Caroveggie's Journal

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Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Tue Dec 10, 2013 3:41 pm

Hi again, everyone :)

I am back. I've gained some weight since I've last been here since I was being lazy eating vegetarian or what I call "fatty vegan" eating, rather than McDougalling. You know -- having real veggie pizza, ice-cream, oily foods, eating at restaurants a lot, and junk foods like Cheetos were my downfall..even remember eating Mac & Cheese.. :oops:

I'm fed up though and want to lose the weight and get back in shape. I have a closet full of sizes 4-6 that don't fit any more. One of the biggest motivators for me was recently having a bit of a vegan debate with a health-conscious (meat/dairy-eating friend) and she said something like, "if vegan is so healthy than why am I thinner than you?" Well, of course I told her the truth -- that I wasn't McDougalling, I was eating more vegetarian, and oil, veggie pizzas, ice-cream, junk foods, etc... but obviously it made all my good arguments for McDougalling vegan eating look pretty lame because I'm not a shiny example of McDougalling at the moment, not in appearance nor in my eating habits.

So I want to get slim and healthy again and luckily, thanks to Dr. McDougall, I know what to do.

I'm not sure how much I weigh but it is pretty high, I'm sure. I'm almost 5'7" (5'6 3/4") and probably weigh about 170lbs.. guess I can weigh myself tonight to be sure. Might weigh more than that. :(

Hmmm.. rather depressing.

But, I'm pretty excited to be getting back to McDougalling because I know it will work.

I will concentrate on eating the Maximum Weight Loss plan. Although I already have the book in paperback form, I have just bought it for my kindle since I take my kindle almost everywhere with me so this way I'll have the MWL book on me.

I'm due for a re-reading of the MWL book, just for positive reinforcement and commitment. I have also been reading the testimonials, the success stories, the forum, and the journal sections for motivation.

So technically you could say I really started yesterday. I had aloo-gobi* (homemade, no oil added), chickpeas, potatoes with vegan no oil gravy, broccoli, and some fruit yesterday.

Today so far I've had more aloo-gobi. Tonight I'll probably have potatoes, gravy, and broccoli again. That is pretty yummy.

*allo-gobi is diced tomatoes, cauliflower, chickpeas, potatoes, peas with Madras curry powder (comes in a tin can). No oil added.

Also I am getting orthotics on Thursday after work. I have cumulative trauma on my tendons for walking wrong in bad shoes or something (probably also from weighing more)..so the orthotics should help and I'll be able to get a bit more exercise with them.

I'll keep you informed. :)
Last edited by Caroveggie on Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby carollynne » Tue Dec 10, 2013 8:56 pm

Good Luck to you, Caroveggie, you can do it, if you stick with the MWL plan. and I am happy for you to have made the commitment to this WOE again.

Super for you!
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.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Tue Dec 10, 2013 10:06 pm

Thank you Carollynne! I appreciate the warm welcome back into the fold. :-D

Tonight for dinner I had steamed broccoli, steamed brussel sprouts, nuked potato, all topped with mushroom gravy. Pretty yummy and simple. And it makes me think ~ why didn't I do this earlier? I enjoy eating this way. I know it's because I got lazy... I ate at so many restaurants this past year, many times just for the convenience factor. Not good for my waistline nor my checkbook! I should have followed the good doctor but guess I was in sort of a bad funk.

I just weighed myself and I weigh 161 lbs. I think I would like to weigh 125 lbs as an initial goal. If I start running again, I might be able to maintain under that, but I like 125 lbs too. That's a good weight.

Not much else to report. I want to read MWL book or also I got this one written by T. Colin Campbell that is about the carb prejudice that is out there.

So I own about 20+ pairs of jeans, I kid you not. And I only really fit into one of them!! How crazy is that? The rest are too small (sizes 4, 6, even a 2). The one I wear a lot used to be my largest pair of jeans. :tear: Actually I have two more that do "fit" but they are rather large and baggy and do not look good (my friend described them as "dumpy" and told me I needed a makeover when I wore them). So things are getting desperate over here!! I am in fashion hell right now. ARGHHH!!!

And, for the first time in my life, I have a belly. Yikes. Just not happy with the way I look at all.

I am thinking in 6 - 8 months I can reach my goal weight. Do you think that's reasonable? My exercise at first will be walking, maybe jogging a little, and I'll try to get in something for my arms, like tennis or some push-ups. It's been SOOO cold out that I haven't done much exercise outside. Also, I need new running shoes.

So there stands it. I'll be back again soon. I'm feeling very committed to MWLing.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby lemonella » Tue Dec 10, 2013 11:49 pm

Hi Caroveggie,

Just wanted to say welcome back and that I'm in a similar boat, falling off course and being a junk-food vegetarian, which is what I did for the better part of this year. I also can relate to the experience you mentioned with your friend asking you why she was thinner than you if this WOE is better... I've gotten comments like that too and the truth was I wasn't at my ideal weight because I wasn't true to the plan and cheating in secret.

I hope we can both reach our goals!
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Wed Dec 11, 2013 1:00 pm

Hi lemonella,

Yes, we can both reach our goals! There is a ton of support here and if we are determined, we can do it. For me that means preparation ~ I have to start preparing my lunches and breakfasts ahead of time during the work week. Today I brought potatoes, brussel sprouts, and a packet of vegan gravy mix to work. I had that for breakfast and it was pretty good except the potatoes didn't get nuked all the way through and the gravy mix was just a bit liquid-y. But for lunch I should be able to cook it all properly (even with the microwave). But obviously I should put more emphasis on preparation since I just grabbed that stuff on my way out the door, and it wasn't prepared, ready to go, I had to peel the potatoes, chop them, etc..

Last night I began reading the MWL book. Boy, I really enjoy reading that book. I'm very happy to be reading it again. There is a lot of inspiration in that book. I have also read some more of the forum and I read Norm/Raymond Cool's success story.

I'm kicking my larger patootie for not starting MWL sooner!
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Wed Dec 11, 2013 10:10 pm

Today after work I walked home, which is about 2 miles. This morning I was too tired to get up early enough to walk so I took the bus. Just finished aloo gobi again for dinner. So far I am doing pretty good on MWL.

I am still reading the MWL book but should finish it soon. It is very logical and inspiring.

I keep thinking to the future when I lose the weight and can fit into my old clothes and when people ask me how I lost the weight what I'll say. :)

Found out recently that my health insurance doesn't want to cover the orthotics. :( So I need to get that figured out..

Boy I am stuffed on that aloo gobi. The cauliflowers are filling!

Another thing I was thinking recently is that I do not want to cheat at all on MWL. I used to eat more soy products, olives, some oil, etc... or I'd think to myself, I'll start McDougalling again and then something would come up and then I'd just say, "oh well, I'll just start tomorrow..".. bet you all know how well that went! Yup. That is why I gained 35-40 lbs. It was too easy an excuse to start eating pretty badly when I did that. So I think I'll do much better because I intend to be strict about what I eat. Not how much (I will eat until I'm full, no calorie counting or portion control) but just that I'll be strict about what I allow myself to eat. There's a woman I work with who lost 60lbs. She does not McDougall but she keeps the weight off because she belongs to FA and eats religiously only her own food in the portions she's premade for herself. I've been there 2-3 years and never once have I seen her eat a bite of cake, or enjoy any of the free meals we are sometimes given.. and while of course I think she could be a smidge healthier if she cut out some of the things she eats and followed McDougall, I do think her determination to stick with her own foods is helpful to her.

So far I have been doing that too. For instance, today was an employee's 2nd anniversary with the company and the manager bought everyone (well, except me and the other lady I told you about) Chinese food and a chocolate cake. I ate the potatoes, broccoli, and gravy I brought (and enjoyed them too) and didn't miss the greasy Chinese food or cake. Also, a day or so ago the groundskeeper gave me some peanut butter chocolates and I haven't eaten any of them, just kept them in my drawer. Well. I outta give them away to someone else because I don't want any slip ups. But I'm not tempted to eat them. I want to be healthy and I want my old clothes to fit! I miss them. Like old friends. :lol:

I will try to get up early enough tomorrow to walk to work. We'll see.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby lemonella » Thu Dec 12, 2013 11:47 am

You're doing great with your food and staying away from those chocolates (I agree, give them away! :) ).

Hope you have another good day!
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Thu Dec 12, 2013 12:55 pm

Hello and thank you. :) I am only a few days in so of course my motivation is very high right now. I want to keep on keepin' on as the saying goes.

This morning I was too tired to get up early enough to walk. I took the bus. I brought left over aloo gobi and just had some for breakfast with green tea. I also gave my coworker the 4 peanut butter chocolates and he was telling me how good they were and that I should have just one. I laughed and told him that would be the problem, the "just one" and that no, I do much better when I'm totally strict with myself! I know from my past that one meal with a little oil, one candy, one bite or something -- it's not just that "it all adds up" -- it's the mental torture...I feel like "oh well, I already had ____ so now that I'm craving ____ I'll just have it, and start McDougalling tomorrow.." It's defeatest, that's what it is! I need to stay strong and really commit to not teasing myself with anything off-plan. For me, right now, that includes processed foods. I'm sticking to MWL..come hell or high water, don't care what anyone says, I'm gonna do it, lol!!

I am lucky that just kitty corner to where I live a Bargain Market just opened up. This place is great. They have real deals, especially with produce. I belong to Costco and used to get my organic diced tomatoes, chickpeas, and saline solution with them... and that was pretty much it because the quantities were so big and I don't have a car, I'd hardly have room or a big enough tummy for anything else... well, now that Bargain Market is just across the street from where I live, I feel like I've found a McDougall heaven. For instance last night I got 4 cans of chickpeas $0.79 each, a bag of brussel sprouts, bag of cauliflower/broccoli/carrots, bag of white onions, head of cauliflower, a plastic tupperware set, a whole mutli-grain hot cereal mix, and maybe something else I can't remember?? but anyways, the lady at the register asked if I wanted $3 off and I was like, "Sure!" so it was about $18-$19... pretty good. :-D Also got a bag of potatoes there really cheap too.. So I don't think I want to keep my Costco membership.. it's all the way downtown for one and $50 a year for another.. I also like the Bargain Market because they are very community focused and had a bunch of games and drawings for their grand opening. They believe in serving the frugal public, which is me. :)

I am thinking of my future homemade meals and it makes me happy inside. Saving money, for one. Tasty meals, for two. And staying inside where it's warm for three!

Now I must return to work.. :duh:
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Fri Dec 13, 2013 12:36 am

I got my orthotics after work. Turns out I'd already paid for them with my health savings account. My podiatrist is a talker. Poor guy had a heart attack last week so I told him about Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Esselstein and Dr. McDougall program..he seems to think that now that he's on Lipitor, he can have a burger once a week. :|

Then I went shopping for some clothes for a party that's tomorrow night. I found a dress and some new pants that fit well but alas..it's disappointing to shop for clothes when you know you could look better. I remember back when shopping for clothes was fun because the smaller sizes looked good on me.

Finally I got home (late) and made dinner.. bag of brussel sprouts, a small potato, and vegan gravy. Oh my the brussel sprouts are so good! There is one that is as big as a ping pong ball.

The orthotics aren't too comfy although apparently they fit properly. I have high arches and the arch part of the orthotics are hard. I honestly don't see myself running in these.

Oh well. I'll try to get more walking in each day and when I have the money, buy some good running shoes and start some jogging again.

Tomorrow I'll have my bag of broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower with a nuked potato and vegan gravy for lunch. Might have chickpeas for breakfast or else the hot cereal I bought, although I don't have any fruit or berries to top it right at the moment.

Have a good one and happy McDougalling!
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Sat Dec 14, 2013 1:41 pm

I have been doing good, on MWL plan. Eating a lot of brussel sprouts lately. I really like them. There is a health store nearby that sells 3 kinds of vegan gravy pouch mixes. They are all really good. I put them over broccoli/cauliflower/carrots mix and a potato or over the brussel sprouts and a potato (or sometimes just over brussel sprouts).. sometimes I add half or a whole small chopped white onion (uncooked). The brussel sprouts come in a bag and you just nuke it while you cook the gravy so the whole thing is pretty fast. I'm enjoying my meals and seem to be doing potato as my main starch, a bit of the mini thing going on. I've also had some fruit roll ups (dried fruit) but I'm just careful I don't eat too many of them. They're pretty good though.

I'm going to do some gift shopping today and then go see my dad for his birthday. Tomorrow I'm meeting some friends in the city. They are all going to House of Prime Rib but are meeting me beforehand or after.. I'm fine with that because honestly I can make a tastier, cheaper McDougall meal than what I'd get at HoPR. And I'm not a big fan of the place either, obviously, so happy to not support it.

I'm not sure what I'll eat tonight but I'll make it clear to my parents that I'm eating MWL..maybe I will take a gravy packet with me to be prepared..

I haven't noticed that I've lost any weight but I do feel better. The orthotics I got are hard on my arches but the tendons on the side of my foot do feel better, so I'll probably be able to walk more soon. I think I'll wait to weigh myself for Monday night, which would be a week of eating strict MWL (except for a few fruit roll ups..) I'm proud of myself for staying no oil and no restaurant food (oily, processed) this past week..think I'll keep it up.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Sat Dec 14, 2013 8:43 pm

While I was gift shopping at Best Buy today I found a yonanas (www.yonanas.com) which is a frozen fruit blender that makes yummy frozen banana "ice-cream". I've had banana "ice-cream" before and I loved it. It is so yummy! And healthy. :) I tried to make it at home but my blender couldn't handle it. I asked for a food processor for xmas one year and then tried to make it with that..no luck. So now I got the real thing, a "yonanas" it's apparently called, and I'll try making some sometime this week. Still have to buy and freeze the bananas. It's around $50 but basically free for me because I had a lot of store credit at Best Buy to use. So it's sort of like giving myself a xmas gift. There is also a free trip to Tahiti I might win. You sign up at their website. But warning, they want your facebook like.

Besides the brussel sprouts this morning, I also had chickpeas with onion and garlic salt, and aloo gobi and some more fruit roll ups. I ate quite a bit actually. Maybe I should watch it on the fruit roll ups.

I also did a little walking without much pain from the tendons.

I'm sleepy.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:57 am

I'm reading The Starch Solution again. Enjoying it. I might have brussel sprouts yet again for breakfast. I have to buy some more and I'll also get some bananas. I can go to the Bargain Market kitty corner from where I live. Still do not have berries for my hot cereal. I like fresh blueberries, not frozen, on hot cereal..there is a place close to my work that sells them sometimes fairly cheap.

Looks like I'm in for another week of potatoes as my main starch. I like them so I'll be happy. Another thing I thought I could make which I used to make a while ago is my own red bell pepper hummus which I then eat with a chopped and nuked white sweet potato. It's very good and of course, no oil. Strange, but good. :)

That is it for now. Overall I'm pleased with how my last week went eating-wise. Definitely could have gotten in more exercise, even just walking. I was pretty lazy on the exercise front. I'll try adding in a walk to work every morning, and a walk home from work in the evenings..that should help. I used to run almost everyday. Now I have to watch my tendons.

Friends coming to the city today. Might check out Union Square with them and hang with them after they eat at HoPR. Plan to stay on plan.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Mon Dec 16, 2013 11:23 am

I ended up meeting my friends earlier and stayed with them until their salads arrived. I didn't bother trying to make a McDougall meal work there, although if I was desperate, I could have requested an overpriced plain baked potato and maybe a dressing-cheese-free salad...but why bother? The place didn't even have prices for sides, everything is centered around meat there.. so I just left, went home, and ate my yummy aloo gobi. And some more chickpeas with chopped onion and garlic salt.

This morning I grabbed a lot of food for work. I have the hot cereal mix with a banana, cinnamin-sugar mix, for breakfast (bought bananas for the yonanas)..and potatoes and broccoli/carrots/cauliflower with gravy for lunch...also a can of chickpeas and an onion if I decide I want that..so I should be fine. I'll make the hot cereal soon.

I didn't get up early enough to walk. I was really, really sleepy, despite going to bed fairly early. I'll try again tomorrow though. I'll also walk home after work today.

Tonight I'll weigh myself. I haven't noticed much difference in my weight or clothes but then I haven't been doing much of any exercise, not even walking much.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Caroveggie » Mon Dec 16, 2013 8:36 pm

well. that is depressing. I just weighed myself and I weigh 162 lbs! So I went up a little. Hmpht. Probably because I did very little exercise (none) and barely any walking..also dried fruit..guess that must be it. I work a very sedentary job.

Oh well. I will continue and try walking to work and back the rest of this week. I know it'll be hard to get up in the mornings.

Not sure if I should change anything I've been eating..

typical stuff includes:

nuked potato with vegan gravy
brussel sprouts with vegan gravy
broccoli/carrots/cauliflower with vegan gravy
chickpeas with onions
less than half a banana with hot cereal (oats/wheat/rye/barley) and a little cinnamon-sugar
this week I'll also have homemade red bell pepper hummus with a white sweet potato

Well. Guess I wanted to see progress but I know I just started..and like I said, have been very inactive.

Hopefully next Monday I'll have something better to report.
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Re: Caroveggie's Journal

Postby Jenna » Mon Dec 16, 2013 9:17 pm

Hi Caroveggie,

I just wanted to encourage you not to get discouraged by a small gain in the beginning. There are a few aspects to this WOE that makes you tend to gain at the beginning. First, fiber draws water into your colon as it is being digested. That is part of why most McDougallers have soft, voluminous stools--the fiber adds water to the stools. Also, eating tons of starch fills your glycogen stores completely (and stores some extra water)--this is why runners eat pasta (or carb-load) the night before a big race. Both of these can add a couple of pounds. So you may be losing fat even though you are briefly gaining weight. I just about had a fit when I saw the scale go up when I began McDougalling, so I really do understand how upsetting it can be. Both of these are actually good things, though, even though they do add a couple of pounds.

Good luck!
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