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Original poster

Diet and exercise

90 replies

ElizabethCage · 22/10/2024 23:53

Posting for traffic!

I hate cooking, I find it boring, there are no meals that I look forward to eating.
I don't exercise, again, boring and makes me feel crappy.
I have pcos and need to lose weight. I also want to set a good example for my children.

So quick, simple meals that are gluten free, vegetarian and dairy free if possible.
What exercise can i do? How do I make it more bearable?

Tips to break the habit of existing on crisps and coke?

Genuinely please help

OP posts:
Original poster
ElizabethCage · 23/10/2024 13:36

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3 and 14. They like pasta but the teen doesn't like gluten free pasta. He's cooking more which is really good.

I know this might come out wrong and I know where you're coming from but someone saying to try Covent garden soup is like giving me permission to eat soup, it's like letting me know its OK to look after myself. I'll give the children soup but it's THEIR soup, I have to look after them and make sure they're fed etc but I'm not important and I don't fancy soup so I'll binge crisps when they're in bed. But I don't ever fancy anything for dinner (crisps are gluten free so an easy safe food) so people giving me ideas is genuinely really helpful and I appreciate it and I hope I can use those ideas and build up to eating properly and eventually to eating with the children etc

OP posts:
LostOnTheWayToManderley · 23/10/2024 13:36

In your OP you said you wanted to set a good example for your children. They are already setting a good example for you! They are eating well and the best thing you can do is share their meals rather than working up the energy to cook again for yourself. It’s all suitable for adults and as you said, include GF pasta or GF Quorn in the chilli/spaghetti bolognaise and you’ll be sorted.

You’re right, you need to work out what’s stopping you doing that. Otherwise all the advice on here is a waste of time.

thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:34

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Original poster
ElizabethCage · 23/10/2024 13:32

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I look after 2 disabled children and run a business.

OP posts:
thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:31

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thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:31

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Original poster
ElizabethCage · 23/10/2024 13:30

XxSideshowAuntSallyx · 23/10/2024 13:29

You need to sort your relationship with food out, you're cooking your children healthy food but aren't eating it yourself. It's not that you can't be bothered to cook because you're already cooking, there's something else going on and you need to look at that and change that.

You're completely right.

I know it makes no sense I really do.

OP posts:
XxSideshowAuntSallyx · 23/10/2024 13:29

You need to sort your relationship with food out, you're cooking your children healthy food but aren't eating it yourself. It's not that you can't be bothered to cook because you're already cooking, there's something else going on and you need to look at that and change that.

Penguinmouse · 23/10/2024 13:29

Really recommend a cookery book called the Green Roasting Tin which is a lot of vegan and vegetarian recipes that can all be done in one dish and range from quick meals to slower cooking. It brings a bit more variety than pasta bake/casserole/lasagne.

Edited to add: there are also versions for meat recipes too

Original poster
ElizabethCage · 23/10/2024 13:29

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I don't think so, I see the children's meals as separate from me. I wouldn't make myself soup or eat the children's soup (yes I know I'm crazy) and I appreciate everyone's input.

Not from scratch every day, it depends how I'm feeling. Fish could be salmon, potatoes, veg or it could be fish fingers chips and beans. Spag bol could be from scratch or using a jar etc soup is usually not from scratch.

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thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:27

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thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:27

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elderflowerspritzer · 23/10/2024 13:24

I think you need to tackle the fact that you don't do things because you find them boring.

Some things are boring but you need to do them anyway.

thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:22

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thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:21

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thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:17

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Original poster
ElizabethCage · 23/10/2024 13:12

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The children will have porridge, banana and small orange juice for breakfast. Soup/salad/wraps/stirfry/leftovers for lunch.
Spaghetti bolognaise/chilli/curry/roast/casserole/fish/stew for dinner (that's this week's menu)
Snacks are fruit/yogurt/hummus/veg sticks

I even bake bread for them and we'll make homemade pizzas etc

I have such a weird relationship with food starting from being malnourished as a child. So even though I know you'll all say 'eat what they eat just make the pasta gluten free or use quorn etc' it's like force feeding myself raw brains or something, it's a mental block I really need to get past and I hope with some ideas on here (soup, huel, overnight oats are what I'm looking at at the moment) I can try and eat 3 meals a day. Then go from the simple foods to eating more of what the kids eat etc and build up from there

OP posts:
Garlicnaan · 23/10/2024 13:07

BOL does high protein vegan soups, much better than covent garden. They also do pot meals. Will take some getting used to for you but at least it requires zero cooking and is healthy.

Also it doesn't need to be complicated - how about scrambled eggs and baked beans or avocado on wholewheat bread? That's quick and reasonably balanced, add some veg too if you can bear to.

I think protein will be your friend here.

To drink you could try Dash water, which is sparkling water with a hint of fruit. I think a few brands do that now and it will wean you off the sweet taste.

thatwasthen81 · 23/10/2024 13:02

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AnellaA · 23/10/2024 12:52

Get a bicycle and use it
gardening
gym or run with headphones
dance !

HelterSkelter224 · 23/10/2024 12:46

Try c25k, the nhs app. it's easily manageable and the c25k facebook group is an amazingly supportive community where you will not feel judged when starting a new exercise.

Re diet, what can you substitute the coke and crisps for when you need a snack? Easier said than done I know. Hummous and breadsticks / fruit like grapes, cherry tomatoes, blueberries / nuts etc. are easy to prepare when on the go and while they still have fat and calories it's healthy fat and calories you'll need if you're starting new exercise.

Try not to do too much at once, small changes will help you be much more successful than making lots of drastic changes all at once x

PanickingNowHelpPlease · 23/10/2024 12:43

Also, just to add - listening to Zoe podcasts and reading Ultra Processed People has helped me rethink my relationship with junk food and has been really useful in my decision making processes around food. Would recommend. Neither are as dull and dry as they sound!

5128gap · 23/10/2024 12:42

If there are no meals you look forward to and find cooking boring you're at an advantage as you're all primed for the 'food as fuel' approach. If no meal is that great and you don't enjoy cooking anything, you might as well cook and eat healthy low calorie stuff as anything else. I'd suggest curry from garlic, onions, curry powder, tin of tomatoes, tin of beans and any other veg you have handy thrown in. Serve with while grain rice. Microwave packet is fine. Stir fry, noodles, peanuts or cashews and pack of stir fry veg with garlic, ginger and soy sauce. If you're really not bothered to cook, whole grain toast with beans and mushrooms followed by fruit and Greek yoghurt. Jacket sweet potato with beans is good as sweet potato counts towards 5 a day. You can even improve a basic tin of soup by chucking in a big handful of spinach. Goes to nothing and you barely know its there. Cold food can be just as good, sandwiches with salad, roasted veg on wraps with hummus. Eat a portion of frozen berries every day.

IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 23/10/2024 12:38

If you genuinely do not care about food tastes at all then I'd recommend Huel - balanced nutrition, unbelievably easy as long as you have a blender, easy to control calories.

YellowphantGrey · 23/10/2024 12:33

AttachmentFTW · 23/10/2024 12:26

For weight loss I have found time restricted eating, also known as intermittent fasting very helpful. You just set an eating window of eight hours (but if your new to this you might set yourself a longer eating window of 10 hours and work on getting it down to 8 hours). Say I can eat from 10am to 6pm, I'm a bit careful about what I eat but not massively, still have some chocolate, cake, crisps in that time as well as normal meals. Then from 6pm to 10am next day no food, only water or black teas/herbal teas, coffee with no milk or sugar. I found this really helped jump start weight loss then more motivated to exercise on top.

I don't know how old you are, I'm 43 and I think potentially entering perimenopause. I find the method you mention really helps me when it comes to sleeping of a night.

Until I turned 40, I had no problems with eating and sleeping. My evening meal is usually around 730pm because of work, then all of a sudden everything felt heavy in my tummy and couldn't get off to sleep and constantly felt too full. Now I don't eat after 5pm and can go to sleep easily. I wake earlier but I've started getting into the habit of getting up and moving rather than trying to get back to sleep