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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 4

989 replies

TooExtraImmatureCheddar · 25/08/2021 09:08

Hi to all regulars and lurkers!

Here's the 4th thread, based on the ideas in Dr Andrew Jenkinson's book. We've seen some amazing losses on these threads, and the benefits for me can be summed up as 'no counting, no starving'.
We don't count calories, and if we're hungry we eat. We're focused on quality.

General eating principles:

No sugar
No wheat (which reduces unhealthy carbs)
No ultra processed foods, and in particular no processed/ultra refined oils
Honourable mention to tipping the balance of omega 3 and 6, but that’s mostly achieved by doing the above.

His principles also include trying to sleep more and reduce stress, and take regular (moderate) exercise.

If any of this sounds promising, please feel free to ask questions and come and join in!

OP posts:
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17
samthebordercollie · 02/10/2021 06:26

@Aria999 that's good to know. I'm currently 9 stone 7 but want to get back to around 9 stone. I never ate UPF before starting this WOE so the change for me was no refined flour products and sugar.

Aria999 · 02/10/2021 13:40

@samthebordercollie I guess it's possible you are just already at your weight set point?

I have been 9 stone in the past and would love to be again but I'm not convinced my body feels the same 😂

At least I don't look and feel overweight any more.

samthebordercollie · 02/10/2021 14:43

@Aria999 I'm not sure, I was at 57/58kgs very happily for several years until this summer when I had to stop running and cycling for a couple of months and the weight came on after when I started up again. I'm 1.73m and 9 stone is my best weight because I have a very narrow frame. Plus with running, the extra few kilos make a lot of difference!

Styletryle · 02/10/2021 14:46

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Aria999 · 02/10/2021 14:56

@Styletryle

That sounds good. I think after a while you get a feel for what you personally can get away with. For example I can eat pasta and chocolate about twice a week before I have a problem but even a small amount of bread gives me instant bloat.

I still have bread sometimes but accept that I'm going to put on a temporary lb or two.

My tips would be (1) make sure you are eating a lot of fat and protein so it fills you up and (2) if you have a sugar craving don't ignore it, have a little bit of sugar along with something on plan to fill you up.

And as pp said drink water.

Aria999 · 02/10/2021 15:05

Also, eat if you're hungry. If you're perpetually hungry you're not eating enough fat and protein.

Neldreambig · 02/10/2021 16:05

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Neldreambig · 02/10/2021 16:06

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Mrsmorton · 02/10/2021 19:37

@Aria999 it's a really good point. The full fat stuff should make you feel more full when it's eaten with protein. I think that's a USP of this WoE tbh.

Aria999 · 04/10/2021 01:55

I just came up with a very easy low carb dinner.

Take 1 on-plan tray of ready prepared frozen vegetables for grilling. Grill it. Mix it with chopped up cooked crispy bacon. Dump a big pile of cheese and breadcrumbs on top. Grill it again. Voila! Yum.

OpenHands · 04/10/2021 05:51

Hi everyone.

I read the book a couple months ago and have been following this thread since and finally decided to create an account to join the conversation.

The basics of the plan make a lot of sense biochemically to me, but gosh am I struggling!

I'm really struggling with two pieces:

  1. Sweets. When I try to restrict my sweets I instantly become rebellious and want to EAT THEM ALL.
  1. Reducing carbs. It's tough because, as we all know, the last quarter of the book is inconsistent and not evidence-based, so we're all guessing a little bit. But following the general principle to reduce my glycemic load, I'm struggling as a vegetarian and someone who, frankly, loves carbs.

I also have a history of disordered eating that I thought was behind me, but when I encounter restriction it rears its ugly head again.

I wonder if anyone else has found themselves rebelling at the "rules" and how you've navigated it.

HighlandCowbag · 04/10/2021 07:23

I rebel all the time with some of the rules but stick rigidly to a couple. No bread, no pasta, no cereals. Life is too short to make mayonnaise but things need mayo. Scrambled eggs need brown sauce. Roast dinners need 1 homemade Yorkshire pudding.

But I have tweaked it to make it maintainable. So I go with it 80% of the time. Lost about 22lbs so far, since May I think? Lose between 0.5 and 1lb a week. It's not massive but consistent and I don't feel like I'm on a diet.

First couple of weeks are tough but once you are through them it gets easier.

PantsPrincess · 04/10/2021 09:19

Morning all, another lurker but I've finally caught up. I've lost 2 stone since the beginning of the year trying to just be healthier, read the book back in May but have hit my set point for a few months now.

I'm finding the WOE generally suits me, but I do fall apart if I have a bad night or a hard day (I have 1 yr old twins and a 3 yr old so that happens faaaairly often). Then I go to carb and ice cream town. I need to get away from using food like that, and have a list of food go tos for when I need a boost.

I'm trying to be kind to myself - I'm so so chuffed that I haven't regained the weight as I generally always would have by now. But I do also want to move on. I think a bit of yoga might help!

Styletryle · 04/10/2021 11:08

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TammyTwoSwanson · 04/10/2021 12:30

Hi - I've not posted in ages.
I have up and down days when it comes to sugar - but I don't obsess. If I really want some, I'll have it (to prevent obsessing!) but I try and have it later in the day as I never eat after dinner, so even if it spikes my blood sugar and makes me hungry, I know I won't be eating anyway. That way I'm mitigating some of the effects. Also, I have plenty of dark chocolate available - it's not as moreish or sugary as other sweet stuff so it seems a good thing to have on hand.

I don't know if it's been covered, but has anyone tried Gusto? We started ordering from it and it's really good for not getting bored with eating the same old things all the time. I don't order anything with wheat and I tend to take a smaller serving of the rice - and obv I don't use vegetable oil where it says to, I just use olive oil. Just thought I'd let you know incase anyone was like me, bored with eating the same stuff all the time!

NeverTooOldToTry · 04/10/2021 12:55

I am with you on the Yorkshire pudding @HighlandCowbag makes the meal imo.
I had a bit of a blip at the weekend with tortellini, close on date and DH doesn't eat it so rather than see it go to waste I gobbled it all up. I felt a bit yuk after so won't be doing it again for a while. Back on plan today, clothes are starting to fit a little better so hoping for good things when I get on the scales Wed.

Aria999 · 04/10/2021 12:57

@Styletryle 😢 I hear you. I think I remember you saying you don't like yoghurt either which is a pity as it's an easy quick think to fill up on.

Do you like cheese, dried meat, olives?

I really relate to the urge to do things just because you've told yourself you shouldn't.

I don't have much food advice as I eat a lot of yoghurt, eggs and cheese and am eating lunch at home so it's very different.

I would say though try to focus on what you can eat not what you can't.
Find something on plan you like, eat a lot of it, and tell yourself if you're still hungry you can have the other stuff. One of the good things about this woe is if you can get into it (at least for me) the carb cravings mostly go away.

TheLeadbetterLife · 04/10/2021 14:38

@Styletryle

I feel for you, and I've been exactly where you are, many, many times.

I think this time the reason it worked was because somehow the planets aligned and I had the right mentality at the right time, with enough space in my life to really work on it. I also scared myself straight by convincing myself I had diabetes, without any real evidence. It's extremely likely that I am/was at the very least insulin resistant though. I might get tested next year when I can pluck up the courage.

My aunt once said to me (years ago, because I've been overweight and occasionally obese my entire adult life) that weight loss would happen when I was in the right frame of mind for it, and that proved true. But it's taken two decades for me to get here.

I am absolutely not pan frying salmon and what not for lunch. There is no way I would be able to sustain this if it took that much effort. I don't eat breakfast, and I have yoghurt and raw rolled oats for lunch. Even making porridge would be a step too far for me (in any case the raw oats have a lower GL). I know you don't like yoghurt, but what about things like cheese and cherry tomatoes? Things you could easily turn into a meal with little to no preparation.

The only meal I have to plan for is dinner, which makes it simple. Also I don't have children so it's just my husband and me, and he is completely on board with it all too, so I know I have it easy in that sense.

There's also no getting away from the fact that this is a low carb diet, and will fundamentally only work if most sugars and refined carbs are cut out. If that's a big change it's going to feel difficult at first.

On the other hand, if it is a big change, it's likely that you will lose a lot of weight quite quickly at first, which is very motivating. I lost 10kg before I hit my first plateau, which made it so much easier to keep going. Also, by the time I'd got to that point my tastes and eating habits had adjusted enough that I didn't want to go back to all the bread and pasta.

Do remember that this isn't keto or low carb bootcamp though - you don't have to cut it all out, and you don't even have to go particularly low carb to start with.

Maybe also you need to work out what works for you psychologically. I too find that the all or nothing approach makes me instantly obsess over the things I am not supposed to have, leading to an inevitable towel throw at some point down the line.

One thing I've managed to do this year is learn how to think like a "normal" person (i.e. one who doesn't have a weight/eating problem, even though I still do, really). At the moment, for example, the in-laws are here for a fortnight. They like to drink every evening and have carbs with every meal. I've done my best to avoid those traps, but we've also been out for dinner a few times and I've absolutely gone to town on chips, bread, rice and so on. It's fine though - after they've gone I will just get back to normal and be extra careful for a few weeks. I am relaxed about it. This is a major mindset change for me. My mantra is, "there is no wagon". The wagon is an excuse, it doesn't exist, so I can't fall off it.

Maybe what I am on is a road. A road with many fantastic restaurants, as well as a farmer's market and a cinema that does bloody good popcorn. As long as I stay walking along my road for about 80% of the time, I'll get to where I need to be, even if I stop off a lot along the way.

Styletryle · 04/10/2021 16:09

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Styletryle · 04/10/2021 16:16

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Aria999 · 04/10/2021 16:25

@Styletryle

Yes fruit and cheese is a great solution. Cottage cheese also.

I find salad fairly boring too. I seldom eat 'a salad'. I'll either have something that isn't really very salady like an enormous wedge of feta cheese or mozzarella with some tomato and avocado (and balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to liven it up), or I'll just have plain salad leaves out of the bag to go with an omelette or grilled meat.

I guess you need to buy more proteiny items or defend them from the kids. Would they respect it if you had a 'mum's corner' of the fridge that they aren't allowed to raid?

Your dinners sound good to me. We have a range of curries and casseroles with rice, grilled meat with salad and fries, fajitas (I find occasional wraps are ok). We have occasional pasta. I would love to have cottage pie but DH hates mashed potatoes. But DH does most of the cooking do I am very spoiled. This week I have been alone and after I get the kids to bed I mostly can't be bothered to cook chicken just for me. (The kids eat different stuff from us anyway).

Aria999 · 04/10/2021 16:35

I'm not sure about pearl barley. It's a grain and a carb. As far as I can tell from a quick google it's omega 3:6 ratio is about 1/10, compared to wheat at 1/20, so it's better than wheat.

But there probably isn't all that much of it in scotch broth right? You could give it a go?

Aria999 · 04/10/2021 16:37

(Sorry I'm spamming the thread, I'm enjoying my first child free morning for about two years so I have lots of time to do useful stuff which I am apparently actually using to lurk on Mumsnet 😂)

Styletryle · 04/10/2021 16:37

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TheLeadbetterLife · 04/10/2021 16:48

I would avoid bananas as a snack, especially mid morning. All tropical fruits are very high in sugar, and will make you feel hungrier sooner, as well as make it harder for you to adjust to a lower sugar diet.

Hard boiled eggs, cheese, or cold roast chicken / other meat would be better. Babybels are excellent for snacking. I save fruit for the afternoons, and only have lower sugar ones.

I'm not keen on salad alongside a hot meal. They're staples for us in the summer, but I prefer to lightly boil or steam green vegetables (cabbage, broccoli etc) then toss them in garlic and olive oil or butter. That makes a nice, quick accompaniment to almost anything, and the green vegetables have the most omega 3.