Adjusting to normal

For those questions and discussions on the McDougall program that don’t seem to fit in any other forum.

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Adjusting to normal

Postby Dougalling » Sun Apr 20, 2014 6:44 am

Whole foods plant-based is what everyone is supposed to be eating to be the healthiest they can be. It is supposed to be normal. Instead, it is viewed as an extreme way of eating that can't possibly be do-able. I admit, it is very different, and it takes a while to adjust. Not because it is hard, but because the current norm is so far off from what should be normal. It takes time to amass a set of recipes that fit your budget and your taste buds. It's a try and hit-or-miss kind of thing. Eventually, you have your set of recipes that you can make without looking at a set of instructions. You have your fridge, freezer, pantry stocked with all you need. And you finally get to be normal while everyone around tells you that you are extreme. But guess what; you win !!!


P.S. You don't give up anything good, you only give up the bad stuff. You get to add all the good stuff that your body craves for good health and energy and brain function and all that other good stuff your body does.
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Re: Adjusting to normal

Postby dteresa » Sun Apr 20, 2014 7:03 am

Doug, you are absolutely right. I was cooking for a family of eight and now that I am alone, I had to re learn cooking. Kind of like when I was a new bride and ruined many meals. Now this is just my way of cooking. Even my body building, meat scarfing nephew requests some of my meals.

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Re: Adjusting to normal

Postby f1jim » Sun Apr 20, 2014 11:58 am

No question this is a lifestyle makeover following this program. So many aspects of life are impacted because food is such and integrated part of our being. Like life in general, it's all about learning and adapting.
Sharing here has been a fun part of incorporating these changes.
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While adopting this diet and lifestyle program I have reversed my heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and lost 54 lbs. You can follow my story at https://www.drmcdougall.com/james-brown/
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Re: Adjusting to normal

Postby JulieS » Sun Apr 20, 2014 2:57 pm

After 13 months on McDougall, this is my new normal. I was relieved and once again shocked at my new self today. When we went to an Easter brunch at in-laws, I found myself looking at their pastries and cheese/egg/meat laden offerings and recalling how those foods used to make me feel so stuffed and gross afterwards, so they weren't even appealing to me in the slightest! There was supposed to be a green salad there, but I guess someone decided against it. Luckily, I had stuck a banana in my purse before I left home just in case! I sliced the banana onto my plate and added 2 scoops of the plain, fresh berries that was served and ate happily until satisfied. A few hours after we got home, I heated up leftover brown rice and broccoli and feel super, not gross and greasy! I love my new normal. :nod:
LOST 55 POUNDS! From pant size 14 to size 4, BMI:21
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I eat whatever I want...

Postby djm1962 » Mon Apr 21, 2014 2:04 am

I like the "new normal" perspective. When friends ask me about this "program" I tell them that I am eating whatever I want. What amazes me four months into this WOE is that the only foods I want to eat now are the ones that are healthy and tasty. I have no cravings whatsoever for anything else.
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Re: I eat whatever I want...

Postby JulieS » Mon Apr 21, 2014 9:00 am

djm1962 wrote:I like the "new normal" perspective. When friends ask me about this "program" I tell them that I am eating whatever I want. What amazes me four months into this WOE is that the only foods I want to eat now are the ones that are healthy and tasty. I have no cravings whatsoever for anything else.

Wow! You're doing an amazing job! 48# lost so far! It's amazing to really love and prefer this food, right? I know that people just starting this WOE might not feel the same way, but it will come!
LOST 55 POUNDS! From pant size 14 to size 4, BMI:21
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Re: Adjusting to normal

Postby dteresa » Tue Apr 22, 2014 4:35 am

Yesterday my daughter and I ate at Ruby Tuesday's. We ordered the salad bar and she also ordered a plain baked potato which I do not order there because the skin is oiled. However, we had a seat in a booth in the back which made it really easy for me to take out the container of potato salad made with vinegar and mustard that I had in my handbag and put it onto a second dish. If passing the table no one could tell that it wasn't food from the salad bar. Since I had the potato salad I only ate one dish of salad stuff from the salad bar yet left the restaurant far more satisfied and full than I usually do. I do not do this in all restaurants of course. Only where I think I can get away with it.

I hate to have to resort to the above but nevertheless consider my woe "normal". After all, lots and lots of other people in that restaurant ordered the salad bar and had lettuce, raw vegies, and the potato salad from the salad bar. I had the same thing but without the mayo and sugar they were eating. It isn't my fault if most people think food covered in mayo or other fat, sugar and salt is normal. That food is usual. Not necessarily normal.

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Re: Adjusting to normal

Postby Skip » Tue Apr 22, 2014 6:47 pm

Life is such a precious thing and finding this WOE has been such a positive life changer for so many people (including myself). I thank people like John McDougall, Nathan Pritikin, Caldwell Esselstyn, Dean Ornish and Colin Campbell who had the guts and determination to go against the grain of the medical-pharmaceutical complex to share their truths with us.

I'd like to thank those on this board for their guts to adopt and thrive with this WOE as it does go against the norm. And of course a big thanks to Dr. McDougall for making this forum available to us.
"The fundamental principle of ethics is reverence for life" Albert Schweitzer
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Re: Adjusting to normal

Postby Acura » Wed Apr 23, 2014 2:48 pm

What repels most people off at the outset is, this WOE is complicated, need to cook your food, develop and acquire new taste etc. It's way different than the traditional western diet.It is also not as easy as you buy food from supermarket and cobble something up quickly. Once you get over the initial hump and start noticing positive changes, wonderful taste then it's no problem. I can relate to this as I grew up with traditional Indian diet and I can see it's a big change for someone coming from western diet to adopt into this. All I had to do was to give up oil, butter, sugar, refined flour etc all the other stuff remains the same. Hats off to those who grew up with traditional western diet but mustered up courage to make drastic change. Not that easy.

Sometimes I wonder let's say it turned out that meet/cheese based western diet was healthy, it would be hard for me to make a switch.
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