n/t

[Sunny]

There are 3 approaches :

Moderate: two thirds starch one third very low calorie dishes

Rapid: one half starch and one half very low calorie dishes

Hasty: one third starch and two thirds very low calorie dishes

This is in the MWL pg. 168 paperback book.

To answer your question 75% veggies 25% starch, you would be using less starch than the hasty plan. It sounds good to me.

[slugmom]

I was thinking it was by volume as you put it on your plate ... but I'm not sure now.

[Faith in DC]

it is by volume and you just eye ball it. I often will divide it out in my mind. Like breakfast is more starch heavy, but then my morning snacks are fruits (my two fruits). Lunch is vegetable heavy and very little starch. But dinner, if heavier in starch and very little veggies. I probably come out being 1/2 - 1/2.

[Mckenna]

It's possible you have an unnoticed additive somewhere if you aren't losing anything after a few weeks. Salt is what got me. I just got off of Suzanne Somer's plan, after gaining around 3 lbs. I had earlier this year tried Atkins low-carb with DH, only I gained a couple of pounds there, too. Before that, I tried Weight Watchers again, (after losing 20 lbs. before) with my cousin, but I didn't lose a pound. I am having a severe salt-sensitive issue right now, and this WOE is the only plan I can successfully lose on. In just the 2 full days I have started this, I have lost 3.5 pounds of water weight. My fingers and face are looking better already.
But hang in there. Without going back to SAD in any way, you can't help but lose.

[yamster]

But is that ratio by volume or based on calories? [re: ratio of starches-vegetables for weight loss as suggested in MWL]

Carroll, the ratios Sunny quoted from p.168, MWL, also appear in another section of the book where Dr. McDougall devotes 2 pages to discussing and explaining. See pp. 73-75, "Balancing Your Meal For Weight Loss". It's very interesting and you might find it helpful.

I'm one of those "volume eaters" and walking everyday, 40-45 mins. helps me tremendously. I have to find ways to keep moving or I can become sad, depressed, and overeat. Walking boosts my mood and keeps my hunger level more even, so I tend consume less quantity.

[slugmom]

are those ratios for MWL only, or true for all McDougalling?

If I have a day when I just eat potatoes, for example, is that still "on program" ? Would it not be considered part of the MWL plan? Would it still be part of the regular plan?

[yamster]

are those ratios for MWL only, or true for all McDougalling? . . . If I have a day when I just eat potatoes, for example, is that still "on program" ? Would it not be considered part of the MWL plan? Would it still be part of the regular plan?

I'm sure the ratios could be applied to any plan you're following. But since Dr. McDougall is writing about the ratio approach in MWL, if it's weight loss you're after, I'm assuming he thinks the ratios would be most effective applied to MWL (since the plan is inherently designed for weight loss.)

Re: your other three questions, I would answer "yes" to all three. And by the way, your "potatoes only day" sounds great to me!

[slugmom]

Re: your other three questions, I would answer "yes" to all three. And by the way, your "potatoes only day" sounds great to me!

Thank you, that makes sense.

And LOL, thanks, too, for the affirmation about Potato Day. I know that McDougallers are veggie eaters, and I DO eat veggies, but boy do I love my healthy starchies more. LOL!!!! I've been feeling kind of guilty on the days I have mostly potatoes, or corn ...

[Ellen Jaffe Jones]

I bet with my DH after eating at certain restaurants, that I will be up at least 2 pound the next day. Even eating plain pasta with low-fat vegan marinara sauce, the salt they load into it oozes into my joints. I know as soon as I taste it that it has way more salt that I'm used to. And I go home and drink a couple of glasses of water. I drain canned beans etc just to avoid the salt bounce.