What I eat

Since I've given up alcohol, my diet has most definitely got better. When I used to drink (and I really didn't drink that much), but when I did drink my diet was much worse. Probably not in comparison to some people, but for me it was worse.

So not only do you tend to eat more rubbish with your alcoholic drink; crisps, salted peanuts, cheese and biscuits, nibbles etc. You also tend to carry on eating later into the evening and the next day you eat rubbish because you feel rubbish. So you have the extra calories of the drink and then ALL the added calories that you kind of wash over and forget about!

So what I'm saying is that you may say to yourself (like I did) oh, I don't actually drink that much. But it's the extra calories you're taking in around the alcohol which is adding to your calorie intake.

WHAT I EAT NOW

BREAKFAST

A huge bowl of jumbo rolled porridge oats made with water and oat or almond milk. I top this off with 1tbs each of pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, chia seeds and flaxseeds. This topper adds sustained longer lasting energy to the meal and loads of the good fats. A squeeze of honey if I'm teaching a few classes that morning for extra energy

DRINKS

Coffee and 2 x cups of earl grey tea

Homemade orange, ginger and apple juice (skin on for added fibre) which i have with my iron tablets to help to absorb the iron.

Homemade keffir

SNACK at 11am (sometimes) one of the below

- Spinach, banana, blueberry smoothie with added almond milk and water

- Also loving figs at the moment - so sweet, taste gorgeous and full of fibre. They look like a monkeys anus, but lets ignore that bit hey!

- If I've made power balls I have a few of those

- Small handful of mixed nuts

LUNCH (I try and get lots of protein in at lunchtime)

A mix of mackerel/tuna or chicken with avocado or homemade hummus, eggs, spinach, roasted peppers, feta cheese.

If I'm really hungry I might have a piece of toast. Sourdough is my new go to at the moment. But usually I have enough protein to really fill me up without the extra carbs

Bowl of mixed fruit, usually berries, more mixed seeds and Greek yoghurt.

DINNER

Could be anything, but always homemade.

Salad with chicken

Baked potatoes, salad, tuna and hummus

Curry with lots of vegetables and some kind of beans thrown in

Baked salmon with cous cous or brown rice and roasted vegetables

SUPPER

After work for me and I'm usually pretty hungry. When I'm not working, i don't have supper as i don't really like eating later in the evening. You shouldn't really.

​When I'm working

Peppermint tea (helps with sleep)

Piece of toast with apricot jam or honey

Dark chocolate if I want it

DRINKS

Throughout the day - water and lots of tea. Don't tend to drink coffee or tea after about 3pm. I drink decaf coffee at home. I find i'm calmer with decaf. I used to get heart palpitations with full whack coffee, but don't anymore.

WEEKEND

Friday I usually get a takeout from Waitrose. Curry is my go to. Vegetable Biryani. I've not had a proper take away for about 12 years and don't like them at all because they are high in saturated fat. At least with one from the supermarket you can see what's in it.

SO THAT'S ME

When I was drinking I reckon you could add into that day quite a few bags of crisps, nuts, cheese biscuits, sausage or bacon sandwich on a Sunday morning, more chocolate (you lose all sense of what the right amount is when you've had a drink) and I would of had less energy in the week to cook from scratch every night so some nights would definitely have been easy meals, like chips, beans, throw in the oven types of dishes.

MORE NOT LESS

So when I eat, I never think I should eat less, I always think to myself, eat more. Not necessarily portion size obviously, but more of the good stuff; more seeds, more fish, more, protein, more good fats, more fruit, vegetables and to eat a really good variety.

My go to breakfast though is my fuel for the day ahead and for me, nothing beats a huge, Goldilocks sized bowl of porridge 😋

Eating this way and giving up the booze since last November (just a few glasses on holiday now), I've never felt healthier ever in my life and I've always been pretty healthy. I have tonnes of energy, I sleep better, I wake up bursting with positivity and I am much, much calmer.

So for me on my peri menopause journey, the thing that has most had a positive impact on my whole body is giving up alcohol. It's not just the booze but the whole knock on effect that has had on all other aspects of my life, mainly nutrition, sleep, stress and energy levels.

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