I don't want to lose any weight

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I don't want to lose any weight

Postby r-marie » Thu May 22, 2008 4:02 pm

Hello Everyone,

I’m not new to fitness and healthy eating. But I need your input.

I already eat and love all the foods in the McDougall program (beans, whole grains, veggies, fruits, etc) - EXCEPT I'm NOT vegan. I also eat chicken, fish, yogurt, eggs...) I'm 65 - take no medication and feel great and unlike most of you have never had a weight problem.

So why am I here? Well, I have been borderline hypothyroid (TSH 5.5), and borderline diabetic (fasting around 119, seldom rising above 180 during the day) and cholesterol of 250 - but high HDL (60) and low triglycerides (50) - for several years.

I want to see if going all vegan will regulate these readings before I run into trouble. (heard about Dr. McDougall by reading about Ruth Heidrich ‘the Iron Lady” - what an inspiration!)

But I have one major concern: Years ago I went vegan and was always hungry and I lost weight. NOT good in my case as I am only 5 feet tall and weigh only 93 lbs. I do NOT want to lose any weight. When I added animal protein back into my diet, I felt much better. I lead an active life being a caretaker to my husband; I run and do yoga as well.

Can anyone identify with my situation? And how did it work out for you. How do you avoid losing weight on this diet.

Any suggestions and explanations will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
r-marie
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How to maintain weight on the McDougall Program

Postby Burgess » Thu May 22, 2008 6:14 pm

You might start by reading this: http://www.nealhendrickson.com/McDougall/030700.htm

I follow a subset of the McDougall Program diet, but for very narrow medical reasons. I lost too much weight, but now I have gained enough back that I am in a holding pattern.

If you don't have particular medical restrictions on what you eat, you should not have problems keeping your weight up. If you do, then eat more avocados, nuts, sweet fruit (especially dried).

BTW, you should not be hungry at any time except the normal hunger in the hour or so before a meal. If necessary, eat six meals a day. Eat as much as you want.
Burgess Laughlin, Star McDougaller
My books: http://www.reasonversusmysticism.com
My health weblog: http://anti-itisdiet.blogspot.com
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Postby r-marie » Fri May 23, 2008 7:59 am

Thank you Burgess,

I am actually more concerned about my blood sugar spikes after eating starches (brown rice, etc) and fruits. It will easily rise to 180 or beyond. That was another reason for adding animal products. McDougall is heavy on starches. It's a dilemma for me and I'm still searching the best way to control this. Been doing a LOT of research in general on 'insulin resistance'. Will do more reading on this site. I'm concerned not being able to keep my blood sugar in a narrow range under 140.

r-marie
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McDougall and starches

Postby Burgess » Fri May 23, 2008 8:41 am

r-marie wrote:McDougall is heavy on starches. It's a dilemma for me . . .
There is no dilemma. The McDougall Program, as I understand it, does not require a lot of starches. The McDougall Program is very flexible. Adjust according to your needs. Dr. McDougall recommends a lot of starch for most people because for most people it makes the most sense for a variety of reasons. It is not a requirement.
Burgess Laughlin, Star McDougaller
My books: http://www.reasonversusmysticism.com
My health weblog: http://anti-itisdiet.blogspot.com
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Postby DianeR » Fri May 23, 2008 8:48 am

Have you looked into Dr. Barnard's work showing the effectiveness of a low fat vegan diet with Type 2 diabetes?

What sort of vegan diet did you follow before -- how did it differ from Dr. McDougall's program?

You can always email Dr. McD directly; he is very good at getting back to people promptly. There's also Jeff Novick's section on this board; he's a registered dietician and very knowledgeable and science-based in his outlook.

My understanding is that all starches do not affect blood sugar the same way. Perhaps you will need to tweak the diet a little. But again, ask the experts.

There is no reason to lose weight on a vegan diet if you eat enough food assuming there is nothing else wrong with you -- like malabsorption. I went a little low weight-wise, but then I found out I was gluten-intolerant and had a malabsorption problem. I took out the gluten, I gained a few pounds, and I've maintained a healthy weight ever since. If people do go too low on the diet, they can add in more high fat plant items, like nuts, seeds, olives, avocado, and soy.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. --
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Postby r-marie » Fri May 23, 2008 9:37 pm

As suggested I went to Jeff Novick's site and found a lot of answers in the following thread titled "Twitchy blood sugar"
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewt ... sc&start=0

Seems GeoffreyLevens had the same problem/concerns with low fat/high carb diets and resulting spikes in blood sugar as I did. That was one of the reasons I added full fat dairy and meat to my diet. And JeffN recommended the Maximum Weight Loss program for keeping the weight ON just by eating more calory dense foods. There's lots more to read in that section, but things are much clearer now.

Just one more thing: Can someone tell me where to find the chron-o-meter they mention for download?

Thanks to everyone for taking the time to answer my post.

r-marie
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Postby DianeR » Sat May 24, 2008 8:27 am

I googled and found it:
http://spaz.ca/cronometer/
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts. --
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Postby r-marie » Sun May 25, 2008 7:22 pm

Thanks, Diane!
I googled it too, but stayed on the McDougall site thinking it was one of his 'tools'.
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