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Beginnings of malnutrition?

I've really messed up my diet lately. I'm in the middle of an extremely busy semester and there have been many days where I'll go 8-12 hours or longer without eating. I feel like I'm wasting away. I really just haven't had time to cook, so I'm either prioritizing class or sleep over eating, or I'm eating on the go when my options are scarce. Now when I get hungry it's on this uncontrollable, ravenous level. I feel completely off balance. I'm getting extremely strong cravings for tofu, beans, and unfortunately (and most extremely) eggs. I'm trying to figure out what it is I need to do (in addition to eating regularly, of course) to get myself back on track. I feel like I may be severely lacking some nutrients even though I supplement regularly. Any advice?

As someone who is working, going to school, and caring for a sick loved one, I can't stress enough how important it is to eat healthy and regularly in order to be the best you can be and keep your body going strong.  I know it can be a challenge but it can be done.  You don't have to make gourmet meals.  Use canned beans, toss some in a salad for example.  Keep lots of fruits and raw veggies on hand and make a simple bean dip (or buy some) and have these together as a snack.  Take a collard or kale leaf or vegan tortilla and add a nut butter and raisins to it for a small sandwich.  Have a handful of raw whole almonds.  Or buy some medjool dates and munch on a few of these during the day (these are all high energy high nutrient sustaining foods I am using for examples).  This is what I do, have five small meals throughout the day as I am working or studying.  My biggest meal is probably breakfast first thing in the morning (I squeeze in intense morning workouts so this is vital for me) and it holds me over for a long time, and then the rest of the day it is small meals and snacks.  One day a week I set aside two hours to prepare snacks and lunches for the week.  Sometimes I make a big pot of soup and then have a little each day for lunch, or make a huge salad to dish out for the next few days.  Homemade soups do not take long to make and are very filling.  Green smoothies, oatmeal/oatbran/raw buckwheat groats with nuts and fruit, chickpea flour omelettes with veggies, beans on toast, these are all various breakfast items I eat throughout the week.  Another one is to dump some steel cut oats, chopped apple or shredded carrot, cinammon and natural sweetener in a crockpot with water and turn it on low.  go to bed and get up in the morning and have some creamy delicious steel cut oats.  It takes five minutes or less to get it ready the night before and about thirty seconds plus a minute or two to scoop it out in the morning and wash the crockpot.  I have made enough to last several days so I just have to pop it in the microwave if need be.  If you live on a campus and do not have access to a kitchen, raw snacks like the dates or fresh fruit or nuts kept on hand helps.  And the crockpot will still work in a dorm room.

Hope this helps!

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Make some vegan sandwiches.

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