Discussion Board

Yay Kirsty!!!! Good job this week. Today is day 14 for me and I really feel great. I even went out to eat yesterday with friends. I called the restaurant in advance and asked if I could have steamed veggies and brown rice with no sauces or oil and they said sure. It tasted just fine and I enjoyed the company of my friends.

Pinkpinkycat, Thanks for your kind words and encouragement! I really appreciate all the support. I know I couldn't do this without it.

Kelly, That's awesome! Great job! It's so rewarding to take charge and know we have all the power, isn't it? I spent so many years feeling defeated and powerless...what a difference!

Food Today:
BKFS: Banana walnut oatmeal
LUNCH: Rice and steamed vegetables
DINNER: Some kind of soup...haven't made it yet...Edit: I found it! I just got a recipe from PCRM in my email for Creamy Root Vegetable Soup. Looks good! But I'm not sure I feel like making that tonight, so I think we'll have veggie ww pita pizzas instead.
SNACK: May treat myself to some air popped popcorn and a movie with the family since looks like we'll be getting snowed in tonight!!!

Exercise: Billy Blanks Boot Camp-Basic Training (kicked my butt-Yikes!)

My official Friday weigh in weight is 183.4. That is a total weight loss this week of 3.4 pounds. I'm very happy with that! Also, my blood sugars have consistantly been in the low 100s on my new meter which reads at least 10 points higher than my old one which agreed with the bloodwork at my doctor. So, I'm expecting it to continue to drop some, but I am very pleased with my progress so far.

I watched Doug Lisle's new talk "How to lose weight without losing your mind" (posted link in my journal yesterday). And WOW! Not that the information is really NEW, it's just presented in a very clear and compelling way. I think I need to watch it again. Really gives me an understanding of why it has been harder for me to lose weight-even on this plan-and what to do about it! I'm inspired and encouraged to keep tweaking things to get the results I'm looking for. And I'm confident that I am going to make it to the finish line sooner than later.

In light of Doug Lisle's talk, I've decided to make a few changes to the way I'm approaching things. I am very pleased with my results this week, but I have been allowing some regular plan foods in. I think I really need to eat with calorie density more in focus in order to reach the goals I've set for myself. So, I've decided that my goal for the next 30 days is to be 100% MWL compliant and no longer have bread(or any flour products), nuts, dried fruits or soy products. The bread will be the hardest for me, but I am excited to be doing this all-out and looking forward to where it will take me!

Food Today:
BKFS: Oatmeal with banana, apple, cinnamon, dash salt, tsp brown sugar
LUNCH: Baked red potato; smashed sweet potato with cinnamon; raw green pepper (munched on this while making soup)
DINNER: Black Bean Sweet Potato Chili-I've added cauliflower and spinach to the original recipe for more veggies. Served over brown rice.

My back has really been hurting me today, so I don't know if I'll exercise or not. If so, I'll try to do 30-40 min on my elliptical, but not killing myself. I'm thinking that may actually help my back, we'll see.

Hey! I love what I'm reading here! I'm saying "me too, me too" in my head. 135 by sometime in June is my goal too. I have about 44 to go. I'm nervous saying it but I think I can do it. I'm tired of f-ing around. Just tired of battling the addiction.

Thank you for sharing. It helps me and I so hope it helps you because I think you are just a lovely person. I also am enjoying your progress.

Anna,
Thank you for your kind words and encouragement. It does really help me to journal, I'm so touched and humbled when it can help someone else. You can totally do this! I know EXACTLY what you mean about not wanting to mess around anymore...it's time! Let's do it!

I've been re-reading my MWL book this weekend. If we really DO what the good Doc says, I know this will become simple and effortless...so why would I rather eat bread?????? It makes no sense to me.

Page 73:
Be Faithful to Yourself
"The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss works, as long as you follow it faithfully. You can fail yourself. Little lapses can make the difference. Because of the efficient design of the human body, the preferential destination of any fats added to the starch-centerd diet will be you hips, thighs, belly, and chin. You may very well be eating better than ever before, but that may not be enough. Or you may not be eating as close to the rules as you have led yourself to believe. As one famous diet pioneer has said, 'All dieters are liars.' Researchers commonly describe the difference between what people actually eat and what they report as the 'eye-mouth gap.' The one who loses out by failing to follow the principles of the McDougall Program for Maximum Weight loss is YOU. Review the principles regularly and check your daily eating habits against them."

There are so many little "nuggets" like this one in the book. I am eating it up (no pun intended!) and finding clarity, focus and renewed determination!

Food Today
BKFS:Oatmeal with banana, 1/2 cup dark cherries, cinnamon, dash salt, tsp brown sugar
LUNCH: Dilly Stew; 1 slice ww breadw/1 tbs pbutter & 1tbs all fruit jam
DINNER: Baked oven fries; baked beans; pear;
SNACK: Chickpea rice soup with cabbage

I had a horrible night of back pain and a terrible headache last night that kept me from sleeping very well. I finally took an advil today so I could get some relief, and I spent the day with a heating pad on my back. It is feeling better now, and my headache is mostly gone. I'm hoping I'll be back to normal tomorrow and get back to exercising.

Thanks for the quote from the MWL book.

Kirstykay, let it go. You did well the next meal. You got this.

Hi kirstykay, that Doug Lisle talk really clicked for me too. I'm trying to remember that every time I eat calorie-dense food I'm just making it harder to feel satisfied with the right amount of food for the day, even though my craving is telling me that calorie-dense food will feel more satisfying than some whole food.

KK- I have found that if I write out my food the night before and plan it...then it is in my head and I just follow the thread.

Also, If I am going out anywhere where they might be temptations I picture that in advance and say no to myself for each item. This has been remarkably effective!

Riva

Thanks Anna, MMMCarbs, and Riva! I appreciate your encouragement and wisdom. I think planning is a major key to all of this...and telling myself "no" ahead of time is a great idea. One of my problems is that I'm a rebellious little girl, though. So sometimes when I tell myself "no," my inner 3 year old talks back and says, "you're not the boss of me ." I think that's what happened with the bread and pbutter yesterday...I had JUST told myself that I knew I needed to give it up, and at the next opportunity, I intentionally ATE it...on purpose...just because I wanted it...ughhhh!

But you're right, Anna: I jumped right back at my next eating opportunity, and quickly got over it. I'm not giving it any more thought except to recognize this nasty little rebellious streak in me and to try to tame it or deal with it in a healthy way...I've always been this way. My dh is SUCH a rule-follower, and I am SUCH the opposite! I mean, I don't break the law or anything, but I have often found myself thinking it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission! It's gotten me into trouble in the past, and DEFINATELY has given me problems in my weight loss efforts.

As far as the bread goes, I'm just going to stop buying it! I'm not tempted by the bread I buy for my son's lunches...it's the yummy bakery bread from Whole Foods or Great Harvest Bread Co. that I buy "for my family" to go with soup or other meals that I make. They can eat it, but I can't...and that plays right into my "don't tell me what I can't do" mindset -- even if I'M the one doing the telling!

Okay, enough about that. I really am over it, but it's good to journal about it and think it through and strategize about how to overcome this annoying personality trait.

I'm happy to say, my back is better! I did do my elliptical last night, and it felt great to move without pain! It was only a couple of days...I can't imagine having permanent chronic pain. I am so grateful for the ability to move. It's very motivating to want to keep that gift! This morning I began my day with a mornning yoga dvd that I dusted off and did. Wow! what a difference it makes to start the day that way. My plan is to do this every morning...it's only 20 minutes, so not hard. And it has 5 different routines, so it's meant to be done each weekday. I'm hoping it keeps my back pain from returning.

I'm feeling GREAT about today! I have a plan for my food, exercise, and other goals I'm tackling and I'm ready to go!

Weight: 183.0
BS: 103

Food Today:
BKFS: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal-1/4 c. pumpkin, 1/2 banana, 1 sm apple, pumpkin pie spice, dash salt, 1 tsp br sugar, 1 tbs. flaxmeal
LUNCH: Chickpea Rice Soup with Cabbage
DINNER: Italian Stew with Gnocchi (my ds favorite, haven't made it in a long time!)
SNACK: fresh veggies with homemade spinach hummus

Exercise: morning yoga; spin class

Great Job you look awesome...you will reach your goal before you know it.

I followed the regular plan..it took me almost 2 years to lose over a 100 lbs..but I fell off so many times. I have been at goal many years now(15), and I find that I am better off sticking with MWL..I love olives, nuts, and bread too much it is very easy to overeat them.

Your picture looks great!

I have such a problem with bread that I have to let my husband deal with making sandwiches for the girls. Sometimes I can't believe that I let something so innocent looking as bread cause so many problems. Oh well. You can do this. 30 days MWL. It's yours.

Fulenn

Thanks Potatohead and Fuelen! It's great to know I'm not alone. There must be some powerful stuff in bread, sort of like what they know about milk and cheese to have morphine-like properties...IDK, but it is like crack to me, and I'm obviously not the only one!

DAY TWO of 100% MWL
Weight: 181.6
FBS: 120 ????
So far so good today! I'm loving my oatmeal without the nuts, raisins or soymilk...surprised the transition hasn't been hard there at all. And I've been measuring my 1 tsp of brown sugar that I sprinkle on top, just to make sure I'm not turning 1 tsp into 1 TBS, which I could easily do!!! I've been adding plain pumpkin to it, which adds to the creaminess, but I sure wake up WANTING it! Good thing it's good for me!

I was shocked and amazed to see the scale drop again today! And of course, so pleased! I did go to spin class yesterday, so maybe that had something to do with it, but whatever...I'll take it!

Food Today
BKFS: Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
LUNCH: HUGE colorful salad; mashed potatoes with mixed veggies
DINNER: Italian Stew with Gnocchi
SNACK: Banana (didn't have one in oatmeal today)

Exercise: 60 min barbell strength class; elliptical during Biggest Loser

I came home from the gym STARVING today! I was putting away groceries and broke into a bag of SALAD like it was candy!!! I was just so into it...and then I added grape tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumber and gr. pepper, put it into a bowl and ate it like a civilized person! I was just so shocked at how much I just couldn't get enough of it! I've heard other people talk about how they CRAVE vegetables once they've been McDougalling, but it's never happened to me before! Maybe I'm really changing for good!

I've decided on a weekly workout schedule that I think I'm going to be really happy with. We'll see how it fits with my life, but I think it's going to be nice:
M: Morning Yoga (20 min); Spin Class (60 min)
T: Barbell Strength Class (60 min); Evening Elliptical (whatever I feel like)
W: Morning Yoga (20 min); Spin Class (60 min)
Th: 50/50 Class (1/2 cardio and 1/2 strength)
F: Morning Yoga (20 min); Barbell Strength Class

OMG kristykay - I have been kinda afraid to say this about my salad cravings. It's so funny but I sort of think about it in terms of I have a new addiction

I went to a party recently and had plenty to eat (my dear friend actually had a cater that did 1/4 of the food vegan - amazing) but still not enough veggies for me - so I came home a devoured a big salad of spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, red onion, mushrooms & sprouts. But there I was standing in front of the fridge planning this like I was raiding the freezer for forbidden ice cream or something. I finally just cracked up at how funny it all was!

That's sooo funny! And really AWESOME, too! Let's be addicted to salad! I could handle that! In fact, I'm thinking about going back to the store today to pick up a couple more bags of it because they are only 99 cents each, but the sale ends today! I usually don't like to buy too many bags because they end up going bad, but I'm thinking I could polish off one a day at this rate!

DAY THREE of 100% MWL
Weight: 181.4
FBS: 123

I woke up this morning really sore from my barbell strength class yesterday. It felt really good to work that hard, and the instructor is absolutely amazing! I wish she taught the one of Fridays! I expected the scale to be up because usually when I work out really hard and my muscles are sore, they store water. Happily, the scale was DOWN again today...only 0.2 pounds, but I was bracing myself for it to go up, so I was shocked!

A little bit about me and the scale: Like many chronic dieters, I've always had a love/hate relationship with the scale...very disfunctional. I loved it when it told me what I wanted to hear, and I hated it when it didn't. Not to mention, we were overly emeshed! I had no autonomy...I was completely controlled by it. If it gave me a good number, I had a good day and I liked myself that day...but if the number was bad...well that meant the day was ruined and the self loathing would begin. Or, if I was on track with food at the time, I would just be completely baffled by this fickle partner. Why on earth, when I was doing EVERYTHING right, didn't it love me? Why did it insist on LYING to my face and telling me hateful and untrue things like, "see, you can't win," "you have no control over yourself," "your body is messed up and incapable of losing weight." Terrible, hurtful things that would send me quickly running into the arms of my other lover...FOOD! Food was always there for me, waiting with open arms to console me and let me cry on it's shoulder.

Eventually, I would come crawling back to the scale, asking for forgiveness, hoping to make amends. But inevitably, I would wind up repeating the same dysfunctional patterns, subjecting myself to these two abusive lovers time and time again. Neither one was any good for me, but I continued to bounce between the two for years and years. At times, swearing to stay away from both..but that never lasted very long either.

This fall, I decided to try a new approach. I decided not to get emotionally involved with the scale or with food anymore! I would use them, and then disregard them. I resolved that they would have no power over me, and that I would record what the scale said, but not give it any more thought than that. I got a small calendar, weighed myself at the same time each day (morning), wrote it down, and got on with my life. Sometimes I would note other helpful information, like the start of my period, or if I was sick, or felt particularly sore from a workout, etc. At the end of a week, a month, or a couple of months, I could look at the numbers and see a pattern...like the one I noticed about gaining a little when I worked out really hard. Or the fact that if I lose a couple pounds in a short amount of time, I'll stay the same for a longer period, or even go up a little before I go down again.

I know there have been many threads about how to use the scale without going crazy, and I've read them all. But this is working for me. It was hard at the beginning, but I just had to remind myself NOT to care what it said. It was information, that's all. And I can finally say it really doesn't control me emotionally anymore. I am through with this unhealthy love tirangle! I am my own woman, and I make decisions based on truth! I like the feedback the scale gives me. Like, when I know I've been eating too much, it almost always tells me; and then I can make appropriate adjustments. And I have grown up enough to know that Food never really loved me for me...it would always turn on me in the end! Now, I look forward to weighing myself every day, and I don't base my day on what it says. I just look back at the facts, and then choose to move forward. Now I'm the one in control...Love 'em and leave 'em! That's my new motto!