September 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Mark Cooper]

September 2020 RESOURCES
This section will be updated throughout the month with links to useful resources, as they are added to the thread.

Orientation Information for McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group
MWL 10-Point Checklist
MWL Program Guidelines
Calorie Density: How To Eat More, Weigh Less and Live Longer
MWL Recipes
SNAP Meal Template

1- 28 oz Can No Salt Added Tomatoes
1- 16 oz Bag Frozen Mixed Veggies (any type)
1- 4 oz Frozen Green Leafy Vegetables (collard, turnip, mustard, etc)
1- Around 200-250 Calories of a Cooked Starch (Brown rice, Yam, Potato, WW Pasta, etc)
1- Seasoning (to your preference)

200- 250 Calories Of Starch options
~ 1.25 to 1.5 Medium Potatoes
~ 1.25 to 1.5 Cups (Cooked) Whole Wheat Penne Pasta
~ 1 to 1.25 Cups (Cooked) Brown Rice

The Road to Success: Creating Healthy Habits
The Pleasure Trap: Dr. Doug Lisle at TedxFremont
How to Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind with Dr. Doug Lisle
Dr. Doug Lisle on The Ego Trap
Dr. Doug Lisle: The Story of Willpower – What it Is & How it Works
Dr. Lisle's Three Top Tips for Dietary Success
Jeff Novick, RD - Nutrition & Health FAQ: Answers To The Most Asked Questions
A Review of the Rules & Guidelines for Reading Labels
Passive Overconsumption: The Unintended Intake of Excess Calories
Why We Hit Plateaus and What We Can Do About Them
Amy's Giant List of Links to Dr. Lisle's Lectures

[Mark Cooper]

Let me offer a warm welcome to September for all the continuing participants! Newcomers interested in participating in the MWL group: please review the orientation information and follow the instructions to join.

[MonkeysMom]

This is MonkeysMom -- count me in for September! I hope to continue making the progress from August.

Thank you Mark for taking the time to respond personally to every single participant during our weekly check-ins. I truly don't know how you do it.

[Diane Marie]

Hi All
Sorry for the long post and if it's TMI, but this is me:
I'm in Australia so the time difference is a bit awkward, hopefully I'll make the Friday weigh-ins.
I've recently turned 60, and have had a hell of a 12 months - was on the periphery of the summer bushfires here where millions of animals died (messed with my mental health), moved from one side of the country to the other, my mother has been diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia and I am the only family member nearby so that's necessitated many, many medical appointments (there went my plan to find a new job, so there's financial pressures), and a few months ago my boyfriend ended our 9 year relationship. We have been lucky here with Covid and life is almost back to normal for us on the west coast after a couple of months of hard restrictions.
I've been aware of Dr McDougall since living in the US in the late '90s; I was vegetarian for 28 years, now vegan for 8 years but never fully McDougall.
My weight has been fairly stable for the last few decades - 20 pounds overweight (I'm 5' 7"). My goal weight is 135 pounds but I don't have a timeline to reach that, I'll be happy with a gradual loss.
My weaknesses are sweet things - vegan cakes, biscuits (cookies), ice cream etc, sourdough bread, and soy milk coffee. My portion sizes are too large and I often go back for seconds and thirds (out of habit and boredom, not because I'm hungry - and my mother's ingrained lessons from childhood: "children in Africa are starving, they'd love your leftovers", "don't waste food", "clean your plate"). I don't dine out for lunch or dinner but often go out to meet friends for an afternoon coffee (with soy milk, I hate black coffee, but am aware no coffee is approved on McDougall). My aim is to switch to herbal tea. So I have a few behaviours I need to change
I'm single, no kids, live with my dog who is walked 1-2 hours a day, my only form of exercise at the moment. It's Spring here so I'm considering either joining a gym or a yoga/Pilates class to work my muscles.
Weight today is 70.4 kg (155.2 lbs).

[Eddleman]

I am new and would like to be added to this group. I’ve read the orientation material.

[LittlestTree]

Hi there

I've gone through the orientation material and would like to join the group please.

[Mark Cooper]

MonkeysMom - You are so welcome! I learn so much from this group, too!

Diane Marie - Welcome! It sounds like you've been having a difficult year! MWL provide an excellent path to tackle those food-related challenges and make progress toward your weight loss goals. If you haven't already done so, please be sure to complete all the orientation information for the MWL group. In relation to MWL, the real issue with coffee is what may be added to it, e.g. added sugar and fat.

Coffee & Tea
While there may be 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.

Eddleman - Hello and welcome to the group!

LittlestTree - I'm glad you decided to join us!

[Expat in NZ]

Hello all, I am back for September!

Mark, just want to reiterate what so many others have said. You're an amazing human being and you absolutely rock. Thank you sincerely for all the hard work and attentiveness you put in to each of us.

[Gimmelean]

Happy first day of September.
I’m very much looking forward to continuing MWL for a third month to build and reinforce good habits. Fall and seasons eatings always have posed the biggest weight loss and weight maintenance challenges for me. Planning to be armed (with spuds) and ready this time around and very grateful to have MWL support.
I have tried to access the link to the Starch Solution course under free resources but the link is no longer there and my bookmark says page no longer exists. Has it been discontinued?
Thank you.

[wavingwheat]

Hello everyone. I'd like to participate in this group; I've read the orientation material and am working my way through all the other links. I've been WFPB for a few years now; started the Starch Solution this summer (nuts had been a real problem for me). The Facebook groups have been less than helpful. Hoping for the "real deal" for support -- Carol

[carwex]

Hi Mark,

i have not appeared for a few weeks. I was in this group since beginning of April 2020 after having been a McDougaller for 10 years.
Under your aegis and with the help of Jeff and Wildgoose, the group and the resources available to us, I was able to lose those last 10 pounds. I stayed around for a few additional months in order to internalize the 10 principles and then I decided to see how it goes ON My OWN. Happy to say it is going well. In order to guarantee success i need to stick very close to the principles.
Principle 1: I have become a master soup and salad maker. They are always ready at hand in the fridge.
Principle 2: My plate is 50/50, starch/ veggies. All batch cooked. I eat a lot of food and it is delicious. Limit fruit to 2 a day.
Principle 3: I still use salt but have reduced it. I can tell by the fact that my guests are always adding salt to their food.No sugar.
Principle 4: No animal foods
Principle 5: No nuts or avocado but some silken tofu/ Miso soup and a little flax in porridge
Principle 6: No oil
Principle 7: eliminating all flour products like bread and dried fruit was the deal breaker for me.
Principle 8: I do drink tea with non-dairy milk and realized that this is drinking calories. Here's a principe that needs work.
I like a hot drink in my hand. I find that hot veggie water (water in which veggies have been cooked) is not only good for
stock but makes a nice healthy drink.I am trying to transition.
Princile 9: Eating whenever you are hungry was difficult to learn. I hate hunger. At first I stuffed because i was afraid to be hungry.
Then when I started eating less I got hungry between meals then i thought I had to grab something off program. I learned
that when hungry I prepare a small version of the 50/50 plate. It works and i don't gain weight.
Principle 10: At age 78, exercise is crucial for keeping this body going. 12 years ago, we gave up the car. Best decision ever. I swim
2-3 times a week, each time 1000 meters. Walking and some gym work.

I am proud of my scorecard and hope to continue. But i know that if need be I can always return to get help from this group.

Thanks so much for all your help.

Carol

[oneesotericgirl]

Hello All! I would love to join the Sept Weigh-In Group!

I have been MWL for 14 days at this point and have lost 8.2 lbs.
Current weight is 208.2
I have been following the program very closely. Except for a few pieces of toast with preserves here and there, and pancakes from the website this morning.
I am looking forward to making more progress!
I eliminated caffiene and added salt due to an increase in my previously decent BP.
My resting heart rate has decreased from 87bpm to 78bpm and my BP decreased from a high of 147/100 to 114/74.

Cheers to everyone on their journey! Can't wait to see what is ahead!

[Mark Cooper]

Expat in NZ - Glad to have you continuing and thank you for the kind words.

Gimmelean - I believe the free period for the Starch Solution course has ended, and it is now back to including certification and CEU credits, with a tuition fee.

wavingwheat - Hello, Carol! I'm glad you decided to join us!

carwex - It sounds like you've been doing great! Congratulations on your success, Carol! You're always welcome here , and feel free to check out the Maintenance Group, as well.

oneesotericgirl - Hello! Kudos on your weight loss and improved BP! If you haven't already done so, be sure and review the MWL orientation materials.

[LesleyMills]

Hi Mark and the rest of the team,
I forgot to say that I am signing up for September and will log in tomorrow with my weightloss for the week.
Regards from sunny Melbourne,
Lesley

[laurag]

Hi there everyone I have been mia for a while but I feel I need to come back. I love that other people are doing that too! I have been focused on 50/50 plate but have been a little off and making excuses such as I will fine tune my habits later and grabbing whatever is least offensive to me but still off program like vegan ice cream. Now I have banana in freezer and a processer and cocoa which makes the best treat and frozen cherries so why? Anyway I want to remind myself that I can do this program 100% and stop with the non adherence. Not to imply I won't slip up thats ok u just keep going , but on a regular basis being ok with not doing the program how it is written. Hope everyone is feeling good world is very crazy but we need to be strong and believe in our humanity there are a lot of lovely people out there thanks for being one of them everyone!