*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.

[monkey_magic]

Hi everyone,

How are we all?

I've lost 4kgs!!

I've reduced my portion sizes, told myself it's ok to be hungry and you don't have to eat so much because you are already fed, and been swimming.

And that's been the key for me.

I was struggling with being hungry even after I ate a normal sized meal but I didn't give in these last couple days to overeating.

You see to get to my size I've obviously eaten too much and I really haven't needed all that food to survive and thrive.

Making these small changes will totally benefit me in the long run. It will benefit my health and that's the most important.

I've been eating tuna, veg stir-fry, salads, fruits, yoghurt,nuts & seeds and treats of chocolate crackles.

[Guest_1055]

I cannot be 100% sure of this. But I think my mental and emotional health is affected by the foods I choose to eat

I have been eating much more white bread over the last 5 days. It started with KFC rolls, then some wraps from subway. Then moved onto hot cross buns and now today I ate about 6 slices of white flour toast with dairy margarine and vegemite. Not only do I feel bloated and lethergic and sick but foggy headed, distant, far away, a sense of unrealness, gloomy, can't be bothered and thoughts of ending my life flickered in my mind today.

If anyone is reading this and you have noticed a connection between processed wheat and how you mentally are. Will you let me know?

In me... I think I am beginning to see a pattern, but cannot be sure. And also I think they spray round up or some other perhaps toxic chemical on commercial wheat crops.

I don't often eat white floured products, but have done over the last 5 days.

[Guest_1055]

Hi MM, I am not sure whether to congratulate you on all the effort you have put in to help your body loose weight. Is it something that one gets congratulated on? Who knows? But I admire your effort and determination a lot.

You mentioned something about drinking your calories.. I have heard that before somewhere as well. I guess it makes a difference as to your own personal goals. For me it has always been to help heal my body. So I do desire to flood it with lots of nutrients. You can get loads in a vegetable juice. Instead of eating 1 whole carrot. You can juice say 5 of them and get so much more nutrients. True there is no fibre in juice. And that can be not a good thing. Especially if the rest of your food for the day lacks much fibre.

I do believe if one is attempting to heal their body then juice is a good way to do that. Mostly vegetable in the juice

Ok getting confused

[Sophie_M]

Hey Shelll,

It sounds like you've had a tough day and you've shown so much strength in reaching out here to the community. It can be really diffiuclt to cope with overwhelming thoughts like these, but please know that support is always available if you'd like to talk these feelings through.

The kind counsellors at the Beyond Blue Support Service are always available to you, 24/7 by phone on 1300 22 4636 or also through Webchat 1pm-12am AEST at: www.beyondblue.org.au/getsupport  We would strongly urge that you get in touch with our friends at Lifeline (13 11 14) or the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467) who are there for you as often as you need during overwhelming moments like these.

Please feel free to keep reaching out whenever you feel up to it.

[Guest_1055]

Thankyou Sophie

[monkey_magic]

Hi Shell,

When eating foods with added sugars, refined grains, and a high G.I you are more likely to develop depression. Your blood sugar rises, giving you a quick high and then you experience a sugar crash. This often makes people feel terrible. I believe this is why you are feeling the way that you do.

Oh I'm a huge advocate for juicing to heal the body and for health. And the documentary I was watching said that the juice does contain some fibre. I personally believe this because I was pooping better.

But for weight loss I think if u eat the foods you will feel fuller and therefore consume less calories.

How have you been eating recently. I think it's easy to become addicted to that high food gives us. Plus tastebuds like to crave things.

My food's been pretty balanced. I'm still having treats but in reality I prefer the nourishment from proper healthy foods. And I know you're exactly the same.

Emotional /comfort eating is so common. I have to have the mantra in my head that I'm eating for nourishment and not comfort. I ask myself are u really hungry? And if I'm not I wait until I am.

[Guest_1055]

And oh yes it is so very easy to become addicted to food that gives us that "high". Even more so if you have a personality that seems to get addicted to things. Which I think is me. For me it really is best to say no to all refined grains and refined sugars and processed foods all the time. Otherwise I tend to get into this stuck prison like feeling where crap food is controlling me. Which it seems like I am in now.

Physically I feel sick, I went for a walk yesterday just to get fresh air. The air helped some. But it was an effort to move my body as it just ached and felt so so heavy. Definitely no spring in my step. I know it's the side effects of the crap food choices I made.

And yes MM, I am the same. I do prefer having that nourished sensation in my body. The other affects the quality of my life and in a negative way.

I like what you think and ask yourself about whether you are eating for nourishment or eating for comfort. And if you are hungry or not.

The feeling of hunger is a bit fascinating to me actually. Because a craving can be mistaken for a hunger. I am thinking the only time I have felt that real hunger for food is when I was working out so much at the gym. After it. And mostly at that time I was within a healthy weight and BMI range. And consuming only nourishing food. But I only ever felt hungry after the gym session and all the foods I was eating tasted so much more yummy. I long to go back to that. I was so much more better in every way. Including my mental health.

I will be doing a detox and a water fast very soon. Some times it is the only way for me to get unstuck from this addiction. I would not say it is for everyone though.

[monkey_magic]

Hi Shell,

I think you just found your answer... Going back to the gym!

I re- joined a gym about two weeks ago. So far I have done a Zumba class and two weight sessions. I don't just want to lose weight but build muscle and transform my body.

Plus I find it inspiring being around fit, healthy people.

It's one of the best decisions I have made.

🏋️

[Guest_1055]

Yeah maybe you are right about going back to the gym. I don't know. I am a little self conscious and awkward of being seen by other people there. You do sound like you really like it though. Good on you MM.

Today I have been super tired and headachy, my gums are aching even. But apart from the gum issue, I know it is a detox reaction most likely. I have been free of junk food except for 1 small white dinner roll yesterday. Free for 2 whole days. So that makes me feel encouraged.

Yesterday I made a pot of leak, corn and potato soup. I spooned it into a large mug and ate it from that. I had a few mug fulls. Very yummy and filling and helped with the cravings for smiths potato chips. I also had lots of grapes. And I green powered super food drink which I added ground flax seeds too.

Today I ate some juicy purple plums. So so good. An iced chocolate. And for dinner I ate a plate of salad ( similar to a coleslaw) but had a homemade dressing. It had cabbage both green and purple , carrot, apple, spinach, cos lettuce, toasted cashews and sultanas. Super yummy. The plate also had tofu, tomato and corn.

And grapes.

Hopefully I will start to feel better tomorrow

[Guest_1055]

So far today I have just drank an iced chocolate... that's it. I don't really feel like eating at the moment.

Yesterday I ate grapes, sipped on one of those large green powdered drinks (wheat grass, spirulina, barley grass) that had ground flaxseeds blended into it.

And for lunch yesterday I made a lentil type salad. It had cos lettuce, tomatoes, raw red onion, red capsicum, cumin, ground corriander, mexican chilli flakes and a couple of spoonfuls of cashew sour cream (cashews, lemon juice, water and massel "chicken" stock powder)

No junk food for 3 days now.

And very soon I will be driving to someones place to pick up 3 vegan cookbooks that she is giving away. She will leave them for me on her veranda. I love pouring through the pages of physical cookbooks. Mostly plant based whole food ones.