Why We Eat (Too Much) thread 6

[TheLeadbetterLife]

Whoops, we let thread 5 get away from us a bit there...

I'm going to boringly copy-paste the previous thread opener, because it's too hot to be imaginative.

Welcome to thread 6 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!

Thanks for the new thread! Newbie here, hoping to start on this in august when I've got my head around what I can eat, including if we go out!

I tend not to worry too much about what I eat when I go out, but I don't go out that often.

I read Glucose Revolution recently, so I've started having a salad with vinegar before big meals, or as a starter in restaurants, as apparently this helps reduce the blood sugar spike from any subsequent carbs.

Place marking! I read a whole bunch of other diet threads in the last couple of days and ended up binging - I think it was the thought of all the different approaches. I haven't done that in a really long time. Back to basics now and focusing! I did read a bit about two meals a day, but essentially that's what I do most days - two meals and a snack. Hardly revolutionary!

I've been getting a bit frustrated with diet advice myself @TooExtraImmatureCheddar . There's so much bloody stuff, and the sources are so suspect sometimes. I get a bit ranty.

I've decided that the protein obsession I've had recently is probably not warranted, because I can't really find any proper scientific evidence for this apparent need for 2g of protein per kilo of bodyweight. It necessitates eating an impossible amount of meat every day, so I think it's probably bullshit promulgated by the purveyors of protein powder and the like. I'm aiming for a more realistic 1g/kilo instead.

Thanks for the new thread!

Found you! 

Thanks for new thread!

I'm still away. Eating going reasonably well, though I made a whinberry ( blueberry) crumble to share with my neighbours with berries I picked - so flour and sugar in that as I haven't any oats which I normally sub for some of the flour. And as the nearest shop is 15 miles away, I decided to let it pass.

Weather set to warm up a bit today I think.

@TheLeadbetterLife I love apple cider vinegar- I know it's the latest fad but figure it can't do any harm. I use it in salads and also dilute and drink it that way.

The raw stuff is meant to be the best gut wise. I love Willy's if you can get it there- it's expensive though so usually buy Aspalls raw instead.

Can I join please? I’ve read the book a couple months back and most of the threads but not posted. Hoping posting on this one will help keep me accountable and sticking to the plan!

Ive gain a stone from last summer on top of the 2 stones I’ve been meaning to lose for years so nothing fits and I’m sick of not feeling great. Got a preschooler and 2 older step children so challenges and dinners that I can adapt to this way of eating and not succumbing to high calorie foods for energy.

Hi @Rapunzel91 welcome!

Welcome @Rapunzel91 !

I haven't seen raw cider vinegar on the shelves here @Words , though I haven't really looked. The pasteurised stuff is readily available.

I've started focussing much more on fitness recently, as I feel like I'm on top of my diet (up to a point - I'm still far too greedy and cheat too often, but about 80% of the time I'm a good girl). I've always hated exercise though, and now I'm in my 40s I need to fix that.

I've modified the HIIT I do to include dumbbells, and have doubled the length of the workout. My muscles feel like I've been hit by a bus, but I'm allowing plenty of recovery time between sessions. I actually quite enjoy the HIIT and I think after a few weeks of this I might try lifting heavier weights. I'm pretty strong already but I'd like to build more tone and not lose any muscle as I go into middle age.

I've also increased the length of my yoga session, which is a real bore, but I know it's good for me. I find yoga much harder than the HIIT / weights - all that stretching and holding the poses for ages, it's absolutely knackering.

The good thing about yoga and weights is that you see results really quickly. Things are already starting to tone and firm up.

Hi,

Over this past week I have listened to the audiobook and have been reading your threads (currently on page 3 of thread 4) and this WOE really resonates with me and your are all really inspiring.

The trouble is I am already on a calorie controlled diet on which I have lost 20kg in 3 months (4-5kg I put down to having a bout of covid that wiped me out) and I have got another 15kg to go to a healthy BMI. Added to that we are moving house and at that 'waiting to exchange any day now' point where I am running down the freezers etc and STRESS.

Has anyone switched to this WOE directly from a calorie controlled diet and if so do you have any tips about how to do it successfully? I think I need to more or less carry on the way I am until the move but then I know my fridge and freezer will be a blank slate so that might be easier.

As part of my current diet I have cut out practically all sugar and my carbs are below 80g a day, mainly from vegetables. I am probably having UPF based meals 2-3 times a week when we have something you throw under the grill or bung in the microwave.

I am not generally a bread person, I like pizza but I can live without having it, or no that often anyway. I think the biggest issue is the calories, I am having below 1200 a day at the moment, often below 800 so moving to having more and not counting them will be the trickiest bit.

Any tips or advice very welcome.

Hi @OddBoots !

Others may be able to advise better but it sounds like a fairly easy switch (other than psychologically maybe!)

Do what you are doing in terms of low sugar and low carb.

Stop counting calories. If you want to feel in control... I weigh myself every day. If something I am eating is making me gain weight it is obvious in one or two days. There's a bit of temporary bloating etc but not really, if I gain 1lb it normally means I'm doing something wrong. To some extent this woe requires you to experiment and find what works for your body and what does not.

Try to cut out bread ( for me at least this makes a very big difference, 2/3rds of a small pizza puts me 1-2lbs up for several days)

Cut out vegetable oil and processed food right away.

Switch to full fat milk, butter etc (slowly if you want). Eat eggs, cheese, meat and veg, as much as you want. Protein and fat fills you up and makes you less hungry.

If you are hungry eat on plan snacks like cheese, pickles, processed meat. And a tiny amount of sugar (e.g. 1 square of chocolate) if you need sugar.

I hope it works for you!

For what it's worth I have never gained any weight from eating cheese, eggs or meat (sometimes in embarrassing quantities)

Hello 👋 another newbie here.
I've nearly finished listening to the book and glad to find some support here too.

Going to go back and read previous threads but wondering if anyone else can pin point weight increase linked to vegan replacements? My son hasn't multiple allergies and since we started eating things like vegan cheese, my weight has increased by 20kg 😑. Having read the book, I understand why we shouldn't eat these and really hoping we can knock his allergies on the head soon or at least stop breastfeeding him so I don't have to eat them too. It does make me worry for his health though if he can't eat all that good dairy!

Not keen on vegan replacements, they’re usually very processed and the few meat ones I’ve had tasted odd. I tried a so-called miracle burger or some such and it made me feel sick.

i’ve never tried the cheeses, but I don’t know if I would worry that much about lack of dairy - there are loads of other healthy things to eat.

Also early dairy allergy sometimes goes away, my friend had to give up dairy for a year while breast feeding but her DD is fine with eating it now.

That’s true, same thing happened to a friend’s baby. He’s fine with dairy now, nearly a year old.

Thank you for the welcome @Aria999 😊 I will stop the calorie counting after the move I think.

I might be wrong but I think moving from low calorie to this WOE I am going to have to stick to it 100% to start with and I might have to accepted I will at the very least plateau and probably gain a little to start with. I am hoping the move will be next week so we will see.

I have been listening to various episodes of The Doctor's Kitchen while packing - they are both interesting and depressing as it's clear that years of the yo-yo and being obese and now I'm approaching menopause it means I'll always need fewer calories than 'normal'. I am trying to find a positive in that during this economic period - I'll be cheaper to keep! 😏

My google feed brought be up an interview with Gregg Wallace about his weight loss, I am paraphrasing but he said he has dieted in the past but this time he hasn't, he is eating lots but it's home cooked stuff, I think it said he had lost 4 stone. It sounds like he is using this WOE or something akin.

We are 3 years in now and no sign of it going away but the hospital still seem to think there's a chance!

I'm assuming oat milk is ok if it's the type that is just oats and water rather than the ones with added stuff?

@bandbsmummy 3 years is a long time!

I eat vegetarian sausages, miracle burgers etc occasionally (just because fatty meat squicks me out sometimes).

I probably don't have them often enough to notice if they cause weight gain (they're definitely better than bread and pizza as I notice that right away) but I have started to find they taste sweet to me which is a bit weird.

Welcome @OddBoots and @bandbsmummy!

Odd - well done on weight loss so far, you've lost a huge amount very quickly. That must have taken some determination!

It could be that your weight lost might start to plateau a little anyway shortly ( set point ahoy) or at least slow down after such significant loss. Give the plan a go when things are more settled maybe and do your best to forget about calories if you possibly can?

B - sympathies on the vegan cheese. Do you absolutely have to eat it? ( amazed you are still breastfeeding when the baby is three by the way and sorry if this is a minefield, I know nothing about it! ) I had some vegan cheese once and it tasted really rank. Not a fan.

I haven't dared try a fake burger yet but maybe I should one day. I really should eat less meat. I have cut down, but I know I could do better.

Morning all another couple of pounds down post holiday, despite the chocolate.

Ultimate goal is now in sight! Seven more pounds to go.

Does anyone have an Instant Pot pressure cooker? Any tips or recipes?

I have always been scared of pressure cookers but decided to give it a go. It's a limited thumbs up so far - a whole chicken was not great texture wise but that might be user error. The juices were amazing though, which almost but not quite compensated for the lack of crispy skin. Which was too soggy even to crisp separately.

The chicken stock I made in it last night was very good, but you need to factor in Pre heating and de pressurising time to the amazingly speedy cook times they advertise.

Well done @Words!

Breastfeeding this long... guess I feel guilty about the allergies and he won't drink anything else but water plus I am too lazy to wean. Always seems to be something in the way like new childcare so don't want to rock the boat.

I'm going to cut out all vegan alternatives except the oat milk and try and limit DCs. We do eat meat except beef as he's allergic to that too, so it's really only dairy replacements that are the issue.

Well done @Words - I have an instant pot but mainly use it as a slow cooker, I keep meaning to look at using it for lentils and pulses but I've not got around to it yet.

I know globally many people breastfeed that long @bandbsmummy but it is impressive to manage it in the UK, the longest I managed with my two (many moons ago) was 13 months.

Thanks@OddBoots ! Thing is I already have a slow cooker .

Just getting my head around the alien pressure cooker aspect. You can also sauté in mine but that's a bit faffy. Excellent though if limited space or during a kitchen reno or something.

Somewhat worried about getting the seal back on if I take it off to clean, as recommended...

The chicken stock was excellent, stew last night very good too and the chicken ( crispy skin lack aside) is rather good cold.

I think I was expecting a steamed product to be more like a roast one.

For a supposedly intelligent person I can be very stupid at times!

I love my instant pot! It's brilliant for beans and lentils, it means I'm much more likely to cook using them knowing that I don't have to soak them overnight and be super organised.

My favourite thing to make in it is beef rendang, the Tested by Amy and Jacky version is great. I use mine to make stock a lot as well