UPF Help- My lifestyle is killing me.

[Ecydsis]

I am at rock bottom. I've been here for a few years now.

I am morbidly obese (I know they don't use that term anymore but it is true)

I have lost all fitness and in my mid forties, I can see my future and it is not good.

I want to start with cutting UPF- I can't currently face being hungry so my thinking is overhaul my diet without worrying about weight for now.

But want to check.

If I make bread I can eat it?
Butter, milk and cheese is ok as long as it isn't slices ?
Pasta/rice is fine if I buy it raw (not pouches)
Canned pulses are ok but not as good a dried.

Meat should be raw and identifiable (ie raw chicken, not bacon?)
Is tea/coffee ok?

Porridge oats and milk?

I'm going to try and start exercising but I am so unfit.

Thanks for any help

This thread has been interesting and just downloaded that app and my chocolate seashells are green I was pleased to find out! 🤣

It’s addictive.
I think security will throw me out of the supermarket from the constant Yukka scanning!😆

Omg I just downloaded the app. I love it!
Delighted that my chocolate choice is 'good' 😁

Open Food Facts is another good app. It’s very similar to Yuka but you can search for products without having to pay for a subscription. I like it for when I’m meal planning and I suddenly wonder if an ingredient is UPF.

I will look at that website thanks.

Had one UPF item yesterday - gravy. I still haven't mastered normal gravy and I spent too long on dinner to ruin it with crap gravy. Did end up having wine but that meant I didn't fancy the pudding so nearly balanced out.

Again the biggest thing is that I don't have this constant desire to eat. I stopped last night and today despite feeling a little delicate I don't have the drive to eat.

Week 6 Day 1

Breakfast. Banana and kefir yogurt

Lunch. Soup and sourdough

Dinner- no idea yet.

I have lost about 2lbs (well 2.1/4 but I'm not counting quarters) so that is 12 lbs down in 5 weigh ins.

Week 6 Day 2

First actually fuck it moment and had a mars bar.

But stayed at the one item, I did enjoy it but not enough to revert back.

So yesterday -

Breakfast. Egg on toast
Lunch. Chicken broth
Dinner. Mackerel salad.

So today a new day.

Have done a short workout

Breakfast porridge, seeds and blueberries
Lunch Chicken and pepper wraps.
Dinner tbc.

Have written it down as some how feels easier when I do.

12lbs in 5 weeks is amazing, particulary because you haven't starved yourself you've in fact improved your diet. Well done! I don't think a serving of gravy or the odd Mars bar is going to do any huge damage - a Mars a day helps you work, rest and play remember! or maybe that's just me showing my age

Thank you. I can actually feel the difference with the 12 lb loss, even though it isn't big in the scheme of things. You are right the occasional won't matter, I'm just scared of slipping, my diet has changed beyond all recognition and I like it.

Last night had salmon and egg salad and kefir yogurt.

Breakfast. Oats, seeds including chia and blueberries.

Snacks. Banana and nuts.

Might be going out tonight but won't drink and will choose carefully. Will update later (apologies as I know this is a bit of a diary and not really what MN is about but it is really helping)

I think diary style threads where other posters chip in, offer encouragement, get inspired themselves are ABSOLUTELY what Mumsnet is about.

Please do keep updating @Ecydsis. I’m finding your thread inspiring.

I had been trying to reduce UPFs but sort of got side tracked so it’s helping me to get back to it.

I read an article in the Sunday Times about certain UPFs that a nutritionist will eat. Weetabix being one. And bran flakes. I’ll try and find it. It was interesting.

This is amazing! You must be so proud of yourself.

It’s a rare sunny spring day here in the north east so I’ve had king prawns, boiled potatoes, boiled eggs, and plum tomatoes with basil and a small sprinkling of salt over them. Very quick and delicious for the summer.

@Ecydsis - https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/ultra-processed-foods-healthy-top-nutritionist-qcz5p9rb5here www.thetimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/article/ultra-processed-foods-healthy-top-nutritionist-qcz5p9rb5here]]]] is the article I mentioned.

This must be the most positive thread on MN atm and I’m enjoying your progress so keep posting the diary!

Thanks for the link @Peridot1 it is behind a paywall but I will read it at work tomorrow as they have a subscription.

@Whatnowthenfordone that sounds restaurant quality, I'm always a bit nervous with shellfish, bet it tasted gorgeous in the sun.

Thank you @Sourisblanche and @TheCountessofFitzdotterel just all feels quite self indulgent, but it is really helping so I'm not going anywhere. I can't quite believe I'm in the sixth week.

Last night we went out, I had a Korean chicken- only possible UPF was in the sauce but they make their own so hopefully not too bad.

Week 6 Day 5

Didn't drink last night which I'm pleased about- had a elderflower drink which was high in sugar but no upf. Going to try and not drink tonight, I think I will be ok.

Breakfast. Oats, seeds and blueberries. I know it is boring, but it is filling me up and easy on work mornings.

Lunch. Goats cheese (I have started to watch my portions when it comes to cheese, currently the only portioning I'm doing) and beef in upf free wraps (two of them but they are tiny compared to normal wraps)

Dinner. Chilli Con Carne. This takes longer than it used to, I do miss the ease of premade sauce but begining to prefer the flavour of home made. I will try and make some home made dips as well.

Drink. Tea, coffee, water, 1 glass rocks squash.

Oh sorry about the paywall thing @Ecydsis.

Don't be sorry, it is normally a sign of a good article. I've read there are ways round it but it is too technical for me- works subscription will work fine tomorrow.

It’s not THAT technical, just paste the URL into here https://archive.ph
Sometimes it doesn’t work because there isn’t an archived copy, but if it does it’s as simple as that. Probably no harder than logging into an account!

When you say oats/seeds/blueberries for breakfast do you mix with milk or yoghurt or something?! I've started to have greek yoghurt, mixed berries and granola with nuts & seeds for breakfast and it's lovely. Might replace the granola with oats instead as I'm conscious of the calorie content.

I make chilli con carne, lasagne and bolognese on rotation as my family like them. I always cook from scratch so they take a while. But I do it over a weekend and make lots so that I can portion it for the freezer. Then I've got a ready supply and just have to remember to take out the night before. Batch cooking and freezing has been a life saver for me as I've always worked full time. I even make pizza dough and portion it for the freezer. It's a bit of a pain to be organised but once you get into the routine of it it's great.

Thanks, I actively looked into it and I've (my child )found the issue. It doesn't work with a VPN.
Now I know how to disable it I can get it to work.

https://archive.ph/3QV4S

Is the link hopefully.

Anyway, interesting but I don't agree with her. The items she says she will eat I wouldn't call a UPF. Shredded Wheat for instance. That is processed not ultra as it is 100% wheat. As is the peanut butter she recommends (the 100% peanut one she will eat. Again not ultra processed.

Get me, thinking I know it all now 😂

Week 6 Day 6.

I've already been up and achieved loads. In the past I would be sluggish and sat on the sofa thinking about what I need to do.

Brunch . Poached egg and local asparagus (cost a fortune and didn't taste any different) with ham from the butcher (pork leg and salt only ingredients - although I know curing has its issues) on sourdough.

Dinner. Chicken and goats cheese pasta.

Drink water, coffee, tonic water

@LifeInAHamsterWheel sorry missed out the important information - I have it with milk, normal semi.

I agree with you, I skimmed the article when it was in the paper at the weekend. I think she is using someone else’s official definition though.
Anyway it doesn’t really matter, there are always going to be marginal cases but we all know the difference between a diet of mostly fresh and straightforwardly processed food and one mainly composed of non-food.

Glad you managed to read it @Ecydsis. I posted it because I remember when the UPF thing became a thing on here some people were stressing about things like Weetabix etc. so I found it interesting. Definitely agree about processed versus ultra processed. And like everything it’s all about balance. I was avoiding cereals totally pretty much as although I know Weetabix is ok it leaves me starving. As does porridge. But I’m ok with bran flakes. So I’ll hunt out the ones that are slightly higher in protein.

@Peridot1 I find it all fascinating. Like you saying that porridge leaves you starving whereas I have found it the best thing for filling me up. There must be things going on in our respective bodies that causes this.