Not having much success :(

[lunaboyd]

Hi there,

This weekend will mark 4 full weeks of MWL for me. I have followed it perfectly - nothing from a package other than grains and hash browns, no added oil.

When I first started my weight dropped by a couple of pounds, but it quickly went right back up and will not budge. My ticker is incorrect - I'm back at 205 as of this morning. I was really hoping this would be the thing that would finally help me lose the weight, and I am so frustrated today. I'm so discouraged. No loss at all after an entire month.

In case anyone thinks I might be accidentally eating something wrong, here's what I eat every day:

breakfast: hash browns (the Cascadian Farms ones, which are just potatoes and salt) and tons of broccoli

lunch: big salad with a sweet potato and lime juice or salsa

snack: 2 pieces of fruit

dinner: vegetable soup with some beans - along the lines of Jeff's SNAP recipes - sometimes with brown rice; or steamed veggies with rice (about 2x per week)

That's it. I have not had a drop of Diet Coke or coffee. Water only.

For the past 2 weeks I stopped adding any extra salt to my food and I increased the exercise a bit; I don't have tons of time to get to the gym right now but I've been running for 30 minutes every other day, and doing yoga or strength training on the days in between.

I have a lot of weight to lose. I desperately want to lose it. I am almost in tears because it's starting to seem like no matter what I do I'm not going to be able to lose the weight. I have had my thyroid checked and there are no issues there. Does anybody have any suggestions? Is it possible that if I just keep going like this the weight will magically start to go at some point? I have not lost inches, either - my clothes are really tight, nothing from last summer fits, and I'm quite unhappy about it.

I don't have any health conditions right now other than being overweight, so while I know I'm doing good things to prevent future problems my main focus really is on wanting to get back to a healthy weight.

Can you tell I am feeling really sorry for myself today? I definitely am and would appreciate any suggestions or advice you all have. Thanks.

[SactoBob]

I checked what exists from your posting history and could suggest that you read Jeff's posts regarding calorie density. In particular, here are a couple of possibilities:

1. Eliminate or reduce all processed foods. That would include the smoothies and fruit juices you referenced. It would also include the sauces and dips that are blended. Also the pop corn (too calorie dense). Go with whole plant food entirely.

2. Eliminate all the take out food. Even if it looks good, you really have no control over that.

3. Up the green and yellow vegetables and front load with them. Some people will have a harder time losing weight (like me). What I have read in your posts suggests that you could be too light on green and yellow vegetables. A great trick that Jeff has in his new calorie density dvd is front loading. Start every meal with a healthy amount of green and yellow vegetables. So, e.g., before the hash browns in the morning, eat some steamed veggies. You could also go with something like oatmeal instead of hash browns - more satiety per calorie.

4. Reducing or eliminating the ketchups, sauces, etc. could also help. Some people can have problems there with quantity.

My approach is to start out with the toughest program you could do (as above). That way, you are sure to lose weight, and can then see how much deviation from the optimal would work for you.

[Nettie]

Hi there,

This weekend will mark 4 full weeks of MWL for me. I have followed it perfectly - nothing from a package other than grains and hash browns, no added oil.

......I don't have any health conditions right now other than being overweight, so while I know I'm doing good things to prevent future problems my main focus really is on wanting to get back to a healthy weight.

First, my heart goes out to you, Lunaboyd, and there are many folks here who have gone through similar struggles. I want to assure you that the program will work if you persist. And, after all, your goal is good health, and that happens on the McDougall program whether you're losing or not. You're cleaning out your arteries and building up your immune system and preventing cancer and diabetes, so you're still benefiting tremendously from this way of eating.

You may be very resistant to insulin and therefore your body holds on to the weight. But this is the very diet that helps with that issue as well, so don't give up.

Are you tracking your food and calories with Cron-o-meter? It may be helpful to see where you are.

I'm betting that you are getting smaller but just don't know it yet.

I would ask your physician to give you the actual numbers for your TSH reading. Dr. McDougall maintains that if it is above 2, you're hypothyroid, even though the range of "normal" is about .3 to 3.5.

All I can say is hang in there and don't give up. Perhaps others can give you some good advice. I can assure you, this will work for you as it has for others.

Nettie

[lunaboyd]

Bob,

Thanks for your reply. I should have mentioned that I only journaled the first five days or so. After that I did read more about calorie density and switched to the routine listed above. My breakfast is more than half green veggies; lunch is about 75% green veggies (the other 25% being the sweet potato) and dinner is at least 2/3 green and yellow veggies.

I did cut out the popcorn, fruit juice, most sauces, all take-out and smoothies about 2 1/2 weeks ago based on some additional research I did and my desire to lose weight more quickly.

I do appreciate your help. I don't really have any issues with food (I have never cared for dessert, pizza, junk food etc.) and will quite happily do whatever I need to in order to lose the weight without really suffering from emotional issues about it. So I have been researching and studying and I feel like I have learned a lot, applied the changes (like the calorie density stuff) and it still just doesn't seem to be working. Frustrating.

I will try switching to oatmeal for breakfast - I had been thinking about making that change. I'll also give some thought to the front loading idea, though since my breakfast is mostly broccoli, lunch is already salad and dinner is already vegetable soup I'm not sure what to change. I guess just plain steamed vegetables before dinner might help?

I'm going to keep at it and I thank you for the suggestions.

[lunaboyd]

Thanks, Nettie. I appreciate the support.

I don't have any plans to go off the diet - the food is good, I know it's healthy, and frankly it's not that different than how I was eating before. I don't know what I would eat if it weren't this, so I will definitely be staying on this plan.

I have not been tracking calories, no - after years of tracking every bite and calorie and still gaining (gained 40 pounds in the last 2 years) I frankly burned out on that whole idea, which was one of the big appeals to me of the McDougall approach: finally, no counting or measuring! But perhaps it's worth a try again.

I have a doctor's appointment next Monday so I will ask about the TSH numbers. Thanks for that suggestion.

[Nettie]

.....I have not been tracking calories, no - after years of tracking every bite and calorie and still gaining (gained 40 pounds in the last 2 years) I frankly burned out on that whole idea, which was one of the big appeals to me of the McDougall approach: finally, no counting or measuring! But perhaps it's worth a try again.

I don't blame you for not wanting to count calories again. I don't either, except once in a while when I've got nothing to do, I'll input into Cronometer.

That also is the appeal to me of McDougall: no counting calories, no weighing, measuring, etc. It's so freeing!

I just thought it might help you find some problem areas, but it looks like you're doing everything right now.

Keep us posted. I want to know how you progress.

Nettie

[kittyadventures]

luna you are probbly a lot like me. I am just incredibly resistent to weight lose.. The Doctor told me my body is just very efficient(at holding on to fat) IF I lived in the olden days I would survive a famine) I take it as a complement.
Here is some encouragement for you..
do stick to the diet. eventually your numbers will come down.. it may just be very very slowly!
get rid of any packaged food you are eating... sorry to say this but you may just have to.
Make sure the soup you are having for dinner is home made.
and keep up your exercise.


You will lose the weight it will go down!


Hang in there.
I can 't remember how old you said you were but you may also be entering perimenopause or menopaus and that will slow weight lose down considerably.

[Faith in DC]

good Kitty I was getting ready to mention the hormone thing. Sometimes it's just the darn timing of us weighing and what our hormones are doing.

I hope that you get the mystery figured out. I'm over 50 and if I stick with it the weight comes off and I am full. I only walk 45 mins, 4-5 times a week. I garden on the weekends this time of year. So I don't do much exercise.

[RiceGirl]

Luna, don't give up, please. I didn't lose one single pound for three or four weeks when I first started McDougalling and was disappointed, too. So hang in there. Just remember that your health is the main thing - weight loss is just a side benefit (and a very nice one, too).

DJ

[Potatohead]

Just keep doing what you are doing....Slow and steady wins the race....remember, that weight did not get put on overnight....it won't come off that way either

[raven]

Hi Luna, and while you're hanging on, come back here often. We all care how you're doing.
Raven

[lunaboyd]

Thanks so much to everybody for the support and advice. This is a really great forum and I'm so glad I found it.

I guess deep down I am just a little paranoid that I am the one person on earth who can't lose weight. I know other people out there have felt the same way when they've tried every mainstream weight loss plan there is, with no success. Last summer I was exercising strenuously for 3-4 hours a day, counting SAD calories obsessively, and still not losing.

When I read about the McDougall plan I thought it could be the magic bullet for me. And I still think it could be, but apparently it's going to be slower than I was secretly wishing for. I am now realizing that, as much as I would love it, I may just not be a person who can lose a couple pounds a week. I should be happy that I haven't gained, and keep tweaking things until I begin to lose, however slowly.

It helps to hear that others have had similar experiences and I definitely am sticking with it. Thanks again to everybody!

[themaillady]

Just remember what jeff says: time and adherence will bring success!

[dlb]

I don't really have any issues with food (I have never cared for dessert, pizza, junk food etc.) and will quite happily do whatever I need to in order to lose the weight without really suffering from emotional issues about it.

Luna -

When I read your posts, I thought "Mary's Mini."

It's not for everyone but you may want to try it. Here are the links, if you have not already seen them.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/june/marys.htm

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/july/marys2.htm

While you are frustrated, which I understand, I think you have a great attitude!

Donna

[CarolSoprano]

Luna, I have to second what Donna says. I did Mary's mini for the first 2 weeks and I lost about 10 lbs. I used white and sweet potatoes as my starch and the rest was all veggies and 2 fruits. When I started adding brown rice, oatmeal and other whole grain starches, my weight loss came to a screeching halt - it's taken me almost a month to lose the other 4 lbs. I've lost. In fact, I'm going back on Mary's mini starting next Monday to see if I can kick-start my weight loss again. I'm not a biochemist, but I suspect that our bodies are more efficient at holding onto weight when we eat certain starches but not others. It's really weird, isn't it?

Anyway, if you can get past the "sameness" of Mary's mini it will probably be a great way to rev up your metabolism and get your weight loss going. I actually really liked Mary's mini because I found so many new ways to cook potatoes lol!!