When you struggle with an eating disorder, you seek both physical and psychological treatment to help your body get back on track. One of the primary issues with eating disorders is that they disrupt your body's ability to metabolize food normally. It can take weeks of hard effort to begin eating normal meals again. If you are recovering from bulimia, follow these tips to help get your eating habits back to normal.

1. Start structured eating.

Because your body is used to a cycle of feast or famine, the first step is to work on not skipping meals so that you can break the cycle of binging and purging. This means eating small meals at regular times each day without missing. Structured eating is planned and strict to make sure your body can begin to regulate digestion normally again. Small meals are essential because you also want to avoid feeling overfull, as this can trigger the urge to get rid of the food you ate. 

You might choose five or six small meals each day. Plan these meals beforehand to take all the choice-making out of the moment. Set a timer to remind yourself to eat. After several weeks of successful structured eating, you can work on relearning hunger cues, increasing meal sizes, and eating when you feel hungry and stopping when you feel satisfied. 

2. Stick with foods that are "good."

People with eating disorders often avoid foods they believe to be bad for them, sticking to "approved" foods that are more acceptable. Usually, these foods have no specific pattern, but it depends on the person. Make a list of foods you feel you can eat without feeling bad or guilty. Make your structured eating plans around these foods. This will help you to be more successful at resisting the urge to purge. After a few weeks, begin adding more variety of neutral foods, eventually working with your mental health professional to add in "bad" foods so you can regain fully normal eating habits again. 

3. Meet with a nutritionist during recovery. 

If you suffered severe nutritional deficits while actively bulimic, a nutritionist can help you to make sure you're getting enough vitamins, minerals, protein, and fat. You might need nutrition counseling if you are not sure about how to set up your own structured eating plan. If you cannot stop acting on impulses, a nutritionist can meet with you frequently to make sure you continue on the road to recovery. 

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