MWL really working for me

[lucidguppy]

MWL did the trick for me this time.

I lost a lot of weight on the regular plan but gained it back eating too much bread and non-plan foods.

Using the MWL plan - I stopped eating the bread and non-plan foods. After 6 months eating MWL - I now almost weigh what I weighed 3.5 years ago. I've lost 38 lbs so far this time.

I'm having a challenge of balancing "goal wise thinking" and "this is the way you're going to eat for the rest of my life - so you're already winning".

I don't think I can go back to the regular program - as I already had trouble with it. My goal is to get to the lower portion of a healthy BMI range - that way I don't change mindset the moment I hit "normal".

[Daydream]

That's wonderful news! I'm happy for you.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Lucidguppy!!

Thank you for posting this - very inspiring!!

Congratulations on your success!!! Keep going!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie

[veggiemelt]

Congrats to you!!!

[louie3084]

Well done!

[lucidguppy]

Its official - MWL has helped me reach my best rebound weight so far.

Right now I've gone from 250lbs to 207.5 this year.

The lowest I've gone on McDougall was 175 - and started yo-yoing because of not following the diet.

This is the best yoyo I've done - and MWL was the reason why. It cuts out the bread - which was what I was snacking on. I replaced that bread with salads. Getting it right was down to keeping things ultimately simple. Essentially I'm cooking ingredients - not recipes.

My goal is to get to the lower side of the healthy BMI range. There's no stopping me now.

Thanks Dr! and thanks Jeff!

[wildgoose]

Congratulations, lucidguppy!!

You’ve found some really good insights. I agree, bread is a major factor in weight gain, or at least in stalling weight loss. Salads or raw veggies work for a snack, if you find that they satisfy your hunger. I can even snack on starch, or on a combination of starch and veggies, but it has to be a whole-food starch (a small piece of cold sweet potato is one of my favorites). Definitely not bread! Or rice cakes, for that matter (my downfall ). Dry, processed starches are always much higher in calorie density, which is why they are not included in MWL.

I’m with you on ingredients, not recipes. I would add my mantra as well — techniques, not recipes. I’ve put in so much energy chasing recipes over the years, trying to find the "perfect" substitute for whatever Pleasure Trap food I think I can’t live without. It’s exhausting and so not worth it! Keep it simple. You’ve got it!

Slow and steady does it. Onward and downward.

Goose

[Ejeff]

Excellent work lucidguppy! Congratulations on your success. I liked what you said about cooking ingredients as opposed to recipes. That’s essentially what I do as well. My lunch is usually a huge salad bowl, but I add cooked brown rice and roasted bell peppers. If I have both these ingredients ready, either frozen or in the fridge, it’s a great meal.

Thanks for sharing your progress, very motivating.

Erin

[lucidguppy]

New update - I've hit a healthy BMI this morning.

I was able to go from a BMI of 33.6 and went to 24.9 (247 lbs to 183lbs) from the start of May to start of Nov. I'm not done yet - I would like to get to a BMI of the lower 20's like Jeff recommends.

I'm not changing a thing, its just nice to mark the goals you've set out for yourself.

[VegSeekingFit]

Congratulations!!! Outstanding results!!

Thanks for sharing your journey. Your success is very motivating.