Discussion Board

Hi,
I've put off going McDougall because I don't think I can do, or stick to the strict requirements of the MWL plan. I have about 40 lbs to lose. Do you think just doing the regular plan is enough? I feel like I could do that, and that I'd be able to change my eating habits easier with the regular plan.
How many of you did the regular plan vs the MWL plan?
Any advice or words of experience would be helpful.
Thanks, Gwen

I think it's worth trying. Most people will still lose weight on the regular plan. You will know soon enough.
f1jim

I started out on the regular plan. After losing around 100 pound, the weight-loss slowed substantially and I switched to the MWL program - which is now my lifetime plan in order to keep the weight off. I don't feel I've 'given up' anything - instead I've discovered new foods I never even knew existed.
Kate

I do the regular plan. I could probably be thinner if I were willing to stick to only MWL, but so far I'm not.

Perhaps if you gave yourself permission to do regular plan, and then snuck in MWL meals or whole days you could ease your way into it?

It will go slower, though, on regular plan with only 40 pounds to lose, so be sure to set yourself up to be patient.

Karen

As the others have said, you can lose weight on either plan. I started with the regular plan, and lost, but after about 5 months I gravitated toward the MWL plan, because I was eager to lose more, and also because the simplicity of MWL appealed to me and my lifestyle. As I went on, my sense of taste became more finely tuned, and as Kate said, it doesn't feel like giving things up. Everything tastes wonderful!

It took me 22 months to lose 100 pounds. You can certainly lose 40 pounds on either plan in that amount of time, if you stick to it. It may seem like an eternity to "give up" whatever you're not having on MWL (avocados? bread? that one extra fruit?), but guess what? More than 2 years have passed. What has been accomplished in those 2 years? Let's face it--we try to "diet," we pledge to get in shape, we goof around and indulge ourselves a bit. Time moves on regardless. This time, I moved too, and my life is so much better!

There really is no reason to put this off at all. Try making a list of what you feel you would have to give up. Then make a list of all the foods you can eat in the new plan you are going to adopt! When the last list is longer than the first, then maybe you'll be ready!

I'm confused . . . you've been a member of this forum since 2007 and you have 231 posts but you've never been on either plan???

If I were you I would just commit to the regular plan. Seems to me as if MWL is probably too big a step for you right now. Commit to it and see how you do. You may need to switch to MWL in order to lose weight--but keep in mind that you have to "dance with the one who brung you." If you get to X weight on MWL you will have to STAY on MWL in order to maintain that weight loss.

You need to make the commitment to better health and embrace the fact that getting there means giving up some things. It also means learning to eat some other great things that you might otherwise never have eaten!

But the first step is to get on the plan, period. If it's taken you 5 years to even get to THAT point. . . well, not sure what the problem is, but there must be one, right? Deal with that first, and then if you need to get stricter, do that later on.

When I joined in 2007, I was in the process of losing 100 lbs, on my own, my own way. Then, after a couple illness where I didn't have a choice of eating bad foods, then getting better, somehow I let some of those things back. So I've gained 40 lbs back in the last couple years. I wish I'd kept more of a journal during my weight loss, as now, when I try to remember how I did it, I can't remember it very well.....isn't that weird?

Anyway, I think the major thing is that I don't trust my own instincts on how to eat, so I keep looking for an answer, here, there, and everywhere. My gut tells me this WOE is good, but somehow I've never fully committed. I know that's what it'll take, and maybe I'm scared somehow....like I'm afraid of failing or something.

On another thread, someone said something about 'giving up the fear that I cannot change.' That really struck me. Maybe that's why I'm afraid to change....like if I can't do it, I'm a failure. Or maybe I'm just too lazy at this point in my life right now.

My head gets tired of all this thinking about it. I know I need to quit thinking about it and just DO IT.
Gwen

Um . . . YES. All the thinking sounds like denial or justification to me. Just commit to this WOE for a month. Do it without cheating. Then see how you feel!

I agree. It's not really thinking that's holding you back, it's emotion. Stop worrying and just make a plan for a month and do it. That way there is no failure involved, just a plan. A process. One step at a time, all laid out for you (you lay it out for yourself).

Set the emotions aside and do this. You don't get all worried about brushing your teeth, or doing the dishes, do you? Even though sometimes you "fail" to brush your teeth or do the dishes on time? Just make a plan and do it.