Hello sisterhood, this is something that I've put off for a long time, but it since caught up with me and I need to change, NOW!
I have 2 very young children, I also have a body a lot of people say they wish they had, one which doesn't gain weight, ever! I put on only a few kilos through my pregnancies and bounced back straight away, and I think, my fast metabolism has been destroying me. I'm so unhealthy, so unhealthy that I recently had to have surgery because one of my organs took too much of a beating and gave up! Anyway, I don't like vegetables, none! Not too keen on fruit either, I like very bland food with little flavour and takeaway is my first choice, I smoke cigarettes and I drink atleast 2 litres of coke a day along with several energy drinks, all of which have no effect on me. I know this is bad, but I can't help myself. I don't want to do anything like herbal life, I can not stand shakes of any sort. My problem is, I want to like healthy foods, i just don't. I'm still young, 20 years old. Is there anyway to make my tastebuds change?! I even would love to like wine, but I can't stand the stuff! I feel like a 14 year old child! My children will soon pick up on my habits and lifestyle, although I make them eat well and neither has ever even tried juice, strictly water and milk, things will start to become a fight and I know it! I have murdered my teeth, there embarrassing, I try my hardest to never smile, and that's something I'll have to live with as I know I'll never be able to afford the dental work, there yellow, crack, chipped and holes all through them. I need to change, but how can I when I can not swallow a vegetable without nearly throwing up! I eat once the kids are in bed for the simple fact of them not seeing what I eat. I don't feel "lucky" that I don't gain weight because I feel if I looked the same way on the outside that I do on the in, I would have never let it get this far. What can I do?! I need some help, I hate my diet, my lifestyle, my teeth! I'm unmotivated all day, and although I get everything done that needs to be done I always feel drained! Any advice is appreciated, thanks!
5 Replies
Have you tried a psychologist or occupational therapist to help you.
Have you tried just gradually exposing yourself to one new food at a time.
I think if you try to make drastic changes all at once you'll fail and just revert to your old patterns so slow and steady would win the race.
I'd pick one new food, just one (about a teaspoon full), that is the least offensive to you. First day just touch it with your tongue, and gradually increase your exposure over time but slowly until you can swallow without gagging. But a psychologist can help you work through all this, because it's probably got nothing to do with food.
the only way to change your taste buds is exposing them to different foods......your metabolism wont stay the same forever and you may develop diabetes if you continue as you are. get a family doctor and stick with them. they can set up a care plan and refer you to a dietician in your area who can help you make small shifts.....which amount to massive changes.
I found a good way to force myself to try different foods was to order those prepacked fruit boxes from coles and fruit and veg markets you can often have them home delivered and Taste.com.au is a brilliant resource when trying to figure out how to use foods differently.....the way a vegetable is prepped and cooked can make a significant difference in how it tastes.....
habits take 21 days to form.....
Firstly, good on you for trying to be healthier!! My first stop would be to the GP to see if you can get a referral to a dietician and possibly ask him about the dental scheme. I'm not sure what its called but if a doctor thinks its bad enough they may be able to get some dental work done under medicare. I agree with the above posts about slowly exposing yourself to a new food until you get used to it. Another tip is to get a micro grater and start hiding some vegies (zucchini is pretty tasteless and hard to detect) into whatever meals you are cooking for both yourself and your children :) I'm not a huge vegie fan but always boost our meals with 2 or 3 hidden vegies. Incorporate some walks to the park or to the shops into your daily routine and start taking a quality multivitamin (also request the dr to do a bloodtest to see if you are lacking in nutrients). Things can only get better from here. Good luck IM xxx
my opinion and its only an opinion is that you have an eating disorder and you need help, you may not be fat but I would rather be over weight than in your boat eating what you say that you do. Don't buy coke or energy drink, simply don't have them in the house, nothing but water for you to drink. As for the crap food do you really think that if you were say a refugee and had nothing but lean meat, healthy carbs such as sweet potato and brown rice and green vegetables that you would starve yourself to death? You are on the fast road to an early death, I know people like you who are skinny but battling major health problems and death at 40 looking 60+ years old. Your body may be lean but I bet you cant lift any weights either. Join a gym and treat food as fuel, you are either stubbornly killing yourself with your childish choices or need mental health help in a bad way. please take some action, start at your GP and be strong about needing the help. Don't let your children witness you kill yourself slowly.
You absolutely do need to change - good on you for recognising that! I'm not sure what's around elsewhere, but at the hospital I work at (midwife) there are dietician drop-in clinics that you can attend without an appointment. It's not actually at the hospital, it's at the community health clinic nearby, which is all connected to hospital services. They can help you get started and give you some good ideas about how to get fruit and veg into your diet without gagging. I know it's not as easy as it sounds, but if you quit smoking and cut out takeaway and all those drinks, you'd save so much money. Get serious about it. You're shortening your life day by day. As a nurse for the last 10 years and a midwife for the last 8, I've seen enough to know the reality of what I'm saying. You'll look 50 by the time you're 30 - I'm not joking or exaggerating. Hope you can keep motivated, good luck!