My Approach

EATING DISORDERS

As a nutrition therapist, I help people struggling with disordered eating return to good health.  By good health, I mean eating a meal and again enjoying the taste and feeling that a good meal can bring.

My approach is a collaborative one where we will work together. As part of your team, with a therapist and your physician we will set and work towards a healthy weight, normalizing eating, and eliminating distorted food and nutrition beliefs. I will give you food ideas, menus, and meal plans that meet your need for adequate calories, nutrients and nourishment.

Of course, developing an eating plan is a very individualized process.  Some people need a very structured meal/snack plan to learn how to eat again.  Others do well with generalized goals and suggestions.  Oftentimes, this is defined by age, the severity of eating disorder and weight.  That is why my approach is both individualized and collaborative.

For children and adolescents with disordered eating, I use a Family Based Approach and involve the parent(s) as much as possible in the recovery process.  Initially, young people usually require a very structured approach to normalize eating, so I first develop a structured food plan with meals, snacks and food variety.  As the young person’s eating disorder behavior diminishes,  we develop a food plan that is more flexible and spontaneous. Often, young people with eating disorders have removed themselves from the everyday, normal activity of eating food with others.  My goal is to return your child to the family table, making family meals an enjoyable event again.

My final goal of recovery from an eating disorder ,or recovery from extreme dieting behavior, is to give you the tools to use a non diet or intuitive eating approach to eating. This means moving away from diets, and all their rules and regulations, and towards a more “just eat when I’m hungry and stop when I’m full” mentality.  This simple approach means eating healthy, but also choosing foods that you find satisfying, filling and tasty.

Recommended web sites for additional information

www.maudsleyparents.org/

www.eatingwithyouranorexic.com/

www.intuitiveeating.com/

 Articles of interest

Examples of families using Maudsley approach

One spoonful at a time- A mother's account of refeeding her daughter

Body Image blog

Beating Ana blog

Eating Disorders come in all sizes

WEIGHT LOSS DIETS FOR ADULTS

If your weight is contributing to your health problems or your physician has recommended that you lose weight, then a consult with a registered dietitian is the first step.  At the initial visit the following will happen:

• Obtain a weight history , health history and previous attempts at dieting
• Set a realistic weight loss goal
• Explain the basics of a medically sound weight loss plan, and clarify distorted, false or fad diet “rules”.
• Behavior modification tools and techniques to provide a positive approach
• Follow up visits are individually scheduled depending on your need for accountability, reinforcement and support

Articles of interest

Losing weight with self compassion

Paying attention to how you eat
 

WEIGHT LOSS FOR CHILDREN

 I do not believe in placing children on diets.  Placing a child on a restrictive diet, in the long run, ends up with rebound weight gain, increased food battles and ultimately sneaking and/or hiding of eating.  However, there is still much that can be done to improve your child’s health.

 At the first visit the following will happen

• Obtain detailed information from parent(s) on weight, eating habits, exercise, television/computer time, other locations of meals/snacks beside home
• Establish whole family plan
• Set healthy habits goals
• Review behavioral modification techniques of  how to eat
• Provide general guidelines for healthy meals/snack

ARTICLES OF INTEREST

New Approach to treating overeating in children

Bullying and childhood obesity

When your child asks " Am I fat "

WEIGHT GAIN DIET

Sometimes weight loss occurs and it  is no due to an eating disorder.  Weight gain can be as difficult as losing weight and a direct, concerted and daily plan is needed. At the first visit expect

• Calorie goal intake to promote weight gain
• Specific high calorie foods, snacks to include
• Specific food plan to reach  goal