Discussion Board

Good morning,

I have been to the point of almost quitting this diet plan. For the most part I am eating vegetarian, but trying to eat vegan is still very hard. Yesterday I had to take my grandmother to the doctor. I had eaten breakfast about 6:30 and it was 1:00 before we got back. I was starved. I came home and ate some beans with onions, but I had let myself get too hungry... then I ate some cereal and 2 poptarts. Well, the rest of the day was not McDougall friendly to say the least.

Today I am restarting. I KNOW God has showed me the McDougall plan is right for me, and that is why the enemy is wanting me to do any plan but this one. I bought some divided plates so I could take food with me when I go somewhere but I haven't used them yet.

I know this post sounds negative but actually I learned some lessons from all the mistakes I have made. I am really going to give it to the Lord and stay prepared at all times with the right food readily avalible. And take my lunches with me even though it is a little embarrassing.

Jubilee - I really enjoyed the quote from Hannah Whitall Smith. Thanks for sharing it.

kcwriter - What a testamony you have of healing! Yes, God has done it before and He will do it again.. I will be praying for your complete healing.

luvoatmeal - "The little foxes that spoil the vine"...I have been taking some liberties too, and even ate some chicken last night . Not a good choice, I know. I am getting serious today. I haven't lost any weight since I started this diet because I have not been 100% commited to being a vegan.
The fruit kabobs sound good.

Mrs. Doodlepunk - Your Easter dinner sounds lovely.

Luv the lorax - hello

forlife - Glad to see you back!
My Easter plans are to go to church then go to my niece's house for dinner. She is having a family get together and I want to go and enjoy the fellowship, but I will have to take my own food. My grandsons will be coloring eggs, but they won't eat them.

Donna - I bought my grandsons Easter baskets and plastic eggs with small toys inside.

Wendy Jane - I am surprised by some of the things on the list. Got to read those labels which I am now doing.The most surprising to me was Amy's coconut soup.

Let us all remember our Lord's suffering on this Good Friday

Blessings,
Cathy

Wendy Jane, just reading your list almost made me break out in hives, get a sugar buzz and feel sleepy from the slug of fat! OH, and jittery and irritable from the caffeine! Everything on that list is stuff that none of us McDougallers would even need to think twice about. Right?

Luvoatmeal - the practicing is going..... I have a stiff shoulder since yesterday and it's making me pretty miserable. Nothing helps much and it makes playing keyboards pretty uncomfortable. Also, sleeping is uncomfortable, so is typing and wow I don't know why I'm sitting here!

Cat - I'm gonna tell you this once and you remember it forever. NEVER LEAVE HOME WITHOUT FOOD! <----- stern Mrs. D face. Always be prepared to be gone all day. Here is what I always take. Several baked potatoes, enough for me and whoever else might want one. Wrap in a thick towel, they stay warm for hours. Several carrots, peeled and cut up or just a bag of baby carrots. Bag of apples, several bananas. You can keep a small cooler with you or a big beach bag that looks like a purse for going in places if you like.

There is nothing worse than being stressed and irritable and in pain or something and having no food. Always have food with you, even at home! It is critical to success on this program.

Mr. D packs a cooler of food every morning. He always has several pieces of fruit, a grapefruit or orange, banana, apples, what ever is in season in our yard or garden like tomatoes, pickles, or otherwise several carrots. Then he has either plain bread or sandwiches made with red pepper and onion and kale or fresh spinach or pickles with mustard. The bread in the winter is sourdough that I make at home with whole grains, in summer is regular 100% whole wheat that I make.

I'm going to post the recipe for my sourdough over in the Recipes forum.

Good Morning -

Thanks for the Easter ideas. I went to run to the grocery store this am so I could start cooking. They had the cutest baskets on sale. So I picked up two and a little chocolate. We are having an Easter Parade tomorrow morning in the neighborhood, so I thought I would take them to that. It should be festive and fun. On Sunday morning, we have a sunrise service here on the beach. These cousins are Christians, so I'll take them to that too.

KC - glad you had a good day! Still praying for that knee.

Wendy Jane - ugh, what a list - it gives me a tummy ache just looking at it!

Cathy - with every sunrise God reminds me that I have a new beginning. So now that you have learned your lesson - and have earned the Mrs. D stern face award - you can start anew today. Give yourself time and be patient, you are new to this. I promise you it does get easier.

God Bless,
Donna

Hello all,

What do you think about restarting this thread every month, like we do in the MWL forum? Then it won't get too huge.

Catmatt - I know how you feel, I've been there and done that. I think we have all had times of blowing it, but don't let that get you completely derailed. That's what the enemy wants! Sometimes we mess up, many times we could have prevented it, but sometimes circumstances are just really hard. Remember, it is eating well all those other times that will make a difference! My week wasn't perfect, but many meals were right on plan, and I lost weight.

Everyone - Our discussion about "The little foxes that spoil the vine" has really been on my heart!! Wow, the many ways that can apply to me....You know how sometimes the Lord really wants to get your attention, well, that is how I feel right now. Much to think, pray and read about, especially as we go through Holy Week and prepare for Easter!

Good Morning All,

Wendy Jane, that is some list. I was thinking it would be interesting to add up the total calories, fat, and sugar for the entire list and get a grand total. No doubt there would be enough yuck to sink a ship.

kc - sorry that your knee is still hurting. I'll pray that it feels better real soon. Good for you that you planned ahead and had food to eat while you were on the go. Mrs. Doodlepunk will be so proud!

catmatt - everyone has given you such good advice. We all have blown it, but you just dust yourself off and keep on going. YOU CAN DO THIS. I was going to tell you to bring food with you, but Mrs. D's radar was up and she beat me to it. She knows what she is talking about. She is the queen of preparedness And you have learned some lessons which is good!!

Mrs. D - sorry about your shoulder. I'll be praying! You will be absoulutely marvelous I'm sure.

dlb - have fun at the Easter parade and enjoy being with your family!

I had a good day yesterday with the food. Breakfast was fruit, lunch was steamed veggies, and dinner was a salad and some oatmeal. Today I'm doing exactly the same thing.

Hi Love the Lorax,
I forgot to say hello to you and say that whatever everyone else would like to do in regards to starting a new thread each month will be fine with me.

Have a happy Easter!

Hi all of you,

If you start a new one for the month, make sure you don't leave me behind. Cat- I learned from overeaters anny that you gotta take food with you when you leave the house. Once in a while I forget too and then I'm having low blood sugar and by the time I get home well, everyone better get outta my way!

Everyone! I listened to this guy on the Christian channedl who lost like 400 pds. He was so wonderful. He said that everyday he picked himself up and started out again. That he always learned that to let his past mistakes be a good tool to learn something new. He was wonderful to listen to.

Sometimes I start out the day with great intentions and then screw everything up by night fall. And then there are those days that I have no hope and everything turns out great. You know what I think? I think those are the days I lean on God more. Well, this is my first holiday vegan and you know what? I don't even care. Food has taken a meal by meal thing with me. I am eating for some injoyment but mostly for nourishment. Wow, for a girl who weighed 150 too much that is a testament to being vegan.

The one thing that guy did say was that he did make a decision not to eat any sugar. That hit me hard. I know God wants me to do the same. So I am trying to stick to fruit. But I made that soy recipe with dark cocoa and truvia. It's like a very rich pudding. I'm gonna have to think about that. I'm not wanting to give that up. Well, please keep the prayers. As I read your names, I am sending up blessing for each of you. Happy Easter, kc

I'm not at all surprised at Amy's coconut thai soup. It's the coconut that give that soup all the fat. Coconut is very high in fat. And if you took a look at the size of the can, it's probably pretty small for the amount of soup you get.

I have learned the past few years to not only read nutritional labels, but also ingredients as well. You'd be surprised at what manufacturers will slip in if you give them half the chance. I drive myself crazy sometimes at the grocery store reading all those labels, but it is time well spent.

I also read serving sizes. Many times a serving size is half a package, or sometimes even 1/4 of a package. Who eats one half or one quarter of something?

The other day I read the label of a gatorade bottle. My hubby loves the stuff and would drink it by the gallon if someone let him. Well, the label seemed harmless enough. But guess what? That one bottle had 4 SERVING SIZES. That particular gatorade had 110 grams of sodium and I think 10 or 20 grams of sugar. But remember this is for 1 serving, and that bottle had 4 servings!! This was the large 32 oz size.

When you multiplied that 110 times 4 you got 440 grams of sodium in that ONE BOTTLE! And when you did the math on the sugar content if I remember correctly, you got 42 grams of sugar, FOR THAT ONE BOTTLE!!

Now how clever is the manufactuer of gatorade for doing that? And who would think to look at the serving size? You'd read the label and ASSUME it was for the entire bottle. Who reads serving sizes anymore? Well I do, and I'm not sorry.

Morale of the story--do your homework. My hubby won't be drinking gatorade anymore. I suggested flavored water if he wants something with some slight flavor. Most flavored water doesn't have any calories and is pretty good. But I'll read those labels too.