UPF.... WTF - I knew it was addictive but didn't realise...

[PaminaMozart]

... how quickly things can fall apart!

I'm a self-confessed health nut. Love exercise, lots of walking, and my diet is normally supper healthy. Lots of vegetables, lean protein, a smattering of complex carbs, healthy fats and dairy/mostly yoghurt.

It has stood me in good stead. At 70 I am really fit and my health-MOT suggests a biological age of 53 or thereabouts.

BUT...... for the past 10 days I have had relatives staying with me who seem addicted to UPF, carbs and sugary 'treats'. They sleep till 10, so I've given my usual morning workouts a miss so as not to disturb them. No point cooking stuff they won't eat. Or we eat out at places with limited/no healthy options.

Slowly but surely I've fallen into a pattern of eating what they eat, drinking wine daily (as opposed to a glass once or twice a week), and taking the bus instead of walking.

And, even after such a short time I have gained weight, my belly is definitely more prominent, and my lovely muscles seem sadly diminished.

A salutary lesson. Use it or loose it. I wonder how long it'll take me to get back to where I was...?!!

Uh oh, not those scary upfs again 👻 I’d rather eat what I want in moderation than be so scared of processed foods that I have to make a whole post crying about them!

I agree with you completely. I was given a medical “keto” diet by my neurologist to see if it would help my migraines. It worked for me (doesn’t work for everyone) and it also reduced inflammation elsewhere in my body. I had to have my wedding ring resized to two sizes smaller, and I can move the frozen shoulder that has been an issue since I was 9. Obviously I cook everything fresh. I avoid all grains and there are traces of them in most UPF foods.

Your body has not changes in any significant way in 10 days.

Ultimately I think the solution is actually to increase the processing of our food. People like what they like. Life is short. They could develop processes to remove sugar and trans fats, add insulin or hormones like ozempic directly into problem foods, add vegetable vitamins without people noticing, etc.

Agree totally OP . You've reignited my desire to stop eating the absolute rubbish that is UPF

Maybe 'they' need to engineer foods which people will die of more abruptly rather than leading to years of poor health?

It's all a matter of personal choice and responsibility really. I'm about to retire and want to have as many more active years as possible!

I know what you mean, OP.

I find it much easier to just give up sugar/UPFS completely rather than moderate. If I have a little bit of sugar, I just want more, but if I forgo it completely I don’t even think about it.

@PaminaMozart I think 6 weeks and you will be back where you were 😀

Probably a good job they weren't heroin addicts eh?

I mean this politely but I’d be very surprised if you’ve noticeably lost muscle mass in ten days.

I was in a similar situation a couple of months ago OP. I found it incredibly hard to stop eating UPF. But then it's designed to make you want to keep eating it.

As many say, food manufacturers aren't there to nourish you, they're there to make money. And they do that by making edible substances that have the perfect mouthfeel, combination of fats and sugar, just the right crunch etc

I've no issue with eating sweet, creamy fatty things but just don't want all the crappy emulsifiers, diglycerides of who knows what etc etc.

And for all those posters who think the OP is being holier than thou, you should read up on this subject. There are lots of things you can do to improve your diet and health.

Sugar is so addictive. I once dis a sponsored No Sugar month. The first few days were tough but after that it was a breeze. I finished by eating a slice of cake and I went straight back to needing chocolate every day. Its like a switch flicks.

I really really struggle to control myself when I eat junk food, both in terms of volume (must finish the family bag) and frequency and belief system. I actually start believing its easier to chuck on nuggets and chips instead of chopping some veg and roasting it. And when I eat the beige food during a health kick I find myself think why am I even eating this, it tastes like nothing, I don't even actually like or enjoy it...but somehow I end up feeling driven to eat it (in large volumes) until I go cold turkey.

Sort of the same woth alcohol. I know now that I slide into a habit over Xmas of drinking a small amount most days for 2 weeks, stop, and then suddenly actively don't want it for months at a time. Habits are everything where UPF and Sugar come into play

At 70 too! I mean fgs lighten up (😂🤣😆) and enjoy a bit of rubbish food, you could even treat yourself to an afternoon tea, OP the horror😱

I think we all know how to Improve our diet and health.😂

what people are surprised about is the op has said she’s now,addicted and lost muscle mass in ten days, which is highly unlikely/

😂

I don't know why people are being so nasty.
I think it's excellent that you are in such good shape.

I by no means eat as 'cleanly' as you do, but I exercise a lot and eat pretty well. I notice when my routines go out of the window, either because I'm visiting people or away with work. I find it very unsettling and I know it impacts my digestion.
I can feel a change in my muscle tone after a week of little exercise. I am 53, so I imagine at 70 those changes would happen more quickly.
It will come back, don't worry. It might take longer than 10 days, but still far less time than someone who didn't start off in such good health.

Actually, I think it's more surprising as a society that we don't know how to improve our diet and health.

Increased obesity rates, increased risk of cancer, increased risk or dementia...etc. All over and above the rate that can be expected by simply living longer. There is a strong hypothesis that some of this is down to UPF and our whole previous methodology of classifying food into the constituent macronutrients plus calories is woefully inadequate to actually appreciate and understand what various foodstuffs does to our bodies.

Unfortunately, we also live in a society where food is demonised and obese people are viewed negatively, such that simply having discussions about food makes people feel judged and attacked.

What's stopping you from eating healthily and going for walks etc? I dont really understand

I dont find that with UPFs at all. Im probably similar lifestyle to the OP and if I eat crap and veg out it really takes very little time for me to start craving fresh food and to want to get up and move my arse!
Although I will admit that if I am very sleep deprived or feeling ill then I do have to watch out for quick fix calories!

I tend to follow the 80% rule though..... just eat healthy 80% of the time and then if you want the cake, eat the damn cake!

Actually laughing at this thread, thanks OP 😂😂😂

That would make an excellent episode of Black Mirror.

I very much doubt you'd have lost that much muscle mass in 10 days.

How much longer are they there?
Despite the addictions you've developed already and the loss of your lovely muscles, you're just going to carry on?
At the very least, you could knock the alcohol on the head - nobody's making you drink it.
And why not go back to your early morning workouts or, if that will disturb them too much, a brisk walk or run?
Are there really no places to eat near you that don't serve some healthier options?
"No point" cooking what they won't eat? Don't you normally cook for yourself anyway?
Maybe you were unaware before of the damage you think it's doing you, but seemingly you can see yourself changing in 10 days.
If I was worried, I'd start looking after myself again now rather than passively wait until they're gone, thinking "Only 6 bottles of wine, 3 pizzas and a family-sized trifle to put away until they leave - phew!"

“Lovely muscles” 😂😂😂

Awwwww your lovely muscles have diminished! Makes me glad I never bothered working out to get any really 😂