Main image via Daily Mail + The Sun
We LOVE chicken nuggets and we know that many of you share this love with us.
Sometimes we even find ourselves saying, “I could live on nuggets forever,” but what happens when chicken nuggets become the only thing you can eat? Would you get sick of it or still enjoy it?
For Michaela Harris, eating chicken nuggets every day has become a reality.
via GIPHY
Due to a rare eating disorder, Michaela survives on a diet of just chicken nuggets and potato chips, and has done so for the past four years.
Following a difficult breakup in 2016, the mother-of-three was diagnosed with avoidant restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) and shared that she fears the condition will have a long-term impact on her health, and that her children would pick up on her unhealthy eating habits.
“I really worry that the kids will start copying me,” the 26-year-old said. “My youngest is a fussy eater already. It’s my biggest fear that she’s got it from me.”
According to Michaela, just the sight of any other food is enough to make her gag and the eating disorder has caused her weight to drop to 31kgs. She fears that she may lose her eyesight as a result.
Image via Daily Mail
ARFID is an extreme form of picky eating and is a condition “characterised by highly selective eating habits, disturbed feeding patterns or both,” Walden Behavioural Care writes. “It often results in significant nutrition and energy deficiencies, and for children, failure to gain weight.”
“Common eating and feeding challenges for an individual with ARFID include difficulty digesting food; avoidance of specific types of food textures, colours and smells; eating at an abnormally slow pace, or having a general lack of appetite,” the site states.
An individual who suffers with the disorder may have had a distressing experience with food, such as choking or vomiting, which can cause the person to develop feelings of fear and anxiety around food or eating, that leads them to avoid certain food or textures.
This disorder has caused Michaela to only eat chicken nuggets and potato chips for the past four years.
Image via The Sun
Before being diagnosed, Michaela had a “normal” diet and she loved eating full English breakfasts.
“I went through a tough breakup and I stopped eating anything at all, I’d just have a can of [energy drink] for breakfast,” she shared. “There were a few other things I ate but only really small amounts.”
The mother’s “extreme diet” caused her to lose close to 16kgs in just three months!
“I just wish I could eat more and a bigger variety,” Michaela said. “I’d love to be chubby, it looks great. My partner suggested going on holiday next year and it terrifies me.”
Image via The Sun
Michaela’s current partner John Docherty has been supporting her throughout her condition and she considers him her “superhero” for his patience and time.
“Without John I wouldn’t be here,” she said. “He is constantly trying to encourage me and make me feel good about myself, telling me I’m doing really well even if I’ve only eaten three or four strawberries.”
“He is always keeping an eye on my moods, he notices when I’m slipping with food and will then up his attempts to get me eating again,” she continued. “What he does goes above what any sort of paid carer would do for me.”
“He’s stood with me for hours at a time trying to think of something I will eat, he goes to the ends of the earth to help me,” Michaela said. “He’s a superhero in my eyes and I imagine I frustrate him half to death sometimes but he won’t show me that and he stays patient.”
“He’s done more to help me than any doctor, specialist or hospital that I’ve ever been under and without him I simply would be here,” she added.
Image via Daily Mail
Michaela however is most concerned about her young children and that she may lose her eyesight, which a common prognosis of ARFID.
“The thought of my babies growing up without me because of my food phobia is terrifying,” she said. “If I lose my sight, I know that I’ll have the best people who love me and will help me adjust.”
“My biggest fear is that I’ll go downhill and lost weight again to a point that I can’t return from,” she shared.
Image via The Sun
“Before, there wasn’t anything I didn’t like and I’d eat pretty much anything,” Michaela said. “I’m trying really hard to add new foods into my diet now.”
“John spends most of the day asking me if I fancy this or that, he will travel quite far sometimes when I want something but can’t find any, he will that thing down.”
“To be blunt, if going out involves food, I don’t go out,” she said. “I am trying to break that when I go out with John but no luck so far.”
Image via Daily Mail
As much as we love chicken nuggets and potato chips, we don’t know if we’ll be able to survive on just that for years.
We’re hoping Michaela makes a full recovery and would be able to enjoy all kinds of foods soon.
Do you know someone who’s a picky eater or some who LOVES nuggets? Share this with them!
Info via Daily Mail