Grit and Determination

Share your daily McDougall menus and/or keep a journal describing your personal progress.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Thu Oct 26, 2017 12:23 pm

I have known about the MWL program for many years. I was a vegan for over 15 years and was in great health. Ten years ago I decided to make changes in my life, from quitting my job and going back to school, to changing my diet and eating the traditional SAD American diet. Today I'm 45lbs overweight. In May I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I have successfully managed it with a CPAP machine at night. People told me I would start to lose weight after treating the sleep apnea. I expected a reduction in my weight because with untreated sleep apnea I was getting up 2-3 times during the night and eating a little snack to help get me back to sleep.

Well, I didn't lose weight after starting the CPAP treatment - I gained weight... I started slowly changing my diet this summer and fully committed to the MWL program about 3-4 weeks ago. I may have lost 3 lbs. but not really sure, as my scales give out a different reading when I move them to different locations in the room. I guess I need to invest in another set of scales, maybe digital would be better.

I'm committed to losing weight. I'm determined and know that only quitters lose. I like to journal so I'm going to use this website to write out my accomplishments and failures, hoping that it will be a positive tool for me. I don't lose weight as easily as I did 10 years ago. I'll be 60 in a few days. I like to hike. In the past two weeks I've hiked over 30 miles in the mountains. I didn't give my body time to recover and now have a swollen knee (previously had ACL injury). I need to learn to pace myself. I also use a water rower at home but not on a consistent basis. I have plans to work with a personal trainer beginning next week.

My biggest challenges right now are: getting enough exercise on a consistent basis, not getting discouraged with slow weight loss and then going off the MWL plan, and finding a good MWL bedtime snack other than cereal and soymilk!
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:44 am

Today's Chapter: Saturday, the day after I ate some fish,,,

For me, I think occasionally it's ok to go off the MWL diet. It is usually a struggle for me to stay on the diet 100%. Sometimes I'd just like a little easier time. So, these postings, I hope, will help me monitor how often I do that and how it might be affecting my journey to a thinner and healthier person.

I went out last night with friends before going to a concert. We were at a seafood Mexican restaurant. I could have asked for the taco salad without cheese or meat but I decided to eat grilled fish with freshly made corn tortillas on the side. It was very salty - not something I'll crave anytime soon. Before going to bed I ate about a half cup of pecans. I don't know if the two were related. I know that food cravings can start from just an imbalance of too much sodium or sugar in my diet. Anyway, today I made sure I did some exercise this morning. I'm drinking plenty of water and staying on the MWL plan.

My accomplishments this week were to go out of my way to find fast food that fit in the MWL plan on an evening I was in town for a long time without any food packed from home. I feel very good about this. Also, I got renewed enthusiasm and determination for staying on MWL when I realized that in the middle of the month I traveled to visit my mother. We have a tradition of going to the donut store and eating donuts. I don't see her much and I thought I'd just do it. We went two days in a row. She's 81 and I enjoy those simple pleasures with her... I don't see her very often. I only lost 3-5 lbs. this month but after realizing that included eating donuts I didn't feel so defeated.

My goals for the upcoming month include stricter compliance to MWL plan with advance planning and preparation of meals. I have a tendency to get lazy about cooking. I start eating boring meals, then I think I need a break from the plan. I'll post in this journal perhaps daily to help keep me accountable. This is my birthday month. I usually enjoy bakery cake and ice cream - a real treat because I only do this on my birthday. I've told my husband several times that the gift for me this year is no cake and ice cream. I think he understands. He is very supportive of my efforts to lose weight. He's not as supportive about my choice of not eating meat and dairy. He has both or at least one of these at every meal. I guess the other challenge will be Thanksgiving on the MWL plan! I've done complete vegan Thanksgivings before, many times. I'll have to, in addition, think about processed foods such as flour, oils, and sugar. Finally, I have an intention of joining the November weigh in group.

Just finished eating homecooked black-eyed peas, scallions, fresh tomatoes, and a fresh jalapeno. Very tasty!
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby Starch Chick » Sat Oct 28, 2017 12:30 pm

Eating out is such a challenge, isn't it? It helps to pre-eat before you go so you are full of healthy food and then you can just order something light from the menu that is compliant, and try to remember the reason you are out is to enjoy visiting with your friends/family and take the focus off the food

I have found a habit tracker app on my phone helpful to see how many days in a row I am able to string together with clean eating
The one I'm using right now is called Habit Hub
It gives a weekly view and a monthly view and even a past 3/4 months view
.....Beth
"It's the food" - Dr McDougall
User avatar
Starch Chick
 
Posts: 419
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:23 pm
Location: Washington

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Oct 28, 2017 10:09 pm

Thanks, Beth, for the thoughtful suggestions about eating out and the habit app. I've been thinking about how to chart my success - exercise, staying on plan. I've just had a bad day.... It has rained all day and I have not had any motivation. There's work I need to do but don't want to do it so I have instead watched TV all day and eaten crappy food. I exercised for 10 minutes. Just no energy. Tomorrow will start a new day and hopefully I'll get back on track. I hate days like this!!! Thanks for the encouraging words.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sun Oct 29, 2017 10:17 pm

Sunday
Today was somewhat better than yesterday. I got some work done that I've been feeling really bad about procrastinating on. I think that will help me feel better about myself. When i feel good about myself, I try harder to work at achieving my goals.

I stayed closer to the MWL plan today. I did have some whole wheat pasta for dinner and some tortilla chips in the afternoon. And, this evening I had cereal and soymilk for bedtime snack. I really must figure out a good bedtime snack. I think cereal and soymilk are too high calorie before going to bed...

I didn't go grocery shopping today. I've run out of fresh veggies.... Usually on Sundays I batch cook for the week. I have chickpeas and black-eyed peas cooked, and some bulgar.

No exercise today....
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby kkrichar » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:44 am

Hi Moonlight, I'm enjoying your journal. Your brain reminds me of my brain.

I haven't done this yet (plan to try it over Thanksgiving) but word on the street is Wendy's is our go-to fast food restaurant. 2 baked potatoes and 2 salads. I have a thing about eating garbage when I travel. It's a mental thing now from doing it for so many years. I can't even drive 2 hours without thinking I need to stop and buy something. Gas station garbage and fast food drive-throughs (and garbage in airports) are like emotional sustenance for me when I travel. I've been back on the McDougall Plan (regular and MWL blend) for 3 weeks and I feel great. I am traveling (15 hour drive) for Thanksgiving and that will be my first big challenge. I'm visiting family who are very accommodating and understanding about food choices. So, I'm not super worried about my time with family. However, it's the dreaded drive that I'm most worried about. I've already told my husband if he wants to stop for fast food it has to be Wendy's. I will also bring food in the car for the hotel and my own salad dressing and something to put on the baked potatoes. Fingers crossed.

Keep coming back! It works! We've both done this before and can do it again.

Kelly
Image

HW: 220 lbs BMI=36.3
CW: 162 lbs BMI=26.5
GW: 135 lbs BMI=22.3
User avatar
kkrichar
 
Posts: 1223
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:05 am
Location: Iowa City

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:26 pm

Monday 10-30-2017

Finally, I've started my day out with exercise! I rowed for 30 minutes. I felt so accomplished afterwards - like a weight had been lifted off me.

I batch cooked potatoes. I steamed a few and made FF out of a few. This will be my main starch today and maybe tomorrow.
I made a yummy breakfast! Parboiled chard. Drained. Added some onion sauce and a tiny bit of salt. Had with steamed potatoes, nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, and a tiny bit of salt. Very tasty combo!

I got a lot of work done today that I've left hanging over my head. It's been making me have low low energy. I didn't go to the grocery store, though. I totally over ate this evening,,,, I had a frozen vegetarian pizza that I popped in the oven since I was still working. It wasn't very big and I ate 5 out of 8 pieces,,, totally too much. Then later i had a bag of chips and two slices of bread. For lunch I had a cup of beans and salsa. Then for an afternoon snack I had the FF I had made this morning. What is wrong with me??? Why do I eat so much??? I think it is because I'm not eating a balanced diet. It's mostly bread. I've got to get to the grocery store tomorrow and buy some fresh veggies and fruit... then make a meal plan. Argh
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Oct 30, 2017 10:36 pm

Kelly, thanks for your encouraging words! I appreciate the reminder about Wendy's. It used to be my go-to eating out place. I'll get back in that habit! I love your energy planning for Thanksgiving! It used to be such a fun challenge to make a whole menu for Thanksgiving be totally vegan. I love cooking, so experimenting with the traditional Thanksgiving dishes is always fun. The only thing I've never succeeded at was making a good vegan pecan pie... Anyway, I think by Thanksgiving I'll be back in my groove and be "on the plan" more consistently. I know I can do this!!
Happy travels!!
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Tue Oct 31, 2017 11:29 pm

Tuesday (208.8 lb)
B: blackeyed peas, chickpeas - approx 1 cup and 1/4 cup potato
L: raw veggies and small amount of "bought" potato salad
S: crackers made from seeds, no added oil
D: panag curry, veggies and small amount of rice, 1/2 cup at the most, seaweed salad
One glass of draft beer
S: shredded wheat squares, blueberries and soymilk

Not the best meal plan,,, I am struggling to find proper food. I've been too busy and not grocery shopping and preparing ahead.

Did not get to exercise today. For some reason I can't stay asleep,,,, very frustrating,,,
Last edited by moonlight on Sun Feb 04, 2018 11:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Thu Nov 02, 2017 11:00 am

Wednesday's successes!

Again, I didn't have groceries or meals prepared. I didn't sleep well and only got 5 hours of sleep. Left home early with no breakfast. Had no time between 3 different appointments that would take me up to noon and I would be starving! Between appointments I stopped at Starbucks and got a bagel with hazelnut butter. It wasn't the ideal breakfast but it satisfied me and it could have been a lot worse. Lunch involved a working lunch with a colleague at Moe's. I ate a few chips and a rice bowl which consisted of rice, beans, and veggies. No cheese or tofu (yay). I probably had half a cup of rice and half cup of beans. Got home late from work (still no grocery shopping). For dinner I had two flour tortillas with beans and bulgar and salsa. Later in the evening I ate white pasta from fridge with tomato sauce (really not a good choice) - I think it was comfort eating, not because I was hungry...argh.

I feel like my successes with this day were that I didn't go crazy eating any cheese or other dairy, or meat - foods I will eat when I'm out of my good food and I'm tired mentally. Baby steps.

I got a new scale that syncs with an app on my phone. I can track my weight easily now. I think this will be a motivation for me. I've lost 2 lbs. from yesterday's weigh in to today's weigh in. I'm totally aware that it is probably due to a more unhealthy eating day on Tuesday which might have had more sodium. Nevertheless, it is inspiring to see the number on the scale go down instead of up!
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Nov 03, 2017 8:20 am

Thursday

Finally I have a day off - all to myself! I started with some cooking. I made soup with cabbage and carrots my husband so lovingly bought for me at the grocery store. The soup has green pepper and chard from the garden, celery, and black-eyed peas, and a bay leaf. I plan to pair it salad and with some kind of starch for a meal.

My plan today includes rowing for 30 minutes, grocery shopping, and gardening - need to plant garlic and onions before it gets too cold.

B: bulgar and an apple w/ cinnamon
L: soup and bulgar
Snack: baked fries and onions
D: sloppy joes recipe with soy crumbles, veggies, 1 slice bread, 1 tsp vegan mayo

I got in 30 minutes on the rower. I managed to not eat between dinner and bed. However, my dog woke me up at 3:30. Could not get back to sleep and eventually convinced myself that eating a bowl of cereal with soymilk would put me to sleep. It did...
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Nov 03, 2017 9:15 pm

Friday
Today I started out working at my desk for a little bit - maybe 1 1/2 hours. Then I realized my right ankle was swelling again. This has happened a few times in the last 3 weeks. I over exercised and my knee swelled - I think from a previous injury. I rested then the next week accidently over exercised it again and it swelled again.... I rested it and it went down. I'm not sure if my rowing this week has aggravated something,,,, I'm not in any pain until my leg swells.... Guess I'll go to the doctor next week and see if he can figure out what's going on... I'll try just walking on flat ground for exercise this weekend. Tomorrow is my 60th birthday. I had plans to hike in the mountains but don't think I should now...

Eating today was totally off MWL plan after a breakfast of potatoes. Lunch was a slice of bread and sloppy joes made from soy crumbles and cabbage sliced very thin with celery. It was a good lunch but soy crumbles are higher in fat than MWL plan allows and slice of bread should have been a potato. By evening my leg hurt and was swollen. I had it propped on pillows with an ice pack. I felt sorry for myself and ate tortilla chips and an avocado. For supper my husband wanted to cook for me. He really has no idea how to cook on the MWL plan. He made salmon (cooked in butter), baked acorn squash (baked in halves with olive oil) and broccoli. I ate a small piece of fish and all of the acorn squash and broccoli. For dessert we had a few dark chocolate covered dried cherries.

I didn't feel up to cooking and it was also a social thing with my husband. He was trying to take care of me with the swollen leg and tomorrow being my birthday. Hopefully, I won't gain a ton of weight! I hope the swelling in my ankle and knee are not serious, like thrombosis. Hopefully, it is just inflammation and will heal quickly. I'm afraid I'll gain a lot of weight if I can't exercise at all.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:11 pm

Friday morning (205.4 lbs)
So, I've lost 3 lbs this week. What a motivator! I've been sick all week with a nasty cold. I haven't done any exercise, which I think has been good for my knee or whatever has been swelling the last few weeks. Thus, the positive outcome of having a crummy cold is a healed knee.

My eating habits have been fairly good. A couple of days I felt sorry for myself and decided cheese was the answer. I ate cheese two days in a row. I'm not sure if eating a little of something I crave now and again is good or bad. I'm afraid if I deprive myself and keep thinking about a certain food that eventually I'll go off my eating plan for good. However, the danger is that one time of going off plan leads to the justification to going off more often, I think. My plan is to be aware of this and monitor how often it happens.

I've been taking classes on mindfulness. There are daily practices of being aware of mind states, mostly more negative emotional states such as craving, clinging, anger, anxiousness, etc. The practice is to just be aware of the negative mind states, sit with them, and contemplate the concept that everything in this world is impermanent, everything is changing - even our mind states. Our thoughts come and go so very quickly. I feel that the mindfulness training is helping me deal with my eating issues.

B: 1 cup bulgar with 2 tbsp. ground flax seeds, 2 tbsp. nutritional yeast, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tbsp. psyllium husks mixed with water to make a thick creamy topping (YUM!)
L: Coleslaw from McDougall 10 day menu, blackeyed pea soup with bulgar
Snack: 2 slices 12 grain bread
D: sweet potato and garbanzo beans

Walked 1 mile

No bedtime snack! Yay!
Last edited by moonlight on Sun Feb 04, 2018 11:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:16 pm

Saturday

Goals today: Do not eat any flour products. Exercise some.

B: potatoes
L: Coleslaw and pea soup from McDougall 10-day meal plan
D: Repeat from lunch

Walked 30 minutes today while the sun was setting... very nice.

I've decided to work with a personal trainer to help me get motivated to lift weights again.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Nov 13, 2017 2:10 am

Sunday (203.2 lbs)

I finally went to the grocery store and took my time. I bought frozen and canned staples for those times when I need a quick meal. I bought fresh fruit and veggies, too. After reading Reni's plan to eat from the MPMWL cookbook, I plan to eat the 21-day meal plan in the MPMWL cookbook, too. I made this plan after going to the grocery store so the first few days may not be on the plan. I love the notion of staying on the 21-day plan because it will force me to try things I haven't had before and keep me on the plan! I weighed this morning and I'm down .8lbs from Friday's weigh-in. Yay! I think having a new set of scales that are reliable and tracks my weight on a phone app is awesome and motivating! I also measured out 1/2 tsp salt for the day. I've been trying to eat less salt but food is much better with a little salt. A daily amount keeps me from feeling guilty every time I use the saltshaker.

B: 1 cup bulgar
L: pea soup with coleslaw
D: corn tortillas, beans, enchilada sauce, coleslaw
Snacks: a few potato chips, grapes, cereal and soy milk
No exercise,,,,
Did not drink enough water today

I like measuring the salt. I didn't use much of the 1/2 teaspoon.
Last edited by moonlight on Sun Feb 04, 2018 11:22 pm, edited 1 time in total.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Next

Return to My Daily Menus & Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 13 guests


cron

Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.