Discussion Board

My 30 day challenge:

Eat 100% McD for the next 30 days. Also, eat the heartburn eliminating diet: No coffee, fruit juices, mint, chocolate, spices and onions! I have a feeling, that I may have to give up tomatoes too. And exercise every day. If I can't make it to the gym, exercise at home. Tomorrow will be my first day. Basically, "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired!"

Good luck with your challenge Loveskale. You can do it!
lfwfv

Day 1: Today has been a good day. There has been som ups and downs with my energy, but I have been expecting that. I am trying to get into a sleeping routine, that is, getting up at the same time every day and going to be at the same time every day. I think this will help with my fatigue, but also so I can get up and get to the gym early before it gets to be too hot

My anxiety has been normal today (which is very anxious). I am hoping that if I adhere to this diet and exercise program, it will lessen somewhat. I found I was hungrier then usual today.

Breakfast: Congee, potato
Snack: potato, mary's organic crackers and strawberries
Lunch: Rice and beans
Snack: cooked beets
Dinner: Rice and beans, and another potato
Drinks: Coffee (w/ rice milk and sugar)(fail!) 3 cups of green tea, 1 chai tea (w/ rice milk and agave), and lots of water
Exercise: 30 minutes of yoga and 45 minutes weight training

Edit: Had 2 more potatoes, and a cup of chamomile tea (w/honey)

Day 2: Again, didn't want to get up this morning, but I did it anyways! I did yoga and went to the gym, and had no coffee I was so tired I took a nap though, it really helped. I had a terrible time getting to sleep last night!

Breakfast: Congee, green tea
Snack: Beet, Mary's organic crackers (not too many!)
Lunch: Rice and beans, herbal tea w/ honey
Snack: Strawberries and a couple of potatoes, chai tea w/ agave
Dinner: More Rice and beans

Exercise: 30 minutes of yoga, 45 minute power walk on the treadmill, up to 4.1kph now!

Lookin good. Keep on keepin on

First off, thank you Lfwfv and Sksamboots, I really appreciate your support! It means so much to me!

Day 3: I knew there would be one day when I wouldn't be able to exercise, I just found out it was this day. I also knew I wouldn't be able to eat McDougall foods at the veg meeting tonight. However, I found out that someone there also follows McDougall. She has been for 5 years and she looks great! It made me feel better about the diet. I have a veg meeting once every month, where we eat out at a restaurant, it is wonderful to get out and talk to all my friends there. I anticipated that I will not easily get oil-free foods, so to be honest I did limit the amount that I ate (even the rice was oiled down, yuck!). However, to be completely honest, I was not looking forward to the food, nor was I looking forward to losing this great feeling I've been having. I have been feeling healthier, even healthier than on a vegan diet (with oil and many processed foods). I found myself to be...more conident, and even more insightful than I have ever been. I am very proud of myself and I know I am definitely sticking to this diet! Tomorrow, it's back to the gym and 100% McDougall!!!

Breakfast: Congee
Lunch: Potatoes x2
Dinner: Aloo Gobi with rice

Good work Loveskale! You sound so positive. How exciting that you found another McDougaller!! Any chance you would ever meet for lunch, or have some meals together at each other's houses?

For me, the social aspect of this way of eating is very awkward, and despite McDougalling for over a year already, almost nobody knows I eat this way. I get away with bringing my own food most places because of my severe allergy to gluten, and dairy, and sensitivity to corn and soy. I haven't actually told anyone besides some family members and close friends that I don't eat animal products because I choose to be healthy!!

Take care
lfwfv

Thank you Lfwfv!
We don't know each other so well, unfortunately, but I would have liked to talk with her more. Maybe if she comes to another meeting I can talk to her more.
I am a lot like you Lfwfv, I also get by not eating out so much because of my gluten sensitivity. I find that if people don't know if you're a vegetarian, they think your food looks greats and asks where you found it, if they know you're a vegetarian, they are very questionable about it.

Day 4: Today I was back on board with McDougall and feeling fine! I got up and exercised. I have exercised before, and given up after about a week, mostly because I saw no results, even on VAD. This time, after only 2 weeks, I am already seeing results in muscle tone! I'm even considering setting a 5k run as a goal for the future! I am so happy for about this! I keep track of my results at the gym and it feels so satisfying filling in the information about what I've done! I'm improving quite well. I'm also getting more energy, even if I'm sleepy I can still function, which I wouldn't be able to do before. My anxiety has also improved a bit. I really hope that this keeps up!

Breakfast: Quinoa w/ cinnamon and a bit of maple syrup
Lunch: Rice and beans
Snack: Pasta with fat-free "cheese" sauce
Dinner: Rice and beans with miso-mushrooms gravy
Exercise: Half hour of yoga, and 45 minutes lifting weights

For days 5, 6, and 7, I am happy to say I will be attending Summerfest. I don't think I'll be able to update my journal then, but I know there will be all the gluten-free McDougall foods I can eat there! Have a great weekend!

Have fun at Summerfest!! I'm just curious do you eat any veggies?? I don't see any listed in the foods you eat.....Keep on keepin on

Hi Sksamboots, thanks for posting! When I say rice and beans this is what I mean:

I get some rice and throw it in a pot, add some beans I cooked from scratch (could be pinto, could be brown lentils, could be red kidney beans) including the water I cooked them in, I empty a can of tomatoes into this pot, grab all the veggies I can and throw them in (emphasis on dark leafy geens if I can, maybe 1 clove of garlic or garlic scapes, add whatever fresh herb I have or use some dried, cook all of this together and voila, rice and beans I'm hoping the gorcery store or the famrers market will start getting celery root, and I can throw that in as well. Yum!!!

Summerfest was a blast, I got lots of good information. Wow. Thier gluten-free, oil-free baked goods would blow you away. They made muffins with zucchini to replace the fat, and they tasted better than real muffins!

Day 8:

Breakfast: Berry smoothie with some rice milk
Snack: 1 1/2 steamed potatoes
Lunch: Rice and beans w/ veggies and herbs
Snack: Mary's organic crackers, peanut butter and honey sandwich on ezekiel buns
Dinner: Rice and beans
Exercise: 1/2 hour of yoga, 45 minutes on the treadmill, going 4.2kph

I'm doing well with exercise, it is hard to get started some mornings but I keep preservering. I get up eaely in the mornings to do it, but I am sleepy the rest of the day. The berry smoothie helped a little, but it only kept me awake half the day. Hopefully, in time, this problem will fix itself.

Yay!! I'm glad you had fun at summerfest.....And the muffins sound wonderful, did you get the name of the recipe book? Thanks for the clarification on the beans/rice, lol Sounds yummy. If I'm having beans and rice, it's just beans and rice. Looks like your my morning exercise buddy. Keep on keepin on

Unfortunately no recipe book, I was just told that they used Bob's Red Mill flour. I wish they did have a recipe book though!

Day 9: Ended up being a really bad day for me. I had barely gotten any sleep and had no energy that day. So no exercise. I barely ate anything as well, and ended up eating some chocolate (vegan and GF chocolate, but still), and go McDougall's revenge within hours because of it. Now I know the coffee drinking was filling in for me cutting out chocolate. I need to cut them both out, it is taking a long time though.

Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Rice and beans w/ veggies
Snack: chocolate, Mary's organic crackers
Exercise: None

I also believe that the peanut butter I had the day before was affecting me, I hear some conflicting messages about nuts and seeds, but I do know now that high fat foods irritate my colitis.

Day 10: Today, has been a much more positive day! I had to fight myself to get out of bed, it took 20 minutes but I did it! I did some yoga, felt like quitting but didn't. I went to the gym, felt exhausted and wanted to quit but didn't. Came home and tripped while walking out to put my bike away, and had the neighbour's concerned Happy I went thrugh all of it. I think the reason why I'm so fatigued is I cut back on my potato eating, I need to take my own advice and eat more of them! I think I'll start throwing them in m rice and beans, since I'm tired of having potatoes plain.

Breakfast: quinoa w/ maple syrup
Snack: Smoothie, mary's organic crackers, 1 piece of chocolate
Lunch: GF, FF and vegan fettucine alfredo, yum!!!
Dinner: Probably more rice and beans
Exercise: 1/2 hour of yoga, 45 minutes of strength training

That chocolate is getting out of my way now so it won't tempt me anymore!!!

Sksamboots, I am honoured to be your morning exercise buddy!

I'm so happy you decided to go. There have been many a mornings where I have not wanted to exercise. Looks like you are figuring out the meals that work and don't work for you. Your doing great!!

Day 11: Yesterday was a very bad day. At 6pm all I could do was go into my room, close the door and the curtains and lay down. I was exhausted and very depressed/anxious. I really hope that this gets better soon.

Breakfast: rice & beans w/ veggies
Snack: Mary's organic crackers, beet,grapefruit, and carrot juice
Lunch: Rice and beans w/ veggies
Exercise: 1/2 hour of yoga, 45 minutes on the treadmill

Day 12:
Today has been better, so far. I kept up my routine, and a juiced again today too. I am hoping that my anxiety/depression lessens.

Breakfast: MWL hashbrowns with ketchup
Snack: Beets, spinach, apple, carrot juice, mary's organic crackers, a couple of pieces of fruit
Lunch: Rice and beans w/ veggies
Snack: Mary's organic crackers,
Dinner: More rice and beans with veggies
Exercise: 1/2 hour of yoga and 50 minutes of strength training