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.

From that I'd say I need to cut down on the tea, eat a proper breakfast, add another portion of fruit, and another 2 portions of veg.

Does anyone juice? I quite like a green juice, I blend quarter of an avocado with ice, and half teaspoons of Spirulina and wheatgrass powders, and mix it with mixed veg and fruit juice, depends on what I have and based on the Jason vale recipe.

Dame we need fat, especially good fat. We also need protein. These are the essential things that repair, maintain and protect our bodies (I'm not anti carb, but incidentally there is no such thing as an essential carbohydrate). Without them, eventually, we get ill, fatigued, lose muscle - impacting upon metabolism - find it difficult to lose weight, have poor nails, hair, skin. Love is also restricting her calories, consciously or not, to a pretty low level. All this would explain why she can't seem to lose weight.

There's nothing with at all with the stuff Love is eating. I'm concerned about the foods she isn't. Too many of us are brainwashed by the whole calories in/calories out thing, when what our bodies do with calories from different foods is far more complicated than that. This is not a diet thread but Love's daily list of meals, which so far have been the same, more or less, every day, reads to me like a post off the low cal diet board .

'There's nothing at all wrong with'

Have a horrible virus so bought white bread as comfort food.

Have drunk 2 lattes and my heart is racing!

Thanks for the link about sugar, saved to read later.

Juice sounds good Lavita, do you use a blender (I keep contemplating a Vitamix but of course it's £) or a juicer?

Dame I've just flicked back to look at some of your posts of your meals, they sound great - there's eggs, avocados, fish, seeds, nuts - fantastic sources of EFA's and protein, spread through the day. You aren't controlling your calorie intake, say you feel great, 'clear headed' and have lost weight....

LaVita and Sleep,

Does juicing veg have the same effect on it as juicing fruit, or is it better because of the low sugar? I used to drink heaps of fruit juice and it's only recently I've realised these were 'empty' calories, causing sugar spikes plus, takes all the fibre out. Although it seems obvious now.

I've taken spirulina powder during ivf for the high protein content but it tastes a bit on its own. I like the thought of combining it with some nice tasting veggie juice.

Sleep-ok, that makes sense, thanks.

I'll join in! I've been low-carbing for ages and had some white rice tonight, totally regretting it now as my stomach has inflated like a balloon.
With the rice I had fresh tuna fillet, chilli and tomato sauce and steamed veg.
Last night was veggie sausage, lots of veg and a huge flat mushroom baked with garlic, lemon juice and olive oil, topped with steamed spinach and a poached egg. It was amazing!!!

Coumarin, veg juice has much less sugar and is a great way of getting in loads of veggies that would be hard to squeeze into a day. You'll probably need some fruit in there to make it palatable though

Oh and the best way to prepare green juice is in a good blender like a vitamix or nutribullet, these pulp everything, so no fibre etc is lost.

Sounds good Sleep I'll keep an eye out for juicer recommendations. Unless I still have my old one in the cupboard of unwanted gadgets in the garage.

Porridge with seeds and blueberries again for breakfast. Boring, I know, but it's very cold today.

X posts Sleep I'll have a look at those, thank you.

Wow they're both a bit £££ aren't they? I nearly fainted at the vitamix!

I bought my juicer 11 years ago when I got back from a holiday in Australia, it's brilliant quality and cost me £35 in the sale, it still works perfectly though but they weren't really very popular here then. I do think those nutribullet's look good. Yes I have separate blender.

Hmm, I know, that's why I keep hesitating! I cba cleaning our juicer though. A nutribullet may be the compromise!

If you regularly use one then why not. I think I'll see if I get back into making juices first before buying an expensive one. Otherwise it might end up in the cupboard of doom with the other gadgets.

I agree Coumarin..trouble is I don't juice much now because of the hassle cleaning and reassembling the juicer, so the question is, how much will I really use it . Would hate for it to become a cupboard of doom or 'loft purchase' as they are known in our house

So far today:

2 slices of seeded toast with sugar free peanut butter
A Waitrose fruit flapjack, it had vine fruits in it etc, but know I shouldn't have eaten it, hate the guilt
2 slices of cheese and toast on seeded bread.

Have a cold, I am cold, just feel tired and fed up. Wish I had the time and money to do more meal planning, buy more fresh stuff but finding it quite hard. Will continue and do my best, sorry some of the others of you on here totally put me to shame.

Octopus no guilt allowed! You have made some great changes already, just being aware of the choices you are making is fantastic progress. Be kind to yourself, baby steps. It takes time to change habits that you've had for years and years .

Octopus It was from Waitrose that makes it practically health food! Oats, fruit, it's fine. No feeling guilty about food allowed. Take care of yourself if you're feeling unwell.

Thank you, onwards and upwards. Have also eaten some melon.

Melon is fab!

I had avocado, smoked salmon and a salad of grated apple, carrot chopped celery, halved grapes and chopped tomatoes with a few roasted beans sprinkled on top, really enjoyed it.

Actually I enjoy all my food

Can I join? been trying to be more healthy for 3 weeks. joined the gym, going twice a week (tho missed last week as had horrendous cough/cold) I do 30 mins cardiovascular and 20/30mins weight machines. I've lost 1.1kg so far.

Today I've eaten

special flakes cereal for breakfast
2 boiled eggs and a slice of 50/50 toast
2 satsumas and 2 nairn oat cakes

tea will be roast chicken (breast only), lots of veg and potatoes of some description