Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

This is my new journal for the loss of my last 20 lbs. If my body wishes to go lower great but I think 145 is a good and healthy weight for this 5'6"+ frame. My goal is to get as close as I can to this weight by Dec 12, 2011.

I will meet this goal by eating a simple Plant Strong Whole foods, Starch filled diet with no added fat, keeping processed foods to a minimum.

Honesty, Positive outlook, Continuous effort, Support, Love and Laughter will help me achieve this.

Hello Christine -- Sunny here, looking forward to reading your journal, and wishing you much success. We share the same general 'goal weight', 145 pounds (if I had a goal actually-- at this point I'm still just focusing on baby steps ..). I was that weight exactly 20 years ago (and somewhere around 75 pounds ago) and was pretty slim, though mind I"m only 5' - 7" -- I guess 145 sounds pretty light for 6' - 5+"...? In any case best wishes and good luck to you...!

lol..... 5'6"

Hi Christine,
Love your new journal...the picture, the ticker and that you're doing it! I figured you probably meant 5'6", but you never know!

I'm 5'7" and was 136 lbs when I recommitted to healthier eating last spring. My weight had been creeping up 10 lbs higher at times and I had gotten it down but never seemed to be able to get lower. (Wonder why, oh could it have been the chips and cookies and cake I was eating? LOL.)

Obviously I didn't have to deal with the loss of weight that you, and so many others here, are dealing with, but my cholesterol and fasting blood sugar were creeping up and the handwriting was on the wall.

I was hoping to get back to my pre-college weight all those years ago, maybe 128. I didn't remember seeing a lower number although of course we all passed them in our youth!

Five months in I'm now 125 and the other day it got as low as 123.5! I thought for sure the scale had broken!

What I'm finding out is that, just like everyone says, it's about the food for life. So when I got down to 125 (maybe because weight hadn't been the issue it is for others) even though I am thrilled, and am enjoying feeling lighter, it wasn't an "end" point, or stopping point of any kind. I still was fine-tuning, finding things to add to my easy and favorite recipe list, noticing when the scale went up when I ate more pasta and down when I ate more potatoes, etc.

Still am, particularly beginning to think of the holidays and enjoying them still eating this way. I've made too many exceptions in the past!

Anyway, didn't mean to go for so long but I'm excited for you and admire your determination.

Hi Christine! Rooting for you...you have done an awesome job with the weight loss, now your starting that final leg...how exciting! I just started reading the Rip Esselstein book, really enjoying it!

Black coffee

Oats with frozen blueberries touch of pure maple syrup
Boiled potato
Juicy veggie 3 bean chili
1 blue corn and flax tortilla

Raw spinach salad with all kinds of veggies, garbanzo and kidney beans with raspberry vinaigrette, will cut this out because it contains sugar.

Cantaloupe
Oats with flax and brown sugar :oops:

Steamed green beans....lots
sweet potato not gaga about it ... little maple syrup

Went for a 2.5 hour hike on Mt Burdell with Sister this AM and moved some things to the new place
No over whelming cravings

AM weight 161.8 Lbs

Hi Sunshine day..... yes, the 6'5" was a typo, I could stand to be a bit taller but not that tall....Keep taking those baby steps and they will add up. Thanks for stopping by

To_ our_Health

Five months in I'm now 125 and the other day it got as low as 123.5! I thought for sure the scale had broken!

Wow you must feel great.....last time I was that weight I was in High School and I ate so poorly. Ah to look like we did back then and know what we know now. Thank you for your support

LoriJenny Thanks for the What book are you reading, Engine 2? Tell us some high lights when your done.

Thanks, Christine, and lol about the typo -- though my own neighbor is 6'-4", and says her sister is taller yet, so ya never know....!

Best wishes!

Hi!! Christine!!
So glad to hear your upbeat attitude and you will succeed too!
nice you are getting moved in somewhat! Love that you can hike for 2 yrs too. wow! you are in great shape my dear!

you have given me an idea too, I need a new journal for my 28 day challenge in the MAC 4Wellness team from the engine 2 book, by Rip Esselstyn. (getting his book tomorrow, but I have Dr essy's book,a dn it is a good read,,,,, Will be following in your footsteps soon down my last 20 lbs too! slow but surely! Remember how that turtle won the race?

Hi Carollynne....Glad to hear from you. Get that new journal on up. It's like starting anew but with more knowledge of how it all works. This new journal is really helping me stay focused. My other one was so scattered and missing the point. More rants then raves

Love that you can hike for 2 yrs too. wow! you are in great shape my dear!

LOL if I can hike for 2 yrs, I think I would be doing the Pacific Crest Trail.....maybe some day. My sister and I were just taking about that today on taking a vacation where we hiked from Lodge to Lodge, spend the night in comfort and hike all day to the next. Sounds like fun to me.

I am so on plan these last two days, with extra added veggies and walking. I hope to see a drop tomorrow. I wanted to go eat off plan this afternoon but didn't....the place I am trying to move into is just not ready for me. I was over there this afternoon bringing things in and the rats are still there having a Kentucky derby or something. They are just too close for comfort. The owner is frustrated thinking that his little efforts were really going to fix the problem over night, NOT. Plus the roof had leaked when it rained last. I will stay positive and open to any other opportunities, but I refuse to go to SAD food to "fix" the situation.....never works and only makes things worse. I am going to do what you suggested and hold out till the last minute before I move it all in...actually things are going to go into storage till I know for sure that the coast is clear.

OK What was on the menu for today...

Coffee
plain potato
Oats with flax and frozen blueberries
small yam

3 bean chili and 2 corn tortillas

Broccoli and cauliflower al dente
3 bean chili again 1 tortilla

Handful of Mircro roasted almonds
bowl of mixed veggies

Frozen peaches with 3 orange juice cubes melted making it a fruity soup...peaches had been sitting in the freezer for sometime and they had that oh so yummy protective ice barrier on it orange juice kind of disguised it.

NO Sugar today Woo hoo not even maple syrup!

Morning weight 162.2 LBS, up from the day before but it will go down

Grey skies are gonna clear up...so put on a happy face! Back down to 160.8 this AM Goody

Looked on Craigslist last night and I may have found a room to rent for $475. with my own bath and right around the corner from the Dental job....I could literally walk around the corner and be at work/go home for lunch. Oh and the woman said she is gone a lot, which I like...

A good challenge for you could be to write down each day's list of poor food choices and seeing what you could do to get the list down to nothing over the course of the month.

Sactobob's suggestion, so I have put in bold the foods which I will work on elimanting.

Coffee
Oats with frozen bluebuddies and stevia plus

Americano with soy milk

Spinachi salad with all kinds of fresh veg's and some craisens (will do without these next time) scoop of saffron rice that had corn in it....vegan they said with no added oils and wht balsamic vinegar

Banana ice cream with a scoop of PB and maple syrup. HEATBURN....Hello. will give PB away for rat trap food.

3 bean chili
teeny beany with rice and salsa

gottl love this process. we can do it!! yes we can!!

Am Weight 160.6 only 2 oz down from day before but hey at least it's down

Food for thought....

Coffee, Oats with frozen blues

Green beans lots

Raw spinach salad with veggies and balsamic vinegar
vegan lentil stew, pineapple

1 fortune cookie, sm iced decaf with splenda

3 bean chili

Good day I feel

1 hour hike in wee hours of the morn
1.5 hour hike at dusk...Coyotes howling all around us, had to muster up the courage to keep going right into the middle of them it seemed. We walked FAST, holding onto each other.

Went over to sisters house and had extras to eat that should not have been....won't go into details and it wasn't much, just wanted to acknowledge it