Quarantine Survival Tips
If there’s one glaring truth that I’ve learned from being in quarantine during an international pandemic, it’s that my go-to coping strategy is avoidance. 😬
Yep, it looks like Netflix, gaming, and social media thankyouverymuch. Pair that with complete elimination of anything that allows me into my body or mind, like yoga/meditation, journaling, or hard conversations, and we have ourselves a dissociative storm. Anyone else relate?
In quarantine, this avoidance can certainly show up as a missed connection with cues from the body, such as hunger. It might feel less comfortable or even unsafe to reside in the body and the emotions coming up. For all of us, but especially folx struggling with eating disorders, this can be really problematic! (Not to mention if you’re already not registering hunger/fullness cues as a feature of your eating disorder)
Top 5 Tips for Honoring Your Hunger Cues When You Don’t Have Any:
Have an eating plan. This might be a way of eating that you had at an earlier point in treatment or something you cook up with your dietitian. Generally, it’s a set number or range of meals and snacks to eat each day, throughout the day. A common way of eating that might feel nourishing right now is eating 3 meals and 3 snacks with about 3 hours between each eating experience. This ensures that you are properly fueled and not going long periods of time without eating. As always though, trust your team and what they’ve recommended for you!
Stick to easy foods. Now is probably not the time to try out your chef skills (unless that’s something you’re really feeling up to!). Convenience foods like frozen or ready-to-eat things are easy and quick, especially if your appetite is low and it’s hard to choose what you’d like to eat. Liquid foods like smoothies and milkshakes are another option that might seem more appealing and easier to get down right now.
Make the experience enjoyable. Or at the very least tolerable! Is there anything you could do before, during, or after eating to elicit some comfort or even enjoyment with yourself (hint: that isn’t an ED behavior)? Maybe watching an episode of your favorite show as a distraction during the meal, or curl up with a cozy blanket and warm beverage after eating.
Create a plan for grocery shopping. If feasible, you might trade off on grocery shopping duty with a friend, roommate, or family member, utilize delivery services, or call ahead to your local food bank. It might ease some anxiety to create a shopping list with a variety of options (including some shelf-stable ones included here) ahead of time, to split the duties with others, and to stock up to reduce number of trips (if possible).
Reach out for accountability. There are so many people in this world who love and care about you, even if you don’t know them yet. Aside from texting or calling a friend or family member for accountability, there are a variety of free virtual support groups happening right now. For more information, check out a few here (scroll to the bottom, under Resources I Am Loving).
I acknowledge that many of these suggestions are rooted in privilege. I hope that wherever you are in the world, in your feelings about this time in our lives, and in your recovery, that you find some sources of comfort. If you are reading this, I care about you. I see you. I believe in you.
Keep doing your best to care for you.
Send me an email or find me on social media to stay in touch. Want to learn more about what it’s like to work with a dietitian who specializes in eating disorders? Schedule your free discovery call to chat about nutrition therapy!