Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Share your daily McDougall menus and/or keep a journal describing your personal progress.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby kirstykay » Fri Feb 10, 2012 12:32 pm

Glad to hear about your retreat! Nice to see you back here! :)
"Remember, It's the food." ~Dr. McDougall

Image
kirstykay
 
Posts: 2233
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2009 6:20 pm
Location: South Carolina

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby toadfood » Fri Feb 10, 2012 1:12 pm

Welcome back! I'm glad you had a good experience at the retreat, and yay for feasting and maintaining!
Image

Image

I have to stay with my turtle energy. Slow and steady wins the race. -- Letha
User avatar
toadfood
 
Posts: 1671
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:13 am
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby RAS » Tue Feb 21, 2012 8:20 pm

Buns where are you?Hope you are doing well.Drop in to say hi,when you can. RAS
RAS
 
Posts: 984
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 6:58 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:29 am

Hi everyone. I haven't been here often, as I have been pursuing other important things in my life. :) thanks for dropping in.
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:30 am

FASTING

In the last week of January/First week of Feb, I went on retreat. It was a week of learning the rhythms of a monastic lifestyle, with Morning Prayer, Midday Prayer, Evening Prayer, and Compline together as a community. The times in between were times of silence and individual contemplation, along with short teachings every day on various facets of monastic life. One day, one of our number, an artist, demonstrated her art, and brought supplies that were fun to explore (and I'm still exploring every day....growing in this much neglected part of myself)

One thing we didn't touch on was fasting! ha! they fed us EXTREMELY well, and I ate rich, though I didn't eat any animal protein. But I ate three hearty meals per day.

Now I'm back in "real life" and still practicing silence, still following the Daily Office of Prayer as much as possible (always, Morning or Evening Prayer; sometimes Midday, and once in awhile, Compline) and I'm reading on in the topic. Exploring the lives of people who have made a practice of daily silence, who have delved deeply and sought God with everything in them...and I'm finding that fasting was/is/has always been a common exercise among the contemplatives and the mystics.

Well, Lent is here, and I've already decided no sugar (I have been caught in the Pleasure Trap ever since my retreat, and have indulged in Junior Mints almost every day) but I'm also considering drastically simplifying my meals, to just a serving of grain and a vegetable twice a day.

I want to be careful not to treat this as "bad body! bad! no rich food for you!" but as a way of bringing my body into alignment with what my spirit is craving. There is also some value to simplifying meals, so that I have less distractions and can pursue the Lord more single-mindedly. The discipline will be good for me.

It needs to be every day, like my practice of praying the daily office, or my time in silence before the Lord, which is every day, morning and evening. If I only do the spiritual discipline of silence or prayer now and then...there may be some relief from the hustle and hassle, and I may gain a time of breathing and peace for the moment. But making it a daily practice brings it within, so that I know what silence is because I've practiced it; I know how to pray, because I've spent time praying...what if I discipline my body, so that I know what it feels like to deny myself and take up my cross?

What if I place my plate of rice and salad greens before me, and take a bite with gratitude in my heart for the abundant blessing God has brought me? What if I slowly eat, savoring the flavors and allowing time to really taste it? What if there are amazing subtleties of flavor within the rice or bread, that I can now notice, because I'll be eating with a mind focused on what I am doing?

Well, anyway. That's my chosen discipline for the season of Lent. May God be with me in it. Amen!
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby toadfood » Thu Feb 23, 2012 11:42 am

What an inspiring post, Heidi. You and I have very different spiritual beliefs, but I'm right there with you on mindfulness, simplicity, and silence. Thank you for sharing your journey.
Image

Image

I have to stay with my turtle energy. Slow and steady wins the race. -- Letha
User avatar
toadfood
 
Posts: 1671
Joined: Wed Feb 07, 2007 11:13 am
Location: Baltimore, MD

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby janluvs2heel » Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:36 pm

Heidi,

Glad to see you back. I hope you just do the McDougall plan, the MWL because really, that is what you are talking about. Simplicity. Being at peace with the food & yourself. If you just stick to potatoes, rice, veggies & a few fruits, you will be fine. What the Lord put on this earth for us to eat.

Me, I had to give up sugar, I just had to take it all out, even the little bit on my oatmeal. But for the 1st time in a long time, I am at peace with food.

I hope you find the same peace in whatever you do.
Jan
janluvs2heel
 
Posts: 1512
Joined: Sat Nov 04, 2006 6:38 pm

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Sat Feb 25, 2012 4:50 pm

Jan, good idea. I may end up doing MWL day-to-day and go to a simpler regimen on Fridays...it is traditional to fast on Fridays, especially during Lent. Well, I can't go without food. I do get sick if i try it (I tried it yesterday and felt it by lunchtime, so I ate some dried fruit out of a trail mix I bought)...anyway, eating just a grain and some vegetables leaves me feeling hungry. Not sure what to do about that.

By dinner time yesterday, i was hungry enough to eat a veggie burger with the works, which fit the bill.

today: Oatmeal w/prunes and cinnamon for brekkie and for lunch, saute'd kale w/garlic and onion, over a bed of brown rice...and I still felt hungry, so I've also had an apple, some more of the dried fruit, a few pistachios...

oh, some popcorn. the Orville Redenbacher microwave popper is wonderful. It really works, without oil!

ALSO: looking for an elliptical machine. I have GOT to get working on my cardio fitness, and I can't walk or run normally in the streets, because my foot gets hurting within minutes. I have to have a zero-impact workout that will really get my heart rate up. At this point, good solid sweat-producing, heart rate push exercise is the only thing missing from my life. Last summer, it was miles and miles of walking...and now my foot hurts if I walk for more than ten minutes...so...

elliptical it is. I'm gonna hit the thrift stores around town today and see what they have. A new one is way outta my price range, but used might be reasonable.

take care alla y'all! I hope to pop in at length at least once a week. i bought a laptop with tax return money, and get free internet access at the library...once a week is about right :)
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Sun Mar 11, 2012 2:10 pm

whew it's been a couple of weeks. Strange, not entirely happy weeks with emotional upheaval, a car break down, a car purchase (it seems I am not allowed to have money in my savings account: EVERY single year, after tax returns, EVERY YEAR, not kidding, something happens to deplete a large chunk of money...this time, the car breaking down :\)

and the spring weather has been changeable and freakish (expected, but not a lot of fun, except the warm sunshiny days :))

I've begun walking again. A friend pointed out that my NB shoes might be the cause of my foot aching whenever I walk. I tested it out: walked for almost two hours in my skechers and had minimal foot pain. the next day, i wore my New Balance shoes and had some serious foot and ankle pain within 20 minutes. Hm.

I'm going to see about maybe some Saucony or ASICS I've worn both brands before and really liked the Saucony but they're expensive.

Eating. I never did stick to the simple grains and greens plan, though I'm sticking to MWL about 90% of the time (Still snacking on sugary stuff pretty often)

Not eating as much, on the whole, though. The emotional stuff I've been going through has had my stomach a little "tight" so that I feel full within a few bites of anything. Most days I have been eating only two meals, or maybe two meals and a snack.

anyway, I still lurk here occasionally and when i can get to the library and get online, I like to peek in. I'm praying for "new life" (aka: getting my mind in the game) in this WOE again. I'm not back full blown into omnivorishness but not following very strictly, either. :(

see y'all next time!
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Mon Mar 26, 2012 9:29 am

well, it's been about two weeks, again. And this time, a lot of it is because I've been eating off plan...not animal protein, but added fat to EVERYTHING.

And guess what...my joints all ache, and I have some digestive stuff going on...innat strange?

Stress has been might big in my life recently, and I'm going to blame my indulgent fatty rich food eating on that...but what do I do with it from this day forward?

I know eating rich foods is making me lethargic, achey and giving me diarrhea. Will that be enough to make me change what I'm doing? who knows.

Not super happy with myself, to say the least. As if eating treats and sweets is actually the answer to emotional turmoil. :roll:

Let's see if I do well today. Breakfast was rice, garbanzos and spring green mix, with balsamic vinegar on it. Lunch is savory garbanzos over rice with greens and berries (no dressing needed) Oh. Cup of coffee with non-dairy Irish cream coffee creamer, so too late on the "no fat" thing. sheesh.
Last edited by bunsofaluminum on Mon Mar 26, 2012 1:20 pm, edited 2 times in total.
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Mon Mar 26, 2012 9:48 am

From KKrichar's journal...Make it so, Lord! I want to be free of emotional eating; I want to choose healthy. I want to NOT choose food at all, if the emotions are high. "relieved of my obsession with food"

I believe if I follow the McDougall program, without exception, I will be relieved of my obsession with food. This would be the greatest gift. The improved health, the better fitness, and the trim body would be wonderful added bonuses. I am so tired of fighting this battle in my head.
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby kkrichar » Mon Mar 26, 2012 10:51 am

Hey Buns,

Just finished reading your journal. Ahhh, we are a pair, aren't we? We can do this.

I recently read about something to try when you need to surrender something to God. You squeeze your fist really tight. Think about how your fingers feel, your hand, your wrist, your arm. How does your neck feel? Your shoulders? Your face and jaw? Your body? Now, release the fist and let your whole body relax. That is what surrender feels like. Turn over your obsession with food. Surrender it to God. Be free.
Image

HW: 220 lbs BMI=36.3
CW: 162 lbs BMI=26.5
GW: 135 lbs BMI=22.3
User avatar
kkrichar
 
Posts: 1223
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:05 am
Location: Iowa City

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby carollynne » Tue Mar 27, 2012 4:51 am

hi Buns!! Your spiritual retreat sounded so nice and calming, hope you find that inner peace that passes understanding too. I am right with you in the candy department. I feel a lot better when I do not indulge at all, but in a few wks, it tends to lay in wait for me.
KK I loved your surrender image. I tried it right away too.
Good luck and have a good day out there!
I have lost about 60 lbs and never thought I'd be in the 150s ever again. cured my NAFLD!! Feel great!! Wt loss is so good for the knees and back, ankle, that I know I will never start back to the SAD way of eating again.
carollynne
 
Posts: 1492
Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2011 7:42 am

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Tue Mar 27, 2012 8:14 am

Hi Kkrichar and Carrollynne

thanks for dropping by.

I ended the day pretty well yesterday, though I did have a chocolate egg: Dove dark chocolate. This was at a friend's house where we were having a "dessert social" and I brought a fruit salad and some dates, which I ate two servings of, but didn't even taste the cookies, or the brownies or the donuts, of which I am proud because those cookies looked good! Besides the dove chocolate I had two or three Tostitos "scoops" with salsa. My friend who was there told me "Hey, you said you were being good!" when I went for another piece of chocolate and that stopped me. Yay for accountability.

However, my meals were solid MWL :) and today is the same:

B: nuked gold potatoes w/mustard and ketchup; mixed spring greens; fruit salad
L: rice and savory garbanzos; greens; fruit salad
D: to be decided...ooh, maybe col canon! slurp!
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

Re: Bunsofaluminum in 2012

Postby bunsofaluminum » Tue Mar 27, 2012 6:07 pm

okay! a day of MWL :) :) :) not a single nibble off plan yayaaayayayay! Now, I'm at the library and it is only 6:00 so once I get home, there are a few things that could call out my name, but I'm also planning on an early bedtime.

So, what did i eat today?

B: nuked potatoes, greens, garbanzos, and fruit salad
L: savory garbanzos, rice, greens, fruit salad
D: refrito soup, two big servings (I was HUNGRY)

but this is the cool thing. lately, when i get that little teensy tiny, itty bitty, miniscule *blip* of a hunger pang at about 3:00 at work, I head straight for the fridge and see what's in there. I don't eat coworkers' food, but often times there are leftovers from B-day celebrations or what have you. Well, anyway...that tiny little *bip* of a tummy tinge came today and I said "Dang, I'm hungry" and DIDN'T get anything from the fridge! I said to myself

"Self, you'll survive until you get home and make some food." I said to my stomach "Stomach, you aren't TRULY hungry. You had a fine meal at 12:30, and it's only a few hours since, so SHUT UP. I will feed you in due time."

and when I got home there were two big florets of cauliflower in the fridge which I grabbed, while grabbing the ingredients for refrito soup:

chopped onion
diced garlic
italian seasoning
something spicy like salsa or crushed dried peppers
in a 5 qt saucepan saute the onion and garlic and spices while opening cans
1 lg can of diced tomatoes
1 can of refried beans
1 cup of frozen corn
1/2 cup of quinoa, uncooked

once you have the tomatoes open, put them with the stuff in the saucepan and bring to a boil. Add all other ingredients, and cook for 15-20 minutes.

I also threw the last of a bag of raw kale salad mixture into the pot.

this was DELISH! i ate two servings. :nod:

So, i made refrito soup and sat down to eat, and there was a box of GS thin mint cookies, open, with one single little cookie edging its little brow out to peek...just yesterday...okay, the day before yesterday...I would have eaten "just one" but today i asked my kid to put them away. Proud of myself.

I still have a major munchy going on, though. My appetites are up big time, and I still feel some stress over events in my life. Maybe I'll do like KKrichar and get some exercise.

i never did get the elliptical I was planning on.

Oh, I didn't mention it here: one of my big stressors over the past few weeks was the breakdown of my Saturn while I was driving home from work, the week-long search for a new one, having some electrical stuff fixed at my house, having some "unwanted" admiration from a man

(don't get me wrong...I'll take admiration, you know? but it was not right, not the right timing nor the right man, so even though it was very flattering and ego-boosting, it wasn't welcome and it added stress)

so i didn't get the elliptical because I spent the rest of my tax money on a new car. Maybe I did mention that here, now that I think about it. And my new car...I LOVE my little coracle, really i do...but it needed some fixing, too. *sigh*

and it was the five year anniversary of my marriage blowing up, and the one year anniversary of losing a beloved client to murder/suicide last March,, and the anniversary of my wonderful Bill passing away is coming up, too. :( yeah I ate treats and sweets.

see? Life is always going to throw things at me. there are much better ways of dealing. i've got to break the habit, that's all.

and that's all for today. i wanted to get out and walk, and maybe I still will. it's nice out.
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
User avatar
bunsofaluminum
 
Posts: 6551
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2009 8:17 pm
Location: Ogden Utah

PreviousNext

Return to My Daily Menus & Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests



Welcome!

Sign up to receive our regular articles, recipes, and news about upcoming events.