January 2019 McDougall Weigh In Thread

[timotheus617583]

Hi Amy and everyone! So excited for this forum! I have lost approximately 40 pounds since going vegan last September. But I am Stuck the last month or so. I have been having Sugar/candy cravings and have had potato chips too. Other than that I have been eating vegan. No meat and the only oil or dairy has been in the twix bars or chips. I want to get back on the diet and lose approximately 20 more lbs 5o reach my goal of 130 lbs!

[moonlight]

Amy,
Thank you for your story about Johann Hari and your thoughts and connections to the psychological aspects of weight loss and eating. I’ve been reading with fascination from links you provided for the last couple of hours! Several things I found really resonated with me. Thank you for all the care and work you put into our group.

[Michele613]

Thank you Amy for taking the time to boost your team spirits with encouraging and inspiring words. Thank you for the time you to devote to us, strangers to begin with, who share a common challenge. It is most appreciated. That was quite a typing job...thanks.

Have a successful week in choosing health along with the rest of us.

[Michele613]

Ticker for Friday Jan 25

[Belana]

Thank you AnneG and anne57 for responding.
fruit is a lot easier to have as snacks. I was just trying to adhere to the MWL guidelines, and I thought fruit needs to be kept to a minimum.
I can 86 the rice cakes if they're not helpful.
I agree with what the book says about snacking, so we don't overeat at meals.
As for 'not' thinking about this as a 'diet' well, that'll be difficult for me, and take some getting used to. Perhaps once I begin to eat this way, it'll become less of an effort and more like just part of my lifestyle, and then I won't think of this as a 'diet.'

[alishana]

Hi everyone ! Well done for all the amazing results !
Sorry i'm late but this week I gained 3lbs.. Getting back on track was difficult after last week but I'm finally strictly on MWLP again ! I hope that I'll stay on the healthy road next week and all the weeks coming ahead (pretty good so far, I didn't accept cookies and pizza today).

[Linda Dorrill]

Hi Belana,

Welcome.

My favorite snack is baked brussel sprouts. Chef AJ's recipe is 2lbs brussel sprouts halved. Mix 1/4 c balsamic vinegar with 1/4 c dijon mustard. Coat the sprouts. Bake at 475 F for 30 minutes. I love them hot, warm and cold. I carry a ziplock bag of them when I'll be out and about and don't know when I'll be back home--just in case. (Note: need a napkin if you use them as finger food) Last night I went to a party with a baggy of them in my purse. I didn't have to dig into them though; there were plenty of fresh veggies and fruit. The key was not even thinking about everything else that was offered. HA! I kept munching on the foods that were okay. It worked...

I'm in Tennessee, but would like to be a long-distance friend. I've rec'd a private message before and responded, but I've not generated one myself. I'm at a loss how to do that.

Hoping for a stellar week for us all,
Linda

[Lyndzie]

There are a couple ways to send a private message. The easier way is to locate the PM button below a user’s name in the RIGHT hand column. Click on that and off you go.

edItted to correct the directions.

[Lyndzie]

Hi Amy and everyone! So excited for this forum! I have lost approximately 40 pounds since going vegan last September. But I am Stuck the last month or so. I have been having Sugar/candy cravings and have had potato chips too. Other than that I have been eating vegan. No meat and the only oil or dairy has been in the twix bars or chips. I want to get back on the diet and lose approximately 20 more lbs 5o reach my goal of 130 lbs!

Welcome Timotheus! Those cravings are no fun. Have you heard about the Pleasure Trap? Dr. Doug Lisle has some great words of wisdom about what’s going on and how to work past it. I’ll admit for me it’s a battle I keep coming back to, but I’ve not given up! Sounds like you like crunchy stuff, maybe a crisp apple? I know, it’s by not means candy, but it is sweet and we cut them up into “apple fries” sometimes. Not cooked, just a stick shape.

[amandamechele]

Chris - Woo hoo potatoes, fruit and veggies for the win, indeed! Excellent effort this past week; keep up the effort and the hope grows and feeling hopeful can keep you making those efforts.

Hi Dpascar and welcome! You’ve been doing really well so far and I’m thrilled to have you join us for a portion of your journey.

AnneG - I’m sending you a hug because I understand and have lived with this pattern too. You have obviously been quite strong this week and made some good choices. Keep it up if you can, it is working. We can’t always remove the stress in our lives - minimize it where you can - but know that each good choice you make is reducing additional mental and physiological stress.... and not all of them have to be perfect choices. Keep doing a good job, and please know that you can let off some dietary related steam here if you need too.

Newbie2019 - Excellent job getting into a good groove! I’m glad you’re back and hope you enjoyed your travels.


Belana - Hi, and yes you are in the correct place. I’ve noticed how busy you have been with the learning process. That’s excellent and it will serve you well, especially in the next couple of weeks as you get used to the plan. Take each day as it comes and don’t overthink the little details, especially now that you feel competent that you know them. How fast the weight comes off will depend on the amount of weight that you have to lose, your level of appetite and adherence. With regards to potatoes... I personally find them a wonderful snack, and if you live near a Wendy’s drive-thru you don’t even have to bake them yourself. Best wishes this week easing into the MWL plan.

Humberto - I hope that stuff is becoming more manageable. I was a bit concerned I had come across harshly or very strictly (I am not, just reinforcing the framework). Words are funny fluid little things, aren’t they, even when actual translation issues aren’t in play? I enjoy the connotation that the word sorcerer evokes, but understand it isn’t a match with the detonation that you are indicating. There’s a bit of that in what I was trying to get across with the concept of belief in my post this week. It is much harder to connect through words alone, we didn’t evolve doing that, which makes staying connected and motivated over long distances that much more challenging. I will post my pictures so I may be more than just words to the group. I really am liking DMR, and thank you for the delicious sounding soup.

timotheus Hi and Welcome! Are you a musician/poet, like Timotheus of Miletus...LOL? Congratulations on your success so far. By working on those little slips you can definitely get back on track for continued losses. Are you familiar with Dr. Lisle’s work (the staff psychologist for the program)? It sounds like you are stuck, just a little bit, in the Pleasure trap. If you have the time and inclination, take a look of some of the webinars available on the website, they can be very helpful for devising strategies to breaking and staying free of junk food. Here is one called: Doug Lisle: Food Addiction, Emotional Eating and Weight Loss, Part 1, and Part 2.

Moonlight - You always have a kind thing to say, thank you. I am liking the book.... looking at this motivation problem from multiple viewpoints, and perspectives. If internalized belief in the form of self-efficacy and self confidence are low, then maybe externalized belief is necessary to tide us over until we get there, so to speak. But that externalized belief is fleeting unless we work through the problem well (and have an actual viable strategy to do so) and begin to gain that internalized belief in ourself. Hence the fading of the placebo effect, or chasing the next diet plan... or whatever vicious cycle, to use a Dr. Lisle phrase, we get stuck in. We are not meant to go through these challenges alone, the motivation provided from a good guide can morph into internal motivation via adequate effort, but to maintain momentum additional external validation is necessary in the form of peer esteem. The McDougall crew really do have this all figured out. Now to keep telling the story in many ways, until everyone finds the narrative that resonates with them. XO. My brain hurts....LOL...

Michele - Thank you! I am feeling well-esteemed and appreciate it. LOL. I will do my best and hope you have a good week too.

Alishana - I’m so glad you check-in! I’ll add you to the tally tonight or tomorrow when I get home. Great job getting back on plan and in turning down those temptations! That is most difficult in those first few days, and you did it!

Best wishes to everyone this week!! I hope you all will join me in the February thread and continue the momentum.

[Michele613]

Hi and happy Monday!

I just came in from an engagement party and I was able to pass the test of temptations. However, to be honest, since I am still sick with a head cold I am pretty numb to food. There were TABLES of sweets, salads with dressing, mini-sandwiches on mini-burger buns (non meat), and all other kinds of goodies. I was not tempted but I shared vicariously with a young lady and date sitting at our table (tiny thing she is) as they 'sampled' all the goodies and shared commentary on them Those were the best calories...ZERO. I had a small portion of 'fresh' sliced fruits and I was satisfied. Because my appetite is dulled I don't think I am getting enough calories but I just don't care to eat and I might as well take advantage of this unexpected momentum.

Well here's to getting healthy and eating healthy Have a successful week loving yourself and your choices.

[alishana]

AmandaMechele Thank you so much for your kind word! It's so true that the firsts days are the harder ones. It's been 2 days 100% on plan so I'm kind of happy/proud.

Michele613 I hope you'll get better and 100% healthy soon !

[Michele613]

Alishana,

From your mouth to G-d's ears! I hope so too. Thank you for the well wishes. Winter hits so many of all ages...just waiting for my turn to be up.

[Lorna1954a]

I gained 2 lbs this week. It’s hard to know what is water and what is fat when I carry a lot of water weight. In December I got the flu and lost 14 lbs in a couple of days and then gained it all back within 3 days of getting well again. I won’t give up. I am in for life, literally

[Michele613]

Well Lorna that's the right attitude. May your life be long and healthy!