To ask what you think of this typical food intake?

[ivyball]

This is what I’ve eaten over the last 7 days.
Does this seem like too much food to you or not a lot of food?
Female 5 foot 2.

Day 1

4 egg omelette with 2 pork chops and red pepper, sweet corn.
Snacks - half a 900g pack of cheddar cheese and half a 200g pack of mixed nuts spread out and picked on over the day.
5 cups decaf coffee.

Day 2

3 chicken thighs and 2 chicken legs with some veg.
Snacks - half a 900g pack of cheddar cheese and half a 200g pack of mixed nuts picked on throughout the day.
5 cups decaf coffee.

Day 3
4 egg omelette and pack of prawns, sweetcorn and spinach.
Snacks - half a 900g packet of cheddar cheese and half a 200g bag of Mixed nuts.
5 cups decaf coffee.

Day 4
Half a roast chicken picked at.
Snacks - half a packet of 900g cheese and half a packet of 200g nuts to pick throughout the day.
5 cups of decaf coffee.

Day 5
4 fried eggs, mushrooms, an avocado, tomatoes and bacon.
Snacks - half a pack of 900g cheddar cheese and half a packet of 200g mixed nuts.
5 cups decaf coffee.

Day 6
500g diced beef fried with red pepper and mushrooms.
Snacks - half a packet of 900g cheddar cheese and half a packet of 200g mixed nuts.
5 cups decaf coffee.

Day 7
1 Tin of tuna and salad.
Snacks - half a packet of 900g cheddar cheese and half packet of 200g mixed nuts.
1 bottle of white wine.

2 fillets of salmon with green beans, broccoli and red pepper.
Snacks - half a 900g packet of cheddar cheese and half a 200g packet of nuts.
5 cups of decaf coffee.
1 bottle of white wine.

I have used the term half a pack instead of (450g) cheese and 100g nuts because I thought people would be able to imagine a 900g block of cheese and 200g pack of nuts easier as that’s how they come.
Does this sound like too much food or not enough food please?
I typically eat one meal a day in the morning and pick on cheese and nuts sporadically for the rest of the day.
This is because I need to eat until I’m full or I will still feel hungry after so I eat a big main meal first thing as it works for me and I feel full.
The cheese and nuts are because of a craving for cheese. I love my cheese.

This is one of the worst diets I've ever seen. Disgustingly unhealthy.

I'm a 5ft 7 woman with a BMI of 20 who trains hard and lifts heavy. Today my final calories intake will be about 2500 by the end of the day which includes 136g of protein. This is my food diary for today:

Flat white
Large bowl porridge with semi skimmed milk, topped with stewed blackberries and apples and pumpkin seeds.

Flat white
Wholemeal wrap with chicken and avocado, salad and 1tbsp of mayo. X2 low fat babybel, carrot sticks.

Large slice (weighed) of homemade pea protein banana bread.

Homemade lasagne (small portion weighed out), large side salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber - no dressing.

Protein pudding for dessert.

It's just past lunch and I am satiated. And feel comfortable.

Kindly, I do think you need to revaluate your diet. It's not healthy. I know it's not easy either, having been someone who was previously obese.

Even halfing the amount of your food would be a start as well as introducing some fruits and vegetables.

You have 500g of diced beef one day and then a tin of tuna and salad the next? Your body must be so confused 😆
It must also cost you a bloody fortune!

You've misunderstood my post.

The average woman needs about 2000 calories per day. You're quite short so I'd expect your requirements to be less, but we'll stick with 2000 to be straightforward. That means you need an average of 14,000 calories per week. You're eating 12,726 calories of cheese per week. That means more than 90% of your recommended weekly calories is going on your cheese intake alone.

The nuts and your meals in addition to that mean you must be well over your average weekly calorie requirement. You haven't mentioned your weight but I would be surprised if you didn't have some issues relating to weight gain from this diet.

There are other issues too - you're nowhere near the recommended minimum of 5 portions of fruit and veg per day, and your diet is incredibly high in saturated fats, sodium and cholesterol. You have very poor diet diversity and extremely low fibre. All in all it's a diet which is going to lead to heart disease, strain on your cardiovascular system, constipation, bowel problems, and weight gain.

I honestly think this is one of the least healthy diets I've ever seen discussed on mumsnet. It's one thing eating a bit too much cheese as a snack, but at 450g per day you're well beyond that kind of minor issue and deep into very disordered eating. I think you should speak to your GP about a referral for dietary help.

@ivyball That’s a very (extremely) high‑protein, high‑fat diet with very little fibre or variety. Most people would find it unbalanced, and it’s definitely something to run past a doctor or dietitian if it’s a long‑term plan. Says the fat girl in the corner😁.

This is essentially a very strict low‑carb / keto‑style diet, but without the usual balance of Leafy greens, non‑starchy vegetables, healthy fats (olive oil, avocado, seeds). Its not good.

There’s almost no whole grains, beans, lentils, fruit, or consistent vegetables. Low fibre diets can contribute to digestive issues and don’t support long‑term gut health.

It’s more like a meat‑and‑cheese heavy version of keto. Some people choose low‑carb diets, but this version is unusually narrow.|

Common side effects of a diet like this include digestive issues, fatigue, nutrient gaps, and increased strain on the kidneys and cardiovascular system (so it could contribute to your low blood pressure). You might lose weight on a diet like this because it’s very low‑carb and very filling, but it’s not balanced and it’s missing a lot of nutrients. It’s definitely something to check with a doctor or dietitian if you’re planning to do it long‑term, but I suspect you know that.

I’m also shocked by it, the op will be eating over 31 000 cals a week, and she thought we’d tell her to eat more that she wasn’t eating enough.

whats worse is a couple of people posting have even worse comprehension of dietary requirements that she does, someone suggested she’d be underweight, someone else a healthy weight. Even body builders would only consume this much when bulking but not like this with so much fat and sodium.

i think your suggestion to speak to the doctor for dietary advice is a good one. Eating three or four meals in one sitting and saying you only habe one meal a day, then eating large quantities of cheese and nuts on top of it. Is very disordered, incredibly unhealthy and I’d have assumed the op has significant health problems due to her weight and diet. Or shortly will have.

She will never lose weight on this. It is not humanly possible.

The 'calories dont work' gang have really done a number on society havent they

People genuinely think you can lose weight without being in a calorie deficit.

Astonishing.

OP, you have some useful, some witty and some shocked replies there....

It's a very calorific diet, largely due to the amount of fat in the cheese and nuts. if you are sedentary or lightly active and need the average of 2,000 calories a day, possibly less if you are 5'2". Your current calory intake vastly exceeds that. Your cheese and nuts alone are juts shy of 3,000 calories and your one meal can be another 1,000 depending on how it is cooked (amount of fat, etc). So you may be taking in double the calories you require to maintain your current weight.

Even if you aim for keto (for weight loss or other reasons), you would be putting on weight with this calory intake, unless you are extremely active.

What is the reason for your question? Do you have health concerns or are you looking to lose weight?

afraid i have to go on about your high dairy/cheese intake ( i wonder if its possibly a record 🙂).
I’m interested you survive with so little roughage in a day? I thought every1 was striving for at least 5 portions of veg/fruit per day? & some will even go for 10 😳. These would fill you up & get your digestive system a good bit of exercise too.
You mention you’ve wondered about possibility of food allergy. I’ve actually heard that some folk can have a high desire for the 1 thing they’re allergic to, tho haven’t looked into it.
I actually do have gut disturbance from cheese, but really enjoy it, so I always dilute mine with plenty of; either, apple or pineapple.

@ivyball what do you weigh?
That's an horrific diet and your poor liver.

That’s interesting, I used to have what felt like an imaginary sweat when I ate cheese and get a rash on my forehead but when I touched my face there was no real sweat there just a mild tingling sensation and if I touched the rash it would go flaky.
I also have a lot of hair loss which I put down to nutrition deficiency but maybe that’s why I need cheese. I don’t get this now I eat so much of it.

OP is your goal to lose weight? As a cheese addict over here you just simply can’t have it in the house. Limit yourself to the individual portions each time you go into the supermarket. A serving of cheese is 30g - brutal I know - but you’re eating over 10 times a normal serving. It will create cholesterol issues over time. I can’t even handle the small individual portions but the less you eat it, the less it has a hold over you. I only eat cheese when I’m eating out and don’t have it at home. I would be massive.

Try grating a strongly flavoured cheese like Parmesan onto your omelettes but which is hard to binge on just as a straight cheese. You get an intense cheese taste but without the calories.

I can promise you the cheese addiction can be broken. I could eat chain eat blocks of cheese left to my own devices but now I don’t buy it but will have it in restaurants.

Nuts are lethal calorie wise and are designed literally for weight gain. We eat them year round, but if we were limited to local produce they are produced in autumn to aid winter fat stores for animals. Literally. They also are really high in omega 6. They are little fat pills.

You need more protein and would be better off eating three proper meals a day, rather than just one and then eating a tonne of cheese and nuts.

I really recommend the Longley Farm cottage cheese - I hate cottage cheese and would flinch if someone recommended it to me, but honestly that range is DELICIOUS, so rich and creamy. It’s 250kcals a pot and 30g protein, a great breakfast for a cheese lover and a cheese addict in recovery.

I’m not sure what a good nut substitute is but hopefully if you eat proper meals you won’t be grazing like that

Why are you not answering anyone asking about your weight?

You are most certainly nutrient deficient but not because of insufficient cheese.

"I really recommend the Longley Farm cottage cheese - I hate cottage cheese and would flinch if someone recommended it to me, but honestly that range is DELICIOUS, so rich and creamy. It’s 250kcals a pot and 30g protein, a great breakfast for a cheese lover"
@SlightlyTerrifiedButPolite I've seen this recommended on MN before and really want to try it. Please could you tell me where to buy this ~ I can't find it in Sainsburys
Many thanks

Haven't read every page. Do we know height/weight of OP?

It’s in Morrisons, and they’ve started stocking it in Asda, Waitrose and Ocado. It’s catching on! ENJOY!!! I love the one with chives. I also love the plain one on ryvita with a sprinkling of zaatar.

Hilariously I was once eating it whilst speaking to a friend on the phone who left the UK 10 years ago, and she told me every morning at 11am she would have a pot of the one with pineapple 🤣. I haven’t tried this one.

Just for another point of reference for an average family-

We have 500g of minced beef to make bolognese tonight. We will cook it with onions, mushrooms, peppers, a courgette, tinned tomatoes and then grate a couple of carrots into the mix. When it's cooked, half will go directly into the freezer for a lasagne next week.

The other half will go comfortably between 2 adults and a child with 75g pasta per adult and 50g pasta per child, and a healthy sprinkling of grated cheese on top.

So, in summary, the amount of beef you eat in one sitting is enough to serve my whole family for two meals.

You are also consuming over the recommended weekly limit of alcohol for women, of 14 units. Two bottles of wine a week is at least 18 units, possibly quite a lot more. Check the label.

Between the alcohol and the fat, I'd be slightly concerned about your liver.

otoh, I am now fantasising about two bottles of wine a week and a daily 'snack' of a pound of cheese

@NigellaDelia im going to sound crazy but I just remembered I once whipped it in the magi mix with chilli flakes and had it on toast with avocado 😂. It was delicious but too messy to do frequently

OP doesn’t seem to want to tell us that.

No, she won't say. I can't see how she could possibly be anything other than morbidly obese, which is probably why she won't say.

That's over 3kg of cheese a week.

I don't think 100g of nuts a day is excessive from a health point of view.