When we feel low or anxious, cooking itself can seem too difficult and we turn to quick, easy processed food or takeaways.
But the best way to make progress is to take small steps and tackle one thing at a time. Some tips on getting it right:
- Five-a-day – try to include fruit and vegetables with every meal. Ideally we should eat at least five portions a day
- Snacking – when you feel like a snack, try substituting nuts or fruit for crisps or chocolate
- Avoid drinking too many fizzy drinks – the sugar levels are extremely high so drink water, milk or natural fruit juice instead
- Distract yourself – sometimes when we’re bored, we fixate on food as a means of entertaining ourselves. If you find yourself obsessing about a bar of chocolate or a kebab, simply focus on something else, like going for a run or having a chat
- Eat a good breakfast – it’s often the one we leave out because we’re in a rush but eating a good breakfast means you’ll refuel your body for the day ahead. You won’t need to snack as much later either
- Exercise – Combine a balanced diet with regular moderate exercise to feel your best
- Talk– talking to a friend or family member or even a professional can really help us get a weight off our chest and help us develop healthy ways to deal with feeling anxious or down.
If you would like professional support with anything you are going through turn2me provides free, confidential online supports for young people and adults in the Republic of Ireland.
- Peer support – A free and safe space where you can find and give support by connecting with other people who have been through similar experiences.
- Group support -Facilitated by a mental health professional, support groups are a safe space to connect with others and share solutions and coping strategies on a variety of mental health topics.
- Counselling – Support for whatever you are going through, this is a safe space to talk with a professional counsellor to help you understand your feelings and work together to develop the tools you need to get through tough times.
For more tips on healthy eating, check out Nutrition.ie