January 2021 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Mark Cooper]

Rita<3 - Happy Birthday! Excellent results this week, no doubt due to your consistent adherence to the recommendations (birthday cake notwithstanding). Nice work getting back on track and finding time to include exercise, especially in the face of chronic pain (I'm certainly very sympathetic to the challenges that can present). Keep doing your best!

jan_npr - Doing better than last year! Cheers for a fresh new start; you know what to do to make the best of the week and year ahead, start turning the nopes into yeses and the way offs into oftens!

CindyD - What a week of car calamities! Great job forgoing troublesome food choices in the midst of those frustrations. I agree that given your solid pattern of adherence, and the numbers you've reported over the past month, you shouldn't worry too much over this small gain. Just focus on eating the recommended foods, in the recommended manner, whenever you feel hungry. Hooray for making January EXCELLENT!

oneesotericgirl - Kudos to you for committing to make an honest effort! Even though you have some old habits to overcome, and significant changes to make, your thorough self-assessment gives you a clear roadmap of the changes that will best support the achievement of your goals. Would it help to bolster your willpower for that grocery trip by eating the recommended foods until you are comfortably full before heading to the store? Is the idea of having some tea or coffee without the added sugar and creamer unthinkable at this point? In regard to not enjoying the food, I think it helps to be sure and eat whichever of the recommended foods you most enjoy as often as possible, and recognize that there will definitely be a period of adjustment when transitioning from hyperpalatable calorie rich and processed foods. Your palate will adjust with adherence and time.

Artista - I'm so pleased this week felt like it went better, Nancy! "Easier" will come with ongoing adherence, time, and a well-tested routine.

OrangeBird - What better day for a restart than January 1? Having substantial changes to make allows great opportunity to make significant progress by moving toward the recommended pattern of behavior. The more points you are able to answer "yes" to, the better your progress is likely to be. You seem to have put together a reasonable plan of action in support of your adherence, reinstituting practices that worked for you in the past is a great place to start. Forward!

squealcat - Awesome work resisting those voices on Tuesday, Marilyn, and redirecting your thoughts toward your enjoyable oatmeal breakfast! That feeling of being "happy and free" can become more and more dominant as days of consistent adherence accumulate. I love the idea of your "mental timer," and you are right that those voices (and cravings) will fade and eventually be extinguished in time. Thanks for sharing that valuable observation!

Wfpb2020 - Hopefully the roughest aspects of the last few weeks are behind you with the passing of seasonal festivities, Gina. Living in an environment with someone who isn't pursuing this way of eating can definitely present some challenges, not least of which is the presence of non adherent foods we might still find tempting. Staying off BP medications seems like a valuable reason to continue striving for sufficient adherence to maintain that result. That yearning for higher fat foods will subside with a period of sustained adherence, but it often can take quite some time to disappear completely(for some, several months). In my personal experience, the best advice for battling cravings is Jeff's prescription below.

The fundamental basic principle of the MWL Program and the principles of calorie density is "whenever hungry, eat until comfortably full of the recommended foods." Because of this, there is no reason for anyone to feel hungry when following our guidelines. The recommended foods are minimally processed starches, fruits and vegetables. The most satiety, short term and long term comes from minimally processed starches and to keep the calorie density low, have them with some non-starchy vegetables. Remember, we do not have to figure out if it is true hunger, appetite, craving, etc. However, to be successful, you have to prepare for success and make sure you have availability of minimally processed starches throughout the day.

At the 10-Day program, the snack room is full of veggies (cherry tomatoes, baby carrots), fruits (apples, oranges) and starches (regular hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, potatoes, Split pea soup, Black bean soup, and Lentil Couscous soup). People choose from both the starches and fruits/vegetables. Choosing just vegetables or fruit will not be enough for most people to feel satiated. If you experience cravings for unhealthy foods, you can beat these cravings by choosing healthy foods to eat and knowing that these cravings will eventually pass and stop. However, you can not beat your biology (hunger) and your biology/hunger will eventually win.

jkcook - I think eliminating those specific calorie rich and higher fat foods is a great change to make! My go to condiments tend to be lime juice, cider vinegar and Mrs. Dash, but keep in mind that a sprinkle of salt is acceptable within the guidelines, provided it doesn't evoke uncontrollable cravings for you. Wildgoose's ketchup could be just what you are after!

Rebecka22 - A 1.2 pound loss is solid progress! Aside from your Christmas festivities, it looks like you had a pretty successful week.

I think this week taught me that I can make mistakes and just get it right the next meal, every choice is a new one.

That seems like an extremely valuable lesson to take away!

GreenFroG - Ugh! That water leak sounds like a real nightmare! Sorry you were faced with that. I think it can be quite useful to take stock of where we are at and how far we've come from our starting point. Developing a lifestyle you can live with and learning how to apply your toolkit in the face of obstacles and setbacks seems like an excellent intention to have pursued over the past 9 months. Great goals, both for next week and the year ahead!

[wstokes]

Weight change +/- in lbs: +.6 lbs

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
95%

2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
70%..I was amazed at how much "damage" several slices of pie inflicted on my progress this week.

3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
90%

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
70%

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
95%

6. Eliminate any added oil.
95%

7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
70%...mostly succumbed to saltines and some potato chips

8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
100%

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
85%...ate past my "full point" several times

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
100%

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
I still had a few moments of holiday food/New Year's Eve last hurrah type lapses. As of mid afternoon on Jan 1, I have so far made it in resisting all temptations. The lapses last week were justified with intentions of being very strict this month. Now I have to deliver. I'm interested in what will happen over the next four weeks if I can hold the line.

[Hope410]

Happy New Year

Weight change: -.8

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. 90%
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. 90%
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. 95%
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). 95%
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 95%
6. Eliminate any added oil. 100%
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. 90%
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 100%
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. 95%
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). 75%

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Well now, Christmas started out well, but by the end of the day had slid right down into the trap again. Oatmeal and fruit for breakfast and feeling good. Then had family here for gift exchanges along with their treats and even Christmas dinner(SAD). Truthfully they can't be blamed as the food was put in my mouth by myself. Happy to say the other six days were back on plan. I even was able to increase exercise to five days this week.

In the new year I'm looking forward to building on all the lessons learned last year through the guidelines, moderators excellent advice and encouragement, and the comments from all the rest of the members of this group. Thank you all!!

Hope for success for us in the new year.

[deb102]

Hi - I am new to this group and being in a forum is a first for me as well. I read through all the materials. I am familiar with WFPB eating through my doctor, and fell off the wagon last year and committing now to get back into it.
My starting weight is 156

If I understand correctly I need to paste this in:
Weight change +/- in lbs:

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Am I posting in the right place for this?
I ate oatmeal and blueberries for breakfast with some almond milk. So far I feel confident in making a good start. I made a big batch of bean and vegetable soup and froze half in single serve jars, and the other half is in the fridge. I feel happy there is a place to go to get support for this way of eating. My health provider stopped doing support for it and I did ok for a while but it is kind of lonely if you don't know anyone else who does this way of eating and I began to doubt if I was sane to continue. So I really appreciate that there is a place for support.

[dbrhw]

Weekly report
• Weight change +/- Today is the first day and will update next Friday
• Assess the week in regard to each of the recommendations from the MWL 10-Point Checklist, at least in brief.
Today.
• Victories, comments, concerns, questions
Question: the recommendation is to begin each meal with soup, salad or fruit. This beginning is in addition to the 50% vegetables? ANd the soup... many soups are like a meal with starches. Would I substitute. the soup for the 50% starch?

Thank you,
dbrh

[cmcavazos]

Weight change - No change 0 gain 0 loss

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. 6/7
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. 6/7
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. 5/7
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). 6/7
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 6/7
6. Eliminate any added oil. - 5/7
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.6/7
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 7/7
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. 6/7
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). 4/7 -- Cold and snowy days restricted my daily walking routine. In Texas, we aren't used to knee high snow!

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
Victories -- New Year's Eve I was off plan, but I did fairly well during the week. With the cold weather, I ate more soups and stews and less cold food like salad. The food felt heavier than I'm used to eating so I didn't know what to expect at weigh-in.
Comments, concerns, questions -- None for this week

Here's to a better and healthy 2021 all the way around!

Thank you

[MichelleM]

Weight change +/- in lbs: 0 (first day)

I will ponder these for next week since I am just starting today.
1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I am looking forward to having accountability with this group. One question. How can you figure out if you are really hungry? I don't think I am hungry in the morning, but I eat because I feel i should eat breakfast.

Happy New Year Everybody!!!

Michelle

[birdy birdy]

Weight change +/- in lbs: + 0.4

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. 90%
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. 100%
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. 100%
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). 100%
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 100%
6. Eliminate any added oil. 100%
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. 80%
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 90%
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. 100%
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). 85%

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Some of the foods I eat have added sugar, but I think it's minimal. 2 - 3 TBSP in a batch recipe with 8 servings. Is that a lot? I also batch cook steel cut oats for breakfast. My recipe is 3 cups dried oats, 1 cup raisins, 10 cups water. Are the raisins adding too much sugar?

Thanks for being here with this group. I'm looking forward to the accountability. Happy New Year!!

[JeffN]

Are the raisins adding too much sugar?

Raisins are 1350 calories per pound, which makes them calorie dense. They are on the 10 pt check list as one of the foods we avoid on the MWL. Fresh fruit would be your best fruit choice.

I would recommend making the oatmeal without the sugar and sprinkling it on the oatmeal at the table each day before you eat it. That is how we recommend using it for both the Regular and MWL program and it will give you the most flavor while minimizing its use.

In Health
Jeff

[chrisg]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.5 - Started 12/29/20

Hi - I am new, so hopefully am posting this correctly!

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. Yes
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. Reduced salt seasoning, but not eliminate
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Yes
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). Yes
6. Eliminate any added oil. Yes
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. Yes
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Yes
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Yes
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Walk 3-4 miles most days

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: A little background as I am new - I started eating plant-based about 14 months ago. Have gradually improved as I learn more, i.e., started with recipes using cashews, oil, etc. Have since been following Dr. McDougall and have learned about the calorie density chart and now try to follow it. It really has been a process, and I continue to learn so much. I grow a large garden and eat really well, but am a very slow loser, which gets very discouraging. I walked 5 miles per day every day last winter training for a 50k one-day hike, which got cancelled in March. I continue to walk 3-4 miles most days, but have not been consistently eating as well as I had been. I have chronic Lyme and struggle with chronic fatigue, so what I eat really has a huge impact on how I feel. I have to work really hard (diet & exercise) to feel decent and have have been feeling pretty crummy these past couple of months. I felt better last winter than I had in the past 5 years. I am ready to get back on track and give it 100% to feel as well as I can. I would like to lose at least 30 pounds. I am looking forward to being part of this community.

[Drew*]

Weight change +/- in lbs: N/A (-5.1 lb since re-starting on 12/29/2020) (182 lb this evening, 1/1/2021)

MWL checklist

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. 50%. I did not follow this very well. Mixed fruit with oatmeal. Mixed veggie with starch. Will add some soup this coming week.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. 75%. I mostly followed this method, but do like to mix it all together.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. 75%.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). 100%.
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 75%. Sliced avocado.
6. Eliminate any added oil. 75%. 1 tbl. oil plus maybe some in a couple veggie bowls.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. 75%. Crackers.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 75%. But no juice or sugar sweetened beverages.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. 75%. Overate some of the MWL food on Wednesday and Thursday. Need soup beforehand.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). 100%. Three 30 minute sessions on exercise bike and 1 run today for 1 hour 8 minutes.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I am not sure if my weight this evening is so accurate. I used a scale that I normally do not use and did so later in the day after two meals and a snack. Overall this week since Tuesday after I emailed Mark about re-joining the group was normal for me. I have some habits that are hard to shake and it will take constant reminders, consideration of articles, and this group. In November I was in the mid-170s while in the group. Now that I am back, it will be great to read the postings and summaries, the ups and downs of you all. As an ex-smoker for 20 years, I gained some insights about the benefits of quitting that habit. Eating is not such a habit. But what one puts in the mouth can cause ill health, weight gain, and other issues. Now that 2021 has started, it is fitting to begin again for health, fitness, and weight loss. I do not have a specific goal. Let's just say that I have a ways to go. I am a 5' 9.3" male who is 57 years old and optimal weight for me, according to BMI charts is between 126.2 and 170.5 lb. It may be helpful at some point I will set a target.

Happy new year!

Drew*

[Watchjulieglow]

Weight change +/- in lbs:
219.2LBS

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:

I’m ready to join! Is it too late !? Please say it isn’t
Looking forward to making that change that is much needed!
Hello everyone my name is Julianna but you can call me Julie
I am a vegan for 5 years since 2016,
But like dr mcdougall calls “ fat vegan”
I’m tired of being overweight and eating terrible I want my health back and I want to feel good in my own skin!
I’ve read everything and I’ve basically seen every video on YouTube lol I’m ready and I know what to do sorta just need the support thank you!!

[lmggallagher]

SW: 241.9 lbs.
GW: 150.0 lbs.

Last Weigh in: 213.4
This Week: 213.4 ????


Weight change +/- in lbs:

Lost/gained: ??? Actually don't know - scale as last week is still dying but not registering any change.
New one according to tracker app is in Arizona somewhere
Should be here for next week's weigh-in


1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:

All these thumbs down on the checklist were one meal early in the week. It was stress eating due to really weird circumstances. Due to Covid and my health status I use a grocery delivery every week for my food. This week - I had a truly peculiar incident -- a scam shopper.

This person showed herself completing the shop in 15 mins - but it literally was my entire pantry restock and took the second shopper a little over an hour. The first shopper added $34 of AA batteries to my list and checked out. As soon as I called and reported a nondelivery and the weird addition the shopping list - the service banned the shopper and got someone else to redo my shop.

What had been one of the first schedule deliveries of the day turned out to be one of the last and I spent hours on the phone with the shopping service correcting a double charge to my account It was weird and stressful and ultimately I ordered deli food and snacks I haven't eaten in years as the delivery was arriving well after dinner. An actual SAD binge as the deli (which does have some oily vegan food typically) was closed during the holiday week. I ended up with refrigerated pre-made sandwich, salad and etc.

My erratic scale never registered a weight gain - it didn't budge all week - but from this one meal of SAD food my blood pressure reading went from normal the morning of the SAD eating and to Stage 2 hypertension the very next day. After a day of compliant MWL eating it was back down to normal, but still a little high for me on average. So, the scale may not be working but my BP cuff definitely told the story.. One lesson learned (among many) - never let the cupboards go bare between shops and etc.!

I am still aghast that someone would forfeit a job with a fair salary and great tips for $34 worth of batteries. I'm hugely grateful for the essential delivery people - and with a couple of exceptions they have been stellar at every aspect of their job. This bizarre exception still has me in mode

Hope everyone is remaining healthy and that Mark has had a full recovery from his recent scare - best to all - Michelle

[cbritten101]

Weight change +/- in lbs: My starting weight is 146.1 Goal weight is about 110.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Y
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.Y
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. Y. No added sugars, little salt
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).Y
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). Y
6. Eliminate any added oil. Y
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. N - I had some Mary's Gone Crackers (5 or 6)
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Y, one of my goals is to eliminate my nightly glass of wine.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Y
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Y. Walked 4 miles today. I'm just getting over hip tendonitis, so this is good for me!

[PonysPlants]

Hello everyone, and happy new year!

Lost 1.2lbs this week. Was hoping that I might have lost all of my extra Christmas weight but that’s an ok chunk of it. As always, it’s harder to get out of the pleasure trap than you think it’s going to be. Doesn’t help that my lovely husband bought me a box of vegan gourmet cookies for Christmas! They’re going to be hidden in the office if they cause me issues this week. Very happily my husband has committed to doing a WFPB month with me this January which will make life much easier. I can’t sneak a cookie when I’m trying to sell this way of eating to him!

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. YES
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. YES.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES Easy. Vegan for life
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados,) NO. Had some cookies
6. Eliminate any added oil. YES.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. NO. Cookies and some bread
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). YES.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. NO. Not every day but maybe half.

Pleased to have the new year here, I mean, who else thinks that 2020 outstayed it’s welcome, and have the promise of a fresh start to keep me motivated.
Major victory: I was having a wardrobe clear out and found my thin clothes that I promised myself I’d throw away if I didn’t fit into them by the end of 2020 and they all fit! Such an amazing feeling!

Mark, thanks so much for looking after us here. It’s so appreciated.

Naomi