Healthy Diet

Hi :lol:

My Doctor told me that I probably have SAD (problems started after I had my daughter 4 years ago), put me on Prozac and muttered something a lightboxes as I was leaving. I looked into and hired a light box. The light box has turned my life around but reading some of the other messages on the forum I saw that people mention watching their diet.

I'm having major problems with controlling my diet, I've put on 1 stone in weight since September mainly due to binge eating of crisps and wine (although the urge has lessened since starting treatment). Has anyone else experienced this?

Any advice on foods to avoid or make a point of eating would be gratefully accepted. Also any advice on how to cope with the bad days I still get would be great.

Thanks

Diane

People talk about curbing carbohydrates which I find virtually impossible although i have lost two stones by increasing my protein intake. I try to eat eggs, baked beans e.t.c for breakfast plus toast or cereals and really fill up. I eat 3 big full meals in the day 8, 12 am and 5pm so that I feel stuffed most of the day and it reduces my need for junk food. You may need to eat lunch earlier than normal and tea likewise than you would normally do. You will allso need to wean yourself off high fat and sugar foods by replacing them with healthier but nice alternatives, it will feel a bit like going cold Turkey! Look in fridge or freezer cupboards e.t.c if it is over 15% fat bin it or treat once a week, buy low fat cheese anfd other alternatives and get off the rollercoaster of sugar and fat high and lows! Good luck

Hmm.......well, diets.

As Amy (Bright One) has found, it is a seriously plumping up time, the SAD months. So, Diane, you are certainly not alone by any means, we all do it! But again it boils down to personal power, similar to that of maintaining a sensible routine of getting up at a regular time in the morning. And, it is very very hard.

I always gain weight quite dramatically and by February am generally beginning to panic about wearing shorts and 'T's when the summer finally comes. Occasionally I have crash dieted and with dire consequences - I almost cease to function at all, mentally and physically. This is rectified in two days by eating sensibly and healthily, and enough. So, yes it is moderation in all things, though sugars and fats are on my limited list. The answer is probably three balanced meals and NO NIBBLING! Plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit, then moderate carbs and protein, lots of fresh water and limited tea, coffee, fizz and alcohol. All topped off with a time in the fresh air, walking ~ a time to also reflect and absorb the surrounding scene, whatever it is!

But, none of that is easy when in a downward spiral, but it helps to reverse the spiral, along with that vital light box. Maybe Diane your remaining bad days are as a result of not using your light box on a truly regular basis. It is so easy to slip back, it only takes me two days of no light box and I am well on the way back to total despair.

So, look after your diet and have a really regular commitment to your light. Your light box will make you feel so much better and when you feel that much better you have more personal power to control carb cravings. If you have read all the posts here you will also see that Yoga comes high on a number of lists as being of benefit.

All the best, all of you. It's really good to know that no one is now alone.
And Amy, please don't go trying to be concise, you are fun to read just as you are!

Julie :)

Ooohhh. Well that's just buggered my diet right up. No one told me carbs were BAD for saddies, in fact quite the opposite (although none of these people were professionals).

Not that my doctor or psychiatrist bothered to tell me either. Aaaagghhh! What can i eat? I like carbs, jacket spuds oozing cheese and beans, or pasta n sauce. Heeeelp!

I second Julie (we appear to be operating like a double act at the moment, should we go on tour?)

Carbs are not bad. No food is bad- in moderation.
Food is not good or bad in itself, it is the quantity and the combinations that can have icky effects.

Jacket spuds with cheese and beans... fantastic, a good source of protein, carbs and a bit of fat too. Actually not a bad meal. It's just if you eat that and only that!

And a handy hint, if you get some regular exercise 3-4 (or more) times a week then the food thing becomes easier... you'll find that you actually eat more healthily. But remember going for a run will not balance out a whole packet of hob nobs!

amy

Must admit Dances with Matalan Sandles I am really into the old Curries since my local supermarket had these fantastic ones that are normally about 3 quid a jar on offer for 99p, they had 6 diffrent types so I bought 12 jars of the things and 1 jar makes 2 meals for this sad hippy.

I buy chicken breast to avoid the Mad cows, and I have now cut out my carb crisps totally and take the old vits and garlic every day.

My body is a Temple

and a dam ruined one at that :shock:

Hello, it can be done!
Well I am still kicking myself over a year later that I have actually lost weight, two stones in all! Two years ago my motorcycle was nicked (again) and I thought f--k it I'm just using my cycle from now on and bollocks to the motorcycle. Well I cycled every shift to work which was a 22 mile round trip and only lost 4 lbs in six months. It really dawned on me then that exercise alone was never gonna do it for me! Coupled with the fact that I went on a first aid course and the guy doing the course said early onset of heart attacks are now expected at 36 it scared the bejeezus out of me. I had just become a dad and seriously wondered if I was going to see my kids leave school! I was the man who eat three meals a day with snacks in between (loads of chips) and for a treat in the evening generally sat down with two bars of choccy, 3 bags of crisps, doughnuts, assorted chewy sweets and pop!
My first recommendation is that you pig out at breakfast and you might have to acclimatise to eating early but you must build up your tolerance for a big breakfast. Have lunch early (about 12 or half eleven if you need to ) before you get really hungry and snack. Fill up at lunch again till you want no more. By tea time again eat at five (early) and hopefully you will still be feeling a little full from lunch but do eat.
The other important thing is eat things like beans, egg, cheese on toast or fish etc for breakfast. You need to make sure it's not completely carby toast and cereals type thing... give this a go and let me know, it's the first stage!

Errr did you mention coffe there. I think I can give up most things but my coffee is one thing I know I shall never give up. Mind you I have now started on Tea at times.


I know over the many years my weight has increased :shock: most due to the carby binging in the winter, as Im one of these people that eat to cure some of the effects of depression with SAD. But Im getting there, my weight is at last decreasing dur to my binging has stopped and Im trying to get more exercise during the day times..

By July I want my weight to a semi respectfull size, I never weigh myself I go by what cloths I can get into, as jumping on the scales is far to depressing and I always say they lie through there front teeth.. :twisted: