October 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[wildgoose]

Today I would really like to ask about MWL points #1 and #2

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit: I have struggled with this one.. do I need to do this if I am adhering to the 50/50 plate method?

2) Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals: On this one, I have watched a lot of videos on YouTube about the Starch Solution and they are very helpful. Many go into detail about the 50/50 plate method and encourage you to eat the veggies first. Can anyone explain to me why this is? is there something scientific about it? does eating the veggies first 'prep' your intestines to digest the carbs better? What is the difference between eating the veggies first and eating both the veggies and carbs together?

@texaslil The low-tech answer to this is pretty much the same for both questions.

You're trying to do two things:

• Lower the overall calorie density of the meal
• "Preload" with very low calorie density foods (soup, salad, fruit), so that by the time you get to the starches, you're not as hungry and you eat less of them

Jeff talks about this and gives some studies to back it up in his post on Salad, Soup and Success.

So to your questions... Do you need to preload with salad, soup or fruit? All I can say is that it has been found that preloading is an effective tool for increasing the effectiveness of the program for weight loss. The purpose of the checklist, and of this group, is to maximize your chances of the greatest success. You get to decide whether you "need" this step to achieve your goals. You may find, as many people have in the past, that you go along without the preload step for several weeks or months, but as you get closer to your goal, your weight loss slows or stalls. At that point, revisiting the preload idea can become very helpful.

Your second question speaks to the same idea. By eating veggies first, you're essentially preloading. I don't know if it affects digestion, but it certainly starts the process of filling your stomach so that the stretch receptors tell you sooner that you're full.

I am not much of a salad eater (unless I can get Subway to make a chopped salad for me, which I don't do these days and never did that often in the past unless I was traveling -- I'm cheap!). Occasionally I will get on a salad "kick" for a few weeks, then not have another one for months. So salad for preload wasn't a good option for me. I love soups, and I do this frequently in the cooler seasons, but soup in July and August just doesn't work for me! So, many times I ended up doing just what you talk about -- eating vegetables as my preload.

I also developed a raw veggie "salad" that I use frequently in the summer. I take my handy pull-chopper and finely chop about 10 baby carrots, some onion, about a third of a cucumber, some raw cauliflower, and a whole chopper full of spinach. (Of course, I do this in batches, not everything at once.) I dump this in a bowl, drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over it, maybe sprinkle some Mrs. Dash seasoning blend (of whatever flavor I feel like) over it, and mix it up. Instant "salad" without too much fuss.

The idea of a preload is to take some very low calorie density food (soup or salad work very well, but raw or cooked vegetables can also serve the purpose) and to have it first, before you fill up on starches. See Jeff's post (linked above) for a more in-depth discussion.

Hope that helps a little.

Goose

[Ziara]

Friday Weight: 156
Weight Loss: +.5

Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes
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, but I think this week I ate too much rice to match my veggies
Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. No, I did have some bottled ketchup and bottled, albeit low sodium marina - going to stay away from both
Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). yes
Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). No, I did have a small amount of diced tofu
Eliminate any added oil. yes
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. yes
Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). yes
Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don’t starve yourself and don’t stuff yourself. No, still learning how to determine if I've over eaten as I always seem to feel overfull 20-30 min after eating, not while eating.
Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Right now I'm too scared to walk briskly I get out of breath walking and going up the stairs. Perhaps when I lose a few more pounds I'll feel better.

[JaBee]

Down 2 pounds this week from 195.3 to 193.3
Kept all MWL guidelines this week for first time
Kept food really simple this week and ate same meals for 6 days
And since husband agreed to keep certain foods out of the house, overall much improved week

[Gimmelean]

Hello Everyone-I hope you’re all doing well. Doing my best to stay positive and trying ultra hard to be healthy too. I’m greatful for your discussion board, personal comments, and support. I enjoyed Jeff’s YouTube video with the Chabad community this week and was surprised to find the link hiding in the MWL discussion board, but impressed and signed up for their emails.

Here goes-
Last week 10/16/20. 126.4
This week 10/23/20. 126.8 +. 25. I’ll take it!

McDougall MWL 10 point checklist
This coming week my goal is to be 100 pct compliant. This past week I still fell short and in the interest of time ( and guilt) I’m not going onto detail. My weight went up .25 -less than a glass of water but I’m not going to push the envelope to see what I can get away with like I used to.

1. Soup/salad meal starter
2.50/50 plate. End with fruit
3.Eliminate sugar/salt
4.No animal foods
5.No high fat plant foods
6.No added oil.
7.No flour, dried fruit. No dried fruit
8.Dont drink calories
9.Eat to comfortable satiety
10.Move more I’m running now 5 miles 3x per week and setting my goal for 10K Aim to walk the other days. Do 2 strength circuits at home 2x per week. Regular exercise is so important to me as a mood booster during these absurd times and helps reduce my appetite.

All the best!

[Drew*]

Weight on Friday…10/23/2020...

175.7 lb N/A on + or - lb
BMI: 25.77

Points of success...

I was strong on MWL for 4 days this week when I resolved to start again after being gone for a while.

Challenges...

…Consistency would help!

What needs greater attention?

Heading to a gym where there are limited numbers of people lifting weights. I need to supplement this with 2 sessions of non-stop straight-lifts. Did it once this week.

General impressions

I made some oatmeal in the microwave this morning and got busy on my cellphone. What a mess. Salvaged it with some frozen berries on top. Cooked the berries just right so they are not mushy! I've discovered a new way to eat my oatmeal and 7-grain cooked cereal! Cook the grain first. Add the berries on top and cook a bit more...

I am continuing to post in the journal. Although it is not every day, I am staying aware.

Drew*

[Noella]

Weight Change: -1 pound



1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.YES ALWAYS! I continue to enjoy salads before each meal. Sometimes I have a serving of fruit, in addition to having a starter salad. I enjoy finely grated apple with a bit of vinegar as salad dressing.
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 ALWAYS! I am very happy with this method.
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. YES ALWAYS! I find that a tiny amount of salt added at the table is perfect for me.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES ALWAYS!
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). YES ALWAYS!
6. Eliminate any added oil. YES ALWAYS!
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. YES ALWAYS!
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). YES ALWAYS!
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES ALWAYS!
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). YES I’m walking every day and I also do some active house and garden work. We woke up to a beautiful, magically white wintery world yesterday morning! All of the trees and surrounding mountains were clad in about five inches of fresh snow and the snow crystals sparkled in the sunshine against the clear blue sky. I took pleasure in shovelling the snow off our long driveway today; the first snow of the season is always good fun, exciting and inspiring.

Here is a quote from Dr McDougall that I find very helpful: “Sometimes you will find yourself in a situation where there is no healthy food available – like when you are out shopping, at a party, or dining with friends. You don't have to eat. No harm will be done. You won't starve to death by waiting a few hours until something healthy is available. Delaying gratification is the smart thing to do and when you do finally eat the right foods they will taste extra delicious.” —Dr. John McDougall

A special thank you to a Mark, Jeff, and a Wildgoose!

The best to you all,
Noella

[whereamac]

-0.7lbs

[moonlight]

Weight 0 lbs Change
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week
I succeeded in the first few principals - preload with soup/salad/or fruit. It's becoming routine to have a 50/50 plate of veggies to starch.
Points from the MWL Checklist that need greater attention
#4 I still struggle with a little yogurt, though, I have succeeded in stopping the cheese habit.
# 7 I still struggle with cookies and some bread.
# 9 I am dealing with some self-soothing with food issues.
General impressions & observations / resources to share / sources of excitement / requests for input & support
My general sense is that I am reeling in my pleasure trap tendencies. I need to keep working at it. Once I let go of the restrictions, it's really hard to get back on track. I think the situation with the pandemic and the political divisiveness is having an impact on my overall mood. When I'm feeling down I often don't have the energy and willpower it takes for me to do all the things I like to do to stay healthy. That said, when I'm feeling down I do often think about what I can control in my like, which usually leads to having a better diet.

My goal this week is to stay focused. Eliminate cookies.

Thank you all for being here. Mark, a big thanks to all that you do for us.
XO

[CUgorji22]

Happy Saturday to all!

*Weight Change: -2.6lbs (loss...YAY!)
*BMI Change: -0.4, from 24.9 to 24.5 (headed in the right direction!)

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Compliant 6/7 days

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 desert. Compliant 6/7 days

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. Compliant 7/7 days

4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Compliant 7/7 days

5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). Compliant 6/7 days

6) Eliminate any added oil. Compliant 7/7 days

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. Compliant 6/7 days

8 ) Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Compliant 7/7 days

9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Compliant 7/7 days

10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Compliant 5/7 days


*Successful MWL points: (A) I was so happy to share with a friend (this week) I have not cooked with oil since joining this group...so hard to believe. Using oil was just a routine part of my cooking. I have found great joy in the McDougall Newsletter recipes, which help so much!! (B) I am SO pleased with the way my clothes fit! I wore pants this week I was not able to wear 2-3 months ago. (C) My personal trainer & I started brainstorming on a plan for my physical fitness during an upcoming trip in Nov! She wants to help me keep up my momentum!!

*Not-so-successful MWL points: (A) Friday nights are a struggle for me. I was not compliant with Points 1, 2, 5 & 7 (only) last night Fridays are our "Family Fun Night!" We order take-out, bring it home & pick something fun to do as a family. I desperately want to participate in eating it up with my family BUT now realize it is VERY difficult to discern what ingredients are in restaurant food items...even if they are deemed "vegan" on the menu. Last night, I felt stuck in picking the "lesser of the evil" menu choices. I picked a tofu dish. Last week I ate Indian food (with my family) that left me feeling like I ate a ton of bricks. Last night was much better. Smelling their food & watching them eat is not easy. My entire family is super supportive of the changes I'm making BUT Friday nights are a doozy. (B) I set a goal to exercise every day this week BUT major headaches prevented me from doing so. UGH! I'm convinced they are hormonal because of the pattern that follows the visit from my monthly "friend." This week helped me see I need to be proactive with a plan to still be active on the days I may not feel well...even if it's not for 30mins. I think it would help my brain stay on track if I'm consistent in doing something physical when I don't feel 100%.

I have a friend (roughly the same age as me & my husband) who had a stroke + had suffered complications from diabetes (he hasn't been compliant with his meds) this week. He was hospitalized for several days & had to have surgery. He thought meds were optional...but not anymore! For most of the week I didn't feel very motivated. For the 1st time since joining the group, I wasn't really enjoying my food. The guidelines felt like a chore. I started resenting making an entire separate meal for myself most nights. I started to wonder if I was losing interest in this lifestyle. When I heard about my friend AND saw my weight loss Friday, my attitude changed to gratitude! Every day (or week) won't be easy BUT this lifestyle change is essential to ensure I can live my best life!

[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]

VivianS - That is another very nice loss this week! Congratulations on your ongoing progress! Muddling our way past unforeseen challenges, like the situation you shared about the ears of corn, is part of how we learn and grow. You were faced with an obstacle you weren't expecting and figured out what would be necessary to solve the same problem in the future; I think that is exactly the right approach to take. It sounds like you are really serving as a good example for those little children about how to eat in a healthful way; having appropriate foods like fruit available, visible, and readily accessible seems like a great way to support the kids making good choices. I totally agree with you that boundaries serve a very important purpose, in many aspects of our lives.

grape - Down a pound! Although that pair of birthday celebrations and the attendant non adherent meals were a detour, it sounds like you did a great job getting back on track for the remainder of the week. Wishing you an imminent and satisfactory resolution to your toe situation! Broken toes are no fun at all. Happy weekend and cheers for doing your best!

cmcavazos - Cheers! It can certainly be a challenge to avoid added salt, sugar, oil and other calorie rich foods when dining out; restaurants tend to present meals that include all those things in abundance. It appears, apart from the out of town restaurant meals, you made the best of the rest of your week. Jeff's basic principles for Dining Out offer some great suggestions for how to overcome that challenge in the future.

lmggallagher - Hang in there, Michelle! Unquestionably, we are living in times (and situations) that can feel extremely stressful! I used to suffer from chronic sinus infections, so I can vividly imagine how uncomfortable, unpleasant, and exhausting dealing with that can be; couple that with lack of sleep, and it is no wonder that your "willpower" started to ebb. I hope your respiratory issues can be promptly brought to a satisfactory resolution. Drawing on what Dr. Lisle discusses in The Story of Willpower – What it Is & How it Works, the best way to replenish fading "willpower," would seem to be taking a moment to eat the recommended foods, before turning to the cookies and chips (I know that is easy to say, but can be quite challenging to do). Of course, the most important thing after facing a setback is to get back on track as soon as one is able. Now that you feel like you've returned to more effective coping strategies, maybe it is a good time to take inventory of your "toolbox" and highlight some particular tools to reach for the next time things feel overwhelming. Keep doing the best you can!

cmjens - Oh my goodness! The refrigerator and range both expiring in the same week! I am sure that made for a frustrating time. Now that you've been able to get them replaced, try not to let that unexpected calamity continue to reverberate in your choices and routine going forward. Today is always a great day for getting back to the recommended pattern of behavior.

texaslil - 3 lbs is a substantial loss, Laila! I can see why you're feeling happy with that result! Wildgoose proffered an excellent answer to your question about preloading and the 50/50 recommendation. As she mentions, On Salad, Soup, and Success, is one of the best resources explaining the principles behind those particular recommendations. If anyone wants to really dive down into the topic, this post from Jeff covers some of the same ground, and Finding The Sweet Spot: Balancing Calorie Density, Nutrient Density & Satiety goes into detail about the overall calorie density we are aiming to establish, and why it can also be important not to neglect starches, and push the calorie density too low. The behaviors outlined in the MWL 10-Point Checklist are designed to offer the best balance between calorie density, nutrient density and lasting satiety. Aside from 1 & 2, how did things go this week with the other 8 recommendations?

jkcook - Congratulations on the new job! Significant changes in our routine, environment, and circumstances often serve to knock us off course for a bit. Were there particular guidelines that presented the biggest challenge this week? Did you find there were some recommended behaviors you were able to maintain within this new context? The important thing is to take a moment to assess, and get back on track by implementing solutions for the problems that are making adherence feel difficult to attain. Considering some of the base ingredients in a poke bowl, I can imagine an adherent version could be assembled if some ingredients were omitted - it could just be a matter of having a chat with the server, chef or manager. I'm sure with a little planning and preparation, you can figure out how to make MWL work within your changed routine. That "spaghetti potato" dinner sounds very yummy!

chef16 - Those pounds continue to drop off, Doreen! Keep whittling away at those remaining higher fat and calorie rich foods, and moving toward closer adherence. I'm so glad you are feeling excited, happy and satisfied with your progress! This might be a good time to review Jeff's post on Why We Hit Plateaus and What We Can Do About Them; if you do hit a plateau in the future, you'll know exactly what to do!

Ziara - Hang in there! Jeff's Rules & Guidelines for Reading Labels can help determine whether a particular condiment is suitable for MWL. Did some particular situation result in you eating the tofu, or was it just something you decided to have in the moment? Higher fat foods are one of the contributors to Passive Overconsumption.

Higher Fat Foods
As the percentage of calories from fat goes up, we are more likely to over-consume calories, especially from added fats/oils. Adding fats/oils to food increases the overall percentage of calories from fat and the overall calorie density and decreases the overall satiety (per calorie). On a WFPB diet, the foods that are higher in fat are peanuts, soybeans, avocados, nuts, seeds and oils.

I have a tendency toward eating very quickly, so I know what you mean about realizing you're somewhat overfull 20 or 30 minutes after the meal. It really helped me to make a conscious effort to eat more slowly, as Dr. McDougall recommends in Pushing Your Set Point to the Limits.

Eat Slowly and Frequently
(3) Improved awareness. This is most important, because when you eat slowly and frequently, your brain and body have more time to receive the "I'm full" messages from your intestines that you have eaten. Gorging on a large meal generally means you will take in more food than you need long before your mind registers that you have eaten sufficient food to meet your needs.

Practical Tips for Home Compliance: Divide all your meals into smaller portions. For example, eat a medium-sized plate of food, leave the table for half an hour, and if you are still hungry, return for another similarly-sized plate. Plan on many meals, and snacking throughout the day on healthy choices.

It often takes a little time, and some trial and error, to zero in on "comfortably full;" just continue to be mindful and make sensible adjustments as you go.

JaBee - Woo-hoo! Your inaugural week of 10/10 and a 2 pound loss! Simplicity can definitely make success easier to attain. Cheers to your husband for helping to create an environment that supports your progress. Keep it up!

Gimmelean - Cheers! Trying to see the bright side of things and doing the things we can to support our health is always a worthwhile endeavor, right? I'm really curious about the video you mentioned; I don't think I've seen that - do you have a link? Like you, I've found daily exercise to be immensely important for putting me in the best state to make the most of my days. Considering that very slight change in weight, I'm guessing you probably didn't deviate too dramatically from your established habits. As you say, always best not to push the envelope toward "what I can get away with." Dr. Lisle sometimes mentions that expecting "perfection" can, for some, bring accompanying challenges (I believe he covers this briefly, near the end of his Three Top Tips for Dietary Success). I have to admit this was something I struggled with, on occasion.

My personal default tends to be aiming toward perfection, but that path is clearly fraught with troubles; we humans are imperfect by our very nature, so if our goal is perfection we are guaranteed to fall short. Circumstances also sometimes intervene, making perfection unattainable despite all our efforts. Often the very best we can do still won't measure up against "perfect."

It seems advantageous to me to forfeit perfection as a goal, and instead pursue excellence. I can put forward my best efforts each week to do an excellent job working on the fundamental principles, behaviors and skills that are important and relevant to me. When I inevitably make mistakes, I try to exercise self-compassion, recognizing it's OK not to be perfect and that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, as Jeff has so eloquently said.

5) BE PERSISTENT AND WORK HARD: Success is a marathon, not a
sprint. Never give up.

Like in all things, there will be some setbacks on the road to
health, and some difficult times ahead. This IS part of the
process. Relapse/setbacks do not equal failure, they are part
of the process of change (and success) that we all go through.
You will also encounter some obstacles. These are not there
as a sign for you to quit, but as a challenge to strengthen
your commitment to reaching your goals.

I think perhaps the difference between the pursuit of excellence vs. perfection is differentiated in our response to mistakes and obstacles - when I was seeking perfection, and made a mistake I often tended to "knock over the table" and give up for that day (or days or week ). That usually left me depressed, with a lot of practice at giving up, but very little practical experience overcoming obstacles or learning how to mitigate future mistakes.

In pursuing excellence, mistakes and failures can provide an opportunity for growth; I can learn something each time, surmounting that obstacle (usually not on the first attempt) and be better for it. That feels like the path to mastery - not being perfect or free from mistakes, but navigating situations with confidence and poise, knowing how to apply the fundamentals, recognizing what "doing the best I can" looks like in a given situation, and striving to do even better next time. That may be a goal that is always just out of my reach, but I find the chasing of it inspiring.

Continue on your path to mastery!

Drew* - Welcome back and congratulations on 4 strong days adhering to the MWL 10-Point Checklist! You are absolutely right that consistency is necessary for lasting success; are there particular obstacles making it more difficult to maintain a consistent routine? I can clearly picture that mess in your microwave! I think that has happened to me nearly every time I've tried to microwave oatmeal; I finally just admitted defeat and decided to stick with the stovetop, or my Instant Pot. I'm glad you were able to salvage you breakfast and made a serendipitous discovery, too! Periodically assessing and staying aware of my pattern of behavior really definitely helps me stay on track. Keep at it!

Noella - Excellent! Ten Smilies and another pound gone! I think apple is delicious in salads; I nearly always include a chopped apple in my first salad of the day - YUM! The morning after your first snow sounds gorgeous. I'm sure being able to take those daily walks has been quite enjoyable with all the lovely scenery. Stay excited and inspired!

whereamac - Kudos! How would you assess your adherence to the recommended pattern of behavior over the past week?

Moonlight - Cheers! Staying focused and eliminating cookies seem like laudable and achievable goals for the week ahead. You've gotten back into the habit of practicing the first pair of recommendations from the checklist, now to concentrate on incorporating the remaining behaviors. I absolutely agree with you about trying to focus on the things we can control; the amount of time and worry we direct at everything we can't control or influence, by definition, can't really change our outcomes, can it? What do you think about trying to always, at least, eat something that is recommended before you start "self-soothing" with troublesome foods? Do you feel like the cookies would still be just as enticing after having eaten an apple (or whatever appropriate food you enjoy most)? What things did you do to successfully end "the cheese habit?" Would those same tactics work for any of the remaining temptations? Just keep working, trying, and adjusting, and remember to look on yourself with compassion.

CUgorji22 - YAY! Lots of adherent days and down 2.6 lbs! Definitely headed in the right direction! What a great list of victories to celebrate, and so fun to be able to share that with a friend. Sounds like you have an attentive trainer! For your Friday "Family Fun Night," would Jeff's principles for Dining Out help you figure out how to make the best choice for a takeout order? If you are able to place the order by phone, you might even be able to just adapt the information from the Dining Out Cards to help give the cooks an idea what they might be able to offer. I'm so sorry to hear about your friend's medical issues; I hope that situation has a happy resolution. I can imagine how that event, coupled with your results this week would be a powerful experience.

Every day (or week) won't be easy BUT this lifestyle change is essential to ensure I can live my best life!

So true! Not always easy, but ALWAYS worth it.

[Mark Cooper]

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

Mark's Replies for October 23 - Part 1
Mark's Replies for October 23 - Part 2

By my count, 41 participants reported for our fourth October 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 fourth Friday in October:

Week ending 10/23/2020: 41 participants reported a total loss of -35.25 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Curcubit +2.20
Squealcat +1.20
Connielovesdogs +0.90
Abe +0.70
Tinathescreamer +0.70
Ziara +0.50
Cmcavazos +0.40
Gimmelean +0.25
Cmjens +0.20
Laura_delao +0.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total gains: +7.25
--------------------------------------------------
Dot 0.00
Drew* 0.00
Expat in NZ 0.00
Jkcook 0.00
Lmggallagher 0.00
Moonlight 0.00
NancyNancyR 0.00
Rlechols 0.00
--------------------------------------------------
Kappagator_96 -0.40
Wischbone -0.40
Wstokes -0.40
GreenFroG -0.60
Whereamac -0.70
Galoop -0.80
Grape -1.00
Noella -1.00
Veganjo -1.00
Wfpb2020 -1.40
VivianS -1.60
JaBee -2.00
Jan_npr -2.00
PonysPlants -2.00
Rebecka22 -2.00
CUgorji22 -2.60
Hope410 -2.60
CindyD -2.80
Chef16 -3.00
Mandybee -3.00
Texaslil -3.00
Oneesotericgirl -4.00
Chowbby -4.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total losses: -42.50
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for October 2020 to date: 196.15 pounds
Average loss for week ending October 23: 0.86 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: 524.80 pounds
Cumulative group loss for August 2020: 240.30 pounds
Cumulative group loss for September 2020: 172.61 pounds

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, October 30, 2020.


My congratulations to all our participants! I hope you find your continuing efforts to be a source of pride and inspiration; they definitely inspire me!

As we move into the final days of October, this seems like an appropriate time to start considering the upcoming holiday season. For those of you with various days of celebration on the horizon, it may be worth starting to consider a plan for how you intend to enjoy those occasions in a way that is congruent with your most important goals. In Jeff's article, Giving Thanks, he shares some thoughts about Thanksgiving that seem quite relevant to any time of celebration. If you are interested in creating a delicious, bountiful holiday meal, in line with American traditions, it may not require as much adjustment as one might think; check out Mary McDougall's article on Holiday Meal Planning & Recipes. (Not every recipe included is MWL, but many do satisfy the guidelines, and nearly all can be adherent with a few adjustments). As for me, my holiday meals look remarkably similar to what I eat on any other day of the year; I habitually eat the recommended foods I enjoy the most, so I don't really have any good reason to not stick with my favorite foods. Maintaining my regular routine allows me ample time to focus on really enjoying quality time with the people I love.

Now also seems like a good time for a refresher on what behaviors are and are not recommended for MWL.

People will often say, I was doing the MWL program but it wasn't working till I also did "X," to which they are often unaware that "X" Is already a part of the MWL program. On the other hand, people will often say they are following the MWL program and doing "Y" but they are unaware that "Y" is not part of the MWL program nor recommended.

Before making any "hack" to the MWL program, we recommend you give the MWL program with the refinements mentioned above a fair and honest chance.

Here are a few of the "hacks" people make that are not recommended. None of these are new. All have been around for a long time and seem to get recycled every few years

- A predominately raw food diet
- Eating only raw foods till 4 PM
- Intermittent fasting
- Restricted feeding window
- Extended fasts to lose weight
- Smoothies
- Juicing
- Basing their diet on non-starchy vegetables.
- Not including starch at each meal.
- Delaying the starch component of a meal.
- Eating only fruit for breakfast
- Eating only non-starchy vegetables for breakfast
- Excessive or extreme exercise
- Food Combining
- Meal Replacements
- Supplements

In regard to added salt and added sugar, we recommend buying and preparing food without either and if any are to be used, to add them at the table on the surface of the food. If either one is troublesome and create uncontrollable cravings for you, then leave them out.

While anecdotal stories are interesting, and you can always find them for almost any intervention, that is not why we are here or what our programs are based on. If we go by anecdotal evidence, we open a huge door that we don't really want to because then why not believe anyone with any anecdotal stories and testimonials regardless if they are doing any of the "hacks" listed above or if they are doing Paleo, Atkins, Weight Watchers, etc.

We are here because we are an evidence & science based program.

No need for "hacks;" stick with the fundamental principles.

My very best to each of you! Have a fantastic, health-promoting week!

[texaslil]

You're trying to do two things:

• Lower the overall calorie density of the meal
• "Preload" with very low calorie density foods (soup, salad, fruit), so that by the time you get to the starches, you're not as hungry and you eat less of them

Jeff talks about this and gives some studies to back it up in his post on Salad, Soup and Success.

So to your questions... Do you need to preload with salad, soup or fruit? All I can say is that it has been found that preloading is an effective tool for increasing the effectiveness of the program for weight loss. The purpose of the checklist, and of this group, is to maximize your chances of the greatest success. You get to decide whether you "need" this step to achieve your goals. You may find, as many people have in the past, that you go along without the preload step for several weeks or months, but as you get closer to your goal, your weight loss slows or stalls. At that point, revisiting the preload idea can become very helpful.

Your second question speaks to the same idea. By eating veggies first, you're essentially preloading. I don't know if it affects digestion, but it certainly starts the process of filling your stomach so that the stretch receptors tell you sooner that you're full.

I am not much of a salad eater (unless I can get Subway to make a chopped salad for me, which I don't do these days and never did that often in the past unless I was traveling -- I'm cheap!). Occasionally I will get on a salad "kick" for a few weeks, then not have another one for months. So salad for preload wasn't a good option for me. I love soups, and I do this frequently in the cooler seasons, but soup in July and August just doesn't work for me! So, many times I ended up doing just what you talk about -- eating vegetables as my preload.

I also developed a raw veggie "salad" that I use frequently in the summer. I take my handy pull-chopper and finely chop about 10 baby carrots, some onion, about a third of a cucumber, some raw cauliflower, and a whole chopper full of spinach. (Of course, I do this in batches, not everything at once.) I dump this in a bowl, drizzle a little balsamic vinegar over it, maybe sprinkle some Mrs. Dash seasoning blend (of whatever flavor I feel like) over it, and mix it up. Instant "salad" without too much fuss.

The idea of a preload is to take some very low calorie density food (soup or salad work very well, but raw or cooked vegetables can also serve the purpose) and to have it first, before you fill up on starches. See Jeff's post (linked above) for a more in-depth discussion.

Hope that helps a little.

Goose

Thank you so much Goose for taking the time to walk me through this. It's very helpful! I will try increasing the veggie intake portion of my 50/50 plate in order to incorporate more veggies before my carbs. This week I ate the veggie portion of my 50/50 plate first and it seems to have helped me as I lost -3 lbs. I will continue with this and see if it also helps this week take care!

[wildgoose]

I will try increasing the veggie intake portion of my 50/50 plate in order to incorporate more veggies before my carbs. This week I ate the veggie portion of my 50/50 plate first and it seems to have helped me as I lost -3 lbs. I will continue with this and see if it also helps this week

@texaslil That should be an interesting experiment and worth doing. Just be sure to eat enough starch, as Mark so correctly pointed out in his earlier response...

...it can also be important not to neglect starches, and push the calorie density too low. The behaviors outlined in the MWL 10-Point Checklist are designed to offer the best balance between calorie density, nutrient density and lasting satiety.

Goose

[texaslil]

Hi Mark, I did well on most other points.

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. I really haven't been too adherent on this one, especially after reading over what goose wrote and understanding it better. I will start trying to add on a bit more veggies to my 50/50 plate
2) Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals: 100% Choose fruit for desert. Yes!
3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. YES
4) Eliminate all animal foods: ALWAYS
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods: Nuts are easy for me to eliminate, but I did have some avocado in my sushi bowl! What are your thoughts on Coconut Aminos? good? bad? should I eliminate?
6) Eliminate any added oil. None!
7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products: only my oil-free homemade pizza crust
8 ) Don’t drink your calories: just water and two cups of black coffee. no smoothies!
9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. I'd say I did well here, perhaps a little overboard on a couple of meals but mostly doing well
10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). My favorite time of day has become my early morning walks with my pooch! 5/7 this week