Please come and brutally tell me to sort my diet out

[Cahira]

Please help! I have to change my diet. 9 years ago I was size 8-10, after my son was born I was 10-12 and now, I'm feeling the pinch of size 14.

My problem is grazing. I will graze all day if left alone with food. I'm not much of an evening eater, my worst time is late morning.

I get up at 6:15 every day and leave the house at 7am so no time to prep a decent breakfast. I take cereal in a tub to work and eat it when I get there. By 10:30, I'm digging crisps/fruit bar/oat bar out of my bag.

I joined the gym a couple of months ago but a knee injury has restricted what I can although I go to pilates. I'd love to swim but the idea of being in a swimming costume fills me with dread.

Recipe ideas, ways to manage my triggers, habit changing ideas all VERY much welcome.

Take fruit work for the morning mumchies

I do! But we have a crisp box and a chocolate box at work so after my apple I'll go and get something else as I'm not satisfied. Plus the array of biscuits/donuts/cake that sits on the communal table 😩 I don't usually get a lot from there though as I'm a savoury person.

Bread, cheese and crisps are my downfall, I don't consume a lot of sugar.

Cut out the biscuits and doughnuts op - you have identified one of your weak spots
Is there no way you can pack yourself a better more filling mid morning snack

Have you thought about the 16.8 intermittent fasting? The aim is to eat in a 8 hour window. It stops you thinking about food all day and reduces your appetite. Plus drinking lots of water will help with snacking- it’s habit - whenever you go to eat have a glass of water first

Don’t eat cereal! Take a sandwich, something in a nice brown seedy bread perhaps? Then fruit. Prep stuff the night before - overnight oats with frozen fruit you can make & take in Tupperware, just grab & go.

What do you eat & drink the rest of the day - milky coffees etc? What are your main meals like?

Take picky stuff in a tub for breakfast, that’s what I do. Hard boiled eggs, rolled up ham, cubes of cheese, cherry tomatoes, humous, crudités, olives, peperami etc. Fills you up! Dark choc for break if you need something sweet with some bits and cherries maybe

Nuts not bits!

Cereal is definitely a problem food for me. I struggle to eat a lot in the morning so cereal is an easy edible food.

I usually have sandwiches with a yoghurt for lunch - ham, cheese, peanut butter.

My meals can vary as DS is veggie. Bolognese, veggie pasta bakes, chicken with noodles, jacket potatoes with tuna and cheese. We eat a lot of green veg, tonight I had chicken with green beans, broccoli and rice noodles in teryaki chicken with sesame seeds. My meals aren't too bad but my portion size could do with reducing.

I drink tea or coffee, no sugar.

Boiled eggs are a great idea! I can definitely try 16:8, if I eat at 6pm, would I need to start at 10am or 10:30?

Thing is, if you struggle to eat until you’re hungry then just respect your appetite. I don’t like to eat til later in the day, and I’m more prone to savoury food, bread & cheese etc. than sweet stuff.

So I’d have a cup of tea and then l leave eating till 10ish, say? Then I’ll have my brunch/lunch sandwich/bagel/wrap with cheese/ham/egg/cream cheese/salmon/tuna mayo etc.

That’ll keep me going past ‘lunch’ till 3-4ish, then apple & cheese crackers or whatever you fancy.

If I stick to a breakfast/lunch/dinner schedule I eat more.

You're eating way too many carbs.

My meals can vary as DS is veggie. Bolognese, veggie pasta bakes, chicken with noodles, jacket potatoes with tuna and cheese. We eat a lot of green veg, tonight I had chicken with green beans, broccoli and rice noodles in teryaki chicken with sesame seeds. My meals aren't too bad but my portion size could do with reducing.

^^

Say you have a large portion of veggie pasta bake, it could be 600/700 cals for not that much actual food.

Instead you could halve the portion and have a salad, big portion of roasted veg or even a bowl of soup with it.

And honestly, if you struggle to eat breakfast, just don't. That's 400/500 calories saved right there!

! But we have a crisp box and a chocolate box at work so after my apple I'll go and get something else as I'm not satisfied.

^^

You need some solid protein with your apple I. E cheese, hummus, yogurt. Make sure you pick full fat, it keeps you full and stops you craving crappy sugar.

I get up at 6:15 every day and leave the house at 7am so no time to prep a decent breakfast.

Prep your breakfast the night before then. Overnight oats, Egg Muffins. Or just grab some fruit and full fat greek yogurt. Stick in fridge at work until your hungry (or coolbag if no fridge).

Unfortunately with the crisps and chocolate box you need to exercise restraint.