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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
HighlandCowbag · 07/08/2021 10:38

Morning all

Not posted for a few days but keep reading. Lost everything I put on while on holiday plus another lb so takes my total loss to 1st 1lb, which I am happy with. I don't feel like I am on a diet, I feel like I don't eat wheat, sugar or veg oil anymore for health reasons.

Was takeaway night last night, tried a new place and ordered a set chinese meal that came with starters. I couldn't touch the mains after the starter so they are in the freezer for another day. Was off plan, with duck in pancake wraps and prawn toast and spring rolls but am OK with that.

Out out later for a rare meal with DH at an Indian restaurant. I know they cook with ghee and from scratch, so am happy with it, will avoid the nan bread and just have a poppadom and pickles as a starter. Not sure on lunch yet, probably scrambled eggs.

Bestbees · 07/08/2021 19:05

@HighlandCowbag I want to be where you are, where it doesn't feel like a diet. I did low carb for about 5 months this year and felt so great, not bothered at all by crisps which are my nemesis!

My food today has ended up being
A slice of emmental and a few olives about 10.
Lunch - cheese, ham and pepper omelette with cucumber on the side followed by an apple.
Snack of cheddar and a tomato - I want to avoid snacking but have eaten a lot over the last week so didn't want to crash. Also I was going for a swim.
Dinner - chicken marinaded in yoghurt, garlic, herbs and lemon then roasted with peppers, butternut squash, potatoes, onions and mixed pulses. Served with a crunchy carrot salad. Was a bit random, but managed to get the kids to try most of it! Followed with Greek yoghurt, sprinkle of flax and some stewed rhubarb. Stuffed now!

Have set myself a bit of a challenge to focus on delicious side veg dishes to temp the kids away from carbs and increase their range. Tomorrow its pizza for them, I will have parmigiana melezane. Might roast some kale for them to try.

JeffVaderneedsatray · 07/08/2021 21:42

Hi all,
Not been around for a while but was on the last thread.
I was doing OK until the last week of term and then I managed to break my ankle (while at a dance class for my fitness and health.......) so DH took over shopping and cooking.
We've also been away on holiday......

Now I'm back and conscious that I need to get back on track as I felt so much healthier.

So, I'm planning to re read the salient part of the book to get my head back in the game.
I'm also toying with the idea of combining this with a hypnotherapy app I have used in the past - to help me manage the sugar withdrawal! I won't be weighing myself for a goodly while - I'm in a boot but can put no weight on my foot so can't really stand on the scales!
It'll be September before I can weigh again so a good chance to ditch the obsession!

Words · 08/08/2021 06:26

Jeff - so sorry to hear that about your foot. That is exactly the sort of thing that would throw me way off track, possibly permanently - so kudos to your resolve in re reading the book and re committing. Hope you're not in too much pain. Thanks

Bestbees · 08/08/2021 09:30

@JeffVaderneedsatray sorry to hear that about your foot.

I caved and ate chocolate last night, even though I was totally stuffed. Not too cross with myself as I didn't have any wine and I have been on the wine for the last couple of weeks every night!

Plan for today
Probably no breakfast as I am still full from yesterday, but if hungry I will eat some olives
Lunch haddock, chorizo and butter bean stew. Maybe some green veg if I go and buy some!
Dinner melanzane parmigiana with roasted kale.
Snacks if needed will be fruit/cheese/olives. Will try to stick with olives as the best option. Will add plenty of fat into lunch to help avoid snacking.

I bought some cold pressed rapeseed oil as I think I read further back in the threads that this is OK, is it?
How was your meal @HighlandCowbag?

JeffVaderneedsatray · 08/08/2021 11:41

Thank you both of you.
Pain is very light now - worst bit is the heparin injections into my (ample) tummy!
So cross with myself - I was learning a new dance for a show we are doing. Obviously I won't be doing the show now which is gutting because my daughter is dancing too and we were working on a dance to do together. Still, she'll dance and shine and I can watch from the wings in pride!

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 08/08/2021 16:23

Sorry to hear about your ankle, Jeff.

I’ve had a reasonable week - food has been on-plan every day, apart from dinner at a friend’s house yesterday (she did pizza). I even managed to avoid McD’s when the kids and DH had it, because I had carefully eaten porridge for a late breakfast so as not to feel hungry. I am hungover today but have stuck with it instead of making a bacon butty. Yesterday I wore a pair of jeans that I haven’t been able to zip up for months, so I think I’ve made progress despite the summer holiday wobble.

In exciting exercise-based news, my trampolining class is restarting for the first time since lockdown on the 16th, hurray! And I started couch 2 5k today with my mum, so if we do that three times a week, then that’ll be 4 extra exercise sessions I wasn’t doing before.

OP posts:
Tiredandbored · 08/08/2021 17:22

Goodbye guests, hello healthy eating!! Visitors are away and I'm back on-plan 100% again!

It hasn't been a great week for eating with too many takeaway and restaurant meals, but I don't feel upset as it is only temporary and I've had some small wins such as no snacking and only taking small portions of the meals. I'm not sure what impact it's had on my weight, but will weigh tomorrow morning to see where I'm at.

How is your ankle @JeffVaderneedsatray? Sorry to hear about your injury and having to pull out of the show, I hope you're ok Flowers

@TooExtraImmatureCheddar, tell us more about the trampolining??? Have you done it before or are you just starting? Inspired by the Olympics?

I used to trampoline, but not sure my pelvic floor would appreciate me going back to it after 4 kids...

I'm also starting back into regular exercise again this week - my local club had stopped during covid, but we're starting again now so I'll be joining in a couple of times a week. The first few sessions will be a shock to my system, but hopefully I'll pick up fitness reasonably quickly.

Bestbees · 08/08/2021 20:06

Is is a bounce class @TooExtraImmatureCheddar? I have done a few and they are hard! Stopped after I had some back problems but they were always great fun.

Decent day here food wise and managed a long walk and a little bike ride with the kids, trying to get out a lot before the rain tomorrow. I am off camping for a week on Friday with no electric hook up so think that is likely to derail me a bit, but I am liking how this thread is very much slow and steady with a focus on each positive choice, and I know that i can stick to some of the principles when I am away.

Planning ahead for tomorrow I think I will:
Skip breakfast unless hungry. If I am hungry maybe olives and cheese
Lunch will be baked eggs with ham and cheese with salad.
Dinner will be roasted chicken with veg I cooked tonight in the pizza oven - see pic. With delicious food like this it does make this woe easier!

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 08/08/2021 21:39

It’s gymnastics on the trampoline, not rebounding - like at the Olympics but at a much much lower level. I started about 5 years ago and loved it. I can do all the basic single somersaults plus crash dives, but I very rarely manage to link them. The kids’ classes resumed intermittently when restrictions allowed, but adults’ have been off almost completely (I got one class last summer and then we went back into level 3 and that was that). How much did you do, Tired?

OP posts:
Tiredandbored · 08/08/2021 21:53

I was still at basic skills, had only mastered up to a front sommie. It was fun and great for fitness, but I didn't have as much time once the kids came along so gave it up. Watched in awe at those Olympic trampolinists, incredible!!

Words · 09/08/2021 12:38

Trampolining ! I'd be scared of boinging off it altogether ! 

That looks nice @Bestbees and enjoy your baked egg and ham. It's been one of my great recipe finds since joining these threads!

I've just finished the Michael Mosley guts book and am gearing up to make my own Kimchi. Starter ordered. I will report on developments, of course, as with the yoghurt.

So be warned ! Grin

Jaynespain · 09/08/2021 12:41

Hi all. I have been following this woe now for 3 months, feel great and have now lost a stone! I'm really pleased! But....I have had a hell of a weekend with takeaways, bread, crisps etc. Im seeing it as a momentary blip and am back on plan today!
Can I please ask 2 questions.

Is it ok to eat the rotisserie chickens at the hot food counter at Tesco? I dont eat the skin as I dont like it.

Also, can someone advise as to the calories in a mozzerella ball? I know we arent supposed to count calories but I do like a general idea of what I am eating. I'm not sure if the nutrition details on the pack are for drained weight or the total weight in the water? Surely 1 ball can't be 566 cals?

I am loving keeping up with how everyone is doing and getting lots of inspiration from here!

Tiredandbored · 09/08/2021 12:59

Well done on that weight loss @Jaynespain, that's fantastic!!

I think the calorie count will be for the drained mozzarella. It is pretty calorific, but I've been eating it on this WoE and am still losing weight despite the calories. I also think the chicken will be fine as any processed additives will be on the skin which you're not eating.

Tiredandbored · 09/08/2021 13:11

I weighed myself this morning after my week of indulgence with our visitors. Genuinely shocked to discover that my weight was the same!!! Despite having eaten a 3-course restaurant meal, pizza takeaway, Chinese takeaway and a McDonald's over the course of the week I haven't put on any weight.

I'm not quite sure why I haven't put weight on, but it might be due to a few different reasons:

My other meals were very much on-plan.

I limited my portions when eating the off-plan meals (truth be told I was satisfied with much smaller portions than I usually would have taken, so this was no hardship). Previously I could have eaten most all of a medium pizza myself and also had garlic bread, wedges and chicken strips, but this time I was completely stuffed after having a personal-sized pizza and a couple of bits of chicken.

I had zero snacks all week. Not between meals and nothing before bed as was so full from the meals.

We were quite active as went out walking with our friends, but I don't think this really made much difference as it wasn't a huge increase in activity for me.

Or perhaps this WoE has really helped reset my weight point and temporary short-term changes are not impacting in the way they used to for me???

I'm quite encouraged that having a short period of off-plan eating will not blow all the previous hard work out of the water.

However I am 100% back on-plan again now, as I know it will catch up on me if the poor eating was to continue much longer. Glad to get back to salad!!

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 09/08/2021 14:19

Yay, well done, Tired! And Jayne too - that's really good progress. No idea about mozzarella balls other than to say I've been eating heaps of mozzarella and still losing weight too.

I might brave the scales tomorrow to see how bad the summer holidays have been - or I might wait until Friday morning, because I'm aiming for 5 days alcohol-free by then. I'm out on Friday night, though, so it won't be any longer than 5 days!

OP posts:
JeffVaderneedsatray · 09/08/2021 16:40

Oh I used to love trampolining in 6th form and at uni (an incredibly LONG time ago!) I really want to give it a go again but the classes round here clashed with karate for my kids.
I think I'll look into it again.
Currently fighting with my desire for a lump of fudge........
So far today I've had
Rice cakes with peanut butter (no other ingredient than peanuts)
Rice cakes with cream cheese
Creme fraiche with raspberries

I shall get a cup of tea and ignore the fudge (Am a TA and was given it by a child)

Words · 09/08/2021 17:37

Today I had
A shot of gazpacho with ground flax seed and a tbsp of apple cider vinegar ( where has it been all my life? love it.)

Rocket and parsley salad with olives, spring onions, cherry toms, prosciutto ( no nasties) and feta, with EVOO and ACV

A few mouthfuls of honeydew Melon. This made me hungry so

Snack of yoghurt and cheese and oatcakes mid pm

Dinner: leeks and mushrooms fried in butter with remains of guinea fowl from weekend shredded in, along with rest of red wine gravy. Broad beans ( just the insides) boiled with parsley - brings out the flavour - and some pak Choi fried in olive oil.

Putting full faith in the 'use olive oil and butter!' encouragement in the book with this weird but tasty concoction!

Tiredandbored · 09/08/2021 18:07

Today:
B - carrot cake porridge (sooooo good!)
L - scrambled eggs with smoked salmon
D - salad with lettuce, spinach, beetroot, tomatoes, pepper, sugarsnap peas, carrot, pineapple, cucumber and sweetcorn. Got my 10 fruit and veg all on one plate! 😂

TheLeadbetterLife · 09/08/2021 18:23

Well I can absolutely see why Mediterranean folk are said to have better diets. Yesterday my lovely farmer neighbour brought me some heavenly ripe figs and a huge bag of last year's almonds, to thank me for letting her gather the carobs from our trees (wholesale prices for carob are high this year so everyone's out bashing the pods down at the moment).

The almonds are still in the shell, which slows me down, thankfully, as they are so creamy-tasting.

I was also given a big bag of plums by a different farmer, who I'd gone to see about some peacock eggs. The eggs are under my broody hen, we'll see in a month's time whether they hatch. The plums are divine. The Portuguese are so crazily generous.

Anyway, today I did a HIIT workout followed by a 10 minute yoga cool down and meditation. I've also started a CBT programme for improving my sleep.

Lunch of yoghurt with oats, chia and flax seeds, plus a few raspberries. Then a couple of oatcakes with goat liver pate, tuna pate and a few capers.

Dinner will be a tuna and rice pilaff salad with tomatoes and homemade mayonnaise, and some corn on the cob with garlic and herb butter.

Also had couple of heavenly figs and a handful of almonds. A square of dark chocolate and maybe a plum will finish off the day's eating later.

We have just had a carob gin portini, because we've had a stressful day wrestling with the plumbing (my husband's recipe - cheap Lidl gin which has had carob pods steeped in it for a week, blended with dry white port and a twist of orange).

Words · 09/08/2021 18:43

OMG @TheLeadbetterLife can I come and live with you please?
I will earn my keep, I promise - wrangling peacocks and shaking carob trees are my speciality!
Honestly though, it sounds heavenly.
Hope the CBT improves the sleeping situation.

TheLeadbetterLife · 09/08/2021 18:52

It is heavenly, for the most part! At least, the downsides don't bother me as much as the downsides of living in the UK did.

The peacocks are a mad notion, but I have loads of chickens already and don't want to hatch any more turkeys at the moment. This hen is always going broody so I have to give her eggs of some sort. Peacocks sound like they're basically fancy turkeys, in terms of diet etc. and I thought it might be nice to have some decorative birds around. The farmer wasn't sure if the eggs were viable though, so she gave me them for free, plus plums. Fingers crossed!

Tiredandbored · 09/08/2021 19:18
TheLeadbetterLife · 09/08/2021 20:02

Ha ha, that’s actually a really good idea!

The online Portuguese course I do sometimes offers weekend retreats which I’m too scared to go on because my Portuguese is still embarrassingly poor. A food-based one would be fun! We have lots of camping space...

Maybe if we’re all still on these threads next year we should organise a get together!

Aria999 · 09/08/2021 20:06

Hi everyone!

We FINALLY got back home yesterday after our trip. Despite all the hideous holiday off plan food and general exhaustion I have only put on 2lbs so could be worse. I couldn't face reading the thread and seeing all the lovely food I couldn't get! So I haven't been around for a while.

But my stomach is hideous. I look like I'm pregnant. I do have diastasis recti and it was slowly getting better but I think it's relapsed. I can't face giving up alcohol so maybe it's time for a tummy tuck (joking, probably).