carwex - Happy to see your post, Carol! I think making such significant, lasting lifestyle changes is best imagined as an ongoing project, with ups and downs, and periods of assessment, reevaluation, and renewal. The pattern you describe will feel familiar to many participants; it is all part of a broad learning process, I would say. Cheers for your rededication!
squealcat -
squealcat wrote:I wander off sometimes and think I can eat differently and do well. I just fool myself. Then I get myself back to eating the MWL way and think: " this is so easy ! I can do this forever !" Well I know I can do this forever and I AM doing it. Sometimes a little back and forth happens. I am not perfect. I continue on for this next week. My goal is to follow those 10 MWL points one day at a time.
Like the pattern Carol described, I think the "back and forth" you mention will ring true for many in the group, Marilyn. Great goal!
PonysPlants - YAY! You have come so far, Naomi! Isn't it interesting how dramatically one's palate can change in the absence of hyperpalatable stimuli? I can very much relate to no longer even wanting to "cheat;" it's liberating isn't it?
PotatoHead1980 - Diligent attention to the recommended behaviors and an impressive weight loss to report! Seems like everything is working just as it should, Chris.
Keep it up!
bunsofaluminum - Down a pound! Congrats on that FIVE YEAR low and your "new" wardrobe!
Have a wonderful vacation. Kudos for "keeping your head on your shoulders." Jeff's principles for
Dining Out can help with your planning for those restaurant meals.
anne57 - Nice progress! On that one particular day, were the rich foods something you had planned, or more of a spur of the moment occurrence? Some special frozen vegetables sound like a fun treat. Good for you!
Rebecka22 - 10/10! Fantastic work getting back on track! It is natural to feel some disappointment when the scale doesn't reflect our excellent efforts, but I wouldn't worry. You've reported some substantial weight loss this month, and it can often take a little time for the scale to "catch up" with where we are at in behavior. You are absolutely right that consistent, diligent adherence is the best foundation for results. Onward!
curcubit - Congratulations on that very happy news from your doctor's visit! I think
this post does a great job of explaining considerations with fruit.
In regards to fruit, Dr. McDougall stated long ago that if you want to lose weight you may want to limit your fruit consumption to two servings per day because some people have an tendency to overindulge in fruit. That being said, fruit is very low in calorie density, and we believe that eating fruit is a great way to still achieve your weight loss goals; however, if you find yourself eating copious amounts of fruit every day and are not seeing the results you want, that is an indicator that you may want to slow down on your fruit consumption.
Also,
this thread collects some previous group discussions on fruit consumption. Jeff's
Rules & Guidelines for Reading Labels can help you determine which condiments would be most suitable for MWL. Great idea to get the pecans out of sight (and, ideally, out of mind).
Keep accentuating the positive!
GreenFroG - All THUMBS-UP!
Your attentions to the recommendations while dining out sound like real victories!
Speaking for myself, I often just eat my whole meal before heading to a restaurant - I tend to view restaurant time as an opportunity for socializing, rather than a meal. At other times, depending on where I might be dining, I bring 1 or 2 cooked sweet potatoes with me; it works great for a restaurant that has steamed vegetables or a good salad on the menu, but no adherent starch. I've never had an establishment complain, since I'm usually dining in a group. In general, sweet potatoes tend to be my "go-to" food; they're a favorite of mine, and they taste good hot or cold, with vegetables or fruits.
HoustonJason - Another pound gone, and 46 cumulatively!
I imagine those compliments make carpool duty a cheerful task! Have a very Happy Birthday! If you decide to include non adherent foods for that occasion, I would encourage you to decide in advance what that will look like, and what the constraints will be. It can be pretty easy for a day of "celebration" to turn into a weeklong affair.
Of course, there are also adherent foods that can be festive - particularly special fruits, vegetable or starches that you really enjoy but don't have as often, perhaps? In either case, getting back (or staying) on track offers the surest path to that BMI milestone. You can do it. May you have many happy returns of the day!
Noella - Another drop on the scale! I'm sure receiving that first dose of vaccine was an incredible relief. I'm so happy to hear that your digestive issues have ceased (and the eczema and hives). I think the approach to the elimination diet that Jeff describes
here is very helpful in understanding what to consider and how to go about the process, just in case you haven't seen it already.
Noella wrote:The meaning of life is making yourself meaningful to other people.
What a beautiful sentiment!