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!

That's it @PotatoCatkin I'm moving in!
That all sounds amazing. I need to take some steps in that direction. I do love porridge (I make it with water) so I'll get some flaxseeds as a start. What else?

I'm having a bit of a reset day. My mobility is royally fucked so I'm doing at home workouts with some hefty modifications so I dont fall over. But it's a start. I'm just making fennel soup for lunch and will make a carrot and red lentil later.

Welcome @Draconis!

I can't advise on the breakfast @FunnysInLaJardin, as I don't eat it, but maybe you can gradually wean yourself onto a more savoury breakfast, as people do with removing sugar from their coffee?

@Words it's great how getting on top of paperwork can make you feel uplifted (or is that just saddos like me?).

As it was lunar new year yesterday, I made crispy breast of lamb and a low-sugar char siu pork, which we had with spinach and stir fried red pepper. Delicious. We also had a chocolate pudding for afters, but I halved the sugar and flour in the recipe (there wasn't much anyway, it was mostly chocolate, butter and eggs).

I'm sleeping really badly at the moment, and have got into a terrible habit of watching TV to fall asleep, and taking sleeping pills, or melatonin. This started last year because of the work I am doing on my (hoped for) career change, and my realisation that I am almost certainly neuro-diverse (I'm awaiting assessment).

Due to the nature of it, I feel I need to let my brain do what it wants, when it wants, and if that means working in the middle of the night, so be it. It's really unhealthy though. I need to go back to the sleep CBT and be more disciplined about switching off, but CBT is so hard, and my brain powerfully resists any kind of routine. I have to force myself even to do things like feed the cats and brush my teeth. Obviously I do these things, but I feel unease at even the most basic routines. If I have a lot on this can devolve into full-blown panic.

I feel much more relaxed and able to function when I allow myself the flexibility to do things when I feel like them, but it is screwing massively with my sleep, which will eventually kill me. Okay, that's dramatic, but it's not far from the truth, if you look at the horrifying facts about what sleep disruption does to the body.

I do agree @TheLeadbetterLife sleep is really fundamental to good health, including mental health. I’m very bad at falling asleep in front of the tv when I should have gone to bed earlier, making a real effort to get into better habits.

I’m another who doesn’t eat breakfast any more as I’m trying to fast for 14-16 hours a day. I usually start eating about 12 with a bowl of full-fat natural yoghurt and some flaxseed, or have that as a sort of ‘pudding’ if I want something sweet after the main meal. I sometimes have frozen berries with it, if I’ve remembered to defrost them. When I’m sticking to this plan (not been great lately) I find I don’t really crave sweet things.

Thanks everyone for your breakfast suggestions.

I think I will look into getting used to savoury food for breakfast as I'm really not keen on plain yoghurt and berries. They feel like they are supposed to be sweet but aren't.

I think rice cakes are ok? Couple of them with soft cheese would do the trick.

I had my usual yoghurt, granola and apple this morning and immediately felt rather odd and jittery. So going to give that a miss!

Or could not have breakfast. I never used to until the message you must eat breakfast made me think that was why I was fat! I don't generally have breakfast at the weekend as I'm not really hungry in the morning.

Thanks for the welcome
I don't tend to eat breakfast so I had a big lunch today if a big bowl of lentil soup with stopping of grated carrots, red onion, tomato and some avocado.
Then I had a banana instead of my usually sweet treat dessert of cake or something.

Green tea this afternoon then dinner is chicken and veg. Maybe some warmed frozen cherries with vanilla and a spoon of yoghurt if I fancy something sweet.

Like so many of the 'diet' myths we have all learned, I believe the idea that eating breakfast is essential was an advertising campaign. I used to eat porridge every day - sometimes having to force it down, if I'm honest - but now I am trying to follow IF, and I don't really miss it.

Thank you for the carrot-and-coriander soup link, I have just made it. I tend to make soup from whatever is looking tired in the fridge, and just bung it in my soup maker, so it makes a change to follow a recipe! It looks great, that will be lunch tomorrow and for the rest of the week.

Sorry @Words, I intended to credit you with posting the link to the soup.
How are you doing, I hope the paperwork isn't getting too overwhelming.

@FunnysInLaJardin I have honey on my Greek yoghurt with berries. Plan is still working 😊

@Draconis I'm a soup fiend! I've got out of the habit of toppings though apart from the odd spoon of flaked almonds. Is the red onion and tomato raw there? Grated carrot is a fantastic idea.

Fennel soup yesterday was really delicious and simple. I've discovered an international supermarket in the town where I can get good priced root turmeric and lots of other fresh stuff.

@stilldumdedumming yes, it was all raw stuff. Gives me something to chew so it takes longer to eat! Some seeds is a great idea.
I ended the day well though did pick at a couple of things but nothing that was processed.
Today, I have the same lunch and beef and veg stir fry for dinner.

Another thought about breakfast if you have time. Omelette made with egg, mashed banana and oats. Blueberries added during cooking. That’s quite sweet.

I had my lentil soup again today and this time I added some kimchi as a topping. I thought it worked well.
This afternoon has been a struggle as usual. Looking forward to dinner!

Ooh there are some great ideas here. Love the idea of the kimchi on lentil, ( is there a recipe for the lentil soup?) and the other raw toppings. Will try that!

I'm another one who doesn't eat breakfast. I can't face food just after I wake up ( the only time of day this happens :). And I also do intermittent fasting. Things have been a bit haywire recently on that front but not too bad.

I sleep best when I have at least some exercise, preferably outdoors. Doesn't have to be anything strenuous. Poor sleep absolutely triggers that weird false hunger in me, so I do try to keep to a set bedtime - which for me is ridiculously early. I then get up very early too, and that seems to suit me.

@MerelyPlaying - I made a start on the paperwork at the weekend, and felt immediately better. I had a bit of a meltdown on Monday evening which I think was inevitable, but feeling much better today and will be able to take things a bit more steadily now I think. People have been so kind, I am very lucky really.

Had my lentil soup with same toppings as yesterday.
I don't use a recipe anymore but it's basically fried onions, garlic and ginger. Add fresh tomatoes and some tinned. Add chilli flakes, cumin and seasoning. Add a cup of washed red lentils. Simmer then blend if you like. Sometimes I add any combination of carrot, potato, spinach and fresh coriander.
Had potato and chickpea curry for dinner. I was quite hungry so ate quite a bit. Then had warmed frozen cherries with vanilla and spoon of yoghurt.
Had apple and cheese for a snack.
I feel like I ate a bit too much!

I'm going to make that @Draconis, probably later today actually. Sounds v tasty. I have some coriander left from the carrot soup, and have everything else in, so am all set!

Don't worry about eating too much of the good stuff, especially early on.Things will settle.

Yesterday I had some cheap steak from the freezer with a mountain of leeks, broccoli and cabbage. I made some chips from thin slices of skin on potato, fried in lard, served with lots of salt. They were delicious.

@Words did you make your soup? I've run out so need to make some more.

Today was fine. Had chickpea, tomato and onion, spice concoction. Just chopped things up and warmed them through.
Then I ate banana, apple and some ready salted crisps. I know they're processed rubbish but I knew crisps wouldn't be the hardest thing for me to give up. And bread too but I seem to be doing ok without bread.
I had chicken and pepper stew for dinner.

So, have now been following this way of eating properly for the last week and in a half arsed way for the 2 weeks before than.

I weighed myself today and am amazed to discover I have lost 4 pounds since Christmas.

Its early days, but how on earth can I be eating this much cheese and actually lose weight?!

Very pleased though as I didn't think it could possibly really work! And I love cheese!

Glad it's working for you @FunnysInLaJardin.

I'm very grateful for this thread when I venture out sometimes and browse the weight loss board. There's a lot of disordered eating in there. I'm trying to be more mindful of dogmatic or evangelical thinking at the moment (which I am just as guilty of as anyone). I tend to fall into a trap of believing the last article I read on any given subject, though I do try to find proper evidence to back up any claims. It's hard though, as the internet is just a swamp of nonsense these days.

I've just finished reading the new Tim Spector book, which has inspired me to try making new fermented products, other than yoghurt. I've just received my order of kefir starter, as well as two new yoghurt starters - a Scandinavian one and a Bulgarian one. I'm also making sauerkraut, kimchi and pickled beetroot this weekend, and more pickled eggs. My hens are laying faster than we can eat them at the moment, but I know that will change come the summer when it's too hot for them.

I was cheered by the bit in one or other Spector book where he talked about the Hadza people. Apparently they have a lie in every day, don't eat breakfast and are pretty sedentary, only walking 4-6 km a day. I've unwittingly been living the #HadzaLife all this time.

I’m interested to hear how you get on with the kefir @TheLeadbetterLife i’ll make my own yoghurt, sometimes, but I just use an existing yoghurt as a starter.

I am going to buy the book, I can’t decide whether to get a hardcover or Kindle version, I had to speed read the last few chapters as it was due back at the library, but I feel it’s something I would refer to frequently.

Great to hear your success @FunnysInLaJardin it’s amazing isn’t it. I know when I stick to this, I feel much better, but I am very conscious of what @TheLeadbetterLife says about not being too dogmatic. I have believed so many myths over the years, especially the one about fat being bad for you, but this really does seem to work for me.

I speed read a lot of the book to be honest, because he did wang on a bit. 900 pages is a lot, when it's just "here's the science behind x food" over and over again.

I skimmed to the summaries on chapters about things like vegan milks, as I don't eat those. And I've read all I ever need to read about UPFs in other books, so I skipped to the end of those bits, too.

I normally use existing yoghurt as a starter, but the kefir website also had some interesting yoghurt starters, which have more cultures than the supermarket ones, so I thought I'd give them a try.

thank you @TheLeadbetterLife and@MerelyPlaying . The natural sceptic in me says this will be like every other diet and I'll soon be back to where I started.

However, this feels like a new way of eating for me and happily coincides with my 17 yo saying he wants less processed foods and my 13 yo being willing to try stuff he would never before eat.

I am really hoping that this is a new way for us!

Just read some of the diet threads and god they are depressing. I remember when I started the book late December there was a weight loss thread going and they were all describing themselves as greedy pigs with no self control.

It made me feel so sad. I have blamed myself for the best part of 52 years too!

For me, one of the happier differences between this and weight loss diets, is that I feel so much better when I'm eating like this. Calmer actually

It is sad to read those threads, because I used to think exactly the same way, and it's so destructive. Not to mention the focus always being on looks and calories, rather than health and eating well. Society does such a number on women.

The best thing about this diet is not my size (though I'm so glad to be a healthy weight and able to enjoy clothes again), but feeling well. I'm also fitter than I've ever been, which is a good place to be in going into middle age.

It's great that your kids are on board with it too. Food is much more interesting on this plan anyway, so it's win-win, as they're learning about healthy eating without any disordered, calorie-focussed anxiety.

We had hamburgers holstein (no bun, topped with a fried egg and anchovies), garlic mushrooms, onions and homemade pickled gherkins for dinner. Tomorrow we're having roast chicken with sweet potatoes and beetroot tops. And maybe trying kefir, if the fermentation has worked.

So glad it's working for you jardin. I agree with everything people have said about this way of eating. It works long term, it's good for you, it's delicious and does not revolve around restriction, calorie counting and guilt. Such an unhelpful way of thinking, which can only promote disordered eating in the long term.

And yes, the mental health benefits are very obvious also. I feel absolutely my true self when eating this way, if that doesn't sound too airy-fairy.

I am motivated to try again with kefir. I bought some grains online after my last Michael Mosley binge-read, and it sort of worked the first time, but then I left them in the fridge too long before I tried again and they had gone mouldy.

I also have some kimchi spices. I love pickled anything so will give that a go again too.

I was hoping to get out for a good long walk today but my dog is very lame so it's the vet instead. Despite all the stress in my life at the moment, I am keeping a relatively level head through all of it. I am convinced the food is massively helping with this.