Jeff
I have had a few messages and emails asking me for more clarification in regard to my comments in regard to the topic, "Can You Really Eat As Much As You Want?" in the discussion in the following thread, "Eating Between Meals"
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 22&t=26337
The originally question posed was...
Chimichanga wrote:If I'm not mistaken McDougall program says to eat as much as you want , whenever you want till you are reasonably full.
My response...
JeffN wrote:This is a misunderstanding of the recommendations of the program.
The question I have been asked is, "how is this a misunderstanding of the program as don't you and Dr McDougall often say, 'food is unlimited' and that you have both said, 'eat as much as you want, whenever you want till you are reasonably full'?"
Therefore, let me clarify this important point.
First, the issue has been covered here in this forum, several times.
Specifically here, in this thread, "Food Really Unlimited??" where someone is directly asking the exact same question. This thread clarifies the issues and puts it into proper perspective and was posted in this forum about 4 years ago.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... =22&t=6032
This same thread is also listed in this forums Hot Topics thread and is the first one listed under the section, "Calorie Density, Weight Loss, BMI, How Much To Eat."
Here is another recent clarification of the above question..
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=47047
This is also posted in a thread that comes with the recommendation "Please Read Before U Post" and has been at the top of this forum for 4 years.
The reason this was done 4 years ago is because it was very clear when I first started posting here that there were many misunderstandings of the program and many issues that needed clarity, So, if people wanted to really understand the program, they would benefit greatly from reading the discussions about the program where many topics, which may need clarification, are discussed in greater detail and clarified.
After all, Snyder's Pretzels are on the approved food list.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/pack_pretzels.html
Chocolate Black Bean Brownies are a featured recipe.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2009nl/jul/recipes.htm
However, hopefully, everyone understands that you can not eat Snyder's Pretzels or Chocolate Black Bean Brownies "as much as you want, whenever you want till you are reasonably full" and be healthy and/or lose weight.
This would also hold true for many other foods and recipes that are allowed and even sometimes served at the program.
In addition, one would also need to take into consideration the individual's health and/or medical issues of the person asking the question.
In the thread in question, it was from someone who was wanting to lose weight and admitting that they were not able to reach the goal they wanted. In such cases, the MWL thread and the additional adjustments to the MWL would be recommended, which are both discussed in this forum going back to its beginnings and in a Newsletter by Dr McDougall 7 years ago.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/ ... ushing.htm
The Newsletter directly address the situation in question and makes it clear, that not all food is "all you can eat" for everyone.
So, as we can see, everything has to be put into proper perspective & context. You can't judge a food by any one aspect and must look at it from a total perspective; just as you can't make a finite conclusion from any one study but it must be put into context and the overall body of literature; and the same holds true for isolated quotes that are not put into proper perspective and context.
All of this was discussed in detail in a long discussion in this thread here...
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 2&t=14185&
So, as we see in the above thread, it is very easy to misunderstand a quote (or two) from a book (or two) and take it out of context.
That is not the problem, and it is easy to see how it can happen.
It is important to then try and understand the quote and how it fits into proper perspective. This forum is full of long discussions helping to clarify many of these important issues.
However, to then continue to take the quote and use it out of context, & insist it is some ultimate truth, is a problem.
Also, misunderstandings of the program is also one of the main points I make in the thread, "Top 10 reasons for failure" which is listed in the FAQ.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8316
As we can see, this point is also highlighted in several of the Top 10 Reasons including
1) Poor Adherence/compliance. Sometimes from lack of application and sometimes from lack of understanding of the principles.
5) Not understanding the difference between something that is "allowed" on occasion in small quantities, and something that is "recommended."
This just happened again this week in regards to my new video, Nuts and Health. In this forum and on my FB page, there were comments from people who both were not "newbies" but who were "surprised" at my recommendations in the DVD. Yet, these are the same recommendations I have made in this forum since its inception, on FB since its beginnings and in my presentations and writings going back about 20 years.
This reminds my of a similar example with the quote, "All Foods Fit" which is often attributed to the American Dietetic Association and to many RD's as supporting the notion that all foods, regardless, really do fit. We can find this quote in many places online and in books being used to imply just this.
Now, I am not a supporter of the overall message of the ADA but in all fairness, that quote is being taken and used out of context.
So, let's clarify.
Here is the original and full quote..
"All foods can fit into a healthful diet 'if' consumed in moderation with appropriate portion size and combined with regular physical activity."
So, we have two issues. One, the quote is taken out of context and two, the quote does not apply to the audience it is usually directed at as most Americans do not consume a healthy diet, nor do they consume food in the proper portion size, nor do they engage in regular physical activity.
So, in this case, it is a misunderstanding, a misrepresentation and a misapplication of a quote.
I discuss this in this article,
https://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=447727931818
which was also posted in this forum.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 22&t=21260
It also reminds me of the famous quote on saturated fat that is attributed to Dr Castelli, which, once again, is often taken out of context on the internet which I clarified here.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... 4&p=259807
So, to not understand the original quote and use it out of context, is fine. Looking to have it clarified and put in proper perspective so one has a better understanding is also fine and the intelligent thing to do.
QUESTION: "Can You Really Eat As Much As You Want?"
ANSWER: https://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=6032
Now you know!
In Health
Jeff