What a Day of Eating Looks Like in Eating Disorder Recovery

In order to heal from an eating disorder, it’s critically important to take in enough fuel to heal the body and the brain. Consistent meals and snacks that are eaten every 3-4 hours helps to regulate your metabolism, restore an appetite-based pattern of eating, and gives you the energy you need to live your life. For many people with eating disorders, their perception of what constitutes “enough” food has been altered by years of restriction and internalization of diet culture rules.

In this blog post I’m going to give you an example of what a full day of eating might look like in eating disorder recovery. This post is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for personalized recommendations from a registered dietitian.

The following sample meals/snacks are based on Marcia Herrin’s Rule of Threes (RO3) Food Plan. The RO3 plan is 3 meals and 3 snacks spaced 3 hours apart. Marcia Herrin is a registered dietitian with expertise in the nourishment needs of people in recovery from eating disorders. For more information about Marcia Herrin, click on this link.

Meal 1

Complex carbs- 2 slices of toast

Vegetable- Sliced cucumber

Fat- Avocado

Protein- 2 fried eggs

Calcium (not pictured)- add a slice of cheese, calcium-fortified orange juice, or milk of choice

Snack 1

Calcium- yogurt of choice

Fruit- raspberries and blueberries

Complex carbs- granola

Meal 2

Complex carbs/fun food- Croissant

Protein- Sliced turkey

Fat- Mayo on sandwich and cream in soup

Vegetables- lettuce, tomato, & red onion on sandwich, tomato soup

Snack 2

Fun food- Slice of chocolate cake

Calcium- Milk of choice

Meal 3

Complex carbs- Boiled potatoes, whole grain roll

Protein- Sauteed salmon

Fat (not pictured)- butter on potatoes, olive oil to sauté salmon, salad dressing on greens

Vegetables- Mixed green salad, asparagus spears

Snack 3

Complex carbs- Crackers

Protein/calcium- Cheese slices

Fruit- Grapes