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.

Remember that tinkering with omega balance is about stage 3. Stage 1 is just cooking your own meals, cutting out sugar and wheat, and a low carb breakfast. Step 2 is sleep. Step 3 is omega, step 4 is exercise and step 5 will be reducing insulin through looking at glycaemic load.
I can't see myself getting to stage 5, it involves counting everything you eat, and if I have to do that I avoid eating then end up binging! That last stage looks a bit like a diet to me!

I've just flicked back through the last bit and he really emphasises 3 meals including a good breakfast. Hmph. Will have to see how I feel. I'm going for a run after the school run and won't be able to eat before or straight after that. Will make me feel ill. I may possibly have scrambled eggs about 11ish then natural yoghurt and a grated apple about 3.30ish. Then dinner at 7.30ish. I rarely have anything to eat before 12ish, will have to see how I feel.

I suppose if I am eating healthier I may be a bit hungrier when I wake up. Have got bacon in just in case I am starving, bacon, 2 egg omelette and fresh tomatoes sounds lush!

I also used to use giant mushrooms to make a bacon buttie when I did slimming world, that would definitely work on this.

Yes I've just re read that bit Love51. Thing is, reading his book has really put me off veg oil so I don't really want to use it now. I won't be doing the grass fed beef bit etc yet , and I sleep really well anyway and I was starting training for a 10k event tomorrow anyway. And I cook from scratch probably 5 times a week anyway, probably have one cheat meal and one takeaway a week so in theory they aren't massive changes. No bread or wheat will be the biggest hurdle. But I do really enjoy salad and homemade soups etc so it's just managing my time to make sure it doesn't get to 1pm and me go 'oof am starving, need a sarnie'.

I haven’t got to the stages bit yet, just on the omega 3 & 6 fact bit.

I cook from scratch most of the time but do rely on things like pasta and would rather have carbs over protein any day of the week. Hopefully it’s only small changes.

I already don’t eat bread so at least I haven’t got to go through that torture.

@Sweetvanilla this is the thread. We are all in different places. Stage one is kick sugar and wheat while eating 3 meals a day and snacking when needed. Good luck!

I’m still on Stage 1! So far have cut out the wheat and most sugar but finding the Easter choc hard to resist. Have been limiting myself to a couple of pieces after lunch.

Eating 3 healthy meals a day though - porridge for breakfast, salad & protein for lunch, and home cooked meal for dinner with lots of veg and small amount of carbs (no wheat).

I’ve also cut down on alcohol - just limiting it to a glass or two at the weekend. I think knowing that I haven’t cut it out altogether means I can choose not to drink it, if that makes sense? Whereas if I said ‘no alcohol at all’ I would be feeling I was depriving myself.

@Wandamakestoast I can do that with alcohol, I'm not sure about sugar! After 5 sugar free weeks I am planning on having some birthday cake on Tuesday so I'm hoping it doesn't spark a binge and falling off the wagon completely.
There is a theory that party food is less risky than junk food disguised as health food. The cake is an indulgence and no one is pretending otherwise!
Just noticed your username, you will be making less toast now!

Thank you @Love51 😊

@Tinkling - i hope this approach helps you. Maybe knowing you are generally eating healthy nourishing food most of the time will help with the urge to binge? And be kind to yourself if you do binge. The mental side of it all is huge.

@Love51 - I really like that analogy about the Jenkinson book being the why and the Chattergee book being the how. I will try to listen to the podcast. Thanks.

My downfall is always wine so that will be my biggest challenge. I really need to get that under control anyway so hopefully will manage that.

I sorted out all my cookery books yesterday (I have a bit of an obsession!) and found a couple of paleo books and a couple of low GI ones so will look for some food ideas from those. We cook from scratch a lot but do use some processed stuff so will need to tweak what we eat. Cook with olive oil anyway but will buy some cold pressed rapeseed oil.

Thankfully it’s coming into summer so I can make some nice big bowls of salad for lunch. I like home made soups too. I usually make a big pot and freeze some portions. I don’t often have bread wth it but sometimes have a Ryvita with some Butter or Philadelphia cheese.

Someone mentioned rye bread - the heavy brick stuff - I like that too. It’s an acquired taste though! I like it with smoked salmon. Or chopped hard boiled egg and cherry tomato and spring onions mixed with some mayonnaise. I know the Mayo is not ideal but i don’t use much. I usually use DeLoius mayonnaise as I remember from low cab threads it’s one of the lowest in carbs. Will check the ingredients list for oil info.

So this week’s tasks are to re-read the book, listen to the podcast, read the Chattergee book and start gradually implementing the first stage.

I’m desperate to avoid any diet mentality and my usual all or nothing approach so am reframing my approach to remind myself that this is all self care. Eating healthy nourishing food makes me feel good. Going for a walk makes me feel good mentally and is good because movement is good for me. Im trying not to make it all about the number on the scales. Def won’t be weighing weekly! Maybe monthly.

Anyway it’s nice to have some company along the road so thanks everyone.

Had a bad day yesterday and ate some bread. Hoping to get back on track today.

Hi everyone, I've been reading this thread with interest and have ordered the book. Snacking is my downfall, and wine, but like a pp I need to get to grips with that anyway. Do you think cloud bread would be ok with this way of eating? It's made from eggs, cream cheese , cream of tartar, and that's about it. I like the idea of having some kind of bread alternative

Hi freesola and welcome to the thread. Eggs and cream cheese - fine, you'd just need to check the omega-6 content (if any) of the cream of tartar and make sure it has no nasties such as artificial sweetener or added starches.

This way of eating gives a gradual lead in to cutting down snacks and encourages mindful eating, so I would say it's ideal if snacking is a problem area for you.

@freesolo not sola, sorry!

That cloud bread sounds interesting! I know you listed the ingredients, what do we do with them? I'm a fan of cream cheese.

@Love51 if you google 'cloud bread recipe bbc' it brings up quite an easy recipe. Ive not tried it yet but it looks interesting!
I've looked at the ingredients for cream of tartare and it just says potassium tartrates so I'm going to assume it's ok...
Does anyone whose read the book know if using almond flour for anything would be ok?

*who has

He doesn't really rate nuts, he calls them "autumn food". Although the glycaemic load of a bag of roasted almonds is nothing, there is about 7400 units of omega-6 and none of omega-6. It isn't sugar or wheat though! From an omega standpoint you would be better off eating 2 slices of bread than 50g almonds.
He doesn't do instructions so you have to make your own judgement. When I was coming off sugar I often had nuts after a meal, the crunch is satisfying. I'm not throwing out what we have but I'm not planning to buy any more - that isn't on plan, he says throw out before you start, including the bread-bin. My family would complain. I'm not sure I can expect them to do something new and difficult until I've done it myself.

Well so far so good today...

3x scrambled eggs in butter

Fillet of smoked haddock with oven roasted broccoli, sweet potato, red pepper and courgette

Dinner is mince and tatties with veg.

Just done an Ocado order to start having organic grass-fed meat... £100 on meat / fish / eggs and milk!

I had Greek yoghurt with blueberries and a table spoon each of Lizi’s protein granola and mixed seeds. I know it’s not really on plan as it were but I have it all in and it is a healthy breakfast. I’ll switch to more on plan breakfasts once I’ve used up the yoghurt and blueberries.

Lunch was a big bowl of salad - chopped romaine, cherry tomatoes, yellow pepper, beetroot and mozzarella and olives. Avocado oil and balsamic.

Dinner was going to be chickpea and spinach curry but we are going to the pub now with the neighbours so it’s beef stew from the freezer when we get back. Was going to say no to the pub bUt it’s not every day they reopen! And we only moved here in November so want to get to know people ini the village. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!

I've had a good first day as well. Went for a run this morning which I was going to do anyway regardless of new woe. Then had 2 eggs omelette with cheese and red pepper cooked in butter for lunch.

Not sure what to have for tea. Think I'm going to have jacket spud with cheese and salad. Possibly tuna mayo if I can be arsed to make mayo.

Wow is that all you’ve eaten @HighlandCowbag ? I think I’d have starved. I got hungry before dinner and ended up having a glass of milk and a banana. I’m hoping the sugar lows will do one sooner rather than later. I’ve never cut sugar like this before so my body isn’t happy. A little light headed today.

I don't eat much anyway Tinkling. Never eat breakfast, and lunch is always something a sarnie or soup. I should definitely be skinnier than I am! And I am very overweight (BMI just over 30).

Just made homemade mayo with olive oil. Just a tip, don't bother, it's vile. The oil is too strong and leaves a really bitter aftertaste. I don't think anything except a really mild, light olive oil would do it tbh and even then I think you would get that twang.

Will have to do a balsamic and oil dressing instead. Or natural yoghurt maybe?

Have a chopped salad ready in the fridge and a jacket spud in the oven, going to cheer myself up with loads of cheese and butter instead. I might even scoop the spud out, mash it with butter and cheese then put it back in. Then if I need a pudding have got natural yoghurt and a banana with a splash of honey.

Just catching up on the thread but wanted to say well done to Love51 for 5 weeks with no sugar! I’m not finding the lack of sugar a problem yet, which is weird because I’ve really struggled when attempting to give it up in the past. Eating meals that I’m enjoying has really helped though, as well as eating regularly as I’m a bugger for skipping meals and then stuffing my face with biscuits!

I am a snacker too unfortunately.

We’ve come to visit my mum so it’s been harder as I am not at home. Left very early this morning so I made overnight oats (milk, frozen blueberries, a bit of cinnamon and a little honey) to eat on the journey. Surprisingly the DCs all said they liked it too - I should have made more! So that’s definitely something I will do again as it was very easy.

Lunch - bean salad and boiled eggs and cottage cheese.

In the afternoon we’d been for a walk and I was hungry, we were outside and it was cold, so I caved in and had a biscuit with my coffee. But stopped at 1! In the past I would have had 2 or 3. I guess that’s progress... in future I need to be better prepared and pack something healthier to have instead.

Dinner - we are cooking baked trout with potatoes and green veg.

DH is eating crisps and I have resisted, had some olives and oatcakes instead.

I think it’s trying to retrain my tastebuds away from unhealthy food and on to healthy food. And not to keep eating for the sake of it - in the case of the biscuit, actually just one was nice, there was no need to eat more.

Oh wanda you have reminded me I have olives and feta in the fridge, that will wet my salad a bit.