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.

Hmmmm I don't think I've done as well with the shopping tonight (delivery tomorrow). I've not planned properly although I have some meals in mind.

I've still got a lot of stuff to use up especially veg so I think I'll make a noodle soup for my lunch.

Noodle soup was lovely :o

Mmmm noodle soup

I'm making carrot and parsnip soup, it's on the hob atm, smells delicious and I'm hungry!

So my eating has been less healthy this weekend due to being unwell. I had a cheese toastie with Branston after the hospital on Saturday night and chocolate.

Yesterday I didn't eat anything I would consider unhealthy but it was a bit lacking. Porridge for breakfast, then a chicken, avocado, pesto, feta cheese, wholemeal sandwich for lunch and tomato and basil organic soup for dinner. Apple for a snack.

Today I've only had muesli (but the good no added rubbish kind.) and a few raspberries. I just feel so rough. Antibiotics are working though so hopefully will be back on it tomorrow.

Hope you're feeling better Rummi Head colds are horrible things.

Your soup sounds amazing Dame If you want to courier some over that'd be great.

Cou-you'd be more than welcome to share my soup

Dinner tonight is griddled garlic chicken with tons of grated carrot and apple, celery, tomatoes and lemon juice plus roasted soya beans for crunch.

Have done my batch cooking risotto butternut squash and feta bolognese a sauce cauliflower cheese and veg stew and tabbouleh salad for fridge. Looks great in my freezer now have had two juices today and some tabbouleh mackerel salad did run as well feel a lot better. Anyone got any tips about avoiding pmt binges on chocolate rubbish about 10 days before period ?

You're all doing so well. I'm struggling a bit. Not helped by DH bringing home chocolate eclairs, chocolate and a jar of Nutella.

Lunch today was roasted vegetables (courgettes,yellow and red peppers, red onion and cherry tomatoes.), with feta cheese and quinoa.

Dinner is cod, brown rice and broccoli. Probably have done Greek yogurt after.

Snacked on almonds and an apple.

Well I've managed my fast day today, back to normal healthy eating tomorrow. You all sound as if you are doing brilliantly, some of the food ideas sound fab.

I am doing rubbishy with slowly and mindfully tbh sleep - I am always so starving when I eat that although I try to slow down, I find it very hard.

Had my endoscopy today, which was surprisingly fine but no magic answers. So back to the healthy eating and food diary....

Are you hungry because you leave it too long before eating or just generally hungry?

I could quite happily have had some chocolate just now, manged with some Greek yog and a banana though. Not quite the same

I'm doing mindful breathing and relaxation ,I downloaded an app on my phone. It really works, could you try that to see if it helps slow things down?

You all sound like you are eating gorgeous food! I started my 3 meals at set times thing today. Nothing as tasty or healthy as anyone elses though.

7am-10am 3 cups of coffee
10am 2 boiled eggs and toast (white, oh dear)
1,30pm ham salad sandwich (remembered the brown bread), packet of crisps, chocolate, coffee
6pm chicken curry and rice (again white) and brocolli coffee
Just now - 2 packets of crisp one after the other and a chocolate bar

I'm missing something from the meals because 10 minutes after eating I'm peckish and eating crisps and chocolate!

I found once I'd ditched the crap and sugar I stopped being hungry 5 mins after eating. I was ALWAYS hungry even 5 mins after a meal.

Now I leave it half an hour and realise I'm ok and don't need anything extra.

Sleep will tell you what you are missing

Keep trying Bram, I told you it was hard . As Dame asked, why are you so hungry when you get to your meals?

Heavenly- brutal honesty...waaay too many processed (and sugary) carbs, these are making you crave the crisps and chocolate. Well done on 3 meals though. Is 5 cups of coffee your usual amount or is it less than normal? Also, did you eat the meals slowly as discussed upthread? What kind of food do you like he sound of from other posts? It would be good to replace the carbs with more protein and fat I know...I'm a broken record .

Parsley - great cooking, wish my fridge looked like yours!

Coumarin are you feeling better? Lovely food today

Sunshine - fantastic positive attitude!

Hope you're feeling ok after today Bram Endoscopy can be pretty unpleasant.

Thanks Sleep I didn't feel like today's food was as healthy as it has been (trying to avoid saying 'good'.), so glad you think it looks ok.
My pain has gone but I'm a bit achy and unwell, probably just the antibiotics doing their thing.

Are probiotics good for after an antibiotic course? Sure I saw that somewhere.

5 cups of coffee is less than usual and I naturally eat really slowly

All the food sounds lovely compared to mine! I'd like to try the noodle soup (completely contradicting myself because I thought I didn't like soup really, that just sounds non soupy!). Somebody mentioned mackerel, I prefer fish to meat.

What would be a good alternative to a sandwich for lunch?

Lunches-

Soup
Pimped up salad and tuna/cheeses/chicken/eggs
Avocado and salad and natural yoghurt or dressing
Omelette
Scrambled eggs-I like chopped tomatoes softened in olive oil then add eggs to scramble like they have in Greece.

Thank you dame. Pimped up salad seems a good place to start for tomorrow! Am not brave enough for avocado with it, last time I had avocado it wasn't very nice, left a taste, maybe that was whatever was on it though and I should give it another try.

I usually have soup at lunchtime now - DCs don't like it so don't have it as an evening meal.

Or jacket potato.

Unfortunately, one of the symptoms of my digestive issues is being starving to the point of stomach cramps for a lot of the time! I struggle particularly with an afternoon snack - maybe that's when I need to get in more protein to carry me through until dinner time? What do you all eat for high protein, lowish carb snacks? I do ok mid-morning - have been trying to add cheese to my oatcakes or ryvita. But struggle mid-afternoon. Maybe yoghurt?

So far this morning I have had porridge with blueberries (DH horrified as they are neither seasonal, nor local, nor organic, which are his big things!) and maple syrup. Will have ryvita with cheese in a bit, then soup for lunch (made a big batch on Fri) with rye bread (DH made on Sat). Dinner tonight is pasta but will try to have less pasta and more sauce. Mid afternoon I would like to be some of the lemon drizzle cake I made with DD2 at the weekend !

Bram, loads more protein especially for breakfast to get you off to a good start.

Try a boiled egg instead of Ryvita cardboard

Unfortunately Dame, I don't like eggs (was allergic to them as a child, and have never really 'clicked' with them). Sorry! Good idea otherwise!

All other great protein ideas gratefully received! I have bought some cream cheese which I am going to use to make smoked mackerel pate when I get a minute.

Salmon? It's really cheap in Aldi. Shame about eggs.