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

Oh blimey, it is definitely never too late to make changes. I’m 60 and feeling lots better and so is my MIL who is 85. 😆
Please try not to let them discourage you.

This makes much more sense than the threads I've read. I still see people saying that it's the easy way, or cheating but it requires just as much of a diet change and determination.

@TheOliveFinch @PrincessDonut thank you, I did have a cry, which isn't like me, but I feel better for articulating it. I also have to see it as a reflection on the person that said it, not me. That they are incapable of kindness is not my fault.

@Nsky62 thank you, my wonderful friend was diagnosed at 27, so have a little understanding of the struggles. Thanks for your support.

I've just been to The Big Shop (funnily enough it was packed 😂) I did give up and cut my loses but not before I got the ingredients to make hummus, including a new blender and sesame seeds to make tahini- in for a penny....

@Ecydsis - I am sorry some people are such dicks. Just ignore. Do you know that if you want to call someone a Twat without sounding rude you can just say “There We Are Then”? My friend spotted that on Instagram when I was staying with her and it let to much hilarity and giggling and using it regularly. We are both 60 and old enough to not to find such things so funny! So for any future negative comments just say There We Are Then.

And I echo others who have said what you are doing is amazing and you are inspiring. This approach is so much more sustainable than going on any diet.

Hi, I think my WiFi is acting up, as my previous comment didn’t come through straight away, so apologies if I don’t make sense.

@Ecydsis Your family member was unkind, and also wrong. It’s not too late at all, improving your diet can only ever be a positive thing, and our bodies are remarkably resilient. Worrying about what’s in the past is a complete waste of energy. You can’t control what you did and the choices you made back then, but you can take control now, and you are doing. And you’re doing amazingly well!

With my limited cooking facilities, I’m finding the Roasting Tin series of cookbooks really useful, and the food ticks all the right boxes - real meat and fresh vegetables, quick and easy to prepare, and not too much washing up. Tonight I’m planning red onion, red peppers and courgettes roasted with balsamic vinegar and chicken fillets, and I have a cauliflower to use, so I’ll do cauliflower rice. (Surprisingly easy and not horrible, like I was expecting!)

I have some tins of sardines languishing in the cupboard, so I’ll have one with salad for lunch.

Just catching up, you are doing remarkable well. Ignore any negativity, it’s never too late to change eating habits and your health.

I use organic garlic powder in my humous or just leave it out. Just made some today actually. I tend to go for the jarred chickpeas because they are usually softer. I use the whole jar and the juice, but I have a large family so make a big batch!

I’ve been eating almost upf free for years but today I’ve eaten some cadburys Easter egg! I think I already feel a bit queasy

First time I have come across this thread.

@Ecydsis I am totally amazed by the changes you've made, honestly really impressed.

Your diary is really eye opening about how food makes you feel. I'm on holiday at the min, lying on a sunbed and thinking about all the biscuits and crisps I have at home. I haven't touched anything like that all week, I've been eating soup, fish, salad, grilled meat and a bit of pudding.

Your commitment is really inspiring. And whoever that relative was, just brush it off. For whatever reason they can't bring themselves to be impressed. Well, they should! Says more about them than you. Keep going!

Ignore the stupid ignorant comments. I saw your thread last week and forgot to watch it and spent a while finding it today. The reason being that you inspired me so much that I’ve been thinking of you all this week and have really cut down on eating ultra processed food too. I’m relatively healthy eating but when I’m tired (a lot of the time recently!) I reach for easy options. Tonight I’m making crustless quiche for supper for me and my daughters. All from scratch and about to make new potatoes and salad. You are truly an inspiration and I’m looking forward to watching your journey!!

You are proving the eejits wrong everyday OP

Support is the least I can give, these journeys are never straightforward, when I was younger I thought differently

There we are then. Love it .

Will reply properly later, as reading your posts over the last few days has really helped me emotionally and with continuing with my new life.

Have lots of family around yesterday and today so I'm busy with that which is lovely, I am continuing to be UPF free today. Haven't had any Easter related food as all full of UPF but I don't feel hard done by at all- I have had wine as my treat instead

Happy Easter everyone

I’ve just found your thread. It was recommended on another. And I’ve read the full thread in one sitting. It’s so inspiring and so interesting. I’m going to start tomorrow. Easter eggs will be my last hurrah. 😂

Happy Easter @Ecydsis. 🐣

Remember good quality dark chocolate is full of antioxidants! So it’s not off the table completely.

Wow, can't believe I've been recommended, that feels really weird (but nice)

Excellent Easter, loads of family over, loads of wine drunk, number of UPFs consumed - 2, in gravy. So the only UPF I had all weekend was the gravy on my roast dinner.

The difference has been amazing, I just don't eat and drink anymore. I have wine but haven't been getting the same insatiable need to snack. And the next day I don't load up on fatty carbs.

Weighed today and 2lb off so now 16lb in 8 weeks.
I used to lose more on WW but then all I do is think about food, in consumes me. Now I just eat whatever UPF free food I want, when I want so I pray this is something I can keep up for life.

I have made tahini and hummus over the weekend - I think I overcooked the sesame seeds as the tahini is a bit too dark and bitter. I'm not convinced with home made hummus, the consistency seemed a bit off, but will eat this batch and then try again.

Week 9 (where does the time go) day 2

Breakfast. Oats, seeds, blueberries and milk

Lunch. Ciabatta with left over roast chicken

Snack. Banana, apple, home made cake.

Dinner. Remains of yesterdays roast dinner but with salad instead of gravy. It was a 1980s salad and it was lovely. Didn't finish my meal, which has been a difference, I don't have the hunger. Even the day after drinking.
Also finding it easier to not drink after drinking. In the past I'd always really fancy a drink the next day, but I don't. I don't see how this is all linked to my diet change but there is no other explanation.

I’m tempted to try homemade hummus. I’m not generally a fan as the shop bought stuff I’ve tried always seems grainy. I think I have all the ingredients in, so why not?

Do try it @Castlerigg I am enjoying it more as the days go on, and I'm certain my problem is over toasted sesame seeds.

Week 9 day 3

Brunch. Chicken, cheese and beef salad with hummus and 1 slice sourdough.

Dinner. Spaghetti Bolognese, but an unpure version, so lots of added vegetables. No packet sauce.

Snack, banana and home made cake (they are small and I freeze them)

Drink coffee and water.

UPF 0% need to think about more water. Still a long way from a nutritionally balanced diet (especially need to think about calcium) but so much close than I was

@Ecydsis your thread is inspirational. I really enjoy reading about your progress. It’s making me look more closely at what goes into my meals. I cooked cottage pie from scratch at the weekend but realised the Worcester sauce I use is full of UPF. I will have to try using more herbs/ spices to replace the flavour.
I would like to make my own hummous but it goes off after a couple of days and I’m not sure I can get through the entire batch in time. Do you know if you can freeze it ?

I wanted to post to say that I think the changes you have made are really amazing! I also think your mentality of ‘one step at a time’ is great - I have definitely been guilty of trying to change too much, too quickly and it all failing.

Apologies, I haven’t read all the other posters comments but has anyone mentioned Intermittent Fasting? It looks like you are moving that way with Brunch and Dinner, so 2 meals a day? I have found 16:8 very manageable and am now doing 18:6 (eat lunch at 12 and dinner at 5.30 ish). It helps me not snack after dinner and I don’t feel hungry in the morning. Only issue is I’ve had to stop my cup of tea first thing in the morning as I can’t have tea without milk and a bit of sugar.

I realise I’ve just advocated for making another change (whilst praising you for not doing this!) but it looks like your body is heading that way anyway? Just a thought.

@PeonyBlush10 yes , you can freeze it, I've portioned it and frozen some-but haven't tried it defrosted yet.

@mull, thanks. I'm always interested in other ideas and my friend does swear by IF. I have been doing it, but not intentionally, I have just been eating when I'm hungry and some days that has meant quite a long fast.
I'm not ready to change anything that big yet, I'm still losing weight and feeling good so going to stick for now, and instead try and look at covering all the food groups. (I also couldn't function without a coffee and milk first thing)

After saying I was doing IF, today I was hungry when I woke, so I ate what I wanted. I can't explain the lack of food noise, on WW I would be obsessing about how I spent my points.
On this I eat when I'm hungry and then I stop. It is weird. If it continues then I am genuinely terrified of what UPFs are doing to people.

Week 9 Day 4

Breakfast. Bowl of spaghetti Bolognese from last night.

Lunch HM vegetable soup with sourdough toasted cheese sandwich.

Drinks, Coffee , water .

Need to shop for dinner.

If anyone is thinking about cutting UPFs, the only thing I wished I'd done it kept a good diary for a week before cutting them out. It is hard to believe quite what I was eating.

Wonderful to still be reading your updates OP and yes, it is such a worry that UPF can affect us in so many ways.

Are you making your own sourdough bread? If not can you let me know which brand you're buying please. And again, well done you on your continued success!

Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce isn’t UPF, it’s traditional ingredients.
In general traditional bottled sauces are fine because they were invented before food processing really went crazy, and use traditional methods to make them keep rather than preservatives.

if you don’t want to use it for whatever reason though, a bit of anchovy paste is good for providing the umami that Worcestershire sauce does (which has anchovy paste in itself).

Lee and Perrins has ‘natural flavourings’ these days which are generally anything but natural and considered a UPF ingredient. I think it’s the Lidls one that doesn’t have any but it’s not as nice.