A New Amy...

Share your daily McDougall menus and/or keep a journal describing your personal progress.

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A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:26 am

So - Hi Everyone!! Here I am. I wanted to start a journal going to get this (my weight loss journey) off on the right foot.

I've flirted with McDougall for a few weeks (read 'been to lazy to actually commit to a new way of eating/scared/frustrated/in denial). I actually think I heard about McD at least a year ago from a video of M. Teehan speaking at the Vegetarian Society of Hawaii event. It piqued my interest and stayed with me - but not enough to actually take action.

My weight is 291.5. This is the highest I recall seeing ever. I'm not 100% sure, but I think its even higher than when I was pregnant - very scary and hard to accept.

I recently had a voluntary health screening at work and most of the numbers (besides my weight and measurements) seemed pretty good. In fact, I found the nurse who was consulting me even seemed to try and justify to me that being very obese was not my fault. I found that kind of crazy and essentially tried to take responsibility for my fat but she really wanted to 'make me feel better' it seemed.

Here are the #'s...
BMI = 50
Blood Pressure = 108/84 - this was higher than normal for me
Total Cholesterol = 152
HDL = 057
Triglycerides = 102
LDL = 075
Glucose = 093

Ultimately - I would ♥♥♥ to become a patient of Dr. McDougall's by formally attending his 10 day session in Santa Rosa. But at this point, the financing makes it way out of my league. I honestly wish there was a way to apply for a grant or sponsorship or something - but that being said, I still am planning to go at it alone and give it my all.

I know I'm not healthy - but I've never been seriously ill either. I feel the massive weight crushing me each day though in little ways and I am so tired of it. I feel like I have been living in a fat suit for so very long. I used to dance when I was younger pretty serious and I just miss that type of movement so much. I watch dance movies and shows dreaming of a time when I can again move with ease.
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A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Wed Mar 14, 2012 9:44 am

More background...

I'm 36, work full time - I am married and I have a 4 year old son.

It feels like I've been fat for ever and I've tried tons of different diets in my lifetime, some with great success. I did Jenny Craig for 2 years and lost about 50lbs that way. I've tried Weight Watchers, Atkins, South Beach, Raw Foods etc. and I am heavier now than before any of those attempts.

I loved the raw foods - but this of all the approaches was the hardest to stick with long term. I started getting interested in 811 LFRV and somehow through reading up on that it lead me back to carbs being the answer and Dr. McDougall.

In some ways I'm jaded and defeated. I have dieted before, given up soda, lost weight and felt great. But inevitably, the fast food, reese's cups and junk always beckoned and I got right back to where I started.

My whole family is obese and I do sometimes feel like this is just the hand I've been dealt. But, I'm trying really hard to believe again. Believe in McDougall, Believe in the science behind it and believe in myself. Believing in myself feels hardest of all in some ways.

I am tired of the fat though - it makes life harder and I am so over it. I hate worrying about if a seat belt will fit on the airplane when I travel (which they usually don't lately & I travel for my job a lot). I'm sick of my hip hurting when I sleep on my side (this is new & scary). I'm done with my feet hurting all the time regardless of the shoes I wear (I've spent $100's on getting the best comfort shoes around and nothing works anymore - duh, I weigh almost 300lbs!)

So, I am here - Today is day one of a 10 day McDougall challenge for myself. I will be travelling for 3 days next week, but too bad, that is my life and I need to make it work.

I hope to get to know all of you and share you journeys with you!!

Here's a poor quality, blurry picture from this past weekend. I am so embarrassed, but you can all see where I am coming from. EDIT: I can't figure out how to add a picture to a post - I will work on that.
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby Vola » Wed Mar 14, 2012 10:17 am

Hi Amy, welcome! You're in the right place, both mentally and from a community standpoint. I often browse around here when I have some downtime, and am always re-inspired. You can find information and feedback on just about anything.

I think you'll be surprised at how your tastes will change and your cravings will diminish. Keep journaling - we're all here for you!

Best,
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby Norm » Wed Mar 14, 2012 11:25 am

♥ Amy ♥ wrote:I know I'm not healthy - but I've never been seriously ill either. I feel the massive weight crushing me each day though in little ways and I am so tired of it. I feel like I have been living in a fat suit for so very long. I used to dance when I was younger pretty serious and I just miss that type of movement so much. I watch dance movies and shows dreaming of a time when I can again move with ease.


Hi Amy!!

You are in the right place, and you are embarking on a journey that will astound you! When you're through, the "new" Amy will move and dance just as much as when you were young!

I know what kind of prison "living in a fat suit" can be. This way of living is your "Get Out Of Jail Free" card! I used to call it a "way of eating" but it's more than that. It's a "way of living". It is exciting, it is fulfilling, and it is satisfying, both to appetite and to spirit.

I myself am only part way through my "journey", but already I'm a new man! You're taking your first steps down a new road, and I want to assure you, this is the road to the rest of your life.

-Norm
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby fulenn » Wed Mar 14, 2012 1:39 pm

Welcome, Amy! You should really like the people here--good advice and lots of good examples to look to.

Look forward to hearing how well your experience goes. :)

Fulenn
What if love really IS the answer?

Read my journal about tackling Multiple Sclerosis with a plant-based McDougall diet in the journal forum on this site, Fulenn's MS Page.

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Re: A New Amy...

Postby kirstykay » Wed Mar 14, 2012 2:13 pm

Hi Amy, welcome! Glad you're here. I can relate to your story of feeling like you've tried everything and nothing works! That was me before McDougall...But NOT ANYMORE!!! Actually changing the composition of your food will be miraculous! I'm not going to kid you, it will be HARD at the beginning...expect that. But, it will be SO worth it because this does work!

One thing I did when I first started (and still do sometimes) is to read or watch the "star McDougaller" stories...they are so inspiring and they helped me to believe that this was possible for me.

I wish you all the best, and look forward to seeing the "New Amy" emerge!! :)
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

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Re: A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Thu Mar 15, 2012 5:45 am

Hi Everyone!! Thanks so much for reading my journal!!

Vola - Thanks for being the first one to say HI! I'm relieved to hear that the cravings will diminish. I have a pretty bad Mt. Dew & Diet Coke addiction so I am doing some transition beverages for now. Today I switched to unsweet tea (from sweet tea) and I'm using some flavored Sparkling Water at meal time. I find the minute I'm done with food I really only want water so I think I am making progress. I know tea isn't great (caffeine) and I know the sparking water isn't great (sucralose & carbination) but I am trying to take baby steps in the right direction.

Norm - So glad to hear others can relate to feeling stuck in the 'fat suit'! Your weight loss so far is astounding to me! Congratulations!! Also, thanks for the reassurance that I can make this a lifestyle change that I can live with FOREVER.

fulenn - Thanks so much for checking in! I'm really excited to get to know everyone!

kirstykay - So great to know I'm not the only one who's been around the block a zillion times with different diets. I've actually tried way more than I listed above (like Suzanne Sommers, Nutrasystem, a shake/pudding diet, Seattle Sutton, several cleanses) anyway - yeah, I'm ready to get off the merry go round and find something that works that I can live with long term. I too ♥ the Star Mcdougallers stuff. Reading and watching those is what gave me the courage to try this 10 day challenge!
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:08 am

Day 1 - Report Out

So - I'm pretty darn excited right now. The first days of a new diet always do that to me. I enjoy the structure and sometimes get too excited about having strict rules to follow, so I am trying to not do that to myself this time. I have read MWL and do plan to follow that approach, but I am starting slow and thinking basic McDougall for these 10 days so I can see how it will work for my family and my travel and long term life in general.

Yesterday went great!
Breakfast = Hashbrowns with onion & orange bell pepper (made with lipton soup mix). I know the soup mix is high sodium, but it got me really excited to eat them & I spread the portions out for 3-4 days

Snack = brown rice with mango chunks, 2 slices of peach and raspberries

Lunch = Veggie stir fry w/ brown basmati rice + 1 small york peppermint patty

Snack = Apple

Dinner = Health Starts Here Black Bean Sweet Potato Enchilada Casserole w/ added corn + 1 medjool date

I stopped at Whole Foods on the way home from speech therapy (for my son) I was dying for an apple. I saw a co-worker eating a fresh juicy one and its all I could think of! The location I was at was the smaller one in my area and it was super crowded so I was just planning to pop in for like 2 things and hit the road (especially since my 4 year old was with me) Well, $90 later I was on my way! I treated myself to several Heath Starts Here items (making sure there was no oil) and it got me really excited. One thing was a total splurge that I'm sure I could make myself (red bean dip w/ cut veggeis) but I'm trying to give myself every advantage I possibly can to stick with it for the 10 days.

I also prepped a ton of food to bring to work today. I actually had to carry it in one of my reusable grocery bags to get it here! I made a brown rice mixture (brown rice, green lentils & quinoa) and to top that I made an okra tomato dish that is an ethnic food my family makes. It uses a spice we call 'lemon doozy' that adds a sour punch, not sure if that is mcdougall friendly, but I'm hoping its no big deal. I think it might be called citric salt? I also baked 2 Yukon golds in long slices for a snack in the car later (thanks ETSelle for the idea!) Then I baked some sweet potato chunks and butternut squash chunks (slow roasted till crispy) for a snack. I felt on top of the world coming into work today.

I am definitely trying to make sure I have more than enough food and that I don't go hungry. I know that for major weight loss I might have to pear it back, but I am trying to be kind to myself. This is not something I am really good at!

Also, I'm a little nervous about eating too many potatoes. I ♥ potatoes, I ♥ corn, I ♥ sweet potatoes and I ♥ winter squash! Another huge reason for giving this WOE a try but I'm nervous about overdoing it. Is that possible? From what I've read though - that's really not a concern. Yippee!! After this post I'm going to go refill my hashbrowns!

So, the big challenge this week will be my sister. She is SO uncomfortable and unhappy that I am trying this. She thinks her life would end without meat and that there is no way I can possibly give up cheese. She keeps telling me that fad diets aren't the answer! I know partially she feels threatened but I also think deep down she doesn't really want me to succeed. This would make us so different and us being similar makes her the happiest. I typically eat dinner with her 3-5 times a week. We have kids near the same ages and right now my husband isn't around much (he's a cpa) so letting the kids hang out and getting dinner together is our mo. I am planning for Subway friday night. I haven't really looked at how bad their whole grain bread is - if anyone has suggestions please let me know. I may just bring my own food if I have left overs from work but it's also nice to know that I can just grab something that will work - I think it makes us all feel like I'm still 'normal' or something.

Sorry I'm so wordy! Thanks so much if you actually read this whole (or even some!) of this post!!!!!!
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:05 am

2nd attempt to post some 'before' photos.
Blue shirt is from 7.6.11
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Me w/ my family is from this past weekend 3.11.12 - my sister claims its just a bad angle that I look so round - but I think I just am so round!
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I SO want this to WORK!!!!!
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby toadfood » Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:40 am

You're doing great, Amy! Welcome!

It's pretty hard to overdo the starches. Eat until you are comfortably full, and eat plenty of non-starchy veggies too. I found that when I was first starting, I could eat what seemed like huge piles of food and the weight just *fell* off me. It has slowed down since then, but I'm still losing. You can do this!
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Thu Mar 15, 2012 11:58 am

Hey Toadfood - thanks so much for stopping by my journal. So far so good today!! Thanks double for your tips and reassurance. You are awesome!

I'm hoping that hanging out with my sister this weekend isn't too hard. We are taking our kids to the movie on Saturday and she was asking about popcorn.

Sister: Is it bad if I'm still going to get a big popcorn w/ butter even though we're going to get lunch first?
Me: Well, that's up to you - but I'm not going to have popcorn from the movies.
Sister: Why?? Isn't CORN in the name? I thought you said you could have corn??
Me: Yes, I can - but I am not eating oil or added fat right now.
Sister: Oh, Ok, well just get the popcorn without butter!
Me: I could, but its still cooked in OIL, that's what makes it taste so good!
Sister: Giggle...oh...

Hence my post on the Star McD thread about is air popped popcorn allowed....

Thanks again!!!
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby blue » Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:35 pm

Hi Amy
Just dropping in to say welcome and best of luck with your 10 day challenge! :) Keep us posted!
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby Norm » Thu Mar 15, 2012 12:49 pm

♥ Amy ♥ wrote:Also, I'm a little nervous about eating too many potatoes. I ♥ potatoes, I ♥ corn, I ♥ sweet potatoes and I ♥ winter squash! Another huge reason for giving this WOE a try but I'm nervous about overdoing it. Is that possible? From what I've read though - that's really not a concern. Yippee!! After this post I'm going to go refill my hashbrowns!


Yes, it IS possible to overdo it! But it'd require you to eat far more than you're comfortable doing.

I have always been what Dr. McDougall describes as a volume eater. I carried that volume eating over with me into this way of living, and as the weight fell off I allowed myself to eat even more! Even then, I continued to lose weight. It was only recently that I've changed eating strategies to address this, because I realized that at some point I'd plateau and wanted to change my behavior before that happened. I wrote a more lengthy blog post on this subject titled: A License To Eat. (<--- You can click on this link to read my whole blog post.)

I am confident that you can eat as much food as you're used to eating, and probably more, and still lose weight, just by adopting the principles of this program. At your BMI it should literally start falling off of you. As you get thinner and thinner it may take more effort.

My advice to people just starting out is to not obsess over the scale. If you have the willpower, resist weighing yourself for 2-4 weeks. Focus on adapting to this way of eating. Others will advise differently. Choose what you're comfortable with.

As for potatoes... and corn... and squash... if you love those things, you're GOING TO LOVE this way of living!! I bake 3-5 pounds of organic potatoes at a time and always carry some with me when I'm away from home. They are a PERFECT food to take and eat anywhere. And when people see me pull out a potato and start eating it, it always stirs questions and presents a PERFECT opportunity to spread the good news! If they're the least bit skeptical I'll smile and leave it with "I've lost 144 pounds eating these things!" and that's a reality that can give even the biggest skeptic something to chew on until he's ready to see the light.

Enjoy your food!

-Norm
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby carollynne » Thu Mar 15, 2012 1:11 pm

Welcome Amy!! I love this WOE too, and I know you can do it, it just takes a lot of perseverance and telling others to back off. this is your way to health, and no matter what, you are doing this for yourself and then your family and a son, who will have his mommy around for years to come.
Hurray for you to have made this decision!
I have lost about 60 lbs and never thought I'd be in the 150s ever again. cured my NAFLD!! Feel great!! Wt loss is so good for the knees and back, ankle, that I know I will never start back to the SAD way of eating again.
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Re: A New Amy...

Postby ♥ Amy ♥ » Fri Mar 16, 2012 6:35 am

Blue - thanks for stopping by! So much appreciate the kind thoughts!

Norm - Awesome blog, I appreciate where you are coming from here. Thanks for shedding light on this internal debate I've been having. Thanks for sharing your thoughtful reflection and tips about potatoes!

Carollynne - Thanks for stopping by to say Hello! I'm so happy to hear from all the great people here who are finding this WOE really is a long term, lifelong solution. This gets me excited!!

Day 2 Report Out

Well, I started out so strong! I ate on plan all day and really went for it. It's a huge change for me to have any home cooked food on hand. We've been living off of restaurant food or fast food for 2 years now. Sad, but true... So, just having something yummy and easy in the fridge at work for lunch on hand is a really nice change.

I started to feel 'the beast' (aka massive hunger that controls me) come on during my son's therapy appointment. I had brought along some yukon golds and baked sweet potato so I was feeling happy. I ate some while I drove and that worked out.

Took my son to the park after his haircut - still hanging tough. I also had had zero soda and just a tiny bit of the unsweet ice tea all day. I did have a headache but not a migraine, so things seemed good. Basically at dinner I started to tank a bit.

My son wanted Subway, which was an ok choice, but what I was planning to have for dinner Friday night. Then when we got there I ordered a 6 inch veggie sub - they talked me into a foot long because its cheaper. I also got pickles on the sub, not sure if those are McD friendly?

After dinner I had a bite of a PB cookie leftover from my son...Then we unexpectedly decided to go buy my hubby a new car. At the car dealership I asked my son if he wanted some popcorn. I love popcorn and they have the popper there that makes movie theatre style popcorn...uh oh....He said yes, but I think subconsciously I knew I would eat the popcorn not him. He found another little boy to play with and couldn't be bothered with the popcorn. So, since I was holding it I ate some...boo...

On the way home it got worse. I won't go into huge details - I didn't eat a whole cake of pizza or anything, but I ate 3 things more after that off plan because I was hungry. I didn't think I should be eating late at night, but then I got weak with the junk I had around me at home. I shared with my husband how having the junk around undermines my efforts and how eating off plan made me feel (bad, stupid, worthless, lacking will power, etc.) He was very receptive. Heck, after getting his 'dream car' I probably could've asked for much more! :wink: But he agreed to helping me get everything out of the house this weekend.

So, this morning I start fresh. I had some raw veggies and my Health Starts Here Bean Dip (spicy!) with a bunch of brown rice snaps. I know the brown rice snaps are processed, but they are unsalted and plain so I view it as a good compromise food.

I am battling massive chocolate cravings - especially love either dark chocolate mint combo or chocolate peanut butter combo - if anyone has any transition/switch type suggestions I would love to hear them. I did have some mejdool dates at home and I brought some to work to have one after lunch for my 'bite of sweet'.

Hope you are having a GREAT day!
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