Healthy eating thread, NOT for weight loss?

[NancyEspana]

I know weight can be an indicator of health and it isn't something we should just ignore, whether we are overweight, underweight, healthy BMI but not comfortable with our weight or with a big waist to height ratio etc.

BUT, there are already countless weight loss threads on here, which are fantastic help sometimes, but for me, can sometimes be counterproductive. Not to mention me feeling as if I have been bombarded with diets, slimming clubs, books on weight loss, magazine articles on the way to get beach body ready, since before I can remember. I think I have diet fatigue !

I have been looking for a thread on here for just healthy eating / healthy habits. I really don't want to know what weight anyone else is, or how many lbs they have lost that week, what their BMI is or even what their measurements are.

But, I would really like a place to discuss healthy eating and healthy habits, like exercise, not too much alcohol, drinking more water, getting enough fruit and veg etc, without getting out the measuring tape or weighing in every week.

I appreciate, I sound like a right fussy fecker , but I don't think I'm the only one who must feel this way. But, I haven't come across any recent threads like this.

Would anyone like to join me on here?

Full disclosure: if I so happen to lose weight by changing my habits and making healthy choices, that would be a welcome side effect, but I would be equally happy if I maintained my weight but just made healthier choices and maybe changed shape a bit if I got more exercise etc.

Posting here as I don't know where else to post it basically and also because I think it will disappear from here if nobody responds because they think I'm an arse for posting .

Just had some carrots sticks and hummus for a snack. Will eat dinner latish and hopefully that will stop me raiding the trick or treaters stash later.

Beans on toast isn't necessarily unhealthy if it's whole grain toast and low salt and sugar beans.

Had some homemade parsnip soup for dinner (made at weekend). Have also done another dance class today, but am completely lacking in energy today and feel like I have a cold coming. I swear this happens every time I try to be healthy.

No alcohol for me tonight, am going to make a night time tea instead.

I definitely don't think beans on toast is unhealthy. Beans are a good, low fat, source of protein. I guess the sugar and salt might not be ideal, but I've definitely had worse!

I'm also a massive soup fan in winter time. I am actually a bit tempted by one of those soup maker thingies. I know it sounds like a slightly useless extravagance, but a friend of mine has one and she raves about it. Plus, two of my three blenders have bitten the dust lately and soup was one of the main things I blended in them. The other one is really only good for smoothies. In hindsight, i should've invested in one which did everything. Oh well.

Today has been ok for me. For breakfast I had almond milk porridge with almonds, peanut butter and a bit of honey, which really filled me up. I had leftovers from last night for lunch (curry and rice). Then we roasted a chicken and had it with lentil and veg stew for dinner. I didn't do too badly with the snacking either, which I'm pleased about.

We carved a pumpkin today and roasted the seeds and had them as a snack in front of a movie. I also cooked and pureed the pumpkin flesh which I'm planning to use in something tomorrow, but I don't actually know what yet. Any suggestions gratefully received!

Also, wilderness, I hope you don't get anything too nasty! There's a lot going around at the mo. Hate winter! I'm always catching things. Maybe the healthy eating will help with that .

Thanks for all the beans on toast support everyone , I feel better about them now as yes they were a low sugar/salt version, the Bachelors ones as they replace the sugar with sweeteners so they are still tasty!
Just had a cooked lunch of spaghetti with meatballs in tomato sauce as we will be busy with trick or treating later. Meatballs and sauce were both homemade.

Place marking

I also cooked and pureed the pumpkin flesh which I'm planning to use in something tomorrow, but I don't actually know what yet. Any suggestions gratefully received!

Pumpkin soup? Puree with veg stock (I use cubes), chopped fried onion, cumin or cinnamon. Used to be a Halloween regular when DS made lanterns.

Thanks! I might try soup, although we're still on holiday, so I don't have a blender. Maybe I can just mash it well?

Love how soup is the recurring theme on here .

I have to say that I have been a bit hit and miss, healthy eating-wise while on holiday, but I loved that quote up thread about every thing you eat being the next opportunity to improve your health.

So, I'm doing little things like, instead of scrambled eggs with loads of buttery toast for breakfast, I had them with a teeny piece of toast and loads of roasted tomatoes. It was probably more filling as well.

I've cut out sugar from hot drinks. That's such an unnecessary use of sugar for me, but I somehow got into the habit of having it after having dc2. Think I needed the extra energy! Since he is almost 2yo now, I no longer have that excuse.

Hope everyone else is doing well!

I’ve been 4 months gf and df I don’t think I’ve lost weight but I do feel like I have more energy
I don’t eat gluten free breads or pizza
I’m quite active

Hi, I'd like to join. I've been looking for a community like this for a while. I'm not overweight and I'm not particularly looking to lose weight, but I would like to have a healthier lifestyle. My diet is the main problem. My main meals are fine - all vegetarian and mostly home cooked. However, I have developed some pretty shocking junk food habits and regularly eat far too much of it every evening. It started about 2.5 years ago when I was pregnant with DC2 and had sugar cravings, and has just continued since. I have been through phases of this on and off previously, but never as long/sustained as this. I'm ashamed of it, but if I'm honest I don't know how to sort it out. I need to set some rules/boundaries around food but not sure what they should be.

On the positive side, exercise is going quite well at the moment. I decided recently to take up running again (have previously done a couple of half marathons), so this weekend I am doing a 10k. I'm not a very sporty person, but I love running and the buzz I get from it, and it's flexible enough that I can fit it in at various points of the day e.g. lunchtimes at work or evenings after DC are in bed. Once the 10k is over, I do need to think about an exercise plan that will incorporate some strengthening exercises too.

Another thing I need to sort out is sleep, as I always go to bed too late (tonight is a case in point). In fact, this might be the easiest thing for me to start with. If I am less tired I should feel more positive and am more likely to be successful tackling my diet.

Do any of you read the Healthy Food Guide magazine? I get it free online from my library and find it a huge source of information and inspiration on staying healthy.

@NumberblockOne - the evenings are my downfall when it comes to unhealthiest, when I am more likely to drink and eat badly. Can you pre-plan a healthier snack. Or even allow yourself half the junk food along with something healthy?

Hello. May pop in now and then!
Just been diagnosed with IBS so on an alcohol,caffeine,dairy,sugar ban. God I miss cheese!
Also got osteoarthritis in my knees,hip and collarbone so being overweight is a bit of a hindrance.
And I'm perimenopausel with all the Joy's that that brings
I do bike 50 odd miles a week, work 40hrs a week in a manual job but am finding I need to make lots of permanent changes. And soon. I lack willpower. I fall off any lifestyle change easily. I always put me last.
Yesterday I had a large wilkos pick and mix. I intend to spend today on the sofa doing nothing apart from going to get that last illicit kebab.
I need to drink more water, moisturize, walk 30 mins a day, take up yoga, meal plan and smile more.
Starting Monday.
Ps. I can only make celery apple and potato soup but I love it.

I started doing Yoga with Adriene last January (30 days of Yoga), and she has saved me from the worst crisis of my life. She has helped me with everything! Her videos keep me interested, have a huge range of options, and best of all, really encourage you to feel that you are worth taking care of (which for some of us is a huge challenge).

I think this is a great thread also because problems with kids' weight would be much easier to address if, from early on, parents thought in terms of health rather than weight (and sometimes teeth, which sometimes sounds like a euphemism for weight).

If I am in a good mood, I like cooking from scratch, tasty meals with nice ingredients. If I am feeling down, sometimes I remember that eating half a cauliflower with a bit of grated cheese and something spicy is an option I enjoy that won't make me feel terrible.

I am lucky that I like eating big piles of pretty plain veg either cooked or as a salad. If I am lazy I just use some salsa or sriracha or a simple dressing to make it more interesting.

Hello all!

Welcome number and row .

Last day of holiday today, so I'm looking forward to putting my healthy habit plans into action.

Very simply, when I'm not pregnant (like now when I'm eating everything) I generally stick to these rules Monday- Friday lunchtime:

Low fat cereal for breakfast
Fruit bowl for mid morning snack
Low fat sandwich/salad for lunch - I never choose anything with cheese as that's basically all fat. Anything with lots of veggies, lean fish or chicken is fine. All the supermarkets do nice pre-made salads. Just have a quick check on the saturated fat content in each. Or make your own - low fat dressing ie balsamic.
I almost always have a bag of crisps - something like quavers or wotsits are fine.
Dinner is lean meat, loads of veggies and a good helping of carbs (pasta/potatoes).
Light cheese on crackers for evening snack.

From Friday evening onwards I eat whatever I like.

I also exercise most days.

This seems to have kept me slim for the last 36 years and I've never felt restricted or like I should go on a diet. It's all about balance and moderating yourself.

I’m going to hop in if that’s ok?

I’m currently on mat leave (Dd is 3 months) and have fallen into the cake/biscuit trap. Dd is my second. Ds is 2.

I didn’t put on a huge amount of weight during either pregnancy but am maybe carrying more than I’m happy with. I’m currently maybe 74kg (am 5’9/10) would like to be on the 70kg mark.

I’ve started training at the gym again (with a trainer) and just need to work on eating better.

Can I also join. I have been going through a very difficult time and I need to start looking after myself better.

I do like to cook from scratch and I am a vegetarian so do eat very well when I am able to do that. But I am a single mum of a 1 year old and have just gone back to work full time.

The thing that goes wrong for me is breakfast. I only have time to grab something and it is usually a chocolate croissant.
If anyone has any suggestions of a quick and healthy breakfast that would be good.

Deepvluerived, can you get up 5-10 mjns earluer so you have time for muesli instead? or a quuck porridge?

Welcome em and river !

Re quick, healthy breakfasts, I keep threatening to make some of these freezable breakfast burritos. They are vegan, so obviously veggie friendly too!

www.emilieeats.com/freezer-vegan-breakfast-burrito/

river I fell into that trap when I was pregnant with dd and still working. No time for breakfast at home so would grab a choc croissant or a pecan danish.

I found buying frozen fruit helped (and saved money) so I’d chuck oats milk and frozen berries in a pot then microwave once at work.

Just been to the shop with ds. Bought fruit. Lots of fruit.

I eat porridge oats made with water for weekday breakfast. Bike five miles to work. 8 hrs on my feet and while I'm there I drink almost a litre of water and eat a banana and one small healthy home made sandwich. Then bike five miles home.
Then veg on the sofa watching tv and snacking till eating a processed food tea.
I'm good till I get home.
Dh works opposite shifts so feeds himself, sorry to say although I try dd has grown up on processed food. I'm up at 4am for work and cant be bothered by teatime. Our favourite food is cottage pie which I've started to make in advance, and bangers and mash. Definitely need to meal plan and prep in advance.

I'd like to join a thread like this. I am 3 stone overweight, and my issues are I 'diet;' and then it triggers major binge eating. Then i try and starve and do too much all at once and the cycle starts again.

I want to try and embed a good habit before changing something else.

I have managed to embed the habit of eating greek yogurt, fruit and a boiled egg for breakfast (replacing either starving or eating things like spagetti bolognese for breakfast).

Oh, i like the idea Grass has of only having herbeal teas after 6 pm. That is a great tip!

Welcome to all the new posters, I'm so excited to see the interest in This thread.
Re quick and healthy breakfasts, my usual weekday breakfast is mashed avocado on a bagel. Then for a mid morning snack I try to go for natural yoghurt with berries, low sugar granola and walnuts.
I'm doing ok today, a bagel for breakfast, yoghurt for mid morning and homemade sweet potato and chorizo soup with a ham sandwich for lunch. I'm tired though, and the house is full of Halloween junk that I'm very tempted by. Currently hosting a play date, think I'll stick a movie on later.
Supermarket delivery came today, I have a bad habit of doing it quickly on my break at work without planning meals for the week properly first, and that tends to lead to less healthy meals, so I need to improve on that.

@Rowgtfc72

Tbh, I'm just impressed by your work day regime! I would love to cycle to get around, but I'm fecking terrified to cycle on the roads. Maybe I should do a course or something.

@JapaneseBirdPainting

YY, I feel very like you about dieting and focussing on weight loss. At the moment, it is doing me more mental and emotional harm than it is physical good iyswim. And also, the rebound which means I undo the good work AND THEN SOME, negates the physical good it's doing me anyway.

We are back from our holiday and actually quite pleased to be home this time. DH is about to go out and get some healthy supplies for us all. I'm aiming to eat a lot more whole foods and limited refined carbs, but not super strict, due to my current attitude to dieting. Also less snacking overall and no sweet treats in the week.

I'm also planning to go swimming on Monday, (please God let nobody at the pool congratulate me on the pregnancy 😂😂 - I am not pregnant, but do have quite the pooch since dc2 CS birth). I'm going to book DS into the creche while I have a swim and will see how that goes.

@Thatsnotmyflamingo, your healthy breakfast ideas sound delicious. Can I live with you please ?