The Behavioral Path to MWL Success - March 2022 Group

For those wanting to learn about and follow the McDougall Maximum Weight Loss Program. You can also join our monthly weigh-ins.

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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sat Jan 08, 2022 6:49 pm

Hi to Everyone in Team Time & Adherence,

So glad to have a thread where we can interact with each other. Thank you, Mark, for setting it up.

I am hoping that others may find value in this and participate.... :-D

Thinking that we could discuss things not MWL guideline related / not seeking moderator (official) support. No questions on compliance, etc.

We can still support each other as fellow participants...

Moral support, celebrating victories !!! :D before reporting time, sharing strategies to comply, getting to know each other .... , sharing favorite meals / recipes / exercise ...

There have been a gazillion times when I wanted to say YAY to all of you XXX or ask a question and I didn't want to clog the official thread or message.

I am not going to try to think of every single thing... I am going to ask a few people - hope nobody feels called out here. Would prefer to see who wants to participate first, but --- here goes anyway...

Noella --- I am so curious about your exercise stations!!!! Can you share further .... (I am no good at strength training ... and have laid off the balancing which I am going to reinstate this week)...

Moonlight --- I remember being Journal buddies awhile back... so glad to see you here and want to say... You go girl!!! remember that you were a great gardener and wondering if I can hit you up for tips ... :)

Chesca --- So impressed with your traveling compliance!! Also, your response last week really made me re-think a bit ... about your own empowerment to decide... (for me this means bad guys #5 & 7 didn't get into my mouth by themselves...)

I value every single team member / participant...

Would love to share / collaborate further...

Best to all for the week,
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby squealcat » Sun Jan 09, 2022 12:20 pm

I think this is a great idea and have also wanted to make comments but didn't do it because I didn't want to "mess things up" . I don't have anything to add at this time but will come back later !

-squealcat
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby Noella » Sun Jan 09, 2022 11:16 pm

Hi Team Time and Adherence,

Stephanie has asked me to describe what I recently put in place for getting more daily exercise. It’s been freezing here lately, with temperatures minus twenties Celsius. I haven’t been outside once in three weeks! Finally, today, the weather was warmer (-6), so I got out on the trails for a beautiful afternoon of cross country skiing. Exercising outside is so much fun, and it feels so natural and effortless. I like to breathe in the fresh scent of the forest-scented air and absorb some vitamin D from the sunshine on my face. Exercising indoors isn’t as engaging for me, so I decided to set up three different areas in our home to increase my intention and encourage my efforts. I need some variety, so I decided to designate three spots for daily movement opportunities:

1. Aerobics: I have a NordicTrack cross country ski exercise machine. It was set up in our garage, but it has been too cold for the past three weeks to use it there, so I decided to bring it inside and set it up in a hallway nook next to our stairway. When I use headphones (AirPods Pro), I can listen to videos, podcasts or music as I ‘ski.’ The AirPods are excellent at blocking out ALL the noise and distraction of the skis going back and forth in the tracks (which is quite noisy) and all other noises in our house, too. So I’m happy to ‘ski’ in this newly designated spot. Nordic skiing, the real thing or with the NordicTrack exerciser, is not just aerobic; it’s a whole-body workout.

2. Balance: In our living room, I rearranged furniture (I moved two occasional chairs to another room) to make a nice big area that’s always ready to go for balance-building exercises. Now I don’t have to move any furniture out of the way before I can begin to exercise. So, yay! An obstacle has been removed. I use the Nintendo Wii Fitness program on our TV; it is fun, and it includes a balance sensing step-platform that measures and tracks my centre of balance and progress as I do each exercise. The balance platform exercises include yoga, aerobics and strength building. Or I can use the step platform for dancing/running in place to music; it measures time and steps plus gives feedback regarding left foot right foot balance.

3. Strength: In our den, I have set up an area with a yoga mat, weights and bands. The different poses transfer your bodyweight to build strength.

* We also have stairs at our house, and stair climbing is an excellent workout for strengthening the lower body. Housework done vigorously is also a good workout. I have identified several ways to keep active indoors.

Fewer Obstacles and More Choices: Exercising has become more pleasant and rewarding as I have lost weight. When I set up these three exercise areas ten days ago, on New Year's Eve, my goal was to organize a few exercise choices and remove some obstacles that seemed to be giving me excuses or getting in the way of being active.
Now, to do at least 30 minutes each day, haha!! It’s not easy to get started each day; I hope that having some designated exercise spots in our house will help me.
Noella
Last edited by Noella on Tue Mar 08, 2022 9:52 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby squealcat » Mon Jan 10, 2022 5:19 pm

Noella, you have such good ideas !! These are things that would work for me because I would never take the time to set up things every day in order to get in activity. It would have to be easy and all ready to go . Excellent ideas !

Today my goal was to not take snacks from my daughter's house. I watch and care for my grandson three days a week. I know just where my daughter keeps her snacks and this has been the toughest thing for me to conquer !! I even asked her to hide them from my view but she just doesn't get it and keeps forgetting. I made this my ONLY goal for today to keep the pressure off . Well, this worked well for me. Now I need to stack up some other days like this to reinforce ! It helped that I haven't' watched the little guy for 3 weeks and I didn't even look in any cupboards.....just the fridge where my lunch was.

Usually exercise is a problem too on those days. Today I did 30 minutes of essentrics exercises (I took advantage of a trial offer from them ) and after leaving this afternoon I stopped at the gym for another 30 minutes of walking. I promised myself that I would walk one mile and could leave and go home but I walked a bit more and got in 30 minutes. I hope to do something similar tomorrow.

Hope everyone else is doing well this week. Staying away from the cram circuit is the hardest thing for me right now. If I can do it for a few more days then it will (should) get easier.

-squealcat (Marilyn )
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby VegSeekingFit » Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:25 pm

Hi Time & Adherence Peeps, :)

Hope that everyone is having a great day / week (month, year?)!!!

I've been trying to keep going with good habits and stop the bad guys... :mrgreen:

I was excited to finally purchase a new (medium sized) crock pot with some holiday gift cards.... and got up early this morning to make 2 quick soup /chili recipes. Made a bigger pot of Jeff's Longevity soup w/o the starch (for a pre-load) and a smaller pot of Red Lentil Chili (my son's favorite). I did get called "crock pot crazy"... but can live with this moniker!!!

We got hit with freezing rain on Saturday afternoon.... was glad to have gotten in an outdoor walk before that ... but we are still living in an ice skating rink, so haven't been able to take it outside Sunday or Monday. Have been doing inside Pacing with a Purpose, short spurts of stationery bike or stairs, and an exercise DVD... Have gotten in minimum average steps / day, but SO HOPING to walk outside a day or two (or three?) later this week... I've been listening to audiobooks with the indoor pacing - which has been great!!! If you like audiobooks, see if your local library offers Hoopla app - they have a decent collection (not everything) -- but all are available at all times (i.e., no holds).

Noella , Wow, thank you so much for sharing your exercise routine / stations!!! I am so impressed and intrigued!!! Love how you figured this all out and are doing it!!! Going to also take your advice on the vigorous housecleaning. Funny thing ... as my family is getting used to me pacing the house (which totally looks weird), my husband told me that I should wear Swiffers on my shoes.... (we have 2 cats, so this is fair feedback...) :-D Going to try to implement some of your ideas!!! Also, have to mention that I had to Google the Celsius to Fahrenheit conversion ... YIKES!! I would also so not be going outside in that either!!!

Marilyn, So awesome that you extended your intended walk today AND were able to not snack at your daughter's. I am so with you on working to defeat the Cram Circuit. I am not 100% clear on what is Pleasure Trap vs. Cram Circuit and how they circumvent.... but I am clear that I am here (in some bad habit trap since I opened Pandora's box).... Not sure if you saw in first January assessment thread the Wildgoose post describing some techniques / advice?? Maybe anything new??? Keep going, you can do it!! :)

I am on Consecutive Day 2 of NOT failing on 5 and 7. Have been eating dinner a bit later so that there isn't a "snacky snack" time at the witching hour. Maybe this will do the trick -- time will tell. I am ready for the tricks my mind will play on me....

Cheers,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby Noella » Thu Jan 13, 2022 2:14 am

moonlight wrote: Jan. 12, 2022 -Hi All!

I love this thread! Thank you, Mark, for setting it up. Thanks, Stephanie, for your energic encouragement to join in. :D

Since re-joining the MWL group I have had some real challenges, but I see progress!! I struggle with # 5 & 7, too. Every day I think I will have a 100% compliant day but one of these gets in the way. I'm very pleased with staying away from cheese. That was a struggle, too. My biggest challenge is staying away from my husband's food. He eats a SAD diet filled with sweets, ice cream, and all animal products. I just have to get a mind-set and it works. So, I totally understand the habit of eating snacks at your daughter's house, Marilyn. I asked my husband to move all the cookies, crackers, chips, and cereal to another room - his office. We also have a second fridge in another room off our kitchen. Not too far for him to walk. :D He keeps his half & half, cheese, eggnog, salad dressings in there. This helps me a lot. I am so grateful to him for supporting me in this way. Somehow the mind-set of not break the rule to go into his office for the goodies in there works. The small fridge is out of mind, too. I don't have to struggle with temptation every time I open the refrigerator or cabinets in the kitchen. :lol:

Noella, I love your exercise routines! I love to hike but the weather hasn't cooperated here in East Tennessee. I keep reminding myself that the daylight is getting longer each day!! When I'm not hiking, I will row for 30 minutes. Lately, I've started watching movies on YouTube. I didn't know that was a thing until a friend told me. Free movies on YouTube. Am I the last to know?!? :lol: I am starting a yoga class online tomorrow morning. It's only once a week but I am hoping it will inspire me to add it into my morning routine on other days, too.

Stephanie, I LOVE to garden, and I love to talk about gardening. I'm getting ready to sit down with the seed catalog and start planning for spring. Do you already have a garden plot? I have garlic and onion planted that we will harvest in June. I have Brussel sprouts growing but they are small. They are very good, but the harvest will need to be supplemented to supply me with enough to last a season. Cole crops are hard to grow in ET. Not enough cool weather.

I'm not sure if this thread is too long, but one more thing to share. I have found great satisfaction with making sauces using butter/lima beans instead of the oil. Sauce recipes that use cashew nuts I have substituted beans. It works well for me. One of my favorite sauces is Jerk seasoning blended with beans. I use a Jerk seasoning that comes in a jar from Grace. It's a paste-like seasoning and hot. I'm enjoying it on just about anything.

Take care! Good luck on keeping the energy and positivity going!

moonlight


Hi Team Time & Adherence,

I’m enjoying this! Anything worth doing is better when we do it together, right? It’s lovely to know that we are all following the MWL guidelines.

Question: Does anyone use an Apple Watch? If so, what features do you use and recommend?

Best regards,
Noella
Last edited by Noella on Tue Mar 08, 2022 10:01 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby Rebecka22 » Thu Jan 13, 2022 8:40 am

I use and love the Apple Watch. If you have an iPhone it’s great. It has actually motivated me to do more exercise and as I get in better shape I have to push harder. I love the daily goals and the challenge to close my rings each day. My husband has the Samsung one which he also likes, but he doesn’t seem nearly as motivated by it. Could just be my competitive and desire to get things done personality though. Thanks for this thread! I always love reading what everyone has to say.
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby Noella » Fri Jan 14, 2022 2:20 am

moonlight wrote: Jan. 14,2022 -Noella,

I love my iWatch, too. The activity tracker is one of my favorite features. It tracks miles, elevation, time, and heart rate while exercising. I like to track my heart rate to make sure I get up to moderate intensity range. It will sync with your phone, too. That way you can follow your exercise over time, all the way up to a year.

I also like the timer on the watch. It's great for cooking. You don't need to be in the kitchen to hear the timer go off.

Just the other day, I was thinking about if I would purchase another iWatch if mine stopped working and I realized I would. I don't have the new feature that notifies someone if you fall. Please let us know how that works, if you like it.

Happy skiing!!


Thanks, Rebecca! I am planning to buy an iWatch, so it’s great to hear that you use yours and find it motivates you to be more active! I’m hoping it will measure my distance and elevation when I’m cross country skiing, and also call for help if I fell and hurt myself while skiing the trails alone.
Best regards, Noella
Last edited by Noella on Tue Mar 08, 2022 10:04 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby squealcat » Sat Jan 15, 2022 7:18 pm

I just finished reading all the entries on the MWL Time and adherence board (or whatever it is called :-) ). Everyone was so encouraging and there were so many great ideas !! I did not post on there this week partly because I kept forgetting and also a little because I had a lot of trouble this week staying with it. Reading everyone's comments really made me feel the enthusiasm again and I will be back again next Friday.

The one thing I did do was make a big batch of veg soup for preload. Preloading the dinner meal has always been the tough one for me and I must say, I DID preload with that soup every day at dinner. That was my win-win this week.

Keep it up everyone ! What you share really does help !

-squealcat
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby Rebecka22 » Mon Jan 17, 2022 12:57 pm

Great job squealcat! Glad you’re able to see your win for this week and that you posted here. You got this! Have a great week.
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby Noella » Mon Jan 17, 2022 1:27 pm

Just thinking…I was thinking about Marilyn’s comment from last Monday, and it got me thinking about snacks generally and preloads within 45 minutes of our regular 50/50 starchy/non-starchy meals:
squealcat wrote:…Today my goal was to not take snacks from my daughter's house. I watch and care for my grandson three days a week. I know just where my daughter keeps her snacks and this has been the toughest thing for me to conquer!! I even asked her to hide them from my view but she just doesn't get it and keeps forgetting. I made this my ONLY goal for today to keep the pressure off. Well, this worked well for me. Now I need to stack up some other days like this to reinforce! It helped that I haven't' watched the little guy for 3 weeks and I didn't even look in any cupboards.....just the fridge where my lunch was.
-squealcat (Marilyn )

I believe it’s SO helpful for satiety to have fruit and/or salad and or soup before each meal or snack!
The number one behaviour listed in the MWL behaviour guidelines is ALWAYS to have an appetizer of fruit, salad and soup within 45 minutes before each meal as a preload. If we get hungry between meals, we can call our ‘snacks’ ‘mini-meals’ and ensure they include starch and a preload of fruit, salad or soup beforehand, too. Most importantly, every meal contains starch. The success of the MWL program is that this allows for the ability to eat plenty of food, whenever hungry, with complete enjoyment and satiety. It’s sustainable because we rarely get so hungry that we reach for calorie-dense foods.

An idea that came to mind for Marilyn: could you take lunch and a snack that includes starch (e.g., baked potato, tomato, and apple) to eat at your daughter’s house if you get hungry and need a snack before or after lunch?

For my cross country skiing, I usually take water and a snack along just in case I get thirsty or hungry when I’m several kilometres out in the backcountry. I like to put an apple and a baked potato in my pack, no plastic wrap is needed, and they taste delicious sitting in a warming hut or backcountry cabin while out in the fresh air and sunshine. I usually also have water a piece of fruit in the car for when I finish skiing. I often don’t get hungry or thirsty while skiing, but I feel better having some food with me just in case. I find that similar 50/50 starch/nonstarchy snacks work for me at home and even when shopping or at a restaurant. It might seem strange, but it works for me. I have taken a baked potato with me to a restaurant with the plan of quickly eating it in the car beforehand or adding extra starch to a purchased salad.

I am wishing everyone well at eating starch at every meal! 1/2 -2/3 of our plates need to contain starchy foods for lasting satiety.

Here is a McDougall Moment that gives us clear directions: https://www.drmcdougall.com/articles/mcdougall-moments/maximum-weight-loss-diet/?utm_source=McDougall+Newsletter+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=604e96dcc8-McDougall+Moments%3A+Maximum+Weight+Loss+Progra&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_96b24b2189-604e96dcc8-93087053&mc_cid=604e96dcc8&mc_eid=a12fb8677c#arve-youtube-1udaytett8k61e5ae8296a4e123589266

Noella
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby squealcat » Mon Jan 17, 2022 6:52 pm

Thank you Noella for your caring suggestions! I am actually going to my daughter's house again tomorrow and the next day. I was just thinking about what I will take. I am planning on taking a kale salad (already made) with balsamic vinegar and chickpeas or maybe a sweet potato . I have some baked potatoes all ready in our fridge and also 3 sweet potatoes. I will be taking an apple as well and will take one or two potatoes (just in case I need a snack ) . I just have to stay away from their cupboard where the snack food is. I used to have a problem when my son-in-law left to pick up my granddaughter from school (empty house except for Felix ) but now I have been doing 30 minutes of essentrics exercise at that time (which I am really loving) ! Little grandson is special needs and just needs some watching over and play time. He cannot move much because of his condition .

I like how you call the preload an appetizer ! Sounds better to me and more appealing. That preload was making me too full but now I am working at making it smaller and my dinner portions smaller as well. I have discovered that my dinner portions were WAY too large for me. Good discovery for me !

My MWL checklist is going well so far this week. Had a bump once today but quickly fixed. Looking forward to a good week coming up !

-squealcat
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby squealcat » Sun Jan 23, 2022 2:56 pm

You know? I am kind of getting "into" making the weekly vegetable soup for dinner or anytime "preload" !

Today I chopped up onion and celery and sautéed it in my instant pot. I decided that instead of hating all that chopping, I would turn it into a Zen moment (or moments ). I really didn't have much more chopping than that. I just threw in a package of soup veggies, the rest of the bag of Normandy veggies along with vegetable stock or broth. I had a bag of organic coleslaw that was expiring so after that first bunch of veggies cooked , I dumped in that coleslaw mix and cooked mushrooms. I like my soup pretty mushy. It is cooking a little more on the warm function and then it will be done. I will probably season it a bit after and include pepper since it has turmeric root in it as well. Not sure how it will taste but it looks good ! :nod:

As the years have gone by, my tastes have changed a lot. Who knew that I would be able to eat cold potatoes (previously cooked) with mustard on them ! Who knew that I would have a big salad every day and love it? Who knew that vegetable soup would sound good every day at dinner time?

I have to remember that I want to try that zucchini soup next week. I have made a version of it that has almond flour in it and I love it but now I should make the McDougall one without that flour.

That's all. Just a message that tastes change I am am still changing too ! :-D

-squealcat (Marilyn)
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Re: Off Topic thread for Behavioral Group

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sun Jan 23, 2022 6:45 pm

Hi Everyone!!! :-D

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!!!

Loved the posts on IWatch!!! Sounds like a great tool - especially for Noella with the safety / call features --- but for everyone else as well. I have a couple of good friends that have (and love) the watch!!!

Marilyn -- Loved your last post on how your tastes have changed!!! Your vegetable soup sounds delicious!!! I also have that Zucchini soup on my "to make" list --- it does sound good. I've struggled with finding a preload soup for cold (for hot weather was using a cold / gazpacho). Loving the Jeff Longevity soup recipe w/o the starch... making a big pot now --- and like you, didn't have to chop too much / was simple (and recipe is a keeper!!)!!!

Moonlight -- I loved your gardening plans!!! Awesome that you will have garlic / onion / some brussels!!! So, you are going through seed catalogs --- means you are 100% more advanced than me (buys plants...)... I am planning 3 simple gardens (some in pots...)... Will be growing a bunch of potatoes and then a "salsa" type of garden with cherry / grape tomatoes and jalapeno and maybe some other hot peppers.... and thinking of getting a raised bed / table to grow some greens. Then, herb garden that I want to move to kitchen window in the fall (but will require re-potting / moving a few cactus plants) :shock: ... Finally, going to do "Phase 1" of a Butterfly / Bee / Bird garden. We had to have some trees removed a couple of years ago (boo!) and need to re-plant some --- so will be doing backyard in phases. Going to start the "BBB" garden simple with Milkweed, Foxglove, Butterfly Bush, Bee Balm and need to find good berry bush for birds --- maybe a wet sandy space .... not sure -- researching!!!

So, I was feeling a bit defeated last week (all better now). I tend to quietly crawl into a ball when this happens as opposed to reaching out. Not the best coping mechanism for sure, but "know thyself"...

Decided NOT to be defeated by #5 and #7 and have consecutive clip of compliance. Looking to keep that up... I have plated my meals to eat so they are in my face for dinner or after dinner snack --- to avoid the bad (for me) guys. If I don't eat them, I have them the next day for a meal.

Onward!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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Favorite Meals?

Postby VegSeekingFit » Fri Jan 28, 2022 5:48 pm

Hi Team Time & Adherence, :)

Wondering if anyone wants to share favorite meals / foods?

I am super boring and happy to be repetitive... :eek: It keeps thinking requirements minimal anyway!!!

Seriously, have eaten pretty much like this all week:

B: Finger food salad = piles of raw veggies on plate - usually 3-5 - like baby spinach, carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli
Oatmeal cooked with banana and add frozen berry mix

L: Jeff Longevity Soup (no starch for PL)
Roasted veggies (like portabella mushroom, zucchini, bell pepper, onion) with tomato sauce
Fruit (have had Sumo oranges mainly this week)
Mexi Soup over rice or potato

D: Finger food salad (usually with other veggies different from breakfast) - like Romaine, baby cucumber, celery, radishes
Fruit (have been using mainly frozen fruit like mango with cherry)
Split Pea Soup (yes, most every day...)

Hope everyone has a great McD week!!!

Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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