*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]

Yeah maybe it's all mixed up Paw Prints, I don't know. I do feel much better today. It's day 4 without junk.

How are you going with decreasing the consumption of milk?

And since you said you were eating cashews.. Well I came across this snack bag of cacao almonds. They were in the health food section in Woollies. So crunchy and yum. I think only $1 for the snack bag.

[Guest_1055]

Day 5

of abstaining from junk. I emotionally feel much much calmer. My head is still a little foggy, like not totally clear. I have more hope then before. No headache either.

Today I have consumed:

Snack - 1 crunchy pink lady apple, 2 medjoil dates, iced chocolate (soy milk, cocoa, vanilla, coconut sugar)

Lunch - I made a salad with left over veggie noodles with lemon tahini dressing. So yum. It included 2 cups of green leaves, a variety of different vegetables, a protein source of black beans, chickpea spaghetti and a healthy fat sourced from the tahini in the dressing.

[Paw Prints]

So glad your headache is gone, hopefully the fogginess will clear soon too. I notice you didn't have breakfast today, I know you like to fast sometimes, but I'm wondering if maybe having some porridge (rolled oats) might give you a bit of a boost. Porridge does help lower the bad cholesterol & it has a low GI, so it would fit in with your healthy eating.

Thanks for the heads up about the almonds, I am going into town later this week so will have a look for them. So far so good with my milk, if I can keep going all month I'll drop it some more next month.

Paw Prints

[Guest_1055]

Ah good on you with your decreasing milk consumption.

Yes oats are super good for lowering cholesterol hey. And I do eat porridge. Extremely yummy now it's getting colder.

I also make oat flour, and just recently tried oat milk.

The whole idea of fasting is no food at all. 🙂 Only water. I do this properly half of the week. So no breakfast. I am quite used to it actually. And I do longer fasts every now and then. I know it might sound weird. It allows your body more time to help heal itself. And regenerate. So like it does when we are asleep and not eating. Sorry about the lecture Paw Prints. I just find it a fascinating subject.

Thanks for caring

[Paw Prints]

I didn't take it as a lecture, just as you sharing your experiences. I don't know if you have been watching - Michael Mosley's Trust me I'm a Dr - on SBS, I find it very informative, especially with it's looking at various foods & how they affect us. The studies into how/when we eat can change how our bodies use food were fascinating.

Paw Prints

[Guest_1055]

That does sound interesting. I wonder if it's on ytube. I might have a look. I don't watch TV.

Glad it did not sound like a lecture.

Dinner - was actually mmm yucky. It was supposed to be pumpkin soup. But I let it boil dry until it burnt on the bottom of the pot. I salvaged what I could. Added more water, blended it up and then laddled some into a bowl. It looked a pretty orange colour. And the texture was great. But after 3 spoonfuls of it, I thought I cannot eat this. It just tasted burnt. Yeah yucky.

I ended up eating a whole lot of grapes and a manderine.

[MsPurple]

HI everyone

Sorry had some time off. Been getting stuff organised (long unrelated story, anyways one thing out of it is a job interview so yay).

I agree with Paw, I think it could be partly 'chicken or egg'. I find when I am down I crave and more likely to binge eat on junk. If the down and irritable feelings are based on the mental health or the binge, it can be hard to tell. Don't get me wrong. I think excessive sugar and food colourings can cause these issues on their own if consumed in large amounts often, but whether a one binge causes it, I don't know. Also I like sugar and carbs. I just try get natural sources. E.g. fruits and vegetables

I haven't eaten great today. I was out with a friend and we shared cake. And after dinner my housemate had made some pie at tafe. I had some. Yes two bad things in a day. But I did go to gym (following free run program) but that's not why its ok. It's ok because it was social. My housemate had tafe 2 weeks a year for stuff like this, so it is ok. I try remind myself that if you have a bad day it is ok. I do not need to justify things based on gym or activity. I can just have a bad day and know it isn't going to affect me if I get back at it. (yes it would affect me if I did it everyday). Social stuff happens and we can't always plan it. I see body builders on insta and I sometimes think 'why can't I be like that'. But then I remember how disiplined they have to be and how my previous ED brain probably can't do it because I need more flexible. Sorry this paragraph was a blah of words.

I have thoughts like you have had Shelly. I had a bad depression day nearly two weeks ago. All thoughts like that rush through my brain. I got through it. Yes it sucked. But I am trying to be positive about it. I did the right things and I got through it. And I have a good support system (doctors and family etc). I hope you have a good support system. Sounds like your husband is trying. It can be tough. I know when I had an a GAD flare up my family were really good, but I could be difficult at times, but they knew it wasn't me and I came around after a bit.

[Guest_1055]

Binged again on choc biscuits this evening. Why am I so slow to learn that it makes me ill. So back to day 1 again tomorrow.

Today besides the biscuits I have had mandarines. And I made this toasted whole meal Lebanese bread thing. Inside was homemade hummus, chickpeas, baby spinach and tomato. Pretty yum and filling.

How you going there Ms Purple. Hope you do well in your job interview. I think excessive sugar does affect us in a bad way. I biscuit maybe not. Or one piece of cake maybe not. But some people cannot stop at one only. And that is me. Before I know it the whole packet is munched on.

I am glad you have people to support you.

[MsPurple]

Hi Shelley

I completely get it. I sometimes get those ice cream tubs, they aren't too big, I can easily eat it in one. Oops. I try buy ones that are either single serve or family tubs to try avoid doing this. Ice cream is my favourite food.

I am hoping to go for a bike ride on Friday. I just struggle with going with the group ride at 5.30am. Gonna suck

[Guest_1055]

Hello

I have never had issues over consuming ice-cream, Ms Purple. Never really been fond of dairy type foods. Even growing up, I struggled to drink cows milk. Just tasted yuck to me. It was the easiest for me to give up when I choose to go plant based. Now I am discovering a world of nut milks. And there are so many different kinds. It would be fun to make nut milk ice-cream actually.

Day 1

Mandarines. For lunch I made a salad that had 2 large handfuls of Cos lettuce, roasted diced pumpkin, quinoa, chickpeas, sultanas. And a dressing of lime juice, water, raw honey, soy sauce, sesame oil. So so yummy