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EMPOWER YOURSELF YOUR WAY

YOU CAN BE STRONG, BE BRAVE AND BE FEARLESS!!

Do you feel you are constantly teetering on the edge?

Are you relieved that you have ‘got away with it for another week’?

In your heart do you know that if things don’t improve you will be medically at risk and admitted to a general hospital for medical stability?

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Do you think.. “THAT WON’T HAPPEN TO ME! I WILL WORRY ABOUT THAT IF IT HAPPENS ………. I will just refuse to go”!!!! Really? Refusing to go may not be the decision for you to make. Especially if you are teetering on the edge and if your blood results are saying otherwise you are considered medically at risk!!!

Let’s think about CONTROL. Do you feel you have control or do you feel as though the Eating Disorder has total control over YOU ???

I am in control! I AM? – NOT for LONG What are your aspirations for your future? Maybe you want to go to University or have a career in the armed forces or be a nurse. Being a teacher, working with children or becoming a nurse all require further education via University. Sadly none of this will happen if you are not medically fit enough!!! If you are not medically fit enough you will also not be rational in your thinking and will be letting the Eating Disorder control you. You are strong, you are amazing and you can take back the control!

ARE YOU GOING TO LET DESPERATION SET IN? TAKE BACK CONTROL!

Have you tried Fortisip and thought that tastes horrible and it’s a form of medicine, I don’t like it and don’t want it. How about making your making your own lovely smoothie with your own ingredients. You can enhance your weight improvement naturally yourself which will also be enough to improve your health in the short term. Fort sips have approximately 300 calories per drink. You can make your own smoothie and add protein power (which you can buy from health food shops) and frozen or fresh fruits and have a delicious thick shake for the same calories. Try at your own pace. You could then try adding dried milk to your porridge or breakfast cereal which also increases your food intake. If you sprinkle Chia Seeds on the top you are also adding these great vitamins which will also help your body to recover naturally:

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A one-ounce (28 grams = 2 tablespoons and 137 calories) serving of chia seeds contains:

Fiber: 11 grams.

Protein: 4 grams.

Fat: 9 grams (5 of which are omega-3s).

Calcium: 18% of the RDI.

Manganese: 30% of the RDI.

Magnesium: 30% of the RDI.

Phosphorus: 27% of the RDI.

They also contain a decent amount of zinc, vitamin B3 (niacin), potassium, vitamin B1

(thiamine) and vitamin B2.

HEALTHY WAYS TO IMPROVE WEIGHT

You gain weight by eating more calories than you burn. A healthy rate of gain is about 0.5 to 1 pound per week, which requires you to eat 250 to 500 calories more per day than is needed to maintain your current weight.

TIPS FOR IMPROVING CALORIES IN MEALS

Simply adding an extra serving of protein, whole grains or unsaturated fat at meal times enhances your food intake. A 100-calorie addition at each meal is approximately the amount in one banana, an ounce of cheese, 1/2 cup of brown rice or quinoa or 1/2 of an avocado totals a 300-calorie increase per day, making a weight gain of more than 1/2 pound gain per week. If you have a weak appetite it can making eating more at meal times challenging. Try adding to the food you do eat normally as an alternative way to boost nutritional intake. Spread peanut butter on toast. Cook oatmeal in a cup of milk or add 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds or some cashew nuts to your salad. Other ways to boost your intake without increasing the volume of what you eat is adding cheese to casseroles, stirring dry milk into liquid milk or tossing pasta in olive oil or stir in Philadelphia cheese before adding other toppings.

DAILY STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING BODY WEIGHT

Maybe eating several small meals per day will help you fit in more food without feeling stuffed or overwhelmed. Try to make these small meals calorie dense, such as a handful of nuts or dried fruit, half of a peanut-butter sandwich on whole-what bread, cheese with wheat or oat crackers, a smoothie made with strawberries, banana and yogurt or a sweet potato with olive oil and a few ounces of roast chicken are all yummy foods. Try to avoid drinking fluids with meals as this can fill you up before you eat all the solid food. The liquids you do drink between meals should be wholesome too. Milk and 100-percent juice make nutritionally-rich options especially when whole food sometimes isn't an option. You could also try juicing your own fruit and make some lovely fruity smoothies as a change from a milk smoothie.

SOME EXERCISE IS IMPORTANT TOO

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Even if you're trying to gain weight and not burn off too many calories, light activity is good for you. It promotes heart health, creates a good mood feeling and gives you more energy. Just going for a light walk can stimulate your appetite so you'll feel able to eat that little bit more when you do sit down to eat something. Yoga also helps to calm the mind and body through gentle movements and the breathing techniques can be used at any time you feel stressed to help you relax.

SO HOW CAN YOU IMPROVE WEIGHT QUICKLY AND SAFELY?

Milk

Milk offers a mix of fat, carbohydrates, and proteins. It is also an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, including calcium.

Maybe you don’t like to drink milk on it’s own. As we mentioned earlier you can create a lovely protein shake if you combine your milk with protein powder and this can help you gain weight easily and is most effective for your muscles if it’s drunk shortly after a workout.

Be careful though as pre-made shakes often contain extra sugar and other additives. You can buy a good healthy range of protein shakes from a health food shop. Or just buy the protein powder from a health food shop and make your own protein shake by using milk, add to it the amount of protein powder specified on the label and any delicious fruit too that you like. Protein powder comes in different flavours too such as vanilla, strawberry and chocolate.

Rice

A cup of rice contains about 200 calories, and it is also a good source of carbohydrates, which contribute to weight gain. It is so easy to incorporate rice into meals containing proteins and vegetables.

Red meat

Steak and red meat is easily absorbed by the body. It also supplies vitamin B12, which helps make DNA and keeps nerve and red blood cells healthy, and zinc, which keeps the immune system working properly. It also provides protein, which helps build bones and muscles that your body needs. It is better to look for leaner cuts of red meat which are healthier for the heart.

Whole-grain breads

Wholegrain breads contain complex carbohydrates and seeds which are good wholesome foods.

Other starches

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Starches help some of the foods already listed above to help boost muscle growth and a healthy weight gain. They add bulk to meals and will boost your food intake.

Foods rich in starches include: potatoes, corn, quinoa, buckwheat, beans, squash, corn, oats, legumes, winter root vegetables, sweet potatoes, pasta, whole-grain cereals, whole-grain breads and cereal bars.

Salmon

Salmon is rich in healthy fats, omega-3, and protein. It is also rich in healthy fats, making it a good healthy choice.

Dried fruits

Dried fruits are rich in nutrients and calories, such as dried cranberries, dried pineapple, cherries, or apples. Dried fruit is widely available online or from health food shops and supermarkets.

Nuts and nut butter

Nuts are a great snack and can be added to many meals, including salads. Raw or dry roasted nuts have the most health benefits.

Nut butters made without added sugar or hydrogenated oils can also help. The only ingredient in these butters should be the nuts themselves.

Try popping dried fruits and nuts together in a small tub. They are easy to carry around with you and great for a lovely little snack when you feel peckish.

Avocados

Avocados are rich in calories and good fats, as well as some vitamins and minerals.

FEELING A BIT OVERWHELMED NOW? We’ve given you a lot of information which might make you feel overwhelmed and that your head might explode. Take a deep breath and relax, it’s not a race, you need to go at your own pace but you also need to try and think of the best way forward for you. Plan the simplest and easiest way to weight gain to ensure you are not medically at risk and on your road to recovery.

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HOW ABOUT SOME YUMMY RECIPE IDEAS TO GET YOU STARTED Smoothies & Shakes Strawberry Shake Up – Ingredients 100g (3oz) strawberries 100ml (3 ½ fl oz.) natural live yoghurt 50g (1 ½ oz. grapes (red or green) (or 1 small glass of grape juice) 1 orange Method – Wash and take the tops off the strawberries, keep one strawberry to pop on the side of your glass. Puree the berries, grapes and orange together in a blender, add the yoghurt and blend briefly until smooth. Pour into a large glass and decorate with the strawberry.

This all gives a creamy yummy texture, in summer try it chilled as it’s as nice as ice cream and full of goodness too! Pink Cow – Ingredients

200ml (1/4 pint) Milk 6 strawberries 1 small banana 250m (2 scoops) strawberry ice cream or 250ml of Greek yoghurt Method - Combine the milk, strawberries and banana in the blender and blend until smooth. Add the ice cream and blend on low speed for 20-30 seconds or just until the ice cream is mixed in. You can add more milk to thin or more ice cream to thicken. Enjoy!

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Breakfast Blitz – Ingredients

100ml (3 ½ fl oz) milk - this can be dairy, soya or rice milk 125 (4oz) berries of your choice 1 banana 2 tbsp chopped almonds 2 tbsp wheatgerm 2 tbsp ground flax (linseed) seeds 100ml (3 ½ fl oz) natural, live yoghurt Method – Put the milk, berried, chopped almonds, wheat germ, flax seeds and yoghurt into the blender. Blend on a slow speed for around 20 seconds. Gradually (if possible) increase the speed to high and blend for another 20 to 30 seconds. Sprinkle fruit and nuts on top.

Carrot & Mango – Ingredients 1 orange, peeled and broken into segments ½ mango, peeled and stoned 4 medium cooked carrots Method – Put the mango, orange and carrots into a blender - blend on a low speed for around 20 seconds. Increase the speed to high blend for another 20 or 30 seconds.

This will give you more than a day’s supply of Vitamin C, half of your Vitamin E and a quarter of your fibre needs as well as potassium and iron.

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Morning Good Mood – Ingredients 100ml (3 ½ fl oz.) white or red/purple grape juice or you can throw in a good handful of grapes! 2 oranges, peeled and broken into segments 1 pear, cored and chopped or canned in its own or apple juice, drained Method – Put the grapes/grape juice, the oranges and the pear into the blender. Blend on a low speed for 20 seconds. Gradually increase the speed to high and blend for another 20 to 30 seconds. Try replacing all of your teas, coffees and sodas for 2 or 3 days with glasses of this beauty instead and you will notice the difference in your lighter mood, your energy levels and your appearance. Give it a try! Mini Muffin Quiches - Veggie version Ingredients 1 tbsp. vegetable oil 1 bunch spring onions chopped 2 small sticks celery, finely chopped 1 small red pepper, deseeded and finely chopped 6 medium eggs, beaten 100 ml whole milk or single cream Salt and ground black pepper 150g cheddar cheese, grated Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees or Gas Mark 4. Lightly grease a 12 cup muffin tin. Heat the oil in a frying pan and gently fry the vegetables for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until softened but not browned. Divide the mixture between the muffin tins.

2. Mix together the eggs and milk or cream and season well. Our into each tin to cover the vegetables. Sprinkle the tops with grated cheese.

3. Stand the tin on a baking tray and bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until lightly golden and just set. Cool for 10 mins before running a knife around the edges and carefully remove the quiches. If serving cold, allow to cool on a wire rack, otherwise serve warm maybe with a crisp salad.

If you prefer a traditional quiche with bacon substitute bacon and mushrooms for all of the above vegetables or find a combination you like.

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Veggie mini muffins

Bacon & mushroom mini muffins Baked Oatmeal Snack Bars Ingredients 1 ½ cups rolled oats ½ cup chopped walnuts (or any nuts you like) ½ cup dried fruits (any you like – such as cranberries raisins, dates, etc) ¼ cup seeds (any you like – sunflower, pumpkin, flax, sesame) 1 ¼ cups skimmed milk 1 egg 1 tsp vanilla Method Preheat oven to 350 degrees Mix dry ingredients

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Mix wet ingredients Pour wet into dry, stir to combine Pour into a 9 x 9 baking dish either coated in cooking spray or lined with baking parchment Bake for 40 minutes Cut into 9 squares The only sweetness comes from the fruit but you can also add ¼ cup of brown sugar.

Frozen Greek Yoghurt Bars – Makes 6 servings Ingredients 2 containers individual plain Greek yoghurt pots 90g (1/2 cup) strawberries (approx. 5 to 7) chopped 80g (1/4 cup) blueberries 90g (1/4 cup) grapes 60g (1/3 cup) granola 50g (1/4 cup) almonds – sliced if possible Directions Line a 9 x 9 tin with foil Pour greek yoghurt into a small bowl Add in the chopped fruit, nuts and granola and stir until evenly mixed Pour into the foil lined tin and put in the freezer until frozen Remove from freezer and put on the side for approx. 5 mins Cut into squares and store in an airtight container it the freezer

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Quick Heathy Tasty Lunch Time Snacks – Mashed avocado on wholegrain toast with a poached egg Take the avocado out of its skin and remove the stone, mash up your avocado and pop an egg into the pan to poach while you toast your bread. Spread the mashed avocado onto your toast and top with your poached egg.

– Scrambled egg with grated cheese on wholemeal toast Scrambled eggs and milk or eggs and single cream together, season with salt and pepper and add grated cheese - gives your eggs a lovely flavour. Toast your bread. Spread some butter onto your toast and top with the lovely scrambled egg mixture. Mix it up, add prawns or tomato or whatever you fancy.

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Another great anytime one pan treat for brunch, lunch or just a snack is:

Mediterranean Baked Eggs

You can use chorizo, bacon, turkey rashers or veggie sausages in this recipe, choose which you like best.

HAVE THE ABOVE RECIPES GOT YOUR TASTE BUDS TINGLING? Bon Appetite Bon Appetite https://seedeatingdisorders.org.uk/page/bon-appetite We have a lovely range or recipes through Bon Appetite, have a look through these and see if any of them take your fancy and you may feel like trying them. There is an introduction and a shopping guide to get you started so you don’t feel too overwhelmed. Each recipe is approximately 500 calories – not enough to improve weight but enough to sustain you in the short term. There are then recipes to follow for 10 weeks. Where will your taste buds take you? See which recipe becomes your favourite or it may give you some great ideas to create your own.

You could be our Seed Master Chef!!

BON APPETITE!

STAY STRONG YOU’RE NUTRITIONAL INPUT IT IMPORTANT TO KEEP MEDICALLY SAFE