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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think what I eat in a day is ok?

226 replies

Bibblybumblebee · 04/03/2024 06:42

So I’m overweight and yes I’d like to loose some weight but I honestly don’t think my diet is that bad. I tend to eat the same most days

Breakfast
25g granola or oats
Low fat Greek yogurt
Berries
Honey

Snack
Banana / apple

Lunch
Beans/egg on whole meal toast
(Small amount of real butter)

Snack
Kit kat and a cuppa

Dinner
Jacket Potato cheese/beans
or
Sausage and mash/roast potatoes with veg

We only ever have a takeaway if it’s someone’s birthday

and we only have a pudding on a Saturday night which will be something like ice cream or cheese cake

In a size 16/18 and I do have PCOS

It might not be the healthiest but also it’s not horrendous surely?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
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disaggregate · 04/03/2024 09:30

Bibblybumblebee · 04/03/2024 06:58

It’s a lot of carbs isn’t it!
When I have beans with my Jacket I’ll have an entire tin.

I don’t eat meat (sausages are veggie ones) so I think I replace a lot of protein with carbs

I think maybe carbs replacing protein might be an issue as well as not moving much - you say you eat eggs, so would you try to have an omelette with veggies and a big salad (i.e. no jacket potato/pasta/rice/bread) for your evening meal?

nonmerci99 · 04/03/2024 09:36

You should try eating more green veg and healthy pulses and less sausage/baked beans/jacket potatoes. Your diet is very high in sugar. Your breakfast is decent though quite sweet, your daily Kit Kat should be cut out entirely, a whole tin of beans is a lot of sugar, and your dinner lacks variety and is pretty stodgy. If you made a few diet subs you would start losing weight (over time) without really trying.

BarrelOfOtters · 04/03/2024 09:38

More veg would probably help, so a salad on the side of the jacket potato or a serving of peas, broccoli and cabbage. Some stir fries? An omelette with veg.

Basically more veg. Also where are you getting your iron from?

Also jacket potatoes vary in calories...one the size of a dinner plate is going to be calorific than a one the size of a small tea cup...

Bishbashboshing · 04/03/2024 09:39

op do some research on inositol. I have pcos and a big belly have always found it difficult to lose weight. I overheard a conversation about inositol so ordered some to give it a try. Honestly I’m so happy I did. I put one teaspoon in my morning coffee to replace sugar and one teaspoon in my evening tea to replace sugar. Been doing this since December and have lost 5 kg. Also my bloating has reduced so much.

4timesthefun · 04/03/2024 09:43

I have PCOS and have had severe insulin resistance. Before Metformin, about 10% of that food would have been enough to make me gain weight. It was awful. Now my insulin resistance is properly controlled, I’d lose weight on that amount of food, even without exercise. If you make the changes to low carb and it doesn’t help (it did sweet FA for me before Metformin), then I’d seriously consider whether medication might help with the insulin resistance. It depends if it bothers you enough, I wasn’t happy with my rapidly ballooning size despite strict dieting. I’ve now lost about 1.5 stone over 9 months and can eat normally and enjoy whatever food I want. It’s not for everyone, but it was definitely what I needed.

KimberleyClark · 04/03/2024 09:47

Jellycatspyjamas · 04/03/2024 07:19

PCOS is hormonal and low carb regulates hormones (insulin is a hormone). Eating low carb has helped people with hormonal conditions (including PCOS) to lose weight.

I’d echo this, the only way I’ve lost weight is through low carbing - 4.5 stones lost and staying off.

The diet drinks also provoke an insulin response so make your body think it’s having more sugar. You aren’t eating a lot of food depending on portion size but there’s lots of sugar in there which will really hinder weight loss if you have PCOS.

Low carbing is bad for underactive thyroid conditions. Carbs are needed to fuel the production of thyroid hormones.

EasterEgger · 04/03/2024 09:48

You shouldn't be eating chocolate everyday, also have you counted drinks e.g alcohol and pop.

It sounds a lot to me but I only eat 2 meals and still struggle with weight.. It's all about calories in vs out. If you have 1500 as your metabolic rate that 1 kit kat already takes you down 100cals..breakfast plus beans and toast meal plus jacket potato meal with extras is fairly high calorie. Could easily top 1000 for both with the cheese for those 2 meals and that's not including breakfast.

End of if you were in a deficit you'd be losing weight. I'd say cut out the snacks or if you really can't give up the kitkats reduce to 2 meals a day instead of 3 and you might see a difference.

Bibblybumblebee · 04/03/2024 09:52

GreyCarpet · 04/03/2024 08:10

I don't know about honey being worse but it is still a sugar and will be metabolised in the same way. It will still trigger an insulin response.

Your body doesn't burn fat when insulin is present in the body.

OP, listen to Dr Jason Fung on Spotify - The Obesity Code. Watch the magic pill on YouTube. There's a really informative low carb group on fb I'd be happy to PM you the details of if you're interested.

Thank you - I’ll look that up

OP posts:
Sususudio · 04/03/2024 09:53

I am 52, don;t count calories, and am able to stay a 10-12 ( I am 5'7) on a veggie diet by just eating real non-UPF food, not eating chocolate daily, no fizzy drinks, and plenty of veg, pulses and fruit. Some carbs, but only with a lot of veg. Like a stir fry with less noodles and lots of veg, tofu or egg. Or rice with daal and lots of greens.

1stTimeMummy2021 · 04/03/2024 09:54

@Bibblybumblebee I have a sweet tooth too, you could try a protein shake to up your protein, satisfy your sweet craving and feel fuller between meals.

Bibblybumblebee · 04/03/2024 09:56

wubwubwub · 04/03/2024 08:13

Well, there we go.

Whole tin of beans are 400cals
50g of cheddar is 200cal
Large jacket potato pushing 300c.

So the meal is around 900 calories. Maybe more if you're having butter/mayo/sauce as well.

Go for a small, potato ½ can beans, 30g of cheddar and replace the rest with salad.
Then you'll be around
200 for beans
150 for potato
120 for cheese
And maybe 50-150 for salad. Go wild have as much as you like.

So approx. 600 calories of more nutrient dense foods.

There's a way of thinking that's helpful for thinking about the foods you choose. Well, it is for me...If you have a chocolate biscuit for 100cals, you'll enjoy it, and possibly grab another one. It's very easy to think "ah, go on, one more"... But if you ate a banana for 100 cals, you'd enjoy it, but you'd be incredibly unlikely to reach for the second banana.

nutrient dense foods have this affect, they satisfy you fully, not just for that moment like a biscuit does.

That makes so much sense chocolate vs banana

OP posts:
Happyhappyeveryday · 04/03/2024 09:59

Too many carbs, OP. You need more variety of veg and portion control.

ChampagneLassie · 04/03/2024 10:03

I’m going to suggest look at Keto diet, totally different to how you eat. And get much more healthy veggies in. And while weight is 90% food, you need to increase your metabolism if you could do small bit of cardio as regularly as possible, even just a 10 min brisk walk every morning I think this would help

crostini · 04/03/2024 10:04

If I was trying to lose weight id cut out the snacks and have less potatoes. Nutritionally it's fresh and healthy food but the only way to lose weight is to eat less calories.

takemeawayagain · 04/03/2024 10:04

A big tin of Heinz beans has nearly 18 grams of sugar in. Granola tends to be full of sugar, sometimes the second ingredient - and honey is about 85% sugar. So I definitely think you could cut down on sugar as there are already natural sugars in yoghurt (which is fine). Even some sausages now contain sugar so watch out for that.
A whole tin of beans is 2 servings so that is too much. It's impossible to say if you're eating too much generally although I would suspect you're eating too much at dinner.

I definitely don't think you have a terrible diet but I'm sure it wouldn't be too hard to improve. Avoid granola and skip the honey, add in some seeds nuts and sugar free muslei instead to make it tastier and more nutritious. and filling. Add some salad to lunch or things like pepper, carrot and cucumber sticks and only buy the small tins of beans or have half one day and half the next. For dinner you shouldn't have a plate that's piled up with food. I'd stick to no more than 3 dry roasted potatoes, one chicken thigh or equivalent, and then plenty of veg - not cooked in oil or with butter added though.

ZetuianRose · 04/03/2024 10:08

I’d echo the pulses and beans for your protein. The veggie protein options these days are GREAT, don’t get me wrong, but they’re still processed crap.

Make yourself some healthy batch meals that you can just pop in the microwave for lunch or dinner - eg bean chilli, chickpea curry etc. Make the sauce yourself using tinned tomatoes, stock, spices/herbs etc. Don’t use jar sauce. Then you have complete control over what goes in.

If you’re a bit calorie blind then measure what you’re putting into the mixture tin by tin, packet by packet. Use My Fitness Pal for a bit to show you what you’re putting in your body each day. Do it properly though - if it’s not something you can simply scan by barcode then you MUST weigh/measure it. Butter, oil you cook with, EVERYTHING. You’ll start to see then where excess calories come from.

Lose the potatoes. An odd jacket is fine, but they’re just piles of carbs. Replace them with sweet potato, they are far healthier and a “good” carb.

Beans - not the worst, but they’re full of sugar. Perhaps try making your own beans in a savoury style with unsweetened tomato sauce. They’re actually really nice!

Toooldforthis36 · 04/03/2024 10:19

Bibblybumblebee · 04/03/2024 06:58

It’s a lot of carbs isn’t it!
When I have beans with my Jacket I’ll have an entire tin.

I don’t eat meat (sausages are veggie ones) so I think I replace a lot of protein with carbs

Suspect carbs and PCOS not doing you many favours - but a whole tin of beans at one sitting on a spud is BIG! Ultimately it’s about calories in/calories out?

KellyanneConway · 04/03/2024 10:19

Looks like a normal healthyish diet to me. Practical suggestion though: when I was on a weight-loss diet I swapped eggs/beans on toast for a 2 egg omelette with onions and mushrooms and half a tin of beans, it contained fewer calories ( can’t remember exact number) and instead of jacket potatoes/ pasta I started having spiralised veg and salads that included beans and pulses to replace carbs. I lost a stone just by doing these swaps for a few months and my “normal” eating now has improved in the long term so that I maintain the weight I was after actively dieting

Mummyoflittledragon · 04/03/2024 10:22

Op doing some research yourself would be really useful especially as you have PCOS. As some have mentioned, lowering the carb is good for the condition. Healthy fats are also good in general. I would therefore not be eating low fat. Low fat yoghurt is often bulked with sweeteners and / or sugar. Butter is healthy in moderation, ditto full fat and foods like avocados.

Your aim should be to start eating a more natural diet and at least 50% of your plate should be plant based, preferably vegetables. Eating processed foods actually does us no favours and make us hold onto weight. I get it’s harder as you don’t eat meat but foods like baked beans, quorn and Kitkats are heavily processed.

People have mentioned insulin resistency. PCOS is linked to this. Your aim should be to even out the sugar spikes. If you do this, you can actually eat more food and not put on weight. Each time you just eat a kitkat as a snack on its own, you are spiking your sugar. This is the same with eating a piece of fruit or even drinking sweetened drinks.

The way to even out spikes is to consume vegetables, protein then the carb afterwards. So if you want a snack mid afternoon, you’d actually be better eating some carrot sticks, hummus and then the kitkat if you still really want it… or perhaps you could then just eat one stick?

Last year I lost 2.5 stone. I openly admit I’ve put half a stone on again. But I’m not a well woman and this is to be expected. I’ll restart once the weather warms up as I have more to lose. I ate a fair amount. A lot less sugar and far far more vegetables. I also ate in a 8-9 hour window. I didn’t eat breakfast as such, I can’t eat dairy yoghurt for example and changed it to veg, high quality fats, protein with a bit of carb. Ill give you a typical day:

Meal 1
Lettuce (lots), cucumber, 1/2 avocado, handful olives, chunk Brie, 25g smoked salmon (not weighing this, just the pack size lasted 4 salads). Large glug of olive oil, small glug balsamic.
Small graze bar, blueberries.

Meal 2
Roasted vegetables in lashings of olive oil (non starchy eg mushrooms, carrots, peppers, courgettes, onion, with a small amount sweet potato if I chose), maybe some boiled vegetables, small amount of protein.
Chunk dark chocolate or 3/4 jelly babies and maybe some blueberries.

Meal 3
One very large carrot, 40g protein - German sausage and cheese mix (not weighing, I know because the pack lasts 3 meals).
Or
A pack of nairns crackers with a bit of cheese and grapes.
(Sometimes I’d eat both for lunch and a smaller dinner.)

My dd has turned veggie. She really likes vegetables and salads. She eats things like carrot sticks and hummus, falafels and haloumi. She also likes meals such as fajita wraps.

We go through quite a lot of vegetables in this house. I tend to batch cook the veg so it can add it to meals. So fajita wraps one day with roasted veg and haloumi with it another etc.

Dd will eat more carb but she’s a teen. If I’m having wraps, I only eat one gluten free wrap but you’re several inches taller than me so idk if that would be enough for you. I load it up with veg, add a few pieces of chicken (you could use quorn), half an avocado, full fat sour cream (or crème fraiche), generous amount of grated cheese.

So my take is to eat far far more veg, quality protein in natural form rather than low fat and not to eat anything with sugar / sweetener in it unless you’ve eaten some protein and veg first.

User7825525 · 04/03/2024 10:26

Is there a particular reason you don't eat meat? Because a vegetarian diet that is not strictly plant based (eg salads, roast cauliflower, veg soup as mains) invariably forces you to consume a lot of carbs and sugar which is exactly what's happening here. The meals you listed have over 200g of sugar a day. Bananas are very high in sugar, as are beans and potatoes. All carbs get converted into glucose in the bloodstream, regardless if they're sweet or savoury.

Meat, eggs and animal protein have no sugar, so basing meals around those will automatically limit your intake. You need to aim for under 100g, ideally 50g of sugar to maintain a low carb diet. This is virtually impossible without the option of eating meat (unless you love eggs and tofu). Bananas, apples, mangos, peaches, pears, carrots, corn, beans, potatoes are also very high sugar so they should ideally be replaced by leafy greens, broccoli, strawberries, cucumbers, avocados.

As many have said, low carb high protein is much healthier for most people than being vegetarian. Breakfast would be scrambled eggs and bacon (no toast). Lunch/dinner should only be protein + veg (no carb side dishes like rice or potatoes). If that works well then you can easily have a sweet snack once a day and still be healthier than the current diet. A small cup of ice cream or chocolate bar is only 20g of sugar. If that's all you eat per day then it's much healthier than 200g of sugar from granola, toast, beans and potatoes.

JonVoightBaddyWhoGrowls · 04/03/2024 10:38

I also have PCOS and also struggle with weight loss. As everyone has said, too many carbs so you need to cut those back. Increase your fat a bit is probably okay to compensate - especially things like cheese etc as you're not eating meat. Try to up the walking - if you're doing the school run, add an additional 10 minutes walking on the way there and the way back to start with and see if that helps.

CactusMactus · 04/03/2024 10:43

You need to drop the carbs and the kitkat. Skip breakfast. And start working out.

It's not fun....

Tootsweets84 · 04/03/2024 10:48

Op I don't think it's that bad at all. I eat a lot more junk and sugar than that and I'm small (8-10). I would imagine the difference is a small part genetics and a big part how much you move. I don't tend to do any structured exercise, but I think I just naturally move a lot and fidget (like dancing to music while sitting at my desk - probably a bit less embarrassing if you WFH!), so I'm probably burning off calories without noticing. I think a lot of 'lazy slim' people are like that. There are loads of ways you can get moving without it feeling like exercise if, like me, you find the idea of a structured exercise a bit boring and chore like

BusyMummy001 · 04/03/2024 11:02

I have PCOS and managing my weight is a nightmare.

Have you seen a specialist, because most would probably suggest that your diet is far too high in carbs? I have to have a controlled complex carb approach, protein at every meal, no snacks. I’d try a week of no sugar/honey, swapping breakfast for eggs on wholegrain toast, lunch of chicken salad, evening meal chicken/beef + veggie stirfry - no rice (there is loads of fibre and healthy carbs in the veg, no need to worry about oils in this approach), and only snack on fibrous fruit or cheese.

I was put on a diet based on the Dr Charles Clarke approach (not Atkins - 60-80g of carbs a day, no more than 15-20 at any single meal, books on Amazon), after 5 miscarriages due to PCOS. 6m later was 2 stone lighter, pregnant and DS is now nearly 16, so I’d recommend looking at this at least for 1-2 weeks and see if it helps.

It’s also worth having your T4/TSH levels (thyroid function) as that is a common co-morbidity of PCOS. I take thyroxine replacement meds, but even that does not mean weight management is easy.

Distractoskort · 04/03/2024 11:03

EspressoMacchiato · 04/03/2024 07:11

Ignore this outdated bullshit.

I have Hashimoto’s which means my thyroid doesn’t work well. That has an impact on all my metabolic processes. So I lose hair, feel cold, breathe less (yes!) and don’t burn calories as well as others.

Id get fat on what you eat OP.

Edited

Hm. So do I and I lost nearly 10kg since last May restricting calories combined with weight training so I don’t think the thyroid is to blame… it’s fucking hard work and yes feelings of hunger from time to time but science is science; calories in etc etc. Weigh foods and use an app to check what you’re eating. Cronometer is really good. It takes time to lose weight. But the sooner you start… I just wanted to get strong and healthy as I know getting old and infirm will likely happen at some point but 🤞this helps delay things…