Re: The Behavioral Path to MWL Success - May 2023 Group
Posted: Fri May 26, 2023 3:56 pm
May 26, 2023
Hello MWL T&A group, Hope everyone is well and having a great 3-day weekend. I am home this weekend, and currently have a big pot of potatoes in one instant pot, and brown rice in the smaller pot. Going to make a batch of “Jeff’s Bean Burgers” as soon as the rice is done. I am doubling the recipe and will freeze some. They are so handy to have on hand.
1.Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
YES, still make a pot of soup every few days. Really liking it cold now.
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, this is the easy one. Looking at the meat counters in the supermarket make me physically ill. Haha
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.
NO, wish I could say YES, but have to be honest. It was much better, but not 100%. I think I had 2-3 times where I ate until stuffed. It is usually more like 7-10 times So small victory. Striving for 100 % next week. I have been asking myself: Am I hungry? Before I eat, and during my meal…. “Have I had enough?” Before I eat seconds of anything. It seems to be helping me be more aware of my eating.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
YES, Pickleball 5 days a week. And walked our green belt near the swollen river.
Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Overall had a good week. I am in the process of getting ready to go to the summer home until the first of October and have been making and freezing beans, rice, burgers, etc. My routine will change considerably when we go there, so will have to make some adjustments in food and exercise. But I am confident that I will make that happen.
Mark, thank you for the great comments you always share with the group. And the links to all the resources. I really enjoy reading and re-reading the material. As far as my “mind-chatter”, it is hard for me to explain. But it feels like I am ALWAYS thinking about food. I definitely don’t go hungry. Quite the opposite. I have a hard time feeling satisfied so back to the “volume eating” problem that I have. I have been reading a lot about “mindless eating” and I think that fits me pretty good. That is why I have been trying to incorporate the “am I hungry” and “have I had enough” questions. I have to continue to be aware, and work towards finding that peace with food. It is better because of this lifestyle, but not in control yet.
Have a great, healthy week everyone,
Holly
Hello MWL T&A group, Hope everyone is well and having a great 3-day weekend. I am home this weekend, and currently have a big pot of potatoes in one instant pot, and brown rice in the smaller pot. Going to make a batch of “Jeff’s Bean Burgers” as soon as the rice is done. I am doubling the recipe and will freeze some. They are so handy to have on hand.
1.Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
YES, still make a pot of soup every few days. Really liking it cold now.
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, this is the easy one. Looking at the meat counters in the supermarket make me physically ill. Haha
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.
NO, wish I could say YES, but have to be honest. It was much better, but not 100%. I think I had 2-3 times where I ate until stuffed. It is usually more like 7-10 times So small victory. Striving for 100 % next week. I have been asking myself: Am I hungry? Before I eat, and during my meal…. “Have I had enough?” Before I eat seconds of anything. It seems to be helping me be more aware of my eating.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
YES, Pickleball 5 days a week. And walked our green belt near the swollen river.
Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Overall had a good week. I am in the process of getting ready to go to the summer home until the first of October and have been making and freezing beans, rice, burgers, etc. My routine will change considerably when we go there, so will have to make some adjustments in food and exercise. But I am confident that I will make that happen.
Mark, thank you for the great comments you always share with the group. And the links to all the resources. I really enjoy reading and re-reading the material. As far as my “mind-chatter”, it is hard for me to explain. But it feels like I am ALWAYS thinking about food. I definitely don’t go hungry. Quite the opposite. I have a hard time feeling satisfied so back to the “volume eating” problem that I have. I have been reading a lot about “mindless eating” and I think that fits me pretty good. That is why I have been trying to incorporate the “am I hungry” and “have I had enough” questions. I have to continue to be aware, and work towards finding that peace with food. It is better because of this lifestyle, but not in control yet.
Have a great, healthy week everyone,
Holly