100% Compliant September Challenge

[Chile]

I've been feasting a bit lately, celebrating special occasions (with both family and friends) that all seemed to pile up in the last 10 days of August. I'm feeling the need to get back on track with a vengeance to make sure this feasting does not turn into a habit.

Starting September 1, I will be challenging myself to be 100% compliant with Dr. McDougall's regular program (not MWL) for the month. That means no more white rice or white pasta, no more almond milk, no more using the jarred spaghetti sauce with a little bit of olive oil in it for my pizzas, and no more sweets.

Here is my plan of what I will eat and what I won't:

whole-grain foods (flour is okay for this challenge)
starchy vegetables
lots of other vegetables (trying to incorporate more raw)
legumes
fruit (no more than three servings per day)
no nuts, avocado, or olives since I am not at my goal weight
no more than 2 teaspoons of sugar or sweeteners added to my food for flavor per day
no more than 1/2 teaspoon of salt added to my food for flavor per day
no alcohol or caffeine (caffeine-free WonderSlim Cocoa will be an acceptable chocolate option)
no oil or animal products of any kind

Due to the difficulty in getting 100% compliant food in a restaraunt, I plan to avoid eating out for the month.

If you are interested in joining me for this challenge, please post in this thread. I will be starting Thursday and plan to post my food here daily. Hopefully I will not have to post any "Oops."

[Marla]

Count me in!

I kind of feel like I am cheating because I am already being 100% compliant. But I have only been this strict for 3 months so I think I still need to reinforce all my newly forming habits until they become iron-clad.

I think you may get questions from people about the definition of 100% compliant when it comes to certain things. Maybe on the small things it's better to let people define it for themselves. For example, in the 12 day book it says "You will not be allowed refined foods," and then the approved foods list includes sourdough pretzels. To me it seems kind of obvious that pretzels aren't the best choices out of the whole range of foods on the plan, but I am not going to get into any discussions about whether eating certain foods constitutes 100% compliance. 'Cause that could just get ugly and besides, I don't have the answer.

For me personally, I am good with doing the challenge as you've spelled it out. I have additional restrictions on sodium; I choose to limit whole grain flour products to about one serving a week; and I choose to eat a large proportion of green and yellow veggies.

I'll be avoiding restaurants as well. Salad and potatoes are fine but I don't like to pay restaurant prices for them.

This is going to be awesome!!

[megs]

I've been really close to doing this already (for the past month anyway), but I'd like to publicly commit to it (should keep me on the straight and narrow!).

[Potatohead]

I am in too..I have been very good, I follow the regular plan, and since I am at goal..I do eat nuts and olives on occasion...I normally just eat "whole" foods....I like to keep it simple...Debbie..I enjoy coffee once in awhile without guilt ..there are far worst things you could be eating or drinking.

[Rosey]

Already following this for most part since 4/10/11 but I did slip up the yesterday and have skittles at the movie. Need to make sure I don't do that.

[blondie]

Posted in the Lounge -- I'm in, too. Thanks for starting this.

[Chile]

Glad to have company on the journey! What I'll be doing over the next few days is making sure I am prepared to start this on Thursday. I plan to make a list of breakfast options - what I like, what I have on hand, and what cooks quickly versus takes longer depending on each day's schedule. I'll need to plan better for other meals as well since, for instance, brown rice takes longer to cook than my DH's white rice.

I always have plenty of non-starchy vegetables on hand since I volunteer at an organic mini-farm and bring home damaged and leftover produce. I have too much fruit on hand because it all looks so good this time of year. Currently, I've got peaches, Jonathan apples (will be canning no-sugar applesauce this afternoon), Asian pears, cantaloupe, grapes, and I just finished the strawberries this morning. Oh yeah, and I bought a baby pineapple because it just looked so cute.

If your pantry is not stocked up for this challenge, be sure to do some shopping before Thursday!

Will everybody be doing some regular exercise as well? Dr. McDougall recommends even just a 30 minute walk each day.

[blondie]

I love my oatmeal -- that's been my breakfast every day since I started this. I put a cup of rolled oats in a big bowl, add 2 cups boiling water, some cinnamon and sliced banana or peach and let it set about 10 minutes while I go take a shower. Very satisfying and holds me for about 5 hours.

Fruit has been so yummy this summer -- the peaches and blueberries have been especially good. Unfortunately, my triglycerides has gone up, so my challenge will be limiting the fruit to 1-2 servings daily.

[BeansNRice]

Hi Chile! This is a great idea, I'd like to join but do have 1/2 cup coffee/day. Can I still join you?

[Chile]

I think several people plan on continuing their coffee. I guess each person can do what they consider 100% compliant. I've outlined my guidelines and see part of the challenge as really pushing myself beyond what I normally do.

Re the daily food, what do ya'll think? I was kind of thinking just one food post per person per day - at the end of each day. If it's easier to post each meal as you go, then I'd say keep editing one post on that day rather than have a Breakfast post, a Lunch post, and a Dinner post (plus all the snacks!) We want this to be useful to ourselves and each other but not overly cumbersome.

[giddyupgin]

Count me in or throw me under the bus...I have been 99.9% compliant but need to cut down on the soy milk and eat more salads.....I only have coffee a few times a week but now will go to caffeine free then off....

[Gramma Jackie]

I need to do a challenge, but I have a question. Cereal is allowed on both the regular and the MWL programs. I have been using Almond Breeze with my cereal. It is 20 calories less than Silk Lite Soy milk, but 2 grams of fat more per 8 z. serving. I like the taste of the almond milk better than soy. So what should I use?

[Chile]

Gramma Jackie, in my humble opinion, reducing the %fat is more important than reducing calories. One way you could reduce both with either non-dairy milk is to dilute it somewhat with water. I know, I know, that sounds icky. Just do it gradually: for a few days, try 5 parts milk to 1 part water. Next go to 4 parts milk to 1 part water. Then do 3 parts milk to 1 part water. See how far you can take it before it just doesn't even appeal anymore.

I love cereal but all the non-dairy milks seem to be higher in fat than I want to use so I'm trying to eat other types of breakfasts. Things like hashbrowns, steel-cut oats, brown rice, bulgur, or whole wheat couscous are going to be options for me. All of those also have the advantage of being way cheaper than cold cereal plus a non-dairy milk! Sometimes I just eat dinner leftovers for breakfast, too.

Folks, please don't make me into the food cop here. Everyone here is intelligent (or ya wouldn't be here ) and can read the free program on the main website to see what the recommendations are. I suspect most of us own or have at least read one McDougall book or another. The "diet" is pretty basic and simple. Let's not make this overly complicated. Read this page for more info.

If you have doubts about whether of not you should be consuming something, odds are you shouldn't. We humans are incredibly gifted at rationalizing. I'm surprised, actually, that no one nailed me on my little rationalization... Compare my list in the original post to Dr. McDougall's list of what not to eat: see how I decided that WonderSlim Cocoa was okay despite his stating the proper chocolate substitution was carob? I decided that since WonderSlim Cocoa has the caffeine and fat removed, and since Mary uses it in recipes (like the brownies), that it was okay for me.

Dr. McDougall recommends quitting caffeine but if you just can't handle that while making sure that everything else is 100%, then that's your choice. Do the absolute best that you can do but don't make excuses for yourself. Push yourself just a bit farther (or a lot!) than you think you can go. Not only are we good at rationalizing, we're good at being lazy. Or, as Dr. Lisle would put it, practicing "energy conservation."

And believe me, these are not criticisms. These are observations garnered by observing myself as well as others. Do you think I'd stick to 100% compliance if I wasn't having to report every bite I ate here after stating publicly that I would be compliant? Uh, I'll let you think on that one...

[RAS]

Count me in too.Just didn't want to post,to have people think here she goes again.But do count me in. I need the accountability. RAS

[Gramma Jackie]

Thanks for the reply about the non-dairy milk. I may just have to eat it dry, cause non-dairy milk is already very watery. I just don't think I can water it down anymore or it would be just like water ( or dishwater ). Didn't Dr. McDougall mention using juice instead of milk on cereal in one of his books. Does anyone remember if he did or not? I don't have the regular program book, just MWL.