Beth F. Didn’t Think an Online Course Could be this Powerful

Updated August 26, 2022

After a lifetime of dieting Beth had lost the confidence that she could stay committed to a lifestyle change and lose weight. After attending the 12-Day McDougall Program, she has regained her confidence and belief in herself. In a month and a half she has lost 12 pounds, making her total weight loss 70 pounds, without feeling hungry and is no longer taking any medications.

Beth has found a community and connection with other 12-Day participants and feels she has made lifelong friendships. Along with the yearlong support of her McDougall Support Specialist, Tiffany, Beth feels that foundation and support for long term success.

May 2023

Star McDougaller Beth F. recently shared an update on her health journey one year after attending the 12-Day McDougall Program on the McDougall forum.

One year ago today I started my life-changing journey – it was the first day of the 12-Day McDougall Program. It has truly changed my life! The follow-up support offered through the program has been invaluable for accountability. I’m so grateful that much of the support continues on. I will continue to participate in the weekly Starchivore group Zoom calls for graduates of the program. I will also continue to attend the bi-weekly Dr. McDougall & Mary chats (with Heather facilitating) for 12-Day graduates. I am really going to miss the regular Support Specialist meetings (one year of support is included with the program). I can always pick those up again and have already done extra sessions for the fee, which is very reasonable in my opinion. I seem to be in a pretty good place right now, so I’m going to double down on my activity level here along with the aforementioned support resources and see how things go.

I continue to strive toward following the Maximum Weight Loss guidelines. My biggest challenges at the moment are #9 – eating when hungry, and stopping when satisfied, and #10 – getting 30 minutes a day of walking or other exercise. As a volume eater, I love the feeling of fullness, and really never reach a point of “enough.” So I’m still working on that area. As far as exercise goes, I have arthritis and other soft tissue issues that are pretty serious in one of my knees. Sometimes things feel OK for walking and other low-impact exercise, and sometimes they don’t. I’m seeing an orthopedic doctor and starting PT soon, so we’ll see where that goes. There is most likely a knee replacement somewhere out there in my future.

I am sitting at a BMI of 22.5 right now. I am a couple pounds above my goal weight range. So I would like to get my weight down just a little bit. We’ll see how that goes as well. I would rather be where I am right now than try anything that might throw me way off track. So it’s one day at a time with some experiments around my hunger and fullness issues and also really concentrating on the other MWL guidelines. It’s nice to be at this place in my journey where I don’t have any “wiggle room” with compliance because I am at a healthy weight! (referring to Jeff Novick’s writing about plateaus and why weight loss gets harder the closer we are to our goal).

Well, that’s enough for now! A Japanese Sweet Potato is calling my name! May year 2 be as magical as year 1!

November 2024 – Year 2

The principles taught in the 12-Day McDougall Program have profoundly transformed my life, especially over the past two years. The concepts of calorie density, batch cooking and simple assembly meals became my cornerstones for change. The idea of FOCUS—Follow One Course Until Successful—helped me block out distractions and confusion, allowing me to stay grounded in what works. The 10-Point Maximum Weight Loss checklist has also been instrumental, guiding my food choices and helping me get back on track whenever I drift.

In Year-2, the teachings from the 12-Day Program have deepened my journey toward holistic wellness. Dr. Lim’s emphasis on true lifestyle changes, addressing overall health rather than just weight, resonated with me. Shifting my focus to my “Goal Life”—a future filled with health, activity, and vibrancy—has been a transformative perspective. Maintaining my weight is now just one piece of a broader vision for living fully in a healthy body, which includes preparing for my retirement years with intention and vitality.

The program also helped me unravel a lifetime of diet mentality. I am learning to shift away from unhelpful thoughts tied to perfectionism and the scale. Mistakes no longer derail me, and I’ve developed tools to navigate challenges without resorting to old habits like numbing emotions with food or alcohol. The Pleasure Trap remains a reality, but the program taught me how to avoid it and, when necessary, step out of it with confidence.

Ultimately, the 12-Day McDougall Program has provided me with a sustainable, empowering framework to live the life I’ve always wanted. The focus on whole-food, starch-based eating has not only helped me find joy in food (especially my beloved Japanese sweet potatoes!) but also allowed me to prioritize my health and well-being in an enduring way. While I’m still a work in progress, the journey has been nothing short of amazing, and I’m grateful for the life-changing tools and principles it has given me.