For the program details visit the MWL threadin this forum. Please check out as many of the links as you have time for, there is so much here to discover!
A couple of other great resources, for those just starting out, are from Jeff Novick the staff dietician for the program:The Ultimate Guide to Free Calorie Density (MWL) Resourcesand his 1 hour video explanation on Calorie Density: How to Eat More, Weigh Less and Live Longer.
Where I live the cold weather is finally beginning to consistently recede and people are starting to do their outdoor spring cleaning. I'm a little late getting started, as I am just beginning to do some purging of unnecessary things within my home... including my pantry and kitchen cupboards. I have found it so much nicer to make a meal in a well organized kitchen that isn't overflowing with unhealthy food and multiple gadgets. My favourite kitchen gadgets are my high powered blender, my non-stick frying pan (does that qualify as a gadget?) and I'm learning to love my Instant-pot too. Do you have a go-to piece of culinary equipment that you couldn't live without?
My literary inspiration for starting to declutter my home was the book the life-changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo. I'll admit to only using some of her strategies, but it was a lovely look into her passion for orderly order and restoring balance among people and their possessions.
The same type of thought and preparation that goes into organizing your kitchen can also be used to organize your time, which can make transitioning to a starch-based way of eating a little bit easier. Some time saving strategies include:
* Ensure you have common ingredients in your pantry. Here is a comprehensive list from Mary McDougall, from the August 2005 newsletter entitled Stocking Yor Kitchen.
* Create a meal calendar or a less structured rotating list of 10 or so of your favourite recipes very helpful for staying on track on busy days where there is no time to think. I actually like doing this because I prefer to think as little as possible most days...la lala
. Seriously though, check out the McDougall Mobile Cookbook App. It has recipes, health tips and a shopping list feature. * Find time to pre-chop fruit and veggies. This strategy is key, in my opinion, in the first few weeks of this program, or when you are pulling yourself out of the pleasure trap. If it's already cut and ready, you're more likely to eat it! Here is a look at the inside of my fridge:
I like to watch webinars or listen to podcasts while chopping (or decluttering). It pairs something I like to do with something I have to do, and ends up making me look forward to chopping and cleaning. Anyway, I'll cut this tangent short and wish you all the best this coming week!
Amy
Here are the standard monthly instructions for participating in this thread:
Our weigh in's are on Fridays and you have until 12 PM PST on Saturday to report.
Anyone is welcome to join the weekly weigh in group as long as they follow the McDougall principles. We recommend following the Maximum Weight Loss (MWL) plan or the Mary's Mini's Plan.
There is a sticky at the top of this forum on the guidelines for the MWL program.
In order to tally the results please submit your results by posting the total pounds you have lost or gained that week. You don't have to share your total weight if you'd rather keep that to yourself. This is an honor system so we take the gain, loss or maintain you give us in order to tally. (Please make a new post each week)
If you are a new member and would like to join but don't have a weight to be counted for the week then you will be counted either as a body with a zero starting weight, or when you check in for the weekly weigh in the following week. Large amounts of weight lost over a period of months or weeks, prior to joining the weekly weigh in group, will not be counted towards the weekly total.
If you measure your weight in something other than pounds please convert the measurement to pounds.
All gains will be counted towards the total to encourage weekly participation. Posting is encouraged whether it's a gain, a loss, or a maintain.
You are welcome to share as little or as much as you want on your weight loss journey here in this thread. We encourage members of the group to talk to each other, cheer each other on and set goals together.
This thread is for the mutual support of all who wish to participate.
Chris
