Thoroughly ADHD
I'm Alex Delmar, a certified ADHD coach and person with ADHD. I'm here to share what I've learned so other people with ADHD can enjoy better lives!
Thoroughly ADHD
ADHD & The Healthy Food Struggle
Feeding ourselves nutritious meals regularly requires significant executive function, precisely what ADHD brains struggle with most.
• Missing hunger cues and poor self-monitoring often lead to impulsive food choices
• Research shows connections between ADHD and disordered eating patterns
• Schedule grocery shopping like any other important appointment
• Shop with a prepared list to limit decision fatigue
• Consider online ordering with pickup or delivery if stores are overwhelming
• Start with simple cooking options like soups and meal kits if you don't currently cook
• Choose fruits and vegetables requiring minimal preparation
• Keep healthy foods visible and accessible; less healthy options hidden
• Set alarms to remind yourself when it's time to eat
Why is it so hard to feed myself? It's a common refrain among people with ADHD and something I've struggled with for a long time. I'm Alex Delmar. Welcome to Thoroughly ADHD.
Speaker 1:Feeding oneself nutritious meals on a regular basis requires a lot of executive function, otherwise known as the thing ADHD brains struggle with most. It takes a lot of planning, decision-making, time management and working memory to plan a meal, make a list, go to the store, find the items stand in line, be able to pay, get home from the store, put the groceries away, prepare the meal, clean up the prep area, set the table, eat the meal, clear the table, wash the dishes, and every one of these steps includes a drop-down list of additional steps. No wonder we're struggling To make things worse. People with ADHD miss hunger cues and have poor self-monitoring, so all of a sudden we find we are starving, with no plan for how to address it. I am horrified when I think about how many times I've eaten a box of cookies for dinner because that was the first thing that came to hand. Turns out, the ADHD brain default mode is to go for sugar and simple carbs. Research is also showing a connection between ADHD and disordered eating, like regularly skipping meals, overeating or eating a ton of junk food, which fits right in with the finding that, as a group, people with ADHD tend to have shorter lifespans than people without ADHD.
Speaker 1:Anyway, to decrease the likelihood of thoughtlessly scarfing down fast food every day and increase the likelihood of eating a nutritious meal, the first thing you have to do is to get real food into your house. You should put grocery shopping on your schedule just like every other important appointment. To limit the number of decisions you have to make in the moment. It's best to shop with a list and stick to it. Oh, and include your goal to eat healthier as a reminder while you're shopping. While you're shopping, keep a running list in the kitchen of what's getting low. But it's also helpful to take a quick look around right before you leave for the store. If you can't bear to go into the store, order online and have the bags brought out to your car or delivered to your house, if that's available.
Speaker 1:If you currently don't cook at all, start with things like soups and meal kits to get in the habit of preparing your own food, but make sure you read the nutrition labels to choose the healthiest options. If you want to eat more fruit and vegetables. Get the items that require the least amount of prep. Buy the vegetable and fruit trays you usually see at parties, or the baby carrots and salad kits, instead of things that have to be washed and peeled and sliced and end up rotting in the bottom of the refrigerator. Buying frozen has the added benefit of with long shelf life. Include things like dried pasta, rice, canned beans, jarred sauces and salsa.
Speaker 1:I've learned to keep the healthiest foods easy to see and to grab. That means vegetables and fruit live at the front of the shelves and in the doors of the fridge, and unhealthier treats and condiments and other things I'll look for go into the drawers. Same thing for the pantry, with the unhealthiest food in the back or on the highest shelves. This is a time that ADHD out of sight, out of mind is actually your friend. Now that you've got healthy food around, schedule your meals and set alarms to remind yourself when it's time to eat, so you won't wait too long and make bad choices. Today, I talked about how to increase the likelihood of eating healthier. Your time is valuable, so I hope you found this informative and that you'll join me again next time. Bon Appetit.