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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:
Thread gallery
34
angeltattoo · 31/01/2022 12:04

Wow Billybagpuss that's amazing. Great NSV to clear out all those clothes.

I have lost 1.5lbs so far Smileso much more to go but I am feeling positive, you are all such an inspiration and the fridge is full of good stuff.

angeltattoo · 31/01/2022 12:45

Butternut, lentil and tomato soup

Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 5
Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 5
Chunkymonkey123 · 31/01/2022 20:40

Today I had plain porridge for breakfast. Oatcakes with eggs and baked beans (not great) for lunch. Sausages and roasted veg for dinner. The sausages are 30% wheat which I only noticed after purchase. Need to be more aware of checking ingredients!

2 pounds a month is great if it’s staying off! In a year you’ll be nearly 2 stone lighter.

Billybagpuss · 31/01/2022 20:44

@Words

Wow *@Billybagpuss* ! Do you wear a wetsuit?

Two pounds a month is great. Normally ( the most recent blip aside) - I would be lucky to lose that over two months!

I did similar with my old clothes. It is a great feeling isn't it. I've bought a lot of good quality stuff off eBay recently to replenish my wardrobe.

Oh yes definitely a wetsuit. Next year I’ll try and stay in skins for longer.
TheLeadbetterLife · 31/01/2022 20:48

Well done on all the recent losses and generally getting into the swing of things everyone. It's all sounding very positive on this thread, after the moans and groans we were all indulging in a couple of weeks ago.

I've been very busy with work this week (and I did manage to make some serious progress with my project, which I'm very happy about), but have kept on top of things with the diet. I'm still not getting enough exercise, but maybe February will bring warmer weather and more motivation.

I've lost a kilo since New Year I think (my weight's been fluctuating a lot this month, not sure why), so another 1.5 to go before I'm back to where I was before Christmas.

Hopefully by the end of Feb I'll be back down to my goal weight, and fit again!

OP posts:
Billybagpuss · 01/02/2022 05:25

I was just thinking about motivations.

I quit the sugar in almost a flounce. I was binging and stuffing so much it made me feel ill. I’m convinced I was pre diabetic and insulin resistant although I never went to the doctor. So as such the weight loss has been a happy side effect and even now almost a year in I’m not setting weight loss goals although it will be nice to have a bmi under 30.

Does everyone else have hope and goals from following this woe. For me it’s just about feeling good.

Words · 01/02/2022 05:31

Some great progress here! It's so good when the motivation starts to return and positive results start to be noticed again. Life is so much nicer out of that rut!

I always find Feb is the month when energy starts to flood back after the short dark days of winter. It's definitely something to do with the increasing amount of daylight we start to get.

I had cannellini bean salad for lunch yesterday ( and no it wasn't anything like as tasty as the tapas version) and a chicken thigh served with the rest of the tapas sauce from Saturday, with veg and a little mash. And three squares choc.

I'm starting to seriously get down to the 16/8 intermittent fasting thing too, and I have noticed my appetite is reducing a bit. Drinking lots of water.

Following a recommendation on another thread I downloaded the Fastic app yesterday to track my progress with intermittent fasting. It's quite informative, and I think will be a good motivator. Will report back.

Today I have to do THAT presentation again. Someone else is doing the screen share to avoid another tech catastrophe and I will do the talking. So I will get to say ' Next slide please' Chris Whitty style. Grin

angeltattoo · 01/02/2022 16:01

I hope it went well Words!!!

I still have only lost 1.5lbs, gah.

Had yogurt and berries for breakfast, feta and beetroot for lunch...out for dinner tonight and will have steak and chips and wine

samthebordercollie · 01/02/2022 19:46

@angeltattoo

I hope it went well Words!!!

I still have only lost 1.5lbs, gah.

Had yogurt and berries for breakfast, feta and beetroot for lunch...out for dinner tonight and will have steak and chips and wine

Snap! I had feta and beetroot for dinner, homemade soup for lunch. I'll definitely be trying your butternut, lentil and tomato soup it looks delicious. I hope February is better for everyone than January. The lighter evenings are very welcome. @Words glad your back is better and you are dog walking again! I'm still hovering around 60kg, not gaining or losing. Listened to Dr Nick Fuller on the Doctor's Kitchen Podcast who was advising on how to give up processed abs fast food - apparently surrounding yourself with fruit and nuts (Nature's Treats) will break the habit. My problem is that I don't like processed food or fast food but am highly addicted to nuts, eating a few is fine but not the kilo a week I consume 😳
Words · 02/02/2022 05:58

Thanks both! I nailed it this time, thankfully.

Salmon, broccoli, roast kale and a small baked spud for dinner last night. Greek yog for pudding.

Thé Fastic app is good. It's really motivating me not to have those three squares of choc ( started off as one square only as a special treat of course) in bed whilst watching rubbish on my iPad - or to eat a second course of cheese or yog or whatever later on in the evening when I don't really need it. The water counter function is helpful too - and the app explains what is happening to your body at each stage of the fast. All of this is available in the free version.

Hoping that doing the intermittent fasting thing alongside the plan will help with appetite regulation and kick start the next stage of my weight loss.

Regarding goals- I have two- to reach a healthy bmi - still over a stone to go. Maybe by early summer I will be there.

And the second is consistency. I want to eat like this and maintain my healthy routine permanently, without wandering off into the wilderness for weeks. Because I can still get very lost out there and it's horrible and unhealthy.

I much prefer living this way. Smile

angeltattoo · 02/02/2022 17:03

So I was hungover today after too much wine, managed to resist toast and had eggs and bacon for breakfast, soup with some cheese and pickled onions for lunch and now cooking dahl for tea.

Would love to see some results on the scales, how long did it take you all to shift the first few pounds?

Words · 03/02/2022 05:41

Hello All

Woke ridiculously early today. Maybe something to do with the intermittent fasting thing I am experimenting with. Drinking copious amounts of water ( about three litres a day) and I think that's helping with appetite regulation. I am certainly eating less which is great, as portion size is the bane of my life. Will be interested to see if I have shifted any more weight this week.

Re seeing results - I started seeing them pretty immediately, but that is par for the course for me, and I had a lot to lose. Plus, had been eating very badly so I think my system went into a sort of grateful overdrive when I started eating well.

I also cut out alcohol completely, and I find this works best for me. But there are other posters on here who don't find the sacrifice helps all that much, so it is about finding what's best for each of us, I think, without making ourselves miserable in the process!

On the emotional eating front- another small victory. I royally stuffed up my supermarket order by not checking it out before the cut off point. So last night instead of lots of foodie goodies arriving, I received a large bag of cat litter, some cat food , and a bag of chives. Hmm

This is the sort of ridiculous thing that would have driven me to the chocolate stash previously. I deal with disappointment about as capably as a three year old.

Proud to report that this time at least, I resisted!

Made this lovely recipe from St Mary of Berry earlier this week. It's nice on its own, also good with fish or meat. Even better reheated in the oven next day:

www.copymethat.com/r/GZzebyLJR/mary-berry-aubergine-caponata/

angeltattoo · 03/02/2022 06:59

Thanks, I do generally eat well so there hasn't been a big change and I will cut down on alcohol and see how it goes. I had a gain this morning Shock

I hear you on the delivery front, I regularly do a painstaking shop only to not check it out, then the driver turns up with 2 bottles of fizz and no food!

Well done on the avoiding chocolate. That sort of things sends me straight for a take away option, normally.

angeltattoo · 03/02/2022 07:03

I was also generally doing IF so eating earlier may not help. I will double down next week and maybe cut out breakfast.

Also I still haven't made it back to the gym, which I need to start finding time for. That said, DH is away all next week so it might be anytime soon (as have kids and I work 9-3 while they are at school) and if he's not hime I won't be able to go before work.

SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun · 03/02/2022 07:32

I stayed the same this week which was disappointing but I think due to a few off plan nibbles creeping in as I was becoming complacent. Unfortunately I then had a full on bread and chocolate binge last night. Oh well, it’s a new day today. Onwards and downwards.

Words · 03/02/2022 12:16

Caponata ( aubergine, olive, toms, red pepper)
Tasty!

Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 5
Chunkymonkey123 · 03/02/2022 21:35

@Words that looks good, I need to add olives to my shopping list!

I’ve been having plain porridge for breakfast, is that ok?!

Chicken and oatcakes for lunch. Jacket potato, bacon and cheese for dinner.

I did eat 4 chocolate truffles today, not ideal but I’ve still got covid so forgiving myself 😂

Listening to the Drs kitchen podcast and I need to cut down on my chocolate consumption, it’s definitely creeping up!

Aria999 · 04/02/2022 01:40

@angeltattoo I can't exactly recall but I think I lost about 1lb a week for the first 4 lbs then stalled for a bit. But I only lost 10lbs total and then bounced back 2lbs. Currently feeling slim and happy at 9st 4.

I was so blown away by the discovery that the more cheese I eat the thinner I get, that was all I needed to continue!

Aria999 · 04/02/2022 01:41

@Words that looks divine. I wish DH would eat it! I will save it for the next conference widow episode.

Words · 04/02/2022 06:05

@Chunkymonkey123 Plain porridge is fine without all the nice sugary additions ( I love honey in mine so I am avoiding it at the moment.)

I'll make another batch of caponata today ( it keeps well too.) Having my friend round for our usual Saturday dinner tomorrow so doing slow roast shoulder of lamb and I reckon the aubergine thing will go nicely with it along with some greens. She adores my roast potatoes so there might be a few of those too.

Funny thing is I thought I didn't like aubergine until I was encouraged to try it again on here last year. See also sweet potato, kohlrabi and beetroot ( in moderation.)

Today I have some veg and lentil soup I made ( inspired by the lentil and squash recipe upthread) and also salad and smoked fish / roast turkey/ cheese if I need it for mid morning. Not decided on dinner yet.

Fingers crossed for weigh in tomorrow. Will see if adding in the intermittent fasting has had any effect.

@Aria999 conférence widow Grin

Yogabod · 04/02/2022 09:21

Aria999 - did you say unlimited cheese! I've been limiting it - along with everything else nice.

Aria999 · 04/02/2022 12:56

@Yogabod well it seems to work differently for different people. But yes he says eat as much dairy, meat and fresh veg as you like and I have been doing that. I love cheese and always have double or triple portions now. It helps make up for the lack of bread!

samthebordercollie · 04/02/2022 14:53

@Aria999 How do you eat your cheese now? I love cheese too (just as well as I live in France), but without bread I don't eat the Camembert or other soft cheeses now, just the Comte, Abondance, Beaufort etc. hard cheeses which I can eat with salad.

Aria999 · 04/02/2022 15:14

@samthebordercollie

Baked Camembert is good by itself or with fruit.

Feta or mozzarella with avocado, tomato, crispy bacon.

Big chunks of mature cheddar with sliced apple (this is my go-to quick lunch which used to be toast).

Cut up in chunks with some olives.

Just by itself.

Occasionally with 3 or 4 wafer thin slices of baguette.

Aria999 · 04/02/2022 15:16

Also fried brie or goat cheese go well with leaf salad (I do coat them in breadcrumbs but it's so little bread I figure I can get away with it).

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