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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 5

1000 replies

TheLeadbetterLife · 12/01/2022 23:13

Happy New Year regulars, lurkers and newcomers!

Welcome to thread 5 of discussion, encouragement and advice inspired by the book Why We Eat (Too Much), by Dr Andrew Jenkinson.

The basic principles of this "diet" (it's not one in the traditional sense, as it's meant to be a permanent set of changes), are as follows:

  • cut out ultra-processed food
  • massively reduce sugar, carbs, refined flours and wheat
  • eat a wide variety of vegetables, whole grains and fruit
  • eat full fat dairy and other healthy fats like extra virgin olive oil
  • improve the ratio of omega 3 to 6 by eating greens, fish, eggs and grass-fed meat, and cutting out ultra-refined seed oils

Important lifestyle changes include getting plenty of rest, relaxation and sleep, as well as taking a moderate amount of exercise (or more, if you like that sort of thing).

You don't need to count calories (in fact, you shouldn't), though it may help to count carbs or glycemic load, at least to begin with, until you get the hang of it.

Some of us share recipes by following each other on Copy Me That - www.copymethat.com/recipebox/the-leadbetter-life/6661160/

As well as the book mentioned in the title, the principles are similar to those espoused by the likes of Rangan Chatterjee, Robert Lustig, Tim Spector and Michael Mosley.

There are many successes on this thread, and the main thing is that we are aiming to make permanent, sustainable changes to adjust our weight set-points downwards.

Join us!

OP posts:
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34
Heartbeats0708 · 04/05/2022 15:42

Oh no sorry @samthebordercollie I wasn't having a dig!! I'm actually quite envious of your attitude if I'm honest, it annoys me that food is such a contentious and complicated thing for me and wish I wasn't so obsessed. It's a blessing and a curse!

TheLeadbetterLife · 04/05/2022 18:15

samthebordercollie · 04/05/2022 14:49

I didn't say it was for everyone. I enjoy what I eat and eating isn't an obsession.
I'll get my hat.

Ha ha, you're lucky not to be obsessed!

This diet does work for me, but I am always thinking about the things I can't have. A BMI of 24 is a triumph when mine used to be 34!

I have a large frame anyway so 24 is fine. I just wish it wasn't such hard work.

OP posts:
BigBobBoots · 04/05/2022 22:04

Thanks @Lapwingslore .
I've been enjoying the food. Obviously no weight loss yet but plenty of benefits already. I seem to sleep much better, after less than a week. I must have been riding the glucose rollercoaster all night!

wejammin · 04/05/2022 22:14

Day 1 for me of trying no sugar no wheat as my step 1.
I've been doing a lot of recipe reading for vegan friendly stuff that is also compatible with family life (3 kids, 2 with additional needs, full time job, blah blah blah).
I'm compiling list but it's going to be trial and error for a while. There's also no way I can cut out tofu and nuts.
Today I had -
Morning - Overnight oats with oat milk, chia seeds, hemp powder, banana and blueberries. Thought I would miss the maple syrup but didn't.
Dinner - Lentil cakes with chilli marmite and Flora (which says high in omega 3), tangerine.
Tea - cheesy sauce on roasted cauliflower and broccoli. Kids had cheesy pasta and I absentmindedly ate some leftovers whilst clearing up.

DH is currently eating Mr Kipling treacle tart which I have declined.

Aria999 · 05/05/2022 01:15

Good luck @wejammin

@samthebordercollie I am envious of both your outlook and your bmi! I have more or less (after many years) stopped having a screwed up relationship with food but I do enjoy eating nice things.

The only problem I have with this woe is that my set point is so much quicker to go up than down. I seem to have settled at 2-3lbs over target 😖 and it's probably another 6 months slog to come down again.

samthebordercollie · 05/05/2022 06:37

Sorry for the flounce, I fell off my bike last week and landed on my coccyx so in a bit of pain at the moment, not to mention unable to run which doesn't help my mood!
@TheLeadbetterLife I'm 5'8 but have a very narrow frame so look a lot better with a lowish BMI - frame size makes such a huge difference to weight and where you sit in the BMI normal range
@Aria999 I still enjoy treats at weekends, and eat chocolate daily! I'm a couple of kgs heavier than I was 4 years ago but this WOE works to keep weight relatively stable: Most WOE books written by doctors seem to be universal in recommending reduced or zero consumption of refined grains, it's just nathional health services like the NHS and French system who still recommend them as the largest part of dailyfood consumption
@Heartbeats0708 I live in rural France with very little temptation in terms of takeaways or restaurants so it's very easy to eat simply

picklemewalnuts · 05/05/2022 07:41

I have a big frame, which is both a blessing and a curse!

I didn't post yesterday's meals after all...

It was hard boiled eggs and beetroot for lunch,
Risotto with one nuts, lots of veg, some chicken for dinner.

A tub of Cheerios in the cinema which I've just realised should have been popcorn. Hey ho.

And I've lost nothing, after two days of staying on SW plan. Sad

Still. Mustn't panic.

Heartbeats0708 · 05/05/2022 08:00

Eesh @samthebordercollie coccyx pain is sickening, and I don't say that lightly. You poor thing, hope it eases off soon and you can get back to some sort of exercise for the mood boost. Do take it steady though, it's a slow healer!
@picklemewalnuts stick with SW if that's what you're comfortable with and, to quote my least favourite phrase, give it some time. Plenty of water too!

wejammin · 05/05/2022 17:05

I have a tiny frame - 5ft 1(just!) and my mum and my sister are both petite at the same height. I'm only 64kg but that is overweight for my height and I do not carry it well at all.

It's cinco de Mayo in our house - not Mexican, never been to Mexico, my kids just really love teen titans and they have an episode about it 😄.

I'm doing lentil chilli, rice, salsa, guacamole, houmous and DH and kids will have wraps with theirs. I'll probably have to fry some chicken for fussy DC1 and 2 who would not eat chilli and are not vegan. All HM except the houmous (which has rapeseed oil 😕)

I had unsweetened soya yogurt, chia seeds and passion fruit for breakfast, it was... crunchy! I love chia and I love passion fruit but maybe not together next time.

Dinner was a tin of veg soup I found in the cupboard, I'm going to have to start planning dinners. I meal plan like a boss for teas but for some reason expect breakfast and dinners to just appear. Which is why I would usually default to a tomato sandwich and a pack of crisps.

picklemewalnuts · 05/05/2022 19:47

I bet that was crunchy!

I had overnight oats, cheese, yogurt and an apple over the course of the morning. I was starving.
Lamb soup (the leftovers from a lamb casserole after the meat and veg had been mainly served) and mushrooms for lunch.
Dinner was a simply cook kit- Peruvian chicken and pilau rice, with spinach cashews and coconut cream. It was delicious, and probably had some 'wrong' oil in, but only about a teaspoon per person.

Then I had about 75g chocolate. 🤦‍♀️

Still, ok on slimming world I think. I just hope I lose a couple of pounds or I'll be struggling!

BigBobBoots · 05/05/2022 22:07

My meals so far have been very repetitive, I hope I'll be able to vary it more when I've had a moment to plan.
Leftover steamed veggies, chicken and avocado for breakfast, haloumi salad for lunch and more chicken for dinner.
Weirdly, even though Im eating so much more fibre than I used to I'm bloated and constipated. I hope that's just my digestive system getting used to the new ways.

Aria999 · 06/05/2022 02:57

@BigBobBoots that's happened to several of us. It went away.

BigBobBoots · 06/05/2022 06:45

Thanks @Aria999 - that's reassuring!

TheLeadbetterLife · 06/05/2022 12:33

@BigBobBoots ground flaxseed is the key to solving the constipation problem we find. A tablespoon per day, I have it with yoghurt. It’s very high in omega 3 too, so two birds…

OP posts:
picklemewalnuts · 06/05/2022 13:35

Flax is great! I also eat kiwi with the skin still on. Once you've adjusted to the idea, it's fine!

Constipation when I reduced my bread intake was really trying. I still have to keep an eye on it. Strong coffee does the trick, but I prefer not to do that every day because of the caffeine. It's an essential weigh day practice though!

So far today-
Yogurt and chia seeds
Apples
Bacon
Ryvita
Peanut butter
Marmite
Cherry toms

Dinner will be a SW burger, no bun, with coleslaw, pickles and salad. Maybe some home made no fat chips. I'll probably have cheese on my salad, though might save it for an evening snack!

I tried a new hot chocolate today. It's cocoa powder with chai spices, no sugar. I had it in milk and water. It was really nice- warming, comforting, with all those healthy spices- cloves, cinnamon, ginger etc.

Words · 06/05/2022 13:36

Hello All - just popping in to say hi. Going through a very tough time right now with one bad thing happening after another. I am currently completely off plan and feel very bloated, low in energy and sad.

Now more than ever I need to be looking after myself and I just feel immobilised and stuck. The gloom will lift at some point. I will weigh in on Sunday and hopefully that will galvanise me. I felt so fantastic before, and was so fit too. It's quite scary how rapidly it all falls away again, and how hard it is to get back on track, even in the knowledge that this woe suits me perfectly.

BigBobBoots · 06/05/2022 17:04

Thank you @TheLeadbetterLife - I thought they might be the problem (as I don't drink enough water with them) but just sprinkled some on my salad.

wejammin · 06/05/2022 21:28

@Words sorry to hear you're going through a tough time. I hope there's some sunshine around the corner.

I exercised an amazing feat of willpower today, I took my leftovers into the office for dinner but my boss was in today and he usually buys us dinner if he's in on a Friday - everyone else got pizza and I stayed firm and had my lentil chilli. It was delicious and I thought I'd be jealous of their pizza but I really wasn't.

I had oat milk chia pudding with banana and blueberries for late breakfast, lentil chilli and rice for dinner, Greek salad with violife (coconut oil based) feta and houmous.

DH is currently sitting next to me scoffing Mr Kipling treacle tart and it's really annoying me 🙄

NowYouListenToMeFella · 06/05/2022 21:40

BigBobBoots · 05/05/2022 22:07

My meals so far have been very repetitive, I hope I'll be able to vary it more when I've had a moment to plan.
Leftover steamed veggies, chicken and avocado for breakfast, haloumi salad for lunch and more chicken for dinner.
Weirdly, even though Im eating so much more fibre than I used to I'm bloated and constipated. I hope that's just my digestive system getting used to the new ways.

I'm a bit like that too. Lots of egg things being made. Need to branch out.

I did branch out and had steak and a big salad with feta, beetroot, plum tomatoes and balsamic vinegar.

NowYouListenToMeFella · 06/05/2022 21:42

Sorry to hear you are going through a tough time Words. Hope things improve for you soon.

Lapwingslore · 06/05/2022 22:48

Watching from the wings now and quite envious.

Have bern following this WOE for some time but recently had to ramp it up to Autoimmune Protocol because of a Sjorgrens flare.

That means no coffee and very little other than Meat / Fish / Veggies / Berries for the next 30 days.

Am struggling (particularly in relation to the coffee) but reading all your posts and willing you on.

picklemewalnuts · 07/05/2022 07:50

That's really tough, Lapwings. How long will you go, before you see a difference? i think I could do serious exclusion diets for a short term, with a view to being able to add things back in when I see the results/have identified the culprits.
It's the long term side of it that's bothering me. Also, I need to examine my head a bit- I'm doing a bit of 'oh I'll do better tomorrow'.

Still, I started the day well with a chocolate overnight chia pudding. I can't say I loved it, though!

Lapwingslore · 07/05/2022 08:21

@picklemewalnuts they say 30-90 days before you start adding back.

I have no idea how to cope with that, particularly in relation to coffee. I am also totally bunged up because of the heavy protein content.

I will give it a few more days but will revert to our WOE if I don't start to feel some results soon.

I know you are trying to combine SW with the Jenkinson WOE and noticed Ryvita on your list the other day. I ate Ryvita for years during my teens, with daily dreadful stomach aches. It took ages to twig I was allergic to Rye. Later testing discovered I was Coeliac. So if you get any stomach twinges, worth checking out those innocuous little sheets of deliciousness.

In relation to the long term side of Jenkinson, I am working on the principle that it takes 10 weeks to create a new habit and he is helping me create a lot of better ones. Yesterday I looked back on one of my online grocery lists from last year and cant believe how much crap I was eating. Will some of it creep back, undoubtedly, but a lot of it won’t.

picklemewalnuts · 07/05/2022 08:48

That's a great attitude, Lapwing, looking back over a period of time. It helps to identify what changes have stuck.

I've hugely increased my herb tea intake, and more than halved my decaf coffee consumption. I hugely reduced my diet cola habit. I can't remember the last time I had crisps. My omega 3/6 ratio is much better, even if some vegetable oil sneaks in. I take a supplement, and have swapped across to olive whenever I spray things like oven chipped potatoes.

So I've not totally failed! Must stop beating myself up! Which would be easier if I could lose two or three pounds!!

It's the sodding chocolate that's hardest, for me.

Lapwingslore · 07/05/2022 09:34

Wow @picklemewalnuts that is an amazing list of achievements.

Someone once said to me that food issues are the hardest issues to tackle because we have to eat for life. We don’t have to smoke, or drink alcohol or take drugs, but without food we die.

If all that is causing you to feel downhearted is chocolate, why not just continue with a little when the cravings hit. Could you switch to 70% (M&S Ecuador is lovely) nibble off a little bit of a chunk, suck it slowly and enjoy the hit.

That would probably cause you fewer issues than the diet coke, which gives me real wind and makes me feel awful. Having seen how it cleans an old penny or a toilet pan, I seriously question what they put in that !!

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