Anorexia Nervosa and Restrictive Eating Support
if you're reading this late at night
Maybe you know you're underweight and the thought of eating more still makes your stomach drop. Maybe food has become a set of rules you can't break, or a negotiation with yourself that goes on all day. You might be tired and cold, and quietly worried about how you're feeling. Perhaps your periods have become irregular or stopped, and you're wondering whether that matters. Maybe you want a baby one day, or right now, and you're scared your body won't let you. Or you might be reading this for someone you love.
You don't need to have it all figured out to be here, and you don't have to be ready to change everything. Wondering is enough.
What's going on underneath
Restriction is rarely about food alone. For many people it starts as a way of feeling in control, safe or "good enough", and over time the rules take over.
Your body also changes when it isn't getting enough. Being underfed makes you colder, more tired, more anxious and more preoccupied with food. It affects concentration, mood and sleep. Many of the things you may blame yourself for, such as irritability, withdrawing from friends and struggling to make decisions, are partly your body running on empty. That isn't a character flaw, and it can improve.
Your periods are part of this too. When your body doesn't have enough energy, it looks after the essentials first and turns reproduction down. The hormones that drive your cycle fall, and periods become lighter or irregular, or stop altogether (this is called amenorrhoea). It doesn't mean something is permanently wrong with you. It's your body telling you it doesn't yet have enough to spare. Missing periods can also affect your bone health over time, which is a good reason to address it rather than wait.
Recovery needs both body and mind to heal, and it works best at a pace that feels manageable.
Getting your periods back, and preparing for pregnancy
Two of the most common reasons people come to me are to get their periods back and to prepare for conception and pregnancy. I specialise in both.
- If your periods have stopped or become irregular, we work on nourishing your body in a way that supports your cycle returning, at a pace we agree together. Timing varies from person to person, so I can't promise a date, but I can guide you step by step.
- If you're hoping to conceive, we focus on getting your body ready, so you feel more confident about fertility and about carrying a pregnancy.
- If you're pregnant, I can support you to eat well for you and your baby, including when food feels frightening.
I've worked with many healthcare professionals over the years, but Aleeza's different. She really listens, completely tailors to the individual, moves at your own pace, and is incredibly knowledgeable. And, most importantly, I trust her.
How I work
I'm a registered dietitian with an MSc in Clinical and Public Health Nutrition (Eating Disorders) from UCL, working from North London, and I won't rush you or spring surprises on you. We start by understanding your hopes, your fears and what you're ready to work on, then agree the plan together. Depending on where you are, that might include:
- Working out what a healthy weight looks like for you and, if you need to gain, agreeing a way to do it that feels manageable
- Supporting your periods to return and preparing for conception and pregnancy
- Personalised meal and snack guidance that respects your preferences, including vegan, Halal and Kosher diets, allergies and intolerances
- Understanding what a balanced meal looks like and widening the range of foods you feel able to eat
- Replacing calorie counting with gentler rules of thumb
- Building confidence to eat out and eat with other people
- Planning a gradual reduction in compulsive exercise
- Reconnecting with hunger and fullness over time
- Finding kinder ways of coping with difficult emotions
Between appointments, you'll have daily coaching from me through a personalised app that helps us spot your patterns and triggers around eating, with practical help, motivation and accountability.
Working safely with your medical team
Eating more after a period of restriction can affect your body's chemistry, particularly minerals such as phosphate and potassium. This is known as refeeding syndrome, and it's why I work alongside your GP. They take blood tests, monitor your blood pressure and pulse, arrange an ECG and prescribe supplements if you need them. I don't take bloods or prescribe, and I don't replace medical care. My role is to guide your eating safely, in step with those checks.
Depending on how underweight you are and your age, I may also ask that you're under a psychiatrist. If you don't have one, I can refer you to trusted private options.
Who this is and isn't right for
May be right for you
This may be right for you if you're struggling with anorexia or restrictive eating, you're willing to involve your GP, and you want one-to-one support at a pace you can manage. That includes people whose periods have stopped, people hoping to conceive and people who are pregnant.
May not be the right first step
It may not be the right first step if you're medically unwell and haven't yet been seen by a doctor. In that case, please see your GP first. I'm glad to work alongside them once that's in place.
For under-18s: I work with young people from 13. Parents or carers are involved throughout, and I'd usually need a GP, psychiatrist and therapist on board too. I can refer you to trusted colleagues in the private sector if you don't have these in place. Support works best when everyone around the young person is pulling in the same direction.
What the programme looks like
My programme is a minimum of three months of one-to-one support with me. It includes regular appointments, daily coaching through the app and personalised meal and snack guidance, all tailored to what you're facing.
Changing how you relate to food takes time, and new habits need to be practised before they stick. So three months is a starting point, and it's likely that support will run longer.
We cannot thank Aleeza enough for the support she provided to our daughter. She began working with her at a time when we were at our lowest point, and her patient, empathetic guidance helped make a remarkable recovery possible.
take the first step
Your first step is an initial consultation, a 60 to 75 minute appointment (the length depends on age and diagnosis). You can tell me where you are, and I'll listen, assess and talk through what might help. Afterwards you'll receive a written report of my assessment, including my treatment plan, so you leave with something clear to hold on to.
You can see me online, or in person at my rooms in Finchley, North London: Health Space, 307 Regents Park Road, London N3 1DP.
Book your initial consultationA few questions you might have
Your first step
Initial Consultation
A 60 to 75 minute appointment where I listen, assess and give you a written report and treatment plan.
Book your initial consultationLong Term Support
The 12-Week Programme
Weekly one-to-one appointments, plus daily coaching between them, so you're never waiting a week to get unstuck.
Explore the programme