Discussion Board

Good morning!!

I was up at 4:30am this morning but not ready to get up yet so dozed back off to sleep until 5am—I had a restless night of sleep. I then got up and was out the door by 5:15am and jogged for my exercise. I did 50 minutes and covered a little over 3 miles in the dark. I sure don’t like this dark stuff—I want to go back to summer light. Feels good to have it done and over with but I am tired and my body feels tired but I know exercise before work causes my mood to be lifted and I just eat healthier throughout the day. Think about morning exercise, okay.

I’m have all my meals packed and planned for the day

Breakfast: Oatmeal with fruit
Snack: Possible a larabar with some fruit. We are having a breakfast potluck at work so I brought larabars and fruit. Larabars ingredients include: dates, almonds, and unsweetened cherries. It’s a great little bar if you need something while you are taking a trip or just need something.
Lunch: sweet potatoes/white potatoes with greens
Snack: fruit if needed
Dinner: Steamed veggies and potatoes again
Exercise: 1 hour of exercise. I will do 10 more minutes of walking at work today.

I’m excited about this weekends VegFest in San Francisco. Hubby and I will be there both days. I’ve never heard any of these speakers in public due to prices. I’m so ready for the weekend!!

Have a good day

Another Vegfest on the best coast...you guys rock.

Have you seen Chef AJ make her home-made larabars? I think I'll make some this weekend because I am generally making a treat of some sort when my son is home. I don't know if I can find the store-bought larabar in Maryland. I went to Trader Joes to seek some ingredient and once again they didn't have it and I told them that they need to become more California-IZED because they need some more good things.

That is an awesome menu to take with you, sksamboots. I will be needing to prepare for a few days worth of goodies in a couple weeks myself when I go on the bike ride. I need to also use your example to get the discipline of exercising. I was up late two nights in a row but I'm getting ready to head out for a long walk. I can't find my old, best DVD of yoga, but I have two others so I will try to do those at night, too.

I have to confess, for some strange reason, about eating two cookies myself, several weeks ago. I mistakenly brought them home for my daughter and they sat in front of me for a week and then I found myself eating them through the day. I hope I don't do it again. It wasn't necessary but it was a sugary cheat. I probably need a dentist now.

Onward and upwards! Thanks for your inspiration sksamboots!

Thanks for the tip about the Larabars. I had no idea! I've been buying cliff bars for my son, but I don't eat them. Maybe I'll start buying those instead! I'm going to look for that video of Chef AJ's! My son has been getting into wanting to cook with me lately. This would be fun to make together.

Great job, boots! I am so impressed by your story about the 3 cookies, and how you chose to eat healthy meals that day. I'm also encouraged by the fact that you were able to do this without bingeing and without starting a cycle of craving -- gives me hope for myself.

That's great, Boots. The starches and greens dish sounds good too!

Good morning !!

The sun is shining and it is a beautiful day. I’m feeling good and it feels good to feel good. I don’t always feel good so I need to keep the things in place that help me feel good and one of those things is 5:30am exercise.

I woke up this morning and just like every morning I thought about sleeping in but I’m already awake, why not just get out of bed. I jumped rope and went up and down stairs for 35 minutes and then I rode my stationary bike for the other 25 minutes. I felt good why I was doing it and not tired at all.

While I got read for work, I put on some steamed sweet and Yukon potatoes in the steamer. If you look back on earlier post you will see the steamer I use. It takes less than 20 minutes to have steamed potatoes. I had some left over steamed squash and zucchini with cauliflower in the fridge, so that and potatoes will be lunch.

Breakfast—not the greatest but it was an okay choice—I had an Apple Pie Larabar. Ingredients: Dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon. The only reason it is probably not a good choice for me is because I will be hungry a couple hours earlier than planned but I did steam extra potatoes. So win win!!

I like to keep things really simple. Last night for supper we ended up having pasta with spaghetti sauce. I found a oil free sauce from trader joes and I added a can of tomato paste with some fresh onions and garlic, salt/pepper, with brown sugar. It came out really great. We had that with whole wheat pasta, a salad, and whole wheat oil free dinner baguettes. My husband said I can see why you don’t like to eat out if food taste this good. LOL and it was so simple. It took less than 30 minutes to put together.

The key for me staying on program has been the simplicity. I think sometimes I’m somewhat special because I can eat the same thing over for 2 weeks in a row before I need something new and it comforts me.

I have simple products on stock: Cans of tomatoes, frozen greens, cans of beans, potatoes. I can make a meal out of all these. I don’t need elaborate things. If I’m spending more than 30 minutes in the kitchen, that is too long. I am a fast food believe and I believe this is fast food cooking. Are you finding ways to keep this program simple? I sure hope so!!

Breakfast: Larabar, homemade chai tea
Lunch: Steamed potatoes with veggies
Snack: Fruit
Dinner: TBD maybe more pasta and salad
Exercise: 1 hour already done with, may or may not do some more walking today

Have a good one

Hi Boots, How funny I am just like you I can eat the same thing over and over again and not get tired or bored with it.

YOu are doing great.
I love to exercise in the morning. It always makes me feel great.

If my FlickR page is any indication, I am the polar opposite of that. I love variety.

For me, I might spend half an hour in the kitchen then cooking time is an afterthought. That is fast to me.

You keep it up Boots, you are an inspiration!

Boy, am I glad it is the weekend .

I did not want to wake up early for my 5am workout but knew I would regret it if I didn’t and by the way I was already awake “so just get out of bed, silly.” I did 30 minutes of jump roping and 20 minutes of riding my stationary bike. I’m sitting at work tired but awake for the most part. I know my mood is good because of the exercise I completed.

I’ve been eating off the regular Mcdougall plan. I don’t lose weight on that plan. I know why. I need to do MWL 100% and strictly but sometimes you just need regular plan foods if that’s what keeps you on plan—do what you have to do. I love to eat a plate of beans and brown rice with some avocado slices or a bean and rice burrito. It’s all about staying on plan.

This morning I made a simple lunch and it took less than 15 minutes. I had left over spaghetti sauce that I added 1 container of vegetable broth to and 1 ½ pounds of mixed greens with ½ cauliflower. It turned into a thick soup that I will eat with brown rice and it’s a great way to use leftovers.

I’m so excited to go the the Vegfest this weekend and listen to all the speakers. I have picked out about 9 people I want to hear. I’ve never heard any of them in person because of money, so it feels good to have this for cheap ($8). I’ll be gone all weekend—I think we are even staying in the city.

Breakfast: Decided to mix things up—I had corn on the cob with a large glass of chai tea with soy milk
Lunch: Soup with brown rice
Dinner: TBD
Exercise: 1 hour complete

Have a good one

BOots,, where is Vegfest this weekend... is it up in the bay area or southern california?

Have a great day at Vegfest!

Your post mae my heart skip a beat, it sounded like you were eating non-McD foods. I had to read it a couple of time. Forgive me, I just woek up.

LOL. WAKE UP!! I'm still eating MCdougall

HI Boots , Thanks for the info on Vegfest. I am going to have to plan to get therer for next year.
Hope you had a blast there.

Boots,

I have kept note of your roasted garlic bread recipe, since I love garlic bread...

Last night I roasted some garlic and made some bread. I simple added boiling water to the garlic to makr a roasted garlic "oil". This morning I drizzled it on my bread, added some zataar spice and toasted it, heaven.

Thanks for sharing!

Good morning !!

Boy o Boy did I have a good weekend at VegFest San Francisco 2011. I wanted to come and tell you all about it yesterday but I was so tired from all my festivities that I just lurked. There is so much to say and I can’t give it all justice. I got to hear John & Ocean Robbins, Milton Mills, Dr. Oppenlander, Dr. Goldhamer, Erica Meier and of course T. Colin Campbell.

The information I heard was information I already knew but it was so great to hear these people in person and hear the message in person and all for less than $8. It felt like a Soreal experience and really motivated me.

Out of the whole weekend the speaker that spoke, and whose message I took to heart was Dr. Godhamer. He runs the True North clinic in Santa Rosa,CA. He talked about the importance of going SOS free. SOS stands for Salt, Sugar and Oil free. He spoke about fat vegans (yes, he did mention Dr. Mcdougall's article) and how yes we feel like we have already given up a lot by giving up death decaying animals and now he wants us to go SOS free. LOL. It was a good conversation. He also touched on fasting and he promotes fasting to help reset the taste buds. He talked about the chemicals in the brain and how it is an addiction that we have eating these foods with fat and sugar and compared it to alcoholism. He says that if a person doesn’t fast that it can take up to 3 weeks SOS free to reset the taste buds but if you fast you can see changes within 3-5 days.

Of course, he didn’t recommend fasting at home because he was trying to promote his business; I did ask him about this. I personally due believe in the benefits of a fast but a person has to be really careful about what kind of environment they are in once they come out of fasting—like you have to go straight into an SOS diet and never look back or you will gain weight and go on a binge. I believe fasting is a good tool. I know it’s not a popular stance and there is a lot out there against it but I do believe in it.

We ended our weekend with a bang by eating at the famous Millennium restaurant. Despite the huge bill, the food is always fabulous.

I lost the majority of the first 85 pounds by going SOS free, so I know its what I need to do to end this weight loss journey and I’m ready to end it. I’ve been holding on to everything thinking just like Dr. Goldhamer mentioned, that I have to give up more, when I’m already giving up so much!! But that is a bad perspective to have. Look what I will be getting---health, I will be at a good weight. I will be able to run faster. I will be able to sleep better. I will be able to start looking into my dream job of being a health coach. I need to look the role before I can preach it.

I’m excited. I’m going to go home today and toss out the things that I’ve been holding onto. AKA barbeque sauce, ketchup, salt. I’m going to start using a lot more herbs. I’m ready to fully do this. I’m ready to reach this goal. I have big plans and this weight has been getting in my way, it’s time to get it done and let it be the end.

I’m excited about this next phase. Will you join me? I see lots of you doing an Unprocessed October Challenge. Is it completely SOS free. I see most of you are getting it right. I’m rooting for you and I’m there right along with you !!