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.

You know what you really need @Tinkling...

A spiraliser!!

That'll pep up your appetite in no time!! Everything tastes better in spirals!

Meals today:
B - porridge with a few sultanas (I know, need to cut the dried fruit, but haven't managed to find a suitable substitute yet).

L - spiralised (I know you're smiling already!!) carrot, sweet potato and courgetti with some creme fraiche stirred through, with broccoli, peppers and mangetout that I fried off quickly and served with tinned mackerel.

D - made burgers for everyone else. I ate a bun-less burger with more spiralised veg and salad.

@Rollergirl1980

I am unpacking due to a house move and have found my copy of Jamie Oliver - Veg. There are loads of compliant recipes in there and ones that only need a minor change (eg. Courgetti instead of spaghetti). I'm so relieved as I could only think of a few dinners.

Please do post recipe suggestions, we all need inspiration!

Snap @Tiredandbored
Homemade burgers for everyone here, the kids cook on Friday. Mine is with a green salad and balsamic dressing, no bun.
Lunch was tuna and tomatoes and some forbidden nuts after a 60km bike ride 😳

60km!!!!! That's impressive!!

Tired no it's normal for me, I'm lucky to have time to do all my sport, it isn't that easy for most people.
Plus we've just found out we are all positive for Covid (don't ask) so my plan is to kill the virus with exercise.

Hello all - I’ve had a totally hectic week, in work every day after having worked at home for the past year has been a bit of a shock and I had a really long 12 hour day out of the house yesterday. Despite all that I have managed to stick to the eating guidelines. I’ve taken in left overs and fruit, and like others have said my appetite is hugely reduced now I’m off the sugar and junk.

Thanks for the info re the sugar programme on ITV, I’m currently recording tonight’s episode, although I couldn’t track down episode 1 annoyingly.

@Tinkling I know exactly what you mean about food not being as enjoyable but I think for me that’s partly down to me being so busy this week that I haven’t made particularly inspiring meals. I’m going to spend some time this weekend planning a bit more variety for next week.

I’m meeting friends for breakfast tomorrow so will aim to order something compliant but I’m also being mindful that it’s just one meal so won’t make too much of a difference if there’s nothing suitable - I’m anticipating that it might have to include wheat but I’ll be avoiding anything with sugar eg hot chocolate.

Really glad that the thread’s so active and with lots of new people too, I’ve really enjoyed catching up with all the posts from the past few days.

that spiraliser gets me every time!

Maybe I am coming down with something, or maybe it’s a side effect from taking my vitamins as well as eating well (my body’s nutritional needs have been met, therefore it doesn’t want anything else)

DH is feeling the same, despite us both last week moaning in bliss over our meals. Think we are just fed up with meat and veg. And my god am I sick of potato and rice!

The good news of course is that I’m having smaller meals as well as them being healthier so there must be some weight loss! I’m going to my mums tomorrow but not until after lunch so I darent weigh myself then because obviously I’ll be heavier than I want to be and it’ll throw me off.

If only I liked salad, it would be easier for lunch options. Or maybe I need to have pasta once a week or something to give myself another option. I don’t know

Oh no @samthebordercollie, that's not good! I hope you are all ok.

Well done @OhMyChrist2020 for not going off the rails during your hectic week, it's not easy when you are so busy.

Thinking of you as well @Peridot1, you're having a tough time also, I hope you're ok.

@Tiredandbored in fact it is just the DC - I thought I'd be positive too as we live in proximity but my results are just through and I'm negative. The kids are fine, DH hasn't taken a test.
I love salad! Have to eat it with every meal but with dressing. So maybe not as healthy as spirallised veg!

Tiredandbored I'm not near my book at this moment but this page www.jamieoliver.com/features/veg-recipes-from-jamies-new-book/ has some good ones eg the mousakka and the veggie rice.
I know Holland & Barrett do sugar free pesto too www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/meridian-free-from-green-pesto-60004586.

Ooh, they look good, thank you @Rollergirl1980!

Thats a great list HighlandCowbag!

Would you make the stroganoff with cream? Does anyone count the calories?

I think I read upthread that chia seeds are beneficial and I have bought some but then I remember seeing you should stay away from seeds?

If cream is okay to use, does anyone have any dressing recipes for salads to make with cream?

Can I join? I've been following this for a few weeks, vaguely starting, then falling off the wagon a couple of days later for a few weeks now. Think I may need to actually commit that I'm doing this out loud to other people rather than just to myself.

Some great ideas and inspiration above. Thank you all.

Yes Jayne, cream is fine.

Welcome camomile! X

I make stroganoff with cream cheese @Jaynespain (just because that's what my recipe suggested) but use cream in other dishes.

I have been counting calories, but only out of interest as I had been doing MFP prior to this WOE. I wanted to see how it compares. I've noticed that I do tend to be eating more calories than I had been previously, but am still losing weight. I'm going to stop doing it though as I want to eat more intuitively (i.e. only eat when I'm hungry and not because I've calories to use up that day).

Welcome @CamomileTease!

What's everyone up to today? I'm having my usual porridge for breakfast, haven't decided lunch yet though it will probably be either scrambled eggs with smoked salmon or a salad and that's what I have in the fridge. I'm working for a few hours before lunch, so will grab something that is quick to make when I get home. Dinner is Chinese takeaway, but splitting the portion and having a small helping with rice, so it's not too bad.

@Jaynespain when I researched chia seeds they have a really good omega 6:3 ratio, which is unusual for seeds.

I meant to say- I think hemp seeds and walnuts are good too.

Tiredandbored thats my thinking too? I want to ditch calorie counting but am a bit nervous as I have just started this woe. My breakfast was 550 cals already!

BangingOn thanks for that. I will keep putting a few in meals then.

I take it its ok to use dried herbs and spices?

Definitely no calorie counting here. 100 calories of jacket potato with skin is NOT equal to 100 calories of Victoria sponge cake because the energy used to process the jacket potato is greater and not all of the calories will be absorbed as too fibrous. Not to mention that the jacket potato will give a greater feeling of satiety because it takes longer to absorb so you feel fuller. The cake has so much sugar it is absorbed into the blood very quickly due to the lack of fibre and risks provoking a sugar spike thereby making you feel hungry again quickly.
Banging Dr J had a special mention for nuts and walnuts - walnuts are indeed high in Omega 3 but they are also high in Omega 6, the ration isn't that good, according to him.

@Jaynespain, I'm only keeping track out of interest, I'm not worried if my calorie count is higher than it ought to be according to previous diets. I'm going to stop doing it soon as it's such a faff and I really don't need to - this way of eating is much more intuitive and easy to follow.

It just interested me to actually see that I was eating more calories than I had been previously and yet was still losing weight. In a sense it has proved to me that this WOE really works. As @samthebordercollie says, all calories are not equal despite what we've been told for years and years by the diet industry.

And yes, herbs and spices are fine.

I’m not calorie counting. I have up calorie counting years ago because I became obsessive and if I had calories left then I’d eat a chocolate bar and if I didn’t I’d feel like crap.