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 .

I usually manage fairly healthy eating, mix of things really. Usual problems a few too many biscuits and not keeping up with green veg. Finding it extra hard at the moment because I've just gone back to fulltime work and also got some family crises so regular exercise and meals get disrupted, meal planning is hard and too much random crap (and British Rail snackfood) gets eaten.

Starting my Sunday with a yoga session with Adriene. I would love to get to point in my life where I had either the time or energy to do this every morning.

@wildernesstips I dream of starting my Sundays with yoga. I started my Sunday with a body slam from ds (2) who’d been brought into our room by dh. 6am is too early for body slams.

Can I join please?
I have been trying to lose the same stone for the last 12 months, and I'm sick of it!
I'm a healthy BMI (just), and dieting just makes me binge and punish myself with crap food.

I've got into an awful habit of buying donuts/chocolate/crisps etc on the way home from work, then eating toast when I get in.

Then the next day I feel like I need to repent, so skip breakfast, have soup for lunch, am starving at home time, and repeat the cycle....

I'm pretty active, and ran my first half marathon last month, with another booked for March and a full in May.

I just feel like I'm abusing my body with crap food (and far too much wine).

Of course, welcome happyface !

I think there's another marathon runner on here somewhere! Amazing achievement .

emem, I am amazed that my two (4yo and 21mo) are still asleep! I think everyone's relieved to be home and in their own beds after holiday. It's weird how that happens.

Anyway, I'm about to have a , then having avocado and poached eggs on toast for breakfast. DH got a huge bag of avocados in M&S yesterday for £2! There must be 6+ in there.

wilderness, I'm going to do some yoga later, but I also dream of having the time to do it every morning without interruption.

On the exercise front for this week, I have my yoga class booked for tomorrow night and also am going swimming tomorrow morning.

I’m going to make the effort on Tuesday to do some yoga (am going to the gym tomorrow).

And tomorrow I’m going to do up early shower and breakfast. Porridge.

Unfortunately I've not started well- DD made American pancakes with bacon and syrup for breakfast!

Taking kids mountain biking later today, planning to pack camp stove in car and take some squash soup to have for lunch. Need to try to avoid temptation to pop to chip shop on way back.

Lasagne for dinner tonight, so will make big salad to go with it

I had American pancakes yesterday, apart from they’re made with bananas, eggs, porridge oats and a little baking powder. Blitz them all in a food processor or with a Billy. No sugar, milk or flour. We had them with blueberries and Greek yoghurt... although I had a coconut based yoghurt that was really nice. I may have sloshed on a little more maple syrup than strictly necessary but overall I think it’s a nice weekend breakfast.

There was a wheel pose in the yoga class I did this morning Nancy. As I was trying to hoik my unwilling arms to push up all I could think about was how easy my childhood self could handstand-walkover all over my adult self.

Anyway, porridge with flaxseeds and berries this morning, homemade soup for lunch and veggie burgers and sweet potatoes for dinner.

Have got a water filter this week. I read something where the author said that chlorine in the water can mess with your level of gut bacteria, I don't know how scientifically robust that is because I've never seen that elsewhere but I figured for £6 I'd suspend my disbelief.

emem, I need to get up early enough to have breakfast before school run tomorrow, so I don't do what I usually do which is skip breakfast, have a enormous, sugary instead, then start eating an impressive quantity of crackers, crisps and general crap in the afternoon, pick at the kids' leftovers and THEN have dinner with DH . If I can make myself eat better quality, nutritious food at mealtimes, I DO NOT NEED TO SNACK. Need to tell myself this, in CAPS .

HappyFace, it sounds like you have a great day planned.

I am personally not worrying about the odd, treat meal, as long as it isn't processed shit or takeaways. And as long as generally, I am having a good, healthy, mainly plant based, diet.

But this^^ approach is because I know myself to be a total self saboteurs and I will get overly strict over food choices and then rebel / punish myself with a pile of junk food. I'm trying to avoid that reaction as much as I'm trying to eat healthier, if that makes sense. So, weirdly, the more OTT strict I go with diet, the worse the reaction will be.

People with normal attitudes to food will not have this problem!

PS: yes, I'm using the Halloween emojis until they are no longer available .

thisismyhappyface your cycle of binge and starve is exactly mine!

I have not had breakfast yet... feeling a little ill (too much wine!).

Not a successful morning... feeling ill. Have not sorted out school uniform or my work clothes. had an argument with my father on the phone about having someone stay (in MY house !- long story. Short story is he does not like her and thinks she is a freeloader and although I am 48-ish he still is concerned).

Now watching The Pioneer Woman on tv put grated cheese into all her dishes and drinking coffee.

Happy Day everyone!

Oh! Halloween emojis!

Saboteur*

There is only one of me.

Sound like Highlander 😂.

right- off for a gorgeous breakfast of greek yoghurt, a dash of honey, a few nuts and an orange. i am almost addicted to this breakfast now!!!!!

@JapaneseBirdPainting

Omfg, I LOVE Pioneer Woman! Her recipes look awful though, but I just can't stop watching it!

I know!!!!!! That is why i like it too!!!! Grated cheese in everything. Her arteries must be shot!

Resetting the fitbit so it will talk to my new phone ready for tomorrow.i wear it on my ankle as I'm not allowed a watch at work( food factory) and I find it tracks my bike ride better than the bike option. Usually manage 13000 steps a day but could do more. Going to track my water and food too but not calories. I've never tracked calories. If its healthy food you eat more, if it's less healthy you it less of it. Seems common sense to me.(says she who is four stone overweight)

I've never seen Pioneer Woman, but I think I would get along well with her, I'm a big fan a adding a bit of grated cheese . I'm a big believer in eating a high fat diet, my natural inclination (like most people's I think) is towards higher carb though so I have to work at it.

You'd bloody love her @Thatsnotmyflamingo! I want to live with her in the winter, Barefoot Contessa in the summer .

Just having a massive salad and a smoothie for lunch. I don't want to be 'that guy', but I've even taken a picture as I think it looks so nice and colourful! All vegan and loads of veg. The smoothie is mainly veg too, with a few frozen raspberries.

We are having roast dinner tonight, so probably not so virtuous, but we will still have loads of veg.

Yes, I could live there in the winter- at least in their 'lodge' (which is 15 times the size of my house).

Yes, I think that's just one of their houses, as they are one of the biggest landowners in the states apparently! Found that out from an ancient MN thread.

That is a fantastic lunch!

I am not doing that great today. I am feeling headachey and yuck. I had a bowl of mashed potatos for lunch (which tells me I am coming down with something or am pregnant (I am not) ).

I am doing a very simple chicken and tomato pasta for dinner.

My plan for November :

I already have a great breakfast set in my habits. For the rest of November I want to:

Food plan - change lunch to a wholegrain salad sandwich with protein of some sort and a piece of fruit.

Drink plan - only herbal teas after 7 pm (thanks for that idea Grass!!)

Exercise plan - 10 minutes of some form of exercise per day. It can be anything I choose and which fits into my day.

I have lost 8 pounds in the past 2 months just by changing my breakfasts. I will buy a diary dedicated to recording and ticking off my goals.

Thisismyhappyface a lot of what you said resonates with me. I also have slipped into the habit of buying junk food after work, it's such a difficult thing to get out of.

Good to hear of everyone's healthy meals. I've had a good couple of days, probably spurred on by joining this thread. It has felt fairly straightforward so far, but I know it's a lot easier when feeling positive so I'm sure there will be bigger battles ahead. Anyway, I've been trying to be more mindful in my eating, and have had a big bowl of fruit with yoghurt for breakfast yesterday and a lovely veg and chickpea curry for dinner last night and tonight. I did make biscuits with DS and ate one after lunch, and also had some popcorn with DH last night for date night. But I feel like those treats are measured and proportionate so I don't feel guilty at all, it's exactly how I want to be. I did refrain from eating any junk this evening - had a big bowl of fruit instead. DS's biscuits were staring at me, and I know it wouldn't hurt to have one, but I need to break the habit or I'll never get anywhere.

Morning all!

I have woken up feeling better (Just in time for work huzzah!)

I am off to make lunch as part of my November plan. Tuna and egg sandwich with lettuce, cucumber, tomato and grated carrot. With a banana.

I woke up iun the night and also decided to join (rejojn) the gym. I can get there Tuesdays and Saturdays and have decided to just make this a routine, nothing more, nothing less. Even if it is for 15 minutes only.

Number well done for eating fruit and pocorn not biscuits!!!!

Morning everyone!
Porridge made with water for breakfast, half hour bike ride in the rain, now tucking into half a chicken paste sandwich. Next break not till half eleven which will be a banana and other half of sandwich. Illicit fitbit on ankle.