Eating our 10-a-day thread (2)

[Breathmiller]

Hi all

This is our second thread about upping our veg and fruit intake on a daily basis.

We tend to list what we've had to keep us accoubtable and generally chat about how to increase the rainbow on our plate.

We don't always make 10 but anything more than you would normally is great. I like to at least get 5. 10 or even sometimes more is a great day.

All welcome whatever reasons.

Hello, old poster with a name change, I hope it's OK to rejoin the thread?
I started eating absolute junk over Christmas and I really want to improve my veg intake. This thread is always inspiring!

Just crack open a bag of frozen spinach and join in!

Yesterday:
Mushrooms
Beans
Orange juice
Stewed plums
Mixed veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots) x 2

6 yesterday…

Welcome everyone, oldies, newbies and returners.

Whoever suggested mincemeat in porridge is a legend!

1. Last of my homemade mincemeat
2. Iceberg lettuce/ cucumber
3. Cherry tomatoes
4. Apple
5. Leeks
6. Red pepper
7. Kale/onion
8. Carrots
9. Beetroot

I think this is a record for me!!

@Wildernesstips it may have been me but I can't remember! I was eating the Apple strudel mincemeat in porridge but I've run out now

1 satsumas
2 carrot
3 broccoli, garden peas
4 apple, blueberries
I'm challenging myself for tomorrow to make a pile of vegetarian food!

Ok which do I try first?!

Hello hello! Please can I join? I was going to start my own thread about my crazy chocolate addiction and wanting to make some changes, but perhaps this thread is what I need!

I've never had an issue with sugar consumption before, but I'm currently bf a 6 month old and I can't stop eating sugar!! Anyone else experienced this? I'm not gaining weight despite working my way though A LOT of m&s chocolate buttons so am thinking that I need the calories, but that my diet is running me into the ground.

Besides I'm about to start weaning and don't want the baby to realise I'm constantly eating chocolate and sweets. Not a good example! I mean... he won't know exactly what I'm eating because I'm not planning on sharing my buttons haha but the constant grazing is not ideal.

Brain dump here sorry! Anyway would be lovely to join in. Thank you 😊

Breakfast
Olives

Lunch
Lettuce, olives, onion, carrot

Dinner
Pepper, chick peas, olives

I blame DD she came home with 750g of olives, they are going to feature heavily this week.

veg soup
fruit salad
red kidney beans
green beans
pineapple
sultanas/dates

getting a bit random, need shopping soon

@MaybeHeIsMyCat

Ok which do I try first?!

I'd go for the dates. I had some of them today after breakfast with a coffee. Like little jewels of toffee. Mmm.

I quite like my random days when I need to go for a shop. You can get quite inventive.

I'm in the zone at the moment with a fridge full of fruit and veg. Also enjoying nuts and seeds as snacks.

1. Apple/ginger shot
2. Mushrooms
3. Avocado
4. Dates
5. Corn on the cob
6. Peach
7. Pak choi
8. Spring onion/baby corn
9. Red/orange pepper

10. Broccoli 11. Cherries 12. Celery 13. Chickpeas/olives

1. Blueberries
2. Bistro salad with added red cabbage
3. Cucumber
4. 1.5 Tomato
5. Radishes/spring onion
6. Sweetcorn
7. Green pepper/red onion/spinach
8. Mushroom/l9eeks

Added flaxseeds to my salad today and had some pistachios after dinner. I wish I liked avocado with it being so nutritious but I hate the taste. DH added it to our green juice the other day and he loved the creaminess but I couldn't drink it

@TwentinQuarantino I'm fussy with avocado and I have it on toast with feta and cherry tomatoes and too much black pepper and salt

Ok both the dates and the figs were a success, I liked both. The dates I think will be great for killing chocolate cravings

I think I might try that - mask it with a ton of flavours with it having so many health benefits I really want to make a habit of eating it.

Twentin what about smothering it in lemon juice?
I had mine on toast with lemon juice, pepper and pumpkin seeds. And a cooked portobello mushroom. A small drizzle of balsamic glaze. I'd had it like that at a cafe last weel and I loved it.
Or how about making gucamole? Lots of garlic and lime juice .

When i was a teenager I wanted to like olives but didn't. So i had one black olive cut into minute bits and had one bit on each bite. I trained myself to like them. Now I can eat them by the handful
I know my daughter did the same with bananas. She was determined to like them so trained herself with little bits at a time.

PartyOnKale that made me laugh, thank you!

ChocolateButtons I have a big chocolate habit too. Sometimes I find a few squares of dark chocolate can help the craving, but generally I think it's emotional cravings and tiredness that have me eating too much sweet stuff. I'd imagine with a young baby and especially bf you must need loads of energy... maybe look at increasing protein and take a really good multi vitamin? Green smoothies for nutrients and energy?

Twentin my kids will only eat avocado with salt on. I know it sounds simple but they say it completely changes the taste from horrible green and soapy to nice. I'm a bit like that with tomatoes so I know what they mean.

Predictably yesterday being the first day of my new intentions, it was a high f and v day. The question is whether I can keep it up.

I had grapes, peach and apple with breakfast (1). Butterbeans, spinach, tomatoes and more grapes in a salad for lunch. (3 portions) An apple and satsuma for a snack. (1.5) A banana with some soya milk and protein powder to try to stop me craving chocolate. (1) Then dinner was veggie meatballs and baked potato, with some steamed carrots, broccoli and sweetcorn. (2) Raided the fridge at bedtime for a snack but I did include a raw carrot and another satsuma. (1)

About 9 and a half portions I think.

Thanks all for the encouragement and lovely ideas reading your posts.

@ChocolateButtonsOfShame love the username! Sounds like you need the cals so maybe something like nuts would be a good replacement snack?

Yesterday-

1. Avocado

2 and 3 Veg soup

1. Apple
2. Pepper
3. Onion

thisTown that's a great day. I have found it easier the more I go on with it but I still have days where its next to nothing and I just accept these and move on.

I know it's not the intention so much with this thread, i started it simply to have a positive outlook on food rather than restrictions.

But I have had a bit of a revelation the last couple of weeks and its been building for a while, maybe even years.

I am the classic person with food issues. Feast or famine. Denying/binging. Tried every diet going. I had an eating disorder when I was younger and I have realised that it's never really gone.

I was listening to Richard Osman talking about his Binge Eating Disorder and it felt very familiar so I read up about it. I've always known I've had it, i just didn't have a name for it. So, this thread has helped me to get back on track with looking at food positively and trying to get more healthy food into my diet without thinking of what I can't eat. And it has helped massively.

But for anyone else who thinks they may follow a similar path to me then I have started a food diary, NOT calorie counting. A journal if you like (on my phone) of my day, my food generally and my emotions. And the biggest thing is to have a routine and a rhythm. 3 meals and 3 snacks. Seems so ridiculous. But it means I don't stuff myself because I will be denying myself later. I'm not over eating because I'm worried that it will be an age til I can next have food. And it breaks it down for me. I have a normal sized healthy meal, then a small snack. It can be as small as a tomato with a bit of salt, or a celery stick and some houmous. Or a couple of nuts. Yoghurt or even a few squares of chocolate if that's what I fancy. One on Sunday was a delicious pear and almond cake that dh bought for me from my favourite coffee shop.

Its has not only been a bit of an eye opener in terms of my attitudes to food but I am also much more energetic and losing weight. Although I haven't weighed myself, i can tell by my clothes. And that's only in a week. It's quite a revelation actually.

Sorry, a bit of a waffle on a different tangent but I thought it may be useful for others.

Thank you @riotlady and @ThisTownAintBigEnoughForBoth for the suggestions. Extra protein isn't something I'd thought about, but seems like a good idea.

I think part of the problem is being sleep deprived, son wakes a few times a night. Means I have much less willpower and maybe lack of sleep means my body/brain wants sweet stuff for an energy boost?

Will be doing baby led weaning so going to put together a meal plan for me and DS.

@Breathmiller 3 meals and 3 snacks sounds sensible 🙂I'll plan for that.

Loving the avocado chat - avocado with a portobello mushroom sounds lovely. Might add avocado toast to my menu, the baby can have some too.

mung beans
spinach
green lentils
Beetroot
fruit salad
dates

Avocado
Pickled veg
Tomatoes
Orange juice
Dried raspberries
Strawberries

Thanks for all the avocado ideas. I've bought some so will see what I can do

@Breathmiller it must come as a relief to be able to put a name to it and it's great that you've found what works for you. I agree being positive is so important! I'm very much interested because what you described sounds so much like DH. He does one meal a day quite successfully but on his non-omad days he binges almost uncontrollably.. I think I'll have to read up on this.

@ChocolateButtonsOfShame sleep deprivation is torture. My LO is still a terrible sleeper and after a bad night I've no motivation to do anything, particularly eat healthy. Luckily on those days DH cooks and saves me from ordering a takeaway

Today's list

1. Mixed salad leaves
2. Tomato
3. Cucumber
4. Radishes/jumbo spring onion
5. Pomegranate
6. Mushroom/courgette
7. Corn on cob
8. Carrot
9. Pepper/white onion

10. Peas

1 broccolli / green peas
2 carrot
3 red lentil, swede
4 Onion, kale
5 red pepper, shallot, lettuce
6 mushroom, garlic, cherry tomatoes
7 dates, tangerine

For dinner I made a lentil and veg soup in the pressure cooker, roasted a couple of dishes of veg and served them with feta cheese and bread.
I was inspired by this thread to nick a couple of DH's dates. They are rather nice with a cup of tea.

Twentin Richard Osmam describes his ED on his Desert Island Discs appearance. You can get it as a podcast. I looked it up as I'd heard he had talked about it there. It made me research it more and it just made sense.

Today...

1. Apple carrot ginger juice
2. Banana
3. Date/houmous
4. Celery
5. Corn on the cob
6. Courgette
7. Mushroom
8. Spinach
9. Tomato

10. Cucumber