How to support friend who can’t calorie count
Hey all, my friend is starting a weight loss journey while trying to get a prescription (insurance won’t cover it). I must preface that she has multiple health care providers working with her on this, including a dietician. She is pre-diabetic and was just diagnosed with fatty liver disease. Her dietician has mentioned she is in a roughly 200 calorie deficit per day based on a food journal. She also had severe anorexia about 10 years ago but has been in recovery since. She calorie counted during the worst of her ED, and scale numbers and counting calories is still somewhat triggering. Everything I see about losing weight involves calorie counting, weighing food, etc and habits that will absolutely trigger her ED. What should she do instead (alongside working with care team)? How can I best support her in her journey as her friend, while also avoiding numbers talk?
Regarding exercise, she is in the process of getting diagnosed for a potential autoimmune condition that has left her with severe chronic pain that is impacting her mobility so doing more than walking (or even existing some days) is tough for her.
Posted Sep 7, 2025, 10:34 PM UTC