10 Things I’ve learned since my last grocery haul, and what I’m working on now 🤍 1. Finding what works for me. I didn’t love the Sola bread, although I do love their bagels, so I’ve switched back to my OG @Lewis Bake Shop Hawaiian bread. Recovery is also about finding foods I genuinely enjoy and can sustain. 2. Being intentional about protein. I tried to add as much protein as I feel I can sustainably eat right now. I’ve developed some pretty painful pressure wounds around my tailbone/coccyx, and while pressure relief and ointments help, my body also needs adequate nutrition to support healing. 3. Challenging myself to eat before movement. I’m going to try having a hard-boiled egg every morning. As many of you know, I really struggle with nutrition before movement, sometimes even allowing myself a coffee. But the other morning, I made a smoothie and noticed my legs felt stronger for almost half the day. It genuinely changed my perspective and reminded me that food can give me something rather than take something away. 4. Listening to what my body needs. My labs showed very low folate, so I added green beans to my grocery list, with help from my nurse! I’ll also be starting the vitamins my PCP prescribed. I’m learning to respond to my body’s needs instead of just pushing through. 5. Making healthier choices with caffeine. I’ve set a boundary for myself: either one caffeine pill OR an Alani in the morning, not both. Each contains 200 mg of caffeine, meaning I’ve been consuming 400 mg before 8:30 a.m. alone. This is one habit I’m actively working on changing. 6. Taking the next steps in my individualized recovery. My RD uses a food-focused approach, which means gradually increasing both the amount and variety of foods I eat. Because my eating disorder also has autistic and OCD components, changes to familiar foods can be especially difficult. This week, I’m challenging myself to add chips to one of my hyperfixation-safe sandwiches OR try making a BLT (which is not a safe sandwich option for me), with actual bacon instead of my usual low-calorie turkey bacon. These might seem like tiny changes, but they’re meaningful steps for me. 7. Allowing myself to enjoy something new. Not pictured, but I recently discovered that I LOVE the @7-ELEVEn Replenish blue drinks! Initially, I struggled because it wasn’t a zero-calorie electrolyte drink, but I ended up finishing the entire thing because I enjoyed it so much. I even bought more. 🥹 That might seem insignificant, but being able to enjoy something without it being the version I would have previously chosen feels meaningful. 8. I added chilli crisp without looking at the nutrition label! Y’all rec’d this to me because I LOVE spice, so I’m so EXCITED to try it! 9. I am canceling my Pilates membership again. My body is just not strong enough and I REALLY can’t risk my pressure wounds getting any worse, or I out myself at risk for infection. 10. Recovery doesn’t always look like huge milestones. Sometimes it looks like adding protein to help my body heal, fueling myself before movement, trying a different sandwich, or allowing myself to enjoy a drink without choosing the zero-calorie version. I still struggle, and these changes don’t come without fear, but I’m learning that I don’t have to change everything overnight to make progress. My recovery is individualized because my needs are individualized. I’m learning to work with my brain instead of against it, listen to my body, and take small, sustainable steps toward a life that feels bigger than my eating disorder. And right now, that’s what progress looks like for me. 🤍 #groceryhaul #groceryshopwithme #foodfreedomjourney @Green Giant @bibigo USA @The Good Crisp Company @Applegate @Feel Good Foods @Walmart - @monieelyse