Grit and Determination

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

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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sun Feb 16, 2020 8:09 am

Thank you, Stephanie and Scott, for helping me get past the disappointment in myself. I was definitely headed down the slippery slope into the hole of despair!! You are both great role models for motivation. I've readjusted my attitude. I guess the days to come will determine if my resolve holds. I feel good right now. NO to any off plan eating. That's simple enough, right?!
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby Ltldogg » Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:28 pm

moonlight wrote:Thank you, Stephanie and Scott, for helping me get past the disappointment in myself. I was definitely headed down the slippery slope into the hole of despair!! You are both great role models for motivation. I've readjusted my attitude. I guess the days to come will determine if my resolve holds. I feel good right now. NO to any off plan eating. That's simple enough, right?!


moonlight,

You've got this. And, as you continue to do it, your resolve will get stronger. And you nailed it: the simple part is putting the right foods in your mouth and keeping out the wrong. That is easy because the list is black and white and completely outlined. The hard part is dealing with society, peer pressure, corporate America and marketing influence, nostalgia, etc. If you just focus on the easy (the food list), you don't have to deal with the rest. Good health will follow!

Happy Sunday,
Scott
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:24 am

Thanks, Scott! Yes, I'm going to focus on NO to any thoughts that arise about going off my food plan. Yesterday was a good day. I realized that I had thoughts about eating other things. Not really cravings. Just thoughts. I don't act on all the thoughts that run through my head and the food thoughts are just that, thought bubbles rising up. While I may not have control over what my mind brings up in a thought, I do have control over what I want to ponder or act on.

I watched Cowspiracy on Netflix yesterday. It gave me a renewed intention that this WOE is important not only for my health but for the health of the planet.

I plan to do some cooking today. I have appreciated my backup supply of frozen soups but it's time to restock. :D
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby Ltldogg » Mon Feb 17, 2020 7:30 am

moonlight wrote:Thanks, Scott! Yes, I'm going to focus on NO to any thoughts that arise about going off my food plan. Yesterday was a good day. I realized that I had thoughts about eating other things. Not really cravings. Just thoughts. I don't act on all the thoughts that run through my head and the food thoughts are just that, thought bubbles rising up. While I may not have control over what my mind brings up in a thought, I do have control over what I want to ponder or act on.

I watched Cowspiracy on Netflix yesterday. It gave me a renewed intention that this WOE is important not only for my health but for the health of the planet.

I plan to do some cooking today. I have appreciated my backup supply of frozen soups but it's time to restock. :D


That's great to hear; I'm glad you had a good day and have found your motivation! There is a huge list of documentaries, YouTube videos of Jeff and John, Books, AudioBooks, articles, newsletters, and more to keep you motivated. And cooking the healthy, simple foods in bulk is the other key: preparation! Keep your ingredient list simple and handy. When I go to Costco, I buy bags of frozen broccoli, bunches of bananas and the 15 lb bag of Butter (that's a type) potatoes, which are only $6.79 right now. I can live off these 3 ingredients alone :)

Keep it simple and easy and that is less stress, time and prep you will have to worry about; all keys to success!

Have another great day :-)

~Scott
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Tue Feb 18, 2020 6:28 am

Yesterday was another good day. :D
B: oatmeal and banana
L: potato ratatouille, brown rice, white beans, and mushrooms
D: salad, WW pasta and sautéed vegetables
S: air-popped popcorn
S: banana
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Wed Feb 19, 2020 5:36 pm

When I check off the points on the MWL checklist I can almost always check the “don’t drink your calories”. Yesterday I failed at this one... I also failed at the eliminate added oil and the one about flour or processed food. I went to a Mexican restaurant. I had a margarita and some chips and 1 small spinach enchilada. Later in the evening I noticed that I was really craving more junk food. I guess the fat and sodium, sugar and alcohol caused the cravings. I didn’t give in. I fixed some brown rice and broccoli to finish off my evening. Today I have also craved other food. I’ve held firm with staying within my food plan.

Yesterday I exercised for 30 minutes. That’s the first time in over a week. I’m going to a concert tonight so no time to add in exercise. All feels good. :)
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Feb 21, 2020 6:31 am

Yesterday was good. I made a big pot of veggie soup. I felt like I was going to be craving food a lot so I wanted something to snack on. I struggled some with cravings but I didn't give in to anything off plan. In addition to soup I dined on roasted white potatoes with onions and peppers, a sweet potato with salad, rice, and air-popped popcorn.

The success story by Elizabeth TeSelle really got my attention. She lost 70 lbs. on the McD plan then slowly let other food slip in until she was back to vegan junk food in her diet. She gained all the weight back. Amazingly she wrote about her experiences so that others might learn from them. She went on to lose the weight again. I can see how easy it would be to let this happen. I realized that what keeps me from totally giving up is coming back to this journal. Getting inspiration from others who keep on the McD plan. I won't give up. It may take me longer than most to reach my goal but I will keep at it. :)
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby deweyswakms » Fri Feb 21, 2020 10:10 am

moonlight wrote:The success story by Elizabeth TeSelle really got my attention. S


Good morning, I've been catching up on your posts. Thanks for the tip about Mexican potato salad! I will make that. I too was going to suggest reading a success story every day. Are they available in audio format? would be good to be able to listen to them for those long days. Yes, making healthy food choices IS a new learned behavior. Much as I love a margarita or martini, the calorie calculator in my head starts spinning when I think of one. I have fought too hard to add 500 calories to the daily total. When I go to the store and see so many temptations (chips are my weakness), my mantra is 'it's not real food, it's not real food, it's not real food'. And I can survive!

Marsha
start weight 210 on 7/25/14; MWL recommit 7/2019 weight 197. 6/11/2022 weight 165.0. Height 5'8".
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Feb 21, 2020 1:30 pm

So, thinking about the MWL 10 pt. checklist, I think that some of the principles are more important than others. For me, eliminating all animal products has been a huge struggle lately. When I stop going off plan and eating a few bites of cheese (the usual culprit) I feel like all the other principles can fall into place. That's my issue right now. In the past it has been flour products (chips and crackers) but now that doesn't seem to be an issue. Maybe my whacky mind is just letting go of these foods a little at a time. :)

I've been reading about habits and motivation around losing weight and changing lifestyle habits. Here are some big take-aways for me:
    1. It is your ability to take control of your thoughts and take action that determines whether or not you will achieve long-term success.
    2. Negative self-talk is the equivalent to kicking yourself when you are down. How can you expect to move forward and improve your lifestyle when you are beating yourself up every day in your own mind?
    3. Excuses: The Munchie Monster encourages us to ask ourselves blame-inducing questions. Blame-inducing questions usually begin with "Why". For instance, if you were to ask yourself, "Why don't I exercise?" most likely your answer would be self-defeating and filled with excuses and negativity. On the other hand, when you ask yourself questions that begin with "How", your answers are more likely to be empowering, leading you toward a solution. If you were to ask yourself, "How can I find time to exercise?" or "How can I get myself motivated to exercise?" you would gravitate toward answers that necessitate action steps.
    4. The peer pressure issue. I'm aware that sometimes I feel pressure to be like my friends, maybe to just be going along or because I have a misguided notion that my choices will make others uncomfortable. I don't know that my friends will be uncomfortable with my choices, for one thing. Regardless of outside influence, it is ultimately my decision to give in to temptation to just go along, or to choose what is best for me. **TIP When at a restaurant with others, ordering first can help outwit the temptation of ordering what others order.
    5. The problem isn't in differentiating between which foods are healthy and unhealthy. Rather, the challenge most people face lies in figuring out how to stay motivated and how to follow through.
    6. The greatest thing in the world is not so much where we are, but in what direction we are moving.
    7. Each day you wake up, refresh your mind with your goal.
    8. The longer a person goes without taking action - or experiences the frustration of action, setback, action, setback - the more their vision and belief in their success diminishes. The principle of "diminishing intent" says that if you intend to acquire a fit, trim, and healthy body, but put off taking action despite having the greatest intentions, that lack of action will cause your motivation to fade.
    9. If there were a 100% guarantee that you would achieve your weight loss goal (or whatever the goal may be), would you be motivated, excited, and willing to believe in your success? This question really made me realize I don't have a lot of confidence in myself right now due to my failures.
    10. Do the thing you fear and the death of fear is certain to follow. Success is contagious and taking risks can promote a higher self-esteem. Self-esteem and success are both achieved one step at a time.
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat Feb 22, 2020 7:27 am

My weight is at 170 lbs. I am nervous about it... I dipped into the 160's in July then again in October. It will feel like such a milestone if I can get to the 160's range without going back up. Focus is my word for the week!

I have taken a break from the 21-day menu plans in the MWL book. Following the menu plan gives me direction since I have a tendency to get bored with my diet. :shock: It really helps me to have a suggested menu. I needed a break from so much cooking, but I really appreciate having the 50/50 vegetable and starch combined casseroles or stews ready to go, along with a variety of soups and salads. Could I hire a cook?!? The initial time in the kitchen pays off for the rest of the week, like having a pot of gold in the fridge. I froze several servings when I cooked something I really liked so I have appreciated having that to take out of the freezer. I hope to get inspired and spend a few hours in the kitchen soon. For today I have a tasty vegetable soup, some cooked black beans, and plenty of salad fixings in my refrigerator. Sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes are in the pantry. I splurged and bought two sumo oranges to try. I'll have one for breakfast today along with some pre-cooked wheat berries from my freezer. :)
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Mon Feb 24, 2020 7:24 am

Saturday I went to a Mexican restaurant with a friend and made a poor choice. :( I ate cheese.... I've been thinking about this. I think instead of avoiding restaurants I need to get comfortable going in and ordering McD compliant food. Learn to make good choices. I always later think of what I could have ordered... The problem with this idea is restaurant food is probably always higher in sodium and hidden oil. Another idea I have about staying compliant when I'm out with friends is using the notion that I don't want to be a failure. I could talk up my diet rather than trying to be discrete about it. Tell my friend before we go in that I'm really trying to stay away from cheese and I need to make a good choice. Then when I'm in the restaurant I will want to appear strong. That is probably the better idea of these two. I like staying out of restaurants as much as possible but when the opportunity to go out with a friend comes along, I like the social time. I don't get out and socialize as much as I'd really like. I'm a real home-body type.

Yesterday I made a very good taco salad without the taco. I had lettuce, bulgur, black beans, onion, green pepper, tomatoes, jalapeno, and salsa. I also made a good stir-fry that had spinach, mushrooms, onions, hominy, red bell pepper, and jerk seasoning.
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Fri Feb 28, 2020 9:49 am

I've kept this journal going since I started back on the MWL program in October 2017. I love closure and hate to quit things, so I have continued with this journal even when I feel like I'm spinning around and not keeping with the plan. I've hoped it may be helpful for someone else. I certainly have benefitted from reading others' journals - especially when I see their success.

Lately I have felt like such a failure with my diet plan and keeping this journal is adding to that sense of failure. This week I've been keeping a private journal. It feels better for me right now. Because I like a sense of closure I decided to write and say that I'm closing my journal for now. I will update it when I get on a roll and my diet isn't such a struggle. Right now I'm just repeating myself over and over each month! :D :D
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby VegSeekingFit » Fri Feb 28, 2020 7:33 pm

Hi Moonlight! :-D

I am glad that you are doing what is best for you at this time. Also, wishing you well on your journey!!

I just wanted to let you know that I have been inspired by your journal. I always loved your gardening and cooking stories -- as well as your super attitude and supportiveness.

By the way, you are inspiring in what you have achieved since you started posting!!! Woot!! You have lost weight and kept it off -- nothing to sneeze at!!!

Wanted to share the following links in case they may be helpful or interesting to you (if you haven't seen yet). Both are related to your recent comments on cheese.

https://www.pcrm.org/news/exam-room-podcast/cheese-trap
This one is from Neal Barnard / PCRM / The Exam Room podcast. It describes the addictive factors in cheese and is really interesting - about an hour listen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157 ... -sugar-fat
Book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss. I listened to this audio and it really made me mad at how Big Food manipulates us. While not focused on cheese, it has some stats on how the average American's cheese intake has gone up (about 3X) since 1970 (and how Big Food achieved that).

Hope to see you around on other threads. :cool:

Best,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby Zoey » Sat Feb 29, 2020 7:41 am

Moonlight, I feel the same as Stephanie. I'll miss your public journaling, too. And I completely understand. My private journal just depresses me sometimes.
Anyway, good luck, and hope to see you still posting elsewhere!
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Re: Grit and Determination

Postby moonlight » Sat May 09, 2020 7:30 am

VegSeekingFit wrote:Hi Moonlight! :-D

I am glad that you are doing what is best for you at this time. Also, wishing you well on your journey!!

I just wanted to let you know that I have been inspired by your journal. I always loved your gardening and cooking stories -- as well as your super attitude and supportiveness.

By the way, you are inspiring in what you have achieved since you started posting!!! Woot!! You have lost weight and kept it off -- nothing to sneeze at!!!

Wanted to share the following links in case they may be helpful or interesting to you (if you haven't seen yet). Both are related to your recent comments on cheese.

https://www.pcrm.org/news/exam-room-podcast/cheese-trap
This one is from Neal Barnard / PCRM / The Exam Room podcast. It describes the addictive factors in cheese and is really interesting - about an hour listen

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157 ... -sugar-fat
Book Salt Sugar Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss. I listened to this audio and it really made me mad at how Big Food manipulates us. While not focused on cheese, it has some stats on how the average American's cheese intake has gone up (about 3X) since 1970 (and how Big Food achieved that).

Hope to see you around on other threads. :cool:

Best,
Stephanie


Thank you, Stephanie, for your kind words and for the links regarding cheese. I have finally kicked the cheese habit. My husband eats the SAD so there is always cheese in the house. I am finally past the cravings for it. Certainly, not eating out due to the pandemic has helped as the trips to Mexican restaurants were a challenge, too. I guess whenever the time comes when I feel comfortable eating in a restaurant again I may be challenged but I think it will be many months before that time and perhaps I won't be triggered. I've learned that one little bite is a disaster for me.

Zoey wrote:Moonlight, I feel the same as Stephanie. I'll miss your public journaling, too. And I completely understand. My private journal just depresses me sometimes.
Anyway, good luck, and hope to see you still posting elsewhere!


Thank you, Zoey! I have enjoyed your postings as well. I am ready to start journaling here again. It is easier for me to keep up with daily postings when I post here. No matter where I keep my home journal, I seem to forget to post in it for days at a time! Being able to look back over the week or month is very helpful in seeing where I need to put my attention.

Today's Food Plan:
Make a big batch of soup. I made soup a few days ago but it is calorie dense stew, I think. More like for a meal than an appetizer. It has lentils and rice in it. I'm going to try the cauliflower, sweet potatoes, greens, onions, and spices.

Goal for the week: Do not let nuts of any kind pass by my lips!!! Keeping it simple. One goal. Surely I can do this one thing. :lol:
Weight today: 174 lbs.

Food Intake:
apple
vegetable soup
Salad, sweet potato, and Brussels Sprouts
Watermelon, lentil stew, and potatoes
bulgur and Brussels Sprouts
air-popped popcorn

    1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. :thumbsup:

    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.:thumbsup:

    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.:thumbsup:

    4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).:thumbsup:

    5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).:thumbsup:

    6. Eliminate any added oil.:thumbsup:

    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.air-popped popcorn

    8. Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).:thumbsup:

    9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don’t starve yourself and don’t stuff yourself.:thumbsup:

    10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).Not 30 minutes today
Last edited by moonlight on Sun May 10, 2020 8:08 am, edited 4 times in total.
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