Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 3

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

We’ve chatted as much as we (used to) eat! New shiny thread for more support.

General principles:

No sugar
No wheat
No processed foods
Honourable mention to tipping the balance of omega 3 and 6, but that’s mostly achieved by doing the above.

Everything else is fair game!

Some great advice thank you. I think the reduction of dairy might help shake things up and possibly portion sizes which easily creep up. I'm no longer a snacker which is a complete revelation to me and can only see this as a win. I was completely addicted to sugar especially around the time of the month and not experienced this at all this month.

I think if you can be patient and give your body time to readjust as well. I know we all want to see quick progress and part of that is due to previous diets in which weight loss happened relatively quickly (though unsustainably) whereas this is very much a lifelong way of eating that will allow your body to settle naturally at a suitable weight, but that will take time to find.

Focus on the additional health benefits you're experiencing to help keep you motivated that this WoE is beneficial and worth continuing with.

Can I perhaps suggest that people list some of the health benefits they have experienced since starting eating this way? Just to help encourage us all?

I'll start with the fact I'm not getting highs and lows of energy from all the sugar I was eating. It used to be a roller coaster and really affected my mood as well! I feel much more stable throughout the day now.

@Tiredandbored great idea

I'm only 4 weeks into this but one noticeable benefit for me is the sugar withdrawal headache from a weekend of overindulging on food and sugar that I would get every Tuesday has completely gone .
I'm also not experiencing dreadful wind anymore ( everyone in the house is grateful too I imagine)

@Tiredandbored I don't have hormonal acne for the first time in 33 years!

I have more energy and I'm no longer obsessed by food and stuffing it into my face all day for no reason while quietly hating myself.

@Tiredandbored

"A thorough examination" by Drs Chris and Xand Van Tulleken.

Awesome thanks for that info will listen later.

I had some bread at the weekend pinged up 3lbs! It soon went makes me wonder if I'm sensitive to it. I did one of those York tests on your hair that you send off and it did say i was sensitive to wheat, pretty sure it gives you a % think it was in the 80's. But I think it also said the same for dairy and i just thought well what will I eat no wheat no dairy, but restrictive! I'll have to dig out the email.

@CatherineCawoodit's the carbohydrate bloating caused by water retention that causes the weight gain. Same thing happens to me every weekend, when I eat lots of carrots (part of the apéro) and crisps. I'm always up to 1kg heavier the morning after. It disappears in the week.

The benefit for me is that I'm only craving healthy food now. I still eat crisps occasionally but really don't enjoy them. If I could only kick my evening chocolate habit things would be perfect.

Another benefit for me is that I appreciate good food and good flavours much more now. I used to eat food 'just because' previously - there's cake in the office, yes I'll have a slice please, or I'll eat another cookie as there's only one left to finish the packet.

Now I only eat things I know I'll enjoy - I didn't mind having the ice cream with my kids last week as it was good quality ice cream that I knew I'd enjoy the taste and was one of my occasional treats I allow myself, but if it was a supermarket multipack cornetto I would have had no problem declining it.

I’m on holiday at the moment, staying off the sugar and trying to limit prepackaged stuff but slightly concerned about wine intake.

It’s weird being away from the scales I’d like to say liberating but that’s not the case.

The major benefit for me is just not feeling so hungry and not wanting to snack all the time! Add to that some clothes starting to fit again, which is lovely. Like Tiredandbored, I'm appreciating the taste of food much more, particularly cherry tomatoes. And I'm less drawn to cheap food - DS gave me a Jelly Tot the other day and it just tasted artificial.

After a good fortnight of off-plan-ness due to holiday, I had a good day yesterday, and today will be fine as well. Then I'll weigh myself in the morning and see what the damage has been!

Toomuch I love cherry tomatoes, I often just have those with some protein like mackerel or left over roast meat for lunch.

I definitely don't feel hungry all the time, usually have to remind myself to eat lunch which is getting later and later in the day. If its past 3pm I usually just have a few mouthfuls of something like feta and olives or an apple and some cheese.

Have not eaten yet today and am stuck at stables waiting for vet so probably not home until gone 4pm so probably won't bother until dinner tonight. Which will be some kind of takeaway as dds birthday. So won't be the best of days but at least I haven't gone 'fuck it' and had a bacon sarnie for breakfast followed by a sarnie for lunch.

Ive been surprised by what little impact alcohol has on my weight Billy. I've always blamed being overweight on how much I used to drink. Have cut down drastically the last 6 months and weight remained the same despite halving my intake. And also the last few weeks have been boozy and not put any on either, in fact still lost. So I don't think it has that much of an impact. Your body breaks alcohol calories down in a different way (thermodynamically I think). The problem with alcohol is your behaviour after it rather than the calories from it. So if you have a couple of glasses of wine, then a pizza, then ice cream because your inhabitions have gone, you will gain the weight.

Not exactly a health benefit but I’ve been enjoying not craving biscuits and crisps etc

I’ve been merrily enjoying avocados and tomatoes for breakfast so as to not eat fruit in the morning, but then have just remembered they are both fruits. Time to rethink!

@veryblearyeyed I think they're ok! Especially avocado.

I think the reason to avoid fruit in the morning is about the sugar kick. Tomatoes are slightly high on the GI index but not compared to oranges or something, and avocado isn't sugary at all.

Good to know, Aria. I will continue! I’m in quite a nice routine of eggs/avo/tomato, porridge with milk and cream and the odd branflakes with raisins for fibre reasons.

I took the kids to the beach today and managed to walk in my swimming suit all the way from the dunes down into the water and have a lovely swim without getting harpooned. Does that count?

@Tiredandbored 😂 depends, do you normally get harpooned?

Sounds great! I am looking forward to not hating myself in a bikini 🤞 when we go to Portugal in a few weeks.

Though actually I have to survive 2 weeks of eating at other peoples houses before then so I expect I will be back to looking like a beached whale 🐳

Better take the hold it all in swimsuit too!

Hello Everyone. Just back from four days away walking and great to read everyone's updates. I was nodding along to the conversation about ideal versus realistic weights. I am tall ish and hour glassy and do look better with some padding. Also my face can look drawn and old if I lose too much. I'm really not vain, but that is a factor for me.

I have a stone and a half to go to healthy b m I, and was hoping to go further , but that may be unrealistic as well as undesirable- sustainability wise and gaunt-wise. We will see.

So, to the food( sorry if this seems a bit self-involved - hoping it might help others.)

As predicted at breakfast ( which I don't normally have) I ate the toast ( one slice not a whole loaf!) and a tiny amount of home made preserves, along with a very good full English, no lunches to speak of, too full.

First night I ate out and had steak and a tiny portion veg and salad. So ok. Next night I really didn't want to eat out - I have lost my enjoyment of it to be honest. I don't feel relaxed at all being around other people, and,having done so much home cooking during the pandemic , I reckon it has to be really special to warrant the effort, and the cost, and the potential for the disappointment of being faced with insufficient palatable and healthy choices.

Pickings for picnics were slim in the tiny local shop, so that night I gnawed on some cold roast chicken daubed in dextrose and no doubt full of other stuff. And a bag of salad.

Last night I couldn't face more poulet à la dextrose, so went back to the restaurant and ate a pizza. It really wasn't worth it. Thén I ordered a pudding ( the to hell with it factor had kicked in now) which wasn't what I anticipated at all - a monstrous thing about a foot high served in an American sundae glass. So, dear readers, I left it untouched ! That is real progress for me. Thé do not waste food/ eat it all up messages are very ingrained from childhood.

Today, back home, I feel bloated and uncomfortable and absolutely craving fresh veg, so just finished a large plateful of that with my lamb chop.

I also felt a little bit mad when I got back. Needlessly stressing myself about a couple of things, before rushing round like a loon unpacking my bags. Probably holiday end blues and the result of a long drive, but, could have been what I had ingested also.

I weigh in on Saturday. It's only week 2 on this plan, and I anticipate a gain.

Next time, despite how lovely the place was, I will definitely go for self catering accommodation.I much prefer it anyway, it's easier with my dog, ( the set up there made it rather stressful with her- something I hadn't envisaged);and it's so much more flexible on the food front .

Having said all that, it was a great break, and got some wonderful walking in, and lovely memories with a very happy hound. The food was only one element!

It sounds like you managed well despite the challenges @Words! I can totally relate to what you've said about restaurant/café food not being worth it when you consider the cost and what you get - so often it looks and tastes like mass-produced meals rather than good healthy home-cooked meals.

Well done on not scoffing the ice-cream sundae!! 👏👏 I turned down an ice-cream after the beach earlier - was getting the kids one and when I looked into the freezer I just thought 'meh' and really didn't want one. Very unusual for me, especially in the sunshine and feeling roasted, but it just didn't appeal.

Hi @Words glad the non food parts were fun anyway!

We're about to head to the uk and spend 3 weeks staying with various family so I fear the wagon will be a tiny dot in the distance when we get back...

I have put in tentative requests for Greek yoghurt to be available at breakfast!

I am finding this book fascinating but also it is making me angry when I think of the bad food advice we have been told over the years. I also get the feeling that there is lots he doesn't fully understand either.

In my house I live with 3 people who eat crap and are very thin. And they do virtually no exercise. I have always known there was an explanation for their weight control and now I think I have an insight.

The science he shares is fascinating although I suspect I have not understood it all. What really resonated with me was stress and life events. Exercise for me is more about the impact on my stress rather than energy expenditure so I liked seeing that backed up.

I do think there is something about psychology which he explained in terms of the part of the brain triggered by certain foods.

I think I will need to reread it to fully absorb it.

We also go away Saturday, self catering in a tiny caravan so won't be ideal for cooking.

My plan is to stock up at the supermarket with stuff like smoked mackerel, salads, tapasy type meat and cheese, and fruit and yoghurt. We will be eating out in the evening but if I have stuff to eat in the caravan I can hopefully avoid too many problems in the daytime. And not be as hungry in the evening so hopefully make better choices.

Also going out Friday night to local pub. Luckily it's a bit of an old fashioned pub and makes most from scratch. I can't control the oil they use but I can still avoid wheat and sugar, which is what I will try on my holiday. So if its a choice between lasagne and steak, chose the steak even if its served with chips.

Enjoy your holidays Highland and Aria999
I've had a busy week, started running again which is awful both cardio and knee wise. I don't think the gel injections worked at all, in fact my knee is worse. Plus my cardio has completely gone to pot in 6 weeks off.
Also sold my business and former home for the last 20 years which has been a little emotional so haven't stuck exactly to plan. The scales have gone up a little, not sure if it's due to eating or my knee injury.
I'm also quite tall, 5'8, but with a small skeleton and straight up and down, so definitely look better with a low bmi. There is no one size fits all, we are all built very differently!

National Food Strategy: Tax sugar and salt and prescribe veg, report says www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-57838103

Nice article this morning AIBU to think there will be zero follow through