Why We Eat (Too Much)

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

Has anyone come across this book? It's written by Dr Andrew Jenkinson, who is a bariatric surgeon in London. Basically, it's about how to lose weight by lowering your body's natural set weight point. This may take a long time but it's sustainable and doesn't fuck your metabolism.

The book goes into a lot of detail about the causes of obesity, because he says it's important to understand why people are getting fat in the Western world. It pretty much comes down to eating too much omega-6 fat and sugar. The overall volume of food people eat doesn't matter.

I'm trying to work out how you would cut that out practically and I wondered if anyone had tried it. It sounds like going lower carb but not low carb as in low carb diets. He suggests eating low-carb breakfasts and throwing out bread (and anything else baked). I eat toast for breakfast most days and sandwiches for lunch. I'm trying to work out practical alternatives that I actually like.

Porridge
Full fat unsweetened yoghurt
Bacon and eggs
Omelettes
Soup
Oatcakes and cheese
Salads

Other rules include no takeaways or fast food or crisps etc, and no snacks, mainly because most snack food is carb-based with vegetable oil in it.

I like bolognese on its own, or with salad. Delicious! With the soup, what about oatcakes? I found some oatcakes in Tesco that have olive oil in them rather than sunflower oil. They have some flour but not much. Or have a sort of soup-and-ploughman’s lunch with cheese and celery on the side.

For the bolognese I would make a salad instead of the spaghetti, or do something like courgettes with basil and parmesan.

I enjoy burgers without a bun, although I make sure I have bacon, cheese, onions etc to go with it so I don’t feel deprived.

I’d make some Parmesan crisps to go with the soup (spoonfuls of Parmesan on a sheet of baking parchment, in the oven until melted and golden brown then leave to cool) and possibly some chickpeas, lentils or similar into the soup.

If you turn your soup into a ramen - you can add tofu (cook it separately to seal it first) - I am a massive tofu fan!!

Another alternative for the soup is sweet potatoes cut into chips, brushed with olive oil and baked in the oven. Simple and delicious.

Fab suggestions everyone, thank you so much! I loved getting inspiration from you all!

I may have solved the spaghetti issue with a slip of my finger similar to that which @HighlandCowbag experienced... The cupboard of doom may have a new tenant in a few weeks...

I've just finished the book. Very interesting, but extremely academic and some of his complicated analogies got me lost and bored in equal measure.
There's no doubt processed foods and sugar have a lot to answer for though.
But he's turned out to be complety wrong about Covid and India (unless the virus mutations there work in a very different way)

@Julietbalcony yes I felt the same, it was more like a research paper to me, marketed to the general public. But I am feeling so much better focussing on eating real, healthy food so I’m going to ignore that part!

@StillDumDeDumming I vaguely recall tofu being high in omega 6? I could be wrong. I didn’t fully pay attention as I don’t like tofu myself.

@Tiredandbored I think with the right soup, halloumi fingers could go really nicely too?!

@Tinkling The advice is very sound on the whole, just impenetrable - as you say, more like a research paper dressed up as a book.

It's not ideal for me because I'm vegetarian though and couldn't manage without eating tofu. A vegan would have no chance (but I've never seen an overweight vegan either).

I've never had much luck with tofu. Could anybody suggest ways to make it tasty and appealing please?

@Tinkling bloody hell! I eat loads of tofu - but it's soya really so of course it's high in omega 6. Hmmm

@Julietbalcony I know fat vegans! It's all the baking and now there is so much vegan junk food.

Morning all! Any menu plans for today? I've had porridge for breakfast and am planning scrambled eggs with smoked salmon at lunchtime. Dinner is Chinese takeaway I'm afraid, but am just going to have a small portion and have boiled rice as my side.

Am heading to the supermarket later so an writing my list with lots of your ideas to replace carbs this week, thank you!!

@Julietbalcony gosh really? I know a couple of overweight vegans (but they live on vegan junk food).

I haven’t got a meal plan today tired, I’m just sitting down to breakfast (potato skillet and poached eggs) and thinking about it. I think I’m going to have a jacket potato with broccoli and cheese and make a Chicken and vegetable bake for dinner (I’m amending my usual pasta bake recipe to have chicken rather than pasta for me, the rest of the family will have it as a vegetable pasta bake)

Been out for a 2 mile walk this morning, housework and gardening today whilst it’s sunny for the last day I think.

Hope you all have lovely days, whatever it is you’re doing! X

I’m still rereading the book and haven’t been great this week. I haven’t been in the right frame of mind really. It all feels a bit bitty. So I’m going to do a proper meal plan for the week. No wheat, no sugar and minimal alcohol. I used to drink white wine with soda water and lots of ice so will start that again. I have it as a long drink. Half a glass of wine topped with soda. Saying no wine just makes me want it more. And that makes me seem like an alcoholic!

Loving some of the meal ideas and pictures on the thread.

BTW I found a nice rye bread In Waitrose. It’s by the Village Bakery and the ingredients are rye flour, water and salt. No wheat or yeast. It’s nice toasted. I wouldn’t have it every day but sometimes nothing but toast will do. I’ve just had some with avocado and smoked salmon for breakfast.

Tell me to give my head a wobble - DH has lost a pound a day since Tuesday and I’ve lost 1. His BMI is higher than mine but not by much - we both have loads to lose. I’m getting grumpy and irritated. I think I’m stressing today because we’ve got friends coming round for a barbecue and I know I’m going to have a few drinks and I’m worried that I’ll be derailed. I can avoid bread and just eat sausages/chicken drumsticks etc, but the alcohol is worrying me. I’ll be drinking prosecco/white wine, or maybe spritzers. Calm me down and reassure me that one day won’t ruin everything!

I had a terrible Sunday last week @TooExtraImmatureCheddar - loads of chocolate and some fruit loaf, crispie millionaire things. But despite feeling sick and jittery and wondering what I’d done to myself, the next day I felt fine, not too bloated and had my NSV of fitting into my jeans so one day really doesn’t matter. All the thin people have a day or whatever and don’t even think about it!

@TooExtraImmatureCheddar, you have to have a life I think!

I will definitely be having 'cheat' days as life is important to enjoy with friends and family. One of our holiday plans this summer is to go to an all-you-can-eat restaurant with the kids and I can assure you I will definitely not be reporting back on my menu that day

As long as we are not over-indulging on a regular basis a one-off day will have minimal impact.

I was shopping this morning and spent a lot longer than usual scrutinising packets and examining ingredients. Usually I blasted round the store chucking all my regular items in the trolley, not today!

I found naked noodles made with konjac flour, which I was going to try as a replacement for spaghetti - has anyone had them before or know anything about them?

Was also thinking of getting rye crispbreads - I used to have crackers with cheese and chutney some evenings and was wondering if they might be an adequate replacement for the crackers? Wasn't sure if they'd be the equivalent of eating cardboard though, so didn't buy them yet. What toppings would people normally add to them?

Ha I know what you mean about scrutinising the packets! It’s been an eye opener as some foods that I previously thought were healthy actually contain all sorts of stuff I am now avoiding. I haven’t tried that brand of pasta yet - currently working my way through a mung bean one...
I have finally discovered a brand of houmous which only contains EVOO and no other oils - hurray! Yes I know I could make it but along with all the extra cooking I am doing I just don’t have time.

For snacks have been having rice cakes (but again check the ingredients, as some have all sorts of stuff added to them), and I found some oatcakes which only contain oatmeal and olive oil.
The bonus is that my DD has been eating my rice cakes instead of raiding the biscuit jar! I was really surprised. She said she fancied a snack but sometimes biscuits are too sweet!

What oatcakes did you find @Wandamakestoast? I looked this morning and all the ones I found had other oils (mainly palm oil) added rather than olive oil.

The Clearspring ones only have olive oil, although they are more expensive.

However I feel that I am saving money by all the lunches I am making for work! (I used to buy M&S salads).

I have seen recipes for oatcakes as well so was debating having a go at making them.

I still feel like I’m white knuckling through the sugar cravings some days but I did eat a lot of sugar previously so that’s probably to be expected. Eating isn’t as thrilling as it once was but I’m not going hungry and feeling better for the changes. Really missing dairy milk though

[quote Julietbalcony]@Tinkling The advice is very sound on the whole, just impenetrable - as you say, more like a research paper dressed up as a book.

It's not ideal for me because I'm vegetarian though and couldn't manage without eating tofu. A vegan would have no chance (but I've never seen an overweight vegan either).[/quote]
I have! More than one. Neither crisps not sugar contain animal products necessarily...