Ok tell me... How bad is my daily diet really?

[Greatsnakes]

I've name changed for this...

Today I've had:
Breakfast: protein shake
Lunch: protein shake, slice of leerdamer cheese, 1/4 packet cashews
Dinner: packet of minstrels, 2 pieces of stir fry chicken (about 2 inches each in size), 3 forkfuls of pesto pasta (kids leftover dinner)
Drinks: green tea, 1x decaf coffee. 1/4 glass red wine (desperation!)

Protein shakes seem to be increasing on what I live on as at the moment my job is hectic and I find I'm not hungry if I have them. This is quite a typical day tho normally I have a salad or spinach omelette or similar.

Am I going to get scurvy?! The protein shakes are forever based meal replacement ones made with unsweetened almond milk...

[Greatsnakes]

Salad or omelette For dinner that is... I don't usually eat minstrels for dinner!

[LegoCaltrops]

Sorry but what sort if diet are you following? That's quite a lot of protein, so I initially thought low carb, but obviously not (minstrels & pasta). Not a lot to drink, did you have any water as well? Very little fibre today.

[CoteDAzur]

What are you trying to achieve?

Weight loss? Malnutrition?

[Greatsnakes]

I tend to avoid bread, pasta and starchy carbs as I put on weight easily if I eat them tho I'm not strictly low carb... I've not eaten choc in ages or pasta so its quite rare for me!

On second thoughts maybe posting today's food intake was not a good idea

[Greatsnakes]

Ignore today's lack of decent dinner- normally I'd have something with a lot of green veg in it (fish/eggs with veg etc).

[Greatsnakes]

Yes I drink a lot of water normally - 6-8 big glasses daily

[BIWI]

OK, I'll bite - it's crap.

You must know this?

Why are you eating like this? What are you trying to achieve?

Are you trying to model something that your children would want to emulate?

Are you overweight?

Too many questions and not enough information from you.

[Greatsnakes]

Is it still crap even if I'm eating a decent meal in the evenings? I'm not overweight- a normal weight although I have to watch what I eat to avoid gaining. I used to eat lunch but been busy recently so slid into this habit of using the shakes.

In my head it can't be as bad as something like the Cambridge plan?

[KatherinaMinola]

The protein shakes are a terrible idea. Just eat a normal breakfast (muesli or whatever), a normal lunch (omelette or sandwich and some fruit), have some vegetables and stop eating chocolate.

[Greatsnakes]

I know it's lazy using the shakes but its so easy. If I ate veg soup instead would that be a better option then than the shakes?

[sooperdooper]

Why are you having the shakes? It'd be better to have proper food for breakfast and lunch, it seems odd tbh

[BIWI]

Yes, it's crap. Your protein shakes are full of all manner of processed, artificial ingredients. Why bother with those? Why not just have some full fat yoghurt, with some nuts and berries? That will take you 2 minutes to prepare.

You should be eating food, not horrible processed stuff.

How busy can you possibly be that you can't find time to eat decent food?

[sooperdooper]

Crossed posts! Yeah I think soup would be better

[Greatsnakes]

Chocolate doesn't usually feature in my diet- god knows what possessed me to post this today. I guess I just realised what a crap food day I've had and then wondered if it was as bad as I thought it was.

[KatherinaMinola]

You know about 5 a day? Well, there isn't a single piece of fruit or veg in what you've posted. And it's just as easy to make a sandwich and have an apple or pour a bowl of wholegrain cereal as it is to have a shake, surely? Veg soup would be better - if homemade. Otherwise not a massive difference - still processed crap.

[Greatsnakes]

Ok thank you everyone for the virtual kick up my arse... Tomorrow I will do better. I just get scared that eating proper meals will give mean appetite that I can't control.

[KatherinaMinola]

Actually, if you were eating three normal meals a day the chocolate wouldn't look so bad. It's the shakes and the lack of veg.

[Beastofburden]

I mean this supportively... Ugh.

I do get the convenience and the weight control, but ugh. Eat some damn food.

[Greatsnakes]

*me an appetite that I can't control

[amothersplaceisinthewrong]

Surely, OP, you KNOW that your diet is crap.

Leerdamer cheese ....... is that real or a posh version of cheese strings?

And why protein shakes - just drink some milk or eat some yoghourt.

I assume this is NOT a weight loss diet - far too many empty calories.

[ouryve]

Soup is easy, too.

[Greatsnakes]

Ok normally I do get the 5 a day in my evening meal. Today is an exceptionally crap food day it would seem. Will dig out the juicer in the morning see what I can come up with instead

[ouryve]

And leerdammer cheese is a real thing - it's cheese with holes in and I fancy some now, as it's quite delicious.

[ouryve]

Why not leave the juicer in the cupboard and eat the whole fruit and veg? It's much better for you.

[Greatsnakes]

I don't eat dairy or red meat. I used to have an eating disorder as a teenager but my food issues have gotten much better over the years