Why We Eat Too Much (thread 7)

[Aria999]

Just realized I filled up the previous thread so here is a new one!

Welcome to thread 7 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!

Previous thread here:
Why We Eat (Too Much) thread 6
http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weightlosschat/4590255-why-we-eat-too-much-thread-66_

I think the main thing is to try to lose fat off your middle @GeorgiePorge. What has helped me is being able to take up doing weights and cardio in the gym again (after a new gym opened locally). I focused on getting the new exercise routine going for about ten months before focusing on diet to try to lose weight.

Then after that I started calorie counting on Nutracheck again and lost a stone. I do have about another stone to go still but with the exercise as well as diet I shifted a lot more off my middle than I had before - suggesting muscle gain and fat loss-and my current waist size is 29" even though my BMI is 26, and it was 34" when I started and in the diabetes risk zone. Even when I got down to BMI 25 in 2021 doing Very Fast 800 but not doing much exercise my waist was still 31".

Thank you for this thread- I lost 3 stone ish last year by cutting right back on UPF but I wasn’t super strict and still drank Diet Coke and had some other rubbish. Over Christmas I listened to and read a LOT about UPF and it’s addictive nature- and since Jan 1st I have lost 23lb- no Diet Coke and UPF consumption is now really low. My manta is make it don’t fake it, so for example if I want a brownie- that’s fine, but I have to have made it myself to a healthier recipe. I also am still using WW (weight watchers) to keep an eye on portion sizes but I hope to stop this when I’m a few more stone down.

Hi all, thanks for the new thread @Aria999 !

I was ticking along nicely with the general principles of WWE for months, then gradually found sugar and UPF creeping in, more grazing/snacking, and ended up becoming completely derailed by M&S caremelised pecans (don’t buy) and general lack of focus. I’ve realised I need to keep reading and reminding myself of the principles to keep myself in the zone mentally.

I’ve just finished listing to Andrew Jenkinson’s new book How to Eat (and still lose weight). It covers many additional topics such as confirming the body’s ability to adjust metabolism in response to regular exercise (as @stilldumdedumming mentions upthread), a huge section on UPF and what is actually in them, also how to change your attitude/habits to make changing your diet easier - the mental challenge to eating healthily, and there are also recipes at the end. It’s written in a far more approachable and engaging style than the first book I thought. Would definitely recommend.

I’m now trying to focus on increasing my protein intake and have been aiming for my body weight lbs in grams per day - same as @samthebordercollie - after reading this article a while ago:

https://apple.news/A_dPFTAHcT5C8-5drA_EjBw

I’m sorry if it’s behind a paywall. The author has written a book but I found the article covers all the main points. So I’ve been focusing on weight training at the gym and at home - I have 2 sets of hand weights in the kitchen and whenever I have a spare 2 minutes throughout the day I try to fit in a few reps with these or body weight exercises like squats and lunges - most days I find it easier to do my exercise like this than carve out half an hour or an hour to focus on exercise alone. I keep reading how important muscle mass is for bone density going into the menopause, so it’s not just about weight loss.

I’m also trying to stick to 3 meals a day - no snacking! Same as @shearwater2 I need complex carbs to keep me full between meals, but if I have any carbs at breakfast it seems to set up cravings for the day, so I have to avoid them first thing. It all seems so difficult sometimes! One thing I have found easier is increasing diversity of plant foods (fruit, veg, pulses) in addition to my normal foods - it
makes meals much more interesting and forces me to be organised about having lots of different vegetables and fruit in the fridge. It’s also the psychological thing of “adding” new foods rather than taking away/reducing/avoiding food all the time.

I hope everyone finds things easier going into spring and the warmer weather 🤞. Good luck everyone xx

@Sunlightonthewater great news on your eating protein and weight training! I've read Dr Gabrielle Lyon's book Forever Strong and there is a lot of sense in it, skeletal muscle is so important as we age, not least for bone density! She also has a podcast and her interviews with Dr Andy Galpin, Dr Stu Philips and Alan Aragon are all worth a listen, they are my go to muscle experts! I love the Mindpump podcast to, yes it's presented by 3 'bro's' but they talk a lot of sense about fat loss and weight training. Just keep lifting whenever you can - I find myself doing calf raises when filling up at the petrol station 😁

@samthebordercollie I didn’t know Gabrielle Lyon had a podcast, thank you - I will start listening to those, and the others you mention.

I find weight the progression in weight training very satisfying, after just a few months I can feel how much stronger I am - can see the increased weights, it’s a very empowering feeling! I also love the feeling of stretching my muscles out. I have a yoga mat on the kitchen floor and do occasional stretches and planks through the day (when the dogs/children aren’t on it!) as you said - just fitting things in - I love your petrol station calf raises 😆.

Other good books I have read recently:

The Oxygen Advantage by Patrick McKeown
(fascinating, all about the optimal way to breathe - it’s not big deep breaths as most people think - he explains how changing the way you breathe can significantly improve general health and exercise performance)

Atomic Habits by James Clear
(How to make tiny changes that will make a big difference to any aspect of your life. Andrew Jenkinson also covers some of the same principles in his new book, when discussing how to change eating habits)

Some great resources here, thanks all! I'm going to invest in the second book I think. I've been (mainly) back on track for 8 days and can already see a difference, took myself for the first run in months today and was quite speedy so feel like it does really suit me to cut the bread. I had a delicious salad for dinner and feeling positive 💪 (also only two weeks of mini eggs back in the shops!)

Just weighed myself for the first time in two months, set point theory holding up as I'm only 2lbs heavier I do not deserve that!

Hi everyone 👋

I was on the thread several threads ago and wanting to give this way of eating another go. I’ve since lost 2 stone but it’s slowly creeping back up and how I’m eating is in no way healthy. Too much sugar, and I’m ill a lot!

Ive been enjoying cooking more from scratch and cooking in general so want to fit this way of eating more into my life. Less bloating, less illness, feeling more satisfied from what I’m eating and lose a bit of weight would be the ideal.

Hi, I’m just re-reading the book (and thinking about getting his new one). I’ve attempted it before a couple of years ago but then slip back into my sugary ways and it all goes out of the window fairly quickly.

I think I need to accept that I might have to do it in stages rather than all at once - I have a bad Pepsi Max habit and also rely heavily on refined sugar/UPF. I’m not technically overweight as my bmi is 19.5 but I carry excess fat around my middle and on measuring earlier today I was shocked to find I’m in the high risk category because of this!

Previously when I’ve wanted to try to lose a few lbs I’ve calorie counted using mfp but I still eat rubbish and get obsessed with the numbers rather than eating healthily. I’ve decided that instead I will make healthy changes, and if my weight/shape remains the same then so be it, at least I’ll be improving my health in some way. I’m fairly active, doing 2 x high impact cardio classes a week and lots of walking but I’d like to introduce some strength training, perhaps Pilates. I think I’d definitely benefit from weight training but I never know where to start.

Hoping the thread revives, and I’ll go back and catch up on the previous one too.

Good luck @MadameLeotta. It is such a good book. The second one is ok but really he says everything in the first one. I have kept up my routine hreakfasts and lunches that I worked out from the way of eating and I cook in olive or coconut oil. I don’t eat much bread (but probably too much if I am honest) and I have probably lapsed too often on the pasta. I do still try and eat lots of oily fish. My big down fall is the UPF sweet snacks that sneak in far too often. I probably ought to have a re read for inspiration.

Ah ok thanks, I’ll probably not bother getting his new book in that case.

I’ve made a gentle start by focusing on adding in rather than taking away initially. So making an effort to eat proper meals rather than lots of UPF snacks, and adding more fruit & veg.

Step 1 for me is to reduce refined sugar. If I eat actual meals, with an emphasis on protein, this becomes much easier.

I was thinking about this thread today and have come across it tonight. I restarted the WOE in late January alongside going to the gym regularly. I've felt really well and highly motivated and have subsequently lost 13lbs, 5cm off my waist, my BMI is now 22. The last few weeks have been challenging as I've had a variety of celebrations within the family to contend with and have fallen off the wagon a bit. However, I feel quite relaxed and confident I can pull it back. Another approach has been to serve smaller portions, stop eating when full and not clear my plate every time - this has been a revelation for me. Hope you're all fit and well!

Great news @Oblahdeeoblahdoe ! Well done!

Hi everyone,

I read the book today and the found this thread. It makes a lot of sense and I am going to give it a go instead of the calorie counting I am doing. I'm going to start with steps 1 and 2 and then hopefully move to step 3 in the next week or two.

Hi @Greenmayleaves hope it works out for you!

I just got one of those body fat measuring scales. It's really interesting and quite reassuring! In this way if eating all my stats are at worst comfortably into 'standard' and at best actively excellent. And it says my metabolic age is two years less than my actual age (though I do wish my face had got this particular memo).

Does anyone else have one of these?

@Aria999 Yes, I've got a Tanita scale which does everything. However they are notoriously unreliable regarding body fat, muscle mass etc. The only thing I trust mine on is weight, but the good thing is you can track trends up and down even if the actual figure isn't accurate. A DEXA scan or being weighed under water are better options, but expensive. The only accurate way of seeing body fat percentage is to have a muscle biopsy 💪😬

@samthebordercollie that's a pity, all the stats were quite exciting!

I managed to find an article online from some people who tested the (cheap) one I have and found it accurate within 5-10% so I will bear that in mind when looking at the results...

I'm back on the WOE post holiday (very carby holiday! 🍕)
On day 2 and feeling a bit peckish but should settle soon

Hi @Wrapunzel !

Hi all, I first began this WOE 2.5 years ago. I had been vegan, and ate a huge amount of carbs (fruit, grains, some sugar and medium amount of ultra processed vegan foods, plus seed oils).

When I started this WOE 2.5 years ago, I quit being vegan. I prioritised greens, lots of salad and veg, plus fish, eggs, dairy and cheese. I lost weight fast and was never hungry. I kept it off for 6 months with little effort.

And then I started a new, stressful job and had less time for meal prep. And my love of oats and sourdough crept in. I made my own homemade granola (organic oats, chia and hemp seeds, honey), and had sourdough with butter.

I guess my portion sizes increased as I comfort ate a little every day, and my cortisol levels were high due to awful job.

I regained all the weight, plus more. Last summer I was reinvigorated and cut out the carbs again, just greens, fish, dairy and eggs. A few new potatoes here and there or a small piece of sourdough.

But I regained over the winter. The thing that frustrates me, is I barely touch ultra processed food. I cook almost everything from scratch and never go near seed oils. I have been consistent in this for 2.5 years but my set point just won't budge. I do think its true that I sneak extra portion sizes when I am stressed....but no matter how much I try to remove stress / learn better coping mechanisms, I cannot seem to maintain weight loss.

My only comfort is that hopefully my organs and my body overall is feeling nourished by all the vegetables and high quality foods I consistently give it.

Hi @behappy38 that does sound incredibly frustrating. I am sure your lovely diet is indeed doing you a lot of other good.

The killer for me is bread, I don't know why. I can eat (in moderation) pasta, potatoes, rice, and be fine. Even supermarket fries which are full of additives!

Even one meal of bread sends my set point up a lb or two and it takes ages to come off again. It's especially cruel as it takes 2 or 3 days to kick in so normally I am just thinking I may have gotten away with it and it turns out I haven't!

I hope you make progress again soon with the weight loss.

Hello all. Long time no see!! I was talking to dd (who is 19). She was telling me that when she doesn't eat UPF her anxiety practically disappears. I have a neuro functional condition which affects me physically but also can overload my nervous system so I get overwhelmed. I remember commenting on here that this WOE makes me feel calm so I have decided to get back on it.

And me.

This thread sounds right up my street- so marking my place. Just started listening to that strength training podcast mentioned up thread which is very interesting. And have just bought the UPF book too.