August 2021 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi MWL Team! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Weight Change - 1.6 lbs. Loss
Current weight - 136.0 lbs.
Last Week weight - 137.6 lbs.

1 Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes, most of the time.

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, most of the time.

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.

4 Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES, of course.

5 Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). Mostly. I did have peanut butter on rice cake once this week.

6 Eliminate any added oil. Yes.

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. Mostly. I did have peanut butter on rice cake once this week.


8 Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Yes.

9 Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Yes.

10 Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
Yes. 5 of 7 days got at least 30 minutes. Did not make my steps goal this week. Will be looking for 70K steps for next week.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:

Welcome back, Mark!!

Like many others have commented, I really appreciated the great posts last week from Wildgoose and Noella. Very insightful -- and food for thought.

This has been a stressful week for me (I see also for others). I have simplified by not logging every bite (but may go back to this in future). However, I have stocked up on potatoes (sweet, yukon gold, russet) and dried beans to make some super easy meals. Also, bought some of my favorite fruits (peaches, blueberries, sugar kiss cantaloupe) and veggies (butter lettuce, tomatoes of all sorts, cucumbers) to make 50/50 plates.

Hope that everyone stays safe and has a great MWL week.

Cheers,
Stephanie

[Health 1st]

Weight change +/- in lbs:  -4.7 (270.10 to 265.40)    

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.----Unfortunately, no.  Again, I anticipate doing better with #1 once pain has subsided more + can do more shopping + prep.

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, 50/50 for almost every meal.

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.

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).----Yes.

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).----Had 1 serving of Trader Joe's Everything but the Bagel seasoning (has seeds and salt) 2 different days.

6. Eliminate any added oil.----Yes.

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'll explain below why, but I had a total of 3 slices of whole wheat, no salt or oil added bread, half a box of wheat crackers from Whole Foods (only wheat + salt, but waaay too much salt!), + half a package of corn cakes (corn, sesame seeds, + salt).  Otherwise good.

8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).----Yes, did not have.

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.----Pretty much.  There were a couple times where I ended up eating too much because I had become too hungry and that is not good.  Further comments below.

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).----Yay!  I actually was able to walk 4 days give or take 500 feet.  I was in discomfort/pain, but it certainly felt good to move--probably more mentally than physically.  I had to walk slowly.  Hoping I can do more and more in the coming weeks.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: 

----Welcome back, Mark; so glad you had such an enjoyable trip...it sounded wonderful!!

----wildgoose, thank you for filling in + writing all you did.  I apologize for not having responded in a timely manner + hope to do so soon.

----I really appreciate having the reporting window be as long as it is. I started Friday morning + 1st finished now.

----Why I had the bread + crackers.  I was going to shop Friday, but ended up not getting to shop until later Sunday evening.  Sunday afternoon, an opportunity arose for us to drop everything + get out in the late afternoon for a concert in a park over an hour away.  We decided to go, but what to eat on the go + no food prepped?  With lack of time, still dealing with pain, + lack of groceries, I grabbed frozen bread, apples, water, + the box of crackers, hit the road + had a most enjoyable drive + concert.  (First outing since the pandemic hit last year--we stayed on the outskirts of the venue to avoid possible exposure to covid.)  I know the bread + crackers were not MWL compliant.  But I think this is where the rubber meets the road.  Can we navigate through life, maybe sometimes not being 100% MWL, but yet still be 100% McDougall (except too much salt in crackers), yet not let that lead to us continuing to not be MWL, + worse yet, fall off the wagon all together?  I am so grateful that, despite the food choices not being ideal, I was able to successfully get right back on to MWL.  I didn't "beat myself up" over it, but instead appreciated the fact that I passed a lot of formerly "yummy" "treats" being sold at the concert + formerly favorite fried potato wedges at a favorite gala gas station in that area.

----The corn cakes (like rice cakes but made from corn, sesame seeds, + salt), were eaten because of not having enough time to prepare adequate food before I left the house + I became hungry while out. Again, prep not done.  The good thing is that the only reason I ate them was because I was legitimately hungry.  It's not because I had a craving for them or am addicted to them.  Just figured they were better than going through a drive-thru.  Hope to have MWL food prepared so I don't have to fall back on rice/corn cakes or bread. And I really need things I can eat with my fingers (cold potatoes, cut raw veggies) because i couldn't eat the can of no salt added beans I had in the trunk.

----Regarding eating too much:  As mentioned, I did eat a bit too much 2 times because I had gotten too hungry (1 time was with the corn cakes).  But 1 good thing is that I'm now able to listen to my body in that it's acting more so like a naturally thin person because I naturally eat less at the next meal and/or eat later or not at all.   Nonetheless, I can use improvement.

----Question.  I ran out of berries that I had washed, drained, + frozen.  Just bought frozen berries.  But now am wondering if there could be possible covid contamination because I don't think they wash the berries before they freeze them.  Or does freezing kill covid + other undesirable things like ecoli, etc.?

Thank you!!!  Hoping everyone has a wonderful, MWL week.  And remember, all we have control over is what we put in our mouths.  If the scale isn't showing what you'd like, try to keep the course, have your chin up, + keep trudging along...eventually you'll get your desired results on the scale.  And like I've been experiencing, the positive changes in my health and behavior are even more important than a # on the scale...though I do like to see the #'s dwindle, too.

[Noella]

Hi Mark,

This week’s Weight Change: -.5 lbs.
This Week’s Weight: 151.5 lbs.
Last Week’s Weight 152 lbs.
Goal Weight: 140 lbs.

1.Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES, This week I often started my meals with ALL three of these as appetizers. It was very satisfying, but it definitely does take extra time at each meal. I had lots of time this week.
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
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
4.Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).YES
5.Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).YES
6.Eliminate any added oil. YES
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
8.Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).YES
9.Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.YES
10. Exercise daily for thirty minutes (brisk walking). I only exercised three times last week because we had such poor air quality from the smoke of wildfires.

Victories: I’m feeling energized with the forward motion toward my goals. MWL continues to manifest itself in my life in very positive ways. It’s not just my knees which are getting so much better and it’s not just my improved appearance, either - its SO many little improvements in all areas of my health and in social emotional life, too, when compared with a year ago. I am continuing to learn, change and evolve. I’m very pleased with MWL.

I now can Imagine where I might be in another year and I’m keeping my mind and my heart open to continued learning and enjoying the full adoption and freedom that comes by adhering to and establishing the MWL behaviours.

Yes, it sometimes hurts a little bit or gets uncomfortable to learn new things. And hurts even more to unlearn old things. I want to keep many of my old behaviours and habits, with an emphasis on the ones that serve me well in my push for better health, while I embrace the MWL behaviours because these are the new habits that are moving me forward.

Best regards,
Noella

[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]

Holly33 - "Pulling this off" in the context of a challenging environment is definitely a worthy accomplishment; possibly among the MOST worthy! Keep proving to yourself that you are able to achieve a pattern of behavior that supports healthy weight loss (and health overall). In case you missed it, Jeff responded to several of your comments / concerns in an excellent post. You may also be interested in Dr. McDougall's recently updated article discussing Vitamin D, and this comprehensive thread from Jeff on the topic. As Jeff notes,

Our diet is not fat free. People following our diet can get 10-20% of fat in their diet depending on the foods they eat. Even just eating whole natural foods, one can easily be at 12-15% (oatmeal is 16%). We do not recommend EPA/DHA supplements and are concerned with their potential risks.

If you would like further detail, you can read this broad discussion of dietary fat and nutrient absorption, as well. Keep your focus on maintaining the recommended pattern of behavior, and results will follow (although not always on the schedule we might prefer). TIME + ADHERENCE = RESULTS.

cmcavazos2 - Your assessment of those work environment challenges is a great example of how one can think through these obstacles and find ways to work around them, Christine! If you can't completely control the presence of those tempting treats at work, as you observe, you can change your approach to the issue and your context by adjusting the schedule. Let us know how that works out for you. Solutions can be found with enough consideration and effort, right?

Gimmelean - The struggle is real; hang in there! Treat yourself with compassion, and concentrate on directly returning to the recommended behaviors. You are absolutely right that planning and preparation will be the keys to making that resumed adherence attainable. Were there new or unusual factors in your environment or routine this week that contributed to the recent challenges? Anything you can do to align your environment and schedule with your goals will help to set you up for success.

veggiemelt - Sorry you were dealing with edema! I understand how those sudden fluctuations can be demotivating, and lead one to yearn for an answer as to "what's really going on;" I periodically deal with significant swelling, too, as a result of my CRPS/RSD. It isn't always easy, but do your best to take the focus off the scale display, and place it firmly on the recommended behaviors - they are the mechanism most directly within your control. Something to keep in mind: in addition to being calorie dense, bread is typically quite high in added salt (and often added sugar), which could certainly contribute to fluid retention. Be kind and patient with yourself, recognizing that this is an ongoing process of learning, assessment and course correction, and aim for durable adherence over time. As you diagnosed, the way to conquer those busy, stressful weeks is with an adequate plan and preparation to ensure the "backups" are in place. You can do it!

VegSeekingFit - Nice loss, Stephanie! Thank you for the warm welcome back! Great idea to simplify, stock up on adherent foods, and have favorite fruits and veggies on hand during a stress-inducing time. Make it as easy as possible to maintain the recommended pattern of behavior, and you are that much more likely to do so.

Health 1st - Another 4.7 lbs gone! Wishing you continuing healing and recovery; I can imagine how good it must have felt to get some mobility back. I agree that the most important thing in the wake of a lapse, is to get right back "on plan" as soon as possible, so as to avoid a full-blown relapse. That is one reason I think framing things in terms of self-assessment, learning and adjustment, rather than recrimination, is so important. It allows us to see where obstacles lie, and correct our course around them; "beating ourselves up" often just leads to feeling bad and losing motivation. I can tell you that I eat frozen fruits and vegetables of all kinds, including berries, and they are at the top of Jeff's list of Healthy Packaged Foods. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations recently issued updated guidance regarding food and COVID-19. From the summary:

Current data indicates that neither food nor food packaging is a pathway for the spread of
viruses causing respiratory illnesses, including SARS-CoV-2. In other words, SARS-CoV-2 is not a
direct food safety concern.

And like I've been experiencing, the positive changes in my health and behavior are even more important than a # on the scale

Cheers to that!

Noella - 9/10 YESes and down half a pound! Sorry you were dealing with poor air quality from wildfires; I hope you and your family are doing well, in spite of that. You are right to point out that it can be uncomfortable to learn new things, and even more so to shed established habits that are longstanding. Making these changes takes a lot of work, and a willingness to sometimes feel a little uncomfortable in various contexts, but ideally we are moving toward a more fulfilling, and health sustaining life. As you note, that often extends to "little improvements" in aspects of our lives that seem, at least on the surface, unrelated to food, weight, and even physical health. Keep building those new habits; eventually, they'll be just as hard to "break" as the old ones that they replaced, right?

[Noella]

Noella … it can be uncomfortable to learn new things, and even moreso, to shed established [unhealthy] habits that are longstanding.

Making these changes takes a lot of work, and also a willingness to sometimes feel a little uncomfortable in various contexts, but ideally we are moving toward a more fulfilling, and health sustaining life.

As you note, that often extends to "little improvements" in aspects of our lives that seem, at least on the surface, unrelated to food, weight, and even physical health.

Keep building those new habits; eventually, they'll be just as hard to "break" as the old ones that they replaced, right?

Thanks, Mark. Yes, I agree and that’s my goal. I want to get to that point. “Keep building those new habits; eventually, they'll be just as hard to "break" as the old ones that they replaced, right?”

[Mark Cooper]

Please note - I replied to each participant individually in the two posts linked below, provided that their reports followed the guidelines for weigh-ins.

Mark's Replies for August 20 - Part 1
Mark's Replies for August 20 - Part 2

By my count, 12 participants reported for our third August 2021 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 third Friday in August:

Week ending 8/20/2021: 12 participants reported a total change of -3.00 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Gimmelean +4.00
Veggiemelt +3.00
Cmcavazos2 +0.60
Rebecka22 +0.60
--------------------------------------------------
Total gains: +8.20
--------------------------------------------------
NO CHANGE / MAINTAIN/ STARTING OUT
Holly33 0.00
Louie3084 0.00
--------------------------------------------------
Noella -0.50
PonysPlants -0.80
GreenFroG -1.60
VegSeekingFit -1.60
Gabby7 -2.00
Health 1st -4.70
--------------------------------------------------
Total losses:-11.20
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for August 2021 to date: 36.20 pounds
Average loss for week ending August 20: 0.25 pounds
Cumulative group loss for January 2021: 117.20 pounds
Cumulative group loss for February 2021: 39.40 pounds
Cumulative group loss for March 2021: 73.20 pounds
Cumulative group loss for April 2021: 48.30 pounds
Cumulative group loss for May 2021: 35.90 pounds
Cumulative group loss for June 2021: 34.10 pounds
Cumulative group loss for July 2021: 64.95 pounds
--------------------------------------------------

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, August 27, 2021.


Another week down, and just one more assessment & weigh-in before we close out the summer and head into September!

In Jeff's post above thread, he points out something I think often goes overlooked. MWL is a minimally processed starch-based diet that is low in fat, low in calorie density and low in added sugars and salt; however, our diet is not fat free. He mentions oatmeal being ~16% fat; furthering that discussion, Romaine lettuce is ~15% fat, strawberries are ~9%, chickpeas are ~13%. The same basic idea applies to nutrients more generally:

Nutrients and the RDA/DRI
The RDA/DRI’s do not always apply to those following a healthy starch based diet. However by following the guidelines, especially starting meals with a soup or salad and the 50/50 guideline, one's diet with be very nutrient dense. In regard to weight, we do not recommend tracking your nutrients. Follow the plan, and the nutrients will be there.

This tends to be true for many questions; Jeff has put a great deal of thought, consideration, and precision into the MWL 10-Point Checklist, and the recommendations are informed by his years of practical experience. Adhering to the recommended pattern of behavior is "the answer" in regard to durable sustainable weight loss. Perhaps the best way we can direct our energy is toward setting up our environment and routine in ways that enable us to achieve and maintain that pattern of behavior over the long haul. As wildgoose wrote last week,

The temptation, when weight loss slows down that much, is to try something drastic to "kick start" your weight loss. This is where people start to look at unsustainable options. Fasting. Intermittent fasting. Lots of exercise. Raw food diets. Even, heaven forbid, keto. Don't do it!

I didn't do anything different. Maybe upped my vegetable-starch ratio a little, but nothing that would take me out of what I thought I could permanently sustain. This is key, I think. Don't make a change that you wouldn't be willing to live with for the rest of your life, just to blast off a few pounds. Remember, weight is equilibrium between body and eating. You can change the eating side of the equation drastically to get your weight down, but if you don't sustain it, the equilibrium point shifts back upwards as your eating changes back to what it was. This is why people regain lost weight!

ADHERENCE + TIME = RESULTS

Let's finish the summer STRONG, everyone! Until next time, take care & be well.

[Holly33]

Hi Jeff, in response to your question, "what is my vitamin d level", it's 18.

Holly33 wrote:
>to take with vitamin D as I have a drastic deficiency.


What is your level?

Thank you for your response, I will read the links. For some reason, I thought this style of eating would put me around 5% fat intake, so I'm glad to hear that it's higher and that it will not be a concern regarding fat-soluble vitamins.

You are so right that I have to concentrate on the behavior and not the scale. I was so unusually compliant last week that I went off the deep end when I lost 0 pounds. I realize I need to get emotionally used to eating this way, this will take more than the 10 days I gave it. The odd thing was that I felt thinner and if I would not have weighed myself, I would have felt happy and accomplished.

Many thanks for your work on this thread, I appreciate that I can get support. Holly

[JeffN]

Hi Jeff, in response to your question, "what is my vitamin d level", it's 18.

Holly33 wrote: to take with vitamin D as I have a drastic deficiency.

You do not have a "drastic deficiency."

highly encourage you to read through the links I posted earlier so you learn our perceptive. As you can see, there are many myths. The reason we do this program this way is because we have "40 years of experience implementing it in a clinical setting.

Here is the simple, but complicated answer

1) I think anything from around 15- 20, up to 30- 35 is fine. I don’t recommend anything higher unless it occurs naturally from the sun. If someone is under 15, I would recommend first a trial with sunshine, foods with Vitamin D (Mushrooms), then if needed, artificial UV light and lastly, a possible supplement


Vitamin D: More may not be better
http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/ea ... 5.abstract

"Vitamin D in the 20–36 ng/ml range was associated with the lowest risk for mortality and morbidity. The hazard ratio below and above this range increases significantly."


2) I don’t think we should be doing much, if any, vitamin D testing.

https://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/view ... 22&t=10055

Second, all the recent RCT”s have shown no benefit and the USPSTF changed their recommendations

https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskfor ... medication


3) The acceptable levels are much lower then is being recommended

Vitamin D Deficiency — Is There Really a Pandemic?
NEJM 375;19 nejm.org November 10, 2016
http://www.nejm.org.sci-hub.cc/doi/pdf/ ... JMp1608005

"A common misconception is that the RDA functions as a “cut point” and that nearly the entire population must have a serum 25(OH)D level above 20 ng per milliliter to achieve good bone health. The reality is that the majority (about 97.5%) if the population has a requirement of 20 ng per milliliter or less. Moreover, by definition of an average requirement, approximately half the population has a requirement of 16 ng per milliliter (the EAR) or less. These concepts are depicted in the population reference-value distribution shown in Panel A, which highlights the relationship between the EAR and the RDA.

In creating its framework for reference values, the IOM anticipated the inherent variability in nutrient requirements and there- fore established — and verified by statistical modeling4 — the goal of achieving population levels above the EAR, not the RDA. However, the literature is replete with misapplications of the RDA that treat it as a cut point. Many studies establish “inadequacy” using the RDA, though it is actually at the upper end of the spectrum of human need. Clearly, this approach misclassifies as “deficient” most people whose nutrient requirements are being met — thereby creating the appearance of a pandemic of deficiency. “

Applying the correct method to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for 2007 through 2010 reveals that 13% of Americans 1 to 70 years of age are “at risk” for vitamin D inadequacy. Less than 6% are deficient in vitamin D [serum 25(OH)D levels <12.5 ng per milliliter4]. The utility of measurement of parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations for identifying the optimal level of vitamin D remains controversial; the relationship between serum 25(OH)D and PTH is inconsistent, and no clear threshold defining “sufficiency” has been established.4 Vitamin D is a nutrient of concern, but these levels of deficiency do not constitute a pandemic.


Vitamin D: What’s the “right” level?
Monique Tello, MD, MPH
JANUARY 06, 2017 (Updated)
http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/vita ... 6121910893
“For perimenopausal women or other groups of people with higher fracture risk, certainly a level of 20 or above is ideal,” and he adds: “For the vast majority of healthy individuals, levels much lower, 15, maybe 10, are probably perfectly fine, and so I would say I agree with what the authors of the New England Journal perspective article are saying.”


Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level, chronic diseases and all-cause mortality in a population-based prospective cohort: the HUNT Study, Norway.
Sun YQ, Langhammer A, Skorpen F, Chen Y, Mai XM.
BMJ Open. 2017 Jul 3;7(6):e017256. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-017256.
PMID: 28674149 Free Article
http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/7/6/e017256.long

It appears that the risk of dying flat lines above 15 to 16 ng/ml. The HR increases quite a bit once you get below 12 ng/ml. A level of 20ng/ml does not appear to be associated with any significant increased risk of dying from all causes. Up to 44ng/ml doesn't seem to be associated with any significant impact on the overall risk of dying. From this, it looks like 20 to 44ng/ml could be considered the normal range. Anything below 20ng/ml may be insufficient for some and anything below 12 to 15ng/ml appears to be associated with an increased risk of dying as many people maybe deficient.

Many thanks for your work on this thread, I appreciate that I can get support. Holly

Stick around. Spend some time learning our approach.

Hope this helps
Jeff

[Rebecka22]

149.0 Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.2 pounds
1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES
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
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
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). NO
6. Eliminate any added oil. NO
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. NO
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). NO
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). YES

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: I think this week’s loss is really from last week and from getting back on track after I got off track last weekend when we went out of town and slipped quickly into the cravings for sweet and salty and took a couple days to get it together. On Monday I got back on track, it wasn’t easy especially with having a strong head cold (I think because I get sick so infrequently this is hitting harder) and I started back to work with the first day of school being next week. I am trying to make sure I am well planned though to avoid going backwards as stress increases.

[GreenFroG]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -0.2 lbs

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.
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).
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).

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Had a pretty good week following the checklist. Had one meal out this week, but choose a salad with fire roasted vegetables on top. I skipped the salad dressing and it tasted just fine. The vegetables didn't seem oily at all, but they may have had some oil, so I put a thumbs down on number 6. I felt like it was a better choice than most, so I am learning. Since I had a big loss the week before, I was happy staying about the same. Next week we are traveling out of state for another family wedding, so I will not be posting. I appreciated your insight, Mark, about eating out being a learning experience --make a solid plan--evaluate how it works--make needed course corrections--eventually get a tool box of social engagement best practices. I am hoping my tool box is better established as I take it on another test run! My goal this week is to pick up MWL compliant food at the other end and microwave a lot in the hotel to supplement before eating out. I will let you know how it goes. Hoping everyone had a good week. Onward to September!

[PonysPlants]

Loss of 0.8 lbs and I’m at goal weight! Well, the original goal weight was 12 lbs heavier than I am now. This is the dream weight. BMI of 21.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES
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. YES
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. YES
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES Easy. Vegan for life

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados,) YES
6. Eliminate any added oil. YES
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
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). YES
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES
10. Avoid being sedentary. YES

Well, I did it! Huge, huge thanks to Mark for all of the support since I’ve been here. I’ll actually miss reporting here, it’s been great getting feedback and encouragement when I’ve needed it and honestly just having this place to keep me on track has made all the difference whilst I’ve adjusted to the new habits. It’s so nice to have achieved what I set out to do. And what’s even nicer is now that the habits are set I have no desire to go out and have a cheat meal and celebrate getting to goal weight. All of that junky stuff has no appeal to me and that is so lovely.

Onwards!

Naomi

[Mark Cooper]

Rebecka22 - Cheers to you for getting back on track in the wake of a lapse! Best wishes for an easy recovery from that cold, and a safe, satisfactory start to the school year. I think you make an important point about planning "to avoid going backwards" as one's schedule becomes more stress-inducing. I can imagine the school environment may be somewhat more tempting and less controllable, as well. Planning in advance so you can anticipate any challenges, "cope ahead," and be well-prepared is an excellent way to approach this.

GreenFroG - That looks like a pretty good week to me, too! Being able to evaluate a situation and make the best available choice is definitely a skill worth learning and practicing. Have fun at the wedding, and enjoy taking your tool box on another test run.

PonysPlants - Big congratulations on attaining that "dream weight," Naomi! You have certainly put in the work establishing, fine-tuning and habituating the pattern of behavior for these great results! Thank you so much for your gracious words, and feel free to continue checking in with the group - if / when / for as long as - it seems helpful. It has been a pleasure being along for the ride on your journey. Always onward!

[Gabby7]

Weight change +/- in lbs:  -1.8lbs

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES
3. 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
5. 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
7. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES
9. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). YES
11. Eliminate any added oil. YES
13. 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
15. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). YES
17. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES
18. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). YES

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Happy with the progress despite coming down with covid last weekend (I am vaccinated but was sick for 3-4 days still). I still did my activity just had to bring down the intensity but I was proud of myself for not going off program even when I felt awful. With more energy look forward to better prep this weekend and an even better week. I had to use fruit more to preload because I didn’t have the energy to cook up all my veggies like I usually do. Hope everyone else had a great week. For my fellow northern Californians keep hanging in with the smoke and hope everyone is safe.

[Health 1st]

Weight change +/- in lbs:  -3 (265.40 to 262.40)

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.----No, but did better than last week.

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.

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.

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).----Yes.

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).----Yes.

6. Eliminate any added oil.----Yes.

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.----Had 4 corn cakes (corn instead of rice) 1 time.

8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).----Yes, did not have.

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.----Yes, did really well with this all week.

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).----Despite continued discomfort + pain, thank God it is waning(!!!), so I have been quite a bit more active.  As far as actual walking, there were a couple of days of 400-500 feet.  One day I walked 1,000 feet thinking that would be it, but ended up going into a store + that was another 300 or so feet.  That was waaay too much + I had problems the next day + couldn't do any extra walking other than what was needed.  So, I have to find a balance, but am so thankful I've been able to do what I did.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: 

----This has been a good, but extremely busy week + it seems like last Friday was 2 weeks ago rather than 1.  It has also been very hot + humid.  I know it's not ladylike, that women only perspire, but I have profusely sweated for hours for days + just was not hungry.  I don't count calories, but there were quite a few days I'd be surprised if I ate more than 800 calories. 

----Considering the above, I find it funny that other weeks when I was not exercising* at all, was eating a lot more (+ even had non-MWL foods like bread), I actually lost more weight.  Please do not get me wrong; I am very happy I lost 3 pounds on top of all the other great loses, and I know my body can't possibly keep losing as fast as it has on a steady bases.  But it does make me wonder if I had eaten more, maybe I would have lost more because my body could have released the excess?  Not sure if I'm describing this well.  *I don't think I exercised enough to be gaining muscle yet.

----Because of the heat + humidity, I drank lots of water.  Sometimes I would get hungry, but then a glass or 2 of water filled me up, so I didn't eat or hardly ate anything. If replenishing lost water because of sweating fills you up, you shouldn't eat if it's time to but you're not hungry, right? 

----I profusely apologize for not being on the Forums at all since reading Mark's wrap-up Saturday.  My plan was to visit the Forums several times, including to thank you, Mark, for responding to my question about frozen fruit possibly being contaminated with covid.  I am happy to know it's not an issue--thank you!  Yes, I too have been eating frozen veggies all along without any concerns because of cooking them.

----So I'm going to post this now + in my journal +  unfortunately have to skedaddle, but hope to read any old + new posts by Saturday night.  Again, I'm sorry for not participating more and for not being up-to-date.  Wishing everyone a wonderful, compliant week filled with grace for yourself if you goof up...this is a journey. 

----Oh, I don't know why, but for some reason I've had a reoccurring bad "food" thought:  store-bought chocolate cake roll with vanilla buttercream.  Why?  I am trying to figure that out.  But I do not even have a taste for it.  And when I do think of how it tasted before I recommitted to restoring my health, it was so greasy (the buttercream) + sugary--even when I was used to lots of fat + sugar.  I did have a bit more fresh fruit a couple days this week (2 servings/day verses 1), but it's only because I was washing and prepping them to freeze...not because I was craving something sweet.  I really am a foodie vs. a sweetie--lol.  Maybe it's because I didn't eat enough calories for a lot of days + this was my body telling me I should eat more calories (but not in the form of a cake roll!)?

----My clothes are becoming huge. Prior to wearing my generously cut 4x short-sleeved shirts, I'd have to really stretch them out with my arms to look halfway decent. Now I put them on without any stretching + they look like tents--lol. Pretty soon I'll have to bid adieu to my capris and slacks, too.

----Thank you Dr. + Mary, Mark, Jeff, wildgoose, + all my fellow MWLers!