A different diet plan.

[Time-to-be-ME]

My son would like to lose ‘a few pounds’ and has expressed an interest in following the ‘Home Front’ diet. This is not the ration book diet, but a daily average meal plan from between 1940-late 1950s, when rationing was still in place, but getting more plentiful and slowly having restrictions lifted. The plan itself leans to the less restrictive end of rationing, but features many wartime recipes. I’m happy to join him for a month or so on the plan, as a collector of vintage cookbooks I have a near complete collection of the leaflets the Ministry of Food issued ( most not original but a collated set) and many original cookbooks from that era, and the challenge appeals to me.

Has anyone else followed/is following this plan or even the ration book diet which is similar but more authentic and restricted?

[BridgeGirl Administrator SS Supercook 2 stone]

Hi, it's not something I've come across. I'd say if it looks healthy and it's something he can stick with, it's worth trying.

The thing about any 'diet' is that it's something you do to get you to a certain weight with a view to then going back to eating 'normally'. The best option is to alter our 'normal' i.e. lose weight in a way we can maintain for the long term

[Time-to-be-ME 7lbs Restart Jan 2025 2024 August in reply to BridgeGirl]

Absolutely, and I’m not usually one for saying ‘diet’, but the eating plan is quite good in the fact that it actually readjusts oneself to eating properly and in healthy portion sizes, with virtually no processed food….a plan that really is re-educating the mind and body to a good balance, which should help to maintain for life. 😊

[BridgeGirl Administrator SS Supercook 2 stone in reply to Time-to-be-ME]

Sounds worth trying 😊

[Frenchfields Restart Jan 2025]

Sounds an interesting idea, but depending what kind of eating plan you want ( and not sure what age your son is) bear in mind that meat, eggs and butter were rationed, which are the staples of many modern diet plans. Imho, no-one needs to include any sugar or jam in a weightloss plan these days, knowing what we do now about ’added’and natural sugar. So you might want to tweak things a bit.

[Time-to-be-ME 7lbs Restart Jan 2025 2024 August in reply to Frenchfields]

Nutrition was a big part of my job for nearly 2 decades, until end of July last year. I’m pretty good that side. This plan is less restricted than the ration book diet, really it’s following the more traditional and seasonal way of eating, natural fats ( which I agree with, and more and more research is proving that it is far from the demon portrayed), meat, cheeses, full fat products , etc… My son uses a wheelchair and is in his 30s, physically disabled and exercise is not feasible mostly. His body processes food slightly different too, and metabolism, pancreas different. Fortunately things like sugar and sweet spreads don’t really feature much in our normal eating anyway… both he and I having a ‘savoury tooth’ I’m quite intrigued to give it a go for a short time for the curiosity of the plan, and if it saves money too. 😊

[Eryl Visitor]

I just eat to satiety but avoid carbs. I have no weight problem and I enjoy my food.

[Be-yourself 2kg Restart Jan 2025 in reply to Eryl]

Hi Eryl,

Great you’ve found what works for you. Just out of curiosity, if you don’t have a ‘weight problem’ why are you on a weight loss forum?

[Eryl Visitor in reply to Be-yourself]

Because I'v found the key to weight loss and want to help people who are searching in the wrong place.

[Be-yourself 2kg Restart Jan 2025 in reply to Eryl]

You found a way that works for you. That’s great.

The key to weight loss is doing what works for you.

I lost weight about 15 years ago now by following a certain plan which had a very high success rate. Did I lose the weight? Yes, I did. Did I keep it off? No. I felt restricted and it didn’t work for me. Therefore I found way to lose weight but, for me personally, it wasn’t sustainable.

I lost weight again about 10 years ago and I kept it off right up until I fell pregnant with my eldest child. It worked for me, but it might not work for others. The way I did it was eating well, with no restricting, but also occasionally eating food that’s not as healthy but is good for my soul, like burgers, pizza, wine… I kept it off for 5 years. Then I fell pregnant and with the change in hormones and my sleep being out of whack with a newborn and moving less, I gained weight.

Everyone here is following a way that works for them. Personally, my way isn’t to cut out carbs. There are some people here who do cut out carbs, and that’s great. It works for them, like it’s worked for you. Each to their own.

[Eryl Visitor in reply to Be-yourself]

Yes, it's because you can't stop eating carbs that you can't keep the weight off as carbs cause an increase in blood sugar which triggers a release of insulin and insulin causes fat storage.

[Be-yourself 2kg Restart Jan 2025 in reply to Eryl]

No, I gained weight because I feel pregnant and then when my babies were newborns I stopped doing as much exercise and ate way too much ultra processed food and my portions sizes increased.

I kept my weight off for 5 years before I fell pregnant, all while eating carbs.

[Eryl Visitor in reply to Be-yourself]

That's the effect of ultra processed food, it raises your blood sugar which messes with your hormones to make you eat more and snack more, as well as raising your insulin to make you store more fat.