May 2019 McDougall Weigh In Thread

[Rosey]

Connie - You can count yesterday’s number if you want. If you hit it this week, let’s celebrate it. Swelling be darned!! What did you weigh yesterday?

It was 283 lbs

[LLP]

hi everyone,

I've been mostly plant based for years, falling off the wagon and getting back on. Anyway, due to life experiences in the last few years, I have piled on 25 extra pounds. I have realized that I need to publicly participate on this thread to help me stay accountable, get healthy and lose this weight. So since this is my first weight in, I post a 0.

Liz

[amandamechele]

Hi All!

Wonderful results this week. Congratulations to each and every one of you for sticking it out, in body or spirit.
Dr. McDougall and Jeff Novick have shared many words of wisdom on how to best plan, prepare and follow the MWL plan. Here are just a few:
Pushing Your Set Point to the Limits. (A description of the program protocols and practical tips for home compliance)
Fine Tuning The MWL Program and Calorie Density

A Simple Nutritious & Affordable Plan (SNAP)
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10519

Healthy Packaged Foods
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10254

Quick Recipes (With Pictures)
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7168

Simple, Easy & Starch Based
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 22&t=15014

Fine Tuning The MWL and Calorie Density Programs
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 22&t=27290

Triage Your Health Efforts: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7875

10 Secrets To Success
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12425

Top 10 reasons for failure to follow program?
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8316

Nutrition Education: Finding The Best Path
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5825

Frequency of Meals/Eating Between Meals
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 22&t=26337

In Health
Jeff

These come from Jeff’s My Favorite Threads

I had never read a few of these. I especially loved 10 Secrets to Success. I dare you all not to be inspired to do something more for yourself after reading that one!

Best wishes for many successes this week... it’s no secret that when you follow the guidelines pretty well, you will feel great.

Amy

Here are the results for the second week in May:

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, May 17th, 2019

Total group loss reported in 2019: 274.62 pounds

May 2019 Weight Loss Group :: Monthly Weigh-In Results
Total group loss in January 2019: 140.53 pounds
Total group loss in February 2019: 78.64 pounds
Total group loss in March 2019: 7.4 pounds
Total group loss in April 2019: 33.55 pounds
Total group loss in May 2019: 19.1 pounds

Week ending 05/10/2019: 19 participants reported a total loss of 23.7 pounds
---------------------------------------
Apr.grandash55 - 1.0
---------------------------------------
Total gains: 1.0
--------------------------------------
Dpascar - 1.0
Midnight87 - 2.2
Shelley Crockett - 0.0
Kdeaton - 6.0
Spirit3330 - 1.2
ANelson108 - 2.6
Heyjudi - 2.0
OOnaowl - 0.0
Rosey - 2.4
Belana - 0.0
Sirdle - 2.1
Cmwann - 0.6
Idgie - 3.6
Artista - 0.0
Moonlight - 0.0
LLP - 0.0
Michele613 - 0.0
Alishana - 1.0
---------------------------------------------
Total losses: 24.7
---------------------------------------------

Total group loss in May 2019: 19.1 pounds
Week ending 05/10/2019: 19 participants reported a total loss of 23.7 pounds
Week ending 05/03/2019: 22 participants reported a total loss of -4.6 pounds

[Michele613]

Hi Amy,

I'm still here lurking in the background. No start, no gain...no loss.

Glad you are well. Thanks for all the links. Will try to look at some of them. Feel like I slipped into a depression somehow. I'll come out...it's just a matter of time.

Wishing everyone self-loving and successful week.

[alishana]

Hi ! Sorry I'm late, but I'm -1lbs this week

[amandamechele]

Rosey - Got it!

Liz - Nice to have you join us! How has your week been going thus far?

Michele - XO. Do you mean with regards to your stalled weight loss, or perceived inability to follow the plan well? Is that what is having you feel down? If so, please know I understand how this feels, I really do. When we aren’t doing as well as we’d like to, on something that we’d REALLY like to be doing well it can feel just terrible. Have you watched any of the staff psychologist, Dr. Lisle’s,lectures? These are what helped convince me that my struggles do not mean there is something wrong with me. This notion of being broken because I struggle to consistently eat well on a plan I enjoy and feel is the healthiest one on the planet (hee hee) would send me into the doldrums; why couldn’t I just steel my way through this like other people must be doing? But, I was discounting all of the other influences and misunderstanding that other people weren’t relying on willpower (alone): we face a terribly difficult food environment and some people due to personality, genetics, and their home/work/life environment will face more difficulties than others. Understanding this has taken a lot of the sting out of the negative emotions surrounding the length of time and amount of effort I must put in to reach my goal. It doesn’t eliminate the disappointment I feel when I’m not doing well, but those negative emotions have been attenuated, and thus are muted enough to keep me out of despair and able to keep trying. There is something that does really help - it’s going the route of seeking self-esteem. If you set a reasonable goal, based on previous experience, and work towards it. There is no need to follow this plan exactly as laid out if it is causing distress. Pick 1 item that you’d like to accomplish and do that for a couple of weeks. I will not eat any dairy for 2 weeks, for example. See what happens. If you can stick to that small goal, you may begin to feel inspired to try another small goal. Go slowly. Be kind to yourself when you trip and fall. But mostly, I don’t want you to make yourself miserable over this, it isn’t worth it. Check in, say hi, read a few links or articles, but don’t weigh-in, don’t force yourself to try to do the plan perfectly. Tread water for a bit. I am sending you strength and love.

Alishana - Awesome! I’ll add you in. See you next week.

[sirdle]

Michele - XO. Do you mean with regards to your stalled weight loss, or perceived inability to follow the plan well? Is that what is having you feel down? If so, please know I understand how this feels, I really do. When we aren’t doing as well as we’d like to, on something that we’d REALLY like to be doing well it can feel just terrible. Have you watched any of the staff psychologist, Dr. Lisle’s,lectures? These are what helped convince me that my struggles do not mean there is something wrong with me. This notion of being broken because I struggle to consistently eat well on a plan I enjoy and feel is the healthiest one on the planet (hee hee) would send me into the doldrums; why couldn’t I just steel my way through this like other people must be doing? But, I was discounting all of the other influences and misunderstanding that other people weren’t relying on willpower (alone): we face a terribly difficult food environment and some people due to personality, genetics, and their home/work/life environment will face more difficulties than others. Understanding this has taken a lot of the sting out of the negative emotions surrounding the length of time and amount of effort I must put in to reach my goal. It doesn’t eliminate the disappointment I feel when I’m not doing well, but those negative emotions have been attenuated, and thus are muted enough to keep me out of despair and able to keep trying. There is something that does really help - it’s going the route of seeking self-esteem. If you set a reasonable goal, based on previous experience, and work towards it. There is no need to follow this plan exactly as laid out if it is causing distress. Pick 1 item that you’d like to accomplish and do that for a couple of weeks. I will not eat any dairy for 2 weeks, for example. See what happens. If you can stick to that small goal, you may begin to feel inspired to try another small goal. Go slowly. Be kind to yourself when you trip and fall. But mostly, I don’t want you to make yourself miserable over this, it isn’t worth it. Check in, say hi, read a few links or articles, but don’t weigh-in, don’t force yourself to try to do the plan perfectly. Tread water for a bit. I am sending you strength and love.

As usual, extremely well said.

I have problems (lots of them, LOL), but I am blessed to have an extremely supportive wife and a home food environment that is nurturing and on-plan.

Best of luck, Michele!

[Michele613]

Thank you Amy and Sirdle for your encouragement and love. It is much appreciated. I have been on this path (actually McD on 5 prior times) and when you end up back at the beginning AGAIN it is wearisome. I am just tired ... emotionally and physically and for now that all adds up to doing nothing. I will reread your words, read some more articles and try to get that 'first day' going again. I've done it 5 times for 2 months so I know that it can be done.

I'll be on the lookout for everyone's good week...on their own level and at their own speed.

[sirdle]

I've done it 5 times for 2 months so I know that it can be done.

Of course you can do it! You've proven that again and again!

Dealing with family illness and emotionally troubling times is hard on everybody... It is easy to feel guilty about falling off the plan, but it seems to me that 2 months on plan is not really long enough to turn your new strategies into habits. It is very understandable that you slipped. Try not to feel guilty about it.

Start anywhere. But do something -- anything -- TODAY. Then tomorrow, build on that success.

A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step. You can do this!

Cheers,

[JeffN]

when you end up back at the beginning AGAIN it is wearisome.

When you study the process of change you learn that one of the common myths is the thought that when someone "slips" that they have to start all over and are back at the beginning. But, this is not true. You are not the same person. You have the education, knowledge and experience at doing this (And trying to do this) which you didn't have before. You have valuable experience.

One of the other common myths is that this is easy and we should not have slips. Turns out slips are part of the natural process of behavior change. For some it may be a few, for others a few more.

In Health
Jeff

[Michele613]

Thank you Jeff and Sirdle for your words of encouragement...helping me to make a 'reality' check and to get back into a healthy mindset. I know that life is about repetition....dishes, laundry, job, bathing, etc etc and for many of us that also includes 'try, try' again. I need to refresh and refuel myself to take charge as I've done in the past. I AM my biggest problem. I must view McD has a long-term way of eating, not a fixed period of 'dieting'. With this view my slips might still come but will be shorter lived unlike this time which took me to a dark place. Summer is here and here comes the light...and renewal, please G-d.

Thank you for your support and input.

[midnight87]

I'm up 1.4 lbs this week. Too much salt last week I think and too lax on things. I'll get it straightened out this week

[moonlight]

I’m down 1 lb. to 170! I hope everyone has a good week.

[Shelley Crockett]

Good morning everyone,

Really loved the posts of encouragement above. We all "slip" or as I heard someone say recently "don't think of it as going backwards, think of it as a side step. It's much easier to recover from a side step than a back step. If feels less painful". This has stuck with me. I now side step periodly and the when ready take that tiny step to the left to get back in line vs a giant step forward.

Speaking of which, I had side stepped the last two weeks and have taken that side step back onto plan.

I'm down 3 lb this week.

Thanks again for your honesty & encouragement.

Shell

[kdeaton]

Starting Weight: 244
Current Weight: 244
Goal Weight: 180

Okay, so obviously this hasn't been a great week, weight wise. However, my husband and I celebrated 21 years of marriage (and we still really like each other!) and I have continued to be meat and dairy free. This week I really, really embraced the starch base, and I think that is where I have learned a few lessons. "Free" does not mean it's okay to be a glutton and just eat to eat. I am going to have to learn to break some bad habits. In addition, at least until I get a handle on this weight loss, I am going to have to work harder at sticking to the foods that come from the MWL portion of the book and app. Luckily for me, my husband is on board and he is now more willing to eat meat free as he is seeing results for himself!

Wishing everyone a health-filled week.



Forward progress is not always in a straight line!