posted
I work all day and by the afternoon I've had it for the day. I am SO tired these days, especially since starting treatment. I guess it's my body fighting it off.
Anyway, I have to get dinner somehow for my kids and I. It feels like an impossible task even to steam some vegetables and put some fish sticks or some other crappy food in the toaster oven.
So many days a week I just cave in and go eat at a fast food place. Not only is it really unhealthy and is teaching my kids bad eating habits, but I'm also spending way too much money on it.
Can anyone relate? And what do you do about it?
Posts: 107 | From Hesperia, CA | Registered: Feb 2011
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MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
I think if you're so tired that you're spending on fast food, at least try to find stuff to microwave- frozen foods (especially whole vegetables, not premade dinners) are pretty cheap, and maybe you can make sauce or buy dressings or something that can make a simple meal out of microwave-'steamed' veggies. I know that kids are picky of course, and that all of that might be too much for your fatigue on a workday- is there any way to either get help from a family member or friend, or do any of your cooking prep on a day off? I know that you're probably recovering from working then, but it's just a suggestion.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
blinkie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14470
posted
I agree there are a lot of healthy frozen choices these days. Like frozen veggies, which jsut take a few minutes in the microwave.
Also, for me...on days I feel ok to cook...I do a little more and freeze it. I make big batches of waffles and freeze them and spaghetti sauce.
Here are things I can add to the list.
spaghetti and jarred sauce. (Cook enough noodles for a second night during the week)
Baked potatoes in the micro are fast and you can add frozen broccoli or other veggies to it with sour cream. If you get the large potatoes, they are big enough for a meal. Add a piece of fruit to the meal (not the potato) for filler.
Frozen turkey burgers or hamburgers are fast and easy too. And, if you don't fry them in oil and add low fat cheese, they aren't too high in calories. add lettuce and tomatoes for veggies.
Sweet potato fries can be relatively healthy and fast to microwave and go well as a side with just about anything.
Prebagged salads can come with at least carrots added in and all you have to do is add some salad dressing.
Prebaked chickens at the grocery store are just as easy as going to the drive thru. when you are done with the meat, toss the carcass in the crock pot, cover with water and toss in some pre-chopped celery, carrots and onions and you;ll have a fast and easy chicken soup.
I know how hard it is to even get up off the couch to put something in the microwave, so I can relate.
Also, maybe you could ask some neighbors or church group to donate a pre-made meal you can freeze. These groups love to help and it isn't too much work for each person to make one meal. You could get enough meals to cover a week or two.
Posts: 1104 | From N.California | Registered: Jan 2008
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MariaA
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posted
One thing that I found useful when I was very fatigued was to use crockpots and other things with timers (rice cooker, for example, for making rice) and to set them up with a household timer so that food was ready without me having to pay attention to turn it off- so I didn't burn things as much, or have to pay attention to the time. Setting up a crockpot the night before on a timer let me have oatmeal all ready in the morning just in time for me to wake up, which was easier than battling fatigue to have the energy to get out of bed and then boil water, make oatmeal, etc. There are a few other things you can do that way- beans for instance that are ready when you come home.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
posted
I have the same problem.
Posts: 743 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2009
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lymeladyinNY
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posted
Me, too, and my husband is critical of me. Truly, most of the time just opening a cereal box and pouring milk are too much. And grocery shopping? I probably do that once a month on a "good" day. Hubby just picks things up as needed.
I find food prep and the act of eating itself to be a never ending chore. As a result, I don't eat gluten-, sugar-free nearly as much as I'm supposed to. I DO drink a lot of green tea w/ stevia.
-------------------- I want to be free Posts: 1170 | From Endicott, NY | Registered: Sep 2006
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just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
I seem to be on that famous sea food diet.
I have lost 40 needed pounds,,,dont have a scale but my big leather belt keeps streching, and needs more holes punched.
I dont like eating fast food, rather make something easy at home. Some people eat out constantly,,,dont know how they can stand that.
Even a can of campbells chunky chicken noodle soup tastes better
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
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sutherngrl
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posted
Maybe on weekends you can cook 2 or 3 meals that can be frozen and used for your work days. At least it would be a few less days of fast food.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Meals in crock pots that you can do the morning or night before. Use time bake on your oven too. That is super nifty. You can put your, say potatoes in before you go to work, and have them just done when you get home. And it turns your oven on and off automatically, you don't have to worry about it.
Posts: 265 | From Oregon | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
Very good ideas!! We don't eat fast food either .. not even when I was my sickest.
Like mentioned above, even microwaved frozen vegetables are way healthier and VERY fast. Buy chicken strips (unbreaded) and fry them in a little coconut oil. That is an instant meal. Instant mashed potatoes for the kids (not you!).
Crock pot cooking is a great way to come home to a ready-made meal!
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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MariaA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9128
posted
I had the combination of both extreme fatigue and babesia-related lack of appetite for a while. It made it very difficult to think of things I could manage to make (and yes, I ate fast food more than usual when this was happening, figuring that the calories were more important than the nutritional content as I was losing weight rapidly then). I"m sure it's much harder when you have to keep up with the nutritional needs of kids and you're exhausted. It's even harder if you're trying to maintain a low-sugar diet or anything like that. I just gave up on my diet while I was struggling to get enough food in me despite the fatigue.
One thing I did was bake lots and lots of chicken legs in a sauce (can be just a sauce from the store, like pasta sauce or barbeque sauce) once a week- then when I needed a snack or a small meal, it wasn't as much work to pop a couple of chicken legs in the microwave and they were already flavored and 'done'. Pre-made baked potatoes, soups, pre-cooked hot cereal (like oatmeal with a few nuts or fruit or raisins mixed in already), all kinds of things like that are all things I could make once a week, but were microwave-friendly.
And of course there are canned soups and pastas and stews- watch out for high sugar or high sodium. If some of you are too sick to shop and your partners aren't able to figure out shopping for nutrition, see if you can get another homemaker family member to make a shopping list for the husband or whoever 'picks stuff up' so that they don't have to think about it so much.
Also, you can order some groceries online through Amazon or other vendors. Safeway and some other grocery stores sometimes have home delivery programs. All of these things don't depend on you being disabled, and there are of course other programs for people with severe disabilities that some of you might be able to qualify for to get groceries or cooked food brought to you, but that tends to be harder to do with Lyme than with other more obvious disabilities.
-------------------- Symptom Free!!! Thank you all!!!!
posted
Great ideas everyone, thanks. I think a common thread here is planning ahead. It's true, I never think about preparing meals for the week on weekends, using crockpots, etc. I just get off work and have no idea what to make and nothing defrosted!
Having to think about what to make at the last minute is probably adding stress to my fatigue, and I just give up and get fast food.
I've had issues with lack of appetite since starting treatment 2 months ago, and have lost about 15 pounds. But I need to lose more so it's not really a problem for me for now.
But I want to choose healthy foods so the weight loss can keep up until I've lost all I want to, about 30 more pounds. I'm worried about that because I used to work out 5 days a week and I haven't hit the gym in 2 weeks now.
I don't want to get in the habit of eating unhealthy foods and also not working out.
Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions, I really appreciate it.
Posts: 107 | From Hesperia, CA | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
when you're able, make scrambled eggs a dozen at a time, separate into serving sizes and put in the frig to reheat later.
if you're up to it cut up fruit like melon and pineapple and store in the frig. If not, buy the cut up fruit.
stock up on oranges, apples, bananas, mini carrots, celery sticks. even little kiddos can serve themselves this stuff.
and don't forget things like yogurt, peanut butter, mozz sticks, crackers (GF crackers as well).
the crockpot is a great tool also. there are sooo many awesome recipes for this cooking method.
For simple meals I like BBQ chicken---bone-in chicken breasts smothered with BBQ sauce baked at 350 for 50-60 mins.
Burgers are another way to get protein into the family.
And fish is readily available especially on fridays during the lenten seasaon.
If you're cooking flounder or sole, line your baking dish with parchment paper. Spread olive oil along the parchment paper and place your filets on top. Squeeze lemon juice all over the fish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and breadcrumbs/GF breadcrumbs. Bake/broil to your liking.
And you can make meatloaf to your liking and freeze it for future use.
Bottom line: cook as much when you can and freeze whatever possible.
-------------------- You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.'
---Eleanor Roosevelt Posts: 748 | From somewhere | Registered: May 2010
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posted
This is one of the things I struggle with the most as after about 5 minutes standing in the kitchen I just need to lay down. It's so important to nourish yourself and yet so overwhelming... Smoothies in the morning with whey protein or almond butter, deviled eggs made in advance... those are a few things that can help. I must admit, I usually end up stopping at the health food store and picking up pre-made stuff. Delicious, organic, and totally budget busting! I am going to go broke very soon and it's partly because I just feel I need the food/medicine. I can't imagine what it must be like to have kids to feed as well. I feel such sympathy for you and I'm sending you good thoughts and a wish that some fairy-god mother can come along and lend you a hand. Trader Joe's has some good pre-made stuff... They have frozen steel-cut oat meal that can be good for the mornings. Throwing a yam or potato in the oven can be pretty easy. Of course that's if you can remember not to burn it like I usually do (set a timer ) If you have some to cook up enough brown rice and black beans to last the week, that can be a good healthy protein. Of course I don't know how brown rice will go over with the kids... Good luck and I hope you will be feeling more energy soon Posts: 87 | From NorCal | Registered: Feb 2008
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philly78
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 31069
posted
The crock pot has become my best friend! I actually LOVE to cook, and it has been depressing for me that I just don't feel like cooking anymore. What's even worse is that I don't feel like eating.
I look unhealthy weighing only 102 lbs. so I have been trying to 'force' myself to cook and eat which is much easier said than done. It took everything I had to make myself an omelet this morning and I tried my best to finish it.
Sometimes I will make a meal in the crockpot that is enough to last us for the next three days. I've also started buying the veggies that you just steam in the bag in the microwave. so much easier! and I use the forum grill for turkey or veggies burgers.
As for my son...being the picky eater he is...he has been living off of PB&J sandwiches and apple slices. But I don't think he even minds it.
Feel better soon!
-------------------- When faced with pain you have two choices....either quit and accept the circumstances, OR make the decision to fight with all the resources you have at your disposal. Posts: 1000 | From PA | Registered: Mar 2011
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) If you have some to cook up enough brown rice and black beans to last the week, that can be a good healthy protein. Of course I don't know how brown rice will go over with the kids... Good luck and I hope you will be feeling more energy soon ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
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