Weight Loss and Recovery

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

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Wed Jul 06, 2022 7:59 am

Feeling really excited and motivated today. Yesterday was a recuperating/shopping day after our long trip and our weekend. Today feels like the first day back to my routine, and I'm excited to hit the ground running. I've spent quite a lot of time reading links on the MWL forum...boy there is soooo much great stuff there! I can get lost in it, which isn't a bad thing. It really helps me get my head on straight about all of this. My takeaways from all the reading I've been doing is not very profound, but very important:

Keep It Simple, Sweetheart!!!

I am working on a meal plan that does exactly that. I am going to try to keep my breakfasts and lunches the same and change up my dinners. I LOVE my oatmeal for breakfast, and that's where I will get my fruit for the day. I enjoy, bananas, blueberries, and strawberries on my Old Fashioned Oats and could eat this every day for the rest of my life. I actually wake up looking forward to eating it! For Lunch, at least while it so HOT outside, I am planning on having a GIANT salad! Mixed Baby Greens, Shredded Red Cabbage, Arugula, Shredded Carrots, Mushrooms, Zucchini, Red Pepper, Red Onion, Grape Tomatoes, Cauliflower, Garbanzo Beans, and Sweet Potato with a ff dressing. I've found a ff Italian and a ff raspberry vinaigrette at the store...I may decide to make 3-2-1 dressing, but I have those for ease and simplicity. I figure if I can make these two meals the same, I only have to think about dinners. That should add enough variety for me. I've started a binder with MWL recipes from the website that I can choose from for now and they look really good. I made Split Pea Soup last night, and I'm thinking about trying the Mexican Stew tonight. I just love how doable this all is.

The sticking point for me with the 10-point checklist has always been #1...starting each meal with soup or salad or fruit. I'm feeling like the fruit I have in my oatmeal counts for breakfast. And having a GIANT salad for lunch should count for that. I don't see the need to have soup before my salad...especially because it's so hot here and I'm not in the mood for soup now...that will be a winter thing. What I find works for me for dinner is to have some raw veggies while prepping my dinner. I tend to get munchy while I cook, so having some raw carrots and celery and cucumbers to munch on while cooking will solve both issues. Anyway, that's what I'm going to try for now and see how it goes.

As far as exercise, I walk most mornings with a friend in my neighborhood. We have a 3 mile loop. Also, I'm taking a strength training class with my husband 3 days/week. I'll add to that 2 days of Yoga to round out my program, and I think I'm good.

I realized that my trip with my sister is only 11 days away! I want to have some things in place that I can bring to our AirBnB. I will definitely bring my oats, and a bag of potatoes to microwave each day. I'm sure we'll shop when we get there, and I can pick up some fresh veggies and fruit. I figure if we eat out (which I know my sister and niece will want to to frequently), I will plan on ordering a salad as often as possible and hopefully can find some potatoes or rice on the menu to add. I think this woe makes it possible to stay on my plan while traveling. I proved that to myself in Chicago. It's just the eating out that can get tricky, but I will do everything I can to make it work.

In the meantime, I have 11 days to get into a good pattern of eating at home before I go! :nod:
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sat Jul 09, 2022 5:34 pm

Hi KirstyKay! :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE your journal!!! :D So glad that you are doing great!! Also, so impressed with how much success that you have already achieved!! AMAZING!!!

Just wanted to say, loved how you are planning to tackle the pre-load / #1 thing. Makes so much sense what you wrote in the "Time & Adherence" thread.

Not sure if this will help you, but what has helped me tremendously ... has been that "be kind to yourself" thing... Also, focusing on the 95%.... We are none of us perfect... We just do the best that we can each day. When we are not perfect, we just try to learn, forgive ourselves, and move on.

Wishing you the best,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby Ruff » Mon Jul 11, 2022 2:27 pm

Hi KK, you are doing GREAT! And I just wanted to pop in and say that!

Salad/soup preloading with MWL. I also found it a hard sticking point. I didn't have time to effectively make an extra course for every meal. As I am in maintenance now I dont need MWL, but I have been there in the past. And I came up with the same solution as you, nibbling raw veggies whilst cooking supper. Lunch WAS soup, and very often still is, particularly in winter. Breakfast, fruit, easy. Find something that works and stick with it as long as you need to.
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
User avatar
Ruff
 
Posts: 953
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:59 pm
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand.

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Sat Jul 16, 2022 2:20 pm

Thanks Katie and Stephanie! I appreciate your comments and encouragement and helpful advice. I am always open to the wisdom and insight of others who are further along on this journey in terms of success!


So, I posted on the MWL thread and Mark's comment was such an encouragement to me:

Nice progress, Kirsty! July does seem to be zipping by, right? I think you are wise to resist that impulse toward "something drastic." Just use the checklist as your guide, and focus on making achievable, sensible and, if necessary, incremental changes moving closer toward the recommended pattern of behavior. You'll get there with time; think about all the significant changes in behavior you've made already - that is no small achievement! :)


I really needed to read and re-read that because it's so easy to get into my head and think about how much further along I should be than I am. And it's true. I've been on and off of these forums for many years, and I've had successes and back slides, but I do keep coming back, which is something. What I'm wrestling with right now is WHY? Why, when so many other people seem to be able to make this woe work so beautifully for them and make it stick for good, why do I flounder and flip flop constantly??? I really DO want this. I really DO know how to eat like this and make it delicious. I could write a book or at least a blog with all of the reasons why and how this is important and possible. And yet, long-term success seems to elude me. There is the saying that if you think you can or you think you can't...you're right! Is that it? Is it a mindset thing? Is it a physiological thing? Psychological? Does it matter?

I'm not trying to complain or play the victim, but honestly looking for an answer to HOW to make this lifestyle work this time permanently. Maybe it's because I've been dieting since I was 9 years old. Maybe it's because I have the opposite of what Dr. Lisle calls the "perfect personality." Maybe it's because I just have a rebellious spirit or an unwillingness to keep my own promises to myself...Like I said, maybe it doesn't even matter WHY I have failed as many times as I've succeeded. I just want to figure out how to make this work THIS time. I keep looking back at all the years I've wasted when I could have conquered this already. But, at the same time, I look at people who start this woe when they are in their 60s or 70s and I think, I'm "only" in my 50s...I can have this thing licked before that!

I'm rambling. And maybe, in all fairness, I AM feeling a bit sorry for myself. What I realized after my MWL post is that I had way too many "mostly's" on my 10-point checklist. I am deceiving myself thinking that I'm doing my best here. But I DO want to. I think. Is the 10-point checklist too much? Does it feel too "diety" to me? Or can I just settle into it and surrender to the process and stop struggling. I think I can.
THIS:
Just use the checklist as your guide, and focus on making achievable, sensible and, if necessary, incremental changes moving closer toward the recommended pattern of behavior.


I think this is my answer. the checklist is my GUIDE. I can focus not on perfection, but on making ACHIEVABLE. SENSIBLE. and perhaps INCREMENTAL changes...moving closer toward the recommended pattern of behavior. In other words, I can RELAX in to this. Do what I can do without lying to myself or making excuses. There are certain things I know I need to stay away from like peanut butter and nuts. But, I really enjoy making a Tofu Scramble with TONS of veggies on Saturdays after my husband and I workout. Maybe that's okay. IDK.

I know I am relieved to have stopped bingeing and restricting. That is a really big deal. I know I am in a really great place with my exercise, and that is good for my T2D and my overall health. I know I want to eat WFPBNO for the rest of my life. Maybe the rest can be flexible right now. Maybe that's enough right now. Maybe I can forgive myself for my past and look toward my future and what I CAN control.

In the immediate future (this week) I am going on a trip with my sister to visit my niece. I have to figure out what I want to feel like when I get home and make decisions accordingly. I won't have my husband there to help keep me accountable. My sister isn't a food-pusher, though, and doesn't make me feel bad for my food choices. I have to be honest that if I make poor choices on this trip it will be on me. I have no one else to blame, and I alone will suffer the consequences. So...I'm here to say that I am going to make the best choices possible. We are staying in an Airbnb, so I can make a lot of my own food. I know we will also eat out, but I can look up the menus ahead of time and decide where to go and what to have. I can prepare and pack food to take with me so I don't get into trouble. I can walk everyday, and I know my niece has some hiking planned for us.

I know this was super long, stream of consciousness writing, but it helped me to get it all out. If you're still reading, bless you.
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Sat Jul 16, 2022 3:26 pm

Health 1st wrote:
Mark, wildgoose, others, how do you mentally deal with possible having non-MWL things + yet getting right back on track + not letting the accidental or purposely done slip bother you that you put something so unhealthy in your body.


From Mark-
In the past, this was something I really struggled with, as do many participants I would imagine. It seems to me that this feeling of self-recrimination goes hand in hand with the common societal view that weight loss is about "self-control," "moderation" and "limitation" (perhaps even "deprivation"). What changed things for me was a true realization that my success or failure within the context of a given circumstance was not a product of my self-worth, but rather a result of a meeting between my practice/routine, my environment, and the situation. Our goal is to attain and sustain adherence to the recommended pattern of behavior over time. Our prevailing pattern of behavior is the key determinant of our results. If we have a "failure point" and our pattern of behavior deviates from what is recommended, it says nothing about our worth (and doesn't, in and of itself, necessarily say anything about our health, either). What it does tell us, is we need to make some changes or adjustments to our practice - our routine needs to be modified, or our environment needs to be altered, or both. With those changes made, we move forward in a fortified position, and with each "failure point" and adjustment our practice becomes more effective and more resilient. We also build confidence. What is important, then, about a "slip" is LEARNING from it, so that we adjust our environment and routine to support our future success. This is an iterative process over the long haul, and, when applied consistently, it leads to lasting success. I can honestly say that I don't actually have any "slips" anymore, because I've been practicing this way of eating for a long time, optimizing my routine, and it is durable and well-tested. But, that didn't


I just wanted to post this here so I can find and refer to it .
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby Trinity » Sat Jul 16, 2022 8:26 pm

Kirstykay, God bless you. I have 3 things I want to share.

1. Your body/mind/whatever is ALWAYS wanting rich food, 24/7, so asking “why” you ate junk at some point is just a waste of time. This is from Doug Lisle’s video below. After I saw it I stopped wasting time/energy asking myself why I ate crap:

https://youtu.be/kZhrDTuAZrM

2. Consider taking a break from MWL. This is just from me. In the past when I’ve tried to be more strict than the regular McD program I end up eating chocolate when I possibly could have had, say, some oil-free whole-wheat bread with maple syrup which would have still been on plan. Just try to avoid all animal products and oil. After awhile if you’re not losing weight/achieving your goals you can tweak it from there. On your food diary make it “starch starch starch fruit vegetables exercise” like on this video from Doug Lisle:

(I couldn’t figure out exactly where his “starch starch starch salad exercise” video was on YouTube or the McDougall site so that’s why this has a weird URL.)

https://projectwaistline.com/?p=5115

3. Take this or leave it as you wish. I realized years ago I was spending too much time/mental energy thinking about food/weight. I looked around very carefully for exactly what I wanted and I say it every day and it has absolutely freed me from that stress. I still post here and keep track of what I eat in a journal (“starch” unless it’s white rice/bread/pasta/not-whole-grain, I list that stuff separately, “fruit” and “vegetables” are as specific as I get as long as they have no oil and “exercise”) BUT now I absolutely do it for fun, as like a hobby, to have people I identify with.

I feel OK posting this as in one of Dr. Lim’s early YouTubes he explained how under stress he would overeat compliant food but finally started praying about it which solved the problem. This can probably be found on the site somewhere.

Lord, thank You for the bounty of this day that will provide delightful things for the table. Let me look at food and drink with grace and enjoyment without overlooking my health. Curb my appetite without begrudging me the reasonable need to fill my basic hunger. Rein my lack of control with the knowledge that the quality of my nourishment is more vital than the quantity of my cravings. Keep me ever mindful of Your blessing, not of how much more I can eat, but of how thankful I ought to be. Amen.

I hope this helps.

Trinity
User avatar
Trinity
 
Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:00 pm
Location: Georgia

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Sun Jul 17, 2022 3:25 am

Trinity,
Thank you so much for your thoughtful response to my ramblings. What you said makes so much sense! I will check out those videos and really think and pray about all of this. I love what you said about being free from thebstress of thinking (actually obsessing) of food and diet all the time. I love the prayer you wrote. I think I will spend some time writing my own and asking God for clear direction. I also think I will focus on the regular McDougall plan for my trip and see how that works for me. You have really given me a lot to think about and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it!
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby Trinity » Sun Jul 17, 2022 8:33 am

:) We’re all here for you! And for the record I found that prayer online (and added “and drink” because I struggle with that too…).
User avatar
Trinity
 
Posts: 370
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2012 2:00 pm
Location: Georgia

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sun Jul 17, 2022 3:50 pm

Hi KirstyKay! :)

I think the post where you referenced "rambling" was great!!! So helpful to provide clarity to your thought process... Lots of good stuff here that you can go back and re-visit as needed to remember why you are doing what you are doing (or how you are deciding what you are doing...) and how you were feeling at a moment in time.

I have some random thoughts that may be helpful... If not, just ignore!! :-D

* For me, this "journey" has been 90%+ psychological ... For instance, you can figure out the "compliant" food that you like and how to have it available relatively quickly. It's stuff like --- environment, cravings, establishing and keeping habits, "head games" that can continually challenge.
* The post from Mark that you saved has so many of the answers in there! Like it is so key to not berate yourself for something "off-plan" ... Almost like taking the personalization out of the equation and turning it into an experiment where if you ate off plan - you take a step back and look at the circumstances to think about how you could do differently in future. I continue to be challenged by this --- but making slow forward progress.
* Looking forward ... I think we both have (somewhat) similar circumstances of being "repeaters".. That's ok. Thinking of that as the "experiment" --- is there anything that you may have learned from going off prior that may help you stay on course this time? Also, each time we try, we learn something new -- that will help! But, can't go back in time and re-do --- so good to try not to let that into your headspace if you can avoid.
* One thing that someone on the MWL thread had said many months ago that helped her was that she removed all diet / exercise, etc. social media groups and just focused on participating in McD.
* Never forget that you are a success. Your doctor showed you off as a great example!!! How cool is that?? You may want to go farther --- but you have achieved a lot.

Wishing you the best,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby Ruff » Sun Jul 17, 2022 9:54 pm

what Stephanie just said above about avoiding all other diet groups/social media groups..even the McDougal ones, and just concentrate on this. I had to stop even watching YouTube videos by other successful plant based people. I just needed to work the Starch Solution and make it my way of life. There are so many distractions anyway we dont need to add more.

Its never too late, you are only in your 50's. You got this. Just do SS, MWL checklist, and if the whole salad/soup preload thing is putting you over the edge, nibble a raw carrot before your meal and call it good!
Katie

My testimonial. viewtopic.php?f=13&t=38433
User avatar
Ruff
 
Posts: 953
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:59 pm
Location: Christchurch, New Zealand.

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby bunsofaluminum » Tue Jul 19, 2022 9:27 am

Hey KK,

Just spent some time scanning your journal. Glad that you found help in the Starch Solution. I need to get it off my shelf and re-read. I have a few favorite recipes from that book but haven't read the text of the book itself in-depth in a long time. With another two weeks of almost total free time while I recuperate from surgery, I'll crack it and see what I can learn ;)

Loving the responses here from Trinity and others. What a cool little community we have here :) Glad you're back!
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby Lizzy_F » Thu Jul 21, 2022 2:00 pm

Hi KirstyKay! I have really enjoyed reading your journal. I really appreciate your raw honesty about your journey. I have face so many simiilar struggles! I'm so grateful we have this community here where we can try, and try again, and cry if we need to and learn and grow from our experiences.

I am in process right now of re-reading Starch Solution. I think I probably need to just put it on my calendar to read it every few months or so!

Hope you are having a great day and feeling good about yourself and your journey!
Beth

"Long-term sustainable change is what we are really after." ~Jeff Novick
User avatar
Lizzy_F
 
Posts: 925
Joined: Sat Jul 20, 2013 11:21 am

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby deweyswakms » Sat Jul 23, 2022 8:35 am

VegSeekingFit wrote:Hi KirstyKay! :)

* For me, this "journey" has been 90%+ psychological ... For instance, you can figure out the "compliant" food that you like and how to have it available relatively quickly. It's stuff like --- environment, cravings, establishing and keeping habits, "head games" that can continually challenge.
* Never forget that you are a success.


Hi, lots of great feedback here, so here are a couple more thoughts.

I so agree with the journey being psychological! Part of it is retraining and relearning what we thought we knew about nutrition. The MWL guidelines really help with 'the rules'. But journaling (here or elsewhere) helped me get to the real reasons why I would overeat. When I am Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired (HALT), I too often make bad food choices. So I pay attention to my body; what does it need? Food too often is where we go for comfort. Plus it's easier than cooking all the time.

So food prep for me is one of my key strategies. I also keep individual portions frozen for those days when I just don't want to cook.

It also helps me to set my intentions for the day: today I will eat (x, y, z), I will exercise and I will rest.

Good luck! you can do this. Marsha
start weight 210 on 7/25/14; MWL recommit 7/2019 weight 197. 6/11/2022 weight 165.0. Height 5'8".
deweyswakms
 
Posts: 630
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:30 am

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Tue Jul 26, 2022 3:02 pm

WOW!! Thanks for the support and encouragement, everyone!! I just read and re-read all the wonderful posts and I'm so inspired and feel so blessed to be in this amazing group where we all help each other. It's too easy to feel all alone in this struggle, but I come here and realize I have a tribe of people who "get" me and so willingly offer help and insight when I'm feeling discouraged. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

I am back from my trip with my sister to visit my niece and help her set up her new apartment. It was a huge success and such a blessing to spend an entire week with my sister! We talked the entire 5 hour drive up to my niece's and we worked hard and really well together getting my niece all moved in and decorated. And we managed to have some fun, too! It was a really special trip. I don't take for granted times like these.

On the food- front. It was a less than perfect week. BUT, I'm not feeling bad about it because I felt like I made the best choices I could, considering we ate almost every meal out. I chose the best thing on the menu, but was reminded why I don't eat out hardly ever! I'm happy to home in my own food environment. I find it much easier to stay on track at home...I guess that isn't a surprise.

My next trip is a month away...going back to Chicago at my Mom's request to take care of some things with her estate planning. I will be able to be more in control of my food on that trip. And I'm flying, not driving, so that's good and staying with the same friends who let me do my own thing in their kitchen. I've realized how easy it is to eat really simply and that's what I'm focusing on now and want to carry on even when traveling in the future.

My goal is to log into this journal at least once a day and log my food daily, maybe even do a quick checklist assessment. I have 2 months to go before my daughter's wedding, and although the wedding isn't my end-goal, I do want to be as fit and healthy as possible in my MOB dress!
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Weight Loss and Recovery

Postby kirstykay » Tue Jul 26, 2022 5:52 pm

I just saw this clip from Chef AJ's recent interview with Dr. Goldhamer. It's just so good. He doesn't mince words and is completely no-nonsense. It just made me want to quit with all the whining and complaining and do the d#@m thing already! I've always felt like "I could n3ver do salt free or even completely sugar free because it's just "not realistic."
But I love when he says, "WHY can't they follow a health promoting diet? Because their afraid of being too healthy?" ...CLASSIC!


https://youtu.be/KKMh3BIzErc
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

PreviousNext

Return to My Daily Menus & Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 17 guests



Welcome!

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