Establishing Order From Chaos

For those questions and discussions on the McDougall program that don’t seem to fit in any other forum.

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Establishing Order From Chaos

Postby roundcoconut » Thu May 26, 2016 8:49 am

One of the most common patterns I see with people who've recently come to plant-based eating, is that they're trying to establish food order, where previously there was only food chaos. Or, they're trying to find a sense of order and predictability with their scale weight, when all they've ever felt is a sense of it being vindictively outside of their influence.

So, if I can be of any help, a couple thoughts for people who come from that paradigm:
There's ABSOLUTELY no need to live in a feeling of food chaos, and weight unpredictability.

By the same token, there's no sustainability in implementing parameters so severe that you put yourself in a food prison, and go from feeling a sense of anarchy to a sense of horrible confinement. If it feels like a food prison, it is too severe.

I would just say, it seems as though there's some element of training going on here, and it's similar to training for a marathon. If you tell yourself you're going to run three miles a day, and don't really have the fitness levels to make that happen, then that would be a cruel and horrible plan for you. Someone who doesn't currently have the fitness levels to run, would be smarter starting out with something challenging but doable, like 40 minutes of walking.

If you take that metaphor and apply it to creating a training program to establish heart health and the ability to exert control over your scale weight, then the place to start, is to set some parameters that feel challenging and exciting to you, but something you have the ability and enthusiasm to tackle.

Some people are really excited and want to jump in, and implement a broad range of changes. (That was me -- I was like that -- I did not transition to this, I devoted myself to it like the maniac I am). Others don't have the bandwidth or the mental ability to shift all at once.

So, I guess my main point is, the way to bring order into your life is to have some parameters, and to train yourself to adhere to some health parameters that you decide upon. And to train yourself according to your ability levels and your goals, changing those parameters over time as your ability levels increase or decrease (stress will decrease your ability to devote mental energy to your food) and as you gain headway.

People, feel free to add other thoughts! This is just what I'm seeing in people's posts lately, is the emotion of CHAOS and desperate helplessness, and that just doesn't have to be.

(Also, thanks to you long-suffering souls for working through yet another rambling post outta me. I just can't proofread myself some days!)
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