A Real-Life Dietary Approach to Recovery
Eating disorders impact the mind as much as the body and that’s why it takes a well-rounded recovery plan to fully heal. At Center for Discovery, our plan includes a world-class dietary program provided by skilled healthcare professionals who prepare patients for recovery in real life.
The Center for Discovery dietary program helps patients normalize their relationship with food and their body. This program is weight inclusive to support patients of all shapes and sizes heal their relationship with food and body image. Patients are empowered to re-connect with their nutritional needs through an evidence-based and compassionate approach where they practice the following skills:
- Working on stabilizing their eating patterns
- Learning to listen to their body’s wants and needs
- Preparing their own meals and snacks
- Decreasing distress related to their relationship with their body
The dietary program entails:
- Individual sessions with a registered dietitian (twice per week for patients in the residential program; once per week for patients in partial hospitalization (PHP) or intensive outpatient programs (IOP); adolescent patients in PHP receive an additional dietary family session per week)
- Educational and therapeutic dietary group sessions
- Exposure exercises both in and outside the facility
Guidelines vs. Rules
At Center for Discovery, we don’t implement rules; instead, we provide “guidelines” for people trying to overcome an eating disorder. Guidelines in our dietary program provide support around meals and snacks, allowing and encouraging an individual to reconnect to their hunger and satiety cues and true food preferences. Guidelines are not black and white in terms of exact measurements. This is OK! Guidelines work because they allow for flexibility and encourage a variety of nutrients every day, empowering an individual to make their own decisions about how to nourish themselves.
4 Key Concepts of the Dietary Program
Health at Every Size® (HAES®)
HAES® is a non-diet approach that shifts the focus away from weight and encourages behaviors that support individual health, including explicit body acceptance. It is an evidence-based philosophy that affirms everyone—regardless of body shape, size, weight or BMI—can be healthy.
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Intuitive Eating
Also a non-diet approach to health and wellness, Intuitive Eating encourages an individual to be in tune with their body and the signals it sends. It allows them to challenge chronic food rules and heal their relationship with food. The foundation of Intuitive Eating is to be able to honor the body’s signals of hunger and fullness. Someone who is an intuitive eater can eat when they’re hungry, and stop when satisfied, with the unconditional permission to eat what is desired.
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All Foods Fit™
An All Foods Fit™ nutrition philosophy means all foods—in moderation and balance, along with variety—have a place in a meal plan. The idea of flexibility is a key principle to the All Foods Fit approach, as well.
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Exposure & Response Prevention
The hands-on approach of our dietary program is through ERP techniques, which are commonly used to help individuals overcome anxiety. As it relates to the dietary program, this therapy slowly helps patients re-integrate their foods and food situations that have been avoided so that they can finally “make peace” with these foods.
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We’re Here for you
If you are struggling or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder, we are here for you. Center for Discovery’s unique and personalized dietary program can help any individual find their way to lasting recovery.
For more information and resources, or to consult with one of our specialists, call 866.482.3876.
*Health At Every Size® and HAES® are registered trademarks of the Association for Size Diversity and Health and used with permission
