DB Goal: Heathy eating for the whole family - edited goal

[dragana]

New edited post:

I've decided to change the title of my post and make it sound less selfish and superficial and more about what is really going on in my head. I thought a lot of about diet in these last couple of days and I've realized that although as a family we eat generally healthy there are little tweaks that I can use to improve everyone's diet.

Lately I noticed my three year old is starting to go to the slipper slope of fast foods, pizzas, cheeses, ice-creams, chips, chocolate etc... Last night I forbade my husband to feed her these. But we have to be ready for the demands and feed her healthy alternatives. She is in normal weight range (upper end) but comparing her to the other kids in her group at daycare she is on the bigger side. I do not want her to develop any weight problems plus like any mother I want her to be the best she can be, physically, emotionally, socially and intellectually. Healthy diet in addition to parental guidance and support will help her reach her potential.

Baby's feeding is a less of a problem. She is on the smaller side to begin with and she has a healthy appetite and it is easy to feed her well practically everything!!

My husband on the other hand is a healthy man who believes in fruits and vegetables and whole grains. He is easy. The only problem is that he is naturally slim and he can't keep his weigh up while we eat this way so he tries to fill up with not so healthy alternatives - which got my 3-year old hooked and caused me to indulge hence my progress stalls. Nuts are out of question for him because of allergies, but I need to come up with the foods that will keep his weight up.

And finally I am doing this for me, maybe first me, then them as I am the only one with the real problem. I am overweight and it affects me emotionally. It affects my confidence and my self-image. I am embarrassed to wear shorts and swim suits. I have postponed buying a bridesmaid dress for my sister's July wedding because I couldn't find anything I thought I didn't look like a barrel wrapped in a piece of fabric. I have made her mad at me. I am compromising her trust and friendship because I have self-image issues!!! I have wasted half of my life hiding my body. I know that even though I eat a lot of the time McDougall way (since 2006), I need to make sure that I eat this way most of the time and the weight will come off.

And in conclusion, my husband and I have been enjoying excellent health (knock wood) and energy (perhaps on energy scale for me at least it's been on/off depending) our whole lives and we are in our 40-ies. I want us to stay this way and be vibrant for our young children and be around for long time to watch them flourish as adults.

Original post:

Okay, so I have been on/off a diet ever since I was 13 years old. I remember when I was 15 I would have a big breakfast, 1 tomato for lunch and coffee for dinner. I was thin, I was overweight on/off. And so on..until now, now I have enough. I want to be thin always.

b: oatmeal, mango & a little splash of soy milk
l: left over baked sweet potato, left over rice & lentils w broccoli & cauliflower, mixed green salad w tomato tofu dressing
d:green bean casserole, corn on the cob

[dragana]

So I watched the dr. Lisle lecture Continuum of Evil (viewtopic.php?f=1&t=22215) and it was quite enlightening, more so than Pleasure trap. Really enjoyed all the little lessons and plan to apply them not just to food but to most areas in my life.

When my husband was eating corn chips last night I didn't have any cravings. Eating more starches really agrees with me, especially for my mood and energy levels. I did have glass of wine last night but not for cravings.

Mothers day today, they are taking me out for lunch.
b: oatmeal w cranberry-apple sauce, strawberries
coffee
l: plan: salad
Actual:vegan fajitas 4 white tortillas
d: plan: steamed swiss chard and baked potato, tomato-green onion salad?
Actual: rye bread sandwich w ff chickpea tuna, tomato slices, green onion, steamed swiss chard
Later that night: corn tortillas
Walked over 10 km (6 miles) or more - we were out from 11am - 5 pm

[dragana]

So I didn't do well yesterday. Let's say that I scored C- on the food choices. It was B until later last night when we stayed up trying to plan this years holiday. Then I had some organic junk food corn tortillas because I was hungry. On the plus side I walked fast minimum 10 km (or 6 miles) as we had a very active Mother's Day.
Today I need to score A on my food. I already had coffee this morning so no A+ but A will do. Also plan a lot of walking today the day looks marvelous already.

B: Plan: oatmeal w strawberries and apple sauce
coffee
L: plan: rice w veggies
D: plan: baked sweet potato

[noelalexis2000]

I figure when I eat out that I will blow it. Not because I don't try because everything around has oil.

I finally gave up coffee but had to substitute green tea for it. Still need my little bit of caffeine but only have two small cups of tea. I also drink dandyblend a coffee substitute sometimes if I feel a need for coffee. It is delicious. Everything is gradual and you will gradually move to where you want to be.

[dragana]

Thanks Alexis, I am also trying to switch to green tea but transition this time is harder than previously in my life. I have a baby who still wakes up all hours of the night and sometimes I need that cup of coffee in the morning especially since she is up at 5. But I also noticed when I eat well lets say I get an A then I don't need coffee pick me up.

Yesterday eating was a disaster I guess my first F. I planned in my head but never had time to execute my plans. So when my husband, my mother in law and my 3 year old voted for pizza I had no back up plan. I need to go grocery shopping for little things because I need to have quick meals ready for situations like these.

Today will be an A because today I am more determined than ever. The wedding is fast approaching, the weight must come off. Also, I am on the public board, publicly announcing my failures and it is time to turn the tide!!!
B: oatmeal w frozen blueberries
coffee
L: baked potato, collard greens or broccoli, mixed green salad
actual: baked potato and collard greens, tomato
D: sweet potato, collard greens or broccoli, tomato salad
actual: sweet potato, veg chilli

[noelalexis2000]

I understand about the coffee. It took me many tries and many years to be able to give it up entirely. Now when I have it out it makes me sick. Yeah! That's what I need since I use to love it. I don't dare order it when I go out now.

Pizza is always a problem for me since my family members seem to want it often. I have mine without the cheese but all that flour is not something I need or want either.

Your menu looks delicious. I always keep sweet potatoes in the frig and if I have a hunger attack I eat them cold. Ha!

[bunsofaluminum]

Thanks Alexis, I am also trying to switch to green tea but transition this time is harder than previously in my life. I have a baby who still wakes up all hours of the night and sometimes I need that cup of coffee in the morning especially since she is up at 5. But I also noticed when I eat well lets say I get an A then I don't need coffee pick me up.

Hi there. I noticed this while reading through your journal, and wanted to tell you what happened with me.

I started mcdougalling in Sept of 09, and had a half a pot per day coffee habit. Two big mugs in the morning, and one or two after work. within a month of starting, I no longer needed the afternoon coffee.

then one morning, I could only handle half a cup of coffee before I felt jittery. And the very next day, one sip turned my stomach and I stopped drinking coffee. Nowadays coffee is a treat, once a month at the most. Some days, I don't even have my cup of black tea, which is what I drink for caffeine.

this was all within a few weeks of eating this way. I think my adrenaline glands got healthy from the good nutrition, and because of the energy supplied by ample carbs in my diet, my body rejected the hyper jolt that coffee gave me. I can hardly stand the smell of it, especially cheap, pre-ground stuff. blch...

i bet you'll be able to kick it

[noelalexis2000]

Great post! I think you are absolutely right. When you body is getting what it needs the cravings are less.

[dragana]

Great tips. Sad thing is - I've been there before, I wish I have never fallen off the bandwagon!

Okay, I am still not eating a diet that is 100% energizing me, I still don't feel wow- this is me. I think I need more greens especially raw ones, except I am having hard time with salad dressings.

B: plan: oatmeal w frozen fruit and applesauce
1 c of coffee
actual: oatmeal w applesauce
L: plan: cauliflower creamy rice w collards, small green salad
actual: it was quinoa instead of rice w collards & cauliflower, green salad w red onion and balsamic vinaigrette ff - didn't like all that much
D:plan: 2 rice tortillas w 're-fried' beans, tomato, green onion, mixed field greens
unplanned snacks: 1 baby cookie, few bytes of corn puffs, baked lentil chips w salsa, few bytes of mac & cheese
actua;: 3 rice tortillas else same +ff salsa

[noelalexis2000]

Thanks for that link to the Continuum of Evil link what an excellent video. I think I might buy that to get my kids to watch it. I loved the way he explained success and failure and I hate the way society judges us when we fail.

I too am constantly trying to get more greens into my diet. I usually have at least one salad a day. I make a vinegar, mustard with water dressing. For my husband I make a Mango, rice vinegar, mustard, thin with water and he it likes that very much. I also sometimes use orange juice and have tried the raspberries as well. I don't like Kale, collards, etc. So I make the walnut sauce that Jane Esselsytn has in her book. l cup walnuts, 2Tbsp soy sauce and water to thin in my blender. I know it is high fat but I do use this just to get the greens in.

[bunsofaluminum]

mmm, what is the mango dressing recipe you mention? sounds scrumptious.

[dragana]

Unfortunately we can't have any nuts or seeds in the house as our daughter is allergic. I am going to look up some of the salad dressings I made before this time without nuts, maybe substitute tofu for it and I will let you know how it went. I use minimum avocado about 1/4 for 2 salads with lemon and that works very well but plain fat free hasn't really been that tasty for me. But I will keep trying. Need to get some maple syrup!

[noelalexis2000]

mmm, what is the mango dressing recipe you mention? sounds scrumptious.

I just use frozen mangos, add a little rice vinegar and tsp of mustard and thin with water. My husband likes it so anything to try and keep him away from the oil.

[bunsofaluminum]

mmm, what is the mango dressing recipe you mention? sounds scrumptious.

I just use frozen mangos, add a little rice vinegar and tsp of mustard and thin with water. My husband likes it so anything to try and keep him away from the oil.

oh, that sounds GOOD! I am going to try it REAL soon. I bet it's good with grain salads...(and some avocado thrown in there )

[dragana]

I did ok yesterday. Still not an A+, but maybe B+. I had these low fat baked lentil chips w fat free salsa yesterday, ok but still processed maybe I overate. Also, few bytes of children foods here and there, this is gotta stop. It is better to waste food than to keep me away from my goals. On the positive side I walked another 10 km ~ 6 miles and that was great. I suppose all that walking made me extra hungry hence all the snacks, but next time choose better. If I were at my desired weight I wouldn't fret about these snacks because really they are not that bad, but since I am trying to lose and lose fast, it is better for me to stay away from them.

B: plan: oatmeal w apple sauce
L: plan: baked potatoes, collard greens, cauliflower
D: plan: ff ww pizza w broccoli, red onion and tomato toppings