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!

Oh and using it to make pulled pork tomorrow. Going to be a bit of a 'treat' meal but bulk out with lots of salad.

Basically anything you use a slow cooker for, an instant pot is great. And it cooks things amazingly from frozen! I'm catching myself out much less often now when before I might have been too busy to cook, cos I can just throw anything in from the freezer and have home cooked food

Oooh thanks @AIBConsiderate !

I have found a few recipes on that Amy and Jackie site - will mine it for some more!

Made yoghurt in it yesterday ( yes, I also have a yoghurt maker already) and that has worked. But same time as the normal yog maker as just slow cooker function.

I do think it will come into its own in autumn and winter for stews and casseroles etc.

What kind of thing do you cook from frozen? And, is the pulled pork recipe on Amy and Jackie?

Going to try a rolled shoulder of lamb next, and some oxtail ( bet that will come out tasty.)

It's a bit irritating that all the recipes and the full instructions are only available online, and through the app ( now downloaded) but I guess I had better get with the 21st c!

Just back from an eating out heavy holiday as we were off grid completely, weight was stable but I feel full up on stodge.

thank you for the new thread.

Ooh both of those sound lovely and ideal for instant pot. I often throw in a frozen chicken breast or fish fillet for only a couple of minutes longer than normal and they come out great.

Amy and Jacky is good all around, they've good advice on cooking rice too. Not sure where I'm going to go for pulled pork yet, but it feels like there should be plenty out there.

I'm really keen to make yoghurt, how hard is it?

Welcome back from hols @Billybagpuss 

@AIBConsiderate yoghurt is soooo easy. Heat a litre of UHT ( it makes the nicest result, oddLy) to 42 degrees ( Amazon for thermometer if you don't have one) . Whisk into a small pot natural full fat yog ( you can also add cream). Then set it going on yoghurt function for eight hours. Job done.

For Greek yog, strain the yog in the fridge for about three hours. I used the mesh container and lidded pot from the yog maker for this. You could use muslin instead. The whey you're left with can be added to soups and stews for extra umami flavour.

Next time, use three tablespoons of the previous batch to start the next, and so on.

This week's food is looking a bit autumnal, on account of my new relationship with Mr Instant-pot and also my new meat mincer- so goat casserole ( wanted to try a tougher meat in the new toy) - and several portions Sheps pie with minced remains of weekend lamb joint.

I also have a vat of lamb stock and the same of chicken in the fridge to portion and freeze.

The instant pot chicken stock was exceptional, drinkable as a sort of consommé, and I am fussy about stock.

I need to fit in some fish as well, or a meat free day ... and some exercise! Things took a nose dive after I got back from my walking trip and I am determined to maintain my fitness this time.

How is everyone else doing?

Morning all! Well done on your latest couple of pounds, Words! Excellent work.

Bandb, I hear you on not wanting to give up because it's so easy! I didn't last as long as you, though - well done!

OddBoots, I looked up Gregg Wallace's weight loss after I read your post and it did make me laugh - he said it had been a long journey and taken a few detours through the McD's drive-through and into Greggs, but he'd made it in the end. It's very refreshing to have a celebrity admit to eating that sort of crap food that 90% of the country eat. I did think it sounded like he had done loads of exercise with a personal trainer - I keep meaning to incorporate more exercise and then not doing it. Will have another bash this afternoon. I found a 30 day workout on YouTube with 30 min workouts, mostly bodyweight but some cardio, and each day is different, and I did two days and then the heatwave hit last week and I stopped and haven't managed to restart yet. In theory, who needs a personal trainer when there are so many workouts free on YouTube, but in practice, if I had one they might make me actually do it.

I have just lunched on the food of the gods, aka co-op cheese sourdough bread toasted with butter and marmite on it. This may be my favorite thing to eat in the entire world.

Traveling in the uk always bumps me off the wagon eventually 😢

Hi y'all,
OK, I'm three weeks in and hanging on in there. I am the reigning monarch of batch cooking this week.

Today I took a sample of my blood and sent it off to Thriva. Anyone used them?

They do various blood analyses by post. I've chosen one that will give me my Omega 3/6 balance in a week or so. Then I'll compare in three months time or so...
They only want a tiny drop so not too faint-inducing.
(If anyone's interested, it's Here. If you go for it, use the referral code JL8DG9DMGTY and get £10 off (and I get the same in credit.))
I'll let you know the shocking state of my omegas when I get my results!
Happy Monday!
Bensky😊

One more q: Been looking for a definitive Omega 3/6 table for basically flora and fauna that's fit to eat.
Currently trying to figure out the omega levels in my yellow pea pasta and the damage I will do with Marmite (it's gotta be done @Aria999)
Any recommendations for an Omega masterlist?

@Aria999 - oh that sound soooo tempting. I don't blame you! Hope you're having a good time back in the wet U.K. !

@Skylarking953 - I don't think we ever managed to track down a thorough omega table. But if anyone has, post it here! It's a big weakness in the book. Will be fascinated to see results of the blood tests.

Speaking of the book, I am going to dig it out and re read bits because...

My weight is slightly creeping up again. Only a half pound which is nothing, but need to watch it.

I've been eating up a sugary pudding and other 'not great' bits and pieces from the weekend's entertaining, and I know that's what has done it. Sugar intake also seems to weaken my resolve not to mindlessly overeat more generally, even the good stuff.

See also alcohol- which I now avoid like the plague, as it has a catastrophic effect on my eating habits, and my weight.

Hello all; is this a good place for a newbie to start? I'm about 4 stones overweight and 50, and so bloody unhappy about it. I've always been quite active, but clearly need to up the ante a bit. I've joined a HIIT gym near me and go twice a week, and the dog is about to start getting far longer walks!
It's my diet I need to get under control. I don't eat bread anymore, but would like to eat museli, I saw a recipe earlier on here that I can make. I don't eat cheese but love yoghurt with fruit and seeds. Can I ask; are the dark rye ryvita acceptable, or not? I do like those.

I just plain old eat too much.

Apologies if I ask any previously answered questions.

Hello @SuperSange welcome!

I think ryvita is ok, check the ingredients (some of them have wheat flour mixed in. Rye flour is ok).

Have you read the book? Of course you don't have to but it is very helpful to understand why we are all following this slightly bizarre eating plan 😊

Interesting @Skylarking953 let us know how you get on! Well done for hanging in there, are you seeing any weight loss yet?

I have made some changes after reading the book. Mainly avoiding ultraprocessed foods. I still eat bread but home baked.

My lifestyle means it can be difficult to find the time to eat in the healthiest way. I often think whatever the diet advice it doesn't really take that into account. I have a few weeks off work soon and hope to cook more etc...

I like the science behind his book but would like to understand more about hormones. I mentioned this book on a menopause diet related thread recently but was struck by the efforts the individual was putting in but nothing happening. I think I read on twitter or somewhere the author asked about the interaction between hormones and diet/weight and he basically said he didn't know. I think there is still so much we don't know about diet and weight.

I have mentioned it before but I live with 3 people (family) who are skinny. One of them eats so much sugar it turns my stomach. I mean really sickly. For example huge bowl of granola (17 g of sugar per 100g) with loads of honey. And he loses weight. The other desperate to put on weight and can't. He doesn't eat so much sugar but eats loads of other stuff. And they don't exercise a bit. I often think scientists would be interested in them. If I didn't live with them I would assume they eat very little.

Will let you know the results of my blood test@Aria999.
I've lost five pounds so far. It's really welcome. although I don't want to start losing too much weight the standard way and start slowing my basal metabolic rate! The book (definitely worth reading if you haven't @SuperSange) says it can take a few months for omegas re-balancing to kick in and the metabolic thing to start working.
Did people notice a time their bodies "registered" their weights and started shifting the pound. I mean most overweight people can lose weight by slashing their intake of refined sugar and bread!

On another tack, here was my batch cook (yellow stickered in my local Waitrose) Slow roasted - sooo many lunches!

@Skylarking953 for most of us it has been slow and steady. After the initial few lbs it was 1-2 lbs per month for me.

It is very slow! But bearable because you know it will stay off.

Has anyone read Burn? And is it complimentary to why we eat too much?

That lamb looks good!

Re speed of loss, I think it depends how bad previous habits were, and how much you need to lose.

I had at least four stone to go, and the first stone was very easy, the second it started to slow down and the third slower still.

The last stone has been very hard to shift. I would flutter around a set point, then plunge down, then flutter a bit, bounce up again, then settle to a loss of a pound or two pounds a month. A couple of wild excursions into the weeds slowed the loss still further.

The lack of comprehensive information on the omega contents of food has led me to focus less on that aspect and more on the rest. I do eat a lot of meat, aiming for good quality stuff and have switched to wild from farmed salmon, but even so meat is omega 6 heavy and I bet my levels aren't great.

Really interested to hear how you get on@Skylarking953 with the tests.

Welcome @Jewel1968 I hadn't heard of Burn so looked it up. If it's aimed at significant calorie restriction and rapid weight loss then no, it's not the same philosophy as this plan.

@ words I’ve also now hit the point where I’m losing a lb or 2 a month. Initially it was that a week, but honestly I’m ok with that. It’s a stone a year and I feel better than I’ve done in a long while. For me it was always about the health and the weight loss was a happy side effect. I’ve read the book, multiple times, but I’m not being fanatical about it, my rules are you can eat whatever you want as long as it is cooked from scratch and doesn’t contain sugar, I only drink water, wine, tea and the very occasional cider and I have takeaway chips once or twice a month. After a year sugar free I’ve also added the occasional Chinese sauce into the mix.

@Words sorry last post was aimed at you 😂

No worries @Billybagpuss !

Slower loss means clothes fit for a bit longer too. It's so great to be going in the too big to wear direction rather than the other way round isn't it!

I've bought a lot of 'new' stuff this year, having discovered eBay...

Exactly, that’s what makes this book worth the effort, it’s the same sort of speed that it originally went on. Slowly and not getting too hung up on the details, A good balanced diet with very little sugar and no upf’s. And yes, yes, yes to the clothes thing, new items are still able to fit for a reasonable length of time, eBay is my current go to. I’ve just got a mother of the bride outfit for under £50 and it’s a size 14 that feels amazing.

@Words no I don't think so. Here is a link to a review rosemariecawkwell.wordpress.com/2021/05/10/tbr-pile-review-burn-by-herman-pontzer/

I think it has similar views. The author is an anthropologist that studied hunter gatherer people looking at metabolism. I might buy it and report back.

I’ve heard that guy on podcasts @Jewel1968 he’s very interesting.

I think @samthebordercollie may have read the book.