July 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Yehudit52]

This starts at perfect time for me. Hopefully with a support system I can stick to this way of eating. Have tried numerous times and go back to my pasta and dairy addiction.
Today at my cardiologist I weighed 175.2, my height is 4' 11".
Would love a list of green and yellow non starch veggies.
Would also like to know if boiled green bananas, green plantains, yuca, and other similar root vegetables can be used as the meal starch.

[Mark Cooper]

A very warm welcome to all the new participants joining us today! Everyone below has been added to the group.

AtlantaCreole, Debra140, PonysPlants, rkburcham, VikkiA, Growler, TessCC, Tyler, NinaDj, Jessanew, patapata, HaleyS, gkorosi, uzzihawaii, SnidelyW, Waterfit, minisweet, Amberlina, becky.lavely, Lsomma, Meadhbh, marb, Cinderoli, MelMoore, Louie B., GotGrit, Brynn, jqgardea7, cgduke, Vegeloon, Bmuessig, hwinner, Nina B., Cbritten101, PamelaRR, Yehudit52

A reminder to all participants, please be sure to review the introductory post, MWL 10-Point Checklist and MWL Program Guidelines - these will serve as our "textbook" for this group.

Debra140 - I'm glad the message about this group coincided with your desire to make a change in your lifestyle! Get started practicing the behaviors recommended in the MWL 10-Point Checklist and don't beat yourself up if you struggle or make mistakes - obstacles are part of the process, try to learn from them as they occur, let them go, and move forward.

PonysPlants - Congratulations on the progress you've made already! The behaviors outlined in the MWL guidelines are the most effective path to healthy, sustainable weight loss, so you are in the right place.

TessCC - Adopting the behaviors recommended in the MWL 10-Point Checklist is the surest path toward getting that scale moving. Happy grocery shopping!

Tyler - Congratulations on the 42 lbs you've lost already! One of the great benefits of MWL - because following the guidelines lowers the overall calorie density of our diet, we can eat a volume of food that leaves us satisfied and satiated while still losing weight.

marb - Way to go putting the plan into action for 5 months so far! Turning those health-supporting behaviors into habits is what this group is all about.

NinaDj - Perfect timing is always fortuitous! Minimally processed starches are vital for lasting satiety, so it is important not to neglect including them in each meal. I completely agree that it can be helpful to abandon thoughts of "going on a diet," and instead think about changing our behaviors and lifestyle.

SnidelyW - Congratulations on the outcomes you've achieved already! You may want to check out this video - Dr. Doug Lisle: The Story of Willpower – What it Is & How it Works

minisweet - on the results you are seeing already! This group is a great place for those who would like to "buckle down."

Amberlina - The great thing is that you've made the plan work already, so you know for sure with renewed commitment you can make it work again!

Lsomma - What about that has you feeling unsure? Keep in mind the guideline reads

Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.

Why not give it a try and see how things go?

Meadhbh - Bread is quite calorie dense, so it can definitely serve to stall weight loss. Chocolate is ~2700 calories / lb with 64% of those calories from fat, so one can see the effect it may have on progress.

marb - Way to go putting the plan into action for the last 5 months! Turning those health-supporting behaviors into habits is what this group is all about.

Louie B. - Congratulations on your progress! The behaviors recommended in the MWL 10-Point Checklist are the best way to break through that plateau.

Bmuessig - On Friday, we'll report change in weight, so if you are starting the plan today, it is fine to start from today's weight. Reports for the week should be posted on Friday, in this group thread.

Weigh-ins are on Friday; participants have until noon pacific time (19:00 UTC) on Saturday to post a report of their result for the week. Reports posted outside that window of time won't be included in the weekly summary. If you choose to participate in the weekly weigh-ins, please post your report in the following format -

Weight change +/- in lbs
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week
Points from the MWL Checklist that need greater attention
General impressions & observations / resources to share / sources of excitement / requests for input & support

Please post a new report each week. All group members are encouraged to post regardless of whether they have a gain, loss or no change to report.

Below are some examples of reporting posts

June start weight - 156
June 12 - 154 (down 2 lbs)
June 19 - 153 (down 1 lb)
Jun 26 - 151.4 (down 1.6 lbs)


1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes, except breakfast or if I eat a salad as a meal

2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. Yes, except for breakfast which is 50% fruit

3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. No added sugars, a bit of salt, though I'm working on that too

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Check!!!

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).None at all this week, check!!!

6. Eliminate any added oil.Check !!!!

7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. None at all this week, check!!!

8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).Check, no alcohol!!!

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.Really focusing on this, check!!!

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).Walking, yoga and weights, and the occasional day to rest when I work my butt off doing housework, and go up and down a zillion stairs all day.

Thoughts regarding last week - I stuck to the plan, worked on being a bit tighter. I'm feeling good, a bit tired, summer heat zaps me. Gut is feeling pretty good, but I still get terribly gassy.

Weight Change: +0.6

This is the first time I've gained weight in a week since I restarted in January. I would be disappointed except that my fasting blood sugar took a significant dive this week. I figure my body is up to something, and it's a symphony not a solo performance. So, I'm not sweating the small spike in the scale. My fbs has been stuck in the high 100s for WEEKS and this week it dropped to the 130s-140s! I am beyond thrilled considering they were in the mid 300s when I started! (I know-alarming.) I am healing. I figured since we're finishing up the midpoint of the year, it was time to do a bit of calculating, so I have some monthly totals:

Oct-Dec 2019: -3.2
MWL -
January: -6.1
February: -2.0
March: -3.1
April: -4.2
May: -6.5
June: -3.1

Total Loss: -28.2

I'm thrilled with that progress. I would like to say I could lose as much as 50 pounds by the end of 2020. It's definitely possible, but I really liked what you said, Mark:

I visualize my own personal goal as just doing my very best each week to behave in accordance with MWL 10-Point Checklist.

This is a much better goal and attitude than chasing a number on the scale...

To that point:
1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Getting better at this-fruit with breakfast is working for me.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. 4. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. Pretty good. Can do better
5. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
6. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy)
7. Eliminate any added oil.
8. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
9. Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Still having smoothies for breakfast several days this week.
10. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don’t starve yourself and don’t stuff yourself. Much better this week.
11. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Hope everyone has a great week!

Cinderoli - To start a journal, click the "NEWTOPIC" button at the top of the My Daily Menus & Journals section. You can copy and paste the checklist into your journal posts, if you like.


Cheers, everyone! I'll check back in this evening to welcome any other new participants or answer questions.

[TracyOHW]

Hello!

I have been WFPBNO for a long time, but have been struggling mightily the last several months. I am ready to get back on track and clean up my act! I look forward to being part of this group.

[Mark Cooper]

This starts at perfect time for me. Hopefully with a support system I can stick to this way of eating. Have tried numerous times and go back to my pasta and dairy addiction.
Today at my cardiologist I weighed 175.2, my height is 4' 11".
Would love a list of green and yellow non starch veggies.
Would also like to know if boiled green bananas, green plantains, yuca, and other similar root vegetables can be used as the meal starch.

What we mean by “green and yellow” vegetables

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=58748

In Health
Jeff

Green and yellow vegetables is Dr. McDougall's general term for any non-starchy vegetables, this list is a good start. I believe that yuca, green plantains or green bananas could serve for the starch portion of a meal, if those are foods you enjoy.

[SpectralBillie]

I’d like to join please! Already a huge McDougall fan and I’ve been vegan for over ten years. I’d like to drop an extra 30 to meet the kepiner/mcdougall weight recommendations .

[Wendy8411]

This will my first attempt with this way of eating. I've been vegetarian/vegan for around 7 years, but the weight has started to creep on over the last few years. I would be happy losing 15 pounds, ecstatic if I lost 25. One day at a time!

Wendy

[JeannieLeBaron]

Hello,
Please add me to this group.
Thanks so much!

[lydiacharm]

Hello, I would like to join the group.

[cwillea]

Greetings!
I am looking forward to being a part of this group.
Here’s to even better health and weight loss.

Best,
Christy

[atf]

Please add me to the group.

[babajoof]

Hello. I would like to join the group.

[LLB]

Thank you for the email. Please add me.

[georgiprom2016]

Greetings! I'd like to join this program, looking forward to learning and future health. I assume this runs the full month of July? Thanks in advance,
Georgi

[jackcook82]

Hi,

Please add me to the list as I really need this group. I have read the required materials and look forward to starting.

- Jack

[ninjanikki]

Hi there! I'd like to join the group