Re: I need a kick start if you can help me please!
Hello JOJO
Healthy diet, nutrition, weight loss, foods to eat etc is a huge subject, people have written books, and studied it to a huge extent
I'm not going to give you too much on particular foods, instead here are some ideas to help you find out more
I have diabetes, and eat to suit that
But the idea now is that we should not look on it as a diet just for diabetics, it is a healthy diet that anyone can follow
So get onto this website --
www.diabetes.org.uk
towards the top of the home page go to 'living with diabetes'
then 'food and exercise'
within that there are sections on healthy eating, and a recipe finder; and possibly a meal planner, i can't quite remember now
Just as with this forum, you can get on their forum without registering
there are sections on food, and a book section with recommendations for healthy & low carb food & diet
Go to your library (when it opens again) or search Amazon books for books on healthy diets
You can also Search on YouTube for 'healthy eating', but as with many things on YT you need to treat it with a bit of caution, and once you start following the links & prompts it can be never ending
Places like doctors, sports centres, community centre usually have leaflets
The Mediterranean Diet is considered very healthy; again, Search YT & books accordingly
I wonder? it might be worth having a quick test for diabetes.
The Dreaded D is very insidious and can come on gradually without your realising it; it did in my case
Most pharmacies can give you a quick, free test, and if necessary point you in the right direction for further treatment
They usually have healthy diet leaflets anyway
Healthy diet and weight loss programmes crop up frequently on TV
Remember that they are for entertainment as well as information, but they're easy enough to watch
Here are some general changes to be going on with --
Reduce the amount of carbohydrate you eat -- certainly cut out white bread and a lot of buns, pies, cakes, biscuits, sugar etc
A small amount of high fibre bread is OK
Also reduce or stop eating potatoes, rice, pasta etc.
Reduce the amount of fat - certainly lots of animal fat like bacon, sausages, burgers, especially if they are fried
The only fat I use now is olive oil. It doesn't need to be the expensive extra virgin, the cheaper promiscuous stuff is fine!
I use a small amount of polyunsaturated margarine, and a very small amount of butter
I haven't gone vegetarian, but I've stopped eating a lot of meat, but I eat more fish
I used to love pate till I realised it was just pink fat!
Plenty of veg & salads
Sometimes I make up savoury yogurt for a snack - natural yogurt with chopped onion, celery, cucumber, blanched broccoli; you get the idea
I wonder, do you live on your own? The problem I have is that if you buy a cabbage and a bag of carrots you have them for several meals, or they go off
So fat I haven't had the nerve to just buy one carrot, two mushrooms etc.
Have a browse round the frozen sections of supermarkets including Iceland
Besides the cakes, pizzas, pies, & battered fish you can find ready prepared veg, fish & stir fry mixes
That way you can eat as much or as little as you want. And the fish will usually be prepared for you
One more thing; exercise helps
Diet and exercise have a sort of rolling or combined effect for weigh loss.
Start off simply, and the more you do, the more you will be able to do
It's summer now. You don't need serious mountaineering gear to go on a walk and explore your local town I footpaths
Just some comfy trainers, casual clothes, and a small bag for a bottle of water and a (healthy!) snack
I think that'll do for the moment, I hope I haven't rambled or bored you too much
Good luck and let us know how you go on