Mary's mini-McDougall Diet

[CarolSoprano]

Hi, everybody. Today is my first day on Mary's mini (I've been McDougalling for about a year) and so far, so good. I'm stuffed after eating a large baked potato, salad with no-fat dressing and some grapes for lunch. Anyway, can someone tell me whether vegetable soup is OK (homemade, of course)? I'm assuming it is but I just want to double-check before I make a big batch. I did read the two newsletter articles but I'm still a little unclear. Are there any veggies that are off-limits (i.e., carrots)? Soup is so filling and I'm hoping that I can add it to the diet for even faster weight loss (I've been overeating lately and after losing 40 lbs. last year I gained 10 lbs. over the winter).

Also, what do folks eat for snacks between meals when they're doing Mary's mini?

Thanks in advance ...

Peace and love
Carol

[earnie]

Hi Carol. I began Mary's Mini today also. I am not sure I can answer your questions, but wouldn't think there would be anything wrong in home-made vegetable soup. Make sure there are plenty of potatoes in the soup. The basis of the Mini is to pick one starch and stick with it for the entire length of the Mini. Limiting variety of foods.

[CarolSoprano]

Thanks, Ernie. I was actually going to make a simple veggie soup without potatoes (putting in onions, carrots, celery, cabbage, green beans and zucchini with a veggie broth base) and have the potato as my "main course" (in other words, have the vegetable soup and salad as sides, with a baked potato or mashed potatoes as my main dish). I would assume it's OK...

Good luck on Mary's mini ... I'm excited about how full I was at lunchtime eating a large baked potato, salad and grapes!

Thanks again!

Carol

[earnie]

Carol,

That sounds right on target.

[CarolSoprano]

Well, here's my first day's menu:

Breakfast: 4 small boiled potatoes w/soy sauce, tea w/Stevia

Lunch: Large baked potato, salad w/no fat dressing, grapes

Snack: Salad w/no fat dressing

Dinner: 2 small boiled potatoes (with mustard), large bowl homemade veggie soup (made with zucchini, yellow squash, celery, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cabbage, garlic & herbs with a veggie stock base - it was DELICIOUS!)

It's amazing how full I have felt all day - I had 7 potatoes today (6 small, one large) which seems like a lot but is much less than I have been eating. I will try to cut the breakfast potatoes down to 2 and add a banana or apple (or grapes), stick with the large baked potato for lunch, and the soup and potatoes for dinner. If I get hungry later I'll have some grapes or an apple.

So far, so good!

Carol

[VeggieSue]

I had 7 potatoes today (6 small, one large) which seems like a lot but is much less than I have been eating. I will try to cut the breakfast potatoes down to 2

Why? Remember what Dr. McDougall wrote about potatoes and the Mary's Mini in the July 2006 newsletter:

" Potatoes are high in fiber and have a low calorie concentration. Potatoes have virtually no fat to wear (1% of calories). A large potato contains 150 calories. For a man, 10 potatoes a day means 1500 calories—for a woman 7 potatoes means 1050 calories—which translates into effortless, painless weight loss. Potatoes are the ideal “diet” food—low calorie, nutritious, and tasty."

[CarolSoprano]

I did read that in the newsletter but my problem is that I don't eat to just fullness - I pretty much stuff myself (I have always been a big eater), so I think a little less would be OK. With 5 or 6 potatoes (including the large baked one) I would still be full, but not stuffed. I did lose a lb. overnite so I guess even with seven potatoes (well, the large one was at least the size of 2) I'm still eating less than I was when I was just McDougalling. We'll see how it goes today...

Thanks, Sue!

Carol

[earnie]

I am starting my morning off with hash browns (Potatoes O'Brien) and Brussels sprouts sauteed in a bit of vegetable broth.

[CarolSoprano]

I had a nice big baked potato (well, nuked potato) and a medium banana, tea with Stevia. It's about 11 am and I'm still pretty full...

Good job, earnie - I like this diet because I don't have to do too much thinking about what to eat. Just some kind of potatoes and a veggie or fruit. Pretty simple!

Carol

[earnie]

I love potatoes and don't find that I need or want anything on them. Occasionally, I use the Braggs Liquid Aminos to replace the salt. Of course, my husband still want meat most days. But that's not hard to do and he also loves to cook.

[CarolSoprano]

I love potatoes as well and have Bragg's or soy sauce on them most of the time (although sometimes I like dijon mustard instead). My hubby is also a meat-eater and so it's been challenging cooking MacDougall style, although he'll go meatless a couple of times a week (actually, I'd LOVE to send him to Dr. MacDougall's 10-day live-in program because he's on 2 different blood pressure medications and an anti-depressant and needs to lose about 100 lbs.) I use the crockpot a lot so I'll make 3 vegan entrees a week and 3 meat-based entrees. While I'm doing Mary's mini he's kind of on his own, which he doesn't mind at all because he likes to cook as well! Aren't we lucky?

Carol

[earnie]

I haven't tried the mustard idea. I will try it. My husband is also on a BP medicine, but he is thin. He will go meatless a few day each week also, but not every day. And he is a big butter and cream person. LOL

I am trying to get more water and exercise. But I so love being retired and can spend hours curled up on the couch reading.

[CarolSoprano]

Here's what I had today:

Breakfast - baked (nuked) potato, banana, tea w/stevia

Lunch - yummy German potato salad (3 small potatoes), large bowl veggie soup (homemade)

Snack: Salad w/fat-free dressing

Dinner - baked potato w/ soy sauce, large bowl veggie soup

Snack: grapes

It was a good day ... this diet is great!

Carol

[earnie]

Breakfast - hash browns and Brussels sprouts
Lunch - Veggie soup and small baked potato
Snack - strawberries and apple
Dinner - Baked fingerling potatoes, steamed kale, salad

[CarolSoprano]

Breakfast: hash browns w/ketchup, banana, tea w/Stevia
Lunch: Veggie soup (homemade), German potato salad (3 potatoes)
Dinner: Baked potato w/mustard, veggie saute w/garlic, onions, zucchini, yellow squash and spinach w/soy sauce & herbs (boy was it good!)
Snack: grapes

Another good day ... I've lost 2 lbs. in 2 days so I'm pretty psyched!

Carol