Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 4

[TooExtraImmatureCheddar]

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!

Thank you @Aria999 I may rethink the Ryvita ( I use the Aldi version which doesn't mention wheat). I'll keep an eye on my fruit intake too

I just invented a delicious made up supper.

1 tray of frozen grilling vegetables (asparagus/ pepper/ onion), grilled

Some out of a jar tomato pasta sauce with all real ingredients

Crispy bacon

Black olives

All mixed up and Goat cheese melted on top. It was divine.

That sounds heavenly aria ! I haven't seen that particular mix of frozen veg in the U.K. but will keep an eye out.

I'm having a week of leftover-finishing: I had thé lentil and aubergine dish again last night ( so another veggie day!) and I've also got the Italian soup and venison cottage pie to finish.

This week's vegetable I don't often buy is celeriac. I've discovered it's gorgeous sliced into thin strips*and served in a vinaigrette dressing. It can also be mixed with mayonnaise to make a French classic dish but I didn't get chance to make any, and Hellman's, once a staple of mine, is one of those foods that can happily stay on thé verboten list I've decided.

• Yesterday's life-lessons:

1 Should your mandolin slicer fall from the top shelf, DO NOT attempt to catch it.
2 Mandolin slicer wounds bleed copiously
3 Store your mandolin slicer at ground level in future, Words.

@Oblahdeeoblahdoe - I would agree re Ryvita.

These oatcakes are very tasty with smoked salmon and cream cheese, great with cheese, and dead easy. For me a fab alternative to bread or cheese biscuits/crisp breads:

https://pennysrecipes.com/7324/recipe-traditional-oatcakes

Recipe originally posted by Leadbetter - thank you!

If you roast the oats for 10 to 15 mins before using, it gives a pleasantly nutty flavour.

I use Ryvita Dark Rye and the ingredients are rye flour and salt.

Well in that case, I guess it's chocks away!

The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast this week is interesting, all about fat and how it affects women more than men, why it's more of a problem in menopause and something I didn't know - there are even viruses which can cause fat. Why having some fat is important for women.
Why some people can eat what they want and never put on weight and others just have to look at a cookie to put on 2lbs.
And beige fat exists, exercise can help you turn white fat into brown.
Worth a listen despite the ads

Ooh... I might give that a listen Sam.

I've reached an odd state where I actually feel thinner than I actually am, having given myself a long hard stare in my gym outfit yesterday. My spare tyre and the last 14 pounds are so to healthy BMI are proving very difficult to shift, so any extra knowledge is very welcome.

I really do want to lose it, for health reasons above any vanity, really,

@Words yes do give it a listen, at the end Dr Rudy adds his own tips, you might find some help you with the final 14lbs! I can't help as to me you seem to east very healthily and cook delicious meals. I'm not as much of a foodie as you and can eat the same lunch 4 days on the trot if I like it, and having one 'proper' meal every day isn't important to me. I can have soup for lunch and a beetroot and feta salad in he evening I don't like big meals. I'm also vegetarian 80% of the time so it's easier to batch book meals (like your lentil dish) and just reheat. I cool proper meals (with meat) for DH and the DC when they're here but food is more of a fuel for me (but it has to be tasty fuel!)

I wonder if beetroot is one of those foods that tastes weird to some people, like coriander. I just can't stand beetroot and normally I love vegetables.

I like pickled beetroot, but I find it too sweet otherwise. Same with the other sweet root vegetables like turnips, swedes, sweet potatoes. I like raw carrots, but not cooked so much. Probably for the best, really.

Parsnips are the exception, I love them, though they're a rare sight here in Portugal, so we only have them at Christmas.

For the beetroot and feta salad I mentioned insert any other vegetable! It was just an example. I think it's definitely a love hate veg, I love it with a nice vinaigrette, it's easy to grow and cook and improves oxygen transportation around the body - so all good for me!

Beetroot! I've tried to like it, but don't really. Parsnips I really don't like - too sweet - yet I surprised myself with liking the roast sweet potato a while ago.

I'm trying to expand my range, but generally prefer slightly bitter veg - so broccoli, kale, spinach are my staples.

Heard some ominous rumours today about potential return to partial office working. Trying not to catastrophise. But it would be a terrible blow. I am an introvert and the last two years at home of no office or commuting have been the happiest and most productive I have ever spent.

It has been life-transforming and enabled so many positive changes. But what will be, will be, I guess.

Sam Thank you for your lovely comments !

@Words maybe they will be flexible and not make it compulsory for all, especially if you have been doing really good work without it. It must be hard not having it within your control.

I am enjoying my new fully remote job working for a uk company from America! Though this is only day 4 and i have already had child illness issues ☹️

I am finding I am craving sugar much more now I am using my brain all the time. It's hard to maintain concentration. I hope resuming my old office frequent cup of tea habits will help!

I hope so too Aria. I've even won awards and stuff. It really suits me - and this woe! Time will tell!

Congratulations again on the job! Interesting about the sugar cravings- might it be stress-related do you think?

I dived into the venison shepherds ( ?) pie leftovers last night, but had the foresight to freeze half of them so I didn't eat it all.

Soup for lunch and salmon and veg for dinner. Weigh in again tomorrow.

Have a good day all.

Hi all, well I went away for the weekend which caused me to fall off the woe wagon in spectacular style. Anyway, I just have to start again because what else is there to do!?

@Words do you think maybe caffeine might be hampering your last push? I think I have seen suggested that caffeine causes a cortisol rise (mimicking a stress response) and that this then causes insulin to spike. Sorry, I don’t want to deprive you of your caffeine habit (I don’t know what I would do if someone tried to take away my tea!) with my half formed ideas but maybe something to look into??

@Words could you request now for your job to be made fully remote?

Might have more luck than waiting for an announcement at which point possibly lots of people will be asking and they might not want to play favorites.

I've read the same about coffee spiking insulin, and (as with everything to do with insulin) I've been worrying about it.

I've stopped drinking it first thing, and have hot water with a slice of lemon, then a coffee mid-morning. I might cut out daily coffee altogether for a few weeks, while I'm on my final push, and have it as an occasional treat instead.

Words, I hope you get to stay working from home. Like you, it's changed my life for the better and I don't think I could have lost this weight if I was still a commuting employee. I could never go back to an office now, but I'm freelance these days, so it's my choice.

Interesting re coffee. Just had a quick google and results I saw seemed somewhat ambivalent, but haven't read anything in depth and clearly I drink far too much of the stuff and need to cut back. I've drunk one big jug of coffee a day for years but it has crept up to two, which is a bit silly.

I will try to cut down and see what happens. Thank you folks!

Re the w f h - I am public sector which basically means I do as I am told, despite being reasonably senior. My current manager is happy with the current arrangement but if things change, she may have to mandate something hideous. We will see.

@Styletryle 😢 sorry it's not working for you. I guess no plan is easy for everyone!

I don't have much practical advice sadly. You could try not having things in the house but I know you have kids and also the whole joy of this way of eating is that many of us have stopped really craving restricted things for the most part. If that isn't happening for you then it's not much better than a regular diet, right? Especially if you haven't had that 'wow it works' moment when you lose a few lbs either.

Sorry not to be much use. I do recognize that feeling of being totally out of control of your body and it's awful.

Oh @Styletryle sorry you're feeling low. As Aria says, not keeping the restricted stuff in the house does help, but it must be so hard with a family also.

Would a gradual approach work? So forget about losing for now and concentrate on having three filling and nutritious meals a day from scratch with no snacks ( to avoid temptation of snacking on less than ideal things) Get yourself into a routine. Good routines can be established , given time, just as bad ones can. This isn't a competition, more a change in how we live, if that makes sense.

Then perhaps reduce your bread and pasta, again gradually ?

Sorry if this seems lame advice. Above all, I just wanted you to know I completely understand and identify with all those feelings. Does writing on here help? If so maybe do that each day and we can listen and try to help.

@Styletryle what about a couple of oatcakes to have with soup? The Nairn cheese ones are apparently ok as no "bad" oils. I take them or some dark ryvita. I have to not take the packet with me though as that's when I eat half a dozen. It's not for everyone but I like them heavily buttered and that helps me stay full.

Another thing that helps me that isn't technically on-plan is the little packets of sweet and salty popcorn. I don't take one every day but a couple of times a week.

Remember that breakfast doesn't have to be breakfast foods. I sometimes have some nice cheese and crudités, other days eggs, porridge or yoghurt with oats added or even sometimes stir fried veg such as mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes with some cheese added.

Why don't you concentrate on one meal only for a week and see how you feel? If you are anything like me, you have decades of habits to work on. That doesn't all happen at once and can be a real shock to your body.
I've found the eating-the-Halloween-treats habit to be a real challenge this week, although I'm doing better than previous years.
As said upthread, maybe you just need to break it down into small steps.