Weight Loss and Healthy Living #6 Tattlers Transformation

[usandthem]

All I can say is ridding yourself of sugar and gluten from your diet with some moderate exercise (like walking for an hour every day) will do most people wonders. I had to make changes to my diet earlier this year and I lost about 10 kg in 5 months.

Maybe people tend to focus more on exercise than the actual food that you put into your body. I think getting the food right with lots of vegetables every day and all the food groups covered really helped me.

I am now on a macrobiotic diet which is no sugar, no gluten, no dairy and no meat. This is too strict for most people but if you almost eliminate sugar and gluten I think you will see some changes!

It’s a little contradictory- you say you don’t eliminate good groups, but clearly have adopted a very strict diet. Can I ask why you needed to eliminate sugar, gluten, meat and milk?

Unless there is an issue with allergies confirmed by a medical professional there is no need to restrict any of the above. Weight loss happens when we eat less calories than our bodies use on a daily basis. There is no need to restrict food groups to lose weight, and if you do, you lose weight because you are creating caloric deficit by restricting those groups.

 

[Moonflower]

I've had expected: N/A before on libra

Mine has gone to n/a today

@simonsays its really great that you've found something that works for you. I think so much of weight loss is finding a way of eating that works for you and that you can stick to. The finer details vary so much from person to person.

Would agree that most people focus more on exercise. I know that when people have asked what I've done to lose my weight they always ask what exercise I do and are always shocked when I say it is mostly down to what I eat.

 

[880411]

I get results just by cutting out processed foods so I can imagine they would be even better following a macrobiotic diet.

In all honestly i dont think I could do it. I love meat too much haha

my issue is laziness. If I just take the time to prepare my food it all goes swimmingly as I actually do like healthy fresh foods.

 

[simonsays]

I think most people on this thread would agree that too much sugar is not good for you. And, in the modern diet, sugar is in absolutely everything. For me, I just don't use sugar at home. When you go to a restaurant or cafe there might be sugar in sauces, soups and a lot of the food. I might treat myself to a gluten free brownie once in a while.

Gluten and wheat is more debatable. I had to make some changes in my diet because of health issues. I have gone through my diet with a nutritionist. She said that wheat 500 years ago was very different to the wheat we have now. It was more natural then. Wheat now is not particularly healthy.

What is interesting is that I was often buying organic brown pasta. I used to spend a bit extra on good quality pasta. But, I was eating too much pasta. I think I would probably eat pasta 3-4 times a week because it is so quick and easy to make. If you limit your intake of pasta and gluten then I think you will see quite a lot of changes in your body. I used to have quite a pot belly and a bloated stomach. I think getting rid of pasta/gluten was one of the prime reasons that I was able to tone up and lose weight fairly easily.

I was vegetarian for many years so I still used to eat dairy. I do quite miss cheese but dairy has a lot of animal fats unless you eat something like cottage cheese. I haven't eaten meat in years and don't miss it. Again, for most people, limiting your weekly red meat intake will help you and the planet.

 

[TheDragonWithAFlagon]

All I can say is ridding yourself of sugar and gluten from your diet with some moderate exercise (like walking for an hour every day) will do most people wonders. I had to make changes to my diet earlier this year and I lost about 10 kg in 5 months.

Maybe people tend to focus more on exercise than the actual food that you put into your body. I think getting the food right with lots of vegetables every day and all the food groups covered really helped me.

I am now on a macrobiotic diet which is no sugar, no gluten, no dairy and no meat. This is too strict for most people but if you almost eliminate sugar and gluten I think you will see some changes!

Oh, I remember that stage. There was a noticeable change after a while following it - the most spectacular binge in the history of binges (and I had never had that response triggered in me in all my life before that moment).


There's a reason why Japanese style diets are so successful in maintaining a lower BMI - there's no cutting out entire food groups and it's normal to have sugar/sweetness in all meals.

 

[simonsays]

Oh, I remember that stage. There was a noticeable change after a while following it - the most spectacular binge in the history of binges (and I had never had that response triggered in me in all my life before that moment).


There's a reason why Japanese style diets are so successful in maintaining a lower BMI - there's no cutting out entire food groups and it's normal to have sugar/sweetness in all meals.

Yes, you can use honey. I add a teaspoon to porridge in the morning. There is also a lot of sugar free chocolate around now. Apparently, stevia is the best sweetener. Some good quality sugar free dark chocolate from time to time is a nice treat!

 

[TheDragonWithAFlagon]

Yes, you can use honey. I add a teaspoon to porridge in the morning. There is also a lot of sugar free chocolate around now. Apparently, stevia is the best sweetener. Some good quality sugar free dark chocolate from time to time is a nice treat!

But honey is sugar - it's just sugar refined by bees instead of factories.

The only reason I don't eat cakes, sweets, biscuits or chocolate is that I don't like them. I certainly wouldn't be trying to find a substitute for the things, as I think they're horrible in the first place. Cutting out so many food groups, though - at the first accidental hint of natural sweetness, I binged on all the sugar in the shop - is asking for dysfunctional eating patterns and/or a resounding collapse in response to something like the scent of some flowers or an accidentally sweeter strawberry than usual.

 

[simonsays]

But honey is sugar - it's just sugar refined by bees instead of factories.

The only reason I don't eat cakes, sweets, biscuits or chocolate is that I don't like them. I certainly wouldn't be trying to find a substitute for the things, as I think they're horrible in the first place. Cutting out so many food groups, though - at the first accidental hint of natural sweetness, I binged on all the sugar in the shop - is asking for dysfunctional eating patterns and/or a resounding collapse in response to something like the scent of some flowers or an accidentally sweeter strawberry than usual.

Honey is very different from refined white sugar. As someone else said, you are not cutting out any food groups. I now eat fish about twice a week for the protein and omega 3s, etc. The amount of sugar in food in the modern diet is excessive.. so limiting it in any way has to be a good thing in my book.

 

[usandthem]

Honey is very different from refined white sugar. As someone else said, you are not cutting out any food groups. I now eat fish about twice a week for the protein and omega 3s, etc. The amount of sugar in food in the modern diet is excessive.. so limiting it in any way has to be a good thing in my book.

honey is sweeter than sugar and although there are some minor health benefits to consuming raw unpasteurised honey, the effect on blood sugar level from consuming it is similar to that of sugar.

Sugar substitutes - honey explained | Good Food

Sweeter than sugar and with twice the nutritional profile - could honey be the ultimate alternative to regular sugar? Registered nutritionist, Jo Lewin explores the highs and lows of this popular porridge topper.

www.google.co.uk

 

[simonsays]

Honey has about 82 calories per ounce compared to 112 for sugar. That is a fair difference to start with. The bee has to partially ingest complex sugars into simpler glucose and fructose sugars that are less disruptive to human blood sugar levels.

The two predominant types of sugar present in honey are fructose and glucose. These sugars are 'pre-digested' and can be used immediately by the body. When ordinary sugar is taken into the body it cannot be used immediately.

Also, when you do some research you find a lot of nutrients in honey including: protein, calcium, copper, silica, iron, lime, magnesium, amino acids, potassium, sulphur, phosphorous, pollen, sodium, manganese, and dextrine. I think honey would probably be classified by many as a superfood.

To be fair, the main point people are making is it is a form of sugar. In that respect it should be used fairly sparingly.

 

[usandthem]

Before we derail the thread any further, by cutting out whole food groups and you are setting yourself up for a needlessly stressful experience and mindset around food which can lead to disordered eating. This is not sustainable long term unless you put in excessive amount of time, money and pressure on yourself to adhere to it.

There are health benefits in all of the foods groups you are currently cutting out of your diet. It seems tempting to focus on the health benefits of specific foods, like honey, but the fact is our bodies need a great vatiety of foods to remain healthy. Eating is one of the most pleasurable things in life and food treats are a natural part of balanced diet.

You used a nutritionist’s advice for your diet, maybe consider a second opinion. I’d be weary of anyone asking you to cut out wheat, when maybe the more sensible advice would have been to eat predominantly wholegrain wheat products which are of higher nutritional value than refined ones.

 

[Notworthy]

Before we derail the thread any further, by cutting out whole food groups and you are setting yourself up for a needlessly stressful experience and mindset around food which can lead to disordered eating. This is not sustainable long term unless you put in excessive amount of time, money and pressure on yourself to adhere to it.

There are health benefits in all of the foods groups you are currently cutting out of your diet. It seems tempting to focus on the health benefits of specific foods, like honey, but the fact is our bodies need a great vatiety of foods to remain healthy. Eating is one of the most pleasurable things in life and food treats are a natural part of balanced diet.

You used a nutritionist’s advice for your diet, maybe consider a second opinion. I’d be weary of anyone asking you to cut out wheat, when maybe the more sensible advice would have been to eat predominantly wholegrain wheat products which are of higher nutritional value than refined ones.

Important to take into account that in the UK anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. It's important to check if they are registered or not.

 

[simonsays]

Before we derail the thread any further, by cutting out whole food groups and you are setting yourself up for a needlessly stressful experience and mindset around food which can lead to disordered eating. This is not sustainable long term unless you put in excessive amount of time, money and pressure on yourself to adhere to it.

There are health benefits in all of the foods groups you are currently cutting out of your diet. It seems tempting to focus on the health benefits of specific foods, like honey, but the fact is our bodies need a great vatiety of foods to remain healthy. Eating is one of the most pleasurable things in life and food treats are a natural part of balanced diet.

You used a nutritionist’s advice for your diet, maybe consider a second opinion. I’d be weary of anyone asking you to cut out wheat, when maybe the more sensible advice would have been to eat predominantly wholegrain wheat products which are of higher nutritional value than refined ones.

I don't know where you get leaving out food groups from.. I have all the food groups. When you don't eat wheat you can eat things like corn, quinoa and products with rice flour, etc. The stressful experience comes from eating far too much sugar which the vast majority of people consume too much of.. this has been constantly brought up by researchers and nutritionists.

From my experience cutting gluten out of my diet was extremely beneficial. As you have noted, the nutritionist recommended it and she is well qualified and knows more about food and diets than you or I. This is not some crazy idea developed out of nowhere.

I would also make the point that not making healthy adjustments to your diet can lead to illness and disease. This is one of the reasons that I changed my diet. The food that we take in has a direct effect on our body and it needs to be taken into account.

I understand that you don't share my point of view. I often say that food is the new politics.

In 5 months I feel much brighter, fitter and healthier than before. It didn't take much. It worked for me and maybe it wouldn't work for you. I shared my thoughts because I think it can maybe be useful to others. It is good to share ideas and then you can develop things in your own way as you like.

 

[judgejohndeed]

I'm quite wary of anyone who suggests going gluten free if you're not coeliac. I've literally just done a 2 minute search for academic papers on this topic and there are multiple peer reviewed journals suggesting there are dangers to going gluten free if you're not coeliac and that healthcare practitioners should be asking patients why they're doing this if it isn't clinically indicated. Unfortunately I'm also sceptical of anyone who isn't actually a dietitian because 'nutritionist' is not a protected term and the qualifications of many who call themselves a 'nutritionist' are dubious.

 

[Notworthy]

I'm quite wary of anyone who suggests going gluten free if you're not coeliac. I've literally just done a 2 minute search for academic papers on this topic and there are multiple peer reviewed journals suggesting there are dangers to going gluten free if you're not coeliac and that healthcare practitioners should be asking patients why they're doing this if it isn't clinically indicated. Unfortunately I'm also sceptical of anyone who isn't actually a dietitian because 'nutritionist' is not a protected term and the qualifications of many who call themselves a 'nutritionist' are dubious.

Yep, it they aren't atleast a registered nutritionist then they could have as much or as little knowledge as those of us on here.

 

[megsmagoo]

Well I stopped Cambridge about 2 weeks ago, I was feeling pretty miserable and couldn’t exercise as much as I wanted to because I was so weak buttt I’m happy to say that I have maintained my weight which is a relief! I thought given that the calories and carbs were so low I’d put on about half a stone so phew ‍ I still have some packs left so I’m thinking of having them for breakfast/lunch as and when I fancy them, I still lost 22lbs which is amazing and basically my lockdown weight gain, just need to lose the rest now

Back to calorie counting and hardcore exercise for me! Currently feeling extremely sore following tabata peloton classes and heavy weights but hopefully it’ll pass soon! I’ve also downloaded and paid for nutracheck for a change

 

[simonsays]

I'm quite wary of anyone who suggests going gluten free if you're not coeliac. I've literally just done a 2 minute search for academic papers on this topic and there are multiple peer reviewed journals suggesting there are dangers to going gluten free if you're not coeliac and that healthcare practitioners should be asking patients why they're doing this if it isn't clinically indicated. Unfortunately I'm also sceptical of anyone who isn't actually a dietitian because 'nutritionist' is not a protected term and the qualifications of many who call themselves a 'nutritionist' are dubious.

Well, in 2 mins of searching online I found a good number of research papers that show a link between gluten free adherence and a healthier life.

"After adjustments on confounders, a healthy dietary pattern was positively associated with total gluten avoidance (ORQuintile5vsQuintile1 = 14·44, 95 % CI 8·62, 24·19). Our study highlighted that, in this population, individuals who avoid gluten from their diet tend to have a diet more favourable to health. These results can serve as a basis for future studies investigating the potential consequences of a gluten-free diet in non-coeliac population."

Gluten-free diet in French adults without coeliac disease: sociodemographic characteristics, motives and dietary profile - PubMed

The number of people avoiding gluten is growing in many Western countries. However, little information is available on their sociodemographic and dietary profiles. We aimed to describe sociodemographic, behavioural and dietary profiles of participants avoiding gluten in the NutriNet-Santé...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[judgejohndeed]

Well, in 2 mins of searching online I found a good number of research papers that show a link between gluten free adherence and a healthier life.

"After adjustments on confounders, a healthy dietary pattern was positively associated with total gluten avoidance (ORQuintile5vsQuintile1 = 14·44, 95 % CI 8·62, 24·19). Our study highlighted that, in this population, individuals who avoid gluten from their diet tend to have a diet more favourable to health. These results can serve as a basis for future studies investigating the potential consequences of a gluten-free diet in non-coeliac population."

Gluten-free diet in French adults without coeliac disease: sociodemographic characteristics, motives and dietary profile - PubMed

The number of people avoiding gluten is growing in many Western countries. However, little information is available on their sociodemographic and dietary profiles. We aimed to describe sociodemographic, behavioural and dietary profiles of participants avoiding gluten in the NutriNet-Santé...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

This paper is looking at different variables. It doesn't assess the effect of not eating gluten on the body, which is what the papers I saw were assessing, so not really comparable. The link between the gluten free diet and the 'heathy dietary pattern' also seems dubious to me. Here they defined this as 'higher consumption of fruit, vegetables and lower consumption of dairy products, salty/sweet and fatty foods and alcohol.' I haven't got time to read this paper in full at the moment but I imagine it would be very difficult to guard against confounding factors here e.g. how many of those people already ate this way?
Worth pointing out that they also found these people were more likely to be female (haven't looked for this, but a sensible guess is that women are probably more likely to buy into fad diets because of ED culture) and people with a lower educational level (who might not know how to assess the evidence).

Here's one paper which is open access:

Cutting out gluten where not clinically indicated can result in a decrease in fiber consumption, potential decreases in mineral and vitamin consumption, including calcium, magnesium, zinc, vitamin B12, folate, and vitamin D, and potentially increased exposure to dietary hydrogenated and saturated fatty acids, and arsenic

 

[usandthem]

I don't know where you get leaving out food groups from.. I have all the food groups. When you don't eat wheat you can eat things like corn, quinoa and products with rice flour, etc. The stressful experience comes from eating far too much sugar which the vast majority of people consume too much of.. this has been constantly brought up by researchers and nutritionists.

From my experience cutting gluten out of my diet was extremely beneficial. As you have noted, the nutritionist recommended it and she is well qualified and knows more about food and diets than you or I. This is not some crazy idea developed out of nowhere.

I would also make the point that not making healthy adjustments to your diet can lead to illness and disease. This is one of the reasons that I changed my diet. The food that we take in has a direct effect on our body and it needs to be taken into account.

I understand that you don't share my point of view. I often say that food is the new politics.

In 5 months I feel much brighter, fitter and healthier than before. It didn't take much. It worked for me and maybe it wouldn't work for you. I shared my thoughts because I think it can maybe be useful to others. It is good to share ideas and then you can develop things in your own way as you like.

I respect your right to have a different point of view but this is a public forum and we need to be mindful of the advice we give especially when it comes to such a contradictory topic. Neither me or you are dieticians, and we need to bear that in mind when sharing our anecdotal experiences around food because we can inadvertently be influencing others. I am really pleased your way of eating is working for you and may it continue

I will bow out of this discussion with a link to the current Eat Well NHS advice:

Eat well

Information and guidance about eating a healthy, balanced diet.

www.nhs.uk

 

[bellinibobble]

Moving on..

Ive had a couple of weeks off calorie counting and exercise (some selfimposed isolation periods - I’m being very cautious) but hoping to fit in some running this weekend if it stays dry Only got 4 C25k runs left until the end of the programme! What’s everyone’s plans for the weekend?

Been back into the office today for the first time in almost 18 months! We decided we’re going to have a team lunchtime weekly walk and no office snacks winning!!