Have you got a nutritionist or anyone you could ask about this? They seem to work for some people, not for others. I used them very unhelpfully before seeking treatment, then when I was in treatment they really helped me make sure I was getting a balanced diet and I was challenging myself enough but when I tried using them after treatment having it all written down like that encouraged me to go back to my old tricks of calorie counting so I stopped. It has to be a personal thing but there is no harm in trying. My guess would be if you are having misgivings about whether its necessary it may be anxiety driven in which case I would suggest it would be a good idea to give it a go just to see what happens. You can't 'screw up' its just an experiment and you'll learn from it whatever happens. If you do do it though, start small, you don't have to plunge straight in to a full blown banquet, something you feel you could manage, don't set yourself too big a challenge, especially if you're doing it on your own. Give it a good go, if its helpful you've learnt a valuable new tool, if its not, you've satisfied your curiosity and learnt something new about yourself along the way, doesn't mean they wont work for you another time in the future. Hope that helps. X

I food plan? I never got one when I was released after a 2 month hospitalization. Odd. Every person I have meet who has beat an eating disorder said that the meal plans made them think about the food/calories more and just didn't plain work. If I had a meal plan, I'd probably freak out about knowing what I HAVE to eat something that I DON'T want to eat. I am not sure. :(

Well I think the purpose of a food plan is to teach you how to recognize and implement portion sizes, food varieties, and eating times into your diet. This is based upon a standardized plan that nutritionists consider a "normal" diet. It also trains those with eds what a "full" sensation may feel like, which is very difficult to grasp early on in treatment.
Having said that, I do believe a meal plan is necessary in the early stages of recovery. But, I also believe that individuals need to taper off of eating plans, because it can get very ritualistic, obsessive, and many times can be unrealistic as well.
At some point you should be able to eat when your hungry and stop when your full. You should incorporate a variety of foods in your diet and try to stick with at least three meals a day. This should never be rigid, because every day is different. You have to be comfortable and healthy. It's not easy to learn, but I did and I appreciate and love food like I never have in my life.

my christian therapist and i are beginning to work on the food end of my recovery. this week, i was supposed to eat breakfast. i only did it once. i am just scared. you see, when i was dieting as a teenager (another behavior of mine) i kept meticulous food diaries because i was doing slim fast, weight watchers, etc. etc. etc. if you can think of a diet, i've probably done it. so i am scared that having a food plan will trigger me to diet or restrict again. my therapist has mentioned referring me to a dietition or nutritionist, but she hasn't officially referred me to anyone yet. i went to the store tonight and bought some quick and easy breakfast stuff. i hope i can eat this weekend. thanks for the advice and support.

I definitely think the nutritionist is the way to go in that case, you can work together then to do a meal plan that is healthy and manageable for you. Unless you can follow a guide from a self help book, doing it yourself sounds like it may become just another exercise in restriction. Well done on the breakfasts, that's an excellent way to start. Try not to think of it as 'only' managing it once last week. You achieved it once, pat yourself on the back and next week try for more.

thank you plum. i got up at 12 today, and was able to eat a little. it was only a granola bar, but it was something.