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Weight loss chat

A space to talk openly about weight loss journeys and challenges. Mumsnet hasn't checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. You may wish to speak to a medical professional before starting any diet.

Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 3

994 replies

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 29/06/2021 23:21

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!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
27
Tiredandbored · 24/07/2021 13:35

@jewel1968 I have been using either butter or lard for frying off food.

@SingaporeSlinky, I'm the same as you as I've no off switch when it comes to snacks I love. I really struggle to moderate my eating if I've something tempting in the house.

My only solution is not buying snacks I like. I've no problem resisting snacks that I don't find appealing - for example, we were given a coffee cake and it's been sitting in the cupboard for over a week now as I don't like the flavour. However, if it had been a chocolate cake it would not have lasted a day 😳

SingaporeSlinky · 24/07/2021 13:48

Tiredandbored same, the only way is to not buy the snacks in the first place. I can try and kid myself that I’ll buy them for DH and the kids, but if they’re there, I’ll eventually go cupboard hunting, and I find the few days before I get my period to be especially hard.

I read something the other day about how any other addiction, you have to just quit. But with food, you still need it to survive, so you have to rely on good choices and willpower. You wouldn’t say to an alcoholic that it’s ok in moderation and expect them to stop after one glass. For me it’s food, once I get the taste of a sugary or salty snack, I can’t stop. But you can’t just say stop eating, it’s really hard to change the way you eat and try to just nourish your body only. Plus, eventually you start to think, well I should be able to enjoy some naughty treats once in a while, but I end up in a downward spiral.

I’m hoping I can increase (or start) exercise, make some healthy swaps and cut snacks. The funny thing is, for the last few days I’ve not even thought about snacks. I honestly think I disgusted myself so much the other day! I’ve been making proper meals and avoiding anything processed.

RubyGoat · 24/07/2021 13:59

Just testing, as my WLC threads haven’t been showing up in active threads.

behappy38 · 24/07/2021 21:45

thanks for the tip about the Dr Chris and Dr Xand podast - am finding it really interesting.

any one getting any symptoms from going low carb? I am not Keto - I am eating carbs - but a lot less than before.

have been getting rashes and my teeth are sore

Starhaf · 24/07/2021 22:47

Help! I'm trying hard to increase the amount of dairy products I eat, but I'm finding it hard as I just don't like many or naturally prefer the less creamy, low fat options. I've upgraded from skimmed milk to semi-skimmed and I'm trying hard to teach myself to like cheese! I'm really put off by the smell and taste though. Just wondering if cream cheese and ricotta would be a good starting point and if they would be ok in this way of eating? I'd be grateful for any advice

TheLeadbetterLife · 25/07/2021 00:43

I don’t know that eating dairy is a necessary component of the diet, it’s just that if you are eating it, it shouldn’t be low fat versions as they’re often processed or have added sugar.

If you don’t like dairy I can’t see any compelling reason to be eating it.

veryblearyeyed · 25/07/2021 01:46

@LegoCaltrops

Woke up early so I'm listening to the podcast now. Think I've got a migraine starting. I'm supposed to be taking DD to a birthday party after school. DH is planning to go out with friends for the first time since the start of the pandemic so I'm hoping it holds off for a while. He'll cancel if he thinks I can't cope with it.
I think you are me, @LegoCaltrops. I’ve had two migraines this week and have IBS. The migraines led to me falling off the Coke wagon but they usually come in pairs so hopefully I can reset tomorrow.

I’ve been reading another thread with interest—it’s about what to eat instead of takeaways. The suggestions I like the most are the super easy home made things, like charcuterie or cheese plate, nachos, that kind of throw together thing. Anyone got any more ideas for similar things that work with this woe? I would love to do homemade pizzas but can’t be arsed with making a cauliflower base, and I don’t love the GF shop/restaurant bought ones I’ve tried so far.

RubyGoat · 25/07/2021 02:22

@veryblearyeyed I'm hoping to start making sourdough bread in a while, I seem to remember sourdough pizza base is really nice. More effort than regular base, but much healthier. There's reddit forums dedicated to sourdough if you're interested. And fermentation. It's a veritable rabbit hole.

I hear & read about loads of people drinking coke or coffee to ease their migraines, & am jealous. Caffeine is one of my worst triggers. I'm glad it does help so many people though.

I can start trying to reintroduce things on Monday. I've been on strict low fodmap (elimination) diet for 4 weeks & am very very bored... especially as I've had to go low fat too. IBS sucks. On the plus side, I'm neither bloated, windy, having toilet trouble (sorry for TMI), or abdominal pain for the first time in about 30 years. Still chubby but my stomach is flat.

I've been listening to other podcasts too, try searching for "processed foods". Can't sleep, I slept loads earlier. Also my blood test results came back & there's a problem, stupidly I googled it & I'm hoping it will just turn out to be an infection, or inflammation from something. Wish they'd call me to discuss it. Not told DH, he worries.

veryblearyeyed · 25/07/2021 03:47

That’s stressful waiting to hear about the blood test. I hope it’s minor.

Coke doesn’t help my migraines, sadly, but it helps revive me a little in the postdrome/floppy lettuce leaf phase.

Sourdough pizza is a good idea, and I’m pretty sure there’s a fancy bakery nearby that sells it.

Words · 25/07/2021 06:07

Good Morning everyone.

I had a rather traumatic experience on Friday and drank too much wine as a result - I've eliminated it completely for the last nine months - so many empty calories - and hadn't missed it at all. So felt terrible yesterday and my normal exercise routine went to pot. I didn't eat anything off plan though so we are getting somewhere. 3/4 pound down again this week, so heading in right direction.

I've had a closer look at my long term weight loss graph on Fitbit. I noticed that it was exactly at the point I equalled my previous lowest weight that weight loss stalled and then recommend very very slowly. Weight set point!

It was then I found this thread and made further changes which do seem to have started things moving again albeit at a snail's pace - further reducing veg oil consumption mainly, introduction of flax seed to help feel fuller, changing round my exercise a bit, and trying, with limited success to moderate portion size.

I still feel tired and bleary today but will go out shortly with the hound and get a few hours of well needed fresh air.

Words · 25/07/2021 06:09
  • recommenced, not recommend
RubyGoat · 25/07/2021 09:36

@Words - that sounds difficult to cope with, whatever it was. Don't blame yourself about any little slips in your routine, it's well known that stress & shock are extremely powerful, & likely to impact you in unexpected & uncontrollable ways. You should definitely feel proud of yourself for coping as well as you did, to go off plan food-wise as well would have been very easy to do. Flowers

@veryblearyeyed mmm... pizza! Grin Mostly in the floppy lettuce leaf phase I just sleep a lot. I used to eat a lot of chocolate. No more. Sometimes a small cup of cocoa though. It's the only sweetened thing I eat or drink so I don't feel too guilty.

I agree about the weight set point thing. It's definitely real. I've been overweight for years, since DD was born actually. I gained a massive amount of weight when I was pregnant & managed to lose the majority of it over a couple of years, but it crept back on. Lost a bit, then the pandemic hit & my clinic closed so I couldn't get my usual treatment. Was bedbound for about 3 months last summer & put on about 16-18lb. DH is not a fan of cooking; the best I can realistically get from him is egg, chips & some bagged salad or a chopped tomato. If I'm lucky it's homemade wedges. On a bad day, no salad at all. I managed to lose last summer's weight gain on low carb this spring, & maintain it without any real effort, but I've been on a plateau ever since. Obviously my body thinks the extra stone or so was just a blip. But I'm now at weight set point. I've been this weight, more or less, for years. I didn't enjoy low carb, fat seems to play havoc with my guts. DH will do low carb but only if I do - he's very overweight & it's all around his middle. I worry he'll get ill & die young. There's a lot of it on one side of his family - cancer, heart disease etc. All of them significantly overweight.

I've said to DH I want us to stop eating as much processed food as a family too. He's really lazy re: food, & will buy/eat whatever crap. And feed it to DD. They both have a real sweet tooth, too. She got quite chubby last summer because of lack of exercise & over reliance on convenience foods. She's largely lost it now, slightly chubby round the tummy but you can't tell over her clothes, & she's got all her energy & muscle tone back. I was really upset with him about it but couldn't really say anything because he'd had to do everything for me, all summer, all the housework, everything. Obviously I can't ban him from eating processed foods, he's an adult. But I've said we need to improve DD's diet so she (hopefully) doesn't get fat when she grows up & stops racing around playing etc (like we have - we were both slim well into our teens. DH didn't get fat until he finished puberty, me not until I got increasingly sick in my late 20s, & much worse when I got pregnant at 30.

Words · 25/07/2021 10:09

Thank you @LegoCaltrops Smile

I felt the need for something comforting this morning, so made the baked egg dish with ham and tomato someone ( I am so sorry I can't recall who) posted. It's so very tasty - but guess what? I stopped mid way through it and thought ' I'm full! I will have the rest later.' That is really significant for me.

I've started to mix ground flax seed with tomato juice or gazpacho to have in lieu of breakfast as that's all I can face first thing. It seems to be working in terms of regulating my appetite. Again, thanks to posters on this thread Smile

RubyGoat · 25/07/2021 11:38

I just found the baked egg recipe on the recipe thread, I think. It does look good. Wonder if it would work with something like flaked fish instead of the ham?

Aria999 · 25/07/2021 12:55

I've missed loads!

@Words sorry you had a bad experience. I hope you're ok. Don't worry too much about the wine, there's a whole chapter in the book explaining how the body treats it as poison not normal calories and just burns it off.

Cortisol (from stress and/or alcohol) apparently makes you preferentially gain around the stomach but otherwise it's fine.

@SingaporeSlinky hi!

We have all just had norovirus and have also (not quite at the same time!) been driving up the country so been eating either nothing or whatever random cr*p we could get our hands on at service stations and mediocre hotels.

My digestion is all over the place. I finally got my hands on some yoghurt and flax seeds this morning and am starting to feel slightly better.

I am finding I don't want pizza or even pastries anymore (I am normally a big pastry lover). Nice bread is still delicious though! My sisters left us a posh m&s pizza and I have given it to DH and acquired mozzarella and avocado to eat instead.

SingaporeSlinky · 25/07/2021 13:50

What do you all do with flax seeds? I bought some and added it to Greek yoghurt, but couldn’t taste it at all. Does it have a taste as such?

JumpLeadsForTwo · 25/07/2021 13:55

@SingaporeSlinky

What do you all do with flax seeds? I bought some and added it to Greek yoghurt, but couldn’t taste it at all. Does it have a taste as such?
I just mix a tbls to yoghurt, or into soups. It doesn't really taste of much but great for the digestion and fibre. I tend to add berries to my plain yoghurt for the taste
JumpLeadsForTwo · 25/07/2021 13:56

That should be tbsp - go slowly if you're not used to it - 1/2tsp and slowly increase otherwise your guts will tell you they're not happy!

samthebordercollie · 25/07/2021 14:11

@SingaporeSlinky

What do you all do with flax seeds? I bought some and added it to Greek yoghurt, but couldn’t taste it at all. Does it have a taste as such?
You need to ground the flax seeds or they pass through you and you don't get the omega 3 benefit from them. They don't taste of much, but add a nice texture and have the advantage of filling you up when you eat them then emptying you out regularly! Once you get used to them you should eat a tablespoonful a day.
Words · 25/07/2021 14:30

thanks aria. Smile I am fine now, thank you.

I am buying the flax seed already ground. Ocado sell it - it has a vague quite pleasant taste, but mainly adds fibre and is a good source of Omega 3 . I stir it into yoghurt and have put in smoothies. You don't really notice it. Also tried chia seeds but found them a bit gritty, and they stuck between my teeth. GrinGrin

Yes I should think the eggy thing would work well with fish. How about smoked haddock?

SingaporeSlinky · 25/07/2021 14:35

Ah thanks all, I was just adding them whole to the yoghurt. Will try grinding them first.

HighlandCowbag · 25/07/2021 15:44

Afternoon everyone. Got back home from holiday yesterday afternoon. Still in holiday vibe tho and had pizza for dinner 🙈. And ue to various reasons will be having takeaway tonight as still haven't been shopping. Ponies moved house today so been on the go since 9am and still got to go back up and check on them.

But looking forward to doing a proper shop tomorrow, the fridge is more or less completely empty so am going to fill it with lots of salad and veg. Weighed yesterday and have put 5lb on, but suspect at least half of that is water retention due to alldacarbs and alldabeers. Had an amazing time,2 lots of fish and chips, 1 pudding, 1 steak, a few salads and a few pizzas. Enjoyed it all, managed to avoid bread all week apart from pizza, have no regrets at all.

But my tummy will be glad to get back to normal, it's been very gripey and swollen all week, especially after pizza. Back to earth with a bump now, got a hectic few weeks and kids off school, house an absolute state and the ponies to do twice a day which is new. Lots of grafting tho should shift a few lbs.

RubyGoat · 25/07/2021 16:03

I usually add flax seeds (or chia seeds) to yoghurt or porridge/ overnight oats. Didn't know about the need to grind them up though, I usually buy them whole as they last longer. I'll put my mortar & pestle somewhere handy!

I also make chia pudding with fruit. Chia is something that I could eat a lot of TBH. I quite like chia pudding.

Tiredandbored · 25/07/2021 16:48

Afternoon all, we're nearing the end of our holiday as well @HighlandCowbag and I've had 1x fish and chips, 2x desserts, 2x ice cream and 1x Chinese takeaway over the past week. Am certain it will show on the scales when I next weigh, but I will get back on track as soon as I'm home so am hopeful it will not have too much of an impact. Am contemplating not even weighing myself for a while as my period is also due, so it might be a very scary number!!

On the plus side I had no juice or sugary drinks, I shared my Chinese meal so only had a small helping and I enjoyed 3 BBQs but managed to avoid almost all bread and UPF products at each - in total there was 1 bit of garlic bread and a small handful of crisps - and all breakfasts and lunches were on-plan, so overall I feel that was quite good after a week away.

Will let you all know the damage when I pluck up the courage for the scales!

Aria999 · 25/07/2021 16:59

I didn't know about grinding them either.

A quick google also suggests that you're also supposed to roast them first which is getting complicated!