April 2021 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[squealcat]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -0.1 pounds (basically, I stayed the same as last week

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.no
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.didn't do well on this one either
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.no
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
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.no
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).I walked my usual 5/7 days


Victories, comments, concerns, questions:Weeeeeelllllll....., 3 or 4 days this week did not go well. It started with a night of little sleep due to (maybe) food poisoning. Not sure about that since I was eating all the foods I usually eat but you get the picture of what I suffered from. Then I got the sneezes and sniffles. I haven't been sick in over 4 years and, although I really wasn't suffering much, it kinda threw me. Then my little grandson with special needs was hospitalized and we took in his sister for a couple of nights. She is a lot of fun but, boy, she keeps us busy !

So, as I think about it, I don't do well when unexpected things happen and my schedule gets bumped around. I immediately started craving all kinds of my old food that I used to binge on and there it all went ! Thankfully, I was able to keep up my walking but I didn't feel like cooking my food or chopping vegetables. I feel much more rested now and my veggies are all cleaned and chopped, my rice is cooked and beans too.

I hope to have a weight loss next week. I know it looks like I lost (or stayed the same) this week but I am certain that last week was not accurate on my scale. Well, it will all balance out in the end.

I look forward to next week and am really glad that April has 5 Fridays ! Nothing else to say. I need to be prepared for the unexpected and also go easy on myself too. I think my past of continual dieting has left a bruise and it will take time to heal.

-squealcat (Marilyn)

[Rachael]

Weight change +/- in lbs:
Last week: 147.4
This week: 146.6
-.8

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:
Mark - I really appreciate your feedback and thoughtful questions you posed to me last week. My husband was able to scour the Easter candy bags to get rid of the candy that was really bothering me and that helped the obsessive thoughts in my brain. The cravings realllllllllllllllly came around this week for me though. I was fighting them nightly and almost gave in each time. Miraculously I didn't. I tried searching the forums for topics around cravings but couldn't find much. Do you have any tips for fighting them and not giving into them?

Concerns: My Father In Law is visiting for a long weekend from Indiana and loves to eat at restaurants and indulge and is just one of those personalities that is so fun to be around that I find myself starting to get lax. I know from past experience that when I eat well for a couple weeks (which I have), I tell myself a lie that it's okay to have a little something because I've been so good. WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP! It may start as something little, but always turns into a binge. I just cannot handle the first bite of food that does not adhere to this way of eating. The lie that I can have "a little something", coupled with my father in law being here, is really going to be challenging. My strategy is to follow the McDougall plan but cut myself some slack around eating the MWL way for this weekend.

[RebeccaF]

Weight change +/- in lbs: - 140.5 lbs.- -1.3 lbs.

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. - No. Ate fewer non-starchy vegetables than I should have and more beans and rice, potatoes, sweet potatoes, quinoa, etc.
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. Ate four brazil nuts on three different days.
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. Ate air popped popcorn for fibre because I ran out of apples.
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.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).- Yes. Lots of walking and stroke exercises.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: - Did not do so well this week. Having problems making the transition to more raw foods; this has to do with difficulties getting shopping done. I will work on that this week.

[chef16]

04/10/2021 224#
04/16/2021 224#
same ,no change 0

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.50%
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.50%
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).100%
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).85%
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.95%
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).50%

Terrible week! So much stress, illness and very little home time. I am amazed I did not gain . I wanted to not report this week , but that would have been a bad choice ,on top of a long week of questionable choices. I don't know what next week has in store , hoping for the best. See you next week.

[Gimmelean]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -.10 pounds
4/09/2021. 127.6
4/16/2021. 127.5

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). 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, a ir-popped popcorn. Mostly-

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 am so glad to be able to participate in this discussion and to have the support of this group. I have learned more accurate and credible information about weight loss, my behavior,and weight management than I ever have thanks to the support and resources you provide even though I’ve struggled for a lifetime with my weight. No sugar coating either! But always kind, reflective and so very much on target. Thank you Mark.

[PotatoHead1980]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.1 lbs.

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. 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 had a good week, not much to report. I'm able to fit into some of my clothes now that I couldn't six weeks ago, so this plan is definitely working for me! And I've got the MWL food figured out to where I can eat this way indefinitely. My biggest challenges are trying to stay away from the snacks and junk food, and navigating social situations which always seem to revolve around food. But so far I've been doing well enough to keep losing weight.

[Noella]

Mark and everyone,
I enjoyed spending time reading everyone’s reports and thinking about our struggles and our successes with MWL. Thank you! It’s nice to be here with you.

Weight Change +.2 pounds
157 pounds

1. Yes, I started my meals with soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
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. I had fruit for dessert.
3. Yes, I greatly reduced added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too.
4. Yes, I eliminated all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Yes, I eliminated all higher-fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Yes, I eliminated added oil.
8. Yes, I did 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.
10. No, I didn’t do the minimum 30 minutes of exercise each day. (Not even close: 2/7)

I wasn’t able to bust myself out of daily inactivity and launch myself into regular daily physical activity this week. Each day I woke up with the renewed plan to get moving and do the hiking trails that are conveniently nearby, or simply get outside in our yard and do some gardening. But every day except for two this week, I spent too much time thinking about exercising instead of just doing it! The best exercise that I have found, so far, that doesn’t hurt my knees is cross country skiing; sadly the ski trails are now closed for the season. Many summer activities require strong healthy knees to participate happily. Yesterday my husband mentioned that he really misses playing tennis and golf with me. I haven’t been doing these sports much over the past few years because of my knees and I haven’t been cycling either. Our upcoming trips to the long beaches of Pacific Rim National Park and hiking at Lake O’Hara in Yoho National Park will require me to walk. So I need to get started on my exercising because I need to know exactly how much, or how little, exercise my knees can withstand each day and then I will know what to expect on our camping trips. Right now, gentle walks on level terrain hurts with each step and after a thirty minute walk my knees feel worse rather than better. I know I need to set up some sort of training schedule that steps my walking distance up gradually. I want to see what’s possible. I’m hopeful that daily movement, a diet of nutrient-rich vegetables, legumes, grains and fruits and losing about 15 pounds will heal my knees.


I hope that everyone has a great week. Please be a very good friend to yourself and treat yourself with lots of loving self-talk, compassion, empathy and thoughtfulness. That’s what I try to do and it really helps.

Best regards,
Noella

[Belana]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.2 lbs.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. N
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visu-al volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. N
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. N
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. Y
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Y
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:
Since I haven't posted in a couple of weeks, this commentary will be a bit longer than usual.
I haven't posted because the week before last, I got the Covid vaccine and suffered a horrible side effect from it, in the form of a debilitating headache. Although, I'm planning ahead to be prepared for vaccine # 2, I'm still worried about what will happen from the second vaccine. I feel as though I'm submitting myself to state sanctioned torture.
As for following the guidelines; I do, it's just that eating fruit, salad or soup before a meal, doesn't work for me. the reason being, I eat all that stuff throughout the day as my snacks, along with potatoes, so it feels like to much food, if I were to eat any of that before all my little meals/snacks. I count snacks as meals.
I do try to eat romaine hearts at least once throughout the day, so that I fill up more on that instead of the higher calorie stuff.
At main meal times; which for me is usually later in the evening, I do try to eat a big salad, before I eat the big prepared meal.
Lastly, I'm trying to minimize the amount of fruit I eat, so using fruit for dessert or beginning a meal with fruit doesn't help my weight-loss goals.
Personally, if I'm losing a pound a week--I'm good. I believe that's a healthy and sustainable amount of weight loss for me. Especially, as I segue from getting back into cycling shape-to -being in good cycling shape. That takes a lot of time and energy. Increasing my cycling effort makes me a lot more hungry and tired.
While on this diet in the past, I've found that when my weight-loss wanes, I'm able to ramp my weight loss back up if I only eat a big salad in the evening, instead of a meal that consists of higher calorie foods.
The week after the Covid shot suffering, I was out of town.

[Mark Cooper]

The window for reporting this week's weigh-in and behavioral results has officially closed.

The remainder of my replies and the weekly summary will follow.

[Mark Cooper]

squealcat - Hang in there, Marilyn; feeling ill, sleeping poorly and keeping up with a youngster would tax anyone's determination! I think you have done a really thoughtful job of analyzing how surprise events and disruption to your schedule contributed to these recent challenges. Would it help to build a bit more resilience into your weekly routine, so that you'll have a "buffer" of prepared food stocked in case of interference from circumstance? I think when we are feeling discombobulated it is easy to fall back into old patterns.

I need to be prepared for the unexpected and also go easy on myself too.

I agree on both points! Cheers for 5 Fridays!

Rachael - 10/10! Give yourself a big round of applause for successfully resisting those powerful cravings! I think Jeff offers the best advice for dealing with cravings

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.

Dr. Lisle's lecture The Story of Willpower – What it Is & How it Works is also very relevant. I really identify with your description of trouble following "the first bite" of non adherent food, I've experienced that myself. The good news is, if you abstain from that initial bite for a substantial period of time, it becomes easier and easier. Would it help to sit down and spend some time really thinking through and planning for the challenges you expect will accompany your Father-In-Law's visit? A "cope ahead" plan is something I've found very helpful.

RebeccaF - Another 1.3 lbs gone! Shopping can definitely present challenges, especially given the pandemic. Keep in mind that there is no requirement for transitioning to a greater volume of raw foods within the MWL 10-Point Checklist, cooked foods serve just as well (if not better). You'll settle into a routine that works for you with time, assessment and ongoing adjustment; have a good week!

chef16 - I'm so sorry this week seemed terrible! Stress, illness, and a demanding schedule can all exact a heavy toll. Reporting, in spite of these challenges, is an exemplary choice, Doreen; I think self-assessment and accountability inevitably contribute to progress. Is there anything you can do presently to prepare, so that you are well positioned to face whatever "next week has in store"?

Gimmelean - Your scale ticks downward again this week, no doubt due to your solid adherence! Thank you very much for your thoughtful sentiments. Having accurate, credible information, combined with lived experience and time-tested habits helps us to move beyond the lifetime of struggle that might otherwise trap us, right? Onward!

PotatoHead1980 - A very good week, I would say, Chris! Enjoy that new wardrobe! It seems like you are in a good groove. You'll master those remaining challenges with time, planning and experience (and trial & error); social situations can usually be managed with planning, and avoiding calorie-rich processed foods is largely a matter of regulating one's environment to be supportive of that goal. You can do it!

Noella - My heart goes out to you. I know how disruptive, demotivating and discouraging ongoing pain can be. Knee pain is irksome, for sure. Have you ever done any formal physical therapy as a treatment for your knees?

Please be a very good friend to yourself and treat yourself with lots of loving self-talk, compassion, empathy and thoughtfulness. That’s what I try to do and it really helps.

This is a beautiful sentiment, and spot on.

Belana - Substantial progress! Sorry to hear you were suffering from bothersome side effects. That is no fun. I think you have a good sense for what rate of weight loss is sustainable for you. Best wishes for a easy second vaccine, and enjoy that transition into full cycling form!

[Mark Cooper]

Please note - I replied to each participant individually in the two lengthy posts linked below, provided that their reports followed the guidelines for weigh-ins.

Mark's Replies for April 16 - Part 1
Mark's Replies for April 16 - Part 2

By my count, 19 participants reported for our third April 2021 MWL weigh-in! If I neglected to include anyone, or you notice an error in the tally, please let me know (via PM so we can keep the thread as tidy as possible, or in a post here if you cannot PM).

Here are the results for the third Friday in April:

Week ending 4/16/2021: 19 participants reported a total loss of -17.10 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Noella +0.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total gains: +0.20
--------------------------------------------------
NO CHANGE / MAINTAIN / STARTING OUT
Chef16 0.00
HoustonJason 0.00
PonysPlants 0.00
--------------------------------------------------
Gimmelean -0.10
Squealcat -0.10
Anne57 -0.20
Curcubit -0.40
GreenFroG -0.60
Rachael -0.80
Kakapo_chick -1.10
PotatoHead1980 -1.10
Belana -1.20
RebeccaF -1.30
Connielovesdogs -1.40
Cmcavazos -1.80
Bunsofaluminum -2.00
Rebecka22 -2.20
Josietheschnauzer -3.00
--------------------------------------------------
Total losses: -17.30
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for April 2021 to date: 52.10 pounds
Average loss for week ending April 16: 0.90 pounds
Cumulative group loss for January 2021: 117.20 pounds
Cumulative group loss for February 2021: 39.40 pounds
Cumulative group loss for March 2021: 73.20 pounds
--------------------------------------------------

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, April 23, 2021.


Congratulations everyone! Your dedication and perseverance is inspiring!

If you haven't already become familiar with Jeff's article on Passive Overconsumption: The Unintended Intake of Excess Calories, it is definitely worthy of your time. The various factors that lead us to overeat, in spite of our best intentions, are often a recurring obstacle to our efforts. The principles discussed complement and enrich our understanding of calorie density in regard to MWL.

Apropos of this week's discussion about "taking the first bite" having a "little bit" of something non adherent, I came across Jeff's reference to an article discussing an interesting study: Slippery Slope: One Tiny Truffle Can Trigger Desire For More Treats

Indulging in just one small chocolate truffle can induce cravings for more sugary and fatty foods—and even awaken a desire for high-end status products, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Consumers many times may perceive that a small act will be enough to stop cravings of fatty food items, but our research shows that small acts may lead people to unconsciously seek more indulgence

Fortunately, we are not required to satisfy our maladaptive desires, as wildgoose discussed in this excellent post.

Covering a similar idea, from a slightly different angle, here is a post by Jeff providing a viable point of view in which to frame abstinence from calorie-rich processed foods (CRAP).

Make the best of today, tomorrow and all the days to come! Take care and be well!

[texaslil]

Weight change +/- in lbs: +1.8

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, EXCEPT HAD SOME DARK CHOCOLATE
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, EXCEPT HAD SOME DARK CHOCOLATE
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, ATE TOFU AND AVOCADO
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. HAD HOMEMADE OIL FREE PIZZA
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. NO.....
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). 4/7 DAYS

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I AM SO SORRY FOR NOT REPORTING IN LAST WEEK AND BEING LATE THIS WEEK! THINGS HAVE BEEN VERY BUSY HERE AS WE ARE PREPARING FOR A WEDDING AND MY DAUGHTER IS COMING HOME FROM UNIVERSITY. I AM OBVIOUSLY DISSAPPOINTED ABOUT THE WEIGHT GAIN, BUT AS YOU CAN SEE, I HAVEN'T BEEN 100% ADHEARANT. IT STARTED WITH EASTER AND JUST CONTINUED ON THROUGH THE PAST TWO WEEKS. I HAVE ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCING A LOT OF BLOAT; I FEEL LIKE 3 WEEKS OUT OF THE MONTH I AM NOTICABLY BLOATED AND THEN THE WEEK AFTER MY PERIOD I AM NOT.. THIS IS HUGELY FRUSTRATING AND UNCOMFORTABLE. I'M NOT SURE WHAT IS CAUSING IT, BUT I BELIEVE IT IS A PART OF MY CYCLE. DURING THOSE 3 WEEKS I ALSO SEEM TO BE LESS ADHEARANT, NOT AS RESILIANT IN MY FORTITUTE AGAINST FOODS I SHOULD NOT BE EATING. I AM WONDERING IF THE AVOCADO, TOFU AND PIZZA MIGHT BE CONTRIBUTING TO THIS. THIS COMING WEEK WILL BE TOUGH, AS I MENTIONED MY DAUGHTER IS COMING HOME AND WE HAVE A REHEARSAL DINNER AND WEDDING TO ATTEND. I KNOW WHAT TO DO, SO I'M HOPING I FIND MY RESOLVE! I'LL KEEP AIMING TO GET OUT OF THE 170s!

[Mark Cooper]

texaslil - Why not try a week of really strict adherence to the recommended behaviors, and see how that goes, Laila? Can you make a plan for how you'll support that goal, and get prepared for whatever unknowns the days ahead may bring? As you wrote, you know what to do, and a little prep work can make one's resolve easier to find.

[Pattyj115]

Hello Mark and MWL Group,

I am back, finally. My last post was September 18, 2020. So much has happened in my life since then and it's all good! I am down 2 lbs from my last post too, mostly I just maintained, but I have so far to go and I really need the support and the accountability we get in this awesome group! I would really like to rejoin and belong here!

This is the best support group with excellent recipes! I look forward to some inspiration from y'all!

[Mark Cooper]

Pattyj115 - Hello and welcome back! I'm happy to hear good things have been happening for you. Kudos to you for maintaining the progress you made! Be sure to review the Orientation information; there have been some adjustments to how the group operates since the latter part of last year. Let me know if you have any questions.