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Managing Food Choices While On a Road Trip in Eating Disorder Recovery
Contributor: Crystal Karges, MS, RDN, IBCLC Special Projects Coordinator at Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope
If you have struggled with an eating disorder, you can likely relate to the many consequences of these mental illnesses. From physical to social and everything in between, eating disorders brutality impact every aspect of your life, making it difficult to enjoy things you once did or eradicating the hope of trying out new ventures.
Fortunately, recovery and treatment allows you the opportunity to become restored as a person and to look ahead to the future with hope and excitement.
Taking a Road Trip While In Recovery
Something as simple as taking a road trip with friends can be completely off the books when in the throes of an eating disorder. However, once you have become well enough, this is something you can certainly do successfully with planning and preparation.
Before any such trip is planned, it is really important to be cleared by your treatment team to be away for any extended period of time. You should be medically and psychologically stable before planning a road trip and ideally, at the outpatient level of care for a significant amount of time.
The greatest challenge to planning a successful road trip may in fact be your meals and food. Your friends can possibly get by on a road trip more spontaneously – eating at random times and in different places.
However, it is important for your recovery to maintain some sort of structure while traveling on the road. This helps prevent triggers toward eating disorder behaviors as well as keeps your body adequately nourished.
Planning Ahead and Allowing For Flexibility
Planning ahead does not mean you need to be rigid, and it is helpful to have some flexibility when in comes to a successful road trip. After all, you do want to be able to participate in the activities that make road trips adventurous and fun. You do not, however, want to find yourself in a situation where you have not eaten for hours due to lack of planning.
Be sure to plan ahead with plenty of portable snacks that you can access in the car if needed. Plan your trip to include stops along the way that give you the opportunity to refuel appropriately and replenish necessities, such as water and snack foods.
On road trips, it is easy to snack throughout your time traveling versus eating a substantial meal, so be aware of this as well; consider planning stops around meal times to help you get the nutrient you need to maintain a balance.
Road trips can be fun and exciting while in recovery, and planning ahead can ensure this is a successful event for you!
Community Discussion – Share your thoughts here!
What are some suggestions you might have for planning a road trip while in recovery?
About the Author: Crystal is a Masters-level Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) with a specialty focus in eating disorders, maternal/child health and wellness, and intuitive eating.
Combining clinical experience with a love of social media and writing, Crystal serves as the Special Projects Coordinator for Eating Disorder Hope/Addiction Hope, where her passion to help others find recovery and healing is integrated into each part of her work.
As a Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor, Crystal has dedicated her career to helping others establish a healthy relationship with food and body through her work with EDH/AH and nutrition private practice.
The opinions and views of our guest contributors are shared to provide a broad perspective of eating disorders. These are not necessarily the views of Eating Disorder Hope, but an effort to offer discussion of various issues by different concerned individuals.
We at Eating Disorder Hope understand that eating disorders result from a combination of environmental and genetic factors. If you or a loved one are suffering from an eating disorder, please know that there is hope for you, and seek immediate professional help.
Last Updated & Reviewed By: Jacquelyn Ekern, MS, LPC on July 6, 2016
Published on EatingDisorderHope.com
The EatingDisorderHope.com editorial team comprises experienced writers, editors, and medical reviewers specializing in eating disorders, treatment, and mental and behavioral health.
