Ultra Processed Person going cold turkey

[Fluffyflipflop]

Hiya!

I’m halfway through Ultra Processed People and feeling completely disgusted at my own dietary habits for the majority of my adult life.

My UPF consumption has gotten worse as I’ve got fatter, due to eating more and more ‘diet’ and ‘low fat’ foods which I now realise were full of CRAP! (I think I knew this before but was so obsessed with calories in/out that the content of the food was irrelevant).

Suffice to say I’m now switching my focus entirely to non UPF food. It’s virtually impossible to be 100% non UPF but in my usual all or nothing style, that’s what I’m aiming for!

Is anyone else doing this?

one thing I’m struggling to find is a really good flavoursome beef stock. I’ve tried the Pots one (in what looks like a beer can) and my cottage pie was very bland according to my husband who I think would inject MSG into his eyeballs given the chance.

Also, what do you do for treats???

I cant remember the last time I cooked with tinned toms, I think they were Aldi though. I eat a lot of fresh tomatoes and cook with fresh tomatoes, they do seem a bit acidy to me, plus peppers which I try to keep to a minimum.

Yesterday for example was porridge with peanut butter, then lunch was roasted cauliflower, roasted onion, roasted garlic, roasted green beans (went all burnt), with feta and a big green tomato. Dinner was a spinach and beef massaman curry, no potatoes though.

So tomato? Curry, it did cause a bit of heartburn, the paste was ready made.
Decaf coffee in the day perhaps. The feta?

I’ve found milk chocolate without emulsifiers in at a reasonable price! (Does have the onimous ingredient of ‘flavourings’, for those purists out there)

Currently on offer if you have a loyalty card

@Fluffyflipflop Tesco finest do a 'dark milk' chocolate which just has dried whole milk, cocoa mass, cocoa butter and sugar in it. Not sure if cocoa mass or cocoa butter are upf or not though?

www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/315468385

Hi everyone, have loved reading this thread as I am on the start of my no / less UPF journey. Interested to hear how everyone is getting on nearly a year later? Did you stick to being UPF free and just find it natural now?

@TSHconfusion I have been upf free for 2 years now and do find it natural. UPF foods are no longer appealing to me, I think my cravings for them gradually disappeared over the first few months. I will eat them occasionally at a party on in a sauce etc at a restaurant but now feel hypersensitive to them and find them distasteful.

Hiya! I’m the OP and must admit I’m really proud of how long this thread ran for!

I’d say my diet is 80% non-UPF. When I do eat something with UPF in it, I don’t really enjoy it. I picture the chemicals and how they are most likely effecting my body. But sometimes they are difficult to completely avoid and so I allow a little flexibility.

There are some UPF’s I feel more comfortable with than others, but I can’t really explain why, there’s no logic to it!

Ive gone down a clothes size with this method and no calorie counting at all and haven’t felt deprived. Infact ive enjoyed food more than ever.

@Fluffyflipflop thats great to hear you were able to stick to it and are enjoying it!! Do you think you feel any different since making the switch? Energy level or concentration wise etc?

Energy has improved and most notably my joint pain improved.