I have struggled for so long to get and STAY on the McDougall wagon that it's down right embarrasing. I deeply appreciate Dr. McDougall all the people who keep this forum alive and HERE for people like me who just wander in the wilderness, then need a strong place to come back to.
I just signed up for the 12-day program in November. I am worth it. This is something I have wanted to do for a very long time. I finally asked myself what I've been waiting for, and couldn't come up with a good answer. The program will never be more accessible than it is now, so here I go.
I am not waiting until November to get re-started. I'm already underway. I found inspiration from a couple of Youtubers who just really spoke to me. I watched a video by Hungry Vegan Mama where she talked about her own long journey to finding consistent adherence to the Starch Solution. I could relate to the challenges she talked about from living in a mixed-food household (her husband is now WFPB, but wasn't when she finally figured out her own way of success) to living in a processed junk food world. Her strategies seem so simple but they have eluded me thus far. I can do better!
I also appreciated some words of wisdom from Melissa Alexandria, another Starch Solution advocate, who also talks about her early attempts and challenges before she was able to find consistent adherance. I know logically that I am not alone, but I have suffered with feelings such as "there is something wrong with me - I will never get this right" etc. etc. etc. That thinking is not serving me at all, so it has to go.
I think a big mistake I have made on this journey is focusing on weight loss too much and too soon. Physical hunger and psychological feelings of deprivation just trigger me back to junk food. (CRAP) That has been and enless cycle for years and years. So this time around, I am just going to focus on the Starch Solution and that is all for now. Once I feel like I have "time and adherence" going on with the Starch Solution principles, then I can worry about any tweaks that might be appropriate if weight is still an issue.
Husband is a meat, dairy and junk eater, so I have to learn to live in a mixed food household. One thing I HAVE done this past week is get really honest about what food is in the house. There was lots of food that he is not even interested in that was dragging me down. So now all of that food is gone. I have stocked up on basic starches (potatoes, rice, beans, lentils, corn, whole wheat pasta). I have batch cooked some things I love (potatoes, split pea soup, pasta with vegetables and no-oil marinara, black bean soup, "Cheez" sauce) and I'm stocking the freezer with meals that are thaw and go.
Todays game plan:
Exercise: Elliptical machine and a short walk if the weather is nice
Food:
B - oats + cherry berry blend
L - russet potatoes & broccoli with cheez sauce
D - Stir fry of rice and broccoli slaw (packaged, so easy) I will add low sodium Tamari and Sriracha sauce
Snacks/desserts - Fruit, carrots/celery, potato
I'm going to make a big batch of rice when I make the stir fry so I can freeze some cooked rice too. I think I'm going to try Jeff N's rice cooking method - I haven't tried that before.
I am SO EXCITED about the 12-day program! I think being officially supported by medical personnel is going to make this all feel even more "real" and more important to me. I hope. The Pleasure Trap is real.
