Journal for Health

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

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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:04 am

I bought a big sack of barley a while ago and stored it in an air tight container. I got it out the other day and way horrified to find little bugs floating to the top while I was rinsing it off. GAG! BARF! I already store all my new flour products in the freezer, and now the grains are going in there, too. I just take enough out at a time that I know I'll use in a week. But ew! :shock: So, I never made the barely casserole I had my heart set on.

I've been terrible with exercise. It's winter here, and all I want to do is stay wrapped up in a blanket on the couch. You'd be surprised what a few weeks of this will do to a middle aged lady. The other night I was at the barn with my horse, just doing basic grooming and hoof care. By the end, my legs were shaking (from bending over a lot), and I was winded. From brushing a horse. :angry: God forbid I'd need to run for my life for any reason because I'd be dead after about ten feet. All my life I've been able to muscle through the fatigue and keep on going, but not any more. So, if you're reading my journal and you're under the age of 50, for the love of Mike get fit and stay fit. It really does get worse the older you get. You'll blink and be a blob of jello before you know it. And, to make matters worse, it affects my ability to ride. The horse doesn't appreciate an out of shape fatty bouncing around on his back. And, my horse is fat, out of shape and middle aged himself which makes matters worse. So, the nag and I will be taking long, slow walks in the snow together. In addition, I need to start strength training. My older sister was diagnosed with low vitamin D and osetopenia. Inactively and diner food have not been our friends, no matter how much fun we had together. :(
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby bunsofaluminum » Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:50 am

keithswife wrote:I bought a big sack of barley a while ago and stored it in an air tight container. I got it out the other day and way horrified to find little bugs floating to the top while I was rinsing it off. GAG! BARF! I already store all my new flour products in the freezer, and now the grains are going in there, too. I just take enough out at a time that I know I'll use in a week. But ew! :shock: So, I never made the barely casserole I had my heart set on.

I've been terrible with exercise. It's winter here, and all I want to do is stay wrapped up in a blanket on the couch. You'd be surprised what a few weeks of this will do to a middle aged lady. The other night I was at the barn with my horse, just doing basic grooming and hoof care. By the end, my legs were shaking (from bending over a lot), and I was winded. From brushing a horse. :angry: God forbid I'd need to run for my life for any reason because I'd be dead after about ten feet. All my life I've been able to muscle through the fatigue and keep on going, but not any more. So, if you're reading my journal and you're under the age of 50, for the love of Mike get fit and stay fit. It really does get worse the older you get. You'll blink and be a blob of jello before you know it. And, to make matters worse, it affects my ability to ride. The horse doesn't appreciate an out of shape fatty bouncing around on his back. And, my horse is fat, out of shape and middle aged himself which makes matters worse. So, the nag and I will be taking long, slow walks in the snow together. In addition, I need to start strength training. My older sister was diagnosed with low vitamin D and osetopenia. Inactively and diner food have not been our friends, no matter how much fun we had together. :(


Ooh! Weevils? My mom's kitchen, you'd find weevils in a lot of things. We never freaked out about it, because they don't migrate to other areas, and leave no filth...still, YUCK! I guess you tossed the barley?

But on being out of shape and fat. I know I'd never survive a zombie apocalypse, but in a famine, I'd do REAL WELL. hahahaha! But seriously, yes sitting around will destroy a body. They say even 10 minutes a day of moderate activity like a short walk is much better than nothing. I've been doing the recumbent bike at work every morning...moderate 20-25 minutes, or 15 if I'm feeling lazy...and I can tell the difference. I feel so much better, and even my bum knee is easier these days. Those horseback rides will be wonderful for you! Oh, I'm envious. Outdoors, cool winter air, with a HORSE?! Yah, babay! Enjoy!
JUST DON'T EAT IT

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simple, humble food
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The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Tue Jan 22, 2019 7:54 pm

Yes, Buns, I threw those little suckers away. It's hilarious. I was raised on a farm, and anything creepy crawly makes me scream like a little girl. Harmless mice, baby black snakes, bugs of all sorts, evil tomato worms, ... I once screamed so loud over finding a tomato worm that the neighbors rushed over wanting to know if they should call the police :o Heh, no, just terrified of that ittle widdle creeping worm there .. :o :shock: :-( And don't even get me started on dead things.

On a more serious note, a woman in my church passed away today. She had the biggest heart and was always where the babies and little kids were, helping out and lending a hand. The poor dear weighed very nearly 500 lbs. She went in for weight loss surgery and died from complications. She was only 26. You know, guys, this food stuff is serious. And we all have our demons with it, or we wouldn't be here. Myself including. Dr. McDougall gave us a gift by showing us how to restore our health and sanity without resorting to drug or complicated surgeries. Let's take that gift and run with it today.
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby bunsofaluminum » Wed Jan 23, 2019 8:57 am

Oh, so sorry to hear about the woman at church :( Kind of an eye opener...heck, if I get too fat, I'll just have my stomach stapled... which is a major surgery with VERY serious potential complications. Makes me want to get it together even more.
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
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:03 pm

bunsofaluminum wrote:Oh, so sorry to hear about the woman at church :( Kind of an eye opener...heck, if I get too fat, I'll just have my stomach stapled... which is a major surgery with VERY serious potential complications. Makes me want to get it together even more.


I'm sure there are exceptions that I'm unaware of, but I've never seen a weight loss surgery with a positive outcome. A woman I went to school with had one done a few years back. She did lose weight initially, and most of her hair from malnutrition. Today, she is more obese that she was before. My friend that just died just wanted a better life. I'm not sure what happened. When I was younger, I went from diet to diet to diet trying to find something that would "cure" me so I could eat like a normal person, not the fast food binger that I was. Now that I am older, I truly believe that we need to fix our heads first before any weight loss can happen. With me, fear of a sickly, dementia riddled old age isn't enough to make me change permanently. Finding better ways to handle my anxiety and stress in more healthy ways will.

On the food front, I am getting totally addicted to bulger. :D My new favorite breakfast is to microwave a cup of blueberries with a pinch of sugar until they are nice and syrupy. Then I mix in about 2/3 cup of cooked bulger. it is so good! I also went to Aldi today to try some of their new vegan offerings. They have a vegan veggie burger that is low fat so I bought a box. I made one for lunch and it was so nasty I couldn't finish it. It tasted like pureed peas, and I'm not a big pea fan. At least they were cheap. So I ended up having a pb&j sandwich instead. Dinner I am making baked sweet potatoes in my air fryer and will eat those with a bit of cooked broccoli.Fast and easy.
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby Michele613 » Wed Jan 23, 2019 1:44 pm

Hi KW,

Living in a rural environment seems to lend itself to activity usually...like taking care of the horse, etc. I too, at age 70, have allowed myself to become more and more inactive. Some weeks I don't even go outside the house. I wouldn't even be able to run after the ice cream truck these days if they were still around.

I think fear can be a strong motivator but looking for a positive, joyful reason for choosing to be healthy is probably a better one. Whichever it takes...just let it lead you down the right path for longevity and health.

Keep eating the bulgur and other whole foods and you will meet with success and will be able to use it for a happy and more productive life.

Thanks for sharing....it made me chuckle (in appropriate parts, of course) :)
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Thu Jan 24, 2019 9:05 am

Thanks for stopping by Michele. Yes, in the race to the ice cream truck, you would find me face down on the pavement after being trampled to death by a pack of fleet-footed children. Even my elderly mom, who comes from sturdy Irish stock, can still take a bale of hay in each hand and effortlessly swing them around on to the stack. I can drag one with both hands while walking backward, with great effort. I kid around about this stuff, but I seriously need to get my rear moving again. :\

I have oatmeal for breakfast, with about a TB of peanut butter in it to give it staying power. Lunch will be sweet potatoes and spicy veggies, with dinner most likely a stir fry. My hubby is on Weight Watchers, and it's easy to McDougallize a lot of their recipes. He's not eating enough fruits and veggies to suit me, but he is making an effort to get healthy, and I support him 100%. The only unhappy camper is my 12-year-old boy, who is seriously missing the fast food runs and pizza deliveries. It's a challenge to feed him enough calories these days, as he won't eat anything close to a vegetable and most fruits. One step at a time I guess.
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby Michele613 » Thu Jan 24, 2019 10:52 am

Hi KW,

Thanks for the laugh. I too am from good Irish/English stock. Both my grandmothers lived into their mid + 90's....my mom just to 87.5. I got the 'stock' (stocky) from grandmothers it seems. My mom was thin/trim alllllllllll her life. My female 1st cousins have all been trim their entire lives too....jealous factor rising. Their thin genes must be from their side which is non-related to mine.

Having a 12 year old to satisfy has got to be tough since he is used to all of THOSE other foods, as we all were at that age and our age. Guess you'll find out how creative you can be. You can actually POST a question to a forum asking what they make for children his age. That might give you some workable ideas.

Keep on the path to health. It seems you have your husband as a partner is your journey which is very helpful. Many of us want more for our loved ones than they want for themselves. Let us be the successful example. That will speak silent volumes to light their way more clearly.

Wishing you great success and joy!
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Tue May 14, 2019 7:47 am

Ha! Found my journal. And they said it couldn't be done. :-D

This past week my father in law had a mini-stroke. He just turned 80, and has type 2 diabetes and had quintuple bypass surgery. The kicker? He's not obese, or even overweight. He's just made bad food choices all of his life. I'm just shy of 5'4" and weigh in at about 128 pounds. And my cholesterol is probably higher than many obese folks that I know. But, I make bad food choices. And these bad choices do catch up with you one way or the other. There's no getting around it. Being thin will not solve all my health problems. I need to address them at the cause and make major changes. It's that simple. There's no getting around the hard work and effort involved, no matter how much my lazy self looks for a way.

I've been successful in making other life changes recently in my life, both in my home and job. It's time to add the next layer. My non-WFPB family can easily be appeased. All I need to do is make tasty starch-based sides. add a cooked veggie and a salad, make some sort of meat entree for them, and everyone gets to sit down and eat dinner together. Why I didn't think of this before I will never know. I guess I like to make things as difficult as possible. So, that's the plan this week. I need to get some meal planning done and go grocery shopping.

Breakfast: cooked bulgur and blueberries
Lunch: veggie baked beans with kale, broccoli
Dinner: sides of veggie stuffing, cooked carrots, and a salad.
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby Michele613 » Tue May 14, 2019 11:15 am

Wellllll.....welcome back. Hope your father-in-law is doing better. Perhaps his health conditions have sparked his son/your husband to make healthier choices.

Been making life choices, heh? Wow....getting rid of cobwebs in the home and job.....big moves...takes courage and faith. Good luck with all of that.

See you're still hooked on the bulgur....well that's starting your day off right....hope you are able to continue that good eating throughout your days.

5'4 @ 128 with bad blood numbers....yeah, that is surprising. Guess some of that 'meat' stuff got into you too. Good luck bringing down those numbers (or up depending on which ones they are).

By now you may have a teenager on your hands. Now don't turn to food to deal with that for the next 7 years.

Now that it's Summer I guess you'd better get out pitchin' hay with your mom.

Whatever you do....make the right choices!!

You can do this!
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Tue May 14, 2019 2:19 pm

Hi Michele, thanks for stopping by. :D

My first job out of high school was working in a fast food restaurant. I developed a taste for the stuff and loved to top all that deep fried goodness off with mayonnaise. Honestly, it a wonder I'm still here.

I used to be a huge oatmeal fan, but I've come to prefer bulgur. It takes longer to cook but has a chewiness to it that I like.

And don't even get me started on the new teenager, LOL! It's going to be fun. :mrgreen:
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Thu May 16, 2019 3:52 pm

The eating wasn't great, but at least I got lots of exercise today. I dragged a new saddle into my car and out to the barn to try out on my horse (one of those heavy western suckers), then dragged my old one from the barn to the car. Rode my horse who was crabbier than usual. I discovered that the source of his crabbiness was that the new saddle didn't fit. So, I had to drag it BACK to the car, and then drag the old one back into the barn. And, I think I got sunburned to boot. Add into the mix chasing the farm goat out of my stuff several times (the old girl will eat anything, even if it's not food), and I call it a good day's workout.

On the way home I picked up a Subway sub for my kid and got myself 2 cookies. :oops: I need to stop rewarding myself with food. Life long habit, but if I'm going to turn my health around it's got to go. I'm going to sit down and plan out my next few meals. I'm hoping to stay on plan tomorrow.
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
keithswife
 
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby Michele613 » Thu May 16, 2019 4:19 pm

Well good for you....sometimes G-d just sets us up to do what we ourselves might not schedule in our day because He knows that it is good for us....soooo you got a different form of exercise but at least got something. Now.....just lay off the edible rewards that are not of the healthier kind.

I just finished pizza so I should talk .... took me HOURS to eat as it sat next to me in bed while I fooled around on computer, neither having the computer in bed nor food in bed contribute to good health as it keeps me fat and inactive when there is NOTHING physically wrong with me.

I am working on getting out of my head and bed...so far I am still in both. Maybe Summertime will help.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
'
Have you 'joined' any of the GROUP forums here? There are many participants available with good words and support.
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Re: Journal for Health

Postby keithswife » Sat May 18, 2019 11:01 am

Michele613 wrote:I am working on getting out of my head and bed...so far I am still in both. Maybe Summertime will help.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend.
'
Have you 'joined' any of the GROUP forums here? There are many participants available with good words and support.


I spent most of the winter wrapped up in a blanket on my couch not doing much of anything. I was just in a state of despair and couldn't seem to pull myself out of it. It lasted for months and that's how I got so very out of shape. Last month I decided that I wanted to live, so I made some life goal to try to snap out of it. First, I developed a schedule for cleaning my house. I worked on that for a while until it became a habit. Next, I added working more hours at my job to improve my income (I'm self-employed). My third phase is to add riding my horse more and getting back to eating McDougall. I've learned I can't change all at once. It's just going to have to take the time it takes.

Like, right now I have a tub of earth balance margarine in my fridge. It is absolutely not allowed on the program, but it's helping me choke down the vegetables I normally wouldn't eat. I figure once I find out what I like and what I don't like, I can phase it out. By accident, I discovered that equal parts of balsamic vinegar mixed with maple syrup make a very tasty salad dressing. Switch out the vinegar for soy sauce (with a bit of dried ginger and crushed red pepper thrown in), and I have a great stir fry sauce. It's just going to take time to work all this out.

Today I made pancakes for everyone for breakfast (no eggs or dairy), and they were a big hit. I ate too many of them and skipped right through lunch. I may have some fruit later to tide me over until dinner. Dinner will be tacos for the gang, with a salad topped with refried beans for me, and maybe a side of corn. Exercise will be riding the ungrateful horse around for a bit. We are starting riding lessons this week and neither one of us are prepared for that. :(
"One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." - Virginia Woolf
keithswife
 
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Joined: Thu Dec 21, 2006 9:32 am

Re: Journal for Health

Postby Michele613 » Sat May 18, 2019 12:24 pm

Well it sounds like you acted like a healthy adult, reflected, made a plan and took charge. I wanna be like that when I grow up (I'm 70 if I didn't mention that before).

You shared some good ideas...also liked the salad dressing one. I like that sweet-sour combo and you are absolutely right about it helping the vegetables do down.

Well keep it up! It also helps when your family likes the food substitutes. What did you make your pancakes with....it's the toppings that could kill the healthy part of them.

Enjoy the Summer....the riding (what's your horse's name?). Your son will be out of school soon...will he be helping with farm chores, etc. I hope he's enjoying the lifestyle.

Hang onto your forward thinking attitude. Yes, our healthy choices today will, G-d willing, prolong our life with tomorrows.

:)
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