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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To get rid of ALL processed food from my house?

46 replies

turntothesun · 04/02/2015 13:29

I am seriously thinking of doing this. I am aware that my DCs are eating more crap (for want of a better word) than they should be. They exercise regularly so get away with it weight wise, but there's more health issues to consider than just weight.

The main reason however is this : Me. I am, I now realise ADDICTED to food and/or have huge emotional eating issues. I am at home all day with two babies, we rarely go out as I have very little energy and I EAT EAT EAT.... to fill the time, to deal with boredom, to cheer me up, because I 'deserve' it..... I have tried and failed WW and SW more times than I will ever admit to. I read on Mumsnet somewhere that if you are addicted to food in this way then attempting to follow any diet will not work as you need to deal with the root of your overeating. This really struck a cord with me. I also read that foods such as crisps, chocolate, cake, biscuits - which, surprise surprise, is the precise stuff I'm constantly stuffing into me mouth - are highly addictive and cause a false sense of hunger.

I think I am suffering from a little bit of depression which means I do go out with the babies like I should and I let the house get in a state etc etc. I sit at home eating and eating and getting fatter and fatter (size 16, 5ft 2, 12st 11), I feel like crap, aches and pains everywhere, heart palpitations almost daily.

So, my plan is to force myself to go out every day, either to the park, to soft play, to the duck pond and to get rid of all processed food (where shall I take it, I envisage quite a few bin bag fulls)...... AIBU or is this a plan?

OP posts:
Crazyqueenofthecatladies · 04/02/2015 13:31

It sounds like it will be hard but worth it. Good on you x x

spilttheteaagain · 04/02/2015 13:31

Anything unopened could be taken to a foodbank.

Good luck OP.

NeedABumChange · 04/02/2015 13:32

YABU. It's impossible. If you think about it flour, sugar, milk etc are all processed. You'd have to live on raw fruit and veg.

squoosh · 04/02/2015 13:35

Say Goodbye to Overeating is a great book for emotional eaters.

BIWI · 04/02/2015 13:35

You're not wrong about sugar being addictive - see here

It's not just about processed food though - after all, where would you draw the line? Tinned tomatoes are processed but nothing wrong with those!

It's more about eating fresh and natural foods as often as you can, whilst also avoiding sugary, high carbohydrate foods.

Good luck Flowers

annadina · 04/02/2015 13:36

Stop being so bloody unsympathetic and pedantic needabumchange.

I think it would be a great idea, and good luck with it, it sounds like a good start to get you into a better place. It sounds a cliché, but lots and lots of food you can eat, stuff the fridge, will make it easier.

KatelynB · 04/02/2015 13:38

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
turntothesun · 04/02/2015 13:40

Thank you for responding. Im going to have a look at that book in a minute squoosh.

Well, yes that was my worry, where to draw the line... I was thinking things like cheese, tinned toms, tinned carrrots, milk would all be ok but anything like ready meals, breaded stuff, jarred sauces, crisps, choc etc would all be a NO.

OP posts:
ChippingInGluggingOn · 04/02/2015 13:41

Come and join us on This thread

It's the perfect way to get rid of the cravings, too lose a bit of weight and have more energy.

chillybits · 04/02/2015 13:43

YANBU BUT you are probably setting up to fail.

I am very similar to you (spookily so) although I have lost quite a bit of weight recently. I also stopped diets, but I made some very strict rules. I cut out alot of carbs (not quite as strict as the mumsnet bootcamp though) as this cuts out an awful lot of processed food automatically and made a rule that I had to eat a vegetable at every single meal, and found after a while I really enjoyed having proper meals. So just now for lunch I had poached salmon and a spinach salad and tonight I'll have chorizo fried with peppers and onion which is absolutely delish. And I made an absolute rule that I. do. not. snack. 2 proper meals a day works for me.

It was very hard as I was addicted to crisps, biscuits and I still fight it every day a little but I've started to look forward to planning proper meals again and feel better for knowing that I am actually properly looking after myself again.

I also need to start the getting out every single day thing.

Onsera3 · 04/02/2015 13:46

I think I know what you mean by processed. 'Whole foods' is what you want. If I buy something I want to recognise every ingredient easily.

DS knows some foods are treats we have out of the house. So he might ask for a cookie from a cafe but there are none kept at home.

If you tend to do mindless eating this might be great for you. If you are hungry you will eat the fruit etc as a snack. If not you won't be tempted.

I like to have some really nice herbal teas for when I feel like something for no good reason.

I totally sympathise as I can't really trust myself not to pick at snacky processed stuff so I can't keep it in the house.

chillybits · 04/02/2015 13:46

Sorry when I said you are setting yourself up to fail, I didn't finish. I meant don't be too harsh. No processed food ever is difficult and hard to eat as a family forever. So I'll have sausages once a week, probably or a shop bought dressing, dips etc.

Dirtymistress · 04/02/2015 13:47

Too big a change all at once. Start off with leaving the house for a walk everyday, drinking a glass of water or similar.

Naicecuppatea · 04/02/2015 13:51

I think this is a great idea and will really help you if you can stay focused and keep it going. It will be very different for you initially, switching to whole foods, reducing sugar and cutting out the junk, as your body will have developed a strong taste for it, but after a while your body and taste buds will change and you should come to enjoy it. Perhaps have one treat day when you are out and about, to begin with?

specialsubject · 04/02/2015 13:52

the comment was not pedantic, just accurate. ALL food is processed - even the lunch I've just had, parsnips and leeks pulled straight out of the ground. We didn't eat them raw!

but reducing junk is a good idea. Crisps are just expensive fat and air, fizzy cola is toilet cleaner not something anyone should drink and so on. Cakes, sweets, biscuits have their place but only occasionally.

complex carbs are a vital part of the varied diet that we need to eat as omnivores.

MrsMaker83 · 04/02/2015 13:55

Replace it all with fruit and other healthy snacks!

I did this and now have things like carrot sticks, apples, granola bars etc...

I soon realised i only actually ate the healthier snacks when i needed a snack, because there was no addiction to them like crisps, chocolate etc!

Fruit/herbal teas are good too!

BeCool · 04/02/2015 13:58

I don't keep biscuits etc in the house for this very reason.
Beware the urge to bake or make fudge which may come across you.

CupidStuntSurvivor · 04/02/2015 14:04

I think cutting it out altogether will be near impossible in our day and age. Loads of foods we don't class as processed actually are.

Can I suggest you do a swap instead? Get rid of the cakes, crisps, etc, and buy high fibre snacks instead? Do yourself a sort of snack mix of high fibre cereal, raisins, that kind of thing, eat fresh fruit and veg (maybe with humous or guacamole dip), crab sticks, anything low calorie you can munch on instead of cakes.

SorchaN · 04/02/2015 14:07

It sounds like a great idea! Have you thought about what you will eat instead when you get the urge to snack? I like snacking on apples, bananas and nuts. Also, I plan my snacks (e.g. fruit between breakfast and lunch, nuts between lunch and dinner, more fruit between dinner and bedtime). If I have something in the house to snack on I'm less likely to go to the shop for chocolate or biscuits.

Also, exercise is really important, especially outdoors in the daytime. A nice walk (it doesn't have to be a fast walk) for about 20 minutes every day can really pick you up.

Good luck!

chillybits · 04/02/2015 14:07

Oh yes the baking, I do miss that. I still do it but save it for occasions and go to to town.

Original poster
turntothesun · 04/02/2015 14:08

Another thought.... something I always want to ask my slim, healthy friends.... what do 'normal' people eat? It's a genuine question... what do normal people (by that I mean those are not constantly obsessing about food) eat, please tell me.

OP posts:
ThatBloodyWoman · 04/02/2015 14:11

Yanbu,but its going to be hard because a ridiculous amount of stuff is processed to some degree.
And how about the agrichemicals in your veg,and the hormones in your meat?
I think you are absolutely right btw and hope you get as clean a diet as you can.
The food industry is an absolute disgrace and the more you find out,the more shocking it is that so few people know or care about what they are shovelling down their throats, making massive corporations richer at the expense of our health.

Mammanat222 · 04/02/2015 14:15

Google low GI. That is the plan I am going to follow soon (I'm 2 weeks pp and bfing so not going to worry too much about a healthy regime just yet.. managing to eat at all is good going at the moment)

I lost 3st following low GI principles and kept it off for years until I got pregnant first time in 2012

chillybits · 04/02/2015 14:16

Cutting out snacks and focusing on meals has really worked for me. I can't be trusted with snacks. Raisins & nuts, I'd eat the packet. Fruit just makes me hungrier. Granola bars, I may as well just eat a slab of chocolate because I won't stop at one granola bar. Sugar is sugar.

If I have a decent meal twice a day, without any simple carbs at all I am fine and losing weight.

Being seriously addicted to sugar to the point where its curtailing your life, like the OP, is different to just liking it alot when you can make easy replacements. Saying swap to raisins is a bit like telling an alcoholic to just have a couple of glasses of wine but don't finish the bottle. They are just sugar (although a sugar with redeeming qualities for most people) and by the time you've eaten the whole packet it craves anything similar, and before you know it the cakes and biscuits are back again.

manicinsomniac · 04/02/2015 14:22

YANBU, good for you. Be a bit careful though, it's also possible to get obsessed with/addicted to 'clean' eating. I have anorexia/orthorexia and, over the last few months, have gone from existing on diet coke, sugar free jelly, snack a jacks and diet hot chocolate to eating only chicken, fish, eggs, fruit, vegetables and nuts. It's healthy but I am obsessed - and probably over critical and boring to others.

I think you're getting out of the house goal is a great one. Maybe combine it with ditching the junk food but wait a little while before going completely 'clean' as it might just be too much all at once and lea to either failure or a new way of abusing yourself with food issues.