I am a 19-year-old girl. My height is 5'4'' and I weigh around 39 kg. Two years ago, I suffered from anorexia nervosa and consulted a psychiatrist. The doctor advised me to improve my food intake. I also suffer from irregular periods. I am a strict vegetarian. Please suggest a meal plan for me.

Anorexia Nervosa is close to fatal and you are terribly underweight. No wonder you are having an irregular menstrual cycle. The root cause of your Anorexia must be identified. No matter what advice I give you on how to step up on your nutrition count, it will not happen, until you come to terms with the root cause. For example, if you are scared of putting on weight, and that’s why you avoid food, then you have to understand the importance of weight. Why some amount of weight for your height is necessary for the proper functioning of your body. Fear of weight gain is just one of the factors for Anorexia Nervosa however, you know best the reason behind your own starvation.

A few tips on food intake: In order to increase weight, you have to atleast eat close to the quantities of a normal intake which will happen only if you increase your appetite. For that you have to exercise. Please walk for half an hour every day. Have atleast two slices of toast with a glass of milk in the mornings. In between your meals, you should munch on dry fruits like raisins, badams, dates, figs (You should keep a small tin of these with you wherever you go). Always top up on curds and fresh salad in your main meals. If your appetite does not increase and you cannot eat a full meal, please have fruit based milk-shakes or have fruit salad with ice-cream. This will atleast help you get something inside your body. The digestive tract needs to keep working, or else it will fall prey to its own bacteria.   

 I am a 16-year-old girl, height 5'3''. I am mainly vegetarian but yet I am fat. I do not play any sport and often skip breakfast. Please help.

Your question itself holds the answers you are looking for. Please don’t skip breakfast. This is the most important meal of the day. It helps increase your metabolic rate (rate at which you burn your calories) and helps the brain function faster and better. Sport is another thing which cannot be avoided. It is a must. Treat it like sleeping, eating and bathing. Make exercise mandatory in your daily routine. If you ensure these two things, you will automatically lose weight.

Parul Dube, R.D
Health Professions Council, UK

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