Hey folks,

Here is the problem, I have a friend who has a very strange eating pattern. This has been going on for about three years and is finally getting to the point where I’m worried for her. I’ll start from the top… three years ago she was over weight and didn’t really care about what she ate. Then suddenly she saw the whole Special K cereal diet that soon became popular. During this diet she only ate three meals a day. Two meals would be the cereal with skim milk and the third would be dinner and it would be whatever she felt like having. After about a couple of months she noticed a big decrease in fat and began to start this diet hardcore. Now that she had been doing that diet for about 2 years this developed a mind set where she could only eat 2 small snacks and a big meal at the end of the night. I’ve noticed over time that she has grown fatigued easy and I think her diet has gone on for way too long. It’s just not healthy to eat like that! I talked to her about this and she says that she is overwhelmed with guilt if she eats more than three meals. I’m truly concerned about her health. Anyone have any ideas on how to break this mind set and change her diet?

It's way too common for nutritionally uneducated people to be doing those promoted starvation diets. Sadly, my mom is one of them:nono:

Uneducated dieting becomes psychological (it did for me:(). The only way that I snapped out of it was learning about nutrition- How the body works; metabolism, what happens when we do not consume enough calories, etc.

Maybe a trip to a reputable nutritionist (not one that emphasizes her kind of diet) could help?

I'll tell you women are the most stubborn on changing diet habits none of them listen to me when I tell them to eat more they look at me like i'm nuts. Then when I tell them to eat fat like PB and fish oil then they look at me like I committed murder. I've tried so hard to change their diet habits but they still rely on eating one huge meal a day as they think less is better UGH!!!

I'll tell you women are the most stubborn on changing diet habits none of them listen to me when I tell them to eat more they look at me like i'm nuts. Then when I tell them to eat fat like PB and fish oil then they look at me like I committed murder. I've tried so hard to change their diet habits but they still rely on eating one huge meal a day as they think less is better UGH!!!
Stubbornness about eating habits is not restricted to women.

The difference with women and men's eating disorders is that women are more likely to want to be tiny, which puts them at a greater risk of malnutrition.

Women (and men) respond better to positive reinforcement. Policing a person's diet is rarely helpful.

I talked to her about this and she says that she is overwhelmed with guilt if she eats more than three meals. I’m truly concerned about her health. Anyone have any ideas on how to break this mind set and change her diet?
Some key points:
she used to be overweight and didn't care what she ate
she's now underweight and doesn't care what she eats

It will be exceptionally difficult for you to be able to help her break her mind set, but I applaud you for trying to help. A shift in focus is what's required. The function of food is to provide energy for activity and nutrients for optimum bodily function. She's using it only to keep her minimum hunger needs satisfied.

If you can convince her to read the two links in my signature, she might begin to make the link between food products and their specific health benefits, separate from the amount of calories they contain.

If I start to get to really negative body image problems, I put myself on the superfoods diet. This diet outlines which foods you should eat instead of talking about which ones you shouldn't. If she'd be willing to try it for a few days, she might be able to make the shift from feeling guilty about too many calories into feeling guilty when she doesn't give her body the nutrients that it needs.

A shift in focus is what's required. The function of food is to provide energy for activity and nutrients for optimum bodily function.

:claplow:

That right there was said perfectly:bow: . She really does need to see food as an energy. I'll definatly send her those two links too. I really do apprieciate everyones help. It's time to plan my approach on this :tu: .

thanks for the advice and links guava!

P.S. - Down with Special K products! Their fad diet ruined my friend's preception on dieting!! and down with their protien water which is another cheap ploy to make more money!!! AaAaRrGhhh!!!! :mad:

and down with their protien water which is another cheap ploy to make more money!!! AaAaRrGhhh!!!!


Protein water!! ha! thats the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard! :lol: how is that even possible??

Protein water!! ha! thats the most ridiculous thing i have ever heard! :lol: how is that even possible??

Anything is possible with Special K Protein Water (http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=7375);)

Anything is possible with Special K Protein Water (http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=7375);)

Ingredients

Water, contains two percent or less of sugar, whey protein isolate, citric acid, phosphoric acid, natural flavor (contains soy), calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, sucralose, acesulfame potassium, yellow #5.

mmmmm, sounds healthy! (wink wink, nudge nudge)

Anything is possible with Special K Protein Water (http://www2.kelloggs.com/Product/ProductDetail.aspx?product=7375);)

WoW! :eek: , and I bet its 2$ a bottle for basically a little sugar and a fifth of scoop of protein powder.

Come to think of it, who wants to make some money with me? We could make 500$ from a tub of protein!!! People will buy anything.