Health scare penny drop moment

[Clumsybashful]

I've had a bit of a health scare recently and have decided to eat healthier and get some more exercise in. A big problem I face is that a lot of my favourite things to do revolve around food. I love picking up pastries at the local bakery, eating snacks in front of the telly, going out for coffee and cake, weekly takeaways etc. I feel like the prospect of life without these things is a bit empty.

My DH is happy to support me and we have a 2 year old DS. I'd love some ideas of how to live a full, happy and healthy life. I bet you all manage to squeeze some enjoyment out of life without bingeing on fatty food and it'd be great to get some inspiration from you.

I discovered cookery, basically. I have had to embrace a low-FODMAP way of eating and I spend many hours absorbed in making meals as nice as they can be! There's a fair bit of planning, shopping and cooking for the perfect low-FODMAP stir-fry or (unfatty) fry-up.

Use good ingredients - like, say, cashew nuts in a stir-fry - and lots of herbs and spices and seasoning. I still enjoy red wine, tea and the odd coffee.

You might find that you enjoy low-GI seeded bread-making or making healthy(ish) pizzas.

It's about changing habits as much as anything.

I suppose it might depend on what the health issue is (I'm not asking you to say), and whether you can continue to eat the same things but in moderation or if you will need to make a drastic change to your diet. What you described doesn't sound to me as though you're binging. I think it's possible to continue doing the things you described, but modified so that either you are consuming fewer calories and less fat or you are making a special occasion, if you like, of it.

For example, if you like to eat snacks while watching the television, you could make your own savoury popcorn. I heard somebody say they make air popped popcorn and then spray a bit of water to make the salt stick. Popcorn is a good snack to mindlessly eat, I think. I think you can do this in a paper bag in the microwave.

With going to the local bakery, perhaps it's something you could turn into a monthly day out. You could plan a sightseeing walk, or something, and finish up at the bakery, or find out which is the best bakery at the next town over, and do the same thing there.

Do the same things - just less frequently.
As pp, learn to cook healthier food and enjoy it. Pinch of Nom website/books have lots of ideas of "fake aways".
Is the coffee and cake really a social thing? Just have the coffee? Or a fruit salad? Or juice?

Now that spring might be on the way, and the clicks are about to go forward, can you get out for a walk in the evenings instead of scoffing snacks? (Obvs child care dependent). Or during the day with the toddler - and scoff grapes instead of crisps.

Or set yourself a challenge like Couch to 5K?