Thread for those who are trying to eat "better"

[Octopus37]

Following on from yesterdays thread "Do I eat too much", which I posted on, I was unsurprising told that what I eat is crap. Have been feeling pretty crap the last few weeks, not enough energy low libido, sluggish, wound up, down - so have decided to see if changing my eating habits can shift things a bit. I'm not overweigh 5ft5, 8st6lbs, (slightly on the heavy side for me), but would be pleased if I did loose a few pounds, trying not to make weight the focus. Have decided to take a vitamin pill with iron every day, last year had v low ferratin levels so had to take iron tablets for a while. I'm not promising to do well every day and cut out sugar completely as I feel that I would be destined to fail. However, I am going to try to I improve. Today have eaten:
1 pack of Belvita biscuits
1 Actvia extra creamy yoghurt
1 large apple
1 Danone (high protein yoghurt)
3 Oatcakes
Some cashew nuts
I am planning on sweet chilli chicken & rice (ready meal cause of money diet) with some stir fried veg for tea and plan to eat some red grapes afterwards. Also may have some sort of a treat on school run. Also aim is to replace the Belvita biscuits with oatcakes for breakfast and maybe eat them with some cheese. Know I'm not doing perfectly but I am making an effort. Buddies welcome.

Had soup last night, it was delicious. Had a small portion of leftover crumble afterwards on its own.
Today, have eaten my usual breakfast, plus some fruit flapjack. Although I feel better than last week, bug thing still hasn't totally cleared and still quite tired and have period. However, hoping that next week will be the week when I really feel that positive effects of eating a bit better, however am enjoying my food.

Went out again tonight, unusual as I went out to eat last week too. Friend wanted an Indian (I had one last week too and was a bit reluctant tbh) any way,I went and didn't have a starter, had chicken tikka instead of Korma or something creamy, lots of salad and left half my naan. She had a dessert and I had a cuppa. This is UNHEARD of as I used to live for deserts! Didn't feel I was missing out and wasn't sorry I didn't order one. I did have an after 8 mint that came with the bill but , wait for it.....IT TASTED A BIT TOO SWEET

Didn't do very well yesterday, meals were healthy enough, but ate lots of fruit flapjack and also a big chocolate fudge flapjack. Going to try and do better today. TBH feel a bit fat and sluggish at the moment, but hoping that is to do with period, being on the tail end of a bug and subsequently being a bit lazier.

I have a sweet tooth but since trying to eat better I have cut out sugar in hot drinks, sweets and milk chocolate. I recently nibbled on a mini milk choc bar and it tasted sickenly sweet. I hope this will last as I do not care for choc or sweets just tasty food.

Now I have smaller portions and watch my food intake, I enjoy every mouthful of food. I go out of my way to eat nice foods.

Today:
Usual breakfast
An apple
I slice of toast (seeded bread) with some cheese
Bought a minestrone soup mix in Watirose, tbh just though I needed to add water to it and it was pretty tasteless
A rock cake (had sultanas etc in it) - prob shouldn't have had
Some ricotta filled pasta with roasted mixed veg
Some red grapes

Trying not to feel gutted that I have gained a pound, bearing in mind time of the month, bad day yesterday, the fact that it isn't supposed to be my aim and what one of the posters said about protein. TBH could eat more tonight, but really trying not to. For me, probably quite a good day

Ds made some brandy snaps with my mum and wanted me to try his efforts,I had a small one, dear God it was so sweet and I got a massive sugar rush and felt really hot after eating it. Wasn't tempted by another
B - boiled egg, Greek yog and banana and grapes

L -small piece of quiche and home made coleslaw with a little salad cream.

D - pork, roast potatoes, cabbage, carrots, peas.

Tea with soya x 3

How's everyone doing today?

I'm defintely getting used to eating less, even when home all day like today I'm no longer constantly raiding the cupboards or thinking about raiding them!

That is partly because there's less in the house but I'm not missing it. DCs aren't either. As long as I have the willpower not to add it to my tesco order in the first place I'll be fine! TBF it wasn't that much really, but for example DH would often take a few biscuits or a cereal bar down for the DCs after school as he seems to think they will combust if they can't eat straight away :o but I'll be preparing a snack for them to have when they get home instead.

So, I am actually pretty excited about being back in charge of all the meals :o I don't mean that in an unhealthy obsessive way BTW! But DH is a bit of a 'feeder' (for understandable reasons) and a soft touch when it comes to the DCs!

I've decided that the meals I do during the week are going to be planned properly and hopefully will be ones that I can prepare during the day. I am often in a lot of pain and dizzy/exhausted when I get home after the school run (DH currently does it 99% of the time but obviously won't be able to when he starts work) so I need to do as much of it as I can during the day when I've got more energy.

Going to go back to two smaller shops a week rather than one big one as I think I'll manage more easily.

Going to write a list later of all the meals I can do - actually quite excited :)

That all sounds good fuzz

Greek yog and banana, boiled egg for break fast.

Green salad and prawns for lunch.

Griddled chicken, baked potato and cabbage, carrots and peas for tea. Small amount of butter and cheese on potato.

Not too bad all in all. I'm very stressed at the moment with a lot of family crisis stuff, my natural default is to eat crap at stressy times but haven't this time. Trying to break the emotional link with food at times of stress.

Yesterday: Usual Breakfast
1 Crisp (taster from DH)
2 pieces of toast with humus
Some (ok lots of) home made chocolate shortbread
Spag Bol (homemade, with veg in), had smallish portion with smallish portion of pasta and quite a bit of salad
Muller corner (was still hungry)

Feel like my energy is coming back after bug. Next week need to do more exercise, will try and do a bit better today.
Dame - it sounds like you are doing amazingly especially if you are going through loads of stress, if that was me it would be shed loads of junk.

Octopus-I have a lot of weight to lose though,I think if I didn't I'm bit sure I'd bother tbh

I have a lot to lose too Dame. I'm not weighing really, as it is more important to me to eat well right now, and noticing the difference in how I feel is a bigger motivator than any weight loss - as well as knowing that it's making a difference to my DCs' health too.

I can't do any intense exercise due to my health, but as of Monday I'll be doing a lot more wailing due to having to do the school run twice a day. It will be pretty exhausting at the beginning I think but I hope that as it's just walking it will gradually increase my fitness.

LOL just realised autocorrect put 'wailing' instead of walking!

They may both happen TBH :o

Today:
Usual breakfast
Same for lunch, ie 2 pieces of seeded toast with sugar free peanut butter
A chocolate muffin from Greggs
Some red grapes
A stir fry with chicken marinated in soy sauce with fresh ginger and garlic with basmati rice
May or may not have a muller corner

Positives: Thought I wouldn't enjoy my stir fry, thought it was going to be boring and nearly didn't go to buy ingredients as DS2 was playing up, also bypassed ready done sauces out of guilt - but enjoyed it and would eat again.
Think my healthier breakfast will be a permanent fixture. Eating more fruit and veg, trying to be mindful of having some protein at every meal. Sometimes managing smaller portions of carbs. No longer think that my diet is embarrassing if I say out loud what I have eatn.
Negatives: I just cannot cope with no sugar and no treats - just makes me feel so deprived, know it is probably emotional and most people on this thread are doing so much better than me. Struggling to get past that have so far only had possibly one day when I have had more energy (although have had bug and period), today period is making me feel rough and feel headachey, tired and wound up. Struggling with the fact that eating more healthily costs more money and the fact that I haven't lost weight, possibly slight gain, so poorer and fatter rather than richer and thinner (tongue in cheek) - to be continued, sorry for essay, hope I haven't offended anyone.

Ah octopus sounds like a rough day, go easy on yourself. I think you'll get used to having less treats and the more you eat fresh whole foods like the stir fry the more you'll get pleasure from that. You'll get there :)

I am trying this but it is so DIFFICULT.

Not in terms of willpower, but in terms of where I can find "healthy" food!!!

Every item I looked at in the supermarket was unhealthy in some way:

Juice = high % natural sugars

Tons of products with wheat/gluten

No snacks without sugar except for vegetables

I already eat lots of nuts

All dried fruit had vegetable oil (yak)

I might try the celery and carrots with hummus thing. But it's such a trial.

I hate hummus :o well, that's not totally true, I'll have a little bit now and again but then I get sick of it so it's not worth buying.

A really lovely alternative (and healthier) is: warm some drained canned chickpeas in a little olive oil, then stir through a little curry paste. When that's heated, mash it up and add a little water to make it smooth.

I don't think there's anything wrong with having some less healthy stuff - and it's exhausting and frustrating checking absolutely everything.

I'm looking at it from the aim of making gradual, sustainable improvements rather than trying to have the perfect diet IYSWIM.

You can't go far wrong just making some positive changes and trying to include more whole foods.

Eating healthily doesn't mean no treats :)

Oh yes, and all my favourite snacky things (pretzels, popcorn etc.) is so salty :(

I am also trying to have as little dairy as possible. Feel like I have no foods left!

Is there a particular reason you are trying to reduce dairy and gluten?

Would it be possible to just aim to reduce them a little rather than trying to cut them straight out?

It might feel more achievable. For example I am making small changes like if I have eggs for breakfast I only have one slice of naice bread instead of 2.

Obviously that won't work if there's an allergy/intolerance (DH is coeliac and it's very awkward and annoying for him!)

What about listing the foods you enjoy eating and maybe we can come up with some ideas? How are you for main meals?

Great thread. I'm trying to lose weight after a MMC earlier this month (got a stone to lose). I've managed five days of not eating bread so far, and only snacking on small portions of fruit in between meals. Eating normal meals but trying to stay away from carbs. So far so good.

Kippers or porridge for breakfast.

Omelette or home made soup for lunch.

Normal family dinner (but steady with the potatoes!). Having a small glass of wine every other night as a treat (but no snacks).

Thanks fuzzpig :) I'm doing okay with dairy - the main challenge will be summer, because ice-cream is my favourite food of all time.

I love almond/coconut milk so have that a few times a week in my coffee.

I can't cut out all gluten though - so many of my main meals have pasta in them somewhere.

Some examples from the past week:

Vegetable omelette with pancetta (gotta have it for flavour, though I know it's salty)

Pork belly, chorizo & veg casserole

Ham hock pie (see, there's the flour - what's a good flour substitute?)

Salmon with veg & rice (I adore white rice...and it doesn't seem to cause me much of a problem...hopefully)

Do you get annoying symptoms after eating gluten or dairy?

I do a bit (IBS type symptoms :() but it seems to be more certain combinations eg sugary/chocolatey cereal, I always feel terrible afterwards.

I have good days and bad days, the bad days seem to happen when I'm stressed.

Easier just to cut down all round...

I've been spending must days at the hospital atm but discovered a marks and Spencers just up the road so I walk up there for some fresh air and some food. Today I had-

2 boiled eggs and toast

Prawn salad and fruit(grapes, melons, pineapple)

Hot cross bun-not great but was starving by that time!
Tuna niciosse salad (sp)

That was over period from 8 am-10.30 pm so not too bad at all.

Dame you are doing so well, sorry you are having to go to the hospital everyday, take care of yourself.

Yesterday - Mixed as ever, did eat some crisps, a caramel egg and 2 biscuits and also had 2 alcoholic drinks as went to a 40th. But ate a healthy breakfast and lunch and also mainly healthy food at the party,at a couple of won ton snacky things, but ate mainly olives, feta and fruit. Also some nuts at the pub beforehand, however did eat a v small slice of birthday cake.

Today - Hotel breakfast, granola (yes I know there is lots of sugar in it), with added pumpkin seeds and dried fruit - really enjoyed. Prob had too large a bowl but was v hungry. Also had a bowl of fruit salad, mainly melon and pineapple.
Just eaten I sliced of seeded bread with peanut butter

Dinner - Read meal (Pork Ramen) DS has a friend coming round who wanted chicken nuggets, so needed something quick, healthy as possible and reduced for dinner. Also just about to make chocolate brownies with my DS's for afters, another aspect that I am working at.
Aiming to increase my exercise this week. Positives: Hair feels in better condition, but could be due to a hair conditioner I used and also didn't feel too bad in my LBD at the party last night.