So as my username suggests…I pretty much had a terrible diet with no breakfast other than coffee, skip lunch, maybe crisps or a slice of bread and then had a big dinner…fairly normal family stuff but fairly healthy as I liked to make sure my kids had a good dinner. I would then binge and snack all evening in crap.
My weight is okay and my bmi is 20. I’m also trying to be fairly active - dog to walk daily, strength training and running 3/4 times a week (looking to build on this).
My diet hasn’t always been this bad. Although I have majorly struggled with eating and have had disordered eating all my life. However, I’ve had a pretty horrid bout of depression this year and I don’t think (I know) my diet has not helped. So I’m trying to give it an overhaul and try and get myself into good shape before winter hits and to try and see me through the darker winter months when my mental health tends to really dip.
My aim is to build a healthy habits and cram nutrient dense ingredients and cut back on totally processed foods while still allowing some convenient foods and treats so I don’t fall into a guilt trap if I slip up on a day when I’m tired and struggling. My hope is that if stuff is still ‘allowed’ then I’m not failing if I have it occasionally and it isn’t seen as something off limits and therefore make me want it more.
Below, I’ll list 2 days worth of food and would like any suggestions for what I may have too much/too little of and any ideas for good food/meal suggestions I could add or tweak.
if you read this far, thank you, it was longer than I intended.
Day 1
Breakfast - 2 egg omelette with mushroom and spinach
Snack - 2 Medjool dates
Lunch - A dip made with roasted courgettes, tahini, cumin, garlic and paprika, with pomegranate seeds and pine nuts on top. Also a drizzle of olive oil. Then flatbread to dip in.
Snack - babybel cheese
Dinner - Oven baked salmon fillet(In a Teriyaki marinade) served with jasmine rice, Grated raw carrot, cucumber, tender stem broccoli, avocado, chilli flakes and sesame seeds.
Drinks - 1 decaf coffee, water, 1 small lemonade (in a pub)
Day 2
Breakfast - plain yogurt with pistachio nuts, blueberries, strawberries and a really small drizzle of honey.
lunch - quinoa with roasted pepper, tomato, courgette, spinach, pomegranate seeds. Tablespoon of a dressing made with yoghurt, cumin, black pepper, lemon, garlic and paprika.
snack - 2 medjool dates
Dinner - pasta with store bought Swedish meatballs, but home made sauce with tomatoes, onion, basil, mushrooms and roasted red peppers.
Drinks - 2 decaf coffees, Ginger tea, water.
Now that I have more than one meal, portion sizes are smaller.
Any thoughts/advice welcome and also any tips for preparing to try and avoid bad depression over winter. I don’t ever want to feel how I felt this year ever again and so I’m willing to give anything a try.