Can you recover from a year of bad food choices?

[LuckyLuckyWoman]

Just that really. This last year has seen me bingeing on all kinds of rubbish food, crisps, biscuits, chocolate, wine, any old rubbish really. The bigger the packet/bar the better

Gained around two stone, feel rubbish, sluggish, find it hard to sleep, no exercise whatsoever. Very much an emotional eater.

Can I turn things around?

Of course! Easily.

How do you shop? The best thing is never to set foot in a supermarket, so you never have occasion to wander down the crisps aisle.

So, firstly make all your food shopping online only. And change the focus. (You don’t say what your household set up is, but good eating is good for everyone.)

1. Weekly veg box. You’ll probably need to be eating about three times the amount of vegetables and fruit that you previously were. They need to be the biggest part of your food intake. Mere consumption won’t make you exercise - but it will improve your skin. And the more you eat from this group, the less room you’ll have for crap.

2. Speaking of which - increase your intake of dried beans, dried peas and lentils. Easily available online. Look up some dahl recipes if you’re not an expert. These replace all the pointless carbs - and will really help with sluggishness by improving your digestive system.

3. Swap almost all your liquid intake to the best peppermint tea you can find. So no bottled, canned, carbonated or processed cold drinks. Just don’t buy those things, then they won’t be in the house. (No need to give up the vital first cups of coffee, but don’t have anything else available.)

4. As for alcohol - rather than giving it up entirely - try becoming an expert. Choose your favourite thing, focus on the very best products. Rather than endless bottles of cheap wine (if that’s your thing) decide only to buy one particular type that’s terrifyingly expensive, and only justifiable with a really good reason.

5. When you’re making your online order do not click on the biscuits and snacks section. Just don’t. And, except for high days and holidays don’t keep flour, excess sugar, or butter in the house. (This is my main point of weakness - I never buy shop cake or biscuits, but boredom invariably equals baking. I bake fabulous cakes with olive oil. ) Same with ready made meals. Don’t order them.

It really is a matter of changing your ‘mindset’. But you can help yourself by removing temptation and ensuring only good choices are available in your fridge and cupboards.

That is a fantastic response @EdmontinaTiresofNameFlipping & I agree! You can do it OP!!

PS I know it's not for everyone, but - I've been teetotal for 2 years and it's the best thing I've done. Highly recommend if you're an all or nothing person like me!

Thanks for the fab replies. Empty nearer here, just myself and DH mainly. I can do this....and I will :)