Hello there,
In the Maudsley method, like 'MinnieMaud' weight restoration is deemed to be fundamental to recovery. Without weight restoration, there can be no brain healing/set shifting and consequently no mental recovery. In both 'plans' the first step is then a high calorie diet as this is the only means to adequate weight restoration (I actually agree with this, no amount of thinking about weight gain will make it easier to handle, you gotta go through it before you can mentally 'handle it'.)
However, in the maudsley method, the patient is deemed to be incapable of meeting their own dietary needs adequately and meals are structured entirely by the parent or guardian. I think this is a huge difference. Parents actively prevent binging and provide structure, with snacks and meals served in portions, not unlike that which would experience in an inpatient scenario. Eating is thus normalised via external structure, so in the recovery process a person essentially eats in the same pattern they will post recovery process, but eats food which is denser in calories/more food.
Minnie seems to essentially advocate an all holds barred 'intuitive eating' for restoration, which in my opinion can cause havoc for a person who has undergone a long period of starvation. Binging is common, as is (arguably consequentially) bulimia.
Personally, I think a structured meal plan which meets all of ones dietry requirements, with meals and snacks evenly spaced throughout the day is a better way to progress on to a normal diet post recovery, and helps one learn to build a healthy relationship with food again. Too much rigidity around the meal plan should of course be avoided, but in the early stages at least, the support it provides can be really helpful. At least this was my experience, the less chaotic and more normal food became the safer I felt.
Best of luck.
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