Why I stopped eating red meat

Hey guys :) 

Today's post is quite a personal one to me because it's about my own personal life choices and decisions. 

*DISCLAIMER I'm not trying to insult anyone or influence anyone's decisions on their diet, what you eat is your choice I'm just here to share my own experiences*

Okay so about a month ago I decided to stop eating all red meat.

For those of you who don't know red meat includes- 

-beef

-veal

-lamb 

-mutton

-venison

-pork

-goat

-rabbit

-buffalo or bison 

And white meat is- 

-fish 

-seafood

-poultry (chicken etc)

Even though I eat white meat I try and avoid animal meats (I.e. Chicken and birds) as much as I can and get my main source of meat from fish, and I don't eat any forms of processed meats.

I have been researching into different life styles such as veganism and vegetarianism for a while and concluded that veganism isn't for me, neither is being vegetarian. However I do want become a pesctarian eventually (someone who doesn't eat animal meat but eats fish), but for reasons in my anorexia recovery (my body needs protein from meat right now) and it's hard for me to give up meat like chicken straight away so I thought I should just give up red meat to start and see how I go, and in this process I discovered this isn't the only reason that appealed to me for giving up red meat.

Health reasons as to why I gave up red meat: 

1)Red meat contains heme iron which leads to type 2 diabetes

2)High consumption of red meat and processed meat (chicken nuggets, burgers etc) lead to an increase risk of colorectal cancer

3)Men who eat a lot of red meat increase their risk if prostate cancer

4)Red meat increases the risk of Alzheimer's 

5)Red meat can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease

Okay so I know that foods that increase your risk of cancer etc change every few seconds and white meat can also have some of these health affects, but it is a common known fact due to extensive research and studies that red meats do have these affects. In addition to this white meat show to have much less of an impact, which is why I still eat it but as previously stated try to avoid meat whenever I can and not eat processed meats.

There are obviously ethical reasons why I've given up red meat and also trying to give up animal meat altogether. I am aware of the ethical problems to do with white meat, but this post isn't about being a vegetarian, it is simply about red meat...for now 

This post wasn't a preach at you to give up any type of food. Just something I wanted to share with you all 

Thank you for reading 

B x

How do you deal with gaining weight?- Anorexia Recovery

Hello :) 

Today I thought I'd write a post on one the most frequently asked question I get about my recovery from anorexia-"how do you deal with the weight gain in anorexia recovery?" 

Gaining weight has been hands down the hardest part of my anorexia recovery. At the start if my recovery I grew used to eating normally again within a few weeks, because I overcame this fear that if I eat food that I would immediately gain weight and be fat, but when I didn't I began to feel okay. 

However, obviously slowly overtime I did begin to put on weight, and when I saw this weight gained I completely freaked out and relapsed completely. 

When I gained weight my anorexia began screaming at me, calling me disgusting, fat, a failure,weak etc. and I believed it and gave in. 

But after a few months I got back into the recovery, because I learnt of ways to prepare myself and deal with the weight gain and the voice of anorexia. 

These ways aren't bulletproof, they won't magically make everything easier all the time. You need to accept that in order to healthy and love you have to out on weight, but they will hopefully make you strong and keep you motivated to stay in recovery: 

1)wear baggy clothes when you feel big or bloated- if you cover your body and can't see your shape you won't think about your changing body nor can you see it (out of sight, out of mind) 

2)on days when the anorexia is strong and you already have a negative view of yourself, avoid mirrors 

3)pick out 3 things about your body that you like everyday 

4)tell yourself that your body is becoming healthy. That your body needs to look this way to have children, to run, to travel, to go out, to live a fulfilling and amazing life

5)your body deserves this food

6)you aren't weak for eating. You're a zombie if you listen to the anorexia.

7)if you do not eat and gain weight to be healthy, you will die

8)your therapists aren't making you gain weight because they hate you and want you to be ugly. They are doing it to save your life and make you have a beautiful life, mind and body 

9)surround yourself with happy and positive people 

10)unfollow all thinspo accounts and pro-anorexia blogs

Recovering from anorexia will be one of the hardest things you'll do, but I swear to you it is so worth it in ways I can't even out into words for you. 

Please keep going I know days are hard and everyday is a battle but you're a warrior and you're so strong and you deserve a full life free of this. 

Fight for your freedom and fight for your life. 

I'm always here for support, please leave a comment or ask me on my tumblr- http://catchinghopesandfears.tumblr.com

Thank you for reading 

B x 

Healthy Granola Bars

Hello :)
Okay so recently I have been trying to eat healthy alternatives to my favourite foods, and eating healthier meals etc.
However I face one problem with this...I'm not a big fan of 'healthy' food
I mean I like fruit and vegetables and brown pasta, bread etc. But I don't like things like quinoa, lentils, meat substitutes, and only eating vegetables for my dinner and constantly having salads for lunch like most of the healthy bloggers out there do
And so a lot of these healthy cook books don't really appeal to me so it is hard for me to find healthy recipes I actually do like

These are granola bars have been a long time in the making. I've gone through a lot of trial and error with these until they tasted how I wanted them too and I think they taste so yummy and they are full of natural ingredients that are all healthy which is exactly what I, and everyone else wants in healthy foods.

 

Ingredients:

• 300g of dates (pitted)
• 200g oats
• 50g sunflower seeds
• 50g pumpkin seeds
• 50g raisons
• 2tbps cinnamon

*you can use any type of seed/nut you want and as many as you want, to add sweetness you can add tbps of maple syrup or a teaspoon of stevia*

Methods:

• preheat your oven to 200degrees Celsius
• de-pit your dates and place them in a pan of boiling water and let them soften (this can take up to 7 minutes) 
• once soften mush the dates to a paste (if you have a blender use this to make your life easier)
• in a separate bowl mix the cinnamon, oats and sweetener if you've added it together and then add the date paste and mix until all the oats are covered
• add in your chosen seeds, nuts and raisons and mix
• transfer you mixture to a baking tray that is covered by a greaseproof sheet so it doesn't stick
• bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown
• once out the oven cut into bars and leave to cool

These bars are full of fibre and so will give you slow releasing energy throughout the day. The dates (which actually taste so good) provide you with a portion of fruit, the seeds give you such healthy fats and the oats are amazing at balancing  cholesterol.

These bars aren't like 'rabbit food' like many healthy bars are and when I eat them as a snack I don't see them as healthy because they are like the bars you buy at the supermarket
If you try these out please comment and share your thoughts!
Thank you for reading
Until next time
B x

A working week in smoothies

Hi :) 

So I've been way too into making smoothies recently. They are such a good and easy way of getting multiple types of fruit and veg into your body at once and so are packed full of vitamins and goodness for your body and they are so yummy as well! 

I don't follow any recipes when I make my smoothies i experiment everyday but I  always have one type of green veg (you can't taste it honestly) one or more types of fruit and natural yogurt as my liquid but of course it's up to you. 

When I tried to get healthy smoothie recipies people always had hard to get and expensive ingredients. So I thought I'd give you guys some really easy recipies with ingredients you can get anywhere

So I thought I'd record my week in smoothies for you (only the ones that were nice though) and their benefits to maybe inspire you to make your own as a super healthy snack :) 

TIPS FOR SMOOTHIE MAKING

-freezing your fruit makes your smoothie colder, thicker and means you don't have to add extra liquid where the fruit melts 

-for healthy liquids add almond milk, natural yogurt or water 

-to disguise the flavours of fruits/green veg you don't like but want a more nutritious smoothie add a sweet fruit you like

-honey is a good and healthy way of adding sweetness to your smoothie 

-adding natural oats to your smoothie not only adds nutrition and health benefits and flavour but also makes your smoothie a good breakfast meal as it fills you up more

-experiment with flavours such as vanilla extract or orange extract to make your smoothies more interesting and even more tasty

BANANA AND STRAWBERRY 

-2 frozen strawberries 

-1/2 banana 

-2tbsp of yogurt 

-a drop of honey 

-handful of spinach 

This smoothie was so sweet and fruity and yummy. It helps prevent diabetes, aid weight loss, strengthens the nervous system and white blood cells due to the B-6 vitamin in the banana. Boosts your immunity, aids eye health and fights cancer due to the strawberries and improves heart health and is packed full of iron due to the spinach. 

MANGO YOGURT 

-frozen mango cubes 

-spinach (however much you wish)

-2tbps of yogurt 

This smoothie is my favourite because the mango and yogurt taste so sweet and yummy together! This smoothie prevents cancer, lowers cholesterol, clears skins, improves sex drive (cheeky) and improves digestion due to the mango and is full of iron due to the spinach. 

MANGO AND KIWI 

This smoothie is the same as the one above except I decided to add kiwi which made the taste more tangy but was still so yummy 

-frozen mango cubes 

-1 kiwi

-spinach 

-2tbps of natural yogurt 

-drop of honey 

-splash of vanilla extract 

The benefits of this smoothie are the same as the mango yogurt smoothie except it is also high on fibre, aids sleep, improves heart health and prevents constipation due to the kiwi

STRAWBERRY AND MANGO

-2 frozen strawberries 

-Hanful of mango chunks 

-handful of kale 

-2tbps of natural yogurt 

-drop of honey 

This isn't the sweetest of smoothies but is still so yummy! This smoothie prevents cancer, lowers cholesterol, clears skins, improves sex drive (cheeky) and improves digestion due to the mango and boosts your immunity, aids eye health and fights cancer due to the strawberries, aids cardiovascular system, hydration, metabolism and detox due to the kale. 

BERRY SMOOTHIE 

-4 strawberries 

-blackberries 

-handful of spinach 

-2tbps of yogurt 

-drop of honey 

-sunflower seeds 

This smoothie isn't one for people who don't like bits in their smoothies because of the seeds in this one but it is such a lovely taste and is so healthy due to the seeds added! This boosts your immunity, aids eye health and fights cancer due to the strawberries, full of iron due to the spinach, full of antioxidants, aids the brain, relaxes muscles due to the blackberries, helps the cardiovascular system such as aids asthma, lowers cholesterol, calms nerves and full of healthy fats your body needs due to the seeds. 

So there's my working week in smoothies! All are packed full of nutrition and are so healthy for you. Feel free to adapt any of these recipies for your preference 

I hope this has given you some inspiration 

Thank you for reading 

B x

What I eat in a day- recovery meal plan

Hi :) so a lot of people on tumblr have asked me what exactly I eat daily since I am recovering from anorexia so I thought I'd show you. My diet is based on a meal plan I was given when I started recovery to help me gain weight slowly and get loads of nutrients in my body.

So the first thing I do when I wake up is drink fluids because it boosts your metabolism for the day and wakes you up. So I fill up a litre bottle with ice water and have some green tea which is super healthy for you and helps fight and prevent disease 

My breakfat is in two parts. I have two wheetabix (or wheat biscuits) which is low in sugar and salt,  heated with milk and wholemeal toast with butter 

Lunch I have a sandwich with two slices of wholemeal bread, butter and ham with a yogurt and chocolate- I always have malteasers but you can have any 

Afternoon snack i experiment with smoothies so I have a different one everyday. Today was banana, strawberry, yogurt and spinach and was so yummy and full of nutrients for my body 

Dinner chnaged every night (obviously) and tonight was wholegrain pasta with bolognese

For pudding I have chocolate and another yogurt and to finish I have two biscuits (or cookies if you're from the ISA) with some milk 

And that is my day :) I hope this has helped and inspired some you recovering or given you some healthy ideas 

Thank you for reading 

B x 

Recovery from Anorexia.

Hello :)
So a lot of my previous posts have been focused around anorexia and what it is like and the stigma surrounding the illness but I've realised I haven't written about recovery from anorexia. I know before I decided to enter recovery I didn't know what to expect and wanted to know what it was really like from a patients perspective. So in this post I am going to write about what my own personal recovery is like, how to enter into recovery for anorexia and what you can expect from recovery.
*I'd like to say I am based in the UK and so my knowledge about anorexia recovery can only really apply to the UK, also every institution has different ways in treating this illness this is just my own experience*

My Personal RecoveryMy recovery from anorexia began in September 2014. I go to a specialised hospital for the eating disorders and I am in the outpatient programme (meaning I don't stay at the hospital). They began my treatment by assessing me by basically asking me questions about my disorder such as:
-do I take any laxatives?
-do I purge?
-do I have fear foods?
-how many calories do I eat a day?
-what is my perception of myself?
They then took me into the medical room and took my weight and calculated my BMI, and did an all over body check. They sent to take 4 blood tests (over the course of the week) and an ECG scan (which checks your heart rate). At the end of the assessment they gave me the diagnosis of 'anorexia nervosa restrictive type' and gave me a beginner meal plan.
A meal plan is basically a plan of meals and snacks that you have to eat each day, it says the types of food that you can have at each snack/meal and the serving size. It's calculated to make sure you put weight on at a steady but safe rate and your body is getting all the nutrients its needs after being denied it for so long. The majority of eating disorder units put you on a low meal plan initially, because after months of starvation it's extremely bad and dangerous for you to begin to eat normal portions of food straight away. When I ate the food on this meal plan I felt like my stomach was going to split open where I was so full where I hadn't eaten for months. Once my body had adapted I was put onto a regular meal plan with much bigger portions meant for me to put on weight.
As for the therapy I see an eating disorder specialist every week to talk about my thoughts and she helps me put things to perspective for me and realise that being thin and not eating isn't a good thing, it is fatal. I also get weighed every week to track my progress.

(Above) portion size for dinner on starter meal plan

(Above) Portion size for dinner on regular meal plan

How to enter recovery
The best thing to do if you want or need to get help for anorexia is to honestly tell your parent or guardian, it will make things a lot easier for you especially when you're under the age of 18 as you can access all the best help through parental permission.
Going to your G.P is probably the best way to get help directly as they will have access to the best treatments in your area and will put you forward to be on the waiting list to be seen and assessed. The waiting lists for NHS treatment centres are long unfortunately (I waited 4 months).
Private treatment is similar to the treatment you can access through the NHS except there is no waiting list and you have to pay.

Be Prepared.
Anorexia recovery (like all recoveries) is extremely hard. When you begin to eat your meal plans your anorexia will scream so loudly it will be almost impossible to ignore it. You will feel so huge and you will be bloated and so full. But the bloating will fade in time as will the feeling so full because your body will adapt. Your eating disorder will tell you not to trust the treatment because they will make you fat. You will have days where the eating disorder goes and you follow your meal plan perfectly with little guilt. There will be days or weeks where your eating disorder will flare up and make you want to restrict/purge, I have hidden my foods on my meal plans for weeks, but you realise that will get you no where.
I've realised that hiding food will get me nowhere and this meal plan is the best possible thing for me. If I restrict I am feeding my eating disorder and nothing else. I have accepted that putting on weight is the best thing for me to get back my period, and my hair and my movement and energy and just my life. And you will realise that too

If you are in any doubt about whether recovery is worth it. It is.
It's scary and it's horrendous at times. I've hated myself and felt fatter then ever but I can stand up without blacking out, I have energy to laugh, to walk, I'm not cold all the time. If you do not eat you're feeding your eating disorder and the misery you feel with this illness will just get worse. My eating disorder made me love being thin but nowhere near as much as I love recovery and my recovery life. Below are some useful websites for you if you need or are interested in anorexia recovery
remember that eating is a requirement to survive and you have every right to eat
be strong
thank you so much for reading
B x
Recovering from anorexia and bulimia
National centre for eating disorder recovery
NHS-Anorexia Nervosa

2015.

Hello :)
Well 2014 has finally come to an end *sigh of relief*
This year has been without a doubt awful but I don't want to dwell on that too much. I wanted to share with you all my resolutions for the new year, however cliché and predictable it is

In 2015 I want to:
-drink more water
-do a good thing everyday (no matter how small)
-write blog posts weekly
-wear what I want
-eat a food that scares me everyday
-be honest
-go on more adventurous
-focus on what matters
-be happy, no matter what or who that involves

Only a short post
thank you for reading
B x