Geo - Eye's Wide Open 2012

[♥ Amy ♥]

I'm shocked by how little you eat! I mean that as a compliment - I just started this WOE and I feel hungry a lot. I'm super impressed that in 4 weeks your tastes and quantity have changed so much. That's awesome!

It's so cool that you go support your daughter's dancing. I did all that when I was younger and it's still a love of mine. I would have loved to have my Dad there cheering me on.

Are you in MI? Me too!

[geo]

Hi Amy! Thanks for the kind words! I don't really eat so little On a daily average I have about 2+ lbs of veggies, another pound+ or so of starches, basically either white or sweet potatoes or brown rice or oatmeal, and a few legumes and a couple fruit. So I'm probably eating about 4 lbs of food everyday. I also drink lots of herbal tea throughout the day as well.

But its getting harder to eat that much to be honest. There are days that I don't eat that much and usually those are days where I'm so busy that I don't even think of food. It takes a back seat to everything else I do. So its been very helpful to eating less. But mostly its just my stomach doesn't want to be stretched so much anymore.

Also understand that I'm following the MWL very strictly. No cheating. For me its an all or nothing thing. If I do this half way as I have in the past, it just simply becomes either a way to make excuses for my choices or it leads to a stepwise pattern of slowly denying myself what I still have a taste for. For me that's a sure road to mental pain and failure. But I understand that everyone's different and some do like the slow but steady changes approach.

So I went into this, this time really understanding the program and deciding to be fully compliant. I have way to many issues (metabolic syndrome) that I need to overcome. So I'm not interested in half-way measures that give me half-way results...that's also another way to find yourself rationalizing your diet and just leaving it.

And so far the effects have been tremendous for me. Weight is dropping off quickly. Blood pressure and pulse are back to normal. So many little issues that I've had are either completely gone (gerd, sinus issues, minor aches and pains) or much less prominent than before. I really don't have hunger (in fact I feel too full most days and need to cut back).

So MWL has worked for me so far as stated by DrM and Jeff. Its almost scary how my long term issues have been going away so quickly. And to think it took me so long to actually get started when for me its been incredibly simple and painless to do. Maybe I'm just one of the lucky ones, but I don't really think so. 50+ years of eating SAD pretty much effects everyone in similar ways I would think.

But I'm not fully there yet. There are some mental battles I'm still fighting. Its hard to eat less when your mind constantly nags you that you'll get hungry if you do. So that's my main struggle these days. But slowly I'm getting over that mental trap too.

But I think the most important thing is truly understanding the program, that it is a lifestyle change and not just a temporary diet. And that means learning how to make your own food. I stick to simple meals as my cooking skills are seriously lacking. No gourmet here.

So I've pretty much stuck with Jeff's SNAP type cooking for my meals. My basic philosophy is that I won't make anything that takes me longer to prepare than it does to eat So 10-15 min meals is where I'm at right now. And so far its working well. And because the meals are simple and quick its not such a chore to make them even when I'm overly tired. So that keeps me away from making bad (fast) food choices that will simply sabotage everything.

But I will also admit that even after 4 weeks I still crave some foods. I used to be your typical meat/potatoes/bread guy. All my life that was a typical meal. Veggies if they were on my plate was usually corn (and yes I know corn is a grain). Salads were for rabbits.

Now I'm a 100% whole food/plant-based starch eater. The meat I don't miss. The potatoes I have everyday But the bread is really hard to turn away from (everything goes better with bread). MWL doesn't allow flour based products per se. And the one bread based product that I most definitely crave/miss is pizza. But then I just have to look at myself in the mirror and easily tell I don't need it right now .

Eventually I'll add bread products (McD'd versions) and other real foods back into my diet but for now I'm happy with what I'm eating. And I do think of this as a permanent way of eating, (just a bit more stricter for now) to effectively give me the results I want. And the quick results simply make it that much easier to maintain

I think I've rambled on too long again...

I love going to the dance competitions. She dances so well as do the others in her team/studio. But they do get long sometimes. I find it hard to sit for hours on end in theater seats. And of course they are effective at taking my mind off of food lol

Yes I'm in MI...general Detroit area. Not sure if there are others here from there but if there are speak up!

[geo]

Day 29

B: 2 cups herbal tea
S: herbal tea
L: mex veggies with corn and salsa
banana
herbal tea
S: herbal tea
D: baked potato and sweet potato

Great day. Felt really good when I got up, lots of energy. Work was slow so I'm pretty much caught up finally.

I read through DrM's peek on his new book. It sounds really interesting. Just hate that it left me hanging wanting to ask more questions But I guess thats why they call them teasers Definitely got me hooked to want to read it all. So in my cart it goes...

As does Jeff's Fast Food 2 dvd. I've made quite a few veggie burgers but none of them have really been as good as I was hoping. So well see what what Chef Jeff has come up with...I hope maybe he has suggestions for some good bread, maybe even a recipe or two. I know I can't have it right now, but soon enough and can't hurt to be prepared

Oh I watched some food TV show yesterday where this restaurant made beet sliders...thats right, a big ol' thick slice of beet on a bun with a little sauce. Looked so good! They basically cooked the beet whole and unpeeled in a pot of water with all the same spices you would use for pastrami, just without the meat. Then they skinned the beat and cut it into thick slices. It gives the beet a taste of pastrami...mmmm sounds so good. Will have to try that some time.

[geo]

Day 30

Since its been a month. I did a quick weight check and I am at 240.6. Thats a loss of 20.4 pounds in 30 days. Not bad

B: 2 cups of herbal tea
L: mex veggies with corn and salsa
herbal tea
S: apple and herbal tea
D: Baked potato and sweet potato with mixed veggies and salsa
S: orange

Another good day. A little stress at work but mostly quiet. Seems like I'm drinking more herbal tea lately. Work supplies it for free and I really like them. Should be a good source of antioxidants. I try to stick to the all herbal ones without the "natural flavorings".

I've been doing more reading on exercise and stretching. Some say stretching is great some say its useless. So I did some research and came up with this study of the science to date:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22319684

So stretching does improve your Range of Motion (ROM) and static stretching seems to be as effective as dynamic stretching for ROM. But the way stretching works is still not completely understood. Does it actually stretch the muscle or simply allow the muscle to stretch more through usage.
At least its good for you...

[geo]

Day 31

B: herbal tea
L: 2 baked potato and mex veggies with salsa
D: rice and mixed veggies with salsa
orange

A little stressful at work but nothing too bad today. Overall feeling really good. Stomach feels better now that I've started cutting back a bit on the volume. It seems to be working well as I don't feel any ravenous hunger coming on so thats good

I did have to get a new belt yesterday. Ran out of holes in the belt and couldnt keep my pants up it was a 46. Got a 44 but I had to start half way through the holes on it so not sure it will last too long. Anyways will get some new pants tomorrow as well.

[carollynne]

I have just read thru your journal and I am so impressed by your wt loss and determination. It will work! good luck!

[geo]

Thanks Carollynne! For me its really not so difficult which has been a real surprise. I went into this, probably like most people, thinking it was going to be really hard to do let alone stick too it. But its turned out to be far easier for me than I ever expected.

Maybe I'm one of the lucky ones, but I know in the past, other diets were very, very hard for me. I tried Atkins many years ago and lasted 2 weeks before I just couldn't eat another piece of meat or cheese without getting sick. Talk about not wanting to eat meat, Atkins did it for me

This woe however has been simply a joy. I haven't had to use all my will power to get through every day. I don't get hungry or tired from lack of food. I just eat my simple quick meals and go through my day normally. Of course eating out can be really difficult unless you limit yourself to like baked potatoes, steamed veggies and salads. Most restaurants will have at least those options for you. (But really is that such a limit if it tastes so good to begin with?).

And of course the simple foods also mean saving money. I used to spend ~$10/day for lunch at work. Now I just bring my meals saving me like $200/month on eating out costs just for lunch! Savings are even bigger for dinner

So yeah, the weight loss is great, but its all the fantastic side-effects of this lifestyle that keep me going. i.e., the gains in health, and the money saved, and those things you don't see like being more responsible to animals and the environment.

Everyday that goes by things become easier and easier. Theres still a lot of mental crap that needs to be cleaned out. Old ways of thinking and past experiences, but other than that, day by day, I'm thinking less about this way of eating as being different or unusual. And that means its becoming more a part of me and my daily routine. So old dogs can pick up new habits

[geo]

Day 32

B: nothing
L: Baked potato and sweet potato, wasn't really hungry for anything else
S: apple
D: rice and mex veggies with salsa
Orange

Busy day trying to get some shopping done and taking my dau out to the local easter egg hunt. Watching all the little ones scramble for all the hidden egss was fun In the end, everyone got a big chocolate bunny to eat...

Which of course made me think about that Dr Melanie Joy video that DrM has put up from the last ASW. I watched that before we left home and I could only get through about 30 secs of the animal cruelty stuff before I had to turn it off. Truly difficult to watch because its real, you can't suspend belief like you would in say a horror movie.

This stuff was not fake, it was real and so hard to stomach or ignore. Now I want to go out and get her book. The rest of her talk was simply fascinating and well worth watching. And of course, what do I see coming on Food TV, a new series called "Meat Men" all about butchers...sigh, I bet they will be glorified...

[carollynne]

Hi, Geo. Bet your daughter loved the Easter egg hunt!
So nice that you keep journaling all you eat, which is not much. By now your wife, a Rn must be very impressed by this WOE and how you are improving all your medical issues.
I love my potatoes too, and that is my snack if I ever get hungry, I have some boiled up small reds on hand!!
Have a nice night and keep on the Mcdougalling path.

[geo]

Hi Carollynne! My wife isn't saying much, but I know shes happy with the changes so far, supporting me quietly. She's old school RN so believes that you should eat your fruits and veggies, but doesn't believe that plants have complete proteins or amino acids in proper proportions. So not a big believer in vegans. I don't argue with her, but will just leave the results speak for themselves

I love potatos but usually stick to nuked russets. But lately they fill me up more than usual so I'm trying to eat a bit less of them so I dont feel stuffed all the time.

[geo]

Day 33

B: Bob's Red Mill gluten-free hot ceral with flax and cinamon
herbal tea
L: rice and mex veggies with salsa
orange
D: 2 baked potatoes with mixed veggies and salsa
orange

Good day today. Didn't do much except putter around the house today. Dau had a sleepover with her friend so the wife and I had the house to ourselves most of the day...so much peace and quiet

I saw that Starch Solution website today. Gotta say I think its an April 1 prank, but a good one. Just enough truth to make you think its real Can't wait for the book to come out. And its available for $9.98 on Kindle now for pre-order.

[geo]

Day 34 - week 5

Its been 5 weeks now and here are my numbers:

Weight: 239.8 down from: 242.6 started at: 261
BP: 129/74 up from: 116/71 started at: 153/92
Pulse: 49 down from: 53 started at: 88
BMI: 32.5 started at: 35.4

So numbers are still going in the right direction mostly My systolic was higher. I measured myself after coming home from work and it was a fairly stressful day. So I'm not surprised it might be a bit higher. At least the diastoilic stayed in the low 70's. Next time I'll have my wife check it manually just to make sure nothing is going funky with my machine.

B: 2 cups herbal tea
L: mex veggies with corn and salsa
herbal tea
S: apples and herbal tea
D: rice and mixed veggies with salsa
orange

Felt good and energetic today. Its been about 15 months since I've had any coffee and I don't really think about it anymore, except when I smell a fresh brewed cup But I'm really getting to enjoy the herbal teas. I especially like the fruit zinger teas from celestial. They have a nice bite and tang to them.

I tried baking a french boule yesterday from this "artisan bread in 5 mins" book I got. I think I added way too much flour as it wasn't very wet at all. It came out ok I guess as the wife and dau ate it all up It did make the house smell great! But I resisted eating any of it. Once I have this perfected I'll try my hand at WW bread so I can make it for those Jeff burger's I'm dieing to try

[carollynne]

Geo!! Good Morning to you! You are doing wonderful, keep at it. BP looks so nice to me, that is my last med issue I am faithfully working on for myself. Still and all, it is getting better slow but sure.
Son and I love our herbal teas, here he gave up the caffeine recently, and so far struck to Yerba Mate, a loose tea and it can be tea bags too. I love the zinger teas too tho.
Your wife has got to be thrilled for you!! And your daughter must be so proud of her daddy! you have a great incentive right there to stick with this WOE.

[geo]

Thanks for the kind words carollynne! I think we have another dance competition coming up in a week or so. Her Team just does so well And I am quite proud of her. Of course she tells me not to become one of those dance dads, but I cheer her on anyways

Keep on this woe and you should be off your meds in no time. I'm anxious to see what my blood work is like now, but the tests are too expensive to take more than once a quarter or so. So I just have to wait...I'm thinking end of May is when I'll do another one. Should be some big changes by then. For now I'm losing about 3-4 lbs a week which is plenty quick but I know that will slow down as I get closer to a healthy weight. But the nice thing is I'm also losing the desire to eat so much. Hopefully that will balance out the weight loss over time.

[geo]

Day 35

B: Gluten free hot cereal with flax and cinnamon
herbal tea
L: rice and mixed veggies with salsa
D: 2 baked potatoes
1/2 cantaloupe

Felt great today, maybe because I'm working from home At any rate, felt a desire for some breakfast so I had some. Had a late lunch because I was full and working on things. Then I wasn't so hungry at dinner but had this nice cantaloupe I bought the other day calling out to me. I love melons. They arn't in season but it was pretty sweet anyways. Probably will have the other half tomorrow

Got myself a cheap little mp3 player so I can listen to DrM's stuff. Of course my dau wants it now, so I'll probably give it too her and get another for myself. Maybe one that plays video's so I can watch all the stuff I have on dvd and downloaded when I'm out taking a walk.