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.

Completely fed up with myself, on the whole I have been eating healthily, although have eaten some flapjacks and stuff that I have made with the boys and I am panicking, have put another pound on, haven't been as heavy as I am now for nearly 7 years. Sorry if this sounds self-indulgent but sitting here nearly crying typing this post, only benefit I have had is that my hair feels better. Know that some people would say not to weigh myself and to go with h.ow I feel but it isn't in my blood to be like that. Know I need to get more exercise, used to walk everywhere when the boys were at the push chair stage but now it is harder, they go at snail pace, less time, but know that I need to find time as for me exercise is the key to keeping my weight down. Am going to start having just soup for lunch as bread is the culprit, although I know it doesn't fill me up and really try and limit any afternoon treat (not sure I can do without completely). Know it is fat cause my measurements are the same, as they wouldn't be if it was muscle I had gained. Please wish me luck as I am gutted that I have never eaten so little chocolate and gained weight. Well done to the rest of you. For me it is onwards and downwards eventhough I just feel like having a self-pity stuff my face day, am not going to. Have had my usual breakfast and am having Morrisons Chicken and Veg broth for lunch.

Ah octopus rant away, but don't beat yourself up. This will take time, the whole point is that it's a gradual change not a crash diet so the pounds might not drop off quickly, but it'll be much more sustainable.

Dropping the lunchtime bread is a good plan I think. Just make sure the soup you have is hearty and filling on its own. I used to never ever eat soup without bread so I thought I wouldn't be able to, but actually with something like leek and potato (blitzed at the end, so the potato makes it thick and creamy) or the lentil soup I did today, it's fine once you get used to it and stop 'expecting' it IYSWIM? You can do it :)

I feel like crap today. Was dozing on the sofa earlier and I feel really achy. I think I'll just have to put up with it for a while as I'm getting used to the extra exertion.

I'm pleased though that I got up and made the soup I'd planned, I really enjoyed it. Basically a load of veg (celery, leek, courgette, red pepper) with a bit of garlic, ginger and chilli cooked in butter and then added a load of red lentils and water. Didn't even need any stock, it was lovely.

I'd planned to put bacon in it but when I fried the lardons the smell made me feel really sick?! So I put them in a bowl for DH to have later. Don't know why my appetite is going a bit weird. (No I'm not pregnant!)

May I join please? Don't really need to lose weight, I'm about 5"4 and 8 stone 10ish but I do a lot of exercise so think that's muscle - size 8.

Today so far - 3 egg omelette with half a red romano pepper, sweetcorn chucked in, maldon salt.

M&S super green soup for lunch soonish.

I really just want to improve my mental functioning at the moment; I have huge deadlines and exam season looming for my postgrad course.

Oooh and I've gone from drinking at least one glass of red wine per evening plus going out at the weekend to drinking no more than once a week which has made the world of difference to my general mood.

Octopus,a pound is a big poo for goodness sake, that could be gone tomorrow! honestly if you are going to weigh yourself I think you should do it once a week at the same time.

I have a doctors appt on Friday-they can weigh me but I'm going to ask them not to tell me! Not sure how that will go down...

I found some Bergen bread in tesco, just had done with my soup, not sure I'll bother again, never thought I'd see the day where I was off bread the hot cross bun I had with my egg this morning, well, we won't mention that

Octopus don't feel bad about it. You've improved your food a lot and will be better nourished.
If you know bread is a weakness for you (as is for me too) then it makes sense to limit it. Could you swap for ryvita or oatcakes?
Do you like beans/chickpeas? You could add that to soups to make it more filling.
I often add chickpeas to covent garden type tomato soup.

Save a treat for the time you really need it and have a big glass of water before you have it. A little will go a long way.

Are you drinking lots of water? I find I eat less when I remember to drink more water.

Good luck!

Octopus, Dame is right - please don't obsess over weight, you feeling so down is exactly why I think we shouldn't weigh ourselves. Why should an arbitrary number dictate our mood and self esteem for hours or days afterwards? We know if we feel bloated or heavy or strong and energetic, our actual weight, as a number doesn't change that. You've started making positive changes, focus on that. Definitely try and make the time for exercise, it will help lift your mood and in my experience, makes us feel much more inclined to eat food that is good for our bodies, it gives us more respect and appreciation for what we can do, physically, rather than simply what we look like . You call the sweet stuff your 'treat' - is there a sense of feeling like you deserve it, that it's something just for you in its way, or do you genuinely crave the sugar?

Fuzzpig - sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish. Great for keeping focussed though - are you recovering from an illness or is there an ongoing thing happening? Do you take any supplements?

Welcome Taking! For mental sharpness make sure you are getting plenty of EFA's - maybe an omega3 supplement to help? Well done on cutting down on the wine - definitely something I struggle with!

I made a great dinner last night - chopped up peppers and some red onion, tossed in olive oil, stuck it in the oven for 15mins while I fried a bit of chilli and sliced chorizo for 2 mins. Then added a tin of chick peas, tin of tomatoes, the chorizo and chilli to the roasting tin (stir) and two cod fillets on top and baked again for 15 mins. With steamed green beans - delicious!

Thanks sleep !

I eat a lot of rocket drizzled with olive oil (or on its own as a snack to pick at, like grapes) with avocado, or avocado with marmite on brown rice crackers, something I discovered when pregnant. Your dinner sounds gorgeous.

I used to have a serious addiction to sugar, mostly in carb form like pasta. I've cut out bread and aim to eat v dark chocolate in small amounts or sugar free jelly if I'm craving sweet food now. I'll allow myself wholewheat pasta once a week.

Grapes seem to be my health saver recently - as in, if I eat refrigerated grapes while writing essays I am not eating anything else .

I wouldn't mind losing a few pounds too. I think this thread will be useful to keep on track.

Well you don't sound as if you need to lose weight but if that is what you want, your diet sounds very good, so I'd say remember to keep the focus on mindfulness - are you really reaching for a snack because you are hungry or is it something to do to give you a break from studying? If you suspect the latter, would a phone call to a friend, a shower, 5 or 10 minutes meditation/yoga, a walk around the block or a hot drink and play with the DC fill the gap?

I am a good 3 stone overweight and whilst I find it quite easy to loose 1-2 stone at the start of the year (as I can be really dedicated and focussed), I find I soon get bored and after a couple of months, I lapse back into old habits.

I’ve lost over a stone since January the first and am trying not to think of it as a ‘diet’, but just changing my eating habits and eating more healthy – lots and lots of dried fruit for snacking and nothing ‘bad’ in the house… I also found that alcohol was the killer for me, NOT because of the calories, but because when I drink, I have no self control and then get the munchies so end up stuffing my face with whatever I can find in the fridge / cupboards, therefore I’ve not drank at all since January 1st and actually, that seems to be working.

One thing I’ve done is to ensure that EVERYTHING I eat, I really enjoy. Not like ‘Oh I have to eat this manky diet food as I’m on a diet’, but genuinely take time to work out what I enjoy eating so every meal I look forward to. Currently my absolutely love are ‘healthy KFC wraps’, which involve Panko breacrumbs, paprika, thyme, chilli powder and mustard powder…. You fry them in 2 tbsp of rape seed oil and then coat marinated chicken (buttermilk and garlic for a few hours before hand) in the breadcrumbs and bake it…. I have it with a salad wrap and it’s utterly lush and not too unhealthy – It’s awesome and I love making it. Same with sushi – I’ve got quite good at making various different types of sushi, but again – I really enjoy it so it doesn’t feel like a sacrifice.

I am trying not to weigh myself every day as I fluctuate a LOT and I have to remind myself that as long as I’m eating healthy, the weight will come off – and it has done, it’s just frustrating when you eat really well for 3-4 days (and you honestly do, you’re not kidding yourself) and the scales don’t change… that’s when I feel like giving up. However I just say to myself ‘one day at a time’ and I’ve always seen a lower value if I keep going!

Snacking not hunger, for sure, so I keep a constant supply of grapes, olives, sugar snap peas etc to reduce the damage done. I think it's to distract from the work; I've gone back to studying after years of working and my attention span is awful by comparison.

Thanks for your support :)

lisac your wraps sound GORGEOUS! I might have to try that.

Hi, guys thanks for all your support, I know mine was a really negative thread today. Today have eaten:

Usual breakfast
Morrisons Chicken & Veg Broth
Some red grapes
1 Dairy milk
Tea will be fish fillet in breadcrumbs, a few oven chips, peas and sweetcorn. Not ideal I know but I am also on a money diet and getting to that time of the month.
Do weigh myself once a week in Boots, but tbh my weight it panicking me and I do feel bigger, so have decided to 5:2 but also using the healthier eating habits I have adopted. Will fit in more exercise, just need to find a way and be determined. I'm hoping that this way, will lose a bit of weight and feel better and also nourish my body more effectively.

Could you cut out the chips octopus? Carbs at night are the enemy. Maybe have lots and lots of peas?

This is inspiring me lots . I really want to make some sushi tonight but cannot justify the time with tomorrow's deadline.

I agree that weighing yourself regularly just isn't helpful. Weight fluctuates day to day and it's so disheartening after a healthy few days with lots of exercise if you don't see what you want on the scales.

Sleep, yes I have CFS/ME which I have had since 2011. I also have POTS (postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) so basically am exhausted/in pain/dizzy a lot. DH has been off work for over 3 years, he got a prolapsed disc but is better now. So he has been doing pretty much everything round the house since my CFS/ME got much worse (nearly 2yrs ago) and with the DCs while I work (only 12hrs a week now) but now he's got a FT job I am back on duty and I'm struggling massively already :(

You're right though, it is good that I kept focused enough to still make a decent lunch and you know what, I enjoyed it even more because I was proud that I still made it IYSWIM? Previously I'd be thinking 'fuck it' and either not eating or just eating whatever rubbish was around, but there was the definite feeling of "yes, I am worth looking after" and so I wanted to nourish myself. Although I am still sore today (much busier afternoon due to DD's school club) I'm sure it's better than it would've been if I'd not eaten a decent breakfast and lunch.

I do take some supplements and they have definitely made a positive difference - the couple of times I've lapsed into not bothering, I have gotten more ill.

It's even more important I look after myself now as frankly if I have another flare up I have no idea how we will manage as a family. But I actually am starting to feel like I'm worth looking after, and due to my long history of MH issues that is a Big Deal!

fuzzpig you've hit on the core of many people's issues with food and body - it's not a lack of self control/greed or weak will, it's usually nothing to do with food at all, but a lack of self esteem and emotional issues that are the problem. Too many of us - meaning mums in particular - put our own needs last on the list of priorities. We need to identify not just what nourishes us best food wise but also what other things make us feel happy, safe, comforted, excited or energised , and make time (or if we need something from perhaps, our DP - more affection for example - then ask) for this. Otherwise we become overweight, ill, depressed...and everybody close to us then suffers too along with us.

And you've hit another nail on the head there too - a lot of the therapy I've had for the CFS has been around learning to look after myself not just physically but emotionally. A lot of people with these illnesses that severely limit energy (or 'spoons' if you're familiar with spoon theory :o) feel like they can't use any energy for fun or things that make you happy. Especially the case when you are a parent IME.

Learning to look after myself (in any way, even basic self care) is something I have had to do as an adult, as I didn't really have any 'training' as a child. So it's been a revelation to start and it took becoming physically disabled to get there! I am in some ways happier and more fulfilled and more 'me' than I was before getting sick.

Sleep I find I'm always putting my needs last. When I think I'm putting myself first and taking some time out, it usually involves eating 'treat' foods which is basically rubbish.
'treating' myself should mean doing something that will have a positive effect, not negative (ie more weight!)
Thanks for the insight. I'm going to try to cultivate a different attitude. Easier said than done though!

octopus if you're going to 5:2 please visit the thread running (I think it's number 39 now). There is a lot of advice in there about how to do it properly. Some people think they can eat whatever they want on the non fast days but it really isn't like that, you still need to be eating no more than your TDEE on the 5 days or you won't achieve the required calorie deficit.

They are a friendly bunch. I've lost a stones since Jan 1st on this WOE and it is amazing but it takes a lot of discipline and accurate calorie counting.

What kind of things could you treat yourself with beech?

Mine are things like doing puzzles (I love Japanese logic puzzles), playing piano, and reading (as in just sitting reading rather than for a few minutes on the bus). And I have more baths now as heat is good for pain but for ages I just couldn't be bothered. And things like using moisturiser etc.

Fuzzpig My biggest treat food is crisps. I just love them and also bread and any bread-y stuff like toasted bagels. I'll also have cake binges and other stuff too.
I bake at home because I'd rather the kids didn't eat crap food so I always give them decent home made food with lots of veg and fruit but don't seem to care much for myself.
Sometimes I'll forego the healthily and tasty meal I've cooked for the family and eat the above mentioned food instead!

I'm trying to control it and eat better. I've been on and off this thread.

That's interesting fuzzpig, I've never heard of spoons (will look into it!) but the teaching I've had with regard to energy (beyond what we eat and obviously, our sleep) is based on the theory that we each have a set amount of energy, you can't create or destroy it as such, but we can manage it, by avoiding energy draining people, activities or situations as much as possible, and trying to do the things/spend time on those that make us feel livelier as often as we can. The things like music, reading, puzzles you mention are great ways to fulfil our spiritual needs (other people may get the same thing from being outdoors, playing with children, theatre or film). Body lotion, doing our nails, hair, choosing clothes we feel good in or moving in a way we enjoy is also great for getting 'back in our bodies', people who hate their bodies (overweight or not) often disassociate from them somewhat and live in their heads.

Beech, have we chatted on other threads re emotional/binge eating?

I love the spoon theory , sums it up perfectly

My treats now are make up or hair products. I make a big thing about going into town, having a coffee (tea with soya to be specific ) mooching round Boots, choosing something nice and congratulating myself for sticking to the plan.

Interesting about it being so difficult to put yourself first. I find it with things I've bought for me to eat (eh. bananas) which the kids then want, and how difficult it is to say no.

I was having an interesting conversation with a friend a little while back about the difficulty of making time to exercise, but how important it was, particularly for those of us who have crappie pension provision!