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.

I am feeling the benefits already,I am thinking more clearly, tons more focused and my mild depression has definitely lifted. Am in a major rut career wise but yesterday say down and made a real plan of the next 5 years. I couldn't have done this 6 weeks ago, my head was too 'foggy.'

I'll shut up now

Sunshine- meh, so what? it's not heroin, only food. Onwards and upwards

Ds used to love fruit winders

I'm definitely feeling the benefits - and on the same note, I am also really feeling the negative effects when I don't eat as well (ie the last few days)

Got better food in for the next few days and have planned meals. Onwards and upwards.

Oh, and while I am not weighing myself, I keep having to hitch my work trousers up so I think I need the next size down! :)

Fab fuzz

My pimped up salad was-grated apple and carrot, lettuce, cucumber, celery, grapes, raisins, soya beans, tomatoes and prawns with a squirt of salad cream.

I managed to wait until 12.01 to eat

Sounds lovely! We had a yummy salad last night - potatoes, tuna, avocado, cucumber, boiled egg, tomato, carrot. No need for dressing as avocado adds a creamy element to it.

DS refused it though, even though he eats most of the ingredients. Might need to just keep his all separate and then mix ours after

Oh I have to do that too,fussy ds!

I love avocado!

Hi everyone, good to hear you are all feeling upbeat!

Dame that's such good news about your head being clearer! it makes such a difference to feel like you are taking proper care of yourself, eating all the great food you are then does it's job. Re the day you ate lightly, then today 'lots'-that's fantastic too, it shows you are properly in touch with your appetite, it then all balances out in the end, even with the 'fallen off the wagon' days that we all have thrown in .

Octopus how are you doing on the exercise front? I was thinking, re your slow walking DC, would getting him/her a scooter work? I usually end up pulling ds2 on his, it means we get to destinations faster with the 'bonus' of the extra exertion required to pull and walk briskly

Salads are sounding good!

Salads all sound lovely. Not done that well today, too much chocolate brownie. Thanks for asking about exercise, have managed to do a bit more walking this week and have also been quite busy with household stuff, don't know if that counts. Took DS out on a bikeride one day and had to run after him, also he is having this awful phase of running off so think its fair to say that I have had a fair bit of exercise. Fasting tomorrow, think I might find it a bit harder this week as I can tell that my period is imminent, o well.

Doesn't the weather make such a difference!

This morning I have turned the leftover kale into crispy seaweed. I also have both smoked mackerel pate and hummus in the fridge, so hopefully that takes care of today's healthy snacks.

Something with tuna for lunch I think....

Bloody hell, I am starving AGAIN

I had 2 eggs yog and a banana and grapes for breakfast and at 11.30 I had left over spaghetti!

I wonder if I could do with porridge for breakfast? Might try some tomorrow and see.

Kale sounds nice done like that, I only steam it usually.

Maybe a little more protein Dame - some smoked salmon with your eggs perhaps? I think when we go through a period of hunger its a kind of building phase for our bodies...so usually protein is actually what we need. Whereas at other times we may be more in a 'cleansing' phase, when eating lightly, juices, raw foods and lots of veggies appeal?

Sunshine - yay, you sounds like you are feeling bouncy

Lunch today is carrot salad with mixed seeds (dressing with lemon juice, cumin & cayenne); tuna with a bit of mayonnaise, and beetroot. No carbs at all!!

The kale is very tasty, but for some reason makes me feel a bit racy and shakey - like caffeine . I put (as per recipe) a tiny pinch of salt and sugar, but I can't believe it's that.

I also made these completely sugar free spiced apple muffins at the weekend. I really liked them, although the rest of the family were not so keen!

I'll get some smoked salmon, thanks sleep

Oooo I've bookmarked that recipe, that looks great.

Hi I've been lurking for some time and getting inspiration. Want to lose weight but in a healthy, balanced and sustainable way...not a diet but a change of lifestyle. Nearly 2 stone lost since 1 Jan. Have switched out pasta and rice for veggies so I still make curries and pasta sauces but have it over a bowl of sweet potato or petit pois. Just made a yummy chorizo and Squash stew - chorizo chopped into pieces, chopped butternut squash, one onion, jar of passata and a bit of chili. My pimped up salad this week was green beans, squash, ricotta and pine nuts (not keen on lettuce but can do warm veggies!). Want to go to waitrose to buy some of those roasted beans as an alternative to the pine nuts! I feel much lighter since reducing cars, still having bread but trying to avoid it at dinner time. Still having plenty of treats but instead of saying oh well today is ruined so might as well eat whatever I like? I am balancing it out throughout the day. Have started eating soft boiled eggs for brekky on weekends and find I don't need to snack before lunch. Today had weetabix with banana at 7 and by 11 I was munching on toast...

Reducing carbs not cars, but yes trying to walk more places too!

Hello xmas

Bram your carrot salad sounds great, please could I get recipe?

Of course ! I made it for the first time on Thursday to go with falafels, and have got rather hooked, to the extent that I have made some every day since!

It was an adaptation of this one

I left out the parsley, but added mixed seeds. The in the dressing I left out the garlic because I thought that might be a bit much!

Oh, and I grated the carrot rather than shredded in a food processor, although I guess if you were making lots, a food processor would be quicker.

Hello Xmas! Loving the sound of your squash and chorizo stew. I think squash has to be one of my all time favourite vegetables.

Waves back at dame, Bramshott it's a gorgeous comfort food dish but can be low calorie if needed as a little chorizo goes a long way. I just had it with some green beans and it was so satisfying. I was worried my eating would go to pot today because dd is ill and I've only had 2 hours sleep. In fact that's how my poor eating began as she has always been a terrible sleeper and I've resorted to too much caffeine and sugar to get through the day. So I'm proud I kept well within my calorie target and ate some good healthy food today. I will post some of the other nice recipes I've discovered over the next couple of days. I've had fun trying new things out actually!hopefully you have all had nice healthy days too

Ffs I was so hungry today,I need to up my protein tomorrow.

I had a wafer bar
White bread
with BUTTER

mind you,I could've eaten treble that a while back so not too bad. Not good though, tomorrow's another day!