June 2018 McDougall Weigh In Thread

[squealcat]

Just wanted to say to Moonlight that I have gained 4 pounds easily while on vacation even though I ate pretty well. I believe it IS the sodium. I even experimented and weighed myself daily for a few days after the vacation and that weight dropped fast and i even lost a little more after that ! So don't worry ! If you return to your regular habits, that weight will fall off!

-Marilyn (squealcat)

[amandamechele]

Michael - How has the rest of the week gone for you? I completely identify with what you have been through and agree that finding community to share the successes and struggles with is so important to keeping yourself focused on your goal. Congratulations on 2 great weeks and I hope to get to continue to cheer you on while you work towards greater and longer stretches of adherence to the guidelines.

Stephanie Woot woot! Great loss... I'll add a virtual branny in celebration. I hope you are exceptionally proud of yourself and continue the dedication to your goal!!

Rosey - Yes! You've been doing so well. 17.5 pounds, shout it from the rooftops.

Vic - Welcome back from vacation, and I'm glad you had some successes while travelling, didn't gain any weight, and are able to get back into the McDougall groove quickly. What was your favourite place to visit? It sounds like you walked from morning until dinner, you must have seen so much. Great wins with the oatmeal and extra veggies, as for the rest, now you know what you're up against for the next time you travel.

Moonlight - Good job just getting right back to it. XO. You're home now, and have much more control. Best wishes for the week.

Svenja - Enjoy your sailing adventure tomorrow. Isn't it so nice when others begin to notice all of your hard earned weight loss? Is your mother familiar with how you eat? Does she eat similarly? You may not make that exact number, but I'm sure you can get closer to it. Keep up the diligent effort!

Marilyn - Good catch stopping that little slip before it went much further. So many of us struggle this way. Have you watched or listened to any of Dr. Lisle's lectures? He's the staff psychologist for the McDougall Program and he and another health professional Dr Alan Goldhamer wrote a book which discusses exactly what you are describing.

Life is filled with all types of traps, but one of the most insidious is the Pleasure Trap. In the book of the same name Drs. Lisle and Goldhamer reveal how both health and happiness are subverted by hidden forces in modern life. The book's goal is to assist readers in taking charge of their lives in order to combat these destructive forces.
In explaining what life is all about, the authors begin with the motivational triad, a system that encourages all creatures to seek pleasure, avoid pain, and conserve energy. These emotional factors are linked to the creatures' physical tools for survival and reproduction.

With pleasure as the ultimate goal, the path to this pleasure needs constant reinforcement with moods of happiness. Happiness provides the feedback to let the creature know that it is headed in the right direction toward pleasure.The Pleasure Trap

In seeking pleasure humans fall into traps with drugs. The pleasure that is induced by recreational drugs leads to a desire for continued use that results in addiction and abuse. In order to reduce pain, modern medicine has focused on prescription drugs that may harm the body as they reduce pain.

Through much of mankind's history people suffered dietary deficiencies. Now the abundance of food and the pleasure associated with eating has provided still another trap that has led to the "Diseases of Kings,"-- heart attacks, strokes, hypertension, diabetes, arthritis, gout, and cancer. Dietary excess with an abundance of animal products and high fat, high sugar processed food is the underlying cause of the "Diseases of Kings."

Throughout the book the authors emphasize "subtracting our way to health" by cutting the foods of excess from the diet. These foods are meat, fish, fowl, eggs, dairy products, oil, salt, sugar, and refined carbohydrates. Replacing these foods are fresh fruits, vegetables, tubers, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

In sidebars they discuss the successes of Drs. John McDougall, Dean Ornish, and Caldwell Esselstyn in helping patients to reverse heart disease by replacing the diet of the kings with a plant-based regimen.

In coping with this dietary pleasure trap, the authors outline a program of "Five Keys to a Healthy Path."

Strategy #1: "No Junk Food in the House!" If these high-sugar, "drug-like foods" are not constantly available, they won't end up inside the stomach.
Strategy #2: The Weekly Menu. Having a menu plan and shopping list will help you avoid the temptations of commercially prepared foods to satisfy hunger.
Strategy #3: Cook in Quantity. Conserve energy by freezing foods for additional meals.
Strategy #4: Create a "Car Pack." Instead of going to a fast food restaurant or eating junk snacks, prepare a lunch box of healthy snacks for your car.
Strategy #4: Getting Help. Hire a cook to prepare weekly portions of healthy foods.
Employing these strategies is a part of the program that will help people set their internal compasses back to True North where they recognize the pleasure traps and avoid their temptations. Other important aspects of achieving True North are sufficient sleep and regular exercise.

Summary by Vegetarians in Paradise

[Arewethereyet]

202.2 if I'm not too late. Down 1.2

[moonlight]

Just wanted to say to Moonlight that I have gained 4 pounds easily while on vacation even though I ate pretty well. I believe it IS the sodium. I even experimented and weighed myself daily for a few days after the vacation and that weight dropped fast and i even lost a little more after that ! So don't worry ! If you return to your regular habits, that weight will fall off!

-Marilyn (squealcat)

Thanks, squealcat! I have already lost 2 pounds since yesterday so I think it is sodium. So unsettling to see that on the scale! I'm so glad to be home eating what I want.

[amandamechele]

Hi All,

Give yourselves a big pat on the back for a week of focused effort and determination.

I'm hoping to hear a bit more about how each of you are finding the program, specifically the food portion of your adherence? We all know that the closer we come to the recommended guidelines, the better our health and weight loss will be. As Dr McDougall says It's the food.

If I were to answer the question How did you do this past week?, I could answer it like this, quite honestly:

I don't understand why I didn't lose weight this week. I didn't eat any oil, dairy or meat. I avoided nuts, except for a bit of peanut butter, one time. I stuck to fresh fruit, whole grains and plenty of soups

This somewhat shallow description could make it sound like I did better than I really did. I may even think that I did better than I did if I were to not take a closer look.

Most of the time we all know when we aren't doing our best work, but it can be easy to not realize how far we've fallen without periodic examination of the nitty gritty details. I've just decided (right now*) that I will reflect through my adherence level for the past week, using the 10 item list that the previous facilitator, Debbie, put together.
This will give me a more accurate view of how I'm doing, as long as I'm honest with myself. Additionally, I'm not able to create an artificially compliant picture by pre-planning the reflection to occur after a set period of time (like, for example, my October challenge, where knowing that I would be reporting nudged me to maker better choices than I possibly/probably would have) and then fall prey to thinking my recent adherence actually reflects my longer term pattern.
(This isn't an act of contrition here, just an honest look at a real snapshot in time of why my weight loss has stalled....gulp...confession time hehehe)

Program outlined in the MWL book, page 60.

1. Eliminate All Animal Foods

No problems to report here. Zero animal products consumed

2. Eliminate All Oils

Ditto

3. Eliminate All High Fat Plant Foods: Nuts, Nut Butters, Seeds, Seed Butters, Avocados, Coconut, & Olives.

I ate PB on toast one evening, 3 slices (after all of the kids made the kitchen smell delicious with their own toast...just some context ...I know, I know.)

4. Eliminate All Flour Products

See above, which then also led to a couple of bowls of high fibre/oil-free cereal and almond milk. All in all I probably added an extra 1000 calories to that day. That's when I managed to catch that slip and put a stop to it.

5. Eat Whole Grains and Potatoes

Check and check. Many, many potatoes eaten.

6. Eat Legumes

Same here, legumes were in most of my meals. Mary's Moroccan Red Lentil Soup (minus the orzo), my favourite chili recipe, potato leek lentil soup, etc.

7. Make Green & Yellow Vegetables One-Half to One-Third of your meal

FAIL! Though I snacked on raw veggies daily, I can't say that I made them anywhere near 1/3-1/2 of my plate per meal...out of 7 dinners and 7 lunches (where I would tend to have veggies) I would say that 4 meals met that requirement. My meals were starch, soup or stew and fruit for the most part.

8. Eat Uncooked Foods

I do love raw veggies as snacks! I get at least 2 servings of raw veggies a day.

9. Restrict Fresh Fruit to No More Than Two Servings a Day, and Avoid Dried Fruit, Fruit Puree, and Fruit Juice

I'm happy to say that I ate no dried fruit (Take that you sneaky prunes!), but I haven't been limiting my fruit consumption and probably eat triple that amount of fresh fruit recommended.

10. Use Simple Sugar Sparingly

I averaged 4 tsps a day.

The other major problem that I can identify is an active Cram Circuit. I haven't been focusing on that issue lately, and know that having a cut-off time to stop eating each evening really works for me.

So there you have it. I am not losing weight because I am not really following the MWL Guidelines. I am fooling myself into believing that I am on certain days, but most days I realize I'm following the regular McDougall program.

I'm still spinning my wheels, and maybe this happens to some of you too. If you aren't losing any weight, and you still have a ways to go, take a closer look at what you're eating. The good news is that I'm not gaining weight, and am maintaining a 90+ pound loss. I carried those pounds around for more than 20 years. I mention this so that people who don't know my past have a bit of perspective. This diet really works to help you lose weight, but adjustments may need to be made the closer that you get to your natural healthy size. Some of us, okay me, are a bit stubborn with making those additional changes consistently, but I'll get there. That's why I just keep at it...swallow my pride about this issue, allow myself to be vulnerable to negative feedback by oversharing and continue to be as open and honest as my ego can tolerate. Like a particularly difficult math problem, keep your pencil to paper and eventually you will figure it out. 2 + 2 will always equal 4, much like keeping your calorie density low enough will always lead to weight loss in someone who is overweight. However some of us will always complicate things a bit and add 5 to -1 to get there instead. So be it, the problem still gets solved!

We will all have slightly different minimal adherence requirements to reach our own personal goals. I continue to prove to myself that I need to have a much closer adherence level to meet mine, while eating to satiety.

What level of MWL adherence do you think you're attaining? What level of regular McDougall program? (I tend to use the metric of percentage of calories from on plan foods as a quick descriptor). More importantly how happy are you with your progress?

I wish you all a wonderful week of reflection and chopping and cooking and eating and enjoying life!

Amy

Here are the results for the third week in June:

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, June 22nd, 2018

Total group loss reported in 2018: 256.2 pounds

June 2018 Weight Loss Group :: Monthly Weigh-In Results
Total group loss in January 2018: 54.7 pounds
Total group loss in February 2018: 49.3 pounds
Total group loss in March 2018: 52.5 pounds
Total group loss in April 2018: 26.9 pounds
Total group loss in May 2018: 50.8 pounds
Total group loss in June 2018: 22 pounds

Week ending 06/15/2018: 9 participants reported a total loss of 8.3 pounds
---------------------------------------
Moonlight - 1.0
Svenja - 5.0
---------------------------------------
Total gains: 6.0
--------------------------------------
VegSeekingFit - 2.8
Rosey - 1.7
Victw - 0.8
Squealcat - 0.4
Arewethereyet - 1.2
Jobet - 1.4
Chumly - 6.0
---------------------------------------------
Total losses: 14.3
---------------------------------------------

Total group loss in June 2018: 22 pounds
Week ending 06/15/2018: 9 participants reported a total loss of 8.3 pounds
Week ending 06/08/2018: 10 participants reported a total loss of 3.4 pounds
Week ending 06/01/2018: 18 participants reported a total loss of 10.3 pounds

*(right now was actually Friday night when I wrote this)
[Edited to add participants]

[amandamechele]

202.2 if I'm not too late. Down 1.2

Not too late! Great loss this week, Jennifer.

[Jobet]

So sorry I'm late to the party. I'm down 1.4 pounds this week.

Hope everyone has a super new week. I'll be back later to catch up on reading the new posts.

[moonlight]

Amy,

Thank you for the post about the guidelines for the MWL plan. I know the guidelines but to see them one at a time with your comment on each specific guideline for the day was really an eye-opener. I tend to think I've done pretty well, especially if I've only eaten MWL foods. This is a great illustration that paying attention to all the guidelines is important. I'm going to do this exercise with my own eating for a few days. The guideline that was glaring for me was the amount of vegetables versus starch on my plate at meal times.

[amandamechele]

Jobet - Awesome loss. All the cool kids arrive fashionably late!

Moonlight - I look forward to hearing how your exercise goes, if you wish to share it. With the guidelines in mind, my dinner tonight had many more veggies included.

[Jobet]

Amy, take it from this fashionably late cool kid, that looks like one incredibly delicious dinner! All my favorite foods. Yummmmmmmy!! (Can you tell I haven't had breakfast yet this morning? I'm drooling on my keyboard looking at your photo!)

My only regret since switching to this WOE is that I didn't start it eons ago!

[Chumly]

I'm down to 246.0! That's down 6 lbs. from the beginning of the month! I think much of it is water weight from the lower salt intake, but it is encouraging! I have been mostly consistent and on-plan. Probably about 90%. I regularly buy frozen steamed vegetable blends with and without starches and they have really helped when I don't have something prepared or I just want something different. I'm planning to make a big pot of stew and some lasagna this week.

Michael

[moonlight]

Moonlight - I look forward to hearing how your exercise goes, if you wish to share it.

I'm using your template for reporting on each guideline in my journal: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=56756

After a few days I should be able to keep all the guidelines in mind and my eating pattern will become second nature, right?!?

[Rosey]

Hi All,

Give yourselves a big pat on the back for a week of focused effort and determination.

I'm hoping to hear a bit more about how each of you are finding the program, specifically the food portion of your adherence? We all know that the closer we come to the recommended guidelines, the better our health and weight loss will be. As Dr McDougall says It's the food.

Last week I'd say I did really well at sticking to it except licking a tiny bit of hubby's peanut butter off my finger when it got on there well I was making his sandwich. This week hummm I had guacamole and bread and nuts all not on the MWL part of the plan. rest of meals have been compliant so far.

Loved your break down of your answer.

[Arewethereyet]

Not sure I want to do this reflection...

However, when I've gained, it's because I'm eating things that are not on either plan. When I'm hovering around the same weight, I'm usually eating regular plan foods and also cramming bread and crackers in the evening.

This week, even after getting back on track, I still was having difficulty stopping myself from eating, and balancing my meals with vegetables. I'm using more structure the last few days in order to deter myself from grazing all evening in the kitchen and remembering my fruits and vegetables. I'm white-knuckling it, but it's helping. I'm closer to the regular plan than MWL.

[amandamechele]

Amy, take it from this fashionably late cool kid, that looks like one incredibly delicious dinner! All my favorite foods. Yummmmmmmy!! (Can you tell I haven't had breakfast yet this morning? I'm drooling on my keyboard looking at your photo!)

My only regret since switching to this WOE is that I didn't start it eons ago!

Thanks Jobet! It was a good dinner...I've had it a couple more times now because of batch cooking.

I identify so much about your sentiment about starting it sooner. I often wish that I had too, and then I stop and think I'm doing it now and that's good enough. Continue to make great choices in the present and soon that will become your past.

Have a great week!

Amy XO