The Behavioral Path to MWL Success - September 2022 Group

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Re: The Behavioral Path to MWL Success - September 2022 Grou

Postby MakeHealthLast » Sat Oct 01, 2022 12:59 pm

Friday, September 30, 2022:

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.--I had meals where half of my plate had non-starchy vegetables.  This was a big improvement, because the last 6 weeks or so I was hardly eating any vegetables.

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.--I did not add sugar at all, but did have some items that contained sugar.  One time I used a seasoning mixture that had some salt in it on a potato.


4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).--No meat, eggs, fish, or seafood, but did have some cheese.


5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).--Had some macadamia nuts (I know, I know, super fatty) + avocado.


6. Eliminate any added oil.--I did not add oil, but had some things that had oil in them.


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 2 cupcakes + 1 granola bar.


8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).--100% good.


9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.--Did well except for 1 time I overate.


10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).--Walked 6/7 days, not as briskly as would have liked due to my hip being sore + resolving back pain.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:

Over the months I thought of all of you + wondered how you were. I'm happy to be rejoining you all! :-D Life has continued to be busy, but not anywhere as crazy busy as it had been back then, plus we were still going through/recovering from covid. (I'll have to go back + read my last posts.)

This past week ended up being a transition week, hence the above off-plan items.  I was going to start strictly a few days ago but then decided to do that on the 1st of October:  easy date to remember, first of the month/clean slate, last quarter of the year.

The months that I've been away from the Group + Forum have been good in terms of living life a bit more than we have been the last 2+ years because of covid (getting together with some family + friends, going to 2 county fairs, + on a short vacation).  But that, of course, brought up challenges that I didn't have to face the last couple years, which was 1 plus of the pandemic.

My 2 biggest nemeses continued to be the perfectionism with my eating + lack of sleep.  I had some great, solid weeks + months of being super on-plan with significant drops in my b/p #'s + I could feel the pounds dropped.  I really am not a fan of weighing, but my clothes were baggy + I could tell I lost a lot. (When I eventually get down to my goal weight, I definitely can see the good about weighing regularly.)

But ultimately, I had a tiny amount of something/s, + then my inner critic (Dr. Lisle is spot on with this, as usual!) told me that I could + should have done better, etc.. So those 5 cinnamon roasted pecans that I thoroughly enjoyed 1 at a time while listening to a concert with my family at the fair, + the handful of popcorn that I totally had under control, were the beginning of the end, so to speak.

And I'm still trying to figure out, + have further explored, if I am just being a normal person, or am I a (processed) food addict? And since I so enjoy the healthy foods, too, + often more than the bad "foods", a lot of times I think that I may not actually be in the pleasure trap, but rather it's the crazy high expectations + demands I put on myself to eat so perfectly (because of my health + knowing just how damaging the bad things are) that are causing me such grief.

In addition to all of this, later this week my family + I are going to take a trip to where we did a few months ago. I'm really looking forward to it, but am concerned because I had had a good solid chunk of eating good in, but then had a bit of off-plan stuff on the trip (most people would have thought they were on an extremely strict diet if they ate the way I had), but that brought up "Oh, am I on or off-plan?!", which really was weird because I'm talking 2 chocolate covered nuts, 5 potato chips, + 2 potato wedges--definitely off plan, but everything else was on plan.

Anyway, this has gotten long, but I do have worries about just re-starting now on the 1st, the trip being 6 days away, + the recent trip there plus all the childhood memories of this place, which are wonderful, but filled with "treat foods".

Happy October, everyone; hope you have a great day, week, + month!! :-D
I formerly posted as Health 1st but forgot my password. My new Username came from a video I saw on YouTube. It can be taken 2 ways: I want to make my health last for decades, + never again want to make my health last place in my life.
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Reporting for September 30 Assessments is now CLOSED

Postby Mark Cooper » Sat Oct 01, 2022 1:05 pm

The window for reporting this week's behavioral results has officially closed.

My replies and the weekly summary will follow.
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Mark's Replies for September 30

Postby Mark Cooper » Sat Oct 01, 2022 2:02 pm

carwex - I was thrilled to see a post from you in the thread, Carol! Glad to have you back with us! I think the impulse to withdraw during times when we are struggling is a pretty common one; paradoxically, those challenging times are often when we might really need comradeship, commiseration, and accountability, right? During my own journey, I certainly struggled with that impulse. When I was having a tough time, I often found myself not wanting to post or share my struggles; I think for me, being less than "perfect" felt like I was "letting someone down" or failing in some big, profound way. A big breakthrough for me was reframing challenge in terms of the opportunity to learn and grow, so that obstacles started to feel like "gifts" that could help me build a stronger, more resilient practice in the long run. Glad to hear you are making your own way back to where you want to be. Have a great week!

BambiS - It sounds to me like things are going pretty well for you! It can be pretty uncomfortable to take a radical look at our past patterns of behavior, but ultimately that contrast between where we were, where we are, and where we're headed can be motivating and enlightening, too. We are all a work in progress, yes? :)

Rebecka22 - Awesome achievement in the midst of challenges! Having a plan, being prepared with the recommended foods ready and available, and aiming for adherence even when things get tough - that gets a big :thumbsup: from me. :D
Rebecka22 wrote:I was also really hungry this week, but I just ate more those days.
Exactly the right response, in my opinion. Carry on!

squealcat - Tough days are almost inevitable, but big surprises or unanticipated obstacles can really throw us for a loop! Getting right back on track after that "problem Wednesday" is an important achievement. I think being mindful about our sensations of hunger vs. fullness and recognizing situations, environments, or stimuli with the potential to trigger cravings can be really valuable, if that self-knowledge allows us to better prepare or make adjustments to support our future success. Having easy access to the recommended foods is, perhaps, of even greater value. No matter why we might be choosing to eat, if we're eating the recommended foods in the recommended fashion, we are unlikely to go far astray. I think for some of us, feedback from the scale can be really demotivating; I tend to look at it through a lens of "is this information making me MORE or LESS able / likely to achieve or maintain the pattern of behavior toward which I'm aspiring?" Our prevailing pattern of behavior is the most significant determinant of our results, so from my perspective measuring and attending to our adherence and adjusting toward better adherence is the most useful feedback loop we can employ. Onward to October!

VegSeekingFit - Another awesome week, Stephanie! I totally relate to what you mentioned about "raising the bar"; I'm the same way. :nod: Something I've found helpful when faced with the impulse to "work on" or "add in" some new challenge or level of achievement is asking myself "why do you want to do this?" For me, sometimes (all too often, if I'm honest) the answer boils down to some general impulse toward always doing more or "grinding," which doesn't seem like a particularly useful or healthy impulse. Linking my efforts to my core wants, needs and values generally helps me to develop in a more utile manner. I think the plan you've laid out for that upcoming "long weekend" seems pretty solid to me. You might also review Jeff's post on Travel Food (if you didn't already - you did hit most of the points he mentions). The method wildgoose describes for "traveling oats" seems awesome! In the past, I've made oatmeal using rolled oats and hot water from the hotel coffee machine (or the hot water service for tea that some hotels have in the lobby/dining area). I use a 2:1 ratio of hot water (ideally boiling) to oats, cover and let sit for 20 minutes, stir, add fruit and eat. (a shorter or longer sitting time would likely work, 20 minutes is just what I happen to like). "Overnight oats" soaked in water are generally somewhat more calorie dense, as Jeff explains here, with less satiety/calorie when compared with oatmeal - that may not be a huge issue for you, given this particular situation and where you are in your journey, but I wanted to mention it. Love that quote!

Ejg - Hang in there! Setbacks happen, but what is most important is what we can learn from them and how we move forward in their wake to emerge more resilient and better prepared for future challenges.
Ejg wrote:I just told myself that many, MANY times before I have looked closely for stress relief in the bottom of a bag of potato chips (or whatever) and to date, haven't found it sitting at the bottom of the empty bag. Therefore there was no point in looking again. Those small decisions, which were numerous today, definitely felt like victory.
What a great dialogue to have with yourself; absolutely a victory! :nod: If reporting your change in weight feels useful and motivating for you, by all means continue to do so. :thumbsup: Just to clarify, under the most current MWL guidelines, whole grain pasta is acceptable for the starch component of a meal, within the constraints Jeff describes here. Wishing you some days free from stress in the week ahead!

moonlight - I'm glad the thread was able to offer you some insight and inspiration this week! Thanks for your kind compliments.
moonlight wrote:I made progress this week compared to last week.
Continuing progress is definitely important, right? If you can, think about the most significant challenges you are facing right now. If you're able to see one where it feels like you have a clear and thorough understanding of the context/chain of causation, tackling that offers a great opportunity for big progress. If some areas of struggle seem confusing, try to think about when, where and in what context they typically arise, and that can offer clues to the root cause. Finding solutions will get you started building a good groove. Here's to an amazing October!

Gimmelean - Nice! Creating a positive, adaptive feedback loop was really crucial to my own personal efforts, too. :nod:
Gimmelean wrote:I can overeat even the most compliant foods that are prepared in advance if not watching out.
I've found this to be the case for me, as well. We are probably somewhat atypical in this regard, but I think this is an example of where "knowing yourself" is important. We have to build plans that work for us, in each of our unique situations, driven by science and informed by our experience. Great suggestion that oat groats and/or cooked barley would probably travel quite well. Onward!

Lizzy_F - Excellent progress! Being "on plan" and that feeling like "regular life" seems like a meaningful benchmark to achieve! It seems to me maintaining a solid routine of planning and prep is a key component that allows for that, right? Wishing you an easy recovery from that vaccine reaction; I had one pretty rough day in the wake of my recent bivalent COVID booster - no fun! That "Happy Scale" app sounds great. Seems very much in line with the spirit of what Jeff recommends in To Weigh or Not To Weigh?. As is so often the case, I think knowing yourself is important. As you observe, feedback from the scale can be really valuable in those situations where we think we are "doing fine," but maybe there is some important deviation or pattern of behavior we've overlooked. At the same time, for some of us the normal daily fluctuations up or down can really hit the "panic button," and contribute to a pattern of lapses. It sounds to me like you've found a way to make use of the scale so that it supports, rather than hinders your efforts. No reason to change provided that continues to be the case. Rocking October - I love that!

Drew*# - Great to know you are making progress toward the BMI recommended for your operation! I'm a big fan of the California Blend vegetables; I eat them almost every day. :-D
Drew*# wrote:Mark, you make some good points about calorie dilution with grains rather than processed starch. My main meals consisted of this and I added more veggies to my last big batch of red beans and rice! Tastes good and is easy to eat even with braces.
:thumbsup:

MakeHealthLast - Glad you made your way back to us! From my perspective, the best time to start is ALWAYS now - October 1st in this case. Personally, I'm not sure framing things in terms of "off-" or "on-plan" is always conducive to success. Try to keep in mind: the prevailing pattern of behavior we maintain over a significant period of time is the key determinant of our results. What that pattern of behavior looks like in the aggregate is what is important, not necessarily whether we might have been "off" or "on" during a particular day. I think it can be useful to think about it more like a rolling average - do the best you can and if you slip, it doesn't mean that all is lost, it just means a dip in that average which can be "smoothed out" over time with each new decision we make. Ideally, what we want isn't to be "on-plan" until we achieve the outcomes we're seeking and then go "off-plan"; but rather, to build a lifestyle that we can maintain over the long-term and that secures our health and well-being, right?
Last edited by Mark Cooper on Sun Oct 02, 2022 5:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Summary for September 30 Reports

Postby Mark Cooper » Sat Oct 01, 2022 2:21 pm

Thanks to everyone for your participation this week, and for making the September thread so vibrant with discussion!

That brings September to a close, and I will post the new thread for October tomorrow, with our first reporting window on October 7. Hope to see you posting there!

Because it came up a few times in this week's discussion, I just want to clarify a few points in regard to "dry oats," "overnight oats," "baked oats," &c. Here are a few discussions where this is covered: LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, & LINK.
Mark Cooper wrote:For MWL, oats should be cooked in water in a ratio of at least 2 parts water to 1 part oats (I prefer 3:1 myself). Dry rolled oats are ~1700 calories / lb, so consuming them without further cooking in water would not be recommended for MWL.
Mark Cooper wrote:Just to provide some perspective - if those rolled oats are cooked in water (with a ratio of at least 2 parts water to 1 part oats), suddenly the calorie density changes from that scary ~1700 calories / lb, to a very nearly ideal ~300 calories / lb and an excellent rating in satiety as well! So oatmeal is a great choice for MWL, just not the dry oats (without further cooking).
JeffN wrote:Just as an FYI, by using only a 1:1 ratio of water to oats instead of a 2:1 ratio, you increase the calorie density of the recipe by about 60%, (from around 300-350 cal/lb for regular rolled oats to about 500-550 cal/lb for overnight oats using a 1:1 ratio). For many, it probably wouldn't matter, but for some, it might.
JeffN wrote:The two things that drive satiety up are fiber & water and both together work better then either alone. Micronutrients do not impact satiety/hunger.

And remember, satiety is calculated per calorie so to properly do the experiment, you would have to compare 1.5 cups dry oats moistened with a little water vs 1.5 cups dry oats cooked with 3 cups water cooked into oatmeal, to see which one is more filling.

They have actually studied this and the when they compare two equal/similar foods, the one with the more water incorporated into it always comes out on top.
JeffN wrote:You can do the experiment at home.

Your an cook 1 cup rolled oats with 1 cup water. This is a ratio often used in oat pancakes, oat bars, and overnight oats.

Then do a 1/2 ratio rolled oats/water. This is the ratio often used to make oatmeal from rolled oats.

Then a 1/3 ratio.

Etc etc etc

As you will see, in the beginning, the grain will absorb more of the water. However, there is a point where it won’t and you will end up with oat soup eventually and then oat milk.

Personally, I often cook kasha and rice with a 1/3 ratio and (most) all the water is absorbed into the kasha and rice. Kasha can handle more water then the rice. We like it but it is softer and not as chewy.

The typical Congee recipe is 1/6-8 (or more) but that is more like a medium to thin “gruel.”


Hope those links clear up any confusion.

Have an awesome week! Take care & be well! :D
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