For the program details visit the MWL Guidelines thread in 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) Resources and his 1 hour video explanation on Calorie Density: How to Eat More, Weigh Less and Live Longer.
Hi Everyone,
The beginning of a month means different things to different people trying to lose weight:
It's restart day... It's Day 1...It's a new month and time to begin your journey... It's the next month of your current journey... It's a day to gather and prepare for all of the other days that follow.
It is time to begin.
Many of you may be familiar with the phrase: Weight loss is a journey, not a destination. This sentiment has always confused me a little bit because the notion of a destination is built right into the definition of journey (and visa versa), but the intended meaning is good and attempts to point out the flaw in how we typically think about losing weight as an outcome versus a process.
Though imperfect, I consider the analogy of weight loss over time to a journey a good one because each stage just seems to fit. When I have previously decided to lose some weight, I typically choose a starting day and a destination. I have a plan detailing how to get to that destination. I've made preparations. There is excitement about the experience and a little trepidation (sometimes). I envision my weight going from point A to point B. I set a pace, an end date and hope to move onto something new after it is all done.
My weight-loss itinerary could be:
Starting Date: August 1st 2018
Goal: Lose 30 pounds
Plan: Follow McDougall Maximum Weight Loss Guidelines
Prep: Fri: Make list and grocery shop. Bake some potatoes.
Sat: Chop all fruits and vegetables and store in reusable containers
Sun: Make 3 stews/soups/chilis (or however many you need for the week)
Mon: Bake more potatoes. Make rice in the rice cooker.
Tues: Smile and begin feeling great!
Weekly Goal: 2 pounds per week
End Date: December 2018
Post Diet Plan: - (typically) A relaxed version of whatever we did to lose weight
Eeek, so many problems with what I've listed above! LOL. After the prep section, I feel the analogy loses its comparative value in two distinct ways and can cause erroneous thinking on our part. The first is that we think we can control the pace of our weight-loss progress more than we can. We're not built as simply as planes, trains or automobiles, or with the perfect environment to operate within, thus there will be some bumps along the way. It can be a bad idea to set a weekly weight-loss amount goal or a timeframe within which to lose all of the weight. Not meeting these goals can be highly demotivating and they aren't something that you have control over. The second problem occurs as we approach point B, the supposed end of the journey. The destination: your desired weight. Some of you here are nearing this point in time (many of us aren't yet, and that's cool too, we will be one day). The metaphor I used above tries to point out this error through some linguistic gymnastics. It's just a way to say: be aware that the good habits you develop in order to lose weight will continue to be necessary to maintain it. So it is very important to make your post-diet plan to keep doing what you did in order to lose the weight in the first place. As Confucius and Jeff Novick have said:Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water.
Alright, it is time to begin! Best wishes this week on your journey.
(See the instructions below on how to participate)Amy XO
PS. Yesterday's dinner:
What's on all of your dinner plates?
Here are the standard monthly instructions for participating in this thread:
Welcome!
The weekly weigh in group is for those wanting to follow the Maximum Weight Loss (MWL) program or the Mary's Mini's. There is a sticky at the top of this forum on the guidelines for the MWL program.
Our weigh in's are on Fridays and you have until 12 PM PST on Saturday to report.
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.
. Thank you for the kindness, if I ever write a book you will be the second person I notify (my Aunt Laura being the first because she told me the same thing in Grade 6 when I wrote a romance novelette for a class assignment - it was exactly what one would expect from an 11 year old and included French-Canadian rock star Corey Hart...he was so dreamy...LOL).
