To think my diet is possibly worse than any other 32 year old's?

[mytartanscarf]

The title makes it sound like I am proud of it and I am not - but I do need help (as gently as you can, for AIBU!) as have never spoken of this before.

By some miracle, my teeth are all good (confirmed by dentist to my shock!) and I am overweight but only marginally - weigh 10 stone 8lbs; I am 5 foot 3 inches.

It's hard to talk about a typical day so to give an idea I'm either hungry or I am not - if I'm not hungry I generally won't eat anything until the evening and it's usually porridge, made with water, and a low cal hot chocolate. I'll generally have a snack sized chocolate bar in the day. Drinks - diet coke by the gallon.

If I AM hungry, I'll eat - sugary cereal, sweets (haribo/wine gums) crisps, chocolate. Maybe a McDonalds or a pie. Drinks - diet coke by the gallon. Sometimes I'll heat some soup up and have it with bread & butter.

I know it's awful and I'm trying to think how things got this bad, I know I have a lot of guilt/strange feelings with food. Also I live on a boat so don't have a fridge or microwave (no room) so shopping has to be done daily and I often don't have time or nowhere to store leftovers. I work a weird job with shifts all over the shop. I'm not veggie in the strictest sense of the word but I do find it hard to disassociate feelings about the animal. I HATE green veg apart from spinach and cabbage, there are other foods I dislike though none spring to mind right now.

I do enjoy fresh fruit, and some veg especially onion, mushroom, sweet potato and carrots.

I think the main problem is lack of organisation with food. I just don't recognise hunger, so when I do want food it's an emotional "want" - like a childhood thing?

I know you can help. Just PLEASE don't yell at me if I can't do something as I'm sure I've missed off some information, but not on purpose!

Depending on your finances and what you have nearby I would recommend buying a marks and Spencer's or waitrose ready meal every day. I think they are about £4 ish and they have some quite nutritionally balanced meals, and if you get the meat ones you know that it's much happier meat than in sainsburys, tescos etc ready meals.
If you have one of those for dinner and a banana, or porridge or something for breakfast then I think you can be pretty relaxed about what you have for lunch.

How much diet coke are we talking here?

Champion - honestly, there just isn't room for even a tiny wee fridge. It isn't just the physical room but the fact it obviously needs to be near a socket and these aren't in abundance!

I was dreading that "if you want to change" - yes, I obviously DO - but it has to be things I can change and it's frustrating when people say you have to do things you can't

Yes I like eggs and can buy these from a local farm shop.

I do sometimes leave milk o the boat's bow it has been known to freeze completely though haha.

Diet drink withdrawal is horrible, you have my utmost sympathies!

I'd try to change that first, but the situation you have is quite challenging kitchen wise - it sounds like your permanently camping and catering for one person only which is tough!

Maybe start by looking at which one pot meals you like casoulet (white bean casserole), rissoto, paella, Stirfries, baked potatoes?

You really need to work on ditching the coke before trying to fix anything else.

Pickled stuff you can batch make and store.

Chutneys
Tomato and chilli jam
Gherkins
Preserved lemons
Dried Apple slices

You can at we down fruit that is starting to turn and have it with museli/porridge/granola with yoghurt.

Tray bake flap jacks or ganglia bars to take to work as a snack.

Seeds, nutS are good snacks too.

Some great ideas here. Loads came when I was typing. I had to smile a bit sheepishly at the scurvy, it is true. I do sometimes take multi vits but often forget.

The thing with leaving stuff outside the boat is, it does sometimes get swiped which is funny occasionally/for milk but I'd be peed off if it was meat!

I work weird, weird hours so sometimes have to swap meals about a bit - I can't say "oh I will have X for breakfast" but could for lunch, hence the eating cereal in the day thing. But if I have a porridge, an omelette (with veg) and fruit salad that would be OK.

How much diet coke - varies but between 2 and 4 2 litre bottles

I second a student cookbook. I had one at uni and it was great. Do you have a kettle?

Biscuit phew not just me!

I think the two need to go together as am very conscious on days I eat less I drink more diet coke - so I think if I can manage to eat healthily ish I can naturally cut down the Coke - if you follow me.

Anything I take to work has to be eaten when I'm driving as that's the nature of my job - usually gulped down in about 5 minutes. I think thinking about it that's been a major problem, I snack on sweets when working and then any "meal" I have (soup, porridge, cereal) if when I'm on the boat and has to be quick and easy.

I have a kettle yes :)

(Can I just say a massive THANK YOU for)

1. Treating me like I'm intelligent
2. Not assuming anything
3. Being so KIND - I honestly thought I'd get a right old flaming enough to evict me from boat!

So last say 3 litres of coke a day? So that must be £4/5?

A day.

I bet a fridge would coat a fraction of that to run a day.

Soup is key to changing your diet, with the veg that you like you could make yourself a nutritious and filling enough bowl and not have to worry about refrigerating the remainder, it's also quick, buy one of those hand held blenders, they're cheap.

One step at a time but I agree you need to get a handle on your coke addiction, that's your priority.

Nilby she says space is an issue, not just cost.

That's right Still

As I say - I agree the Diet Coke thing is awful but I will never sort that without a halfway decent diet, I know from bitter experience.

If you have a thermal flask you can have soup on the go.

I got a small flask in the pound shop! Bargain!

Also boiled eggs are easy on the go snacks as are avocados.

I have a lunch box that has one lid but 3 sections in it. One section has cut up veg. Another has a blob of cream cheese, or similar and the other might have seeds or olives. Take a packet of oat cakes. The come wrapped in packs of 6 in the box.

Could you swap to cans of diet coke? Im thinking once a bottle is open, its easy to just top up your glass. Cans, you could put out, say, 4 on the side and think "thats todays allowance". Any you dont drink can be saved for the next day so you get an extra one.

I have read the thread, thanks still

The op mentioned space as well as cost.

Space I have no clue about, as cannot see the boat, but money management, well just trying to make a point really.

Yes, avocados are brilliant, nutritious and versatile!

I love mashed avocado on toast, sliced in a salad or on crackers.

I've had the diet coke withdrawal from a major habit headaches, you know what? Nurofen really helped. Give it another go.

OP do you like Asparagus? Its in season at the moment and therefore cheaper. Spray of fry light and a shake of salt on it and bung it in the oven for ten mins. So delicious, and you could have them with a couple of soft boiled eggs for dipping. Also would keep when cold for lunches for work (chop down and mix with pasta, tinned peas and tinned tuna).

I don't think it really makes a difference as I don't use a glass, just drink straight from the bottle! I think I just need to give myself say a bottle of today's "allowance" and take it from there. Hopefully can further cut down in the future.

Nilby I do get your point but the space is definitely the main issue.

Can you cut down on the coke slowly so you don't get withdrawal symptoms?

I think the key thing to do is write a meal plan for a few days and buy the food you need for it. Then you won't be as tempted to snack on junk.

Your setup sounds a bit like mine when we go camping. I cook pasta with a ready made sauce such as pesto or tomato sauce, and some veg eg mushrooms, tinned sweet corn, pulses etc. Or a stirfry. Cereal with UHt milk and fruit for breakfast. Sandwiches for lunch. Plenty of fresh fruit to snack on.

Can you store food outside, that would keep it nice and cold at this time of year?

In summer can you use a disposable BBQ outside (if it is safe on a boat - I've no idea).

Pink I just threw them straight back up, it wasn't just the headaches but exhaustion, vomiting and nausea.

I will absolutely cut back but giving up - I'm just not ready for that, I know I'm not.

I don't know if I like asparagus or not? Is it a vegetable? :)

A 2l bottle a day is a good start. Then when you feel capable enough, go for a 1l bottle a day then down to a normal small bottle a day.

Sorry, x posted with lots of people!