"Ask Theresa" is a monthly column created to answer questions of general interest. You may e-mail us at askTheresa@sanefood.com anytime; however, individual replies will not be possible. The column is updated every month so be welcome to check in regularly.

1. What is a food plan and how will it help me recover from my eating disorder?
2. This sounds kind of like a diet. Why can't I use any other diet, of the many that are available?
3. Do all food plans have to be sugar- and flour-free?
4. I'm trying to follow my food plan, but by 3 PM I feel tired and shaky and desperate for sugar. If I eat then I go off into a binge and then, I'm not hungry for dinner at about 7 PM. How can I get myself to stop eating at 3 PM?

What is a food plan and how will it help me recover from my eating disorder?

A food plan is simply a general outline of what foods you will eat, how much, and when. It should meet your body's nutrient needs, exclude all the foods that give you trouble, consider any medical conditions you may have, and be appropriate for your exercise goals and weight goals. It should be flexible enough that you can create the life you have always wanted, but structured enough that it helps you not to participate in your abusive eating behaviors. It should be comfortable, convenient, and supportive, more like your favorite sneakers rather than like a pair of high-heeled sandals.

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This sounds kind of like a diet. Why can't I use any other diet, of the many that are available?

And you are right, there are many diet, nutrition, and weight control programs available. But the differences, for me, are these: a food plan should be an individualized program, with the right amount of calories and nutrients for your individual biochemical situation. It should be an easy-to-use worksheet that allows you to meet your own nutrition goals. It should contain healthy nutrient-rich foods in adequate amounts. It should be flexible enough that you can go anywhere and do whatever you wish and still follow your food plan. You can change it when your needs change. It is the basic program that leads you to freedom from whatever food problems you may have. In some form, it will hopefully be a welcome part of your life for a long time.

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Do all food plans have to be sugar- and flour-free? 

No, but they have to be structured in a way that helps you recover. In our center, we write your food plan in pencil on paper; we do not carve it in stone; we want it to be a flexible helpful worksheet rather than a set of rigid rules.

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I'm trying to follow my food plan, but by 3 PM I feel tired and shaky and desperate for sugar. If I eat then I go off into a binge and then, I'm not hungry for dinner at about 7 PM. How can I get myself to stop eating at 3 PM?

The body needs to be fed every three to five hours while you are awake. It is really very difficult to go seven hours without eating. Perhaps you could talk to your nutritionist, or the person who is helping you with your food plan, about adding a nutrient-rich appropriate snack in midafternoon.

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This column will be updated monthly. You may send questions for this column to askTheresa@sanefood.com. Individual concerns cannot be answered in this forum, but items of general interest will be discussed in future columns.