything at once. Tomorrow I will post a vegan food plan that not only addresses what to eat but volume as well.
General:
1.) A beginning food plan need not be a weight loss plan. The idea is to change the unwanted food behaviors (overeating, bingeing, purging, restricting, over exercising). The food plan adds structure and supports abstinence (refraining from harmful food behaviors).
2.) A food plan should be free of addictive substances. (For me these are sugar, refined carbohydrates, wheat, cheese, caffeine, and artificial sweeteners.) Take time to identify your personal triggers. You need not give up everything at once.
3.) Stay out of Diet Mentality and unrealistic expectations. Work with your sponsor and decide if and how frequently you’ll step on the scale.
4.) Food log: I find it helpful to include on my food log: time of meal or snack, foods and quantities eaten, location consumed, hunger/satiety levels before and after meal, my thoughts and moods, and finally the behavior practiced (eg: “moderate breakfast” or “overate” or “self care snack”. ) I do my food log in a landscape column format. The food log is for gathering information and to give you feedback on what works and what doesn’t. Please don’t use it to restrict, control, and beat yourself up.
5.) The food plan is not carved in stone. Try something for a week and reevaluate. Listen to your body
6.) Plan to eat 3meals and up to 3 snacks a day. Eat breakfast whether or not you “feel like it”’. Each meal and snack should have all the macronutrients: Protein, Fat, and Carbohydrate. Some “eating events” may be optional depending on activity level. Each meal or snack has a beginning and an end. I abstain in between.
7.) I try to eat unprocessed whole foods as much as possible.
8.) I find timing crucial. Don’t get too hungry by letting too many hours pass. It’s ok to eat “early” if you are physically hungry. Good spacing of meals and snacks means better blood sugar control and less hunger.
9.) Listen to your body. Maybe you’d like a breakfast meal for dinner or a dinner type meal for breakfast.
10.) Discuss with your sponsor accountability:
Will you “commit” to the foods you will eat ahead of time, or will you report your food actually eaten at the end of the day? I report at the end of the day. I have found it gives me more flexibility and I’m more willing to be honest. I have found that when I commit ahead of time, I feel guilt and shame if I can’t keep my commitment. On the positive side, committing ahead means you don’t have a lot of on the spot decisions to make and it can be freeing to some people. (Some people do not report their food to a sponsor.)
These are suggestions based on my experience in program, not rules. If I had to make one rule it would be:
NO SKIMPY OR RESTRICTIVE FOOD PLANS. Far too often new sponsees start sending me their daily intakes and there just isn’t enough food for sustainable abstinence-plan for the long haul. Scant food plans often backfire and lead to compulsive food behaviors and full blown relapse.
Remember the food plan supports abstinence and provides clarity for working the steps as we move into recovery.
Food plan in a nutshell: Note: these portion sizes are typical for me. You may need more or a little less.
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner:
May mix and match choices (eg: possible protein could be an omelet with 1 egg and 2-3oz cottage cheese or a possible grain choice would be 1/2c lentils and 1/2c brown rice)
Choose protein: ½-1 cup beans, lentils, peas
1 c yogurt or 6oz cottage cheese
2-4oz meat poultry or fish
1-2 eggs
Choose Starch: 1 cup cooked grain or 1.5oz before cooking or uncooked
6-8 oz potato, yam sweet potato, other roots
1 c beans, lentils, peas
(If you eat wheat: then stick to whole wheat: Typical portion:150-170calories. I personally find wheat and flour a gateway drug for me so I avoid it.)
Choose Fat: ½-1 tbsp oil, nut butter, mayo,
¼-½ oz nuts or seeds
1- 2oz avocado
Choose: Fruit or vegetable (include two to three times daily in your plan the following)
4oz -6oz fruit or 1-2cups low carb veggies or both veg and fruit if needed
Snacks:
How many?: One to three times a day depending on your activity level, blood sugar control, and current size (larger people should start out eating more and cut portions as weight is shed)
Portions for snacks: 1/3-1/2 size of a meal. Very active people may need a fourth full sized meal.
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