*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_1643]

Hi Shelll
I think it's cool you can write here how it makes you feel and that you are in touch with ur body and the feelings of food after that. some times ppl are numb to these things, me included. I am not as aware of how foods make my body feel.
Was the cauliflower an easy meal? sounds really awesome!

I've been eating a lot of passionfruits. I think they are called "panama" variety - they are a little larger than the usual ones, and lighter colour.

I have been cutting two open and eating them as snacks throughout the day. Really good. Need to get more.
I like to rotate the fruits and veg I eat so I don't get bored.

I've been drinking a lot of hot chocolate and hot drinks in general. Try to start the day with some wheetbix if I have a big day, and like to put fruit on the top if I have some.

Also been making a lot of pasta when I can't be bothered cooking. Have some avacado left so might use that for a salad for the night, it's a food that really sustains me. Do u eat avacados ever as a protein?

[Guest_1055]

I do eat avocados, more for a healthy fat source. I didn't realise they had protein in them. Properly super nutritious then. I like it with scrambled tofu and on wraps mostly. And I have had a pudding made from avocado as well.

Oh Sleepy, I know the passionfruit you are talking about. I got given one a couple of days ago. It smelt so good and was sweet. Yummy.

I too have been sipping on warm drinks a lot more. Love sipping them out of my huggie mug. Feels like a comforting hug as well.

I don't eat wheatbix, but my hubby eats vitabrits. Very similar. He too has fruit on top of them. Canned peaches.

Properly good to rotate the fruit and vegetables. You get an array of nutrients. And there are so many different ones all different colours.

The roasted cauliflower is relatively easy. Just cut some up in small pieces. Sprinkle some spices like cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, sea salt on top. And roast in the oven. At times I may use a itty bit of olive oil along with the spices. Cook for about 15 minutes or so.

Today I ate:

Manderines and grapes earlier on

Then 1pm:

Leftover soup

Dinner:

Roast pumpkin and potato, carrots, green beans, corn, steamed spinach all smothered in mushroom and onion gravy. Delicious

And chocolate

[Guest_1055]

Hi Sleepy, so you are numb to the sensations of how food makes you feel. Did I understand you right? I wonder if it is because you are often sleepy?

Yeah I don't know why I am like that. The nourished feeling is the best one.

[Guest_1643]

I'm sleepy mostly on here as it's my name 🙂 haha.

Think it might be from trauma. I don't feel heat or cold much either...i think some sleep could do me good though. I had a nap on today( i never nap) - it was about 50 minutes or so and it did help me.
I felt I needed to be awake and alert for something and rested in my car. It helped.

[Guest_1055]

Glad you got some sleep that time. It makes so much difference. Yeah you may be right about the trauma. I am sorry Sleepy.

[Guest_1055]

10am...Smoothie

Just drunk I most beautiful colourful blueberry smoothie. I blended it up last night ready for this morning. Such a creamy purple colour. Not my recipe though.

Blueberry Smoothie

Soymilk

1 cup frozen blueberries

2 pitted dates

1 tablespoon almond butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Didn't do to well last night. And I feel it this morning. I feel heavy in the head, tired, less motivated to move. Just want to lay here. I ate a block of snack chocolate and maltesers late last night. Emotional eating again. Wish that I didn't stuff myself with the junk.

[Guest_1055]

Decided to find some inspirational and hopefully encouraging quotes, tips and tiny bits of info to help with this Emotional eating that I engage in. I don't want to abuse my body in this way. I just want to take better care of my body. I want to chose to love me.

"People who emotionally eat reach for food several times a week or more to suppress and soothe negative feelings. They may even feel guilt or shame after eating this way, leading to a cycle of excess eating and associated issues, like weight gain".

I do feel guilt after choosing to eat junk. Mostly from the fact of spending the money to buy it. Not guilt from say buying 1 small chocolate. But rather blocks of it every day. I feel guilt from wasting the money. Money that I am responsible for.

My sister has told me she feels quilty sometimes from eating chocolate biscuits. Like she is being naughty. She would not mind me sharing that. Thing is I don't feel like that. I just see it has it is not beneficial. It is permissible. There is no law saying you cannot eat chocolate biscuits or in my case blocks of the sugar, fat laden stuff called chocolate. But for me it truly does not benefit me. It harms me. So therefore I am not loving me by eating it. This is my logic anyway. Of which I thought I had none at the moment. I had a foggy and heavy feeling head.

I do feel shame though. Embarrassed by the amount of chocolate I eat. I will hide the chocolate. I also feel shame by the way my body looks from the after effects of eating the junk. Skin looks yuck. Feel fatter, uglier and all the rest of it. Makes me want to hide away. Which then affects my mental and emotional health. Makes me feel more alone and lonely then I normally do. Isolation. More time to dwell on negative thoughts. Less exercise and moving around.

Anyway that is about it for now.

[Guest_1055]

6:30pm.. Dinner

Nothing to eat since the blueberry smoothie. Think that sustained me until around 6pm.

Then I ate some watermelon while preparing dinner. I made a salad with grilled tofu. Cabbage, carrot, red capsicum grilled onion, mixed green leaves, cherry tomatoes, a bit of brown rice. All topped with this creamy spicy dressing.

Now just snacking on sultanas and sipping on a hot chocolate. Doing this before it gets too late into the night.

[Guest_1055]

Earlier am... Smoothie

Strawberry Smoothie

Soy milk

1 cup frozen organic strawberries

1 tablespoon almond butter

2 pitted medjool dates

1/2 tsp vanilla

Blend until smooth

10am...Didn't do to well. I went out bought vegan muffin meal with a hashbrown. And bottle of water.

[Guest_1055]

Earlier on : 3 mandarines

12:30pm: tomato, cheese and spinach toastie (made on pita bread) Iced chocolate

Cashew Cheese

Blend until smooth raw cashews, lemon juice, water, nutritional yeast, sea salt and a pinch of smoked paprika