Stuck with bad diet. Tips?

**Shelby Mustang** · 01-12-2010 05:56 PM

Im eighteen but still live with my family. In the house is me, my parents, my sister and brother in law and her two kids. The house is severely hectic and when it comes to food they buy things that are quick and easy to fix because the kids, and the adults are stuck eating it as well. Our dinners are alittle healthier but are still heavy. Im dieing for better food but I really have no choice. We're on a strict food budget since we're supporting two familys but I have to do something because this diets starting to make me so sick. Im constnatly nauseas and I can just feel the food slowly digesting, it feels like Im never hungry because by the time its time for me to eat again the last meal still isnt digested. Im so sluggish and sleeping constantly and its getting to the point where the food might taste good but its hard to swallow because I know its just nasty greasy processed junk.
What do I do? I dont have a licence or job yet so I cant purchase my own food, and Im recovering from stress related anorexia so I cant afford to skip meals and food. Im lost!
Also any tips on exercise during the winter? No exercise equipment and limited room. Plus freezing temperatures outside!

**Mes T** · 01-12-2010 06:01 PM

Well first off you need to communicate these health effects to your family. Surely they want the best for you and for you to stay healthy, right?

Secondly, it's been shown time, and time, and time again that eating healthy foods, buying veggies, fruits, etc, and cooking your own healthy meals (which by the way don't have to take exorbitant amounts of time either) is WAY CHEAPER than buying pre-made or quick fix things. Go find some statistics on the internet, print them out, and show them to your family. "Low budget" is no excuse since they could be saving a lot more money the other way around.

**Blue33** · 01-12-2010 09:26 PM

I can sort of relate because I come from a large family (including pets) and was still living there during college with little income and not liking such a meat-heavy diet as my family was into. Its hard to eat differently to everyone else especially because if you prepare your own meals you're seen as ungrateful for someone else's efforts in the kitchen. I think there are a few things you an do though.

Try volunteering to cook once a week - the rules being that if you do this you get to choose what you're cooking. Other family members who are time poor and tired should appreciate this if you can get it on the table at a reasonable hour. For your own sake keep it simple though - there are plenty of meals that require little preparation time but just need some planning as they take time to cook. Some ideas - a pot roast, a stew, meatloaf and steamed veges, grilled sausages or steak and salad.

For breakfast, lunch and snacks think of things like avacado on toast - doesn't take any longer to make than the average sandwich but has heaps of vitamins. Cheese and tomato sandwiches are also quick and easy and even better grilled. In fact, there's lots that you can put on a sandwich quickly that's healthy - salad, left over baked veges, peanut butter (the kind that is made from 100% peanuts) etc.

For these suggestions your family doesn't need to change shopping habits other than to stop in the fruit and veg section and bag a few items there.

If money is too tight to buy fresh produce at the grocery store lovely fresh fruit and veges can be had at most farmers markets at a fraction of the grocery store price and usually they are of better quality too.

Also - see if you can convince your family to use wholemeal pasta, brown rice (or a substitute like quinoa), wholemeal bread etc - it will help you feel satiated longer and without the highs and lows of white flour based products.

Hope these suggestions help. I know it can be hard to make these changes. Even if you just tag along on the next shopping trip and put one piece of fruit or veg in the cart its a start and you can build on that. Also, as Mes_T said - I think you should talk to your family about how this lifestyle is affecting you - you might find you're not the only one who feels this way.

About exercise - there's lots of options for things you can do at home. For a warm up/cardio you can jog on the spot, do step ups (onto anything of suitable height), run up and down stairs if you have some where you live. Then there's strength stuff - push ups, sit ups or crunches, squats etc - google on exercising at home - there's heaps of info out there.

**mtech92** · 02-21-2010 06:57 PM

There are some reat responses ^. With the major constraint being funding issues, there are somethings that can be done.

You need to ensure that you are getting the right minerals & vitamins to support healthiness. Being low on cash makes it that much more easier to just go after high calorie dense foods which lack nutritional value. I found that eating healthier definately perked me up mentally.

Perhaps you should try consuming a multivitamin for starters. Frozen and canned veggies and fruits are relatively cheap. As someone mentioned, go for pasta. It is one of the cheapest and easiest meals to make, plus you can get a good serving of veggies. Also, ensure that you are gettin enough dietary fiber (20g/day)