September 2021 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[ComfyDiet]

I had a dinner fail tonight. I attempted JeffN’s Curry Potato Dish and despite using half of the bottle of curry powder, my dish had no flavor. I was really bummed. I don’t know how to cook at all, so I’m learning as I go. My favorite MWL meal is simply brown rice with a salad. I start with the salad though and learned from you nice people that my plate still needs to be 50/50.

Does anyone have any favorite ways to prepare any frozen vegetables?

[Health 1st]

I had a dinner fail tonight. I attempted JeffN’s Curry Potato Dish and despite using half of the bottle of curry powder, my dish had no flavor. I was really bummed. I don’t know how to cook at all, so I’m learning as I go. My favorite MWL meal is simply brown rice with a salad. I start with the salad though and learned from you nice people that my plate still needs to be 50/50.

Does anyone have any favorite ways to prepare any frozen vegetables?

ComfyDiet,

Thank you for sharing your experience. We have all been there + done that where a meal or 2 or more have not turned out. It can be really disappointing, especially if you've spent a lot of time +/or money on it. Hopefully it wasn't a big batch that you made.

I am not familiar with the recipe, but just some things to consider: If you're brand new to this way of eating, it takes some time for our tastebuds to adjust. But as long as you remain adherent + don't keep giving your tastebuds overly processed + salted foods/seasonings, you'll soon find that the plainer, whole foods really are delicious on their own or with little seasoning, like it sounds you are doing with your brown rice.

Also, you can always add (if you like), some onion +/or garlic powder or even raw onion +/or garlic. As long as you don't have health problems, you can add a little bit of salt to the surface of your food--not when cooking, but at the table after you've 1st tasted it without any added salt. Keep in mind, though, that salt is very high in sodium, can really add up fast, + can really negatively affect your health. It can also keep your tastebuds wanting more highly seasoned foods more so than the foods in their natural state.

Doing perfectly with all 10 items on the checklist is great! But none of us is perfect + we are all on a journey. You'll get there with having your salad 1st + then still a 50/50 plate or bowl. On days when you succeed with this, that's wonderful! On days you may not, try to give yourself some grace. Again, this is a journey + you will get there!

Do you have an Instant Pot? They are great for making frozen or fresh vegetables. I don't really follow directions or recipes, so I just kind of wing things. You can always cook veggies on the stovetop or in a microwave. Another fairly quick + foolproof vegetable is zucchini. They're popping out of a lot of gardens now + also are reasonable in the stores. You can wash + slice some up right into your brown rice + cook them together...super simple. A cooked onion adds to the flavor, too.

Finally, if you're craving a salty taste, there is a fairly expensive, but salty tasting salt-free product called Benson's Table Tasty. We've only tried the original. I've noticed that it has a slightly lemony flavor. A little goes a long way, + you can buy it from Amazon.

[ComfyDiet]

Wow, Health 1st! Thank you so much for your beautiful reply. I will certainly try some of your suggestions. The zucchini sounds especially good! Thank you for your thoughtful response. I hope this week is going well for you.

[Health 1st]

Wow, Health 1st! Thank you so much for your beautiful reply. I will certainly try some of your suggestions. The zucchini sounds especially good! Thank you for your thoughtful response. I hope this week is going well for you.

Oh, you're welcome, ComfyDiet. Getting wordy seems to be my specialty , so if anything I mentioned can be of help, that's great! By the way, depending on how you like zucchini, you can always cook it a bit longer where it almost dissolves + isn't as noticeable. You can also add dried Italian/pizza seasoning herbal blends, but always read the labels because some contain salt. Adding some no salt added tomato products + a can of drained, no salt added beans will change the taste up, too, + provide even more nutrition. Have fun; there are so many exciting + easy ways to make our food interesting.

[Noella]

Hi Mark Wildgoose and Jeff!
Mid-week check in: Attending our daughter’s birthday celebration was an interesting experience — weight-loss wise. I haven’t seen most of our son-in-law’s extended family since their wedding two years ago due to travel restrictions so they haven’t seen me during the past twenty months of following Dr McDougall’s books. I had preplanned our food for this party but I hadn’t prepared myself to graciously receive all of the surprised gasps, gestures, and comments about my new appearance. There were so many comments about how I look and I wasn’t at all ready for this sort of attention. When it was shared that I had lost ninety pounds someone started to clap, and then everyone joined in! I was honoured and recognized for my weight loss success and I felt not just surprised by this but a bit overwhelmed by the attention. Everyone was complimentary but somehow it still made me feel slightly uncomfortable while happy at the same time…. “Look at you! You are half the size!” “You’re so skinny now!” “You didn’t ruin your face…your skin looks good.” “You had such chubby cheeks before! [They then puffed out their cheeks to demonstrate how I used to look!] Now your slim face makes you look exactly like your daughter.” Then the questions started: “How did you do it?” “What do you eat?” “Where do you get your protein?” “How much weight did you lose? I wanted to change the subject to anything else, but one person in our family was intent on getting details. Now I know I need to be prepared for much more than just the food.

Question: How do we best handle the social side of things?
Mistake: I forgot to take some MWL adherent food to share at the party. I wish I had taken a veggie platter.
Best regards to all,
Noella

[Mark Cooper]

Question: How do we best handle the social side of things?

This post has some responses to this question from Jeff, wildgoose, and myself. I can imagine how your experience at the party felt both gratifying and overwhelming; I hope the linked post offers some help, and please let me know if you have more questions.

[Noella]

Question: How do we best handle the social side of things?

This post has some responses to this question from Jeff, wildgoose, and myself. I can imagine how your experience at the party felt both gratifying and overwhelming; I hope the linked post offers some help, and please let me know if you have more questions.

Thank you, Mark! This post is perfect! I really wish I had read these suggestions right before we went to the party. I have read these before but it wasn’t fresh in my mind and I wasn’t expecting all the questions. My husband doesn’t understand how uncomfortable I felt so I’m going to have him read this post because I want him to understand a bit more and, then we can take the approach of ‘I guess its working for us’ then changing the subject next time this happens — I want to be rehearsed and ready.

[wildgoose]

I really wish I had read these suggestions right before we went to the party. I have read these before but it wasn’t fresh in my mind and I wasn’t expecting all the questions. My husband doesn’t understand how uncomfortable I felt so I’m going to have him read this post because I want him to understand a bit more and, then we can take the approach of ‘I guess its working for us’ then changing the subject next time this happens — I want to be rehearsed and ready.

Noella, that’s the key. Deflect the questions as soon as they happen. The more you answer, the more questions you get, until it spirals to the point where you’re very uncomfortable and you can’t easily change the subject. If the one questioner still persists, you can either tell them you can talk to them later if they’re interested, but you really want to enjoy the gathering now, or just laugh and say "hey, enough already, OK?"

Having your husband understand in advance how you feel, so he can back you up and share your strategy, is another good idea.

The next get-together will be a lot better, when you’re rehearsed and ready!

Goose

[Rebecka22]

148.0 Weight change +/- in lbs: -0.2 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 survived another week. While there was less temptation there was still temptation to eat chocolate and drink mochas, but I refrained and planned and stuck to it, so that’s success. It’s difficult when everyone you’re around is using food to get through their stress, but knowing exercise does that for me and getting up at 5 to workout before work every weekday helps too. Thanks again for all the support from this group.

[GreenFroG]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -0.8 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: Was pretty good this week except for #7 where I had a handful of crackers at a social gathering. I did not go prepared because I was not expecting food. I found myself stuck by a table with food and soon found myself giving in...it was late, I was tired, I was not prepared. Next time I need to make sure I have a bottle/cup of water in my hand so it is full and not empty. If I know there is going to be food, I try to bring fruit or carrots to snack on, but making sure my hand is full will be my new strategy for unplanned events.
I tried hard the rest of the week to stay on track, so am pleased with the loss, but now have a desire for non-compliant crunchy things. A little frustrated with myself, but now know that my will power is not as strong as I had hoped and that I really have to watch myself in social settings. Any other tips anyone wants to share would be great.
I also really appreciated the discussion about navigating the social setting questions on weight loss. My weight loss was not as significant, but I have struggled with these questions as well, failed and found myself buried in questions / conversations. Heading off the questions before they start seems to be the best approach for me, but I still find that it is easier said then done. 'Love all the discussions, posts, comments, cooking tips, etc. Thank you all for sharing and posting. It helps!

[Mark Cooper]

Rebecka22 - SUCCESS! Ten BIG YESes is a great way to close the month! You are demonstrating that with dedication and planning adherence is feasible, even with attendant temptations.

It’s difficult when everyone you’re around is using food to get through their stress, but knowing exercise does that for me and getting up at 5 to workout before work every weekday helps too.

I agree with both parts of this; it can be quite challenging to act in a manner that is contrary to or incongruent with the majority that surrounds us, and reframing our view onto more health-supporting and productive coping strategies definitely helps. Daily exercise can be such a powerful positive force in our lives, right?

GreenFroG - It seems like you did a great job resuming the recommended pattern of behavior this week, in spite of the frustrating cravings inspired by that handful of crackers! We can't expect ourselves to necessarily be fully prepared for every obstacle that looms in our path, we all get caught unawares sometimes. I think your idea to be sure to grab some water to keep yourself occupied is an excellent idea. If possible, physically getting away from the tempting item can often help, too. To me, another important piece of the puzzle is taking a moment to fully recognize the knock-on effects that often follow in the wake of a lapse, e.g. cravings; as we solidify our understanding of the many costs that accompany departures from our prevailing pattern of behavior, I think the allure of troublesome foods can diminish. These situations get easier with time and experience, as we practice and build confidence in our abilities. None of it necessarily comes easily, so I think it's important to treat ourselves compassionately, while still learning and making improvement in our practice wherever possible. Onward!

[texaslil]

-,6 lbs
165.2


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. NO ate grape nut cereal
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). NO had plant based milk in my cereal
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:
Still working on eliminating all high fat/overt fat foods. As you can see I did have some cereal for a snack after dinner on two evenings. I find that when I eat early in the evening, finishing by 6:30-7, I get more snacky and fruit does not always satisfy the craving.

Will continue to work towards 100% adherence this week...

[cmcavazos2]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.4# loss

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.
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. 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:
Victories: A loss this week. I don't think I have been eating differently over the last few weeks. Perhaps better compliance with the 10 guidelines has added up little by little -- finally resulting in a loss. That's ok. I'll take that!
Concerns: None
Questions: None

Regards...until next week.

[Gimmelean]

Weight change +/- in lbs: 0

9/17/2021 127
9/24/2021 127

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. No!


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, last week you asked,
“Was there any particular context for eating the more calorie rich flour products this week? Any changes in the relevant factors?”
Thank you for encouraging
me to self illuminate and be curious about when and why I did that. I discovered there is very specific context. Always after dinner and after a busy day at work,I’ve given myself permission and have headed back to recreational eating to distress.Two weeks of this. It’s most definitely a chain reaction and inevitably leads to eating the wrong foods and/or weight gain. This week I did all of the “right” things but too much of them! I need to head out of the kitchen after mealtime- intentionally - and find something better to do. I hope to have better results to post next week. Have a good week everyone!

[Noella]

Deflect the questions [about how you lost weight] as soon as they happen. The more you answer, the more questions you get, until it spirals to the point where you’re very uncomfortable and you can’t easily change the subject. If the one questioner still persists, you can either tell them you can talk to them later if they’re interested, but you really want to enjoy the gathering now, or just laugh and say "hey, enough already, OK?" Having your husband understand in advance how you feel, so he can back you up and share your strategy, is another good idea. The next get-together will be a lot better, when you’re rehearsed and ready!
Goose

Thank you,Wild Goose! I like your suggestion: “ If the one questioner still persists, you can either tell them you can talk to them later if they’re interested, but you really want to enjoy the gathering now, or just laugh and say "hey, enough already, okay?”
Good wording that I will try to use next time I have a problem like this.

Noella