WOE Not working anymore

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

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, John McDougall, carolve, Heather McDougall

WOE Not working anymore

Postby Kkowen » Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:55 am

Started plant based in January via forks over knives along with 16/8 intermittent fasting. Followed all recipes, lost about 17 pounds felt great. I’m female, age 50, 5’6; 135 lbs.& struggling with menopause. Currently still following FOK or McDougall recipes but am starting to gain weight and look very fat. Belly very flabby and fat upper thighs and butt. Skin looks saggy. I’m not super active right now because work is busy but we try to walk dogs every day. I feel like it’s more hormone than diet but can’t be sure. I don’t know what to change or try different. Tried searching here for menopause and couldn’t sift through the thousands of results :( Anyone been through this and found the “magic” that helps. My last labs before starting this WOE showed high cholesterol and A1C right on the edge. My Dr. recommended FOK. I know every body is different but feel like there has to be many women out there that have “been there, done that” and have great advice.
Kkowen
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:41 am

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Debbie » Sun Sep 27, 2020 12:02 pm

Kkowen wrote:Started plant based in January via forks over knives along with 16/8 intermittent fasting. Followed all recipes, lost about 17 pounds felt great. I’m female, age 50, 5’6; 135 lbs.& struggling with menopause. Currently still following FOK or McDougall recipes but am starting to gain weight and look very fat. Belly very flabby and fat upper thighs and butt. Skin looks saggy. I’m not super active right now because work is busy but we try to walk dogs every day. I feel like it’s more hormone than diet but can’t be sure. I don’t know what to change or try different. Tried searching here for menopause and couldn’t sift through the thousands of results :( Anyone been through this and found the “magic” that helps. My last labs before starting this WOE showed high cholesterol and A1C right on the edge. My Dr. recommended FOK. I know every body is different but feel like there has to be many women out there that have “been there, done that” and have great advice.

Have you had repeat labs done? Might be helpful. Your BMI is great at 21.8. That being said, lowering the calorie density of your food might help. Removing high fat plant foods like nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu etc can help. Maybe some quick targeted exercises can help too. Nothing extreme, but like 10-20 squats here and there or lunges, crunches can help. But generally, it's the food. Look at what you are eating and how high the calorie density is. Look up Jeff Novick's info in his forum.
"It's the food" It's always been the food.
User avatar
Debbie
 
Posts: 2257
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:09 pm

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Langeranger » Sun Sep 27, 2020 5:13 pm

You have omitted all cooking oils haven’t you? And avocado and olives?
Langeranger
 
Posts: 561
Joined: Sun Aug 09, 2009 8:33 pm

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Vanilla Orchid » Sun Sep 27, 2020 9:42 pm

Have you tried writing down everything you eat every day? I find that to be helpful. If I don't write it down, it didn't happen. I also write down my weight every day (first thing in the morning before eating, after bathroom, and naked). (TMI??) And I write down how much exercise, what kind, and if anything unusual is going on (such as a pandemic, a lockdown, being very sad, celebrating, or whatever). It helps me to see patterns and fix them.
User avatar
Vanilla Orchid
 
Posts: 2221
Joined: Fri Feb 16, 2007 12:19 am
Location: Pacifica, CA

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Dougalling » Mon Sep 28, 2020 6:51 am

Hello

You could try entering your food into cronometer . com for a couple of weeks to learn the details of how you are eating.
You might find that you are eating more oils, nuts/seeds, calories than you think.
You might like to re-read Dr McDougall's The Color Picture Book.
You might want to watch Dr Esselstyn's No Oil video on youtube. It's only 12 minutes long.
Jeff Novick is still a great resource on this site. Find him in the Board Index.
Have a great day.
Image
User avatar
Dougalling
 
Posts: 1944
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:10 am

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Kkowen » Mon Sep 28, 2020 7:45 am

Thank you all for replying. I have cut all oils, butter etc. I rarely eat nuts or avocado or tofu. I have been lazy in logging food because you’re not supposed to have to when eating this way. What do most people do for macros on this, 20% fat? Is it possible to eat too little fat? I also don’t eat a lot of fruit. Normally just a serving in the evening as dessert. And I know I need to move more
Kkowen
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:41 am

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby f1jim » Mon Sep 28, 2020 7:52 am

I agree it's time to log everything. With some history you can compare your intake to your physical activity. This will always tell you why your weight is going up or down. Almost everyone is surprised by logging all food consumed. You will be, too.
f1jim
While adopting this diet and lifestyle program I have reversed my heart disease, high cholesterol, hypertension, and lost 54 lbs. You can follow my story at https://www.drmcdougall.com/james-brown/
User avatar
f1jim
 
Posts: 11349
Joined: Sun Feb 17, 2008 4:45 pm
Location: Pacifica, CA

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Kkowen » Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:01 am

f1jim wrote:I agree it's time to log everything. With some history you can compare your intake to your physical activity. This will always tell you why your weight is going up or down. Almost everyone is surprised by logging all food consumed. You will be, too.
f1jim


So what I guess I’m learning is you still cannot exceed daily calorie requirement with this WOE. I tend to go heavy on the starches because they’re the most satisfying. I’ll log for a week and post back
Kkowen
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:41 am

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby gracezw » Thu Oct 01, 2020 10:14 am

Also, how much weight have you gained on this WOE after your losing the initial 17 pounds, and over how long a time? And what ideal weight do you want for yourself?

Many people don't need to watch their daily calories because they feel good about their significantly lowered weights with this WOE. For a few people including me who really strive to reach and maintain their desired ideal weights for other reasons, it is important to track their daily eating carefully.

Kkowen wrote:Started plant based in January via forks over knives along with 16/8 intermittent fasting. Followed all recipes, lost about 17 pounds felt great. I’m female, age 50, 5’6; 135 lbs.& struggling with menopause. Currently still following FOK or McDougall recipes but am starting to gain weight and look very fat. Belly very flabby and fat upper thighs and butt. Skin looks saggy. I’m not super active right now because work is busy but we try to walk dogs every day. I feel like it’s more hormone than diet but can’t be sure. I don’t know what to change or try different. Tried searching here for menopause and couldn’t sift through the thousands of results :( Anyone been through this and found the “magic” that helps. My last labs before starting this WOE showed high cholesterol and A1C right on the edge. My Dr. recommended FOK. I know every body is different but feel like there has to be many women out there that have “been there, done that” and have great advice.
gracezw
 
Posts: 1225
Joined: Fri Oct 14, 2016 9:25 am
Location: San Jose Region, CA

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Dougalling » Tue Oct 06, 2020 10:51 am

Hi

I suggested entering food into cronometer . com for a couple of weeks.
It's a good tool to use to check that you are actually getting the nutrients you think you are getting and to know that you eat too little, enough, or too much.
It's not a tool to use continually for a long time but it is a good tool to check things a couple of times a year.
Have a great day.
Image
User avatar
Dougalling
 
Posts: 1944
Joined: Tue Feb 04, 2014 6:10 am

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby veg tom » Wed Oct 07, 2020 3:59 am

The biggest thing that always sticks out [ in my mind] is 80 to 90% starch. Its always worked for me . That is what Dr. McDougall recommends
A is A
veg tom
 
Posts: 402
Joined: Thu Nov 28, 2013 3:23 pm
Location: st clair shores mi

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby barryoilbegone » Thu Oct 08, 2020 11:15 am

Don't know if this sounds obvious or not, but have you gained or had feedback from other people too as well, on fat distribution for your body? Sometimes we can think we're gaining a lot of extra fat in certain areas (we're all body conscious as well to some degree or another) but it might be less than we've thought. Especially if as said, your BMI is definitely sound.

I don't think there's full figure photos generally people post on the forums - possibly around data protection issues, as well as anything else - but seeing what it's like from a reliable third person perspective might possibly help as well.

Well done on what you've done so far too, don't undderrate that - what only maybe a couple in a 1000 people would do at present, for greater health. Respect to you.
"All people are made alike - of bones and flesh and dinner. Only the dinners are different.”

Gertrude Louise Cheney
User avatar
barryoilbegone
 
Posts: 255
Joined: Sun Nov 01, 2015 9:28 am
Location: Kent, UK

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby EvanG » Sun Oct 11, 2020 11:23 am

I would second Barry's comment. Get a trusted opinion or two about how you look. If it were me and I felt flabby despite having a bmi of less than 22, I would just lift weights or do bodyweight exercises like pushups, pullups, squats, and bridge type exercises. Those four or variations on those categories will provide a pretty full resistance based workout with limited equipment and no gym. You cannot eat your way to muscles by devouring more protein or fat.
-----
Started in June 2012 at 39
Lost 25 lbs. Feel great.
EvanG
 
Posts: 536
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2012 11:15 am

Re: WOE Not working anymore

Postby Jeremiah » Fri Oct 16, 2020 9:52 pm

gracezw wrote:Also, how much weight have you gained on this WOE after your losing the initial 17 pounds, and over how long a time? And what ideal weight do you want for yourself?

Many people don't need to watch their daily calories because they feel good about their significantly lowered weights with this WOE. For a few people including me who really strive to reach and maintain their desired ideal weights for other reasons, it is important to track their daily eating carefully.

Kkowen wrote:Started plant based in January via forks over knives along with 16/8 intermittent fasting. Followed all recipes, lost about 17 pounds felt great. I’m female, age 50, 5’6; 135 lbs.& struggling with menopause. Currently still following FOK or McDougall recipes but am starting to gain weight and look very fat. Belly very flabby and fat upper thighs and butt. Skin looks saggy. I’m not super active right now because work is busy but we try to walk dogs every day. I feel like it’s more hormone than diet but can’t be sure. I don’t know what to change or try different. Tried searching here for menopause and couldn’t sift through the thousands of results :( Anyone been through this and found the “magic” that helps. My last labs before starting this WOE showed high cholesterol and A1C right on the edge. My Dr. recommended FOK. I know every body is different but feel like there has to be many women out there that have “been there, done that” and have great advice.


This. The idea that counting calories is unnecessary with this way of eating is, in my opinion, sometimes a mistake. I have known several people eating a Mcdougall diet who found it necessary to track their calories to reach the weight they were most happy with. It's very, very hard, if not impossible, to be obese with this diet, but not at all impossible to be somewhat overweight. Mcdougall foods taste good, and because you aren't particularly active, it is going to be rather easy to eat a little more than you actually need each day. Especially if you're eating pasta and bread.

Also, I highly recommend you read Jeff Novick's posts here where he goes into depth about the idea that one can "eat as much as one wants."

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=27333
Jeremiah
 
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2009 5:45 pm


Return to The Lounge

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests



Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.