August 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Mark Cooper]

I am getting a repeated error message when posting a reply SQL error

I'm not sure what might cause that, but I can see this post (quoted above). Perhaps just try again in a bit?

[Gimmelean]

SQL ERROR [ mysql4 ]

Incorrect string value: '\xF0\x9F\x91\x8D\x0A2...' for column 'post_text' at row 1 [1366]

An SQL error occurred while fetching this page. Please contact the Board Administrator if this problem persists.
Maybe my post really does appear 8 times

[minisweet]

Good morning everyone

Last week weight: 205.2
This week weight: 205.8
Weight gain: .6 lbs.


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

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. Check

2) Choose fruit for desert. Check

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. Check

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). 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. I've had a couple of servings of sugary breakfast cereals

8 ) Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). I've had a little too much almond milk with breakfast

9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Doing a lot better here

10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Still a problem with this. I'm exhausted all the time and can't seem to make myself get outside and walk. Maybe a walk would help.

I think my weight gain could be my body catching up with all my past transgressions, also not much exercise and a little too much almond milk. I'll give it another go this week.

Have a great week everyone!
Sarah

[Gimmelean]

I am continuing with Aug 2020 MWL Weigh in group after successfully completing July 2020
Last week 131.4
This week 128.6. -2.8
Tried to post my 10 point but it kept creating an error.
All good. No bread but replaced with starchy vegs and whole grains made a world of difference
The MWL Starch Solution, plus
Tracking here, Revisiting the 10 point checklist and progress using the checklist as a benchmark Is really working for me in terms of commitment and results. These are unprecedented times which really require unprecedented commitment. If you kinda do it it kinda works. If you really do it it really works.

Thank you accountability team for your support, consideration, and time and for offering this wonderful opportunity.

[Growing a Pear]

Good morning, all. Net rolling average this week: -1.2# (A slightly more subdued woot, but a woot none the less.)
SW this week: 146.7#
CW: 145.5#
GW: ~135#

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products.
8. Don't drink your calories.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Troublesome spots continue to be troublesome, but in different ways. Found myself mindless munching one evening and telling myself a handful of this didn't count, nor did a handful of that. Wasn't actually hungry--more bored and feeling like I needed to turn off my brain from work and "reward" myself. [How does frustration, self-loathing and heartburn constitute a reward?? (Rhetorical question.)]

Ended up kicking myself out the door for a walk, which is all I needed for a reset. Will be more alert to voluntary unconsciousness going forward.

On a positive note, it' has been 22 days since my last Clif bar and I'm quite satisfied with banana/berry oatmeal in its stead. No alcohol for 103 days--not that I had a problem with it, but again its empty calories and not a healthful behavior I want to maintain.
Overall, I'm still learning but when I eat on plan, I feel fully satisfied and filled with pride. Interesting how quickly those pleasure trap feelings can diminish when you don't feed them, but extinction bursts are a real thing.

My thanks again for this thread! I haven't been at this weight since December 2015 and I know that's due to the support.

[soulforged]

July 31: 237.6 lbs
August 7: 234.8 lbs
Change: -2.8 lbs

Had a much better week this week, definitely got back on track and it shows! I need to improve on the 50/50 plate this week, I've been noticing that for a few of my meals are mostly starches, so I will focus on that this week. I will also be focusing on exercising more this week; I've been walking a lot, but just feeling like I need more. Sleep is also improving because I am being intentional about when I go to bed, so that feels great too. All in all, a great week!

Have a good week everyone!

[rlechols]

Ok, trying to post some before/after pictures, in the hopes it may be encouraging to others.

I am a 47 year old, 5 ft 5 inch female. I started a whole food plant based lifestyle January 2019. I lost 50 lbs from Jan-Aug 2019, then plateaued for 4 months. Starting Jan 2020 I joined this MWL forum and started the McDougall MWL program in earnest. I have lost another 26 lbs in 2020, for a total of 76 now. My current BMI is now 23.3. My heaviest weight was in April 2017 when I graduated from pharmacy school. I was heavy when I started grad school in 2013, but I gained about 35 lbs in the 4 years I was in the program. It feels amazing to finally be a normal weight again, especially knowing I have the tools to keep it off indefinitely now.

Keep up the good work everyone! I enjoy reading your posts. If I can do this, YOU can too!

20200720_132024 by Rachel Echols, on Flickr

collage3 by Rachel Echols, on Flickr

collage2 by Rachel Echols, on Flickr

[Growing a Pear]

Ok, trying to post some before/after pictures, in the hopes it may be encouraging to others.

Wow. Look at you. You look years younger and are blooming with health. Congratulations on your effort and success.

[NateKruse]

Height: 6' 5"
03 January 2020 weight: 276.6 pounds.
26 June 2020 weight: 217.6 pounds.
31 July 2020 weight: 221.6 pounds.
07 August 2020 weight: 221.6 pounds.


Change this week: +0.0 pounds.
Change this year: -55.0 pounds.

It's good to be back for another month. I went way off the plan in July when I visited family at the lake gaining almost 9 pounds since my low in June. Since I am sticking with only weighing myself on Fridays, my numbers for the first week of August include 31 July 2020, which Chipotle told me was National Avocado Day when they gave me a coupon, so I splurged and had two, double-wrapped Sofritas burritos with guacamole that Friday. Saturday I went on a date and had grilled tofu fresh spring rolls and a grilled tofu Bahn-Mi. The rest of the week I only ate food prepared at home.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.95%
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. 90%
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. 60% Still using canned vegetables with sea salt.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). 100%
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 80% The Vietnamese Takeout food on Saturday.
6. Eliminate any added oil. 90% I assume the Vietnamese take-out had some oil
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. 80%. The bread in the takeout.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 80% had a green tea frappachino with the takeout
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. 100%
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).90%. I've been only working out three days a week and have shortened my morning walks.

[Noella]

Ok, trying to post some before/after pictures, in the hopes it may be encouraging to others...My heaviest weight was in April 2017 when I graduated from pharmacy school. I was heavy when I started grad school in 2013, but I gained about 35 lbs in the 4 years I was in the program. It feels amazing to finally be a normal weight again, especially knowing I have the tools to keep it off indefinitely now.
Keep up the good work everyone! I enjoy reading your posts. If I can do this, YOU can too!

Hi Rachel, Thank you so much for sharing your before and after photos, Rachel! You have clearly experienced success with your graduate studies, career and now, most importantly, your health! Congratulations! Like you, four years of doing research and writing a thesis for a graduate degree contributed to my weight gain and, like you, it feels AMAZING to finally be close to “a normal weight again, especially knowing that MWL provides the tools to keep it off indefinitely now.”
I wish you all the best, Noella

[lmggallagher]

SW: 241.9
GW: 150.0

Last Week: 218.0
This Week: 216.0
Total Lost: 25.9 pounds

Lost: 2.0 pounds

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
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 . I've got the carb to veggies right but I'm still overboard on fruit. Some how when I go online to order my food through Instacart all those frest peaches, strawberries, melons and grapes are just siren calling my name. I'll be better with this week's order on Tuesday - ration out only 2 fruits per day - boy will that be hard
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.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
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
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages) I'm still hitting my kale and chia smoothie on days when I am exhausted. It works and gets me through but I know I am paying in potential weight I could have lost.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking) . I think the toes have improved enough to try some walking in Tevas next week but shoes are still out of the question.

Observation for the week -- My energy level is going up and my bad pain days have not cycled as closely together as they were. Also those only last a day now. Fingers crossed this keeps up. I lost a day yesterday to exhaustion and pain - but today woke up feeling fine head to toe and jumped right into the day. Clueless why this teeter-totter of symptoms happens, but boy am I overjoyed that the good days are now almost "normal person" good days

Good progress to everyone and stay healthy - Michelle

[Mark Cooper]

The window for reporting this week's weigh-in and behavioral results has officially closed.

The remainder of my replies and the weekly summary will follow.

[Mark Cooper]

Dot - 2 lbs down! It sounds like you are finding some helpful ways to approach your transition to the pattern of behavior recommended for MWL. It's natural to feel inspired when the scale offers the feedback we are seeking, but it can be really helpful to try to evaluate success with respect to adhering to the MWL guidelines - your level of attention to the recommended behaviors is within your control, whereas any single week's weigh-in result might not immediately reflect diligent efforts. I'm really happy to hear participating in this group is helping to keep you from "getting in the dumps and reverting to old, bad habits!" Keep it up!

PonysPlants - Consuming the whole fruit would be a better idea, especially in relation to weight loss, for the reasons Jeff discusses here. In general,

Emulsifying, Pureeing, & Blending
Blending foods disrupts the fiber and reduces the satiety of the food per calorie, making it easier to over consume the food. On the other hand, chewing food increases satiety. Examples of blended foods on a WFPB diet include smoothies and dried fruit/nut confections.

What about just freezing the bananas in chunks, and eating them that way? You could even include a mix of other frozen fruits, making for a nice cold treat on a hot day.

conniegeerhart - A very happy FriYAY, indeed! That big dose of added salt could certainly have an effect, I would imagine. A week of doing well on all points sounds like a week that felt successful for you. Fantastic that Jeff's dressing left you amazed!

wstokes - It is interesting how often the inclusion of more calorie rich foods correlates directly to eating past the point of satiety; the two together definitely make for a combination that works counter to our goals. You know exactly how to make next week better - focus on the recommended behaviors.

chaz01 - Your ongoing voyage downward continues! You'll hit that 80 lb mark before long, I'm sure. Salsa verde sounds SO appetizing! What was the context for drinking your calories this week? Think about a solid plan for those upcoming social occasions in advance, so you can manage them appropriately.

GreenGables - Another pound in the minus column! Sorry to hear you are feeling weak and dealing with that low BP. I totally agree that dishes that veer in the direction of hyperpalatable, with greater amounts of fat, added sugar and added salt, can make an otherwise enjoyable meal of adherent foods seem lackluster in comparison; it does indeed take a number of days to recalibrate one's tastes. I think your appreciation of avoiding those over stimulating meals is astute.

Find some things you like and keep eating them.

That's an excellent practice that often proves helpful for many of us. It sounds like you went about making those adjustments in the frequency and ingredients of your dressing in a reasonable way that worked for you, which makes sense to me; thank you for clarifying that. From my perspective, topping a salad with some beans, potatoes, stew or other adherent dishes does not violate the guidelines; if you feel like that would help you, give it a try and see how things go. Jeff discusses the spirit of the MWL recommendations as guidelines here, which might help bring some clarity. The various roles salad could play in the different stages of the meal is similar to what is outlined for soup in On Salad, Soup, and Success, which also includes some reasons soup might be an even better choice for some people. Those fresh cherry tomatoes sound like very tasty additions, indeed!

LesleyMills - It can feel so disappointing when it seems that we're doing everything right, and the scale doesn't reflect our diligent efforts! It sounds like you are adhering closely to the MWL 10-Point Checklist, and if that is the case, you're doing exactly what you ought to be. If adherence is excellent, allow more time; the results will show up on the scale in the end. There have been a few times where participants have gone for 3 weeks or even a month with no measurable change, but strict adherence, and then finally see a substantial drop. I'm glad your dog has made a nice recovery. Onward and downward!

VivianS - Nice loss! A big kudos for you in using your assessment with the checklist to direct your attention, and taking the steps needed to adhere more closely to those remaining points! It appears you are making real progress in adjusting to the recommended behaviors. That quick and straightforward meal (or 3 meals) from those basic, simple ingredients is exactly the sort of recipe that can make following MWL feel easy. Cheers to being "set free!"

Golightly - Yay! Goodbye plateau! Fruit is a perfectly acceptable choice for breakfast, either as a preload, as part of the 50/50 "plate" with oatmeal, or both, as Jeff discusses here and here. Enjoy, and have a wonderful week!

Noella - That sounds like a really FABULOUS week! What a treat to be able to share this way of eating with two other generations of your family! I imagine being 70 pounds lighter does feel really amazing. Those happy knees help make for a happy life!

K-Squared - Bravo for focusing on the fundamental pattern of behavior that should ultimately deliver the outcomes you are seeking! I'll record you as "no change" for the time being, and when you feel ready to step back on the scale we can go from there. Since you are taking a break from using the scale as a feedback mechanism, just be mindful that you are making a thorough and clear-eyed assessment against the MWL 10-Point Checklist and MWL guidelines, as you are doing now. The more closely you are able to adhere to all the principles and guidelines, the better you will be supporting your advancement.

rsmith0809 - We've just returned from a short vacation, as well! Best wishes for your upcoming travels; the more you can do to plan and prepare for success (including having an adequate supply of adherent foods ready and available), the less you ought to need to struggle with those calorie rich items. I think you'll likely find the journal to be of value.

Kelly140 - Another significant loss and a solid assessment for the week! Having the recommended foods ready to go is always immensely helpful. Fantastic that you are even less bothered by cravings than you were expecting! What was the chain of events that led to having the roasted almonds on that particular day? Might be an opportunity to further fortify your routine for future challenges.

Lucas - That list of weights and dates is a great document of your steady downward movement! I think the utility of the checklist derives in part from the way it highlights the opportunities for improvement, wherever they may lie - once you rule out all the points that are excellent, whatever remains is a good place to focus your efforts. Well done! Much as you describe, I find potatoes to be among the most satiating foods I eat.

chef16 - Nice loss, Doreen! The simplest way to tell whether you're eating "enough" non-starchy vegetables is, as Dr. McDougall says, to "just eyeball it;" for MWL you should be eating an equal visual volume of starches to non-starchy vegetables. When it feels like you are "sneaking" bread and peanut butter, who are you "sneaking" them from? Are the times when that has been happening different in some respect from the times it doesn't happen? If that cup of coffee doesn't include any other troublesome additions, it probably isn't an issue for MWL.

Coffee & Tea
While there maybe Individual reasons to avoid these, they are not an issue for the MWL program. There is no recommendation to avoid them as part of the MWL program. We serve both decaf and regular tea at the program and have no qualms if someone walks to Starbucks and gets a cup of coffee.

Of course, if it is something you personally want to eliminate, it is fine, but not required, to do so.

Drew* - WOW! What a result this week and what a powerful example of what can be accomplished by putting the principles of MWL into action! It is very edifying to hear that you are finding your journal is becoming a valuable tool. It sounds like you took appropriate steps in letting your relatives know what you would prefer to eat, and given the way the situation developed you managed things in a reasonable way, AND big for planning ways you might manage even better in the future. It's nearly always less arduous to keep the momentum you've established going vs. starting from scratch, so keep it up!

Zoey - Don't be too hard on yourself over missing last week - obviously that trip to the farmer's market must have had you excited! Kudos on attaining a weight & BMI in the healthy range and cheers to feeling really good! Way to go continuing to work on eliminating the liquid calories, that could be checked off your list before you know it. On the days when you had dried fruit and bread, was something different as far as your routine, environment or the context of your situation? Ever onward!

carwex - It works if you work it, for sure! Way to turn last week right around! Like you, the preload concept is an essential part of my practice. The lecture from Dr. Lisle you mention is one of my absolute favorites!

Lachoffman - Huzzah! 6 lbs for the week, 23 thus far, and well into the 100's! I can see how that would feel encouraging! Kudos to you for maintaining your commitment to MWL while vacationing. I haven't had them in a while, but Sloppy Lentil Joes on baked potatoes are a perennial favorite of mine. When I make them, I usually omit the brown sugar and vegan worcestershire entirely, I don't seem to miss it. A full kitchen makes it so much easier to stay on plan. Have fun!

MonkeysMom - It's always encouraging to see some immediate positive feedback on the scale! It's great that you are feeling prepared and excited to make the recommended changes, and you are looking forward to the satisfying flavors of the appropriate foods. The more fully you're able to completely exclude those remaining troublesome foods and adhere closely to the MWL 10-Point Checklist, the more rapidly any cravings are likely to subside.

Pattyj115 - Hang in there! Dealing with increased pain is never easy! I think the impulse to reach for calorie rich foods in an attempt to ameliorate pain is natural for many of us; when my chronic pain (due to CRPS/RSD) is especially severe, that instinct feels quite strong - it took me a surprising amount of time to realize that those foods (in my case sugary ones) only served to aggravate my condition. I think you are right that having some easy to grab adherent options can make a big difference in what choices we will make. Given the season, would gazpacho make for a nice change of pace?

Tbear - It looks like you've made a good start with over half the checklist well in hand! Points 5 and 7 can be a hurdle for many, it can be helpful to make a special point to focus on of eating of the recommended foods, in the recommended fashion, whenever you are feeling hungry, so as to fortify your "willpower." I think starting a daily journal is a great idea, you'll be in good company!

minisweet - Good day, Sarah! I think your assessment hits the mark, eliminate the sugary, calorie dense cereals and liquid calories, and try to integrate more activity into your day - I've found a postprandial walk to be a really invigorating addition to my routine. This new week is a great time to "give it another go," armed with last week's lessons!

Gimmelean - I'm so glad you were able to report, despite those difficulties posting! And with a great result to be reported! Well done putting the MWL 10-Point Checklist to work for you!

These are unprecedented times which really require unprecedented commitment. If you kinda do it it kinda works. If you really do it it really works.

I couldn't agree more!

Growing a Pear - Let me second the WOOT for that result! I believe that the troublesome episodes, like you describe this week, when considered carefully (as you appear to have done), have real value to offer us. In this case you intuited a sense of what you may have been hoping to accomplish with that "mindless munching," and tested what turned out to be a more appropriate substitute in satisfying (or derailing) that impulse. That is a strategy you now have in your toolbox going forward. Let me again applaud you for ditching the Clif bar habit AND for 103 days of abstinence for alcohol. I agree that those Pleasure Trap connected extinction bursts are real, and sometimes feel like they come out of nowhere. Another WOOT for reaching a weight not attained since 2015!

soulforged - What great reinforcement to have this week's better adherence immediately reflected by the scale! It sure looks like you had a great week, with a sensible list of points for further attention.

rlechols - Very inspiring pictures, Rachel, and a rousing story narrating them! Thank you so much for sharing that! What a journey you've made already, and as you correctly observe - you have the tools to keep going indefinitely.

NateKruse - Welcome back! It sounds like August is a great month for a post-vacation reset! Your assessment with the checklist presents you with a variety of opportunities, so keep moving back "on plan" and making those changes.

lmggallagher - Nice progress, Michelle! I'm so happy to hear that your foot has improved, your bad pain days have been less tightly clustered, and you are feeling more energetic! Those extended "breaks" in between the worst days can be such a boon. This season of the year does seem to sound a siren song offering abundant delicious fruits - it can be understandably challenging to choose only two! You know where to concentrate your attention for the week ahead.

[Mark Cooper]

Please note - I replied to each participant individually in the two lengthy posts linked below.

Mark's Replies for August 7 - Part 1
Mark's Replies for August 7 - Part 2


By my count, 54 participants reported for our first August 2020 MWL weigh-in! If I neglected to include anyone, or you notice an error in the tally, please let me know (via PM so we can keep the thread as tidy as possible, or in a post here if you cannot PM).

Here are the results for the first Friday in August:

Week ending 8/7/2020: 54 participants reported a total loss of -78.80 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Trish +1.50
Laura_delao +0.60
Minisweet +0.60
Renestl +0.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total gains: +2.90
--------------------------------------------------
NO CHANGE / MAINTAIN / STARTING OUT
Abe 0.00
Amberlina 0.00
Joanne_elon 0.00
K-Squared 0.00
Kathie 0.00
LesleyMills 0.00
NateKruse 0.00
Rsmith0809 0.00
Violet3135 0.00
Zoey 0.00
--------------------------------------------------
Pattyj115 -0.60
Wstokes -0.60
MonkeysMom -0.80
PonysPlants -0.80
Conniegeerhart -1.00
Golightly -1.00
GreenGables -1.00
Jkcook -1.00
Rlechols -1.00
Squealcat -1.00
Vegeloon -1.00
Waterfit -1.00
Growing a Pear -1.20
Lucas -1.20
GreenFroG -1.40
Vegyluvver -1.40
VNiehoff -1.40
Expat in NZ -1.60
Hope410 -1.60
Chaz01 -1.80
VivianS -1.80
Cathy Ann -2.00
Chef16 -2.00
Dennis h -2.00
Dot -2.00
Lmggallagher -2.00
Noella -2.00
Josietheschnauzer -2.20
Cmurphy -2.40
Kelly140 -2.50
Carwex -2.60
OrangeBird -2.60
Gimmelean -2.80
Soulforged -2.80
BarbaraLynn -3.00
CindyD -3.00
Tbear -3.40
Ladevereaux -5.00
Lachoffman -6.00
Drew* -7.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total losses: -81.70
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for August 2020 to date: 78.80 pounds
Average loss for week ending August 7: 1.46 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for January 2020: 384.15 pounds
Cumulative group loss for February 2020: 96.60 pounds
Cumulative group loss for March 2020: 60.10 pounds
Cumulative group loss for April 2020: 218.00 pounds
Cumulative group loss for May 2020: 191.50 pounds
Cumulative group loss for June 2020: 120.63 pounds
Cumulative group loss for July 2020 to date: 524.80 pounds

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, August 14, 2020.


WOO-HOO! Way to start August off with a blast everyone! Let's keep that positive momentum rolling throughout the month!

With this week's remarks, I want to encourage you to consider adopting a perspective toward the MWL 10-Point Checklist that I think has significant potential value in supporting your progress: consider each point on the list as a binary, either or proposition; either you ate higher fat foods, or you didn't, you drank your calories or you didn't, &c. That isn't to say that you should expect yourself to be perfect (nor do we expect that). Making these changes in behavior is extremely challenging, so treat yourself with compassion when your efforts fall short. But, be thorough in your assessments and try to make an honest self-appraisal of whether you are adhering to or deviating from a given point. It can, I think, be very difficult to have an accurate idea of what "80%" omitting a particular food actually means with respect to one's progress - even just in your own mind as you assess how things are going. To me, this seems to go hand in hand with the natural tendency toward

Minimizing/Rationalizing the effect of certain behaviors and/or personal preferences, **especially in regard to certain foods**.

As Jeff lays out so clearly in The Myth of Moderation Pt 3: Is Your Diet Exceptional?, certain choices that we might think make little difference can have an outsized effect in contributing to the quality of our overall dietary pattern.

So, let's look at the impact of few items that are often considered as exceptions and what would happen if you added in just a few of these.

- A tbsp of oil is ~120 calories

- A tbsp of sugar is ~50 calories

- An ounce of chocolate is ~150 calories

- A 5 oz glass of wine is ~120 calories

- A serving of a refined grain is ~80-100 calories

- A small piece of vegan pie, cake or a cookie can easily be 100-150 calories (or more).

The total of the above is over 620-690 calories which would be over 1/3 of an 1800 calorie diet, over 1/4 of a 2400 calorie diet. And that is for just one serving of each. If you have 2 servings of each, you are around 1300 calories which is over 2/3's of an 1800 calorie diet and over 1/2 of a 2400 calorie diet.

As you can see, it is very easy for these exceptions to add up. And, if you add in a few more of these "exceptions," the exceptions have become the rule, and the healthy foods have become the exception and while you may have an exceptional diet, it is not healthy.

I think for many of us, taking an "either or not" approach to the checklist assessment can really help to bring appropriate attention to "exceptions" and put us on the path toward eliminating them.

I do also want to underscore that the MWL guidelines are just that, guidelines, not absolute commandments. Jeff discussed this in a recent post -

The MWL guidelines are guidelines, not black and white rules and are based on the principles of calorie density, satiety, fiber/kcal, food form, chewing, etc. etc. The more you do, the more you can benefit.

Starting meals with a soup, salad and/or fruit, helps to lower the overall calorie density of the meal and increase the overall satiety. This helps to decrease the overall caloric intake without giving up any weight or volume of food, which usually increase. Hence the saying, eat more, weigh less. Eat more food in volume/weight while eating less calories. Some will start with huge salads and/or soups, some will have small ones. Some have both, some have none. It is a guideline but all based on the science of pre-loading. Fruit is included because it works better for breakfast for many. However, many people like “savory” breakfast and have oatmeal with vegetables.

While using these as a pre-load work, they also work as part of the meal (50/50 plate) which is based on the science of dilution.Some may end up needing to do both to hit their goals, same may need to do one or the other.

Fruit for dessert is also a guideline not a rule. Dessert is not served everyday at the 10-Day, and when it is, it is fruit. The limit of 2 servings of fruit is based on Dr McDougall’s personal experience and, like the limit on beans, is just a weekly average. His main concern with fruit in regard to weight is that he says he sees participants “binging” on fruit.

For the record, there is also unlimited fruit (and unlimited McDougal bean soups) served at the 10-Day program in the snack room for the participants to choose from.

My first ever weekly summary covered similar terrain -

When making use of the MWL 10-Point Checklist, please keep in mind that the 10 points are guidelines that highlight areas on which to focus when you are struggling, or not seeing the results you would like. They are not absolute commandments. One example - you aren’t obligated to begin every meal with a salad, but if you find that you are having problems maintaining satiety, starting a meal with salad or soup can be very helpful. The same reasoning holds true for dessert; you don’t have to eat dessert if you are not hungry, but if you do want dessert - choose fruit. Also note that the Checklist recommends limiting added salt and sugar, but this is not a salt-free or sugar-free program. We recommend food be prepared without added salt or sugar, but it is acceptable to sprinkle a modest amount of salt or sugar on the surface of your food at the table. At the same time, if salt or sugar are a problem for you, it is perfectly acceptable to eliminate them completely (but is not required). Please remember that ultimately we are trying to establish healthy habits that can be maintained over the long term.

That viewpoint may seem to directly contradict what I just wrote about the checklist above, but considered in perspective I think the two concepts are actually complementary. The guidelines, taken in a binary, pass/fail fashion, serve to direct the focus of our efforts, especially when we're struggling to achieve the results we seek. They aren't black and white requirements, but they tell us exactly the things we have the opportunity to do for improving our results. Some of us, to get where we want to be, will need to be more attentive than others - as Jeff points out

Some will start with huge salads and/or soups, some will have small ones. Some have both, some have none . . . While using these as a pre-load work, they also work as part of the meal (50/50 plate) which is based on the science of dilution. Some may end up needing to do both to hit their goals, some may need to do one or the other.

Take a look at how you are doing and the results you're seeing, perform an honest and thorough appraisal of the guidelines and make the recommended adjustments as needed.

The promise of an excellent week awaits us!

[texaslil]

Hope I'm not too late!

Lost 1 lbs this week! I'm happy with that as it was my 'birthday week' haha and we did some celebrating, although I managed to mostly stay on track No birthday cake, just a bowl of fruit! I didn't even crave or want cake and that felt soooo good!!

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. this went well, still mostly eating salad with lunch and dinner, not too keen on soups these hot summer days
2) Follow the 50/50 plate method; Choose fruit for desert. YES
3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. YES
4) Eliminate all animal foods YES
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods. I had a tempeh sandwich at a vegan diner for one of my birthday meals
6) Eliminate any added oil. Mostly, only the vegan diner meal was a bit of a slip
7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products, puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.Athe tempeh sandwich had bread and salad w/ croutons
8 ) Don’t drink your calories. No smoothie, but did have an alcohol drink for bday!
9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. felt good on this point
10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. 6 out of 7, very active, walking, biking and hiking, felt so good!!

Thanks for all your support and education!