to think of I cut down UPF I will gain weight?

[healthwoes]

Disclaimer: I am reading ultra-processed people BUT I haven't finished it yet.

Like many I've been dieting most of my adult life. Sometimes more extremely, but always basically thinking about food, what I eat and what I avoid.

I understand the science/explanation about how food manufacturers have essentially made things addictive/moreish and can see that it's a good idea to eat proper, whole food for the most part and would happily aim for the suggested 80/20.

I do worry about gaining weight, a lot. It's taken me a long time to get to the healthy weight that I am and stay here. The food I eat, on the whole, is pretty good but there's definitely easy swaps/wins e.g. my flavoured, protein yoghurt for greek yoghurt & a drizzle of honey. I can make bread. I am a good baker. But here lies the problem- I don't currently eat much bread or cake/home baking because of the calories. If I make it myself, I will eat it "because it's allowed" and therefore my daily calories will go up.

Am I missing something obvious/will it become clear later in the book?

What a convoluted way of thinking.
Energy intake vs expenditure law has not been cancelled.

I've lost weight eating sweets and chocolate only and I've gained weight by eating too much of fruit, nuts and homemade oat granola bars.
I also purposefully gained weight for bodybuilding purposes on wholefoods only because I upped my food intake significantly.

Avoiding UPFS is about avoiding cramming crap into your body, whilst not getting the nutrition your body needs. It's about health. It's about nourishing vs feeding. Whether you want to maintain, lose or gain weight there are healthy and unhealthy ways to go about it - that is an important EXTRA consideration to your calorie intake.

I’m another one that’s baffled. Why would you start making stuff you don’t eat just because it’s in a book? Surely what you’re discovering from reading this book is you actually don’t eat much upf anyway if you’re not finding many swaps to make

I cut out UPF and carbs to keep slim. If I add either in I pack on the weight very quickly.

You can slice and freeze the bread though, having a slice at a time... Currently, you are looking for excuses NOT to quit UPF foods, for whatever reasons.

I see. Never had this although I do agree that homemade cake is better than shop bought cake.

I'm laughing and nodding my head as I read along, this is interesting thank you. I think I most align for/am aiming for @ParentsTrapped approach.

Just heading on the school run but @Catza I read a study that was 80/20 then reversed but they didn't match the calories. I think they found that the upf-ers ate more and gained weight but without matching the calories it comes back to how filling things are I guess.

Why would you start making stuff you don’t eat just because it’s in a book? Because it doesn't feel like an option to me now- shop bought full of rubbish as well as calories. Whereas homemade seems more "acceptable".

I accept I'm looking for a magic answer btw- a cheats way, a loophole- that doesn't exist. Just enjoying the new approach and thinking/talking about it.

@markzily ultimately I think you're right, that enjoying food and maintaining weight is tricky regardless. I love food and cooking and it's constantly a trade off in my head.

It will be free from processed ingredients that enable cakes, like Kipling, for example to sit on a shelf for weeks on end. I know which cake I would rather consume.

We try to avoid upf as much as possible. One of the benefits of home baking is you can control the ingredients. For example I always half the amount of sugar used in the recipe for cakes and biscuits. We never add icing or drizzles. A upf cake now tastes horribly sweet. We do eat a lot of butter though! With bread I find the home baked or upf freee bought bread is drier and denser and therefore you are much less likely to over eat it.