

To ask you to tell me how you changed you unhealthy ways? Need inspiration!

(86 Posts)
450fromPaddington Sat 29-Dec-12 09:46:40

Im a working mother of 3 under-threes. I work 3 full days and have the children on the other days. My lifestyle is sedentary aside from pottering about with housework/looking after the kids.

My diet isn't ideal. Should probably consume less strawberry laces, biscuits, cheddar cheese, wine etc. I eat from a narrow range of easy options during the day (think cheese on toast) although I do make a home-cooked family dinner.

It's weighing on my conscience that I need to set a good example to the children now. I don't have the excuse of having a newborn anymore to excuse my lazy ways!

I have started going to the gym once or twice a week at 630 to do 20 mins on running machine and cross trainer to try to improve my flagging energy levels.

I need inspiration and motivation to make other changes though. Once the kids are in bed I just watch TV and chill out all evening. I can't find a thread on getting healthier generally as they all seem to be about weight loss and I'm quite thin as it is (Crohns disease).

Would love to hear your inspirational stories or any advice/comments.

manicinsomniac Sat 29-Dec-12 14:27:22

If you want to get fitter and healthier without losing weight then try strength and resistance training alongside your cardiovascular workouts at the gym. You will build lean muscle mass, speed up your metabolism and feel stronger and more energised.

I will happily join a thread about staying motivated for being healthier btw! Not sure how they work but would join one!

450fromPaddington Sat 29-Dec-12 14:35:05

confused - you don't sound the least bit confused smile. I found that really interesting to read. It's interesting to see that you came to a point in life when it was really Time To Change, and it sounds like the stakes were high.

I have a lidl but not aldi nearby, although with 3 small children I'm limited to Internet shopping for groceries. I alternate between tesco, sainsburys and asda. OK then, I'll try some gluten free bread!!

450fromPaddington Sat 29-Dec-12 14:37:40

manic - thanks for that, I've not been doing any weights yet so I'll try to include that at the gym.

confused - shall I start a thread then? I wonder where - is chat right for it?

450 - Thanks! The confused relates to the foggy brain I had almost permanently at one point (another symptom of health issues which alleviated a lot when change happened thankfully), I have become attached to the name now grin
I think that's exactly it, it was Time to Change, and bits of it have been a lot easier than I expected it to be. I struggle with motivation still and I haven't got kids of my own to worry about so I am so amazed when people with children come along with inspirational stories!

Sainsbury's usually have a good range of Polish foods and other European foods which they do sell online if your local store has them in stock. I generally don't go for 'gluten-free' stuff as opposed to foreign stuff that happens to be made from rye. The bread branded as gluten free can be quite crumbly and doesn't hold together very well. My local Asda has a lot of good European products too but we generally shop at Sainsbury's as we have nectar cards and they do the coupons which equal out your purchases to other major shops.

Maybe the health section would be better? I don't know though, where are the weight loss ones usually? confused <<ambles off to work it out>>

General Health or Sport and Exercise I think.

the best motivation is seeing the change in your skin and hair, feeling the energy levels creep up and finding that you actually want to do things now not slob around drinking wine.
<she says knowing that she has to do something very radical herself after xmas hol>

450fromPaddington Sat 29-Dec-12 15:29:37

confused - thanks for the shopping tips, I'll have a look online when I'm shopping next and see what I can experiment with. I've got to do some housework etc but later on I will start this thread in General Health. Who knows, perhaps we'll have some more interest as we get towards New Year!

ecclescake - That sounds like a real carrot at the end of the stick!!! Will try to hold onto the mental image. Also, perhaps if I'm generally healthier I'll get less of these blooming viruses which have resulted in me being in solitary confinement for Christmas (V+D, gross, followed by a cold/cough now oh joy)

trikken Sat 29-Dec-12 15:38:53

Tesco do a nice gluten free bread too. In the 'Free from' range.

Stepaway: I forgot about that. My skin is so much better since I started eating decently, the oily-ness is manageable!

I'm having a shite week for eating well, I've come to visit my parents and I always, without fail, lose any and all motivation to do anything hmm Haven't eaten today, I've had a tea and three cigarettes (the only time I smoke is when drinking which happens three or four times a year, or when I'm in Essex hmm)

450fromPaddington Sat 29-Dec-12 16:05:24

Thanks trikken

confused - its the Christmas season! It's definitely not a week for healthy eating!!!

This goes beyond the Christmas season for me here unfortunately. I turn into a zombie whenever I come to my parents. The past year I've limited how long I'm here for but DP and I messed up this Christmas with dates so I've ended up here beyond the 48-72 hours I usually allow! We're going back home tomorrow I think, Yay! for normalcy!

I am visioning myself feeling energetic, wanting to go out and do things, feeling good when I wake up, sleeping better, enjoying looking after my glowing face rather than my dingy grey complexion, enjoying food that does not leave me feeling greasy inside, just losing my current lethargy. its my ploy for setting myself new goals, the pre contemplative stage before I actually knuckle down and make some radical changes cos I need to lose about 4 - 5 stone and I am planning that 2013 is the year I do it!

StepAway: Good for you smile What changes are you thinking of?

forevergreek Sat 29-Dec-12 17:23:15

You may find gluten free bread isn't to your taste. However try easy was to reduce bread intake in general

Jacket potato for lunch every other day instead of a sandwich will instantly half your bread over lunchtime. Eat with some tuna/ beans/ cheese, and some veggies/ salad. Takes 10 mins in microwave ( you can also give to children and just give all three a spoon/ small fork/ their hands and let them get on with it!)

A mixed bean salad - just a tin of mixed beans, add some tomatoes/ cucumber/ pepper/ and whatever else you like. Can add tuna if you haven't eaten too much on potatoes already ( I think an adult should eat x2 tins tuna max a week)

Also try getting some nice German/ Swedish breads. Thy are denser and therefore more filling so you can have just one slice as an open sandwich with lots of topping

Try and make you plate a rainbow of colours- different coloured foods generally contain diff vitamins

Work of how much money you spend a week on crap ( crisps/ sweets/ soda/ choc etc) you will probably be surprised. Put that amount aside ad at the end of the month buy yourself a treat with whatever you have saved. If you spend an average of £5 a week that's a £260 saving a year!

I fully intend to drag out my slimming world books (worked for me a few years ago) I need to cut down on my alcohol intake and I want to take some exercise. sounds easy, but I am a lazy, compulsive eater with a tendency to misuse alcohol sooooo not so easy to put in place but I am sick of feeling like a bloaty big lardarse! challenge starts when I get back to work on Jan 3rd. (pleeese)

RainbowSpiral Sat 29-Dec-12 17:42:34

If you are not overwieght then I wonder if your lifestyle is that unhealthy. Why do you think you are unhealthy? (e.g. cannot climb steps without being puffed etc)

Rainbow: Because being overweight isn't the only sign of unhealthyness? confused

On a personal level, I have a decent metabolism which has meant that I've never put on that much weight, I've always fluctuated between sizes 8 and 12 (both which lead me to 'healthy' bmis) but I generally look healthier when I'm bigger. Many people have a rubbish diet that doesn't have the nutrients they need, don't exercise often, they could be any size or shape but they'd still be unhealthy.

Wheresmypopcorn Sat 29-Dec-12 17:56:43

drop the sugar. It will be a struggle at first but try and do low sugar for a month. You will feel loads better.

SparkyDudess Sat 29-Dec-12 17:57:26

450, I have chrohns too and while theres no harm trying the gluten free route if you fancy it, there's no evidence to suggest it will improve your disease. There is some anecdotal stuff out there, but nothing conclusive.

What I did found helpful was reducing carbs and increasing protein - standard low GI approach, and I definitely have more energy.

I take several supplements (pathetically low folate/b12 levels), and try to vary what I eat as much as poss. I also try to listen to my body - for example, I get weird cravings and I know now to listen to them. The most recent was blue cheese, which I discovered has b12.

I don't tend to eat crisps or sweets, mostly because I'm almost never hungry so have to be prompted to eat at all usually!

I was eating a bag of Haribo plus whatever was cheap in the discount shop almost every few days on and off for about four years. It was comfort eating. I stayed thin but it was just crap self discipline and would have caught up with me healthwise anyway. It helps I've totally gone off sweet things! Half a square of chocolate lasts me a huge mug of coffee and even then I'm a bit sick of it by the end. But I turned veggie when I went off to uni and can't go near a lot of sweets because of the gelatine, I don't even think about it. So....wink

Agree with earlier posters - drop the sugar and be amazed by the difference it will make to your health.

Avoid diets/regimes that cut out whole food groups like diary or carbs as unless you do appropriate research about appropriate replacement foods you will end up deficient in various vitamins and minerals which won't help you.

Build exercise into your day - don't rely on the gym i.e. walk, cycle rather than using transport

450fromPaddington Sat 29-Dec-12 19:55:56

Lots of interesting stuff here while I've been away!

ecclescakes good luck with your slimming world plan for the new year. I have a friend who lost approx 4 stone with weight watchers years ago and never put it back on. I think it re-trained her eating habits permanently.

forevergreek - baked potatoes are a good idea. And trying the German/Swedish breads. At the moment I eat 2 slices white bread toasted with a ready-cut square of cheddar melted on each for most lunches. Because its quick, filling and tasty. But writing it down here sounds appalling!

rainbow - I worry about the effect of my poor diet on my long term health. It increases my risk of various cancers. And in the longer term my poor diet and lack of exercise would increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. But mostly I worry about the children learning these habits from me.

popcorn and worcestershir - I eat too much sugar!! Must cut down! I even take sugar in tea and coffee in the last year or so.

sparky - it's really interesting to hear what has helped you, given that you have Crohns. I have to take B12 injections since I had part of my small intestine removed. What supplements do you take?

quirrel - if you can give up a sugar habit hopefully I can too!

confused - I might find out if Ican move this thread to general health.

In answer to my own question I probably AMbeing unseasonable as its not January yet grin

450fromPaddington Sun 30-Dec-12 09:31:04

I have asked to have this thread moved to general health, so if anyone wants to join in with a motivational becoming more healthy-style of thread then that's where it'll be!

Sparky: Thanks for the tip RE B12 in blue cheese, gives me an excuse to eat more now! grin

Quirrel: I have the same thing ith being veggie and sweets, it does make it so much easier as my list of ones to avoid is bigger than those to buy! And ith companies like Mars constantly changing ingredients around and using different factories, you can never be 100% sure if they are veggie or not either even when they are supposed to be!

Well, my first 'healthy idea' for the year is complete, I have finished writing my walking plan to get me from little walking to a week consisting of:
Monday 18th March: Walk 130 minutes.
Wednesday 20th March: Walk 9 miles.
Saturday 23rd March: Walk 16 miles.
Sunday 24th March: Walk 9 miles.
Monday 25th March: Walk 140 minutes.

Then I get a week's break before my expedition starts on the 1st April!
It starts tomorrow with a 25 minute walk smile

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