Lynn's Beginngings

[711Gal]

Bob, thanks so much for sharing that plate test!! What a great way of looking at what you are eating.

Most of my diet is plant based whole grains/all that stuff. I have found out 2 of the culprits...
Oil!!! I cannot believe the difference it makes just not using that stuff.. and I don't mean oil straight out of the bottle. I mean like Veganaisse, at reading the label one of the #1 components, Canola Oil, YIKES!! And not only that, having it on a sandwich with "fake" bacon. That fat content in that was 2g, but still combined we are talking way to much and really the bread is the other culprit for me. Even though, as I said in an earlier post we only keep sprouted grain breads in the house, can't do them at this point in the game.

I wanted to step on the scale again this morning just to test what's going on. And I am now 5.5 down from where I was on Friday. I promise myself I will stay off again until this coming Friday which is my "weigh in" day. But the program works great if you follow properly.

I have found for me, (as you said -me paraphrasing- one size does not fit all on this plan) So for me I really have to watch the rice intake. Yes, the brown. My body likes to hold on to it. I seem to do really good with the potatoes and grains like Quinoa.

I will have to invest in that DVD about label reading. Sounds very informative!


B@ 6:00am: Medium sized baked potato, with garlic powder and paprika.

B Now 8:30 at work: Buckwheat, with Almond milk and cinnamon and touch of maple syrup. I think its going to take me an hour to eat this... filling as heck!!


Oh... and the almond milk used is Almond Breeze, the unsweetened version.

[SactoBob]

Lynn,
It's good to see the scale moving in the right direction again. You've made a key discovery on the oil. It is really bad for your health. You might want to go to youtube or the Veg. Soc. of Hawaii and see some of Dr. Esselstyn's lecture. He is adamant about "NO OIL" and explains how much damage even small amounts can do to your circulatory system. In his DVDs, Jeff explains how oil is the most calorie dense substance in the universe. A good video to watch at VSH is anything by Dr. Shintani. One of his demos is to fill a container with the same calories of, e.g., potatoes, apples, m&ms, and oil. There are a lot of potatoes and apples and barely a drop of oil. Getting the oil completely out of your diet will make a big difference.

The unsweetened Almond Breeze is exactly the brand that Jeff recommended for me. Not the flavored versions of Vanilla or Chocolate, but the plain unsweetened. Even here you have to be careful. As a processed food, this is something that again is best left out of your diet. I have learned to leave it out - but you may find you do better with it, at least for awhile. But be aware that both the almond milk and maple syrup (i.e. sugar) counts towards the 5 per cent of calories that do not come from the whole plant food. You may want to measure the amounts that you use. It would be helpful to know how many ounces of the milk and how many ounces of the syrup you typically use. Neither of these products are things that can be eaten freely.

It's great that we are weeding out some big problems so soon. Keeping this up should pay off soon. But what can happen if you get complacent is finding another, lower, plateau that is still too high.

I can give you an abbreviated version of Jeff's approach to label reading.
First, favor foods without labels - whole plant foods. For foods with labels, look at the calories per serving and then the calories from fat per serving. You would like the percentage of calories from fat to be less than about 20%. Next look at the number for sodium. You would like that number to be no greater than the number for calories per serving. Next look at the ingredients list. At best, the list should be short and contain no oils or their equivalents (e.g. lecithin) and no sugars or equivalents (evaporated cane juice, high fructose corn syrup).

For examples of meals from whole foods, you could check my blog http://sactobob.blogspot.com/

[kittyadventures]

HI Lynn,
Just dropping by to say YAY on the success you are having now.

Keep up the good work.

[Adrienne]

Hi Lynn

I wanted to make another comment about the corn tortillas. Theoretically yes Bob is correct that Jeff would always recommend corn over corn tortillas. However you have to look at the context to which you are consuming them in. For instance, if you were to have a bean burrito made with one corn tortilla that was filled with beans, rice and vegetables it would be very filling and at most maybe you have room for another one. So that is two corn tortillas. Not a lot.

This is not the same as sitting down in front of the tv with a bowl of cereal, popcorn, pretzels, or corn chips made from the tortillas. This is why they are allowed on MWL and why the other aforementioned foods are not. Of course you dont need to eat them but if they help you stay on MWL then I dont think a corn tortilla here or there is going to make a difference one way or the other (oil-free of course).

I would recommend though that you ditch the Almond Breeze. It is fortified with calcium and Vitamin D and both are problematic. If you insist on consuming almond milk the healthiest and cheapest option is to make your own by mixing 1 tsp (or 2) of almond butter with one cup of water. Ideally though it is better not to drink your calories and instead cook your cereal with water.

And also to add another point about Jeff's label reading guidelines make sure the sodium to calorie ratio is 1:1 or less (except if it is a condiment) and if there is added sugar make sure that there is just one kind and that it is way down on the ingredients list. But as Bob says the healthiest foods dont have labels anyway. On top of that you save so much time and energy (and money) not having to analyze labels when you consume a diet entirely - or at least mostly - of whole plant foods.

[janluvs2heel]

That is what I do, I put rice, beans & have veggies on the side. I have 2 small ones & I am full. I dont do it very often though, so I always end up throwing them away. I guess I should just put them in the potato chip maker & have some tortillia chips but I never do.

I like the Trader Joe's Almond Milk. The organic one, I never see it unsweetened though, in fact I never see Almond milk anywhere that is unsweetened where I shop. There is also a brand called Pacific I think, that is organic. I just use about 1/8-1/4 c. on my oatmeal. Probably have that 4-5 times a week.

[SactoBob]

I agree that context is important, and I don't really disagree with anything Adrienne says. My point about the corn tortillas was in the context of what you listed for lunch the previous day:

"2 corn tortillas toasted, nothing on them."

I think that is a different context than using them as a wrapper for whole plant foods. Toasting further dries the tortillas and makes them even more calorie dense than they are in the package. You are making "chips", which are tasty and I enjoy too. But if that meal is typical, and you are doing this at every meal and snacks, then it can be a significant problem. I agree that if you are just using one now and then to wrap whole plant foods, it isn't much to worry about. My comments were in the context of finding ways to break your weight plateau and trying to identify possible problems, so I meant no condemnation to what anybody else was doing - just what I saw you post for your first meal. It is not a big deal unless you were thinking that because they are MWL, they can be toasted and eaten freely and often. That was my mistake, which Jeff corrected. It is an easy mistake to make. And at least I could eat vast amounts of those chips - one of the reasons I failed previously on the McDougall Plan.

And now, LOL, you know more than you probably thought possible, on the subject of corn tortillas.

[711Gal]

LOL!! Yes I can say I am now informed on corn tortillas!!

Okay, I don't toast them till crispy (unless I have forgotten they are in there) because if not wrapping the food in it I use like a "cracker." Again, this is not often, as we all know it's still a processed food. So Maybe 3x a week.

On the Almond Milk, that I won't be switching. My husband and I both like it, he uses it much more so than I do, as he usually has his oatmeal for breakfast. And he has nothing to worry about at this point, he lost about all he can loose (MEN!!!).

I use it rarely as I was never a milk drinker unless I had some oreo's to go with it. Now that is not the case so when I do have a grain for breakfast like quinoa or buckwheat I use the almond milk. I cannot stand soy milk. It's just gross.

But thanks for all the advice. Will have to check out some of the sites and blogs listed. Thanks again!

[711Gal]

As I suspected, I was not able to finish the buckwheat. Ate about 1/2 cup.

Okay I added breakfast in an earlier post so starting from morning snack

S: medium baked potato w/garlic powder

L: What I made last night for dinner. Brown rice, black beans, corn, spinach, added mushrooms and zucchini. And a side salad (with my wasabi dressing).

I read the label. No corn syrup, no honey, but there is white wine in the list, and the carmel coloring at the end.

I'll be back for dinner as I don't know what DH has planned!

S: (before I go home) is another medium potato, garlic powder.

Did I say I love potatoes! (several times I am certain!)

[711Gal]

Forgot to list the exercise! Sheesh

E 11:30am: WAW (walk away waistline) walk DVD Leslie Sansone, 45 min (3mile) walk, with 2 lb free weights.

[711Gal]

Dinner last evening: Tomatoes (chopped) with added 15oz can of Organic Tomato Sauce, with onions, garlic, oregano, basil, thyme, sliced zucchini, one bunch of chopped kale, shredded raw butternut squash and mushrooms all cooked together in one pot (a Jeff Norvick kind of dish), served on Brown rice. YUM!!!

As I promised myself, I did not step on the scale this morning.

B1 6:30am: Small baked Golden Yukon, I would swear they have butter naturally within them. They are good!

B2: 8:18am: 1/4 cup oatmeal with 1/4 cup buckwheat, organic oat milk, 1/2 tsp maple syrup, cinnamon.

S: Med baked potato

E: Leslie Sansone WAW, with 2 lb freeweights, (45min / 3mile aerobic walk)

L: dinner left overs from last night, with a side salad.

S: Medium baked potato

D: (have not decided just yet) I think I need to start menu planning!!

[SactoBob]

Hi Lynn,
I had a question about the organic oat milk, as I have no experience with that product. Could you provide me with a link and the brand name of the product you use? If the ingredient list is not too long, could you list it here? I am concerned if there could be any oil in that milk,

The other things I would like to know about it is -
How much do you use per day
From the label, how many calories per serving
From the label, how many calories from fat per serving
From the label, how much sodium per serving

It would be a good exercise to go through the label to see if this is something you want to continue to use. Even if the label is great, it is always beneficial to replace a processed food like this with a whole food. Berries and/or fruit work well with hot cereals.

My other question, and maybe not a pressing one, is whether you typically eat 2 breakfasts, 2 snacks, lunch and dinner. Are you hungry at this many times per day? What sensations do you experience as hunger?

[711Gal]

Filtered water
Organic oat groats
Organic oat bran
Tricalcium phosphate
Sea salt
Guar gum
Xanthan gum
Carrageenan
Carob bean gum
Riboflavin (B2)
Vitamin A palmitate
Vitamin D2

That is the ingredient list as posted on the web, go to Pacific Natural Foods.

http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/n ... -beverages
/organic-oat-original-non-dairy-beverage

To answer the question, this is the first time I have used it. My husband purchased it a few months back to see what it was like. He really enjoyed it, likes to drink it on occasion. I like it, but wouldn't drink it. Again, just not a "milk" drinker. Would rather have green tea, ice tea or water.

As far as the snacking yes, it's because of hunger. Especially after working out.

I don't mind all the questions, and appreciate input, but it seems as though you seem to pick out something once's it posted and I have only been journaling for a couple of days. I really think you should watch the journal for a week at a time and if you see some crazy pattern with me or real warning flags, then by all means, post away, but these daily picking out things is driving me nuts!!

I don't want you to stop posting, but give it some time. That's all I ask. Thanks!

[SactoBob]

Please forgive me, Lynn. I was in a hurry this morning and confused you with another member who had asked me to take a detailed look at their meals. Sorry for the impertinence. My error.

[711Gal]

No problem!

[711Gal]

Didn't post dinner for last night will do that now.

E: Yoga for Flexibility 30min (after dinner)

D: Brown Rice, with asparagus, spinach and corn. Top with about tablespoon of Tamari (that is basically soy sauce without the flour in it - gluten free).

Nice cup of Jasmine tea before bed.

Okay... today:

B 6:20am: Medium Baked Potato, sprinkled with garlic
B 8:30am: Old fashioned oats and buckwheat soaked overnight (in Almond Breeze) with a tsp maple syrup and cinnamon. (eaten cold) love it that way!

S: none today

L: Quinoa and trio bean blend mix (canned) with corn, spinach, and cauliflower in a red chili based sauce (used some of the liquid from the beans to make the broth with the red chili). Garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin.

E: WAW (Leslie Sanone DVD) 45min walk (3miles) with 2lb free weights

S: We shall see, but I brought the baked potatoes just in case!!

Hopefully I will remember to journal this evening!