Ben's journal

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Ben's journal

Postby Ben » Fri May 27, 2011 6:17 pm

Hi

My name is Ben and I am starting McDougalling today. I am not new to these boards and have posted other 'starting today' messages here before. But this time it is for real. I will post more information about me in the next day or so, so that people who read this might get a better sense of who I am.

I am going to follow these guidelines for 14 days and reassess what I do after that.

Each day I will eat:
Unlimited amounts of brown rice (I love it, and I have a great rice cooker that makes it beautifully).
One cup of beans.
2-3 pieces of fruit.
At least a cup of vegetables for each of lunch and dinner (this will be a challenge for me as I currently don't like vegetables).

I am going to do these 14 days without seasonings of any kind (I want to keep it simple, and free of any slippery slopes) and drink only water. I already do not drink coffee, soft drinks, or alcohol. The only liquid I will need to stop is dairy drinks, which is one of my biggest things I need to give up.

So it is morning here now and today is my first day. I will post tonight about how the first day has been.

Ben
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby connieg » Fri May 27, 2011 7:02 pm

Congratulations on getting started, Ben! The first few weeks are the hardest (for me, at least). I've been on the plan since January, but slipped up last week on a trip and had to pretty much start over on Sunday. It is falling into place, but my taste buds haven't adjusted yet, so I am depending on will power at the moment. Knowing that it will all taste great soon is helpful.

That's great that you have a good rice cooker. I have never been able to cook rice, so I buy the frozen kind that I can microwave. It would probably be cheaper to invest in a rice cooker-what kind do you have and is it really, really simple and foolproof?

Best wishes to you!
[url=http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wQrHXvn/]
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[url=http://www.tickerfactory.com/weight-loss/wQrHXvn]My Weight Chart:
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby MmmCarbs » Fri May 27, 2011 11:12 pm

Good luck, Ben! Your diet sounds wonderfully simple and tasty. I'm not a big veggie lover either but I've found a few I tolerate and could probably eat a cupful of. I have to rotate though.

I'm also eager to hear what rice cooker you have. I have a pretty old Panasonic model that came from Japan. It senses the moisture levels and shuts itself off. It's made for white rice though (the instructions insist it only does white rice) so it struggles a little with unsoaked brown rice and tends to burn it slightly. Soaking the rice overnight before cooking helps a lot. I'd love to find one that really does a good job with brown rice.
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby Ben » Sat May 28, 2011 4:50 am

Thanks connieg and Mmmcarbs. I have a Toshiba rice cooker. It works well and is really easy. It also keeps the rice warm all day long.

Well I have made it through day 1 successfully. I ate exactly what I planned to eat. Today I have eaten the best I have in years. I thought I'd feel horrible by now and in total withdrawal from sugar/fat/dairy, but I actually feel quite fine.

A brief intro for anyone who might be interested. I'm 38 and live in Australia. I am at my highest weight ever. I consider myself to be a vegetarian at heart, and although I have gotten very sloppy with my food and have sometimes eaten meat products, I'm not going to miss eating meat. My main issues are dairy products and chocolate (I know chocolate is a dairy product too, but for some reason I think of them separately). I have been pretty much been living off them for over a decade now, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. The vast majority of my calories on most days in the last 10 years would have come from them.

I have been overweight my entire life, except for about 5 years in the mid to late 90's when I was eating low, low fat and vegetarian. Not all my food was whole food though. As time went on I ate more and more processed food, and I honestly believe this is also when my hypothyroidism began (which I now take medication for)....and I started putting on weight. But I remember how effortless it was to take the weight off and maintain the loss, and how much I loved to eat (I don't 'enjoy' eating SAD), and to feel fit (I was also exercising regularly).

I have made another large change today. I have stopped watching tv. I have a very fixed habit of watching a lot of tv, and eating at the same time. I will watch even crap tv just for the sake of it. I've been aware that this is not the best thing for me, and I've been becoming increasingly aware of how unconscious it makes me go. For years and years Oprah has been my favourite tv show (even though I don't often get to see it because I work during the day). The final episode screened here last night. When it finished I honestly could not think of a good reason to watch it anymore. So I'm not going to. That will not preclude me from watching movies on dvd though, but no mindless watching stuff that I don't particularly want to watch and having my senses assaulted with advertisements and loud background music that is mostly designed to keep viewers on edge. I don't want to be on edge anymore. I want to be kind to myself, have good rest, and focus my attention on other things that will support me.

Well I did not intend to go on for so long! I will report how tomorrow goes in 24 hours

Ben
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby janluvs2heel » Sat May 28, 2011 6:00 am

Ben:

Welcome Back.

I hope you continue to do well. I am posting a link to a youtube video of a lecture given by Mike Teehan for the Hawaiian Veg. Society just recently. He is also a Star McDougaller. Check it out!! It will really motivate you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4V2Zo3xEIw

You can do it!!!! :)

Jan
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby burgh_grl » Sat May 28, 2011 7:03 am

Ben wrote:Thanks connieg and Mmmcarbs. I have a Toshiba rice cooker. It works well and is really easy. It also keeps the rice warm all day long.

Well I have made it through day 1 successfully. I ate exactly what I planned to eat. Today I have eaten the best I have in years. I thought I'd feel horrible by now and in total withdrawal from sugar/fat/dairy, but I actually feel quite fine.

A brief intro for anyone who might be interested. I'm 38 and live in Australia. I am at my highest weight ever. I consider myself to be a vegetarian at heart, and although I have gotten very sloppy with my food and have sometimes eaten meat products, I'm not going to miss eating meat. My main issues are dairy products and chocolate (I know chocolate is a dairy product too, but for some reason I think of them separately). I have been pretty much been living off them for over a decade now, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that. The vast majority of my calories on most days in the last 10 years would have come from them.

I have been overweight my entire life, except for about 5 years in the mid to late 90's when I was eating low, low fat and vegetarian. Not all my food was whole food though. As time went on I ate more and more processed food, and I honestly believe this is also when my hypothyroidism began (which I now take medication for)....and I started putting on weight. But I remember how effortless it was to take the weight off and maintain the loss, and how much I loved to eat (I don't 'enjoy' eating SAD), and to feel fit (I was also exercising regularly).

I have made another large change today. I have stopped watching tv. I have a very fixed habit of watching a lot of tv, and eating at the same time. I will watch even crap tv just for the sake of it. I've been aware that this is not the best thing for me, and I've been becoming increasingly aware of how unconscious it makes me go. For years and years Oprah has been my favourite tv show (even though I don't often get to see it because I work during the day). The final episode screened here last night. When it finished I honestly could not think of a good reason to watch it anymore. So I'm not going to. That will not preclude me from watching movies on dvd though, but no mindless watching stuff that I don't particularly want to watch and having my senses assaulted with advertisements and loud background music that is mostly designed to keep viewers on edge. I don't want to be on edge anymore. I want to be kind to myself, have good rest, and focus my attention on other things that will support me.

Well I did not intend to go on for so long! I will report how tomorrow goes in 24 hours

Ben

WElcome indeed Ben! You're among friends here, thts for sure! You'll soon find yourself Addicted, to this message board! I did...and I'm much, much better off FOR it ;-) I relate to your back story (thnks for sharing!!) in many ways myself...and on we go from where we are now-armed with all the tools needed to completely better our lives, our health, our sense of being in the world.So glad you've joined us! :D -p.s. to Jan...brilliant, to have sent Mike's video to Ben...i ws thinking the SAME thing...it's So POWERFUL !! burghgrl
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby Melinda » Sat May 28, 2011 10:09 am

Good to see you here Ben! Have you thought about developing a daily meditation habit? I meditate most days for only 10 minutes , and I have found remarkable changes in my relationships as a result - it is hard to explain, but that is what I attribute the changes to, because it involved little effort on my part to instigate those changes - it was almost magical. Anyway, just a suggestion , because our minds are always trying to run our lives and 'trick' us.
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby Melinda » Sat May 28, 2011 10:13 am

Plus, as you likely know. our minds like to race around with all sorts of thoughts, like 'I must have this cookie now' or whatever. Our minds are not ourselves - they are just a tool we use - somethng I have to remind myself of.
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby connieg » Sat May 28, 2011 12:54 pm

[quote="janluvs2heel"]Ben:

Welcome Back.

I hope you continue to do well. I am posting a link to a youtube video of a lecture given by Mike Teehan for the Hawaiian Veg. Society just recently. He is also a Star McDougaller. Check it out!! It will really motivate you.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4V2Zo3xEIw

Thank you so much for posting this, janluvs2heel!! I just watched it and found it tremendously inspiring and I learned some new stuff. Much appreciated, Connie
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby Ben » Sun May 29, 2011 2:16 pm

Yes, I'd seen the MTeehan video and absolutely loved it. Very inspirational. I have tried meditation in the past but never could get into it. I won't rule it out for the future though.

I just stepped on the scale (morning of day 3) and found that I've lost 3lb 11oz :-D From this point on though I am only going to weigh once a week - on Saturdays.

I had a lapse yesterday (I ate some ceral with canned peaches), and as a result have decided to change my food plan a bit. I am still going to base my lunches and dinners around what I said before (unlimited brown rice with some beans, and lots of veggies), but for breakfast I will have cereal with canned peaches. I don't know if you have it in the US but it is called Special K. It is vegan, low, low fat, but is certainly processed. When I was losing and maintaining weight a long time ago I used to have it religiously, and with canned peaches on it I absolutely love it. I'm aware it might make me lose weight not quite as quickly, but it will make it feel easier I think.

Ben
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby connieg » Sun May 29, 2011 2:42 pm

Hi Ben, your "lapse" sounds very reasonable and yes, we do have Special K in the US. I was struggling with breakfasts myself b/c the healthy option seemed to be oatmeal in some form or another. I can force myself to eat it, but I finally came to the realization that I just don't like it. I found a healthy breakfast substitute that works wonderfully for me and I eat it every morning. Given your love of brown rice I have a feeling you would like it, too. Here's how to make it (and the recipe is from McDougall MWL book):

Breakfast Apple Rice

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 apple, cored and chopped
1/3 cup apple juice
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine all ingredients in a casserole dish with a cover. Bake in conventional oven for 45 minutes or in a microwave for 10 minutes at full power, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.

Modifications I make to the recipe:

First, I make it all on Sunday for the week and I triple the recipe so that gives me enough to get 6 breakfasts out of it.

Second, even though I triple the recipe I still only use 1/4 cup of the maple syrup. This is partly b/c maple syrup is expensive, but also b/c for breakfast that makes it sweet enough (if I were going to serve it as a dessert I would probably use the full maple syrup)

Third, even with tripling the recipe I still only use 1 apple. That is just my personal preference-no deep reason for it.

Fourth, I do not use "fresh" lemon juice. I am all about convenience so I just buy the liquid version.

Finally, I don't even do the cooking part for as long as the recipe calls for. It probably tastes better (and more blended) that way, but since I heat it up in the microwave every morning that seems to work.

I'm off to make mine for the week now :)
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby burgh_grl » Sun May 29, 2011 2:57 pm

Ben wrote:Yes, I'd seen the MTeehan video and absolutely loved it. Very inspirational. I have tried meditation in the past but never could get into it. I won't rule it out for the future though.i hear ya...me either. wish i could!

I just stepped on the scale (morning of day 3) and found that I've lost 3lb 11oz :-D ALRIGHT!! Beautiful! From this point on though I am only going to weigh once a week - on Saturdays.yeah..i think thts good. sometimes i don't evn do tht much. i can tll by how i feel.

I had a lapse yesterday (I ate some ceral with canned peaches),oh boy...the cold cereal thng..i hve a HUGE probl. cutting tht out, cause i LOVE it.WOW...the next poster sent a WONDERFUL sounding recipe to use w/brown rice. Thank you!! I love the sounds of tht & it'll help me too :-D and as a result have decided to change my food plan a bit. I am still going to base my lunches and dinners around what I said before (unlimited brown rice with some beans, and lots of veggies), but for breakfast I will have cereal with canned peaches.thts wht i'm doing...not w/the peaches, but similar. Oatmeal, w/all bran & a bit of unsweetened almond mlk...almost no cals. I don't know if you have it in the US but it is called Special K.oh yeah...sure do. It is vegan, low, low fat, but is certainly processed.it just does NOTHING to fill me up is all. :( plus half a banana. When I was losing and maintaining weight a long time ago I used to have it religiously, and with canned peaches on it I absolutely love it.[color=#0000FF[/color] I'm aware it might make me lose weight not quite as quickly, but it will make it feel easier I think. This is def. a learn as we go journey...all the best & we'll look for ya soon! Donna

Ben
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby Ben » Mon May 30, 2011 7:11 am

Thanks very much for that recipe. I will try it out soon.

Am exhausted. Did a 14 hour work day today, and am going to bed as I have an early rise tomorrow. I ate some chocolate today. This is not turning out to be as successful as I had hoped :oops:

But I am glad to be still posting and chcking in daily, which I will continue to do. I am going to stick with it this time, and keep going.
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby janluvs2heel » Mon May 30, 2011 7:49 am

Ben wrote:Yes, I'd seen the MTeehan video and absolutely loved it. Very inspirational. I have tried meditation in the past but never could get into it. I won't rule it out for the future thoughBen


Ben, I dont do meditation either. My thing was I had some foods that I was eating that, they weren't horrible or a lot of them, just little things I would add here, like croutons on my salad & there that kept me in the bad zone. I told myself such a small amount couldn't make a difference, could it? When I watched Mike's video, he said "dont eat fat"!!! So I took those took things out of my diet & here I am 2 wks later, totally craving-free, hunger is under control. I am back to where I was in 1998, when I first tried McDougalling.

Hope you continue to do well!!

Jan
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Re: Ben's journal

Postby Ben » Tue May 31, 2011 6:30 am

Thanks Jan for your helpful reply.

Well today was a step backwards. Less whole, healthy food, and more chocolate. This is telling me that allowing little bits of things is not working (as you pointed out Jan).

I know what I need to do. Push through and do it properly.
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