SunshineDay's Diary: 'Nothin' but Blue Skies....".

[SunshineDay]

It's September 1st, and I'm stepping up to the plate to participate in Chile's September-long 'Compliance Challenge' -- just the thing I'm hoping to help me get my McDougall act (back) together. I'm SunshineDay (call me 'Sunny';-)....), a 45 year old wife and mom who has been on and off (mostly OFF) the McDougall WOE for the past 20 years (and unfortunately not a lot to show for it, except for a goodly 70-80 extra pounds). It's a long and sordid tale, which I'll probably reveal in bits and pieces here and there as I go along...., but in the meantime, let's get to the FOOD (my goals here to stay at least on the regular McDougall plan track as much as possible, with frequent forays into MWL when/wherever it works)....

It's just after lunch, and so far today:

B: Oatmeal with a small sprinkling of raisins, a prune, and cinnamon.

L: -Half an ear of corn-on-the-cob
-one small bowl of leftover spaghetti (Okay, not exactly optimal I realize but we're on a SUPER tight budget this month (with no grocery shopping for the next two weeks) and the leftovers just have to be finished up), with a bit of light, vegan homemade sauce (of garden tomatoes, basil and onions, and no oil).
-Watermelon (also needed to be finished up).

Feeling pretty full right now on this very hot day, but if the munchies strike this afternoon i have a baked sweet potato at the ready....

[woods38]

Hi SunshineDay! We have similar ages and stories. I know that this month we will do it. Great start!
Tara

[Chile]

I love your journal title too. Happy to have you here and on the challenge. Oftentimes, I do better when I don't go shopping because what's in the house is essentially McDougall-appropriate food. It's when I go out - to the store or restaurants - that I get in trouble and cave in to impulsive desires for unhealthy food.

You can do this. All of us can.

[SunshineDay]

Thanks so much for the warm welcome, Everybody! I really appreciate the kind comments....

I've just finished my breakfast this morning -- more oatmeal with a sprinkling of cinnamon and raisins, plus the barest hint of maple syrup. I have to confess that hot cereal is really not what I originally thought I had a taste for on this hot day, but it was easy, and now that's it's consumed it does hit the spot...

In any case, I feel like yesterday was a reasonably 'good' day. I did go on to have that sweet potato in the afternoon for a snack. And dinner looked like this:

D: Brussels Sprout Sandwich. Yes, you read that right -- I love me some fresh, steamed brussels sprouts, but I ESPECIALLY love to cut them in half and stuff them into whole wheat pita, with a little chopped raw onion, yellow mustard, a wee spray of Bragg's, plus a sprinkling of nutritional yeast. In addition, I also ate half of a baked regular potato, the other half of the ear of corn I'd eaten for lunch, as well as finishing the watermelon.

After Dinner: I consider this a small victory -- last night as per our usual Thursday Night custom, my teen daughter and i went over to my folks (who live about a mile away) to watch a television show on their cable TV (we watch very little TV here at home, and have never bothered to subscribe to cable -- I do enjoy this one particular show however). My mom is always happy to feed us while we're there, and often has goodies on hand. Last night it happened to be potato salad, which could have been a weakness of mine -- HOWEVER..., I'm glad to say I had none of it, instead indulging in a small apple (Honeycrisp) and a small sampling of fresh apple cider my parents had picked up yesterday afternoon from a local orchard.

Now today I need to look ahead to my next meals. We do have a number of leftovers in the fridge (namely that pesky leftover spaghetti, plus some homemade tabouleh) that are not disappearing as quickly as I would like (thanks to husband and daughter not stepping up to the plate, heh). Being as that we maintain a zero-tolerance food waste policy here at home , I'm going to have to figure out exactly how best to use these things up. It just may involve me eating some of it (both the spaghetti and tabouleh vegan -- though the latter having a small amount of olive oil in it) -- probably not the best of all options, but I did kind of stumble on this challenge at the last minute and didn't really have a chance to plan as well for it as i might have preferred.....

With that, I'm off to the Gym this a.m.....

[SunshineDay]

A quick update. First of all, I am happy to say that as I type here, I am wearing a pair of my standard summer pants that I've had for years, denim capris in size 18. This is significant because it wasn't so long ago, say, earlier this summer, when they were getting very 'uncomfortably tight'. Today however they are merely 'tight'. As in they zipped, and I didn't have to lie down on my back to get them to do so either . I consider this progress! (Note that for a variety of reasons I do not own a scale and do not weigh). While I'm sitting here typing they are not feeling constrictive (in contrast to earlier this summer when I was too stubborn NOT to wear them, but was tempted to unbutton (and even unzip a bit) while sitting here in the privacy of my own home. None of that today I'm very glad to say...!)....

Another positive update -- during my treadmill walking workout at the gym this morning, I was able to set the speed at new high number that I haven't been able to do in some time. Very encouraging!

Continuing on the food front for 9/2:

L:
Another Brussels Sprout Sandwich (Steamed Brussels Sprouts, chopped raw onion, mustard and a spray of Braggs on whole wheat pita), with some garden tomato on the side.

Plus a 'salad' I made of boiled fresh beets, chopped and tossed with the leftover homemade tabouleh (cracked wheat, cucumber, tomato, parsley and onion, and yes, a small amount of olive oil -- made it this past week before I realized I would be taking this Challenge) that no one else was eating and I've been looking to get rid of ...

Snack: More beet/tabouleh 'salad' (and happy to report it's all finished -- now if I can just get rid of that leftover spaghetti!).....

[SunshineDay]

Day 3 of the September Challenge, and all is well.

My food update:

Last night's dinner consisted of a bowl of the dread leftover spaghetti, which I tossed with lovely steamed garden green beans (tender and delicious) plus a quickie dressing I concocted of hot sauce mixed with a little leftover beet cooking water, fresh lime juice, Bragg's and just a hint of peanut butter (maybe 1 tsp?) to try to approximate sort of a Thai effect. I know, the peanut butter might be likely to raise a few eyebrows, but I needed that spaghetti to get gone already, and I was getting pretty tired of it otherwise. And happily after having more of the same for brunch late this morning, I'm glad to report the leftover spaghetti that has been vexing me is just about retired (what we dont' consume today will go into the freezer for the next time I make a casserole or soup).....

In addition today i've also had some white potato and sweet potato, as well as a handful of cherry tomatoes cut up and stuffed into a portion of whole wheat pita -- all very satisfying.....

[Chile]

That spaghetti sounds like the dish that would not die! It just keeps going and going and going and going... And now it's going in the freezer to be resurrected into a new life later.

[SunshineDay]

Ha, indeed Chile, I made way too much! Not sure what i was thinking -- my teen son returned to his far-away school a week ago, but I guess I'm still been in "perpetually-hungry-boy-in-the-house-must-make-mass-quantities-of-food' mode, lol .....!

[Chile]

I kind of felt that way about the zucchini chili. I was seriously considering freezing some because it made so much. But we perservered and ate it all up. I've still got some shredded zucchini in the fridge. Should I make another batch just for the freezer?

[SunshineDay]

Ha, indeed Chile, whatever you can do to use up that shredded zucchini. I love the stuff, zucchini and summer squash -- but it does threaten to take over the world this time of year! I myself like to freeze the shreds in 1 to 2 cup quantities, for adding to future soups, stews, stir-fries and casseroles (not to mention Zucchini Bread -- though I sure don't plan to be making that any time soon ..). Enjoy...!

[SunshineDay]

The morning of Day 4 of the September Challenge..... Gosh, it really does always amaze me how quickly one can feel a difference when one truly approaches this WOE earnestly! I've been feeling puffy, bloated and gassy all summer, which I admit seemed to ramp up even more these last couple of days since (re)starting this program (thanks probably in part to the sudden big fiber increase). But throughout the night last night, for some reason I had to get up I don't know how many times with a full bladder to use the bathroom. It didn't exactly make for the most restful night's sleep, but I can sure feel a difference in my chronic 'puffiness' this morning! Don't need a scale to tell me I must have dropped a smidge here -- even if it's just 'water weight' I'll gladly take it....! My gut feels so much better. Plus slipping on my standard size 18's this morning, they feel downright comfy -- not tight at all, ahhhhhh......!

[SunshineDay]

'Sunny' here, on Day 5 of the September Challenge. Looking out my windows I see it's one gorgeous, blue-sky Labor Day out there today. The weather perfect (heat wave over!) and I do hope to get out and spend some quality time in it at some point.....

My food update from yesterday:

B: Banana
S: Glass of local apple cider at my folks
L: Leftover brown rice topped with salsa, a TASTE of Indian cooked greens from a can (a little oil I think, but vegan) that was my daughter's meal, one piece of homemade tofu 'jerky', some cold baked potato, half an ear of corn, plus an apple.

Dinner: Here's where it gets interesting. I had the first real test of my resolve since beginning this Challenge several days ago. My daughter was off to a sleepover and my husband and I were running errands yesterday late afternoon, when he suggested we stop somewhere for dinner. This was a surprise, because due to some unexpected expenses we've recently had to cough up, plus anticipating some large-ish upcoming expenditures that we know are coming, we are on a tight household budget for the rest of this pay period. But he said he still had some leftover cash from a recent gift, plus it was just the two of us, and so we were off to a local Thai eatery we know is relatively inexpensive and vegetarian friendly (we're a long-time vegetarian family). Well, needless to say, I loves me some Thai food (any ethnic food really!) -- not to mention the fact that we really don't eat out all that often, so that the occasional times that we do, it always feels like a Big Treat. These two factors could have tempted me to over-indulge, but I'm glad to say that last night they didn't. Doing my best to practice damage control, I did NOT order the Thai Iced Tea or Coffee as I might have been tempted to otherwise (sticking to water), and I did NOT order the 'Pad Thai' or 'Pad Se Ew' or 'Eggplant with Basil' or any other lovely saucy dishes likely to be high-fat. I ordered instead the Green Papaya Salad, which seemed a fairly safe option since, beyond the sprinkling of crushed peanuts, most of the recipes for it I know of do not contain added oil (plus the menu indicated no dried shrimp). I ordered it spicy (yum!), and it was light and crunchy, sweet and sour, and really hit the spot! After the meal I confess I did taste the Sticky Rice and Mango my husband ordered for dessert (I've had a weakness for sticky rice ever since we got to taste the Real Deal itself on our visit to Thailand several years ago), but had NOT tasted his very delectable-looking veggie entree ... In any case, I do feel as though I made it through this, my first 'challenge' of The Challenge, reasonably well (because trust me, it could have been a LOT worse)....!

Following dinner, on the way home we stopped by a park with a nice walking path and took a pleasant walk of approx. 1.5 miles....

[Chile]

Mmm, I love green papaya salad! You did great and should be very proud of yourself.

[StarchBeet]

I made the Pasta, pasta, pasta dish this weekend. Its three types of pasta layered with zucchini and leeks, soy based white sauce and with cut fresh tomatoes. I like to stick closer to the salads but I do love pasta too.

Congratulations on your eating-out challenge! I racked-up too much sugar. I had a small shaved ice while out this weekend. Another day, when taking the kids to the state fair, I found a grilled corn (no butter dipping like everyone else ordered) and then I ate a candied apple. BUT...I didn't eat those things I used to...those funnel cakes and cotton candy. So I admit here my short-comings of sugared foods. I felt it yesterday and today. I'm paying for the transgressions.

[SunshineDay]

Thanks so much for the comments Chile and Starchbeet! Yes, I absolutely adore 'Green Papaya Salad' (previously always purchased as an appetizer), so that may well be my 'go-to' Thai restaurant entree from now on. As for the fair food -- heh, I experienced something sort of similar when I took my daughter to Six Flags Great America several weeks ago. I didn't plan all that well, and we ended up wandering the park hungry and without a lot of vegetarian options (much less vegan for me!) to be had. We ended up getting those big soft pretzels... at nearly $7 each! Bottles of water were like $4. Highway robbery!

In any case, here's my food update for yesterday, 9/6 (Tuesdays being busy for me and didn't have the chance to sign in):

B: (rushing around trying to leave the house) A few cold bites of a simmered, 'colcannon-y' cabbage/potato/onion dish I'd made the day before...

L: (packed in haste); A WW flour tortilla (with added oil unfortunately -- purchased several weeks ago before the Challenge (and without fully checking the ingredients -- just saw the 'whole wheat' bit and threw them in my cart), that are now near their expiration date and needing to be used up!), topped with canned chili beans mixed with leftover brown rice, in turn topped with hot sauce, plus chopped lettuce and tomato. Plus I confess a teeny trace amount of Ranch dressing (like a few small dots) on the lettuce (-- no vegan option at hand and in a rush, and me thinking the lettuce would be too tasteless without it -- in hindsight I realized it really wasn't necessary. Lesson: get organized and plan ahead better). Plus an apple.

S: A small, sample packet of Sunsweet mixed dried fruit pieces that had come in my husband's box of shredded wheat cereal (this had some added sweetener)....

D: More of the ww tortilla stuffed with a concoction of chopped micro'd potato mixed with lettuce, onion and tomato. Plus a serving of oven roasted broccoli.

'Dessert': Awhile after eating dinner last night, I found myself hungry again AND with a hankering for something Sweet. But instead of going for my husband and daughter's (they are vegetarian but not vegan) cookies and ice cream, I whipped up a bowl of cooked oatmeal into which I added a little cocoa powder, a few dried cherries plus a touch of maple syrup (wow, tasted great and totally satisfied that pesky sweet tooth....!)...

_________

So today is day 7 of the challenge (seriously, already?), and all is well. We had a touch of fall-like weather yesterday and I wore jeans for the first time in months. My size 18's felt very comfortable indeed, and even loose in a few spots. This is improvement, because they were getting a bit squeezy by the end spring when I last wore them, so I know things must be going in the right direction . Also, last night while idly brushing my teeth before bed, I ended up doing sort of a double-take in the mirror when suddenly struck with the impression that I thought my face looked a little slimmer. Or less puffy at any rate. A very pleasant surprise...!

Now to head off to the gym this morning...