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

Spot on

I love reading your inspiring updates. I’ve been going nearly upf free although I have the remainder of Hagen Dazs in the freezer and I had a bit of tonight! I am not plannning on buying any more. My latest shop was upf free except for a yoghurt I accidentally added. I wouldn’t have started this journey if it wasn’t for you. Pls keep posting!

Yes, please keep posting @Ecydsis You’ve inspired me to try a upf free diet too. 2 weeks in and I have greater mental clarity, I feel full with few cravings, more energy, skin is better and I’ve cut down on wine, I just don’t feel like drinking as much. I generally feel much better and have lost 3 pounds. Prepping healthy meals/ snack options in advance is key to success for me. I make it a priority.

Thank you all for your ongoing support, it means a lot.

@PeonyBlush10 it feels too weird to be an inspiration,but I'm really pleased to read you are feeling the difference - I am constantly amazed at the difference in my life from only giving up UPF.

@comfyshoespls I am fairly sure that some flavours of H&D are only processed, so you might not need to give it up!

@SnakebitesandSambucas writing it down is definitely helping, but an anonymous thread on here allows me to be more honest.

I've not been writing here daily but am still 0 UPF most days.

Yesterday was an exception, I went to an organised BBQ, and chose to have a burger (only roll UPF as home made burgers) and then just salad, and a small piece of ice cream cake which must be UPF. But that was it. And today I have woken up, gone about my jobs and didn't feel hungry, so didn't eat until 14.30.

This is the biggest difference, because I'm never hungry I seem to have stopped the all or nothing approach. I eat if I'm hungry and I eat until I'm full.

In other news, my nails seem to be growing and not flaking. I've felt tired this week but I think it is hormonal, and it seems to have passed.

Week 10 Day 6

Lunch. Fresh tuna steaks with green salad, olives and feta and a slice of Jason's.

Dinner. Chicken carbonara (well a version of it, no ham but home made carbonara sauce and linguine)

Well if you self publish via Amazon you can remain anonymous! Bet you loads of us on Mumsnet would buy it. A mix of journalling, health advice, exploration. I can be your manager 😜

I made hollandaise in the microwave yesterday, which is a top tip for avoiding jarred sauces. You beat half a pack of melted butter into 2 egg yolks and a splash of vinegar, then microwave for 15 seconds at a time on low, whisking in between and then whisk in lemon juice to taste.
If it curdles, get a third egg yolk and whisk a bit at a time into that.

You’re doing so well op. I have been UPF free about the same length as yourself, although our motivations differ slightly (I’m trying to heal chronic illness) I can seriously relate. I have known the impact of UPF for a long time, but until this time not been able to kick it. The amount of 100% cacao chocolate, herbal teas and chia seed I’m getting through is immense. I’m recently discovered that nuts, in fact, don’t make you fat 😂 despite eating lotsss. I agree with the other posters saying you should put your journey elsewhere. A book. A social media account. I think it could help a great many people.

So bank holiday wasn't UPF free. Went to a big party and drank and then we all went to get Maccys (at 4am 😂) and then I drank a whole 2litre bottle of lemonade over the next day and eight mini eggs.

But that was it. Don't feel like I've ruined anything, just keeping going doing all I can to be UPF free. Was UPF free yesterday and intend to be today.

I am very tired from the weekend, I have really noticed how much more energy I have when I don't drink.

Will be back listing my meals, I just want to make sure nothing is creeping in after having the UPFs above. I know this is what is best for my health.

10 weigh ins, and I have stayed the same. So 19lb in ten weeks. The alcohol obviously didn't help, but I'm still only 1lb under what is classed as healthy weight loss.

To clarify - what is a healthy weekly weight loss, so 2lb a week.

I am a long way away from losing enough to be healthy..

Still going. Had first major craving for chocolate - so unwrapped a Cadbury creme egg and sniffed it 😂 (it was left over from Easter and no one would eat it anyway)

Stress levels have been high this weekends, but drinking lots last weekends certainly hasn't helped. Trying to be alcohol free this weekend.

Breakfast: oats, seeds milk and blueberries, slice of sourdough

Won't have lunch and deciding on dinner.

You are very inspiring OP
Last summer DH and I revamped pur diets to be about 95% UPF free, we didn't sweat it over condiments, stock cubes and incidentals like that, things that made up a very small % of a main meal.

We did really well until Christmas and noticed such a difference in our energy levels, mood and happiness

In the new year i became ill, life was just hugely stressful and we just started to deoend on convince as we disnt have the time to prep and clean up. I wasnt going to the supermarket to buy fresh food every few days etc

Our diets sucked. I really think i hindered my recovery with bad food choices but i didnt have the energy to fix it. I put on well over a stone as well. Again i was never happy or done eating, I craved sweet things constantly.

We've just started back again. Im.no longer tortured by the cravings of chocolate... i was getting up in the middle of the night to eat nutella, ive never done this before.

So happy to have an inspirational thread to follow.

On the hummus front, I sometimes make it with peanut butter in place of the tahini. I always have peanut butter in so its a handy swap. Slightly different taste but still delicious

I haven't logged on for AGES as I've been having a break from Mumsnet but I got an email notification about one of my posts being liked so thought id come and catch up to see how you are getting on- op please be so proud of yourself and a little one off bank holiday blip isn't going to set the whole thing back. If anything, incorporating one off little blow outs for very rare occasions can give you some incentive and just treat it as a one off!!
And as for the weight loss being slow- that is a good thing! If you have a lot to lose it may be frustrating that it's slow progress but it's better for your body to take it slow, also you avoid starving yourself and giving up, you avoid the risks of sagging skin and accelerated aging that comes with dramatic rapid weight loss.
You are going in the right direction step by step- it's a marathon not a sprint. You're an inspiration.
Take care :)

How are you doing @Ecydsis? I enjoy reading your updates.

How’s it going Ecydsis?

@Ecydsiswould love to hear how it’s going. I’m failing at going upf free at the moment but am better than before I found your thread! Hope you’re doing ok

Morning all,

Was lovely to see I'd been thought of.

Unfortunately a day after my last post I was in a car accident that left me in hospital. I have been home just over a week now, (had just over a week with my parents whilst my husband was away with work, and before that was in hospital)

Firstly, I am so pleased I had lost weight before hand, the difference in losing 19lbs has been noticeable.

Food wise it has been a UPF avalanche, whilst needed to get me through, I can already see the difference in my skin and hair.

I don't want this to slide any further, and despite still being in pain and with limited mobility I know for my mental health as well I need to go back to ditching the UPF. Plus better for whole family.

I'm being taken shopping later for the first time so from tomorrow I shall be as UPF free as possible, I still need a lot of help so stock/sauces etc will not be free, but feeling positive that I've got to a point in my recovery where I can think about food.

Oh gosh @Ecydsis. How awful. I’m glad you are on the mend. How scary.

I had been wondering how you were doing too.

Don’t put yourself under too much pressure to be perfect. Getting back to it slowly is fine. Although I’m sure you want to get back to feeling the way you did. And unprocessed healthy foods will really help your recovery obviously.

Sorry to hear about your accident @Ecydsis. Hope your recovery is quick and smooth. It’s great that you have seen the results of ditching the UPF and are keen to get back on track. But don’t worry about being too strict, just do what you can.

Great to see you back @Ecydsis but so sorry to hear about your accident. Wishing you a speedy recovery. You helped get me started on this journey but I’ve been away from home and eating fast convenience foods and I feel yuk. Looking forward to getting back on track with you.

Thanks all. If anything it has made my post at the beginning of this thread even more true. I am temporarily incapacitated. If I continue how I was then this could be my daily future.

I'm very lucky that all my injuries are repairable, it will take time but this isn't for life. I'm going to start swimming as soon as the casts are removed and my rebounder should help when my leg is strong enough as it is less impact.

I plan to post regularly whilst I get back into it. I'm hoping you are all well.

Sorry to hear that ecydsis. Hope you're on the mend.

If you need some easy cooking options, covent garden soups and Charlie Bingham ready meals seem to be upf free, unfortunately they are not cheap though.

Other simple options I like are "baked" potato in the microwave (much quicker, or oven /air fryer if more time) with cheese/ tuna and salad. Or pasta with some green veg and tinned chickpeas thrown in, drizzled with olive oil and a little salt/ chilli flakes.

I've just discovered this thread and wanted to say thank you, @Ecydsis - you're definitely inspiring me to overhaul my and my family's diets without focusing too much on weight for now (I find we all get into rebellious mode and it goes out the window).

Really sorry to hear of your accident. I hope your recovery goes well and you can keep looking after yourself. You've really inspired me! X

Sorry to hear about your accident, wishing you a speedy recovery.

Morning.

Part 2 Day 1

Breakfast. Oats, seeds, milk and berries - didn't feel hungry but wanted to start strong do I didn't have a crash.

Lunch. Mackerel salad

Dinner UPF free Bolognese, that I had made, frozen, and labelled! Felt that the previous me was doing good.

Craving Warburton bread and lurpak, this was definitely an eye opener. I can eat loads of shit white bread.

Hope you all have a good Monday.