Discussion Board

Hi everyone,

I've recently adopted a vegan diet, but am very interested in following the McDougall proram. However, it seems kind of overwhelming. I hate going into something without fully understanding it. How do I know which foods are safe? I mean, I get the main idea. Low fat, lots of starches, etc. But how do I know which starches are ok? I know I shouldn't eat a lot of protein, but can I still have some? Is soy milk bad if it isn't the light version? Is tofu bad if it isn't the light version? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. Is some fat okay? Or do I have to look for fat free products only?

I know I've asked a lot of questions here, but I'm just looking for any information that anyone can offer.

Thanks,
Mandy

Hi, Mandy. Take a breath, slow down. First of all, congrats on going vegan! Just remember, you don't have to make all the changes in your diet all at once. How strict the guidelines are all depends on which McDougall program you're interested in following and what your goals are. Are you trying to lose weight? Or fix an existing health issue? Or maintain your current healthy status as you age?

In general, this diet - I so hate that word but it's faster than saying "this way of eating for the rest of your life" haha - is low-fat (not no-fat). You do need some fats in your diet for your body to function properly and lots of plant products have some good fat in them. You just don't want to go overboard with the higher-fat foods like avacado and nuts.

Starches/carbs - Try to stick to the least processed foods for the most nutritional value. For example, choose regular oats as opposed to instant oatmeal, whole grain breads not white (homemade is even better!), brown rice not white, baked/steamed potatoes not french fries or chips.

This link:
http://www.drmcdougall.com/free.html
will take you to an overview of the program and give you a lot of guidelines for choosing foods along with a sample menu for the 12-day program. That will probably answer a lot of your initial questions.

Also, check our local library for any McDougall books so you can read more about the plan and the background. I actually got my copy of the 12-day program on half.com for 75 cents plus shipping, so that's an option too if you don't want to/can't afford to purchase a new copy.

This really is a simple plan for eating healthy - lots of veggies, fruits and whole grains. It's amazing how quickly your taste buds adjust to the change as well.

Welcome to the McDougall discussion group!

Here is my summary of the general McDougall diet. By "diet" I mean a regular pattern of eating. The general McDougall diet's main characteristics, as I understand them, are:

- Plant foods only.

- Whole foods, as much as possible, not heavily processed or refined foods (like white bread or filtered apple juice, I suppose).

- Very low fat, less than 10% of calories, coming only from whole plant foods such as nuts, with no added fat (out of a bottle, for example).

- Low protein, about 35 to 70 grams a day depending on your size, whether you are pregnant, and whether you are a really big body builder, I suppose.

- Starch-centered, from roots (like potatoes), gourds (like pumpkin), legumes, and grains.

- Wide variety.

Some individuals are on the regular diet, some are on the maximum weight loss diet, and some (like me) are on a special subset diet. The McDougall Program (which means diet and exercise) is very flexible.

You do not need to count calories, count grams of fat, or weigh foods.

You can eat as much and as many times as you want, given a little common sense.

The Program has solved nearly all the medical problems I had. It is a great success for those who follow it consistently.

Yep, I'm trying to lose weight, which will in turn help me acheive optimum health. My long term goal is to keep it that way I've been lurking around for a bit, and I see people talking about the MWL plan, but I can't find the "guidelines" anywhere on the McDougall site. I don't mind purchasing a book, if this is the only source of the info.

Well I'm already on board with all of that. I don't eat white anything. I'm all about whole wheat! I am a freak about pasta, I love it so much. I always buy the multigrain, or the whole wheat, but recently i discovered rice pasta. It's just as refined though, isn't it? From my initial readings, I gathered that I should try and limit refined starches like pasta and bread and fill up on my "whole" starches like rice.


Thank you, I read that overview, and while it did provide lots of basic info, it seemed to lead to more questions! I am so thirsty for knowledge. The only thing making me apprehensive about this way of life, is the fact that I don't know everything!!!

Thank you so much for all of your help!

Hi Burgess,
Thank you for the welcome and thank you for all the information!




I think I get the fat thing now. YOu seem to have put it in perspective. What I want is naturally occuring fats, right? And no oils!
For example, tofu has some fat in it naturally, so that is okay right? (in moderation of course)

This is mostly right. For weight loss, you will want to treat higher fat foods (like avocado's, olives, tofu, etc) as "rich" foods. Use them sparingly (i.e. for special occasions) not regularly.

Congratulations on your decision to be healthy and good luck on our transformation.

Scott

Yes, fats that you eat in their original "packages." For example, brown rice and other coarse grains, such as bulgar wheat, and original (not "instant") oat meal.

Whether you eat pasta or not, or how much, depends on what you want to do, according to my understanding. If I were going for max health and max weight loss, I would avoid all pasta. (But if you do use it, be sure to read all the details of the ingredients; don't most pastas have white flour added to hold it all together?)

I would strongly encourage you to slowly begin the long-term process of learning to eat other starches too -- especially legumes, a variety of grains, as well as roots and gourds, too. Those last two may sound funny, but most people overlook them: potatoes, especially sweet potatoes, and winter squashes (which I buy conveniently in frozen blocks or in cans, pure). They are highly nutritious and very "lean" foods.


Search the McDougall Newsletter file for an article on the pluses and minuses of eating soy (in any form). But yes you will see that some McDougall recipes (there are over 2000 of them) use tofu in small quantity for an occasional meal. In general, I think it would be healthier to use it only occasionally and to branch out into other starches -- for lower protein and much lower fat.

The single most helpful book, for me, has been The McDougall Program: 12 Days to Dynamic Health. It is very readable, and about one-third (the beginning) consists of informative chapters describing the basic programs. (It also explains why Dr. McDougall designed the program as it is.) Another one-third of the book is very helpful medical reference information, which you can dip into as needed. And the last third of the book is a collection of recipes to show real-world examples of the McDougall Progam diet in action.

Thank you Scott!
It is going to be so difficult for me to get used to centering my meals around starches, but I'm up for the challenge!

I think I might purchase that book. You should be in sales (if you aren't already)

Don't do the MWL plan. Why not just try the regular plan rather than putting yourself into a more extreme situation right from the start.
Then if after doing 6 months of McDougall eating....tweaked here and there, and after doing significant exercise during that same period.......
Then after all of that, if you still aren't losing 2 pounds per month, only then might you want to switch to the MWL plan.
Other wise why would you want to?
I mean, if this is a plan for life, and you really.........I mean REALLY.......mean it, then whats wrong with 2 pounds per month?
Heck, even a steady pound per month is progress after most people's initial greater drop.
Slow and steady development of new eating patterns will bring far more people to a lifelong healthy relationship with food than will any "fast" plans. We all know that, right?

That makes a lot of sense. And you're absolutely right. Why put myself through the MWL plan if it isn't necessary?
Thank you!

The only ingredients in my rice pasta are whole-grain brown rice, rice bran, and water.

I don't have a clue what rice bran is. Maybe that's the equivalent to white flour?

This rice pasta is gluten free, sodium free, cholesterol free, & low in fat.

Mandy, rice bran is the outer, fiber-rich layer between the outer hull of the rice grain and the inner starchy portion (the endosperm). (Picture a structure similar to a wheat kernel). It is present in brown rice, but polished off to make white rice. Rice bran is an excellent source of thiamin, niacin, vitamin B-6, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium.

Thanx. I always wondered about that.

Stef 2

If you go to the home page of Dr. McDougall's website, and click on the 'medical info' tab you'll find a wealth of information that will answer your questions on what to eat and how much. It's devided into 5 major sections from "Before You Begin" ending with "The McDougall All-You-Can-Eat Cookbook". Although this is my first time (minus my question posted about calcium leakage) posting on his site, I can attest that my lifestye, though not 100% vegan, is pretty close to the suggestion Dr. McDougall states about diet. And I am proof that it works. I'm 58 (this January), eat without restirctions and never hungry, am 5'4" and average weight of 123lbs. I do exercise 3 to 4 times a week with weights, and cardio about 1 1/2 hours each time. The diet is the trick of tricks. I' told I look 41 or 42, and have a very athletic build. So, enjoy eating the natural foods. No one has ever overdosed on natural foods. That's what they are made for...to enjoy