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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
samthebordercollie · 04/02/2022 16:12

@Aria999 Thanks for the suggestions - I eat feta and goats cheese in salad too, everything really. Feta and beetroot a lot. I'd forgotten about baked camembert. Have you ever had the Mont d'Or - it's runnier than camembert? I haven't had one this winter yet. It hasn't been cold enough!

Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 5
Aria999 · 04/02/2022 16:27

That looks good!

Words · 04/02/2022 18:17

Goodness that looks tasty Sam.

Words · 05/02/2022 05:40

Morning everyone.

A tad disappointed today as I am only half a pound down following significant losses ( just over seven pounds astonishingly) over the last fortnight, and there has been no deviation from the plan at all.

Possibly to be expected though as I think the previous speed of loss was my body re calibrating itself set point-wise after my extended Christmas débâcle.

Anyway I shall press on - onwards and downwards as a pp said!

Hope everyone has a lovely weekend.

Words · 07/02/2022 06:11

Sorry to spam the thread! Posting to keep myself on track.

All well over weekend. Had two large ish yet on plan dinners over the weekendso will try for something lighter this evening. Lots of meaty leftovers to either freeze or use this week.

Continue to rein in the chocolate habit, which is a bit of a result.

Speaking of freezing, I forced myself to defrost the big freezer- a job I have been putting off for ages - and update my list of what is in there. Huge bore, but worth it. I felt very virtuous, and I noticed the only prepared stuff in there now was food I had cooked myself, which is a good sign.

Have a good week everyone. Don't leave me talking to myself for too long though!

angeltattoo · 07/02/2022 08:23

Gah, after a good start I am so disheartened, I have put on weight!!!!

I did have a few social things already booked last week and over the weekend, but largely I have stuck to it and have put on 2.5lbs.

I know I need to keep on keeping on, but am a bit worried that just means I get bigger and bigger Sad.

I was in such a good mindset too.

Yogabod · 07/02/2022 09:32

Dieting is once again taking over my life. I'm losing weight, I'm eating well, I'm exercising. But everything else is in chaos. My home is a mess, I look dishevelled, I fall asleep on the sofa most nights, I havent seen friends in weeks. I'm also wasting serious money buying 'it'll do' type clothes I dont need. Bit deep, but maybe how I feel about myself is spilling out in other ways, where i'd usually 'self-harm'* with food?

For any lurkers, this is not what this WOE is supposed to be like.

*I couldnt think of a better term, I know this isnt the right one.

Aria999 · 07/02/2022 11:54

Ah sorry to hear that @angeltattoo and @Yogabod

I had a restaurant meal and a takeout over the weekend and then yesterday had pastries for breakfast as we finally went to a bakery I had been wanting to try for ages.

I was annoyed about the restaurant meal as I ordered aubergine parmigiana and it had bread in it. I mean, who does that?

But otherwise I was expecting a gain and was quite interested to see how much. 2lbs. Could be better could be worse (I was hoping 1). We will see if it drops off over the next few days.

Yogabod · 07/02/2022 12:10

@Aria999 and @angeltattoo
I'm sure those tiny gains will be gone soon. It'll be water, though I know how disheartening it is.

Bread does not belong in that dish. How strange.

angeltattoo · 07/02/2022 17:02

Well done on the weekend Words.

Yogabod that sounds tough. Can you choose one thing at a time to concentrate on, if the big picture is overwhelming?

The bread thing is mad Aria999, I bloody love parmigiana and have to order it out as I cannot make a nice one.

Thanks all - had chicken, salad, beetroot for lunch. Took a banana to have after giving blood to avoid the biscuits. Having mushrooms and stilton for tea so I will try to persevere....I just really need to loose as I have goals and I am all geared up to achieve them. I just need someone to tell my waistline that!!!

angeltattoo · 07/02/2022 18:29

So I had roast chicken, mushrooms in garlic, cream and stilton and leeks and cabbage for dinner.

Is that ok?!

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 07/02/2022 22:54

@angeltattoo

So I had roast chicken, mushrooms in garlic, cream and stilton and leeks and cabbage for dinner.

Is that ok?!

Yes, that sounds spot on, also delicious!
Words · 08/02/2022 06:07

angel that sounds lovely - my absolute favourite sort of meal.

yoga I am wondering if those symptoms are hormone-related? Could you be peri menopausal?It sounds a bit familiar to me. Either way, sorry you are feeling rough.Thanks

I broke my own rule and did a mid week weigh in just now. Up a pound from Saturday....which is why I only generally do weekly weigh ins.

Disheartening as I am eating less ( but not massively less, definitely not in starvation mode) with the intermittent fasting thing I am doing alongside Jenkinson. This simply means I eat between about 1130 and 630. It has stopped my evening snacking habit in its tracks, which has to be a good thing, alongside all the other benefits fasting is alleged to bring.

I want to try both running alongside for six weeks before I decide it isn't working, unless gains start escalating.

It is very good to be back on Dr J's plan. I am getting a spring back in my step, my skin looks great, my cheekbones have re appeared, and memory and focus have massively improved. So whilst it's not the full on zing yet, it is definitely on the horizon.

52andblue · 08/02/2022 06:40

.

SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun · 08/02/2022 06:54

I have had a bad week with a terrible migraine and then falling off the no sugar wagon and struggling to get back on it. It’s so frustrating after doing so well for a good few weeks, I feel like I am failing at this but need to change my mindset and be kinder to myself.

angeltattoo · 08/02/2022 09:59

That's great words (about how you look and feel, not the lb which will be gone by the weekend). I would be really interested to see if the IF works well too so please keep us posted.

Serenade migraine is horrible and the after effects can linger, please do be kind to yourself, one step at a time.

I weighed the morning and am weighing 3lbs less than yesterday. Not sure how - I did give blood, maybe it's really heavy - but it's helped give me a boost. After a big gain I am now down 1lb overall Hmm but it's given me motivation to keep going. Just had yogurt and raspberries for b'fast, will hVe some mozzarella for lunch and have soup on for tea.

samthebordercollie · 08/02/2022 10:42

@SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun I hope your migraine is better now. Just remember that sugar is really messes up your liver, metabolism, gut and brain and it is best to avoid it. Easier said than done when you aren't feeling great.

@angeltattoo Monday is always a bad day to have a weigh in if you have drunk alcohol and eaten food high in salt and sugar at the weekend.
I was very pleased have lost the 1kg I'd apparently put on when I weighed in yesterday compared to Friday Grin

Words · 08/02/2022 18:47

Sooo...

If you had a budget to spend on books about healthy eating, recipes, well-being, nutrition, fitness, what would be your top picks and why?

Dr J is taken as read of course.Wink

samthebordercollie · 08/02/2022 19:33

You've read all my recommendations @Words
Metabolic by dr Robert Lustig is my most recent and favourite with its denounciation of big pharma, food industry giants, corruption but no recipes. Eat more Live well by Dr Megan Rossi for plant based recipes (some meat and fish too) and recommendations of what food to eat in order to have a healthy gut microbiome.

Aria999 · 09/02/2022 01:39

@Words here are some great recipe books

Why We Eat (Too Much) Thread 5
Words · 09/02/2022 05:42

Ooh - some great suggestions, thank you!

At work, we have a set amount we can spend each year on training. My allowance hasn't been touched this last year and we can now spend it on well-being resources, including nutrition and healthy eating, so I am on the look out for lots of recommendations!

I have to go into the office today, so this time have taken care to prep food to take with me in order to avoid the lure of Marks and Spencer's sandwiches - Greek yoghurt, chicken with brown rice and the aubergine dish I made a few days ago. I can warm that in the pinger so that should keep me going.

Afterwards I am going to go shopping!

angeltattoo · 09/02/2022 18:52

Another lb off today, so 2.5 overall. Tiny but going in the right direction.

Can I ask, do you have to watch portion sizes? I just had a jacket potato, butter, mushrooms, cream, cheese and asparagus. Am stuffed. As I cooked just for me the portion was a big massive. Presumably I should just be sensible?

Did any of you find portion sizes mattered a lot? TIA

SerenadeOfTheSchoolRun · 09/02/2022 19:38

I have got through today with no sugar so that is good progress. Gained 1.5lb this week. It could have been worse. Still don’t feel 100%.

Books that have inspired me and still use some elements of:

The no S diet - Reinhard Engels - really simple and about habit forming. Best things that have stuck with me - the intelligent dietary default, building a fence around the law and S days/events (basically planned days or meals off plan without the guilt - although I can’t include sugar in that really).

The sweet poison quit plan - David Gillespie- why and how to quit sugar (or refined fructose more specifically)

Feel better in 5 - Rangan Chattergee (5 minutes a day strength training is what has stuck - all about habit forming)

Don’t stop me now - Vassos Alexander (inspiration to start running)

Podcasts:

a thorough examination with Drs Chris and Xand Van Tulleken (about the dangers of processed food - really honest and interesting)

Free weekly timed and With Me Now (for parkrun motivation)

samthebordercollie · 09/02/2022 20:34

@angeltattoo

Another lb off today, so 2.5 overall. Tiny but going in the right direction.

Can I ask, do you have to watch portion sizes? I just had a jacket potato, butter, mushrooms, cream, cheese and asparagus. Am stuffed. As I cooked just for me the portion was a big massive. Presumably I should just be sensible?

Did any of you find portion sizes mattered a lot? TIA

Well done on the other lb off! Regarding portion sizes I physically can't eat big meals.Some of the meals described here seem massive to me. I've lived in France for 20 years and meal sizes are so much smaller than in the UK (I eat more French style than English, DH is French). I'm quite shocked when I go to the UK now, in the same way I was shocked when I went to the US on holiday and saw the huge portions there compared to the UK. Portion sizes definitely matter unless you are eating a plateful of broccoli (which would probably be impossible to eat).
Words · 10/02/2022 06:11

Thanks for the further inspiration, and well done serenade on the no sugar triumph and angel on the weight loss.

Further food for thought in the reading department, thank you!

I struggle with portion sizes because I am greedy, because I live alone and it's an ingrained habit and because I was brought up by parents who lived through the war and have a horror of wasting food.

My heart's desire is to eat in an elegant French way as Sam describes, but I find it so hard!

I think it is a matter of trial and error. Above all avoid this whole thing becoming an exercise in self punishment- failure lies in that direction.

Despite my portion sizes I have lost a lot of weight eating this way. I have now hit a bit of a plateau though, so I am now re committing to eating less.

The one thing that is curbing my overly healthy appetite is 16/8 intermittent fasting. I don't want to muddy the water and go on about it all the time on this thread however, as we are primarily here to help each other with the Jenkinson plan.

Survived the day in the city yesterday with my home prepared food for lunch. It's so worth the effort in order to avoid eating sub optimal choices from the sandwich shop or wherever.

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