Killing the cravings

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Killing the cravings

Postby wildgoose » Wed Feb 24, 2016 3:03 pm

I can't do a regular weekly weigh-in -- it derails me every time I try. But I can report that I've been totally MWL for almost 6 weeks. Totally. As in, not one non-compliant mouthful.

It finally got through my thick skull that the little slips were what caused the raging cravings that turned into big derailments. One bite of anything with flour and I craved bread for the next three days. One even slightly sweet dessert and I would be STARVING the whole next day. Banana "ice cream" might be legal, but it's a minefield for me.

What do I eat? Rice (brown rice, wild rice, jasmine rice or mixtures of the above). Potatoes and sweet potatoes. Steel cut oatmeal. Corn. Pinto beans and kidney beans. Lentils. Soups (homemade) and Jeffburgers. SNAP-like meals made of rice, frozen mixed veggies, spinach and broth. Lentil chili (my own recipe, which we go through a lot of around here). Broccoli by the ton. Raw veggies. The occasional salad (not thrilled with salads in the winter). A frozen Mexican blend of corn, broccoli, cauliflower and red peppers. Bananas, Cutie oranges, apples and blueberries. I do salt my food, although I use no-salt-added canned/frozen ingredients and low-sodium broth. I use salsa, ketchup (no HFC, low sodium) and mustard for condiments. No salad dressing.

I can honestly report that I have no cravings. None. Amazing.

The only thing that happened once, which was more interesting than concerning, was when I was in the kitchen and somebody put a couple of slices of whole-wheat bread in the toaster. My response to the smell of toasting bread was instantaneous. I WANTED that bread. I wanted six slices of that bread, and I wanted them fast as I could shove them in my mouth. Of course, I didn't eat them. And I noticed the feeling. I was clearly able to differentiate it from regular hunger, and even from what I would call a normal craving in the old days. The only thing it reminded me of was the kind of shaky, ravenous hunger I got when I was prescribed steroids in the past. Maybe that means I always stay away from bread even if I can someday eat on the regular McDougall plan.

I'm fine with simple food. I always have food available. Meal-size containers of rice, casseroles full of soup, plenty of cooked spuds in the fridge. I usually eat 2 meals a day because that's what I feel like, but those meals are pretty big. I've been known to eat out of a mixing bowl, because it's easier to microwave my food in it and I'm too lazy to wash a bunch of dishes. That raises a few eyebrows, but hey, it works.

I'm satisfied. No cravings, no starvation, no worries.

Oh, and in those almost 6 weeks, I've lost 11.6 pounds and one pants size. Onward and downward!

Goose
My story: MWL works!
How I determined my "goal weight"
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby Lesliec1 » Fri Feb 26, 2016 12:35 pm

Great post and awesome that you figured this out so fast! It's no wonder that many of the regular, longtime McDougallers eat very simply for exactly the reasons you mention. There is no such thing as "a muffin" for me. Doesn't matter how healthy it is; I'm eating the whole batch while it's still warm. Plus, an hour later I will be on the prowl for more baked goods.
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby roundcoconut » Fri Feb 26, 2016 12:58 pm

Yes! I love all the foods you're eating. So delicious and so filling!

I always wish that we could "finance" dietary changes in the way we finance a new car! Wouldn't that just be awesome?

So -- the day you sign up for a WFPB way of eating, you get your "new car" (i.e. the healthiest body possible for you in this reality) and then you have to keep making your "payments" in order to keep your new car from being repossessed.

So, just saying: If I could wave a magic wand, you would already be driving your new Divine Vehicle (aka body) and wouldn't have to wait around for your old body to adjust. Wouldn't that be great?

As it is, it's like having your new car on layaway -- you keep making your payments on it, but don't get to truly drive it around on a daily basis until the very end.

Oh well -- I''m glad you're doing so well and you're so smart to understand your own triggers (which are so similar to mine!) so well!
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby wildgoose » Fri Feb 26, 2016 4:29 pm

Leslie, I only wish I'd figured it out fast! I've been off and on plan for over 4 years now! Always vegetarian, sometimes vegan, but constantly up and down in compliance. The cravings did me in every time. Sugar, oil, and flour kept me on edge and starving, no matter how much starch and veggies I ate. This is the longest stretch I've had with full MWL adherence. So far it's fairly easy and working well. I just hope I haven't jinxed myself by going public.

The other thing I may have to work on when I know I'm really stable is an elimination diet. I was diagnosed with borderline lupus (strongly positive ANA, borderline anti-DNA, high sed rate) years ago, and I have had trouble with inflammation, fatigue, and joint pain most of my life. Eating this way has helped, but I need more time to see what happens, especially with less weight on the joints. I'm suspicious about tomatoes, particularly raw ones.

Roundcoconut, I like the car analogy. Right now, I'm driving a not-quite-classic model that I'm in the process of overhauling. It's performing better all the time. Getting rid of all the sludge in the engine and running on high octane fuel is going a long way toward keeping it out of the scrap heap!

Goose
My story: MWL works!
How I determined my "goal weight"
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby Marinoni » Mon Mar 28, 2016 12:21 pm

Thanks for sharing. This is the information I am mostly interest in.
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby Jumpstart » Mon Mar 28, 2016 1:05 pm

Anything that tastes sweet including stevia or any or non-caloric sweetener will cause carving. Bread and other flour products turn sweet when chewed and mixed with saliva also drive cravings. Veggies including potatoes don't cause the same reaction and are safe to eat from a cravings standpoint.
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby wildgoose » Thu Apr 07, 2016 1:19 pm

Update. 12 weeks in. Still no cravings, feeling very stable. I did hit a plateau for a while, but then the weight loss took off again. Had to cut back on the fruit to bust the plateau. No more than 1 fruit a day, sometimes none. Loving the starches and veggies!

A total of 23 pounds lost. Onward and downward.

Goose
My story: MWL works!
How I determined my "goal weight"
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby AnnGriff » Fri Apr 08, 2016 9:50 am

Thank you so much for sharing, very inspiring!!!
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby amandamechele » Wed Apr 13, 2016 10:49 am

Wildgoose,

I have slowly learned that I am similarly inclined.
Congratulations on 12 weeks of no cravings!
I aspire to follow the MWL, but am not there yet. Though I am compliant on the regular McDougall plan, I allow a lot of fruit and bread products, and still struggle will cravings.
I will eagerly watch your progress and try and get it through my thick skull that this is what I need to do too!

Thank you for sharing,
Amy
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Re: Killing the cravings

Postby Jerry Angelo » Wed Apr 13, 2016 11:19 am

Congrats Wildgoose!

After doing the regular program for 18 months or so, I'm into my fourth week of MWL and I can report the same, my cravings are gone... and I'm losing weight again... I could live on just bread and pasta so of course this is huge, I don't think I've ever gone that long without flour products or nuts.
108 Pounds Lost Since Sept 2014 - And Counting
No more pre diabetes! Eternally grateful to Dr. McDougall! And Jeff Novick!!!
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