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 I also eat avocados (I know!) and nuts.

I think avocados are ok. I eat lots of them anyway!
I'm an ex archers listener:)
The rot set in for me when Nigel was killed....

Yes, I just scanned the book and every mention of avocados seems to be positive.

@Words and now Jenny Darling. It's too much!

Oh sorry the avocado comment was about the fact that they are plant based but not strictly vegan. After 22 years I'm not that strict I'm afraid.

Goodness, yes, I wasn't expecting that! Jill maybe, but not Jenny:
I eat nuts, every other diet recommends them: I don't agree with his squirrel idea thing about avoiding root veg either:
Holding steady at around 57:5kg, BMI of 19:3 ish, which suits me: Maximising protein is really helping vanquish hunger pangs, I'm always full!

Jenny !
And how is an avocado not vegan? I am baffled!

@Words I think bees (or something) are forcefully used to pollinate the plants or something. I think it's part of the transportation of bees but I'm not sure. But it's another good thing/best thing equation!

I gave up on The Archers after Helen's trial. It was all just too much. I always missed it because of my work schedule at the time too, and since moving abroad I've not bothered to pick it up again.

Anyway, welcome new people!

I'm still working hard on sleep at the moment. It's a slog, and quite depressing, but I'm determined to stick at the CBT-i.

My go-to for snacks is always a rib of celery filled with crunchy peanut butter (the 100% peanut kind). I'm also, oddly for me, really enjoying apples at the moment. Normally I can take them or leave them, but for some reason I've got a yen. It might be because I'm more tuned into seasonal produce here, since everything is so good. For now that's apples, oranges, pears (my god the pears here are delicious!), walnuts, chestnuts, and early strawberries.

My neighbour gave me a sackful of tangerines last week, so I made some preserves and chutneys from them. Not particularly on-plan, but I reduced the sugar content, and a spoonful of chutney with curry is a joyful thing.

I've got a work trip to the Middle East soon. No idea what the food will be like, though Jenkinson is pretty scathing about that neck of the woods... I'll have to be careful at the breakfast buffet.

I tuned back in to listen to the trial, but then I left for good! So definitely dum de drumming no more.

Anyway, news this week is that the unbelievable loss last week was just that - a blip- but am still down on the week before. I should know by now that large moves in either direction tend to be anomalous.

I've also been cheating slightly this week. But that is allowable, as I am not only dealing with mother's complex probate, but also buying a house in the middle of it all. As I am already divorced, I guess it's good to get two of the other big three life stressors over at once, alongside my very busy day job. But it's a wild and stressful ride, I can tell you!

I am now running the big freezer down in earnest, so weird meals are ahead I think. Venison liver ( a new discovery) and onion gravy last night. I really like liver, and Waitrose do the venison very reasonably priced. It's delicious.

My kefir grains and yoghurt starters arrived at last. The kefir is lovely - a sort of weirdly familiar, old fashioned taste I can't quite describe. Very different from the commercial ones. I've not made the Bulgarian one yet but the one with All the Microbes is nice, ( not slimy as they suggested) but quite thin. Hoping the final one will thicken nicely and strain well.

My house was way too cold to culture without heat, so put it in the yog maker on the lowest setting, which worked.

Like Leadbetter I now have three cultures to keep going...St Michael of Mosley would be proud....

I'm an Archers fan - I have had times when I haven't listened for months, but when you go back to it, it feels as if you've never been away! Recent episodes have had me in tears though, a very good exposition of how grief affects people and especially family dynamics. Anyway, back to the topic ...

I have gone completely off plan, very busy with a charity event that I'm involved in and it's been a diet of sandwiches because that's what is provided and I haven't had time to make packed lunches. However I will get back on track, I know I can, and I also know I feel much better for it. Really pleased to hear that others are doing so well, you are a real inspiration @Words @TheLeadbetterLife and others. Something I have started eating since I began this plan is sliced apple with peanut butter, but I might try celery for a change.

re the avocado issue, I had no idea that they were not considered vegan. However if the reason for this is transportation of bees for pollination, then I think almond milk or anything almond based would have to be off the menu - it's one of the major reasons for bee transportation in the USA.

Hi all, I'm just getting started on this woe and have listened to the book a couple of times. I know this will take time but I'm 4 stone overweight and keep having little panics about how long it may take to shift, even though I know this woe far outstrips all other weight loss methods, and my main aim is to be healthier and fit, it also makes me feel a little anxious, if that makes any sense.
Any words of wisdom/advice greatly appriciated. I'm going to have a read through the earlier threads for inspiration too. @words can I ask where you ordered your kefir starter grains from please? I'm really keen to do this too! Thanks everyone 🙂

All this talk of avocados...Just had one with vinaigrette, crispy bacon and blue cheese. Scrummy.

Welcome @HowlsMovingCastleIsHere

I'm the living proof that four stones is definitely do-able. Slow and steady wins the race though, and is cheaper re clothing sizes too.

I got my kefir grains and yoghurt starters online from a company called Freshly Fermented.

Thanks @words that's reassuring! :)
ohh I will take a look at that website too, thanks!

Fermenting fail here. I mixed the ferment at room temp into the heat fermented starter. Rang the company and they said it won't ever set and are sending replacements - which is very good of them!

In my defence I do have a lot on at the moment.

The kefir is lovely - improving with each time.

Very stressed here in advance of my new job starting and the work trip next week.

I've not had time to overeat, which is one bonus (normally that would be my reaction to similar stress), but I am relying on propranolol, sleeping pills and even a glass of wine last night in order to get through it.

I wonder if I will ever be the type of person who deals with stress by doing mindfulness and controlled breathing? I try to practice that stuff when I'm not stressed, but when I am, I feel panic if I try to switch off or tune out.

To add insult to injury, I've got to go to the dentist tomorrow for a filling.

Oh @TheLeadbetterLife we are so similar in many ways. That is exactly how I respond, and mindfulness is the last thing on earth I can implement when stressed, however effective it may be.

Propropanol is very helpful and calming. I have been prescribed it at times and it is not habit forming. Deep breathing I have tried recently when faced with difficult phone calls which sent me into overdrive. It does calm the heart rate temporarily and is easy and not much effort to try.

Wine I also resort to occasionally but the detriment exceeds the benefit every single time these days - it really disrupts my sleep and I feel ill the next day, however small an amount I have. Which is a great shame.

Best of luck for your work trip and I hope the dentist visit is not too ghastly.

Hi all just checking in here. All going well. Adding a bit more olive oil and coconut milk to my diet has been great - lovely to have a drizzle of olive oil on soup or add coconut milk to rice.

Need to eat a bit more protein. Again as a vegan there is only so much tofu I can have in one day. I eat a lot of nuts despite advice from this book not to. And seeds. I think pulses is the thing to add more of. I generally eat at least a serving today but think I could eat two. Adding chickpeas to curry should be my plan going forward.

Probably other grains like quinoa are nutrient dense and contain a bit of extra protein.

Whats everyone else doing about pulses and whole grains?

Morning penny . I don't eat enough grains and pulses really, but have had a few meals which include red lentils (roasted carrot and red lentil) and also puy lentils as a sub for the ubiquitous potato. Cannellini beans are also nice in soups.

Had an overwhelming chocolate urge in bed last night and caved, so not only not great on the sugar front, I also, highly unusually, broke my 16:8 fasting plan. Three squares of Lidl's dark choc and hazelnut, and a similar quantity of a Montezuma's bar. Never mind.

I eat pulses a few times a week, they are cheap and very good for you, and I really like them! I’m mainly focusing on avoiding refined carbs so no rice or couscous, I’ll just do a really hearty bean stew or put lentils in soup or similar.

I'm not a huge fan of beans and pulses, but we eat them a few times a week to keep Tim Spector happy. I make and freeze batches of baked beans and chilli, and we usually have peas once a week too.

We never have lentils or quinoa, I don't like mushy-textured things on the whole. I much prefer raw or lightly-cooked vegetables over pulses and legumes (except for peanuts, which I would eat by the kilo if I could get away with it).

We eat oats, nuts and seeds every day, and make an occasional sourdough or soda bread loaf out of wholegrain spelt flour.

My partner and I have decided, by the way, to get rid of our scales.

Having successfully got down to healthy weights with these lifestyle changes, we're both very aware of how our bodies look and feel when we're in the right ballpark now.

We've replaced regular weighing with measuring of our waists, and we know how the waist sizes correspond to our healthy weights. I can tell by looking at my face, neck, upper arms and thighs whether I've put on a few kilos. Also by how my bras and certain "bellwether" clothes fit.

The scales are probably inaccurate (how you stand on them makes a difference of ~3kg), and are not as clear a measure of health as waist-height ratio anyway. They're also not cluttering up the bathroom floor anymore.

@TheLeadbetterLife sorry you are stressed.

I am also terrible at dealing with stress, so I can relate!

I am never getting rid of my scales. I get such pleasure from weighing myself at the moment! 🤣 (127.2lbs this morning woohoo!) and my current scales seem remarkably consistent.

I am going through a phase where I just can't be bothered with food. Eating lunch takes time out of my day I can't really spare. I do eat it because I'm hungry but sometimes not till 3pm.

I know exactly what you mean about not being bothered with food.

Thank god for my endlessly patient partner. I am having an assessment for ADHD and ASD next month, because when I'm focussed on something I start to panic, or my brain shuts down if I have to try to think about something else. This includes cooking and eating.

It's fine for lunch because we do the same thing every day, but when we get to the evening I just can't think about cooking at the moment, because my way of dealing with a big project like this new job is to be constantly in front of my laptop. Even if I'm not actually working - I feel panic if I'm not there to answer an email or message immediately. So I stop working out, I stop doing chores or cooking. It's really unhealthy and I need to deal with it.

I force myself at 10pm to do some CBT exercises and put the laptop down, but it's hard.