*Trigger warning* Eating for Health and Wellness

[Guest_1055]

I have been struggling eating and eating healthy foods over the last couple of weeks. I really do not want to go back further to how I use to eat, that is eating junk food, takeaways, copious amounts of chocolate, processed junk and comfort eating.

Finding it challenging to stay motivated to actually prepare what I know helps me feel better mentally, emotionally and physically. Plus I have been feeling overwhelmed with other stuff happening in my life, which somehow makes it more challenging. The old unhealthy comfort eating thing is coming back. And I think I am getting concerned and scared about that. I so much do not want to go back to how I use to be. I was so sick. Plus I now have some physical things not right in my body , so I need to be more careful and mindful of what I eat. ( Pre cancer cells , high blood pressure )

I was eating really well since Febuary of this year, it’s just the last couple of weeks I haven’t.

So I would like to use this thread to help me be accountable to Beyond Blue people. So like a diary where I can post and report what I eat. And also any healthy eating tips, motivating strategies to help eat better or anything related to healthy eating for our bodies including our mental health.

[Guest_1055]

Trying to help motivate myself here.

Reasons I want to eat a healthy diet that is suited to me are:

1...I want to continue helping my body to heal

2... I want to loose about another 10 kg. I was 95 kg about 3 years ago. Now currently sitting at 73.6 kg.

3... I want to continue lowering my blood pressure.

4...I do not want to have a stroke, heart attack later in life.

5...I like having clear healthy skin.

6...It improves my quality of life because I generally feel better, my head is clearer ( less foggy)

7...I am emotionally more stable.

8...I sleep much better

9...I can do physically more things as I am not fatigued, achy.

10... It gives me more energy to spend time doing things with the people I care about.

11... I want to be around to see any grandchildren I may have

12... It makes me happier.

13... I am less angry, irritable and more forgiving

14... It allows my adventurous and creative side of me to be more free. Like I do like to prepare new foods to eat. And try foods I have never eaten or perhaps not heard of. And I like doing food presentation.

15... My other family members tend to eat healthier if I chose to. Which is good for them. Lead by example

16... It can be a little cheaper sometimes.

17...I would like to buy some new clothes that I really like and that look good on me.

18...I feel more confident within myself

19... I can physically clean my house better, for I have more energy. This is good for loved ones as well. As they seem more calm. And myself too. I feel more organised within myself as well. Not so scattered.

20...It lowers my cholesterol.

20...

[Guest_1055]

Ultimately my aim is for longer then this. But at the moment I aim to eat healthy for 3 days. So today I have eaten

Breakfast- Large green smoothie with extra fresh baby spinach. Frozen pineapple, grapes, greens and coconut water. Super yummy

Lunch- Rice and veggie salad. which consisted of brown basmati rice, cabbage, carrot, beans, mushroom, onion, celery, cashews, garlic and fresh ginger. Sauce had, tamari, apple cider vinegar, sesame oil, maple syrup and was supposed to have lime juice. But I did not have any limes. All this served with crispy cos lettuce. Mm so good.

I am glad I prepared this and ate it. As the thought did cross my mind to get hot chips again.

[Guest_1055]

Dinner... I plum, some grapes and creamy cauliflower soup

[Guest_2496]

Hi Shelley

You're giving me such great ideas - I love cauliflower and now I'm thinking about cauliflower soup 🙂

I've been following a similar pattern the last few days. Today I had a weetbix very early and a piece of toast with peanut butter later. Lunch more slaw salad (yes one of those packets from woolies Shell) and tuna. Dinner more veggie soup. (carrots, broccoli, zucchini, shitake mushrooms) and for snacks during the day I had green grapes; corn thins.

[Guest_1055]

Me too, I love cauliflower. I like peanut butter too.

Does You veggie soup taste ok. Like is there some stock in that? All those veggies do sound healthy.

I might have tried those corn thins, not sure. I sometimes eat those brown rice ones. I am pretty sure they are in the same section as the corn ones. They only have rice in them and that’s it. Other type crackers I occasionally eat are the original ryvitas. And ‘ Marys gone crackers”. The mary crackers are a little expensive but have lots of good for you seeds in them.

Mm grapes super yummy!🍇

[Guest_1055]

Breakfast..... the same smoothie as yesterday

Lunch..... Mixed lettuce leaves, with quinoa and crunchy curried chick peas.

Snack..... red plum and some grapes

[Guest_1055]

Dinner.... no dinner tonight, did not feel hungry.

Binge ate tonight 😢. I do not want to write what I ate, as I think I feel ashamed and that I have let myself down again. And I feel like I let you down too Annie if you are reading.

There was some conflict, rejection issues and some other emotional issues this evening. I did not handle that well. So yeah I turned to the crap food for comfort and whatever else.

[Clues_Of_Blue]

Hey Shelley. Please don't beat yourself up for having a bad night. These things happen from time to time, but it doesn't negate your effort so far and it certainly doesn't stop you from resuming the healthy diet afresh in the new day.

If you can, though, try and make sure there is as little junk food in the house as you can so it's not an easy go-to. Maybe when you feel like junk food, try to stop and take several deep breaths to be calm and think through the reasons you feel like it and why you don't want to do it (you have a really great list of reasons). Most of all, be kind to yourself. You're human, after all.

Blue.

[Guest_2496]

Hi Shelley

You definitely have not let me down. We can encourage each other along the way and there will be ‘off’ days for both of us.

I wanted to write a longer better reply but today I’m feeling so sick from eating badly yesterday! We’re a pair 😉

[Guest_1055]

Thanks Blue. And what a surprise I felt when I saw you posted in here. Thankyou. I hope you are getting along ok.

Thanks for all your suggestions. And yeah you won’t find much junk food in my house. If and when I struggle and gravitate to it. I will simply go out to buy it. There are late night supermarkets around here. And do you still work in one? And down the end of our street a 24 hour large convenience/ service station.