Improving nutrition........... feel like shit

[Feelslikecrystal]

Hi I'm hoping I can get some helpful advice.

My diet is poor and I feel like shit! Now while it may be obvious what a good diet it is, I am at a loss as to where to even begin to properly eduate myself on good nutrition.

Can anyone recommend any resourscs I can use? or any helpful advice at all.

I'm struggling to function, my brain is so cludy it is like thinking through treacle and I can't seem to even make a meal plan, nevemind get myself off the sofa.

I've been to the doctor for blood tests and I know from previous instances my results will come back saying my ferritin levels are low, for which I will take iron tablets but I need to do more than this. I need to radically overhaul my diet and make this life worth living.

TIA

Look at the nutracheck app. It's really good and simple to use. You can try it free for a week too

Knocks spots off MFP

Is it just you, you are cooking for? Any major likes or dislikes? What's your working pattern/daily routine?

The DailyDozen app is a great way to keep track of your servings of healthy food.
Also look at CleanFoodDirtyGirl on Facebook or online. Fab motivation to eat really healthily. They do meal plans but you don't have to sign up for them.

Oh great I've got some responses.thank you!

Cooking for DH & 3 D.C., and I work 3 days a week. No dislikes for me, kids & DH not keen on eggs but thats about it.

DH works shifts & generally prepares kids meals on the days I'm at work. When I'm here on my own I end up snacking & don't eat dinner. If he is here we both tend to eat rubbish. It is a LOT of effort to prepare something. I hate the time batch cooking takes ans I become very resentful of it all.

In the meantime I'm overweight and everything is a monumental effort.

Well done on taking control!

Some short cuts that I use which may help

• There is a LOT you can serve with a jacket potato and salad. eg A fillet of oven baked salmon, lamb or pork chops, grilled or baked chicken breasts, sausages.

You can oven-bake the chicken portions, salmon fillets, sausages and the jacket spuds , all at the same time ( but obviously some things take longer ) then all you need do is either have a bag of prepared salad and throw in some extras like a chopped pepper and an avocado, grated carrot, tomatoes.

If you can manage to batch-cook, do something easy like chilli, shepherds pie, meat or chicken casseroles, a curry, spag bol, pasta sauce, and make enough for 2 meals- so double what you'd eat for one meal and freeze the rest.

For quick meals think of things like wraps- everyone can make their own- served with salad. or a stir fry- take minutes to throw it in a wok.

Basically, you want to be getting something like 3 veg portions at a main meal. Then fruit for desert- no sugar laden puddings.

I also recommend a tiered steamer for cooking veg- you can put loads into the baskets, saves pans, and is healthier. so you can put carrots, broccoli, peas, sliced beans etc in together (adjust the timings a bit) instead of having 3 pans on your hob.

The other thing is, try to think of a variety of main meals and plan the menu.

For us, we eat fish maybe 3 x a week , so I'll do salmon (maybe twice) or fish cakes, or a fish pie. Sometimes I cheat and buy these, but other times I make them.

We have a chicken once a week; once hot as a roast dinner, next day use the leftovers in a pilaff / fried rice with a few veg thrown in, or make coronation chicken serve with jacket spuds, third day use the carcass to make stock and use for homemade soup or risotto.

Other quick meals we have are omelettes (not much good for you if you don't like eggs) , fish fingers and chips (and veg), and occasionally pasta. We sometime eat good quality burgers but not with buns- just salad, maybe oven chips or jacket spuds.

We eat broccoli or cabbage almost every day, green salads, peppers, tomatoes, avocados, carrots, green beans, peas, etc.

Thanks Breaking! The 3 different veg is good, I generally (when i can be bothered) have so will try that at every meal. I do also occasionally make hm soup which I take to work but it is keeping the momentum going and having consistency and not just here ans there.

I'm hoping whatever comes back from my bloods will at least help me get my mind clear enough to at least put together a meal plan and get active. Fingers crossed!