Trish88 MWL Journal

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Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby Trish88 » Sun Jun 06, 2021 9:47 am

Sunday, June 6, 2021
This is my 3rd day doing MWL, and in spite of the occasional cravings for processed foods packed with sugar, flour, and fat, I am staying the course. The biggest thing that has helped is eating enough starch to stave off hunger and to keep the cravings at bay.

Half of what I eat is starch. Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Brown Rice, Buckwheat, Steel Cut Oatmeal. I also add in beans: black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils. More starch, and more protein.

The remaining half of my plate is salad or vegetables. I eat the salad and vegetables plain. No dressings. I find that by grating a couple of carrots and having them on my salad is a big help. It gives a bit of texture and sweetness that I enjoy. I have no problem with the cooked vegetables being plain. I find their flavors come through after cooking.

I eat one fruit with my breakfast, for example, this morning in my oatmeal I cut up a ripe nectarine plus sprinkled cinnamon on top. Delicious and filling. I have a second fruit either for my dessert after dinner, or save it for a snack later in the evening.

I am happy and satisfied with this way of eating. I weigh in either Friday or Saturday mornings.

I have my starting weight: 279.8 lbs. I am 5'5" tall. I have been living with the shame of obesity for a number of years, and I'm tired of it. I'm also scared about the health problems I would face down the road were I to continue at this size. I am already dealing with knee pain and lower back pain. It's difficult for me to stand for more than 10 minutes, and the same with walking. 15 minutes is my maximum to walk. I expect this will change in time, as my weight drops and health improves.

My plan is to include batch cooking of starches. On weekends I have started to do pots of brown rice, buckwheat, and steel cut oatmeal. I don't know about potatoes, other than making a double batch when I cook them and storing the extra in the fridge. Grains are easier to cook large amounts of and freeze some and keep the rest in the fridge for use over the next couple of days.

In health,
Trish
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby Trish88 » Sun Jun 13, 2021 10:22 am

June 13, 2021
This week I lost 3.7 lbs. While I was happy to see that, I wasn't over the moon about it. I know better. My many many attempts over the years to lose weight always starts off with a good loss in the first couple of weeks. I would rejoice, delude myself into thinking "I've got this", and then slowly but inevitably allow forbidden foods back into my life and my stomach and well....you probably know the rest. I'd gain back the lost weight plus a few pounds more. It was as if my body was terrified that I would try this crazy weight loss thing in the future, so better add more fat to protect me if lean times come around again.

I have often said that I dieted myself into obesity, and I think that's what is keeping me from getting excited about a first week's loss of 3.7 lbs. However, one big difference between the diets of the past and doing MWL today is that it really doesn't feel like a diet. I never feel hungry. I am able to fill up and not feel cheated. I don't have to count calories, and other than visually sticking to a 50/50 plan (50% unprocessed starch and 50% vegetables), there are no portions to fuss over. No weighing and measuring. No strict planning out of the next day's menu. No sense of shame, regret and guilt if hunger appears and extra food is eaten. As long as I'm sticking to the 50/50 plan, I am free.

Yes, I am free.

I am free because this is so easy and simple. It is not a diet. It is an eating plan that allows you to live your life without ever having to go hungry and get angry because you're so damn hungry.

I don't know if I'll ever lose another 3.7 lbs in a week. I know weight loss will slow as I get smaller. That is normal and expected. I just hope that most weeks I will see weight loss. Some weeks I may not lose, or I may even gain a bit. That's okay. That is normal and to be expected. My main goal is to feel good, and be a normal size. Not ultra skinny. Just normal.

In health,
Trish
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby deweyswakms » Tue Jun 15, 2021 10:13 am

Hi Trish,
I like to eat all those starches too! They are so good and tasty. Yes it takes a few days for the body to get over the shock of "what?! she's not giving me candy and sugar??!!" (my downfalls)

Bingo: this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. You can eat what you want using the formula you already discovered. You are on the way now.

Good luck, Marsha
start weight 210 on 7/25/14; MWL recommit 7/2019 weight 197. 6/11/2022 weight 165.0. Height 5'8".
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby Trish88 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 3:17 pm

June 19, 2021
Hi Trish,
I like to eat all those starches too! They are so good and tasty. Yes it takes a few days for the body to get over the shock of "what?! she's not giving me candy and sugar??!!" (my downfalls)

Bingo: this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. You can eat what you want using the formula you already discovered. You are on the way now.

Good luck, Marsha


Thank you Marsha for sharing. I think sugar is the most evil substance and it has caused much more illness and death than we realize. Sending you a virtual hug and hello with the joy of knowing we are here together, encouraging and supporting each other.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I am discovering more energy in myself, a kind of electric tingling that I found strange at first. I think it's because I haven't felt this in many many years. I now get up in the morning without complaint. I'm a bit stiff of course, but I just do a 5 second stretch and voila, I am on my way.

I also find that my mind is clearer and calmer. This is a new thing. I didn't realize how I've spent much of my life in a fog. I thought it was normal to not have any motivation to do anything interesting. As long as I just stuck with getting to work, doing the work, and then getting home at a reasonable hour, I thought my life was good.

My life was not good.

Yes, I went to work and worked a full day and took satisfaction in that. But to not want to do anything more than order in a nasty meal, or heat up leftovers from another nasty meal, and then sit in front of my TV and eat. And then eat some more because of course my body was craving real nutrition and instead I kept stuffing more crap into myself.

No wonder I had little energy to go for a walk. No wonder I steadily gained more and more and more weight over the years. No wonder I lost any motivation I had to really live.

This is the exciting thing. This new feeling of energy and positivity. This clear-eyed level-headed state of being. This is much more exciting than even the weight I am losing --- although they do go hand-in-hand. It is as if I am truly being reborn. I am becoming a new person. A better person. A very much improved person.

My heart sings and my arms embrace the wonder of this new me.

In health,
Trish
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby deweyswakms » Sun Jun 20, 2021 8:46 am

Trish88 wrote:June 19, 2021



I am discovering more energy in myself, a kind of electric tingling that I found strange at first. I think it's because I haven't felt this in many many years. I now get up in the morning without complaint. I'm a bit stiff of course, but I just do a 5 second stretch and voila, I am on my way.

This is the exciting thing. This new feeling of energy and positivity.

In health,
Trish


Awesome!! You just excited me. Have a great day. Marsha
start weight 210 on 7/25/14; MWL recommit 7/2019 weight 197. 6/11/2022 weight 165.0. Height 5'8".
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Posts: 630
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby Trish88 » Sun Jun 27, 2021 10:18 am

June 27, 2021
It has been a challenging week. Indulgences with foods that are high in oil and salt have made an appearance at two meals. I've been thinking about those meals. One of them was a pizza meal. And even though I had a gluten free crust (it's still flour), and no vegan cheese or any other kind of cheese, plus piled high with vegetables, it still resulted in a kind of madness. After not having anything with flour, oil and salt for several weeks, it was like a monstrous eating machine took me over and I ate four large slices. Yes. Four. Not one, not two, and not three, it was four.

But rather than cry about it, and declare that I've failed yet another "diet", instead I'm looking to learn from this experience.

The pizza meal happened on Friday. I was out all day and didn't get home until 6 pm. My husband was on his way home, and my adult children asked for pizza. And no, it's not their fault. Friday night pizza was a family tradition for us. They wanted to enjoy another Friday night pizza as a family. I ordered the pizza. Two of them. A large for my husband and kids. And a medium (which is the only size a gluten free crust comes in) for myself. My pizza was really delicious. Aside from my 4 slices, my family happily ate the rest of "my" pizza, so no leftovers thank goodness.

I think back and with the time it took for the pizza to arrive, I could have made a pot of rice with beans and vegetables. I could have added salsa on top, or some tomato sauce, and I could have enjoyed another beautiful meal free of oil, salt, and flour. Could have, would have, should have.

So here's what I'm learning. If I know the day before that I'm going to be out the next day, even if I truly believe I'll be home before 5 pm and have the time to put together a healthy and nutritious meal, I'm going to cook up a pot of whole grains like rice, quinoa, buckwheat, millet; OR boil some potatoes. I will also make a sauce to go with the starch - a whole food, no salt, no oil, nut-free sauce - and make sure there are plenty of vegetables and/or salad set aside. No matter what time I get home, I will be able to put together a great meal in 10-15 minutes. Easy.

Reflecting further. This is life, this is how things go sometimes. I don't expect to be 100% perfect, but with planning I'll make sure I'm very close to perfect. This is not a vanity project. This is a fight, a life and death fight to help me overcome several nagging health issues and be able to live to a ripe old age --- getting to 90 years or more sounds good to me --- and hopefully with little to no pain. I think I deserve this. I'm a good person, at least that's what my family and friends tell me, and while I don't expect the red carpet treatment I do expect to live well and fully and be able to look back on my life at the end and say to myself "you did good, kid".

In health,
Trish
Last edited by Trish88 on Thu Jul 01, 2021 8:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby Trish88 » Thu Jul 01, 2021 8:48 am

July 1, 2021
Today is Canada Day. A day when Canadians fire up their barbecues and slather all sorts of sauces onto huge amounts of animal flesh. Down the road from us is a Canada Day rib fest. I expect by 6 pm there will be the pungent aroma of steak, burgers and hotdogs in the air.

And yet, today's weather is absolutely amazing. After a week of heat and humidity, today is like a kiss from the heavens, like we've been rewarded for being so good. There's sunshine and a slight coolness in the air. It's a perfect day to go for a walk or a picnic.

I plan to go out with the family dog and have one of my 15 minute walks. Maybe it will be 20 minutes, if my back is okay and the pain isn't too bad. But that's not too big a deal. Each day I am feeling better. Last night while preparing dinner I was able to stand in the kitchen for nearly 10 minutes before I had to sit down for a few minutes and stretch out my back. That was great, to be able to stand and chop vegetables and do some cooking. Last week I had to sit down every 5 minutes, so there is definite progress.

Here we are. Canada Day. Pretty much indistinguishable from the American Independence Day on the 4th of July, with fireworks and flag waving and patriotic celebrations. The love of one's country is a beautiful thing. I feel very lucky to live in this part of the world, and to have access to all of the amazing information from Dr. McDougall's website. I especially love the success stories, where the evidence of how well this way of eating is for us humans is overwhelming.

So my neighbours, family, and friends can fire up their barbecues and continue to eat what is slowly killing them. In my mind, I have a plan. It's quite straightforward. I continue to follow the MWL way of eating, and by Canada Day 2022 I expect I'll be looking much much slimmer and healthier. You know what's going to happen. People are going to come around, asking how I did it. I can't wait to tell them.

I don't expect there will be a "oh my goodness, I've got to do what you're doing!" kind of response. But it will set the wheels in motion. Maybe one, or two, will visit the site, and discover for themselves what will help them to get off of their pills and potions and get to a healthy weight. Maybe. I hope so.

The one message I want to convey as I grow healthier and slimmer is that to eat this way is to be truly free. Free of health issues and medications with their side effects. Free of excess weight that is slowing us down and robbing our energy and joy for life. Free of developing serious chronic illnesses down the road that leads to debility and death. Free, free, free - I am so grateful to be free.

Happy Canada Day, and Happy Independence Day.

In health,
Trish
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby deweyswakms » Thu Jul 01, 2021 8:54 am

Trish88 wrote:Sunday, June 6, 2021
This is my 3rd day doing MWL, and in spite of the occasional cravings for processed foods packed with sugar, flour, and fat, I am staying the course. The biggest thing that has helped is eating enough starch to stave off hunger and to keep the cravings at bay.

Half of what I eat is starch. My plan is to include batch cooking of starches.
Trish


Bingo! You got it! One of my favorite recipes (cause it's easy and very filling) is the "beans and berries" recipe in the McDougall Quick & Easy cookbook. Crockpot + small white beans + wheat berries + water + seasonings, and cook for 3-4 hours on high.

I also keep cooked potatoes and rice in my fridge, great toppings for my other meals.

Good luck, keep going! 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: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby Trish88 » Thu Jul 01, 2021 3:04 pm

Bingo! You got it! One of my favorite recipes (cause it's easy and very filling) is the "beans and berries" recipe in the McDougall Quick & Easy cookbook. Crockpot + small white beans + wheat berries + water + seasonings, and cook for 3-4 hours on high.

I also keep cooked potatoes and rice in my fridge, great toppings for my other meals.

Good luck, keep going! Marsha


Thank you Marsha. It's amazing how simple this way of eating is.

The Beans and Berries dish sounds really good. I will take a look at it. I don't have a crock pot, but I'm sure I can do it in my dutch oven.
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Re: Trish88 MWL Journal

Postby deweyswakms » Fri Jul 02, 2021 6:49 am

The key to the Beans and Berries recipe is slow cooking so I bet the dutch oven would work. The recipe says many hours; it is 4 hours in my crock pot on high. Plus I rather like my wheat berries to be chewy.

One key for me to this way of eating is finding the recipes that work for me, i.e, I need to feel full. This one does that.

I also made a good Mexican Rice recipe this week that was surprisingly filling.

Have a good week, Marsha
start weight 210 on 7/25/14; MWL recommit 7/2019 weight 197. 6/11/2022 weight 165.0. Height 5'8".
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Posts: 630
Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2014 7:30 am


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