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!

@Dunkindonuts8 I have mixed feelings about salad too. I most often have a few leaves out of a bay to add crunch to another main ingredient.

Lunches tend to be:
Cheese omelette
Soup
Avocado and bacon (sometimes also mozzarella)
Brussels sprouts fried in butter with bacon
Apple and cheese
Caprese salad (tomato, avocado, and either mozzarella or feta with balsamic vinegar)
Grilled mushrooms with melted cheese
Cauliflower cheese

(I work from home which really helps)

*bag, not bay

You can also have oatcakes which are a good bread substitute but you can't buy them out here so if I want them I have to bake them.

Will try and stop spamming the thread now 🤣

Thanks so much @Aria999 that's really helpful. We are still away on holiday at the minute but I have an online shopping delivery ready to arrive when we get home. The kids are going to be disappointed at the lack of their usually beige snacks 🙈

Yes sorry everyone, will stop spamming them thread now. Hope everyone has a lovely weekend x

Welcome to the thread @Dunkindonuts8 ! You aren't spamming the thread at all, neither is@Aria999.
It's very quiet all round from everyone else.
I'm now day 12 post bunion op so limping around, none of my normal running, cycling or waking. Just doing a Pilates with weights workout instead which is all I can manage. Having said that, I've lost 3lbs since the operation, I'm being stricter about what I eat with no snacking, and as I'm not running 9miles a day I have very little appetite. Just goes to show it's 90% what you eat which contributes to weight.

Oh gosh that sounds painful @samthebordercollie Maybe it will be interesting to see how less exercise affects appetite and stress levels on body etc. Hopefully won't be too long until you're feeling up to at least a gentle walk. What about cycling - is that a no no too?

How are you feeling @samthebordercollie ? Is it nice to have a rest or do you miss the exercise? Hope the operation was successful.

@Aria999 @Dunkindonuts8
I miss running, and my border collies do to, they are very confused by my lack of activity! But I did too much, it was probably doing more harm than good so having some time out is probably good as it will break the habit and I'll hopefully be more moderate when I'm back to normal again. Swimming will be possible as soon as the scar has healed and cycling (outside) from 6 weeks.

I think the op was a Sussex's but will know more when I have the x ray and see the surgeon on 8th November. I'm really looking forward to seeing a bunion free foot ( it really was very ugly) when he takes the bandage off. Then it will seem worthwhile!
I'm enjoying doing Pilates with Lottie Murphy on you tube and that's very good for core body strength, which should help with running when I get back to it in January hopefully.

Have lost another pound despite being on holiday so not able to be as careful as I’d like. Feel v encouraged and just so much calmer about food and eating!

Glad to hear the op went ok, @samthebordercollie - if you're used to running so often it must be hard, but everything I've read recently suggests that exercise has very little impact on weight loss. Obviously there are other reasons why it's good for you! Hope your recovery goes well. I'm lucky not to have bunions but I can imagine it makes life difficult as well as being painful. Do you need surgery on the other foot?

@Janeaustensquill that's brilliant, well done. I would echo what you say, I'm no longer obsessing about food. It's a huge relief not to constantly be reviewing what I've consumed each day and wondering if I have got any calories left to use or craving something. Twice recently I've had some cake because it was offered and on both occasions I didn't really enjoy it. Too sweet, for a start.

Back from holiday late last night. Jumped on the scales this morning and I was 11 stone 4.4 lbs. This is the heaviest I've ever been (including two pregnancies 🙈). I'm 5 ft 4. None of my wardrobe fits but I've got two stretchy dresses that I'll have to alternate for work each week until I lose some weight. So, armed with all the knowledge from the two diet books I read on holiday, I am now going to sort myself out!

I think what I've gathered from everything I've read is -

Avoid processed foods
More sleep
Less stress
Gentle exercise (but enough to sweat a little)
Eat a varied diet of fresh fruit veg fish meats dairy etc to promote gut microbiome
Reduce carbs and sugar
Aim to improve insulin sensitivity by following some sort of fasting regime (I'm thinking 16:8)
Vinegar with meals is good
Drink plenty of water
Sweetener isn't good and is as bad as sugar (massive revelation for me as I thought sugar free stuff was fine)

What have I missed?

Starting weight 31st October - 11 stone 4.4 lbs

Have a good week everyone x

@Dunkindonuts8

Oils. Avoid vegetable and seed oils. Butter, olive oil, lard are good.

Oh yes the oils! Thank you. Well today has gone ok so far. We got back late last night from holiday so I popped to Tesco to try and find something for lunch. I found it surprisingly hard! Lots of the things I would usually eat when on a 'diet' just aren't good choices. I automatically reach for the reduced fat things too - going to take a bit of retraining for my brain. I settled on roasted chicken, salad with edamene beans, feta and a squeeze of lemon over the top. Also had a full fat greek yogurt over an apple.

Not sure how that fairs but I'll no doubt learn as I go along!

Just making tea which is going to be roasted veg including butternut squash, the rest of the feta from lunch and chicken.

But samey for today but having to make do with what I have until Asda shop arrives!

Also managed to avoid sweetener in my coffee (hoping my taste for the adapts soon because that's been the hardest bit) and I had plain water instead of juice (again, bit tricky for me)

@MerelyPlaying Thank you for the encouragement and sharing your experience!!
I can’t believe how relaxed and unhungry im
feeling.
@Dunkindonuts8 - I feel so envious of you being only 11 stone 4 - I’m currently 13 stone 9 (highest weight ever 14 stone). Same height as you. Was 9 stone 6 years ago - as soon as I stopped dieting I ricocheted up to 14 over 3 years and have been stuck here. Good luck!
we have a long holiday booked in February that will be quite physical and hot which I really wanted to lose weight for - at the slow and steady pace I’m unlikely to lose much in 12 weeks - but then I’ve been failing to lose for so long anything is better than nothing.

@Dunkindonuts8 you've got it about right. I know what you mean, we have been so indoctrinated with the idea that fat is bad it takes a change of mindset. I love full fat yoghurt now! The weird thing is that after a few days you'll find you are not craving sweet stuff as much. I do believe you have to make this work with your lifestyle, I try and avoid bread, pastry etc but I think small amounts are ok.

I eat quite a lot of tinned fish, which luckily I love, and sometimes for lunch I will have a sliced apple with peanut butter. Sometimes I have oatcakes or ryvita - what I love about this is being able to eat cheese! I try to buy blue cheese, good for your gut, and I'm going to try making sauerkraut. Keep us updated with your progress

@Janeaustensquill Slow and steady is what this is all about though isn't it so even if you lost a few pounds before your holiday then that would be amazing! Maybe make your holiday in 12 months time the one you aim for?

Ouuuuu just got the kids to bed and im itching for my usual handful of biscuits with my cuppa 🙈

@MerelyPlaying thank you. I hope the craving for sweet stuff passes soon. I wasn't expecting to be so hungry and I'm struggling to think that I can eat that isn't full of sugar!

@Dunkindonuts8 do you like cheese? Cured meat?

Apple and cheese a fast easy snack.

So funny because I've just been to the fridge and had an apple and some feta - not the most usual of choice to go with an apple maybe but it hit the spot 😀 there are sooooooo many chocolates and sweets dotted around the office from Halloween 😭

I think I was hoping this way of eating would reset my disordered eating habits and sugar cravings but I'm starting to think maybe not - maybe I'll just have to tough it out.....forever 😭

I do understand that if I go back to how I always ate and eating all the carbs and sugar that the weight would all go back on. I think I was hoping this would be different from all the other diets I've tried. I hate the fact I've spent most of my life fighting against my weight. Ugh. Sorry to be a downer this morning! I think all the sweet treat temptations are tipping me over the edge haha.

@Dunkindonuts8

You may well find a reset but it will take a little longer.

Olives are another good snack.

If you can do it without going crazy do also let yourself have a little sugar for a sugar craving.

At the beginning I had a teaspoon of ground sugar out the bag when i had a sugar craving, at the same time as a non sugar snack, that way you get the sugar you need but don't keep eating it because you are hungry.

P.s. I also have honey in my Greek yoghurt every morning, that seems fine. It was just the applesauce that caused me a problem.

I didn't stop the honey I had both, maybe just a bit too much.

Keep going @Dunkindonuts8 and the cravings will get less. I was going to suggest olives, or just some ham or cheese; slightly weird but sometimes I have a slice of ham with cream cheese on, rather than reaching for a biscuit. Or some full fat yoghurt might help?

I can’t remember how long it took for me to stop hankering after sweet things - less than a week I think but then I wasn’t accustomed to eating much sweet stuff. if you’ve been used to a lot of diet drinks then it may be that you need to wean yourself off gradually.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll definitely keep going. Sausages with homemade sweet potato fries cooked in a drizzle of olive oil and rocket salad tonight. I've had such a bad headache since I started - I assume it's the sugar withdrawal 🙈 I'll stick with it. I'll certainly be healthier from all this fruit and veg anyways 🤣

Please tell me it's ok to eat loads of cheese and greek yogurt this week until I get my sugar under control 🤣🤷🏻‍♀️ I feel like I am eating SO MUCH.

Yes @Dunkindonuts8 you should be fine with that. Eating when hungry is good.

I was eating an entire block of feta with tomatoes for lunch to begin with, still lost weight.

I don't need that much now.