Oona's Ogham

[OOnaOwl]

Just curious why your ultimate goal is 10% omnivore? Do you miss eating meat?

Erin

Thanks for stopping by! There are a number of reasons why I don't aim for 100% compliance 100% of the time, but missing meat isn't one of them. Here are just a few:

A LONG (more than 30 years) history of disordered eating (strict dieting is not recommended for this population as it can lead to relapse).

I find it MUCH easier to be compliant/achieve success at any endeavor if perfection/absolute adherence is not expected of me (recovering perfectionist & I quit smoking after 25 years by keeping fresh packs of cigarettes in my night stand. I tell myself I can smoke whenever I want to but I haven't smoked now since 2004 by using this method).

I ate this way (almost all meals and snacks whole food plant based with a few exceptions here and there) for about 20 years and was healthy, slim & energetic.

Lastly, even Dr. Doug LIsle, Dr. John McDougall & others don't expect perfectionistic adherence to this way of eating, of course they all aim for that (100% adherence) & encourage us to do the same also. What you put into it is what you get out of it! So I aim for that but don't sweat it if I don't get there all of the time-as long as I get there most of the time that to me is success at this right now.

I hope this makes sense to you, if not feel free to ask more questions.

[OOnaOwl]

Today's journal entry.

CW: 118.8
SW: 123
GW: 105
UGW: 100

B: rolled oats with cacao powder, banana & unsweetened almond milk. decaf coffee
L: leftover black bean, quinoa and veggie salad. Brown rice chickpea and veggie salad.
D: air fried russet potato with mustard, frozen banana with unsweetened almond milk and instant coffee (mocha not-milkshake)

It's day 4 or so of migraine and other me/cfs crash symptoms, they are slowly improving. I crashed after my vacation which I expected to happen. I hope by tomorrow I can resume exercise, I haven't gotten to for over a week now-which is the longest I have gone without since March. I did do about 45 minutes of qigong today at least, plus watering the front and back yards. We are in a serious drought here and they have not banned fireworks. Been reading a great book called "How to be an imperfectionist" that is really helping me turn my inner world around! My brown rice chickpea and veggie salad turned out well. I forgot to add any powdered spices to it, I wish I would have added curry powder. Tomorrow I need to pre-load each meal, I didn't do that today at all. I have a box of greens, I will aim to at least eat a few handfuls of those before each meal this weekend .

[OOnaOwl]

Journal entry for today.

CW: 118.4
SW:123 (june 2021)
GW: 105
UGW: 100

B: rolled oats banana cacao powder and unsweetened almond milk. decaf coffee
L: brown rice chickpea veggie salad & salad greens
D: air fried russet potato & freezer veggie patty (not compliant)
S: frozen banana with protein powder (1/2 scoop)

I still have my me/cfs crash symptoms, need to rest more today to recover further. No exercise for me again today except for some qigong, exercise prolongs the crashed state. I am down a .4 pound today, I hope next week I can lose a pound or two, etc. I am hoping to do the bulk of my weight loss this summer during the warmer weather when I naturally eat more raw fruits and vegetables. I am really enjoying the starch based vegetable salads I am creating, they are very satisfying & so healthy! I made a huge batch yesterday so I know what I will be eating from now until sometime Monday for lunch and dinner. We only do a grocery shop once a week on Monday or sometimes Tuesday. Back later to fill in the rest of today's details...

[OOnaOwl]

Today's entry.

CW: 118.2
SW: 123
GW: 105
UGW: 100

Yesterday I ate a veggie patty from the freezer. I was craving something salty and savory and didn't have anything prepared. I remembered I had 2 leftover morning star patties so I ate one with my air fried potato dinner. I'm hoping to find a recipe for a similar flavor and texture patty that I can freeze and eat at times like that! I think I had a weak moment because I have spent a week in a crashed state & my mood was very low, I was seeking dopamine hit! I'm glad to say that I FINALLY am recovering from my crash, woke up with minimal symptoms at long last. Started today off right with an equal portion of salad greens to my rolled oats with banana. My digestion is slowly adjusting to all the high fiber, so that is improving how my stomach both looks (less bloating) and feels (less pain etc.) and more efficient timing (increased washroom visits). I'm aiming for greater success this week, hoping to lose 2 pounds but we will see. I have found that I don't like leafy green salads prepared at home (not a new realization) but that I enjoy just eating leafy greens by the handful plain (new realization) so that is how I eat them!

I am confused about what body somatotype I am. I am pretty sure I was born a mesomorph (compact muscular) with a little ectomorph (small frame) but with weight gain I currently look more mesomorph (compact muscular) endomorph (high level of body fat at 27%, was up to 29% in Spring before i started losing weight. I used to be around 20% BF I think before becoming ill and sedentary & menopausal).

B: handfuls of leafy greens then rolled oats with banana, cacao powder and unsweetened almond milk. decaf coffee.
L: zoodles then brown rice chickpea & veggie salad.
D: leafy greens then air fried sweet potato then leftover brown rice chickpea and veggie salad
S:

[OOnaOwl]

Today's log.

CW: 118.0
SW: 123
GW: 105
UGW: 100

B: handfuls of leafy mixed greens then rolled oats with cacao powder unsweetened almond milk and banana. decaf coffee.
L: zoodles then leftover brown rice chickpea and veggie salad mix.
D: steamed arugula then air fried russet potato with mustard
S: frozen banana with cinnamon

Been struggling with my mental health. A big part of how I manage stress & anxiety etc. is by physical exercise. I was unable to do almost any for the past week, and so my mental health has taken a nose dive. I was able to do 20 minutes on treadmill today, but I didn't get much mental relief. I'm hoping with the return to regular exercise now that my crash is finally over I will be able to improve mentally also. Life is pretty stressful, not going to go into details. This weight loss plan is pretty much the only thing I am succeeding at right now, and I've only lost about 5 pounds in over a month.
Did a 90 minute qigong class this afternoon.

[OOnaOwl]

Today's log.

CW: 118.0
SW: 123
GW: 105
UGW: 100

B: raw carrot then rolled oats cacao powder banana unsweetened almond milk. decaf
L: leftover brown rice, chickpea and veggie salad then a serving of polenta
D: air fried russet potato with mustard and steamed arugula
S: frozen banana with cinnamon

Rested fairly well & feel slightly more even keeled today. Resting well is a new thing for me, something that is greatly missing for people with me/cfs. I know I am recovering because I can now sleep in a much less disturbed way! Hopefully that will continue to improve, it has improved more since returning to this way of eating in May also. I've been a sort of shut-in since 2017 due to my me/cfs and then the pandemic situation. Although I love hermitage, I also need a bit more worldly interaction also. I'm going to set a mini-goal to get out a few times per month to try and build more of a life here (we moved here during the pandemic so I haven't made any social connections locally). I have a good sized social circle in the bigger city 50 miles north of here, but I haven't gotten to visit since 2018.

The scale blinked a few times at 117.8 before settling on 118.0 this morning, I get so scared that my fat pounds won't budge as I am so little and my caloric needs aren't much. I am still at 27% body fat so there is still much to lose! I am down a 1/2 inch more in my waist, hips and upper thighs. Still far to go but I'm playing the long game here. This is not a diet (well the MWL part is for me) but eating whole food plant based is a lifestyle for me, one I was happily on for the better part of two decades until I was overcome by dietary confusion during peri-menopause. It sounds ridiculous when I say it now, how could I have become so deluded?! The primrose path is never very far away apparently... Nonetheless, it happened so I must account for it. Anyway, the past is history & now is all that is important to focus on. I see that many people read my journal, that is something I didn't expect. I hope it helps some of you somehow!

Feeling discouraged about fat weight loss, hope I lose something this week as it would help with motivation.

[OOnaOwl]

Today's entry.

CW: 117.4
SW: 123
GW: 105
UGW: 100

WAIST: 26 Inches

B: raw carrot then 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1 banana 1 TBSP cacao powder, unsweetened almond milk and decaf coffee.
L: summer barley vegetable salad, 2 bowls
D: 1 raw carrot then air fried russet potato with mustard
S: 1 frozen banana with unsweetened almond milk and cinnamon

Yeah, I am still losing! I am trying to eat according to the Maximum Weight Loss program at every meal. Today I will be batch making a barley vegetable salad to eat for lunch for the rest of this week. My last batch starch salad I put chickpeas in it, this time I will try leaving them out and just do grain and vegetable, hoping that will speed weight loss. I've been enjoying raw vegetables more than I ever have! I feel lazy in the morning so have just been eating a raw carrot instead of low calorie soup or salad as that has been easiest. I am down an inch in my waist this week! I still am not at my former waist measurement, I am hoping to lose one more inch or even two there. I have been as small as 22 inches but that is unrealistic at my age more than likely. I haven't counted my caloric intake since May but if I had to guess I would say I am eating between 1000 and 1300 per day? For my age, height, weight etc. to lose more than a pound a week I have to eat less than 1000 calories per day which is very difficult and it wasn't good on my mental health to be doing the counting every day etc. Eating very low calorie foods to satiation is much less crazy making! I started an Instagram for my weight loss journey today, it is "petite on plants". If I am successful at this I may start a side gig helping other petites eat plants for health and weight goals! We have unique challenges un-shared with averagely statured individuals.

Today went pretty well, tomorrow I need to pre-load at lunch which I didn't do today. I got too hungry after spending time batch cooking my summer barley (used the instant pot to cook barley) salad so I just ate more of that. It is about 50/50 starch to non starch vegetables for ingredients. I just re-read my first entry here in 2014-I am now the same weight I was then when I began & that was 8 years ago. I never sat down and did the math on how long I have been dealing with this weight gain, it's been around a decade now I guess. I was always slim before! Most people still think I am slim by current American standards but for me I am chubby at 27% body fat when I was typically around 18-20% until my early 40's. I wasn't able to exercise today but will tomorrow. Plan to get back on daily exercise then again! Today was chaotic and I had some (thankfully now rare) insomnia that further threw my day off.

[OOnaOwl]

Today's entry.

CW: 117.4
SW: 123
GW: 105
UGW: 100

WAIST: 26 inches

I'm down a 1/2 inch in my upper thigh, lower thigh & mid calf today.

Currently at 27% body fat.

Had an ocular migraine last night & today have some mild crash symptoms (spine, back & neck pain and stiffness) & migraine again. Ocular migraines are scarier to me than regular migraines. You become temporarily blind for the better part of an hour, with flashing lightning bolts in the blackness. I've had enough of them that I know to just lie down and wait it out. Been having heart palpitations the past few days. All of these symptoms I attribute to hormonal changes from menopause, luckily I am nearing the finish line for this particular foot race! No power yoga for me today, but will do a 1 mile walk on treadmill and some qigong. Possibly some yin yoga also. I've really been enjoying following Esther's Nutritional Journey, the blog of Esther Lebeck Loveridge. She is such an inspiration!

It's a gloomy day here which I LOVE! I'm sure the sun will burn through it at some point but for now I am reveling in the cool clouds.

B: 1 raw carrot then rolled oats with cacao powder 1 banana cinnamon and unsweetened almond milk. Decaf coffee.
L: 3 large handfuls of mixed leafy greens then a bowl of summer barley vegetable salad.
D: zoodles then air fried russet potato with mustard
S: frozen banana with almond milk

Changed my Instagram account to Plant Based Petite in case anyone wants to follow there. So far just posting meal pics and following a lot of other similar accounts for inspiration. Didn't end up exercising today, feeling very leaden & lackadaisical. Must be in post drome of my migraine, hopefully will have more energy tomorrow!

[OOnaOwl]

Weight change +/- in lbs: -1.00
This Friday: 117.8
Last Friday 118.8


1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
Most meals
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
Yes
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
Yes
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
Yes
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
Yes
6. Eliminate any added oil.
Yes
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
Yes
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
Added unsweetened almond milk to decaf coffee each morning
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
Most meals (over ate slightly at some dinner times)
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
Not this week as I had migraine & me/cfs issues. Back on it today though finally!

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
Question: are instant mashed potatoes & polenta/grits allowed on the MWL? Also how about wheat farina for breakfast?
What would be the best milk to add to my decaf for weight loss, I know both technically aren't allowed but I'm not going to forgo them. I looked up a recipe for oat milk I was thinking about making, it's just oats and water.
Non scale victories: lost some inches in my waist, hips, thighs and calves this week again. I have titled my weight loss project "Operation Super Shrink" and it's starting to live up to it's name. I was too ill this week to exercise which then took a mighty toll on my mental health as I rely on exercise to help with that too. Finally going to get back to it today, hopefully can resume my daily habit of it now. I hate not being able to exercise!