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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
Aria999 · 27/06/2022 00:30

That's beautiful @Words

Yes everything is getting very expensive. Our weekly shop has gone from pricey to mind boggling.

I also find relatively small departures from plan (or at least from my version of it that I know I can get away with) are pretty punishing weight wise.

Put on 3 lbs over a few days during which I ate 1.5 small pizzas (needed to find food at a water park, twice) and some fast food fries but not much else offensive...

Words · 27/06/2022 05:34

I'm the same @Aria999. The 'getting away with it' window is pretty narrow, despite the exercise I am getting at moment.

Thé walking challenge ends this week - am doing 10 to 15 miles a day and feel great, but possibly just as well as I have been using that as an excuse to start eating chocolate again, despite hiding it away on top shelf. It's amazing how cunning and insidious the sugar thing is. And it progressed from one square as a treat to four after dinner every day very quickly.

Then this led in turn to me buying a stodgy Danish pastry type thing at the market on Sunday. It wasn't even very nice, but I ate it all anyway and then just felt over full and rubbish.

Sugar calls to sugar...

BigBobBoots · 27/06/2022 17:11

Hello everyone!
I agree completely about chocolate @Words. I can always start out well having just one square a day, but I always end up eating half a packet after a week or so. DH has been instructed to hide his stash!
I have lost another kilo, so that's 2 kg off since the initial 'watershed'. I'm pretty pleased with that as I've been doing lots of exercise and am starting to feel much slimmer. I'm just getting my head round the idea that this isn't a quick fix and that I'm in it for the long term. The loss is despite some big celebrations where I haven't held back, just made sure I've had my veg and protein before dessert.
I'm eating more fruit now, but always with protein. It's even in my new favourite breakfast on the run - apple and cheese. Blood sugar now really stable so I'm going to try pushing breakfast back to mid morning, giving me a 14 hour fast. Let's see if that makes a difference.

Tiredandbored · 27/06/2022 19:18

Good day today food-wise, I had a lovely salad with beetroot, feta, olives and mackerel for lunch. Dinner was beef stroganoff, delicious!

Had a work function today, biscuits provided. When we stopped for coffee I glanced at the tray of biscuits and all I could think about was all the sugar, trans-fats and UPF ingredients lurking within. They held zero appeal for me whatsoever.

Words · 28/06/2022 12:05

Great work @Tiredandbored re the biscuits.

Your meals sound lovely too. I am sooooo into beetroot at the moment!

Made a really tasty dinner from fridge leftovers last night - onion, red and yellow peppers, sweetcorn, mushrooms, a tomato, olives, some leftover chicken, stock and a splash of wine, served with courgetti. Mmmmm.

Words · 29/06/2022 05:33

Another late evening chocolate downfall last night.

The only solution- the ONLY one is not to buy the stuff in the first place.
I made myself re set my fasting timer at least.

It's truly astonishing how addictive it is. Whether it's hidden sugar in ready meals or rather more obvious ( eyes the stash of Lindt pistachio on top shelfHmm) it's just the same.

I have huge respect for those of us with families who are sticking to this plan.The temptation must be enormous at times.

Two more days of high mileage daily walking to go...then my justification, however flimsy, will be gone!

Aria999 · 29/06/2022 13:48

I have actually mostly stopped wanting chocolate. It sits in the cupboard for months. Every few weeks I have one cookie with coffee but I can do without a second. Most of the kids snack stuff is horrible!

My downfall is bread. And pizza. I can't have nice bread in the house.

Tiredandbored · 30/06/2022 18:09

I'm the same, I can't have something that tempts me in the house or I will eat it. There are treats for the kids or my DH, such as biscuits or milk chocolate bars, which I can happily ignore and am not remotely tempted by.

However, if I know there is even a smidge of dark chocolate or any crisps then I can't stop myself and will eat them until they are all gone. In fact, I will actually eat them until I feel ill and still keep eating just because they are there, even if I'm not actually hungry for them.

I'm embarrassed even writing that, but I know I have zero self-control when it comes to some things.

samthebordercollie · 30/06/2022 19:04

I'm like that with almonds and cashew nuts, I have absolutely no stop button:
This week I asked DS to hide them so I haven't had any since Monday: I've gone back to 60:kgs something instead of 59kgs something and I know that my nut addictions is responsible! Hopefully I'll be back to under 60 in a week or so:
DH is on a diet so he is doing this WOE too, makes meals easier:

Words · 01/07/2022 16:45

Don't be embarrassed @Tiredandbored - we have all done it!

I finished my walking challenge yesterday. 323 miles in 30 days, so not bad, and a further half pound off this week, despite my chocolate indiscretions.

This last stone and a bit is proving just as slow to shift as I anticipated.

picklemewalnuts · 01/07/2022 17:04

Popping in so I don't get lost! Thoroughly behind with the plan. Had Covid and various stuff and just drifted.

Words · 01/07/2022 17:24

Welcome back @picklemewalnuts . I wondered how you were.

Hope you're well over Covid.

Drifting away and coming back is pretty par for the course I think.Smile

picklemewalnuts · 01/07/2022 19:29

Yes, I need to finish getting rid of all the naughty stuff.

And remind myself what I'm doing right!
I've stopped buying the wrong oil and started taking fish oils.
Reintroduced nuts and seeds. Full fat yogurt and cheese.
I'm working on chocolate again! Think that will be a constant battle though!

picklemewalnuts · 01/07/2022 19:30

And Hi! 👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻

picklemewalnuts · 02/07/2022 15:03

So in the interests of keeping myself on track...

Breakfast was bacon, sausage, egg, granary bread, tinned tomatoes, roast onions... so pretty crap actually! It's been a while so I forgot to get my rye bread out of the freezer.

Dinner will be mujadara, so that's ok. I used a stock cube though. Guessing we probably shouldn't ... bah. Just goes to show how easy it is to forget what you're doing!

Aria999 · 02/07/2022 16:28

I use stock cubes! Some compromise is needed if it is going to be sustainable.

Words · 03/07/2022 14:45

Yes, stock cubes fine. Start with cutting out the obvious no no foods and don't worry about the rest.

Going off to look up mujadara!

picklemewalnuts · 03/07/2022 15:05

Roast chicken in the oven, lots of veg.

I make a parmigiana as well, and have it for lunch in the week. Easy and fast.

NotSoLittle · 03/07/2022 22:39

Hi, can I join please? I'm about half-way through the book and it resonates as I really want something that's sustainable - I've gone through the whole thing of losing weight and putting even more back on so many times - I'm now obese and adding pre-diabetes and high blood pressure to some of the chronic health conditions I already have :( I need to lose weight and keep it off this time. I've started having greek yoghurt with linseeds for breakfast and fish of some sort with salad for lunch. Still sorting out my dinners - I have a slow cooker that I want to learn to use. Anyway, thanks for reading :)

Aria999 · 03/07/2022 23:07

Hi @NotSoLittle , welcome!

Words · 04/07/2022 06:37

Welcome @NotSoLittle Smile

NowYouListenToMeFella · 04/07/2022 08:16

Welcome notsolittle, hope you are feeling ok pickle. Starting back properly this morning. Just weighed and am up a kg. Happy enough with that as had a fairly boozy Friday. Was at a concert. Four weeks to a music festival so hoping to be down a few pounds for that.

picklemewalnuts · 04/07/2022 10:02

Hello notssolittle!

I used to use my slowcooker a lot! Happy to help, if you need it.
I'm a shortcut queen. Skip the pre browning in favour of a quick easy meal. Save the faffing for occasional meals!

picklemewalnuts · 04/07/2022 10:03

So tonight we're having risotto made with yesterday's roast chicken. Dead easy, and fits this woe.

NotSoLittle · 04/07/2022 13:09

Thanks for the welcome everyone.

@picklemewalnuts Planning to make a stew in my slow cooker. When I've tried before I had waay too much liquid. Should I reduce the amount of liquid I would use for an oven stew by about a third do you think? If I can get away without browning that's excellent. (I need easy to prepare meals).

I think my oven eats electricity, so I want to get used to using the slow cooker.

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