to think that most people don't eat really well, they just eat ok

[BellaCB]

I've been following some threads on weight loss and snacks lately as my diet isn't great and I need to make some changes, so have been following for some tips. Sometimes a lot of advice on these threads comes across to me as a little 'extreme' or very radical. As in, you often get people talking about how they never snack, or eat mainly seafood and vegetables and stir fry, say. The threads can go a bit round in circles – "snacking is just a lack of willpower, processed food is evil, carbs are terrible for you" etc.

Now I'm not questioning that this isn't just a very healthy way to eat – I'm sure it is probably one of the healthiest ways to eat. (And this isn't meant as a criticism of people who enjoy eating those foods, or people who have to eat a more restricted diet)

But it got me thinking about what people I know eat (colleagues and friends) and it seems to be the same. The general attempt is to eat relatively well, to have fruit and veg, and to have decent meals where possible. When you go to someone's for a meal or you share recipes, the general aim is something relatively healthy, or at least with fresh ingredients and vegetables. But they are also still eating biscuits in the office, still happily getting a cake in a café, and talking about having had a chippie takeaway one night.

I know the ideal would be to cut out processed food, but AIBU to think that actually, most people just eat quite well, try and get their five a day if they can, but still "indulge" - biscuits and desserts and takeaway and alcohol - sometimes? That most people just live in a middle ground between eating terribly and eating super healthily?

You wouldn't bother being a vegan purely because it was healthy

Actually, a plant based diet is the new big thing. Loads of slebs doing it for their health. Of course they are looked down upon by "proper" ethical vegans

I think the key thing here is one's definition of 'sometimes'.

Cake or biscuits every other day is not sometimes, it's a regular part of the diet. Likewise a takeaway once a week. Wine two days a week.

I think once every three+ weeks becomes 'sometimes'.

Unhealthy people often justify their own frequent over-consumption on the grounds that other people eat the same things sometimes. It's not the same kind of sometimes though.

I think vegans get loads of shit on here and in RL. I think this is because people are jealous that some folk can be so controlled. There are also some quite smug vegans about but like you said Bella there are smug foodie types about all sorts of shit.

I would like to be a vegetarian in theory. I worry about animal welfare; there's no way I would kill an animal with my own hands and I don't know how to gut a fish. I still eat it all though, I'm a raging hypocrite

At least vegans stick to their principles.

I honestly enjoy eating nutritious food more than junk food-I would far rather have a salad, nuts or good cheese than an iced donut.

There are plenty of foods I wouldn't buy or eat unless I was socially obliged to or in a survival situation, because I find them unappetising mainly because I know they're very junky. I am interested in nutrition as I run and like to feel fit and full of energy, and without excess weight.

I do enjoy cake but never really buy it, as it crops up often enough via other people, same with chocolate, sweets, crisps, soft drinks. I do bake for the dcs, though and will eat it as I know what's in it.

So if we are at someone's house it feels partyish to have that sort of food and I do enjoy it.

I don't think the 'typical Mumsnet' diet reflects what most of the population eat. I am always surprised at the menu planning threads, everyone seems to eat such 'wholesome' food.

Most people I know seem to have a couple of 'planned meals' a week, a few left overs/sandwich type/jacket potato meals and a takeaway or similar.

hmmm ok well I cook a healthy meal every night, maximum of one pure carb type. We never eat takeaways. I dont snack in the office, it may be boring but increasing the size of my thighs won't make me feel better.

I do drink a lot of tea in the office though (as it has no real effect on my thighs) have the odd diet coke and like wine (worth it ). So I fail miserably with the I only drink water brigade

I also agree that the advice is extreme (and totally contradictory). My opinion is different ways of eating work for different people. And you can't just cut sugar etc out completely, it's just setting yourself up to fail.

My diet is pretty dire but then I can't cook.

I certainly don't hate vegans, I applaud them. It's difficult to have a diet that cuts out dairy and meat products. I would know, I'm allergic to both. I eat fish though, as I don't have a reaction to that, but you'd honestly be surprised at the amount of things that have dairy in that you wouldn't expect, particularly milk powder. I have to be very careful about what I eat and read all labels religiously. My vegan friends all do the same.

Only one of them actually does comment on other people's food choices though, funnily enough the same one I mentioned who eats a terrible diet. My other friend, carnivorous but very healthy in her food choices, once told her to shut up as we didn't judge her for eating crap so she shouldn't judge us for eating animals To be fair, she had never mentioned it again in person, though she does often rant and post links on Facebook about how we should all be vegan. I think it's folk like her that make people a bit wary of veganism, people don't tend to like anyone who is evangelical about anything, be that meat or juice plus

I think a bad diet is cultural, I really do. I've never seen snacks as part of life (apart from hors d'oeuvre: olives, hummus, nuts) anywhere else in Europe to the same extent as here. Chocolate bars, crisps, biscuits- the normalisation of eating empty calories still, after nearly 15 yrs living in the UK, amazes me!
Faddy diets are mental and do not work. The only way they might work is at the very start when they could shock your metabolism. But the only way to lose weight and be healthy is to e at a balanced, portioned controlled diet with limited sugar. And exercise off the food you intake.

Having said all that, you'd be amazed and how unhealthy a lot of elite athletes diets are! So many top runners and endurance athletes fuel themselves on sugary energy supplements and forget basic nutritional principals. But they expend so much energy it looks ok on the outside. A fair rule of thumb is to eat stuff that's green, unrefined grains, non-saturated fats, and lots of water. And eat enough in your meals that you aren't hungry in between. Also people don't know the difference between real hunger and "mouth" hunger, which is caused by habit. If your mouth expects to be fed at a certain time, even if your body is not hungry, you'll feel like eating. Learn how to avoid this and things become much easier.