Healthy eating when have no energy
Posted , 5 users are following.
Just wondered if anyone could recommend any good resources for easy to prepare meals for people with ME/CFS? I know I feel a bit better when I eat a healthy meal but a lot of the time when I take the time to cook a healthy meal I feel the physical energy used preparing it cancels out any benefit I get from eating it. Does anyone have any suggestions for easy to prepare snacks or meals that give you an energy boost?
0 likes, 6 replies
victoriajane elaine62759
Posted
Hi Elaine, I find using my freezer is the most helpful thing. When I'm doing well I never just cook one portion - I do a batch and then freeze it as individual portions. Then when I'm having a bad week I'll just live off my frozen meals I've made earlier. Ready meals without the dubious content or price tag! I've been amazed at what will freeze! The other thing I've found helpful is my slow cooker. If I know I'm doing something that will tire me out, I'll put something in the slow cooker in the morning then it's ready for tea and I don't need to think.
I haven't got it all totally sussed out yet - but those two things have saved me from a lot of cereal teas!
elaine62759 victoriajane
Posted
Thanks for the reply. I actually made a big pot of soup on Saturday and froze some too but the effort of making it has totally wiped me out! A slow cooker is a really good idea. I might think about getting one. A lot of ready meals have loads of additives in them which don't really agree with me and I feel they have so little goodness in them you'd be as well eating the container they come in!!!
?I would much rather eat healthy homemade food but having the energy to make it has always been a problem for me. Just need to win the lottery so I can employ a cook!
?
debi67304 elaine62759
Posted
Hi I agree that the freezer is a great resource. Having recently had my care hours cut from 11 to 1 a week I am having to learn how to cope again with feeding myself. I have started to order food online, and tried a couple of sites where you can choose the meals and have the ingredients and recipe card sent for however many meals a week you want. This might be ideal for some but I struggle to prepare and even to feel like eating. I'm not advertising but Iceland deliver for free over £35 and have great compohnants for meals that you can put straight from the freezer. I can't abide ready meals but have been impressed with the quality of the food, and the prices. I like things like their broccoli and cauliflower in cheese sauce, which i can tip into the microwave and know i have had some veg. I agree with you though Elaine, the best solution is definitely a 24 hr private chef !
elaine62759 debi67304
Posted
I think I need to make more use of my freezer for emergency meals. I've now got the cold and feel dreadful so am finding the soup I made last weekend and froze really handy just now. I haven't tried Iceland for a while but will have another look at them. I bought a ready meal there years ago and it was horrible but I think they have improved a lot since then. Think I've seen frozen berries advertised there which would be really handy to make smoothies.
Sorry to hear you've had your care hours cut. It must be a struggle adjusting to doing more for yourself but it sounds like you have good ideas about feeding yourself.
Instead of being able to order a Chinese takeaway it's a pity there is no such thing as a healthy eating takeaway where you just phone your order and they deliver a nice home cooked meal to your door!!
jeanp elaine62759
Posted
There is a company called Wiltshire Farm Foods which will deliver quite healthy sounding meals to your door; I am sure there must be other companies who do a similar service. Costs, obviously, but for those times you really can't cook maybe worth it, if only once a week?
elaine62759
Posted
Just to say I've started taking a supplement that I feel has really helped my energy levels. Last week I felt better than I have for years but ended up doing far too much so my muscles are very sore now. But I don't feel as bad as I'd normally do after doing too much and it is still really helping my brain fog. I feel much more alert in the mornings. It's a blend of flaxseed, nuts and co-enzyme Q10 which I've been putting on porridge in the morning and adding to smoothies later in the day. It's not a cure but I'm grateful for anything that helps at all!