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'd really like to keep this thread - loads of great recipe advice!

Really feeling the hour change this morning so drinking strong coffee (free cup from Waitrose) - not a good start to the day as it probably won't agree with me!

Can't decide what to have for lunch. Needs to be quick as I've agreed to go into school and run 'board games club' at lunchtime.

Wow, board games club, I'm jealous! We are total game geeks in this house :o

I'm hoping to start running a club at school too, taking over the recorder group in yr2 as the teacher can't continue herself due to another club. What have I let myself in for :o

Feel really out of sorts today - the clocks changing doesn't agree with me either, but also I ran out of meds :( (I take amitryptiline as a painkiller) it's my own fault, I have just been so distracted with suddenly doing all the other household/childcare stuff that I guess something had to slip. I've collected them this morning so only one night without them, but I feel really dodgy.

DD2 had a board games party for her 7th birthday the other day - it was ace ! We just laid all of our (extensive!) stock of board games out on different tables, and the kids chose what they wanted to play - it worked really well (with colouring for those who wanted a break from games).

Sorry to hear you are feeling rubbish today fuzzi. Amitryptiline also helps with sleep doesn't it (I remember having it for persistent headaches a few years ago and the guaranteed sleep was one of the best things about it!).

Running and recorder club sounds fun (although possibly not running while playing the recorder!). I am off to a recorder festival with DD1's class tomorrow, and have been primed to take my recorder...

Ha, I meant running as in leading the recorder club. Not actual running. Not a chance in hell of that happening :o

Yep the ami helps with sleep too. I really feel wired if I forget to take it early enough in the evening, although not so much last night as of course I'd had an hour less the night before. I was actually prescribed it by a neurologist because of headaches but I'd already had my preliminary diagnosis of CFS/ME by the time I saw him, he said we may as well choose that drug as it is commonly used for both.

Omg just worked out the calories for the puff party in my tart! I am going to enjoy every mouthful though!

*pastry
I don't have puff parties. Whatever they are.

Well done to everyone x

Hello octopus, how's things?

I ate the rest of my mother's day chocs oh well

Checking in, welcome to the new posters! Today had spinach and sweetcorn omelette for breakfast, baked beans on seeded bread for lunch. Am planning chicken with leeks in low fat creme fraiche with steamed new potatoes for dinner. Also had a massive piece of dds birthday cake which left me feeling horrid - I must be unused to the sugar now!

Had a compliment on looking well at the weekend too as in good skin etc. Nice to know it's not all about weight loss

That's great xmas

Food today was-

Egg and spelt bread

Soup made from left over veggies and chicken-out was revolting

Chicken with Italian herbs, Greek butter beans, spinach and avocado salad, tiny amount of feta on butter beans.

What can I do with chick peas? I have tons of tins! Can't eat chilli or peppers. All ideas gratefully received

I have a couple of favourite chick pea recipes. Can you manage ginger and garlic? If so you can sauté that with onion. Tip in a tin of chick peas and a tin of tomatoes or pasata. Add any other seasoning and then pop it in the oven for maybe 20 mins.

Better still quickly sauté your chick peas with spring onion, crushed garlic. Add some chopped baby spinach or sorrel if you can get it. Take off the heat add some lemon juice and then sprinkle sumac. This is lovely with crumbled feta but I often forget that bit! Sometimes I miss out the spinach but that's because the children claim they don't like it!

Oh lovely thank you, yes fine with ginger.

Sumac? Typo or a new herb I've not heard of?

I have lots of spinach to use up, I'll do that tomorrow

Sumac is essential not a typo. Honestly it transforms dishes. Get some. Just got my (empty!) jar from the kitchen it says - sweet and sour ground berries. My friend got mine which I think means waitrose (defo not in morrisons where I shop!). You sprinkle it on a pulses or veg is cooling rather than toast it like cumin etc- no idea about meat or fish sorry. Without sumac I'd pop something else in with my chick peas - poss cumin or paprika? Not sure.

I'll go to waitrose first thing, thanks!

Glad the thread's been moved! Food/recipes board a good choice. :)

I asked for general health but mnhq thought better! Doesn't really matter, food is good .

Hmmmm,I disagree with HQ tbh, it's not just food and recipes.

Oh well!

It'll do

There is a lovely morrocan chick pea soup on bbc good food

We can put the next thread in gen health Dame, give a link back to this one, as long as it hangs around is the main thing .

Oooo chick pea soup sounds good, I'll look, thanks.

Arrrghh! Dropped my box of eggs when the tesco delivery arrived :( saved 6, and just had an omelette for lunch as another 3 of them were slightly cracked. Too big to finish though, will stick to 2 eggs in the future. Had plenty of veg with it. Have any of you seen the thread about 7 portions of fruit and veg a day? I'm reading through it now.

yes i have fuzzpig! not quite sure what to say (except it looks scary!)

Yes I saw that one fuzzpig - lots of people genuinely bemused as to how it's possible to eat that much fruit and veg !