New way of eating - one day at a time

[JohnLarson]

So far I have done really good getting back on track. I have not had much free time to be on the boards or Facebook, but it is getting better.

I have done push-ups and sit-ups each morning and today I did the treadmill for 45min.

My food today:

B: banana
L: potatoes w/mixed vegetables
S: dill pickles
S: FF Pringles
D: potatoes w/mixed vegetables & a little FF spaghetti sauce
S: vegan brownies (oily)


I have decided to do a Mary Mini's diet until the 11th. I will focus on eating russet potatoes as my starch and compliment with frozen mixed vegetables. I will use just a little different spices and sauces to have it not be too boring, but will keep it fairly simple. I will have a banana in the morning and will eat apples or pickles as a snack. I will also eat potatoes as a snack. I have not made top-chips in a while. I have been buying the chemical filled FF Pringles, which I finished off today. A friend made me the vegan brownies. That was the last of them.

I appreciate the words of encouragement. I think I will get under 210 fairly quick. I was fully clothed and had shoes on when I weighed in at the VA. I will weigh in every Saturday morning and post my results no matter what.

My SAD eating days are going to have to be behind me. The "feast" SAD meals will have to wait until I am at my goal. The idea of being 80/20 or 90/10 and lose weight has to be smashed. I am going to go into "diet" mode for the next two weeks and then go to MWL with feasts being regular McDougall meals. I am going to do my best and post before I go to bed here.

Whatever it is that I am doing to myself to block me from reaching my goal needs to change.

[Wild4Stars]

Hi John
It's so hard to keep focused on eating right when we have extra stresses going on
So easy to go back to those "comfort" foods
Just keep up your resolve and journal your foods if you can
Knowing that people are checking in on you may help
Beth

Speaking of comfort foods, have you tried http://protectivediet.com/

She has some recipes for comfort foods that are incredible. All are McDougall friendly including no oil or nuts. You have to sign up for her website but it's free and worth the few minutes it takes.

[JohnLarson]

10/3/13

B: Banana
S: Banana
L: Potatoes w/frozen mixed vegetables
S: sushi rice w/soy sauce, wasabi & pickles
D: hashbrowns w/onion and ketchup

E: 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups - no treadmill

Was a pretty busy day, but ate well.

[JohnLarson]

10/4/13

B: Banana
L: Potatoes w/frozen mixed vegetables
D: sushi rice w/soy sauce, wasabi & pickles and tomato, potatoes w/frozen peas and carrots, mushrooms.
S: Apple

E: 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups, 30min treadmill

Not really Mary mini compliant, but ate pretty good. Weighing in tomorrow!

[JohnLarson]

Weigh-in day!

209.4

I also checked my blood sugar, it was 107 this morning.

I have also decided to get my first tattoo once I reach my goal of 178. Being 6 ft tall, that weight is still on the high side of the BMI and my long term goal is to be fit and trim and in the 160's. Just being in the "normal" BMI seemed impossible before.

Before finding this WOE, being at 225 would have seemed like a far fetched goal. Years ago, I just wanted to get below 250 and gave up. So while I am kicking myself for getting above 200, I need to remember that this is a lifestyle change and there are certain things I will not be able to eat. I still struggle with that. I like chicken wings, brisket, ribs, pizza etc. I know these things are not the food we are created to eat. That does not change the fact that I want to eat them. I have played with the idea of feast meals and as I have gotten closer to my goal I have increased my SAD feasts, this has not worked.

I hope I can keep my mindset like it is right now.

[Wild4Stars]

Unfortunately that occasional feast meal makes you want another one and the cravings for the wings and pizza never go away. Have you read "The Pleasure Trap?" If not it may help you understand your desire to eat foods that you know aren't good for you. Very interesting book.

[JohnLarson]

I need to read that book! I think I am coming to better terms on what I my eating ideals are. I will try not to think about never again, but I am beginning to grasp the idea that I am not a "normal" eater, no matter how much I wish to be one and that there are many things that others put in their mouths that I will not be able to.

This weekends food was good.

Saturday:

B: 1c oatmeal w/honey
S: 2 pears & banana
L: rice and veggies & gravy
D: potatoes
S: top chip potato chips

Sunday

B: banana
L: sushi
S: top chips
s: tomatoes
D: sushi
S: top chips
S: apple

[ceekaye]

I need to read that book! I think I am coming to better terms on what I my eating ideals are. I will try not to think about never again, but I am beginning to grasp the idea that I am not a "normal" eater, no matter how much I wish to be one and that there are many things that others put in their mouths that I will not be able to.

Hi John,

I've been on the MWL since Sept 8th. I've read through your Journal and i must say you should be darn proud of yourself!

Psychologically, I guess it's like being an addict. A drinker or a smoker. That's exactly what happened to me with smoking. I've stopped twice: once for 4 years, then 1 year relapse, then stopped again for another 2 years, then relapsed, and today i still light up. Sucks.

Most ex-smokers know that after they've stopped smoking that they can't just have one or two cigs here and there and not be inclined to smoke more. But i must say, I know one or two people who can do that - and I HATE THEM LoL

There's a couple videos of Doug Lisle online where he talks all about the pleasure trap. Neal Barnard has a similar video online referencing the same. Here are a couple links:

Doug Lisle at TEDx
(short-version: 17 min.)

Doug Lisle on How to Lose Weight without Losing your Mind
(long version: 1hr 15min.)

Neal Barnard on Chocolate, Cheese Meat and Sugar- Physically Addictive
(40 min.)

Neal Barnard on Breaking the Food Seduction
(1 hr 2 min.)

Hope you find them interesting.

[JohnLarson]

Thanks for the links ceekaye. I have seen a few of his talks and a bit from FoK. I am pretty sure I need to avoid the first bite, just like the first drink or first cigarette. I am an ex-smoker and while it was hard at first, I have zero desire to smoke even though I hang out with smokers all the time. My wife can tell because I reek of smoke.

It is the first bite that gets me. I can't have just one chicken wing or one reese's peanut butter cup. Heck, Lay's chips used that in their marketing, "can't have just one". I have also come to terms with the fact that I am an abnormal eater. I want to eat when not hungry to make myself feel different.

The stress at the new job is getting better. Lots of new things to learn, but it is getting much better.

Monday's food was good:

B: banana
L: 3 potatoes w/frozen peas & carrots
S: tomatoes & pickles
D: 3 potatoes w/frozen zucchini, squash & carrots
S: top chips

No exercise - I really really need to get focused on that!

Besides going to my regular 8 pm AA meeting, there is a 6:30 pm book study that I am going to for the next month. Back to Basics by Wally P. Seems pretty good so far, but really tapped into my "free" time.

[ceekaye]

YW John

I still need to rid myself of the cigarette habit. I took a big step today - i ordered an e-cig with both low nicotine and NO nicotine flavors. That's going to spur my exercise regimen for sure (i will be a bit uptight without smoking for sure, so it will give me the incentive to get going.)

One more thing - I found a great video lecture on the pleasure trap with Dr. Alan Goldhamer, co-author of the book. I would suggest you check it out, because it is really a very good presentation.

Love my kindle fire, love amazon dot com, cuz i just bought the book!

[JohnLarson]

10/8/13

B: Banana
L: potatoes w/ peas & carrots
D: potatoes w/bbq wasbi & soy sauce
S: pickle
S: German chocolate cake & 2 corn bread
S: top chips

No exercise. I even thought about it late last night. I went to a small town AA meeting and they had some baked goods. I can make up all sorts of reasons, but the fact is that I ate it. I was even with a friend who told me that it was not vegan, I told him that I thought it was close enough. He then said something about a heart attack. He knows that I changed how I eat for health reasons, so that was cool he said something. I plan on going back next week. I might have to sample the corn bread again... We will see how the rest of the week goes.

[JT of PA]

John,

I'm glad the stress at your new job is getting better; I've been thinking and praying for you.

Your last few posts are inspiring me "To be like John", your catching yourself and making changes before it gets you back to when you originally started. I have problems with settling with "good enough" and need to take this to the end and "be all I can be". Thanks for helping someone out in Pennsylvania.

All the best,
John

[JohnLarson]

Thanks JT. I can't go back to where I came from, I already got rid of my old clothes! What is crazy that before I heard of this WOE and say the examples here I would have thought being 225 would be impossible and be very happy being at 225. It was not that long ago that being under 250 was a far off dream.

10/9/13

B: banana
L: (out to eat), salad, veggie sushi, pineapple & watermelon
D: spaghetti & 1 crescent roll
S: apple

E: 20 push-ups, 20 sit-ups NO TREADMILL

I really need to budget my time a little better. I also need to go to the no TV without Treadmill, even if it is just a slow pace.

My spaghetti sauce was fat free with extra canned tomatoes, but the pasta was white pasta. My wife made it for her and the kids and had left-over and I had not warmed up my potatoes yet, so I just ate that. I did not buy any whole wheat pasta these past weeks as I am wanting to do MWL. I have wanted to do Mary's Mini during the week, but I was real hungry and there is a buffet close by that has veggie sushi and fresh fruit. They have lots of choices and it is close to work. I might go there again, while it is not Mary's Mini it was very much MWL.

I feel real good about things. There was birthday cake at work and I had no problem turning it down. It was a non-issue.

[kkrichar]

Hi John,

I'm loving your journal right now. It's comforting for me to see someone work through stuff whose brain works just like mine does. You mentioned eating when not hungry. I always see commercials promising to take away people's appetite and then they won't be overweight. I wonder how many obese people are obese because they're hungry all the time. I think most people with very serious weight problems have food issues not hunger issues. I eat when I'm bored, scared, anxious, happy, sad, blah blah blah. Taking away my appetite won't do bugger-all for eating when I'm not hungry. Sigh. Something has to change on the inside and we're both working very hard to accomplish that. Your struggle helps me with mine. Thank you.

Kelly

[~Beth~]

I think most people with very serious weight problems have food issues not hunger issues. I eat when I'm bored, scared, anxious, happy, sad, blah blah blah. Taking away my appetite won't do bugger-all for eating when I'm not hungry. Sigh

So true!