100% Finally!

[ChrisS]

I decided to start a new journal. I've been messing around with this food plan for years with success and failure. The failure due to my own lack of compliance.

After a visit to the eye doctor and the discovery of two cataracts as well as macular dystrophy...I finally get it. If I want to be healthy, I MUST follow this lifestyle...100%.

The weight is falling off me and I'm not hungry.

Breakfast
Oatmeal, blueberries and cranberries

Lunch
snap meal

Dinner
Roasted potato w/chili sauce

Snack
apple
herbal tea

[kirstykay]

Way to go, Chris! Glad you're here! Looking forward to reading along as you restore your health! Keep up the great "can do" attitude! It's inspiring.

[Burgess]

Congratulations on your decision!

I see two big advantages to being 100% compliant to whichever plan one chooses:
1. Max health benefits.
2. Simplifying life.

The second is almost as important as the first.

No diet plan assures eternal life or complete freedom from disease. But having a plan makes life easier to navigate.

[LoriJenny]

Congrats on your decision!!! What is a snap meal? Keep us posted on how your doing!!

[ChrisS]

Thank you all for your support.

LoriJenny...a snap meal is Jeff's creation (I think), they are meals you put together in a snap. The basic formula is a bag of frozen veg, tomatoes or broth, greens, beans on top of grain or ww pasta. quick easy and good.

Burgess, I agree. There is no road to eternal life, but I can control the quality of what remains of mine. and I shall.

kirstykay, I hope I can inspire someone as so many others are doing for me here. This is an amazing place to come 24/7.

I am determined to remain 100% compliant this time. I feel this is the ONLY way for me to succeed. I've read so much debate on this forum about this subject and I used to rationalize my bad behavior with the other side of it. I've been there, done that. Now I'm going to give it my all. We'll see what happens. Maybe I can be a Star McDougaller

[LoriJenny]

I've been thinking of the comment Burgess made about simplicity...how 100% compliance will simplify things...if someone has more thoughts on what they mean by that I think it would be really motivating...I'm not sure exactly. More simple because you are not constantly deciding if or how much to veer from the plan? More simple because it is just a straight road to health with no dog-legs into the old unhealthy lifestyle? Am I on the right track?

[Dechen]

I can not speak for Burgess but to me it is like the decision has been made and I will not even contemplate otherwise, over, done and dusted.
It is like my decision not to smack my children. I don't even entertain the thought.
To me the option to eat sad food does not exist anymore.
I hope that makes sense.

[ChrisS]

Wow, Thank you Dechen, I couldn't have stated that any clearer. You expressed my feelings on the matter of simplicity perfectly.

Breakfast
Oatmeal, cranberries
herbal tea

Lunch
Pinto beans on WW toast
apple

Dinner
Mashed potatoes and spinach
water

[TominTN]

I've been thinking of the comment Burgess made about simplicity...how 100% compliance will simplify things...if someone has more thoughts on what they mean by that I think it would be really motivating...I'm not sure exactly. More simple because you are not constantly deciding if or how much to veer from the plan? More simple because it is just a straight road to health with no dog-legs into the old unhealthy lifestyle? Am I on the right track?

Every choice we make consumes psychic energy. Some psychology researchers actually talk about "change units" -- the effort it takes to sustain a lifestyle change over time. By committing to a well-defined plan, in essence we "pre-decide" future choices. The longer we stick to such a policy, the more effortless it becomes over time. Seems simpler to me.

I think another aspect of simplicity that comes with following a plan is that it allows for streamlining life. The same grocery list works every week. Preparing my lunches for the whole week takes up an hour or less of my weekend. If I want to, I can know what I'll be eating tomorrow and the next day and the day after that. I don't have to worry or even think about it. I find that to be a great stress reliever.

Congratulations on your decision, Chris. It sounds like it's going well for you. I'll be watching and cheering.

[LoriJenny]

All of that makes sense to me...the simplicity of it, it's true, when you are allowing yourself to take little doglegs off the plan it's a constant battle, and maybe it doesn't allow one to really develop new tastes. It is definately cheaper to follow the plan and I like keeping food simple. I was able to treat myself to a few things that I can't usually afford because I am not spending as much on food, and that was a huge reward for me .

[Dechen]

I hate clutter and I dislike most useless things. And I guess that is how I feel about food now. I leave off the clutter, the fancy stuff that is useless and only makes me feel oppressed and sluggish. If I make cake it must be useful to my health. I am constantly trying to de-fat and de-sugar vegan recipes.

I saw this great recipe for Espresso & Chocolate Pie and I will de-fat and -de-sugar it for my hubby on Valentine's Day. YUM!

[Katydid]

Wow, Thank you Dechen, I couldn't have stated that any clearer. You expressed my feelings on the matter of simplicity perfectly.

Breakfast
Oatmeal, cranberries
herbal tea

Lunch
Pinto beans on WW toast
apple

Dinner
Mashed potatoes and spinach
water

Good for you for making a commitment to go 100%. A couple of comments on you posted menu. Watch out for dried cranberries (unless you mean whole fresh cranberries). They often contain oil to prevent sticking. Stick with whole fruit on your oatmeal. Also, where are the veggies? Except for some spinach I don't see a lot of green and yellow veg. Best of luck to you.
Katr

[bunsofaluminum]

hey there! good to have you on board. Sounds like you're right there, spot on, mentally. Gonna do it! yay!

[ChrisS]

Thank you for all your comments, I very much appreciate every one.

I had a small bag of dried cranberries and finished them today. I won't buy them in the future, going to use frozen blueberries in the morning.

Breakfast
Oatmeal, cranberries
Nettle tea

Lunch
tomatoes and salsa on ww toast
water

Dinner
potatoes w/chili sauce
apple

Didn't eat much veg again today....I ate a huge bowl of broccoli w/mashed potatoes last night. When I eat green veg w/mashed potatoes.....the veg is 2 to 1 potato.

[ChrisS]

Breakfast
oatmeal, blueberries
fennel tea

Lunch
red potatoes
broccoli
water

Dinner
veg chili
water

Snacks
apple
cold potato

Feeling really good this morning. I am amazed at how my appetite is changing. I don't feel hungry all the time, I guess I'm giving my body what is needs.