September 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Expat in NZ]

Happy New Zealand Friday all

Aug 28 - 188.1lb
Sep 4 - 186.3lb (-1.8lb )

I am happy with this continuation! Pretty much hit the -20lb mark, woohoo!

Something finally clicked in my brain this week with which I was struggling, and I know a few others have been struggling with this too - the concept of "comfortably full". I had tried the "hara hachi bu" approach with little success because I was hungry again within an hour. I tried listening to my body but I think I had a leptin/ghrelin imbalance for a while and I was actually eating too much but I didn't feel painfully stuffed or anything. I just didn't get the message that I was full until way after I stopped eating. But this week - I GET IT! What helped me? SLOWING DOWN.

I have a 4yr old and a 3yr old and dinnertime at my house is hectic to say the least, especially on my gym nights because I get home and immediately start flying around in the kitchen to get dinner ready, then eat dinner, then clean up, get kids ready for bed etc all in a very small window of time. I had to figure out a new approach to this and started prepping what I could ahead of time (diced potatoes in a bowl of cold water in the fridge ready to boil, chopped up broccoli and carrots ready for steaming, etc). By altering this one aspect I had more time to sit and enjoy my food instead of wolfing it down to be on to the next thing on my list. By being able to slow down and eat more mindfully, you really can tell when you hit that sweet spot of "comfortably full". You feel satisfied and simply do not want any more food. Hopefully this helps at least one other person!


Have a fabulous week everyone!

[LesleyMills]

9th week weigh in, was 172lbs now 171lbs -1lb
1. start meal with soup/salad/fruit 100%
2. 50/50 plate non-starch veggies vs minimal processed starch. 100%
3. Eliminate added sugar and salt. 100%
4. Eliminate animal foods. 100%
5. Eliminate high fat food. 100%
6. Eliminate added oil. 100%
7. Eliminate higher calorie dense foods inc flour. 100%
8. Don't drink calories. 100%
9. Follow principles: eat when hungry, don't starve/stuff yourself. 100%
10. Avoid sedentary lifestyle, at least 30 mins moderate exercise. 100%
I've had a great week with the food and sticking to the program. No slips at all as I was desperate to see the scales move downwards. Sadly it didn't happen and I'm now trying to work out why. Two things that might be affecting this: my doctor has changed my medication and my scales aren't reading consistently.
Since starting this program my under-active thyroid has been working better and I've been taking a small dose iodine tablet which has helped so my doctor reduced my thyroxine medication. Secondly my scales are old and I need to change the battery as it can read up or down a kilo (2 lbs) by just getting off and on again. I'm going to wait until we're out of lockdown here and the non-essential shops are open again (hopefully in a fortnight we're being told) and then I'll go buy a new one as I don't trust the mail services to deliver a new set of scales without breaking them.
Frankly I'm disheartened that the scales aren't showing much of a loss with all the hard work I've put in. With the planned battery change in the scales I'm thinking I might have a technical weight gain (as the scales re-calibrate) next week but I plan to double down this week hoping the scales will come good and I can get off this plateau.

Is there anything else I could be doing wrong? I don't tend to feel hungry in the conventional sense other people talk about so I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough and am in starvation mode, could that be it? I guess I'm hoping the discussion board team of lovely helpers might have a few pointers as to what to tweak. I've adjusted the veggie/starch issue (rule 2) that I thought was causing me problems but if it's not this then I'm stumped. I can't believe that no oil/fat, no bread/pasta starch and with me virtually living on veggies, some allowed starches and my 3/4 cup of porridge with 2 small serves of fruit a day; what am I doing wrong??

[Diane Marie]

Good morning All

Many thanks for the information about tea and coffee, Mark, much appreciated. I'm transitioning away from normal coffee at home to Nature's Cuppa and Caro, made from barley and chicory, but still with soy milk.

I'm finding it really helpful to have soup before a meal (weather is still cool here), I've made a big pot of Jeff's Longevity Soup, which is delicious. I'm also being more mindful when I reach for that second serving (of anything) to check in with myself and ask "Are you really hungry? Or just bored?" Often if I distract myself with something else, I forget about wanting a second plate.

It's Friday here so I've done my weigh-in. Happy to report I'm 1kg (2.2 pounds) down in 4 days.

[Expat in NZ]

9th week weigh in, was 172lbs now 171lbs -1lb

You lost a pound hun! I can't say you are doing anything wrong. Sounds like you're doing great to me

[josietheschnauzer]

To Lesley Mills! Congratulations you LOST a pound! Please don't be hard on yourself. Your body IS changing whether it shows up on the scale or not.

[PonysPlants]

Lost 0.4lbs this week. Absolutely not surprised by this low amount. I had an Indian takeaway on Sunday night with my husband and although I thought that I’d picked as well as I could (side portion of Dahl and some plain rice) I caved and had some pickle, too. Out of curiosity I weighed myself the next day and I had gained 5 and a half pounds. Can only assume that this was from all of the salt. Yuck. Big lesson! Even if food like that might not necessarily have added pounds of fat on it definitely screws with your body in other ways. It also made me want more salty foods in the days that followed.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. YES. This is just how I eat now. So easy and I love it.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. No. Found my self wanting salt more and more after the takeaway.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Easy. Vegan for life
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados,) Yes
6. Eliminate any added oil. Had half a tablespoon in a dinner my husband made.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. Managed to stop my bread habit in its tracks.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Still having a little oat milk in my tea.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Yes.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. Yes, Pilates and walking when the weather permits.


Thanks as always to the moderators! You’re so appreciated and all the work you do is not unnoticed.

[Waterfit]

Starting weight-121 ((July 1,2020)
Last week: 113.7
This week: 110.0
Loss: 3.7
Goal #1-109
Goal #2-105
Goal #3-100

I am so excited for my loss this week. I started weight watchers about a year ago at 141 and although lost 20 lb, I stalled out at 121 for about 6 month. Finally I gave it up, and started McDougall on July 1st. I used to do McDougall 25 years ago (for about 7 years when I was in my 30's) but then life happened. (career, marriage, etc.) I lost track and my priorities so at 64 years of age, I got tired of being chubby. I know this way works and I never feel that I am on a diet. It truly is a lifestyle. In fact, my favorite food (no matter what plan I am on) has always been a baked potato. It's plain, easy and delicious. I am not perfect and shy on veggies a lot of days and maybe too much fruit, but I stay within the major principles of high starch, lots of veggies and no fat. I am 1 lb away from my first goal and if I don't lose anymore, I am OK with that. I am 5'2" so that weight is ideal for my height. I am a runner and like being lighter just because I can run faster with less weight on my joints but either way, I am happy. It's all good!!

[Wfpb2020]

Start date 7/1/20

July loss - 9.4 lbs
August loss - 2.8 lbs
9/4/20 - .8 lbs
Total Loss: - 13 lbs

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes
2) Follow the 50/50 plate method; Choose fruit for desert. Yes
3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. 5/7 had some chocolate
4) Eliminate all animal foods 5/7 one fast food sandwich, little cheese on tacos
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods. 6/7 had soy crubbles for taco meat.
6) Eliminate any added oil. Yes
7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products, puffed cereals, popcorn and dried fruit. 6/7 had some pretzels
8 ) Don’t drink your calories. Yes
9) Eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve/stuff yourself. Yes
10) Aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. Yes.

I stopped drinking coffee with half & half. Now drinking decaf black coffee or green tea in the morning. But cheese is still an issue. Tried 1 vegan cheese recipe but did not like it. But will try a few more. Thanks Mark.

[josietheschnauzer]

Weight: 104.4 Gained: +1.4
Just like Pony's plant post, I too, had yet another confirmation about why I shouldn't deviate from the principles, but more importantly for me, I need to have lots of reinforcements! All this started with my 3 hour road trip one week ago. I visited my cousin who flew in from Denver for a change of command at Langley AFB, stayed in a hotel, didn't have enough good food, ate something bad and started the pleasure trap rolling which wouldn't go away, got bored and hungry driving home on Saturday,,,,, you get it! Downhill slope! In any case I am back on track but am eating more than "comfortable." On the positive side, this was a good dry run. Toward the end of September, I make a real,not virtual, road trip from my home in DC through Tennessee and onto New Mexico for a small "socially distanced" reunion with college friends.

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes, now. Ate too much fruit earlier in the week.

2) Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Yes, but too much food.

2) Choose fruit for desert. Had more than 2 peaches. Finished peaches i bought for a week in 4 days.

3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. This started the trap. NO food at change of command party for me to eat so I ate homemade desert. I won't say what, it might start your trap. you get the picture

4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Yes, except for what I am sure was butter or oil and eggs in the homemade desert.

5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). A little avocado in sushi given to me. And two Lara bars on the road...starving...had eaten my baked potatoes and couldn't find a Wendy's in time.......

6) Eliminate any added oil. That blasted desert......

7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. Those Lara bars.....

8 ) Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Finally, I can write, CHECK!

9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. I starved myself "accidently" because I didn't have enough good food. Then when I got myself on track, I stuffed myself!!!

10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). My exercise did NOT take a nose dive! Still trucking virtually through Spain and on Sept. 1, started a "long trip" with a team of 10 people through Mexico and South America.

Have a great weekend and Labor Day everyone!

[Abe]

Weight Change: 0 lbs.

If I were trying to maintain my weight I would be doing a terrific job. I would really like to lose 4" off of my waist, and will settle for 2" which would be 38" as a goal. I checked my records this morning, and my waist has been its current size since July 23rd which is also when I reached this current weight that I appear to be stuck at for the last month. In terms of BMI, I still have 19 pounds to go before the chart says I would be in the normal range, but that seems unrealistic for me.

The MWL point that I seem to be unable to comply with is the 50/50 for every meal. I am keeping track of my compliance with 50/50 which I am finding useful. This week I had 8 times of eating when I ate more than 50% starch, a few of those times were 100% starch. The times when I am eating extra starch I am hungry and I feel like eating something satisfying is preventing me from going out and eating a pizza, a steak, and a loaf of bread (not necessarily in that order ).

I am trying not to get discouraged. I have lost 50 pounds and feel great. I just want to get rid of this embarrassing gut. Should I adjust my expectations? I do not like working towards an unrealistic goal. I could be satisfied at my current size eating this way, but I right now I still have the hope that I will continue to lose weight, so I feel a bit frustrated.

I am 100% compliant with all other MWL points.

[Cathy Ann]

-1
Current Weight 224

Sept Start weight 225
Start weight 245

Sept loss -1
August loss -8
July loss -12

10-point plan
1. Start each meal.... Hmmm.
2. 50/50 Plate...& fruit for dessert. Hmmm.
3. Reduce added sugar and salt. Hmmm.
4. Eliminate all animal foods. Hmmmm.
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant food. Hmmm.
6. Eliminate any added oil. Hmmm.
7. Eliminate all high calorie-dense food including Flour. Hmmm.
8. Don't drink your calories. Yes
9. Follow principles, Eat when hungry.... Yes
10. Avoid being sedentary. Hmmmm. things have to change.

Hmmm, feeling very disgusted in myself this week, not really sure what happened to me? may have been overtired and emotional. I cannot believe how bad I'm feeling reporting in, all I can say is back to basic for me. I do have to try a little harder, because I have a lot of temptation in the household, and my previous live style with my husband was very indulgent. My Hubby is on my side helping me, and sometimes he is not.... I thought I was going very well with my 10-point plan. I now realise that things can change very quickly. My Tuesday and Friday were not very compliant, the remaining days were good. Had a 1pound loss, but feel that I didn't deserve it. I need to return to the 10-point plan quickly. Thank you for this group. All I can say is "SORRY" and that next week I will do my best to have a better report. My best well wishes to everyone for this coming week.

[squealcat]

Last week 203
This week: 201.1

This week I lost 1.9 pounds

I got back on track but it took a couple days to do that after my gain last week. Getting my mind back in order was the important thing or I would still be in "the trap". I even thought about quitting this group for the month. Glad I talked myself out of it!

Points on the checklist I did well with? #1,2,3,4,5,6,8,9,10

Points to work on? 7 I had fat free pretzels and some bread a couple of times. I try to make potatoes my go-to when needing a little "something" and that usually works. Potatoes with spicy mustard have saved me more than once!

Today I am making a veg soup. I don't really get excited about veg soup. I would rather have a soup that contains more starches like pea soup, bean soup.....but then I guess THAT would be my main meal ! I am going to try your (Mark's) spinach soup today. I had a plain veg soup last week and it was ok but not exciting (Maybe that is the point ).

Going out for my morning walk in a minute. Nice cool morning with sunshine....the perfect ingredient for a good walk !

Have a good week everyone !
-squealcat (marilyn)

[Amberlina]

09/04/2020 - weight 151
Weight change +/- in lbs - (-2)
Total loss since 7/7/2020: (-9)
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week- All of them except the exercise..I had a lot of appointments and that took my one time a day where the baby is asleep away from me.
General impressions & observations / resources to share / sources of excitement / requests for input & support-
Now that things are cooling down and the bugs are starting to dwindle a bit , I hope to just take baby WITH me on walks down to the creek.
I am back on track(lost the two pounds I gained)thanks to this link to some simple ideas from Jeff Novick. I liked the pasta primavera and the mexican fiesta a lot. Frozen vegetables really helped me this week.
https://eatplant-based.com/10-simple-he ... d-recipes/

[CindyD]

Female, age 51, 5'8"
Starting weight July 6, 2020: 211.7

August 28, 2020: 183.6
Sept 04, 2020: 182.3
Result: -1.3
Since July 6: -29.4

3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. I don't add any salt while cooking but I may have increased my salt added after cooking last week. I will make sure to do less this week.

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. Still walking the dogs for 40-50 minutes per day, but I just starting jumping rope (among the cheapest exercise equipments available!). My first day I did 5 minutes and that seemed like a long time. I am up to 6 minutes! But I hope this will pay off at the scale in the coming weeks. Also very preliminarily learning to shuffle dance via YouTube videos. lol

Many, many thanks for your time and great comments, Mark. Right now this is the only place I am checking in and it is such a helpful and valuable part of being successful. To everyone, keep up the good work and if you're struggling, just take one day or one meal at a time. You can do it!

[calharv]

Weigh in this morning 169lbs. Down 2!

I definitely followed more closely this week, and it made a difference!
I'm pretty sure the difference from last week was mostly #5 (eliminating nuts, avocado, and tofu)...

My challenge this week (and focus for next week) was #9.
Not stuffing myself, but often eating even when I'm not hungry. I think because I'm home all day now it's just something to do!

Cal