Grit and Determination

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

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Sep 26, 2020 4:39 pm

A thread on Jeff's page, Reasons You May Be Struggling, was posted by Mark in the MWL September thread. This has me thinking about what are my top reasons for struggling on the MWL diet.

The obvious ones for me are not planning and not having food prepared in advance. A more subtle one that can derail my efforts is not slowing down and taking a breath, then taking time to re-evaluate my choices at the moment I choose to eat off plan. It feels like a snap decision for me. I rarely plan ahead to go off the MWL plan. So, I guess it is a sudden craving that takes over my frontal lobes and scrambles all my well-planned intentions. I'm hoping being aware of this and articulating it will help me to stay in control as I decide to take up the challenge to stay on the MWL plan until I get to a normal weight.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Sep 28, 2020 9:02 am

So, being aware of snap decisions helped slow me down yesterday. I had one episode of going off the MWL plan where I made a snap decision. I didn't give it much thought. My husband was having a pretty tough day coping with the COVID isolation issues. I wanted to connect and calm him down, get him to talk. I suggested we eat nachos, one of his favorites. I made a pan of nachos with veggies, cheese and some guacamole. We sat outside and snacked. I ate a few of the nachos but not many. I very rarely choose a meal or snack to eat with my husband. We are very comfortable eating completely different foods. This was a quick, in the moment, thing.

I can feel myself having more constraint with my eating. I'm not stuffing myself. Mostly I am eating 50/50 veggies to starches. I'm getting exercise every day.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Oct 03, 2020 1:58 pm

I recommitted to the MWL plan today. Joining the MWL group helps me in making decisions. Just since joining (less than 2 hours ago) I have had to resist taking a couple of my husband's potato chips and eating a bread roll!

I started a pot of vegetable soup and put some potatoes in the oven to roast. These will be my go-to snacks today.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby Zoey » Sun Oct 04, 2020 5:41 am

Woohoo, I see we're both back for the October group!

I had a decent little harvest, except that okra I was looking forward to didn't produce at all this year. Bummer! Then I had a great time canning, until there were no more lids available in my neck of the woods (and I heard nationwide).
Hope you had a happy harvest.

Love reading your journal. :thumbsup:
User avatar
Zoey
 
Posts: 138
Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2016 5:44 am

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sun Oct 04, 2020 8:04 am

Zoey wrote:Woohoo, I see we're both back for the October group!

I had a decent little harvest, except that okra I was looking forward to didn't produce at all this year. Bummer! Then I had a great time canning, until there were no more lids available in my neck of the woods (and I heard nationwide).
Hope you had a happy harvest.

Love reading your journal. :thumbsup:

Hi Zoey!

Thanks for saying hi! I so enjoyed my garden this summer. A bummer about your okra. It seems there's always something that doesn't grow in my garden every year. I'll rub it in and tell you that we had a great okra crop this year. It's one of my favorites. I bet next year your okra will be there for you. Have you started a fall garden? I'm slow getting mine going. I have lettuce, kale, mustard greens, broccoli, collards, and Brussels sprouts growing. I have seeds for beets, carrots, more lettuce, onions, and cilantro. I have to get busy. It's getting chilly here in East Tennessee. I ran out of canning jars and lids, too. That was a first! I've enjoyed making jams but the sugar.... I love the hot pepper + fruit jams. I put a couple of teaspoons in my veggie stir-fry. So very good! I'm thinking about trying to make pepper sauce without sugar. The only recipes I've found have fat in them. I guess it's either fat or sugar!! I made a pear relish and a tomato relish that were pretty good. The pear relish had a little sugar.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby bunsofaluminum » Thu Oct 08, 2020 9:33 am

Hmmm your nachos w. hubby gives me an idea! Since I made some baked tortilla chips and let them get a little dark, maybe I can make a not-cheese sauce, and do nachos for lunch w. refried beans, some diced tomatoes FRESH from the garden next door ;-) and shredded lettuce. Some hot sauce. YUMMMM!

Going to read Jeff's article now, Reason Why You Might Be Struggling. :nod:
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: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Oct 09, 2020 7:42 am

bunsofaluminum wrote:Hmmm your nachos w. hubby gives me an idea! Since I made some baked tortilla chips and let them get a little dark, maybe I can make a not-cheese sauce, and do nachos for lunch w. refried beans, some diced tomatoes FRESH from the garden next door ;-) and shredded lettuce. Some hot sauce. YUMMMM!

Going to read Jeff's article now, Reason Why You Might Be Struggling. :nod:

Hi Buns! Your nachos idea sounds yummy. I'm going back to the bowl concept - I'm making corn grits, beans, and toppings. YUM!

JeffN's post about reasons we might struggle was good. It helped me keep in awareness what I need to do. Keeping food ready to eat is key for me. I was not 100% or even 80% MWL this week (however that can be measured... just my sense of the week). I noticed when I veered off the plan was 1) when I didn't have food prepared and 2) when I was feeling sorry for myself! The second reason has become a little habit recently, given the pandemic and the political fallout. I'm going to stop giving myself permission to soothe with food.

Yesterday I hiked 12 miles. It was a pretty strenuous hike, a gain of 3500 ft. It was a beautiful fall day with the leaves beginning to turn and blue sky! Very nice. I took kamut salad with various raw veggies mixed with homemade hummus. I got a stomach ache! I felt like I didn't digest my lunch. I kept suspecting the carrots... and I think I got a little dehydrated. I let go of that lunch at the end of the hike.... When I got home I wanted to rehydrate so I made the best soup with spinach, mushrooms, and onions. I blended the vegetables so it would easier to digest. So very tasty!
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Oct 12, 2020 8:11 am

Today's thoughts to help me stay on track:
Control what you can, which includes diet and exercise.
Really try for 100% MWL today.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Thu Oct 15, 2020 6:12 pm

I think today is going to be on MWL plan 100%! Whew! It's been quite a roller-coaster ride trying to keep myself on this diet this week! This afternoon I made a very good version of Grandpa's Meatless Loaf. I added a jalapeno and baked eggplant (about 1/3 C) then only used 2 C of beans. Used home-made ketchup. Very very good! I'm having to be careful to not overeat. Today I listened to Dr. and Mary McDougal on a video about the Mary's Mini diet plan and that the main purpose is to get bored with what you're eating so you only eat when you're hungry. This meatless loaf definitely could not be a part of that plan!

Today at lunch I mixed my preload soup, the veggies and the starch all together. It was a soup-stew kind of mix. It was very good. I'm not sure I can count that as following the meal plan since it was not staggered, as a preload implies... Oh well, I'm getting more disciplined. Now, if I can just get through the evening hours!!! I have my fruit yet to eat. I'll eat apples if I get the munchies.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Oct 16, 2020 8:51 am

I had another slip-up last night. I've got to figure out how to get out of the pleasure trap.... I'm open to any suggestions! :D
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Oct 17, 2020 2:31 pm

Today I'm up 2 lbs. from last week. I'm not surprised even though I have been quite active. I have eaten too many cookies and corn chips. Last night I had a non-compliant meal - Pad Thai with tofu. I've adjusted my attitude and recommitted to the MWL plan. I've enjoyed the Grandpa's Meatless loaf. I made some Basmati brown rice and steamed broccoli to go with it for lunch today. I've also been enjoying some coleslaw I made a couple of days ago. I have honey crisp apples ready for my night time craving nightmare. Hopefully I'll get through the night. I'm determined to get back on track and start losing weight again. I had a talk with my husband. I told him my weight was creeping up and I really wanted to get back on my MWL eating plan. I'm hoping since I vocalized my frustrations it will help me "save face" and not eat cookies and corn chips at night. I have to ask him for them since he moved all the junk food out of the kitchen. I know, though, if I ask him, he will comply with the food I want. It's up to me.

I'm trying to keep a daily food diary, too. I have mixed feelings about using a diary as a motivator for food consumption control. It has helped me before when I've gone off the plan for a day or so to realize the whole week wasn't shot. If I am staying on plan it is not very helpful, and I get tired of keeping it going. It needs to be black and white. Stay on plan - good. Go off plan - bad. No middle of the road stuff.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sun Oct 18, 2020 4:22 pm

A Tasty Soup:

Butternut Squash Apple Soup
3 cloves garlic
1 onion chopped & sautéed
1/8 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1 butternut squash - cubed
1 C unsweetened applesauce
1 onion - roasted and chopped
1 C chopped frozen spinach
2/3 C navy beans
7 C water
Sauté 1 onion, garlic, and seasonings in a small amount of water. Add all other ingredients and cook about 30 minutes. Use a potato masher and mash to the consistency desired. YUM!
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby mandybee » Tue Oct 20, 2020 1:16 pm

moonlight wrote:Today I'm up 2 lbs. from last week. I'm not surprised even though I have been quite active. I have eaten too many cookies and corn chips. Last night I had a non-compliant meal - Pad Thai with tofu. I've adjusted my attitude and recommitted to the MWL plan. I've enjoyed the Grandpa's Meatless loaf. I made some Basmati brown rice and steamed broccoli to go with it for lunch today. I've also been enjoying some coleslaw I made a couple of days ago. I have honey crisp apples ready for my night time craving nightmare. Hopefully I'll get through the night. I'm determined to get back on track and start losing weight again. I had a talk with my husband. I told him my weight was creeping up and I really wanted to get back on my MWL eating plan. I'm hoping since I vocalized my frustrations it will help me "save face" and not eat cookies and corn chips at night. I have to ask him for them since he moved all the junk food out of the kitchen. I know, though, if I ask him, he will comply with the food I want. It's up to me.

I'm trying to keep a daily food diary, too. I have mixed feelings about using a diary as a motivator for food consumption control. It has helped me before when I've gone off the plan for a day or so to realize the whole week wasn't shot. If I am staying on plan it is not very helpful, and I get tired of keeping it going. It needs to be black and white. Stay on plan - good. Go off plan - bad. No middle of the road stuff.


I really struggled last week too- I was up a pound and thought about throwing in the towel because I felt embarrassed and like I'd be letting people down. It isn't easy every day, is it? If it were, forums like this wouldn't exist. Don't give up! What's great about this forum is seeing other people struggling too-but it doesn't mean we should give up. If anything, seeing you struggled made me feel like I wasn't alone. I had a similar conversation with my (very naturally thin husband). Corn chips are a struggle for me. At night, we eat salad with starch and then go for a walk, trying to set a different habit instead of my old habit of night time eating...was a big fan of that :) Changing our routine helped me a lot. Anyway, I just wanted to stop in and tell you I was thinking of you and hope you are having a better week!
mandybee
 
Posts: 38
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2020 7:18 am
Location: Orlando, FL

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Oct 24, 2020 3:17 pm

I made another good soup today. I wanted something light, like celery. This will be part of my preload soup this week.

1/2 onion, chopped and water braised to brown
2 1/2 C tomato puree from tomatoes I grew this summer
3 C water
3 stalks of celery finely chopped
1/3 C chopped parsley
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp celery seed
1 potato chopped finely

The last couple of weeks I have enjoyed a new type of mushroom. I found giant puffballs growing in our field. These mushrooms are very easy to identify. I felt confident from pictures and information I found on the web. They were so tasty! I love mushrooms and our local grocery store carries a very limited variety. The puffballs have been a real treat. We have two edible mushrooms growing on our property, the giant puffball and the morel. One grows in spring and the other in fall. I'm guessing there are other edible mushrooms here. I would love to find chicken of the woods or hen of the woods. I'm not sure I can identify those on my own, though.
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: Grit and Determination

Postby bunsofaluminum » Mon Oct 26, 2020 9:52 am

oooh wild mushrooms! You sound like MIchael Pollan who wrote The Omnivore's Dilemma. He created a feast from foods he hunted/gathered, and did a mushroom hunt for part of that meal. (he also shot a boar ...but he thinks the hunting buddy he had with him made the actual killing shot)...anyway, ever since reading about his morel hunting, I've wanted to try it. I also remember a video on YouTube, of a farm where the purposely planted morels in the corners and along the edges/lanes/walkways of their land.
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 22 guests



Welcome!

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