On the Road to Better Health

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

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Pity Party is OVER

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sun Oct 07, 2018 10:52 pm

Hi,

Have been doing some soul-searching to try to understand WHY maintenance is so challenging for me- when I like the food and am in a groove. I think that my mind (or emotions) are trying to get the better of me, but I still hold firmly to the motivations that got me to embrace this way of eating this year. Also, hold firmly to the fact that I don't want to erase 9 months of progress. So there... :-D

Am on hyper alert as I have McD'd before with great results - but then fallen into the "vegan" processed food trap. This time is a bit different in that I've stuck to mainly minimally processed, MWL compliant foods and have journaled most of my journey. (But, I am now "allowing" myself to eat CRAP - mainly at work, stuff that is sitting an arm's reach away from me)... This new bad SNACK monster habit seems to have opened Pandora's Box. (Advice - Don't do it even once!! )

I always intended to keep on with eating in maintenance as I did to lose, but have struggled with SNACK monster trap. (have allowed myself to do so...) :shock:

I'm done feeling sorry for myself (the pity party was small and not a good look)... We all have our own unique challenges - and I think the best way for me to overcome them for myself is to draw a red line around CRAP and to be prepared with MWL compliant food.

In my effort to kick the behind of the SNACK monster, this weekend, I have batch cooked / prepared the following items.

Chili (delicious!):
Cans of beans -black, kidney, garbanzo
Can of corn
Crushed tomatoes
Diced tomatoes
Chili peppers
2 huge bell peppers
1 huge red onion
Chili powder, cumin, cayenne
Veg broth
Garlic
Cook on low in slow cooker. Eat over potatoes or rice.

For tomorrow, I have cut veggies - ready to throw in slow cooker in the AM.
4 huge Russet potatoes - chopped
Bag of carrots - chopped
Huge red onion - chopped
2 boxed mushrooms - chopped
Crushed tomatoes
Diced tomatoes
Italian spices
Garlic
Veg broth

Have also cut melons and crudites. Have made a no fat hummus - to eat with the veggies. Have plenty of potatoes / rice / quinoa to take to work in case hungry (to make a better choice).

I will be looking to kick the behind of the SNACK MONSTER. No to pretzels (or any other CRAP). Period. Hard stop. Prepare. Be in control instead of being controlled.

(Corny!) Re-visiting song that gets me in mood to do the right thing:

"Like a small boat
On the ocean
Sending big waves
Into motion
Like how a single word
Can make a heart open

I might only have one match
But I can make an explosion...

This is my fight song
Take back my life song
Prove I'm alright song

My power's turned on
Starting right now I'll be strong
I'll play my fight song
And I don't really care if nobody else believes
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me...." - Rachel Platten

Quote of the Day:
" When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on." - Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Wishing all McD'ers well!

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby Idgie » Sun Oct 07, 2018 11:02 pm

I can see why you were bummed to lose that awesome post, if that was it. At any rate, thanks for the motivational words, and I just know the snack monster doesn't stand a chance against you!
Idgie, Southern CA
My recipes (mostly MWL) are at https://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=58361&p=586527#p586527
My new MWL-only recipe site is at http://mwlrecipes.weebly.com
Idgie
 
Posts: 1153
Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2018 1:20 am

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby Mark Cooper » Mon Oct 08, 2018 5:25 am

That is a great blue print for the coming week, Stephanie! Way to go!
User avatar
Mark Cooper
 
Posts: 2174
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2018 8:17 am
Location: Princeton, NJ 08540

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby choufleur » Mon Oct 08, 2018 12:19 pm

Good job identifying the issues and making a plan to get back on track. Looks like you've got everything in place with prepared food ready. You can do it!
choufleur
 
Posts: 67
Joined: Wed Sep 21, 2016 9:17 am

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby moonlight » Sat Oct 13, 2018 10:36 am

Hi Stephanie,
I hope you are feeling good. You've come a long way. Hope you are back on track by not giving yourself too hard of a time with the maintenance phase. I'm sure there's an adjustment period, just like when starting this WOE. Just keep at it and soon you will find your groove. Hoping to see your smiley face soon. :D
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Thank you!!

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sun Oct 14, 2018 8:54 pm

I so appreciate this board... wonderful people - top-notch resources - support!!! :)

Thank you - Idgie, Mark, Choufleur, and Moonlight for your kind and supportive posts. Much appreciated.

You have all touched me and made me smile :) today.

I wish each of you all the best in your journeys!!!

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Maintenance - Week 4

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sun Oct 14, 2018 9:12 pm

Hi,

To start, I have to commend everyone who is struggling -- whether the scale is going up - or down "too slowly" -- or staying the same -- ... for posting... (keep on!!)

This is the first week in a long time that I've missed making a Friday post on results.

Other motivations are needed than the Scale Master when you are trying to stay in one place... Much easier to point at a number going down... and wanting to post about it. (Who knew?? :D )

This week I kept on with some good habits. My favorite thought of the week is that my son called me "crock pot crazy" when I made chili in the large one. Then the next day quick washed it to make a huge batch of veggie soup. Had the small crock going at the same time to make smashed pinto beans. (I am considering a medium crock pot too... why not?? ) :)

While I maximized no oil, starch based, minimally processed meals with veggies and fruits, I did have a few incidences where I ate McD compliant snack (Damn you, pretzels)... Also, trying to keep motivation up with exercise with the crummier weather. For the week, I did ok... still on the ranch. Keeping up habits. Not perfect. Can improve. Will improve... :cool:

For next week, going to keep stocked with my favorite MWL foods (take to work and at home in fridge). These are as follows:
Starch - frozen hash browns (potato waffle!), red lentil chili (made a big batch today), rice, fresh potatoes, smashed beans (OMG, pinto beans!!!)
Fruit - cut up Honeydew melon, red pears, frozen cherries, grapes, bananas
Veggies - bought 3 new bags of frozen, bean sprouts, red onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, Marzetti tomatoes, mushrooms, carrots, celery, radishes

Will be making split pea soup and a "no-chicken" rice soup with garbanzo beans, celery / carrot / onion...

Will be logging miles walked - goal is 20 this week. Need to keep energy up -- would aspire to more than that goal, but baby steps for the indoor routine.

Numerically, am still in maintenance weight range at 19.0 BMI (but at top of what I thought...). Will record my net gain / loss using last week as a baseline.

Quote of the Week:
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby bunsofaluminum » Thu Oct 18, 2018 11:24 am

Oh doesn't a hashbrown waffle just sound DELISH!!! with soup? Oooh, babay! Thanks for the idea :)

Split pea soup is on the agenda for me, too...after Cabbage Noodle Soup. :nod:

The grandest thing about Fall and Winter really is soup...and sweaters :D
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: On the Road to Better Health

Postby VegSeekingFit » Fri Oct 19, 2018 5:17 pm

bunsofaluminum wrote:Oh doesn't a hashbrown waffle just sound DELISH!!! with soup? Oooh, babay! Thanks for the idea :)

Split pea soup is on the agenda for me, too...after Cabbage Noodle Soup. :nod:

The grandest thing about Fall and Winter really is soup...and sweaters :D


Hey Buns! :D

Hope you like soup & potato waffle if you give it a go!!

I saw your post on Cabbage Noodle Soup!! Sounds delicious!!!

For fall - loving : pumpkin scents (candles... ), sweatshirts / sweaters, boots, soup, chili, use the fireplace.... good stuff!

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Maintenance - Week 5

Postby VegSeekingFit » Fri Oct 19, 2018 5:40 pm

Hi,

Still trying to keep up with habits developed in the weight loss phase. I am at 113.8 lbs (which is in maintenance range) - so up a lb., but ok with that.

Food - Have mainly followed what I've posted in the past. My typical meals are the same (and I've been focusing on including favorites)... Have started making 1.5 c. dry beans at a time instead of 1 c. -- still loving the smashed pinto beans (Mary McD recipe). Have been bringing with me to work extra starch serving / rice or potatoes (if I'm not hungry at work, will eat for dinner). Have been mainly MWL compliant (except for the darn pretzels a few days) - but have eaten mainly minimally processed MWL compliant foods.

Made a great impromptu soup this week (which is saying something, as I'm not such a great cook and I didn't make this in the crock pot...)

"No-chicken rice"....
Browned chopped veggies - garlic, celery, carrots, onions, mushrooms in soup pot.
Added NSA veg broth & poultry seasoning and cayenne pepper.
Added can of NSA Great Northern Beans.
Brought to a boil, then simmered for awhile.
Added a bit more water, cooked rice, and black pepper.
Yummy!!! Will make this again!!

Exercise - Have done less than when I was walking outside, but have been consistent and have been logging on paper. A couple of days added a second session - like today walked on TM for 2 miles in AM and then again 2 miles in PM.

Thrilled to have found potential tennis opportunity - kudos to my colleague (who has been doing this and told me about it).... So, there is a weekly 2 hour drills / Round Robin session at a place not far from my work that you can pay when you go -- and it is not one where you have to have a USTA ranking. Going to "observe" next week or the week after and then thinking to do this. Love tennis!!

Also, on the "get a life" circuit - will be joining a reading discussion group at the library. Reading is one of my passions.

When work quiets down, going to find some other opportunities to better use time - to help others / engage in areas where I can make a difference.

On the challenge spectrum, really busy with work. Had posted before about being not thrilled about not being able to take off from 11/1 - 2/15 due to project implementation. Just found out this week that over New Year weekend, they want me to be on site for 24 hrs. / day for 5 days. Thankful to have a job, but not wrapping my brain around this -- even feasibilty of being able to be functioning human being under these circumstances (sad to miss out on family stuff too!!!). Hopefully, it doesn't quite pan out this way. (Had more been expecting to be "on call" from home over this w/e...) If it is as stated.... I will fill one of the freezers with frozen fruit, veggies, rice.... and eat simple & compliant... we also have a 24 hr. gym... so I could be on the treadmill... :) (Who knows where one sleeps though in these circumstances... on conference room table???) (OK -- I am really NOT happy about this... but do need my job... so, just trying to visualize how it could work... )

Anyway, what will be will be...

Quote of the Week...
"Que Sera, Sera,
Whatever will be, will be, will be,
The future's not ours, to see, yeah
Que Sera, Que Sera, Que Sera..." - Doris Day

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

This Week's Starch Centered Meals

Postby VegSeekingFit » Sun Oct 21, 2018 5:28 pm

Hi,

Excited to have made another batch of "No Chicken RIce Soup"... Used about 8 cups of water (instead of 6) and garbanzo beans (instead of great northern beans). Also, added a bit of miso paste to the broth. More parsley. More red onion. More black pepper. This is truly a "comfort" food - smells delicious and tastes great too!!! Have a bunch left over for upcoming week.

For the first time, made my favorite potato waffle for 2 meals. :D Why not? Loved it and may double dip on it again....

Have split pea soup, red lentil chili, smashed pinto beans prepared as well for this week meals and snacks.

Have cut up cantaloupe and crudites.
Stocked bananas, pears, potatoes...
Frozen veggies, frozen corn, frozen shredded potatoes, frozen rice, frozen cherries, frozen peaches.

Rode exercise bike for a few minutes today. The resistance is crazy hard (even at low level)-- so I can't go for very long. Will be building up as a challenge and a change up from the treadmill.

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby moonlight » Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:24 am

Hi Stephanie,

I love to read about your posts! You are full of energy and positivity! Your meals sound yummy! I'm proud of myself today. I started a batch of split pea soup in my crock pot this morning before work. Not something I would normally feel like I had time to do but it only took about 20 minutes prep time. I'm looking forward to my dinner now.

Hope you have a great day! :)
moonlight
 
Posts: 1525
Joined: Sun Nov 03, 2013 6:23 pm

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby bunsofaluminum » Tue Oct 23, 2018 10:44 am

That soup sounds scrumptious, and so does your reading group at the library! Me=Jellin. And your stock of compliant foods! well done, you're ready to rumble!
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: On the Road to Better Health

Postby VegSeekingFit » Thu Oct 25, 2018 6:30 pm

moonlight wrote:Hi Stephanie,

I love to read about your posts! You are full of energy and positivity! Your meals sound yummy! I'm proud of myself today. I started a batch of split pea soup in my crock pot this morning before work. Not something I would normally feel like I had time to do but it only took about 20 minutes prep time. I'm looking forward to my dinner now.

Hope you have a great day! :)


Hi Moonlight! :-D

Thank you for your support!! :cool: I appreciate being on this journey with you.

Way to go on the split pea soup and the crock pot!! :D Hope it worked out well. I love coming home to dinner made.... Your soup sounds wonderful!!

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: On the Road to Better Health

Postby VegSeekingFit » Thu Oct 25, 2018 6:36 pm

bunsofaluminum wrote:That soup sounds scrumptious, and so does your reading group at the library! Me=Jellin. And your stock of compliant foods! well done, you're ready to rumble!


Hey Buns! :)

Yay, soup!!! We have to trade some recipes over this fall / winter season. Can never have too many soups!!

Do you love to read?? The book group is good so far. I've done a lot of virtual book clubs and used to review on Goodreads a ton. The in person discussions at library are awesome (but I am just a newbie there)...

Cheers,
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
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

PreviousNext

Return to My Daily Menus & Journals

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 15 guests



Welcome!

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