March 2021 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[kakapo_chick]

Kia Ora all from New Zealand. Hopefully I've landed from the southern hemisphere into the right place. (I haven't used a discussion board for about 15 years!). Anyway, I have read the orientation and think I am familiar with what is required on my part. I must say I anticipate trouble thinking, tracking and reporting in imperial measurements but I think I can adjust OK for the greater good! Off to make a menu plan for the week. Kia Kaha (stay strong) Lizzy Edited to say I've found the weight tracker works in KGs too (yay) but how do I attach it to my posts as others have?

[Mark Cooper]

kakapo_chick - Hi! Welcome to the group. Here's a tutorial discussing how to use the tickers.

Lots of us use tickerfactory.com, although there are several options out there.

• Go to http://www.tickerfactory.com.
• Select weight loss ticker and put in your preferences for the ruler and the image you want to use as your slider/marker. This can be changed at any time, so don’t stress about getting it exactly right.
• Enter starting date and weight, goal weight. If you want to track BMI along with weight, there’s a place to add your height.
• When you’re satisfied with what you've built, copy the bbCode (not the HTML — that’s important) from the final page of the ticker builder, and come back to this board. Open your User Control Panel, click on Profile, and paste that bbCode in the "Edit signature" area. Click on "Submit," and test to see if it worked by looking at any of your previous posts.
• To Edit the ticker (as your weight changes!), just click on the ticker at the bottom of any of your posts, and you’ll be taken back to the tickerfactory.com page. Make sure to remember your PIN that you set when you created the ticker, or you won’t be able to edit it.

The ticker I just built as a test should show underneath this post. If it disappears at some point, it just means I decided to erase the bbCode from my Signature in my user profile. You have that option, too, at any time.

Hope that helps.

[Rachael]

Weight change +/- in lbs:
last week 149.2
this week 150.8
+1.6 lbs

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.yes and I started doing a soup before breakfast which I really enjoy. It's warm and helps fill me up.
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.yes
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.no, last night I ate half a box of Frosted Mini Wheats. They were calling my name and I couldn't resist. This morning I woke up with that guilty feeling which I hate.
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).yes

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I'm disappointed in myself. I followed 9 out of the 10 but I gave in and binged on that cereal last night and I'm feeling bad about myself. I'm a little anxious about the next few days. Tomorrow we're going to my parent's house to celebrate my sister's birthday and there will be food I can eat, but the part I'm concerned about is cake. The cake is vegan so I can let myself have a small piece. I'm worried that once I start I won't be able to stop though and that small piece will turn into another piece which will turn into chips, and nuts, etc, etc. So I'm having this internal struggle about maybe not even having a small piece - but I think I'm going to really want one. On Monday and Tuesday I have lunch meetings for work and I've checked the menus out and picked the best meals for me, but I'm worried they will still cook with oil but I guess that's out of my control. I'll ask and hope they abide.

Anyways, I'm trying to stay positive and just take it one meal at a time. I have a question on how to figure out what my weight should be. I'm 5'8", so what is a healthy range for a female? Thanks Mark for your feedback the last few weeks. I'm so grateful for your comments and ideas.

[anne57]

...

[cmcavazos]

Weight change +/- in lbs: - 2# loss

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. - NO
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. - YES
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.
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). - NO -- I missed exercise 2X this week.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
Victories: The week went smoothly. We had family visiting and I was still able to stay on track food-wise.
Commens: I'm trying to follow the plan but not to overly focus on the food and the scale
Questions: None

[PotatoHead1980]

Weight change +/- in lbs: +0.2

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. A few times.
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. Yes
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). There were two or three days that I didn't walk this week.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
I went to a fancy gala event on Saturday night which served champagne and a four course meal. I was able to get a vegetarian option, but it was far from McDougall compliant. Other than that one meal, I have been strictly MWL compliant all week. It's possible my weight gain was because of that one meal, but I have lost more weight than I thought possible at my last three weigh-ins, so I suspect there were some water-weight fluctuations going on due to eliminating added salt. Either way, my clothes are clearly fitting more loosely, so I'm not worried about it at this point. I'll be on vacation with the family for three days next week so I'm going to cook up a large SNAP meal and bring it along in a cooler. See you all next week!

[bunsofaluminum]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1

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. YES
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). no
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. SEE #5
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). YES

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Last Saturday I indulged at a family St Patrick's Day party. I ate some high fat hors' d oeuvres on sliced baguette...guacamole, olive tapenade, and tomato bruschetta. Also had a slice of cake. One meal. I also had a slice of baguette w. guac the next day. So twice I ate higher fat foods. Other than that, on plan 100%. But! The scale jumped during the week, up to 231 and took a few days to come back down...wonder if I would have more than a 1 lb loss this past week if I hadn't eaten off plan.

Anyway, I'm enjoying front loading with soup, and plan on having it every day. In fact, I made soup first thing this morning, and have ingredients in the fridge for making more soup Coffee is now out of my life, as one sip of it sets my heart thudding. No thank you. I think it's related to the healthy eating, in that properly nourishing myself has healed my body to the point that my adrenal glands are functioning just fine, and the caffeine jolts me rather than perking me up. Even thinking about coffee at this point kind of gags me. Energy is terrific, so that my walks are longer and go further YAY because I love walking and haven't been able to because of foot pain.
Yep. It's good!

[HoustonJason]

From Houston Jason
Original Weight 252 on January 1.
March 19 = 210

Total = - 42 pounds

Weight change +/- in lbs: - 2 pounds

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit No, most of the time.
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. No, most of the time
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. Yes
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).
I still have a little unsweetened almond milk in my coffee and oatmeal. I also had a delicious smoothie with bananas, dates, unsweetened almond milk and cocoa powder.
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). I jumped on the rebounder 5 out of 7 days. I also did some gardening.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I had spring break this week and tried clean our house like I've cleaned up my eating habits.  After 6 pounds last week I had no expectations of weight loss this week, but still managed to shave off two more pounds which is great! I can see the "100s" on the horizon. I'm hoping and working to get to 199 by the end of April. Thanks for your help!

Original Weight = 252 on January 1, 2021 Jan. 8 = 244 Jan. 15 = 237 Jan. 22 = 234 Jan. 29 = 231 February 5 = 226 Feb. 12 = 225 Feb. 19 = 221 Feb. 26 = 219 March 5 = 218
March 12 = 212  March 19 = 210

[PonysPlants]

Damn, gained 0.6lbs this week. Not ideal. I let some bad news derail me this week. A friend who has been ill for several months finally got diagnosed but with stage 4 cancer and I had some quick meals (sandwiches and a Chinese takeaway. Oh and chocolate and avocado) because thinking about what to make seemed too much.

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 tofu, avo, choc
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 Grabbed bread a fair amount this week.
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. Only managed 3 days this week.

So, I’ve slowly come to the realisation that o cannot eat bread and lose weight. Every single time I’ve had it I’ve gained or stayed the same. I don’t know if that’s necessarily the breads fault of if it’s just a symptom of me letting things slide!

On a lighter note I bumped into a friend who I haven’t seen in ages and she couldn’t believe the difference in me. She told me to be careful I don’t lose too much, as if it was that easy! And I bought some new jeans in a U.K. size 10 (US size 6) so that was really nice!

Anyway, onwards to another week. Going to prep a load of soup to freeze tomorrow seeing as grabbing the nearest thing when times are tough seems to have tripped me this week.

Thanks as always for your support and encouragement, moderators (and especially Mark). See you next week!

Naomi

[Principality]

Weight change - 1 in lbs:

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. 0% my meals are not courses per se. It is an all in one bowl kind of deal.
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. 80%
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. 0% I was using up some things leftover, like that chocolate bar.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). 50% this was just waiting for groceries.
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 100%
6. Eliminate any added oil. 100% easy peasy
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. Complete fail this week, looking forward to next week without the snacks.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 50% using up cranberry juice
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.30% I eat to stay awake after work till 2am since that is what the spouse is doing.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).10% trying to find something that doesn’t further aggravate the joints. Right now everything knee, hip is painful. The bike caused swelling on top of the knees, so I am going to try the rebounder next.

Victories, comments, concerns, it’s all going to be fine. The sun is shining, the fridge, freezer, and cupboards are stocked with compliant items. I feel like this week coming up is going to be much more successful, therefore it will be. The past week I was just getting my footing. Things to work on, reading and crocheting standing up. These are my main sedentary activities. This winter movement has been painful. I gained weight because I couldn’t move and then it was even harder to move because I gained weight. I ordered a pedometer to help progress slowly. That is my big plan for now. See, it really is all going to be just fine.

[Rebecka22]

165.8 Weight change +/- in lbs: -0.8 pounds

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. YES
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). YES

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I was really hungry and really tempted on Sunday, but I just kept eating on plan food and doing something else to try and keep my momentum strong heading into vacation and in general. On Monday I baked my toddler vegan chocolate chip cookies. I didn’t give in, but I did question why I was testing myself. Trying to strengthen my willpower for my trip I guess. Lol Thanks so much for the resources last week, I feel more ready now. I have baked potatoes, bean burgers and carrots and snap peas packed so I am ready once we get there and can take off our masks. I plan to do my best this week, but not stress. Bunsofaluminum I will let you know if I have any tips next week. On my way to the airport now!

[birdy birdy]

Weight change +/- in lbs: +1.2 gain

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. nnn
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).n
6. Eliminate any added oil.n
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.y
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).n
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

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Tough week. We sampled desserts last weekend for our only daughter's upcoming wedding. I knew it was going to be tough. I ate a big compliant meal right before we left the house so I would be less tempted and my husband said he would "take one for the team" and do the tasting for me . . . but in the moment I really really wanted to be part of this selection process. We just found out that our daughter and her new husband will be moving away right after the wedding and this has me pretty upset and I know that played into it. So I had bites of 6 different vegan chocolates. Very rich. And I experienced an upset stomach pretty much all night afterward. The rest of the week was better but a richer meal last night of baked falafels with tahini dressing and flour tortillas as wraps was not MWL. Onward!

[GreenFroG]

Weight change +/- in lbs: 0.00 no change

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: Stayed the same and ate out once this week, so I am happy. I got tripped up on the menu and ordered the baked falafel salad again...it was so good last time. I had lemon juice on top for the dressing but I figure that it was not compliant on 6 and 7. I am still learning to navigate the world of eating out and making selections that I know will fit into the MWL program. Translating it into action is definitely a learning process and why this group is so helpful. I am giving myself grace, and looking forward to better choices this week.

[squealcat]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.2 pounds !

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.Most meals
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.yes
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.I had one slice of my husband's homemade bread....dry
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).walked my usual 5 out of 7 days

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:Another successful week and I am very thankful ! I have figured out what foods work for me. It is a mix of oatmeal and fruit for breakfast every day and then salad before lunch and dinner followed by a simple rice dish or potato dish (or soup). I like variety but it needs to be simple and easy. I like to make my meals ahead of time because once evening approaches, Marilyn doesn't want to cook. She just heats up whatever is in the fridge.

My husband made a beef soup and had half of a large rutabaga and half a head of cabbage left over. I found a cabbage bean soup in my Vegan Under Pressure cookbook and it was delicious. There also was a recipe for that rutabaga as well. It was not my favorite vegetable but it was fine and I didn't have to throw it away. ( I hate throwing away food ).

Temptations? Yes, I still get them but they are much more diminished now. The other day I just kept eating potatoes until it went away (it worked for me ). Having lunch with friends next Monday. I will have to prepare ahead for that one. I am not stressed about it like before but I know I have to deal with it wisely and I know I can do it (and I know what happens if I don't ! )

I hope everyone else is doing well this month. Spring is in the air and I am thrilled with the weather here is Michigan !

-squealcat (Marilyn)

[Noella]

Hi Mark, Wildgoose, Jeff, and all MWL participants,
Weight Change: - 0.2 pounds
Starting Weight December 29, 2019: 240 pounds
Current weight 158.5 pounds

1. Yes, I started my meals with soup and/or salad and/or fruit. I enjoy having a starter salad, even at breakfast!
2. Yes, I followed the 50/50 plate method for my meals, filling half my plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and the other half with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. I just recently started including kale in our menus and both my husband and I are pleasantky surprised to discover we really like it’s flavour. We enjoy a broader variety of vegetables than ever before in our lives. It’s fun to try out a new vegetable and find you like it!
3. Yes, I greatly reduced added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. I like savory foods the best so I find a sprinkle of vinegar/citrus juice really boosts the impact of using less salt. Fruit has replaced sugar for me.
4. Yes, I eliminated all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). It’s a relief to know we don’t need to eat these foods for protein or calcium.
5. Yes, I eliminated all higher-fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Yes, I eliminated added oil. I am surprised to find out that I like food better without added oil!!!
7. Yes, I eliminated all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products, puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. dried fruit is easily replaced with fresh fruit.
8. Yes, I do not drink any calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
9. Yes, I followed the MWL principles, eating whenever hungry until comfortably full. I didn’t ever starve or stuff. It’s a happy feeling to be able to eat as much as I want to at every meal. As long as it’s within the principles Of MWL, I can completely relax my worries of overeating and simply eat ‘ad libitum’.
10. Yes, I got at least 30 minutes of exercise each day. I can continue Nordic skiing until the cross country trails close in mid April. Now I have added gardening. The last snow has finally melted in our yard so I have been raking, sweeping, lifting, bending with a new ‘fun’ mindset of getting exercise, fresh air, sunshine (vitamin D) and a trendy ‘forest bath’, too, as our 1 acre property has mature Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine trees. I thought gardening probably wasn’t as much exercise as cross country skiing is but after three hours of gardening I had the after-workout sore and stiff muscles to prove that gardening truly is a good work out - it just uses different muscles and is a pretty good work out after all.

Question: Are legumes the best source of fibre or do you recommend lower calorie density vegetables? What are your thoughts about using psyllium husks to boost fibre intake? Do you have any good links about the value of fibre?

Thanks, as always, for your support and encouragement, to all of our MWL moderators and MWL participants.I hope everyone has a good time following the MWL guidelines this week.

Best regards,
Noella