The Off Topic Thread...

El_Dangeroso

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

Orla how long did it take for you to get a thyroid diagnosis? I seriously feel I have thyroid issues, I have a huge amount of the symptoms since I lost weight. Not to be a hypochondriac! I've had a thyroid check done 2/3 times and nothing

Highly recommend this book:

http://www.amazon.com/Still-Thyroid-Symptoms-Tests-Normal/dp/0985690402

Orla K

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

Orla how long did it take for you to get a thyroid diagnosis? I seriously feel I have thyroid issues, I have a huge amount of the symptoms since I lost weight. Not to be a hypochondriac! I've had a thyroid check done 2/3 times and nothing

I got one about 4 years ago but didn't find out until christmas 2010 but I think I've been hypo since I was a child so it's probably quite a while for me to get that diagnosis about 15-20 years.

What were your results when you got it checked?

doctorwhogirl

Orla K wrote: »

I got one about 4 years ago but didn't find out until christmas 2010 but I think I've been hypo since I was a child so it's probably quite a while for me to get that diagnosis about 15-20 years.

What were your results when you got it checked?

Couldn't tell you. They were vague as vague could be about it. I literally rang them up and they put me through to the nurse who said "Your levels look ok" and that was that!!!!

Orla K

doctorwhogirl wrote: »

Couldn't tell you. They were vague as vague could be about it. I literally rang them up and they put me through to the nurse who said "Your levels look ok" and that was that!!!!

Go back to them and get a print out of your results and don't take no for an answer. They are your results after all. Lab ranges mean nothing and if the TSH is in the upper range on normal and your having symptoms then somethings up. Likewise if FT4(not total) is in the lower range something is up.

rubadub

I made a very basic coconut pancake thing. I made a few, between 35-50g of full fat coconut flour and 1 egg. Mix it up and put in a little water, maybe 10-20ml. I put it in a waffle iron thing from lidl. I put a little maple syrup on top.



Some people seem to be eating spoonfuls of coconut oil, which might not be particularly nice. Is there any reason this is not as beneficial, I think it might work out cheaper than coconut oil too. My flour is ~62% fat.

Gummy Panda

I didn't know marks and Spencer made wheat free bread. Picked some up to try it out.

Attached is ingredient list

Dolbert

Anyone catch the Dispatches programme about Weight Watchers tonight? I missed it but hoping it'll be on 4od soon.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-112/episode-7

Stench Blossoms

So I decided to do some experimenting with coconut flour.

Made this.

Looks kinda weird but it was actually nice (i left it under the grill for too long so i scraped the top of it off)

Lemon Meringue Protein Pancake


329 Calories
8g Carb
45g Protein
9g Fat

recipe us right now

Stench Blossoms

http://www.rippedrecipes.com/recipe/lemon-pie-protein-pancake-364.html

Measurements are a bit strange.

Dolbert

Dolbert wrote: »

Anyone catch the Dispatches programme about Weight Watchers tonight? I missed it but hoping it'll be on 4od soon.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches/episode-guide/series-112/episode-7

and a response....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUvaEiVHMaU

El_Dangeroso

Is it me or is the spokesperson sort of overweight?

homemadecider

The Dispatches programme is now available to watch on 4od. I thought it was very good. I've never been to WW and was shocked to see that each meeting is basically a sales push, with loads of items for sale - all WW branded items, naturally. Each leader gets a cut of the sales so they are essentially sales reps.

I can't understand why people join WW to be honest. Losing weight is not that hard, it just takes discipline and persistence.

April O Neill

homemadecider wrote: »

The Dispatches programme is now available to watch on 4od. I thought it was very good. I've never been to WW and was shocked to see that each meeting is basically a sales push, with loads of items for sale - all WW branded items, naturally. Each leader gets a cut of the sales so they are essentially sales reps.

I dunno, lots of people here say their leader doesn't do this. Who knows?

homemadecider wrote: »

I can't understand why people join WW to be honest. Losing weight is not that hard, it just takes discipline and persistence.

Discipline and persistence aren't that easy. :pac: Escpecially if you have many stones to lose. To keep up that persistance when you've lost stones but are still classed as very overweight? Tough. Very tough. No impossible of course, but the difficulty shouldn't be underestimated. I agree though, WW is not required.

The group mentality aspect of WW is actually genius (from a marketing perspective). The group guilt etc.

Lot of people aren't 'programmed' to be able to go-it-alone etc. And the foreboding about eating X/Y/Z because you are due to be weighed publicly is probably one of the main reasons why people do lose weight on WWs.

However, it is unsustainable (as shown in the doc - and through many anecdotal instances) and just isn't healthy, at all.

People can lose bodyfat (not just mass, important difference!), at a realistic pace, by eating well and eating as much as they want & need. It's a question of choices. And being able to conciously make the right choice

"I need to eat approx 500kcals at this meal, and need to get some Fats and a lot of protein - therefore I should eat ......"
vs
"I can eat 18 more 'points' today. That means that this 12 point meal with the 5point bar means I am under my points today. Hooray"

is the difference between night and day. The sad part is that in 2/3 hours you could learn enough about nutrition to know how to fill in the first line. It's not that difficult, it's just ignored for many. WW is a babystep into nutrition and isn't actually that much easier to learn.

Instead of points calculators, just get a mynetdiary app (tells you calories and macro breakdowns of what you're eating). Understand your calorie 'budget' and maco requisites instead of a points "budget".
Make good choices.

Get healthy, look healthy, be less fat.

Stench Blossoms

I think my main problem with weight watchers is (and this might have changed with propoints) that the points are calculated based on fat. Fats are not the enemy. Fats do not make people fat. Excess calories make people fat.

I really wish fat, as in 'The amount of fat on someones body' could be called something else, like, blubber.

Stench Blossoms

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

I think my main problem with weight watchers is (and this might have changed with propoints) that the points are calculated based on fat. Fats are not the enemy. Fats do not make people fat. Excess calories make people fat.

I really wish fat, as in 'The amount of fat on someones body' could be called something else, like, blubber.

Nah, easier to leave this as is, and call fats that are consumed "Lipids".

Think that propoints (newer iteration of WW) has adapted somewhat, but it still has some ridiculous equivalants.

the new PointsPlus points are computed using the formula pp = max {round((p x 16 + c x 19 + fa x 45)/175) - fi x (2/25), 0}, where pp is ProPoints, p is protein, c is carbohydrate, fa is total fat, and fi is dietary fiber, all in grams.

just weird

Dolbert

^It's funny as someone on the WW thread worked out that if you divide the calories by 40, you get the Pro Point value! Having watched the doc, it does seem like they are needlessly complicating the calculations so you'll just give in and buy WW products, or simply twig that you don't need to attend a class just to count calories. Still, the level of defensiveness around it is unreal.

I'm about one month into my dairy-free experiment, as a measure to see if my asthma, hayfever/allergies and slight psoriasis improve as a result. It's too early to tell re. the asthma and allergies (hayfever season won't be long coming around though!), but my psoriasis has reduced considerably

El_Dangeroso

Dolbert wrote: »

^It's funny as someone on the WW thread worked out that if you divide the calories by 40, you get the Pro Point value! Having watched the doc, it does seem like they are needlessly complicating the calculations so you'll just give in and buy WW products, or simply twig that you don't need to attend a class just to count calories. Still, the level of defensiveness around it is unreal.

I'm about one month into my dairy-free experiment, as a measure to see if my asthma, hayfever/allergies and slight psoriasis improve as a result. It's too early to tell re. the asthma and allergies (hayfever season won't be long coming around though!), but my psoriasis has reduced considerably

Very cool! I love hearing the results of self-experimentation. Do you think you'll do a 'challenge' at any stage to confirm your findings?

Dolbert

Well my wedding is in June so the idea is to keep it up at least until then, in the hope that I won't be plagued by sneezing on the day! I was tempted to try it after a friend's symptoms all but disappeared from going DF. The psoriasis clearing up is great news, as I have too small patches above my eyes which I'd obviously like gone. It's not that surprising though as I've noticed it distinctly getting worse when I've overdone the dairy in the past. Having said all that, I'd kill for a pot of this right now...

Stench Blossoms

Dolbert wrote: »

dairy in the past. Having said all that, I'd kill for a pot of this right now...

That's greek style. Not greek yogurt.

*Pushes glasses up my nose*

Dolbert

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

That's greek style. Not greek yogurt.

*Pushes glasses up my nose*

Where did I say it was Greek yoghurt Anyway I don't care what it is, it's bleedin' delish!

El_Dangeroso

Dolbert wrote: »

Well my wedding is in June so the idea is to keep it up at least until then, in the hope that I won't be plagued by sneezing on the day! I was tempted to try it after a friend's symptoms all but disappeared from going DF. The psoriasis clearing up is great news, as I have too small patches above my eyes which I'd obviously like gone. It's not that surprising though as I've noticed it distinctly getting worse when I've overdone the dairy in the past. Having said all that, I'd kill for a pot of this right now...

Congrats on the wedding! I'm not saying they are healthy long term but round of sunbeds will sort out the psoriasis for the big day, just start veeeery slow.

On the sneezing front, n-acetylcysteine (NAC) is superb for hayfever. It basically just tells the immune system to calm down.

Before my wedding I was on a very strict supplement regimen of tocotrienols and collagen. Made for a good skin glow on the day!

hollypink

homemadecider wrote: »

The Dispatches programme is now available to watch on 4od. I thought it was very good. I've never been to WW and was shocked to see that each meeting is basically a sales push, with loads of items for sale - all WW branded items, naturally. Each leader gets a cut of the sales so they are essentially sales reps.

I watched that last night and I must say it didn't tally at all with my experience of WW. I wouldn't be a huge fan of WW these days but I've been a member at various times over the years and I don't ever recall leaders pushing WW products. They did have some available to buy at the meetings alright, but nothing like the big table of stuff that I saw on the Dispatches programme and I don't remember a leader promoting them particularly. I wonder if it's a bit different in the UK to Ireland in that respect?

The other thing that didn't tally with my experience was the bit about how you tended to buy the WW product because it had the propoints on it. It used to be easier to work out the points on the old points system but even with propoints, there are apps available to work it out for you. I rarely bought WW products, mostly because I didn't find them very tasty or filling.


One point Dispatches made struck home particularly; on the one hand they promote healthy eating and yet in the supermarkets, there is a huge range of highly processed Weightwatchers branded foods.

homemadecider wrote: »

I can't understand why people join WW to be honest. Losing weight is not that hard, it just takes discipline and persistence.

I'd disagree, I found it hard and found it even harder to keep the weight off. I'm having a slightly easier time this time around because I've learned that avoiding highly processed foods is half the battle, but I'd never say it was easy.

Deleted User wrote: »

It's a question of choices. And being able to conciously make the right choice

"I need to eat approx 500kcals at this meal, and need to get some Fats and a lot of protein - therefore I should eat ......"
vs
"I can eat 18 more 'points' today. That means that this 12 point meal with the 5point bar means I am under my points today. Hooray"

is the difference between night and day..

That's exactly the way I thought when I did WW; oh I'll just have pasta and some pasta sauce for dinner (no meat) and then I can have a dairymilk with the points I have left

El_Dangeroso

It is my new year's resolution to make the following aphorism my mantra:

"A frontal attack on ignorance is always bound to fail."

Orla K

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

It is my new year's resolution to make the following aphorism my mantra:

"A frontal attack on ignorance is always bound to fail."

Best line ever!

Gummy Panda

I was thinking of something like this to work out macros for a cut.

calories = bodyweight in lbs * 10 (or 12 depends on effect on resistance training intensity)

Protein = 0.6-1 (depending on BF. More bf less protein) * lbs bw
Fat = .5 * lbs bw
Carbs = the rest of the calories

So a 15 stone guy with highest BF would be looking at a macro breakdown of:

BW in lbs 210

Estimated Calories 2100

Grams Calories
Protein 168 672
Fat 105 945
Carbs 120.75 483



The idea is they get enough protein for satiety and recovery but not extreme amounts so they have enough fat for hormonal issues and carbs for intensity in gym. Thoughts?

El_Dangeroso

^^ I like it. I think you'd have decent food variety in those macros too.

Only thing about having that much fat is that it's very hard to keep the omega 6 low. If you're rigid about only eating coconut oil and butter for added fats with fish 3 times per week you'd be fine.

Gummy Panda

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

^^ I like it. I think you'd have decent food variety in those macros too.

Only thing about having that much fat is that it's very hard to keep the omega 6 low. If you're rigid about only eating coconut oil and butter for added fats with fish 3 times per week you'd be fine.

I was think mostly coconut oil, some high quality olive oil and some fish.

The smell of melted butter makes me feel ill though

El_Dangeroso

Gummy Panda wrote: »

I was think mostly coconut oil, some high quality olive oil and some fish.

The smell of melted butter makes me feel ill though

Are you kidding? Onions sauteeing gently in butter is the best smell in the world!