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!

@Bearyhumcrack

I keep reading that the seed oils are literally the worst thing so I try v hard for zero tolerance on that and then best effort on everything else.

Is sesame oil really bad?

Thanks for the support folks! Yesterday was not a good day. On top of everything else major work stress and manager stress. Need I even say I ate too much chocolate? And pancakes with syrup. I need to watch this, I really do.

Today I now have to drive to a nearby city for work, help a colleague do a very high profile thing, and spend most of the day cramped and confined with large numbers of people, including members of the public, indoors. All last minute and unexpected too. This is freaking me out as I don't want to catch the plague on top of everything else. Am triple jabbed, so should be ok, but argh.

Slept badly due to back as well, so been awake since 4, which is twirly, even for me.

On the oils - Would reducing work, if eliminating would be tricky?

@Aria999 - that dental procedure sounds very painful, you poor thing.

Remember there's no wagon, Words! A bad few days isn't going to make a bit of difference in the long run.

I am trying hard to keep my nerves under control for the next few days, while waiting for blood test results to come in. I think my eyes are fine after having a retinal scan (a bunch of floaters appeared recently, as well as the odd tiny flash, so I was worried). I've been putting off having an overall health check, because I knew I would fret, but I would fret either way, so it had to be done. I get a jolt of anxiety and nausea every time I think about it.

One thing I am a bit worried about is my blood pressure. It's always a tad high when I have it taken at the GP, because I get so nervous. They take it a few times and always seem to get an acceptable reading, but I don't know if that means it's getting a tad high a tad too often. I do worry more than I should, and I had hoped that all the healthy eating and exercise I do now would have brought it down, but it seems not. I don't know what else I can do. It's not high enough to justify medication, and I wouldn't want to go on it anyway. I wonder if I should get a blood pressure monitor and test at home, but I would still be nervous about it at home, so I don't know if it would be any better.

Has anyone else had this problem?

@TheLeadbetterLife i think getting a home test kit is a good idea. If you check it frequently maybe you would get less nervous about checking it?

@Words that sounds like my idea of hell too. Good luck with it! Are you getting some time off soon (it's nearly Christmas!)

Yes, although my doctor specifically said I shouldn’t monitor at home because he thinks I will just fret and obsess over it. Can’t win.

I don't know. They say you shouldn't weigh yourself every day either but I find it much less stressful than every week.

What do you think? You know yourself best.

I really don’t know. He said he wasn’t concerned because the lower number was normal, and he was sure that when I was more relaxed the higher number would be in normal range. I don’t know how he can be so confident of that though, or by how much it’s normal for it to rise and fall.

@TheLeadbetterLife

I really don’t know. He said he wasn’t concerned because the lower number was normal, and he was sure that when I was more relaxed the higher number would be in normal range. I don’t know how he can be so confident of that though, or by how much it’s normal for it to rise and fall.

That's my understanding too, the lower number is more important. I have a hometesting kit, for DH, but it doesn't seem terribly accurate.

Thanks Sam, that’s reassuring. I think I’ll just plough on and keep working on relaxing and sleeping better. It is remarkable how much better I feel now that I sleep fairly decently.

Hi Leadbetter that sounds like a plan. I know that I can bring my bp down considerably simply by doing deep breathing. So I think a fair degree of variation is normal. I used to check mine regularly on the machine in the surgery when I was having meno related palpitations. All the best with the tests.

Still feeling bloated and not looking forward to scales tomorrow. Missing my exercise!

How was your work thing @Words ?

My face has swelled up like a purple hamster and I have put on 2lbs, despite only being able to chew not bite.

I feel tempted to say f*ck it and binge on finely chopped up marmite toast.

Oh @Aria999 you poor thing!!!

Go for the marmite toast if that's what you crave. This is not the time!

The work thing went fine, but I had no opportunity to eat the food I took along, and options very limited at the place we were so ended up with a truly horrible egg sandwich which came with equally horrible chips. Somehow I ate it all though

However, good news I have lost all the back injury bloat/ painkiller - related weight gain. So don't worry about that side of things - I reckon once things have healed a bit the weight will fall away again.

I'm hoping to get back to light exercise next week. I have really missed it.

Hoping everyone else is doing ok. This time of year can often be so stressful!

Hi folks, I haven't posted in a while as life has been hectic. We're moving house (yes, just what you want to do shortly before Christmas!) and I haven't had a moment, but insomnia has struck so I've just caught up on all your posts.

@TheLeadbetterLife, sorry to hear about your health concerns, I do hope your year results come back clear.

@Aria999, how's the mouth now?

@Words, I hope your back is fully recovered? A back injury is very restrictive, hopefully you're on the mend

I've not been as disciplined with my eating recently - a double whammy of the house move and the consequent quick and easy 'grab what you can' food when you can't cook the usual meals, along with the build-up to Christmas and all the sweets and treats that come into the house. Too. Much. Temptation.

How is everyone else coping with the Christmas temptations?

Hello @Tiredandbored - blimey that's a lot on your plate! So to speak! Are you now settled in your new place? Sorry about the insomnia.

It's the usual everyday temptations that still get me. It's just me here so I don't buy loads of extras at Christmas. I just love Lindt's dark chocolate and can't resist buying it. I will have to stop doing that if I am to get back to a sustained period of weight loss. I've almost forgotten what it's like.

I'm trying the rude health oatcakes with olive oil. They are ok texture wise, but are strangely sweet.

Recipe-wise recently, I made a nice Cullen skink yesterday as a change for Saturday dinner, I also had a go at spatchcock chicken ( cut out breast bone and flatten). It was delicious- cooked on high in under an hour (!) and absolutely retained moisture and flavour. Both on the recipe app:

https://www.copymethat.com/recipebox/thatll-do/6661790/

Christmas Day I'm having shop bought lobster bisque, an expensive high welfare roast chicken and baked Alaska, all from Booths.

Wish my back pain would settle. It's much better, but still nagging away and once I wake up it's hard to fall asleep again.

@aria99 sending more

Thanks all. I'm ok. The swelling and bruising is getting better though still doesn't look great. Pain is gone.

I have stopped weighing myself and yesterday ate cake at a party 😳

@Words sorry your back is still sore. 

Hi @Tiredandbored! How is the move going? Are you in the new place?

Moving on Thursday, which is totally insane, but why take the easy option when there is a much more stressful option available??!!?? 😂

@Tiredandbored OMG. Good luck!

I don't think there's ever a good time to be moving really, Tiredandbored, it's always awful. Hope it goes smoothly for you.

Well, turns out my eyes are fine, despite the floaters and tiny flashes I've been seeing lately, so that's good.

Also all but one of my blood tests came back not only normal, but much better than I expected. I feel like it rather vindicates this diet, because despite all the fat I'm eating my overall cholesterol was low, but my HDL was high, which is exactly what you want. Triglycerides were nice and low, too. All kidney, liver, thyroid function etc was normal, and no inflammatory or rheumatoid markers (rheumatism runs in my family and I had some very sore joints last year, so was worried about that).

The only thing that's bothering me is the blood sugar. It was a tad high (like my sodding blood pressure). The doctor didn't seem bothered, because he said it was in the normal range as specified by the lab, which is true. However, that lab's normal range seems higher than most to me. My fasting blood sugar was nudging into pre diabetic range by most charts I've seen, though the lab had it as being normal.

I really, really need to reduce my stress levels I think, and work on relaxing more. That is probably the cause of the slightly higher than ideal blood pressure and glucose. I've been far too quick to get stressed for most of my life, and that has to have taken a toll.

The diet and exercise seems to have done what it should, but there's a reason Dr Chatterjee has sleep and relaxation as equal to those in his 4 pillar plan.

Great news@TheLeadbetterLife .

medication withdrawal can cause v weird symptoms if that has happened recently.

No, haven’t been on any medication, and now I am a bit worried about some of the results. I misread the B12 - it’s marginal and could be higher. Also, the triglycerides seem too low to me. I can’t understand how they can be that low when I eat so much fat and am not remotely skinny. Seems off.

Could be worse of course, overall I’m pleased as the HDL is good and high, but maybe there’s something a bit odd here and there. Sigh.

Help me through the next few days oh wise ones.

I quit sugar and processed food on March 6th 2021 And read the book shortly after. I have had no sugar since. Yesterday I’d prepared strawberries for my pudding whilst everyone else had Christmas pud and crumble.

I did have some crisps last night, of which I’ve had a few over the year but they don’t have the same addictive problem that chocolate and sweets have. But our house has a chocolate mountain, probably similar to every other house, Last night was the first day I actually needed will power to not graze the Christmas chocolate.

I’m going to get dd to take some with her when she goes but any tips for survival for the rest of the week?

On a side note last week I got into size 14 trousers and a dress this is the first time in 20 years I have lost 3.5 stone.

Well done Billy and Happy Christmas!

Can you give away some of the chocolate perhaps?

I've eaten lots of the wrong sort of stuff and today feel bloated and icky. None of it was particularly nice. In fact I've been quietly going off the rails for about a fortnight since my back injury. Need to get back into a good routine.

Meal yesterday was a huge let down, embarrassingly. The chicken was nothing more than ok, despite all claims made about it. Oddly, it made lovely gravy but the taste and texture of the meat was not great. Will get stock on later.

Onwards and upwards.

We have snow here - melting now.

Hi everyone, how has everyone been over Christmas? I haven't been eating well over the last couple of weeks between the stress of moving house and all the Christmas excesses in the house, but I'm not going to beat myself up about it and will get back into better routines over this next week.

@Billybagpuss, the only advice I can offer is to get rid of your favourite chocolates. I can easily ignore certain sweets and treats because they just don't appeal to me, but when there is something in the house that appeals then I have zero resistance to ignore it and will eat it without any moderation.

I try to get rid of my favourites quickly by -

• giving away to friends/family (good)
• setting them out in sight of my DH who will hoover them (ok)
• giving them to my kids (not great) or
• eating them all as quickly as I can so the temptation is gone (very bad)

Once they are gone I can content myself eating a healthy option, but if they are in the house it is disaster waiting to happen.

Can you identify which ones in particular trigger you to overeat and give them away perhaps? Failing that, put them somewhere really hard to access so it's a real faff for you to get them, you're less likely to reach for them if you have to get the step stool from the garage to get the box down from behind all the delicately balanced Tupperware on the top shelf...

I’m having a lovely Christmas so far, though I am absolutely knackered. Ate and drank far too much yesterday, but it was all delicious and I don’t regret a thing. Some friends came to stay for a couple of days and we had great fun until their dog broke a valuable table and my favourite bowl. Oh well.

We’re on the leftovers and cheese / pate board today, but since absolutely everything is home made, even the crackers (this is why I’m so exhausted), I’m feeling fine about the indulgence. I don’t think I’m going to have any more alcohol until New Year’s Eve though, it’s not worth it. We had a big plate of broccoli and coleslaw with lunch today, to try to balance out the cake and mince pies.

The weather is filthy, so we’re battening down the hatches and enjoying peace, quiet, TV and food for a few days until the sun comes back. Then we’re going to do some hiking, and deal with the exciting damp patch that has appeared on the ceiling.

I hope everyone else is having a nice time.

Also a nice Christmas here. Glad we decided not to try and travel to the uk given omicron etc. kids have a huge pile of stuff which makes me feel a bit guilty. We have a lot of relatives and it adds up! Living room is very gradually emerging from a sea of discarded wrapping paper.

Food wise DH cooked a lovely Thai roast chicken with rice and I added Brussels fried in butter for me since nobody else around here really eats veg.

I did not make any mince pies this year (solving that problem as i love them and would eat them if they were there). I have a box of chocolates that I was given but have managed to confine myself to three so far.

My set point went up about 5lbs after thanksgiving. I think I am back to very gradually reducing weight but only if I stay fairly firmly on plan. Which is depressing because it took a week to put on and will take many weeks to lose but at least plan is still working.

Happy Christmas everyone!