Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center
International Eating Disorder Referral Organization
Tips for Families
by Alice Covey, CD, RD
1. Don’t be the Food Police. Trying to control the food intake of a loved one with an eating disorder can only lead to trouble. It not only reemphasizes the already present thoughts, “I can’t be trusted with food,” but it also teaches your loved one that they need to rely on yet another external voice to determine what they “should” and “should not” eat. Stay away from phrases like, “maybe you want some more of this ‘healthy’ food,” or “you shouldn’t have dessert before dinner.” If you are concerned about your loved one’s eating habits the best time to confront them is when food is not present. It may be helpful to enlist the help of a dietitian. This way a professional, whose soul job relates to food and eating behaviors, can deal with food issues.
2. Get rid of scales. This doesn’t mean just hide them. Actually, throw them away. To someone with an eating disorder the number on the scale can become a way to determine how much to eat or how to feel (“good” or “bad” about themselves). Weighing can become an unhealthy obsession. The number on the scale is another way for individuals with eating disorders to look outside themselves (externally) for answers.
3. Don’t comment on appearances. This is true even if you think it’s a compliment. Something like, “you look healthy,” or even “you’re so thin,” can be twisted around and distorted in the mind of someone with an eating disorder. Try to avoid these comments at all times.
4. Keep a wide variety of foods around the house. Being intuitive eater means figuring out what is being craved during times of hunger. The more variety that is available, the better chance the craving can be identified and satisfied. Keep various grains like breads, pastas, rice, and cereals on hand. Also, try to keep fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables in the house. Meats, like deli cuts and ground beef and other protein sources like peanut butter and cheese are important for specific cravings. Snack foods are a necessity, as well. Try to keep chips, cookies, and nuts around. These are just some suggestions. It is important to consider taste preferences and meal options while shopping at the grocery store.
5. Don’t buy “diet foods.” These are very triggering and tempting to individuals with eating disorders. They feed into eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. Plus, they are generally unsatisfying.
6. Challenge traditional beliefs about food. Avoid labeling foods as “good” or “bad.” Food is food. It has no moral value. All foods have nutritional value because every food is made up of carbohydrates, protein, and/or fat. These are the main nutrients needed for bodies to function properly, a.k.a. macronutrients. By listening to and tuning into the body’s needs, these macronutrients will be consumed in an appropriate way.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are strictly those of the author and are presented without editing. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the position or the policy of EDReferral.com, and no official endorsement by EDReferral.com of the opinions expressed herein should be inferred.
