Serious diet advice needed, my diet is beyond shocking

[chattingtoaspanishgirl]

I just find it so hard. I don't know what it is. I'll have a healthy and balanced breakfast and before it's even 11am I'm pushing me pram passed Asda and feel ragey and unsettled until I've eaten some chocolate or something.

My diet is ridiculously poor. I'm quite ashamed to say as I know MN will not approve

I wake up, down a sugar free 7UP. Eat some brioche with ham, maybe scoff a few M&Ms. Scoff another 7UP.

Lunchtime comes, I probably don't have anything to eat. If I do, it's probably a ready meal lasagne. Another few 7UPs or diet cokes. A handful of sweets.

Dinner time comes, probably just more crisps, chocolate and sweets. Handfuls here and there. Maybe a proper dinner with DH such as broccoli, spinach and vegetarian chicken. But I will graze here and there afterwards.

I have tried stopping but I feel really low and miserable when I do. I'm not sure where to go from here.

I'm a Size 10/12. Before my son 10 months ago, I had crippling HG sickness and didn't eat much at all for the whole duration. Before that, I was an athletic size 10, healthy and had more control. I've always drank fizzy drinks though.

I'm still athletic in build but I've developed a little tummy It'll get much worse if I don't stop now.

I have tried giving up fizzy drinks but for some reason feel shaky when I do. Not sure why as they're just sugar free lemonades really.

I have a 12 month old, so massive empathy with the “can’t walk past Asda” thing. I’m not healthy by a long chalk but things that help me:

Batch cook on the weekend so there is something easy for you for lunch (I did a ham and lentil soup this weekend that was 2 minutes of prep, 40 of cooking, cost £2.50 in total and made about 8 portions - I’m still eating it).

Online food shops - again, so there’s always decent food in the house you can turn to before you crash.

Stock the pram with water/fizzy water and some healtier options - granola bars, dried fruit... yeah, not perfect, but better.

If you’re about to go out and haven’t eaten, something like bread and cheese spread is a one-minute job and again, you can munch as you push the pram.

Hi, OP. I think your blood sugar levels are probably all over the place with having the fizzy drinks. First of all, try and cut those down to maybe one can a day. What else do you like to drink? Do you like tea or coffee? Even if you had a couple of cups of coffee or tea with one spoon of sugar it wouldn't be as bad. Drink plenty of water in the interim.

If not, how about something like lime cordial and soda?

Breakfast ideas: Scrambled eggs or beans on wholemeal toast, porridge or Weetabix with fruit, nuts and honey (can get frozen packs of berries and just heat a bit up), yogurt with fruit and granola bar crushed up.

Lunch: Do you have a Lidl near you? I often have one of these tuna salads with some other crispy veg such as Romaine lettuce, cucumber and red pepper. An omelette is also very quick if you haven't had egg for breakfast. Or if I haven't had bread for breakfast I might make myself a chicken salad sandwich on some nice seeded bread with some chicken breast, a bit of mayonnaise, lettuce, cucumber and red onion.

OP, I can be exactly the same. Mini Pork Pies and Sausage rolls are a particular weakness

When I cut processed carbs out I feel much better. The first days always feels like a hangover then after 2-3 days the cravings go and my temper is much even.

Have you thought about looking into Low GI foods, this helped me.

It's pretty much the advice pp's have given of swapping out processed carbs for brown rice & sweet potato, fruits such as cherries & pears, snacks like whole nuts. The slow release energy lessens the crash and burn of processed carbs.

Oh sausage rolls and pies are absolutely my weakness too. I can't be around them.

You don't love food. You love sweets and fizzy drinks.

Cut out the fizzy - the aspartame and/or caffeine in them is what's hugely addictive. They're nutritionally void and horribly bad for you.

In terms of actual food, a high protein breakfast will fill you up, eg Skyr, eggs, beans on toast. Eat lunch, even if it's just a prepared salad or sandwich. Cut the sweets and stick to a couple of squares of high cocoa solids dark chocolate- still feels like a treat but significantly less awful for you.

Also, meal planning and online shopping help massively with the amount of shit food available in the house ime. Do it after you've eaten.

Stock the pram with water/fizzy water and some healtier options - granola bars, dried fruit... yeah, not perfect, but better.

Please don’t do this. You’ll be scoffing in the go and it won’t satisfy you. So when you get home - junk

Try to eat at the table as much as possible. And limit snacks. If you do, grab a banana or cut up apple and peanut butter.

When you cut out fizzy drinks and sugar foods, be prepared for a headache. Perhaps 3-4 days while your body withdraws. Embrace the headache as it means you'll be free of cravings afterwards and in control. Drinking more water helps apparently and bouillion. Check out Diet Doctor website for insight into the science.