My Daily "Weighing in"

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

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby Idgie » Sun Sep 09, 2018 3:34 pm

So happy to hear you're feeling better!
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Sun Nov 25, 2018 10:32 am

I have continued to read most of the posts on the McDougall connect board, realizing that I am beginning to slip and beginning to doubt that I can do this. Underneath, I really DO believe in this way of eating so I begin again to post thoughts about my days, my food, my life. Being healthy is my goal and I am certainly more healthy than I was a year and a half ago. I think I am thinking about the numbers on the scale too much and I believe that thinking about my HEALTH is what is really important.

One of my goals when reaching retirement is/was re-learning to knit ! I have found that things that I love to do find me ! A member of a book club that I belong to offered to teach a class in sock knitting. Being a very practical person, I decided to join up telling my friend that I was sort of a beginner in the knitting world. Well, I failed miserably and had to give up knitting socks, donated the sock yarn and needles. I came back to the group and made a small scarf, then a hat of bright colors for myself, now making a cowl and another small scarf to match the hat that I made.

Learning to back off and be humble is what this knitting has taught me. Learning to do the simpler things and being (somewhat) successful has helped my attitude about life. I would like to knit everything perfectly but I mess up and have to do over a few times and still there are some little mistakes that I have no idea how they got there.....I am learning to live with it. The overall piece that I am knitting looks pretty good even with the tiny flaws.

I guess I am looking pretty good too even with my flaws. I pick up and keep going on with my life. One day at a time. Forgiving my slip-ups.

No promises as to how often I will return to this journal but writing this helps me focus and maybe it will help someone else too.

It is all about the health......the food I eat, the activity I do, the way I look at my world, forgiveness and joy.

This is a good day !

-Squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby Idgie » Sun Nov 25, 2018 11:50 am

Beautiful. Well said.
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
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Sun Feb 03, 2019 2:52 pm

It has been a while since I have written in this journal. The news is good ! I joined a facebook group and have followed the MWL plan for the month of January and also for February. I lost over 12 pounds this past month and am now just overweight and not obese.!! I have been in that obese category for a long, long time and it is nice to finally crawl out.

I discovered that bread, peanut butter and those treats were my undoing. Actually, I already knew that but just didn't want to try it until after Christmas . January and February have no big events for me and no holidays. This is a good time to get firm in my eating plan.

Yesterday was a bit difficult for me and I started eating things I shouldn't but got on top of it and am doing well now. I would love a 5 or 6 pound loss for this month. Getting closer and closer to my goal !!

I have been reading the MWL February group on this McDougall site and it encourages me. I have not joined as it is too hard to keep up but I love reading it.

Have a good month everyone !

-Squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Mon Jun 17, 2019 5:29 pm

This title (of my journal) seems to be a lie. I have NOT been weighing in daily and not even monthly ! Sad :cry: but true....

I have been really good at maintaining my weight the last few months but that is NOT my goal. My long term goal is good health (normal blood pressure, low total cholesterol and good numbers on other lab test, feeling well with increased energy and normal weight ). Well, I am still on a low dose blood pressure med and noticed that my BP it inching up and sometimes my legs feel swollen. Not good signs :oops: .

Time to dedicate (again) to the MWL program and persist, persevere and whatever it takes to succeed ! I am feeling nervous !! I know what to do and I know I can do it. Will report back.

Eating the food is no problem but the times of craving are my undoing. I notice that there is a cue to this craving and it is afternoons when I am alone in the house....my mind starts thinking of foods I really don't want but still crave. I tried making less destructive treats but that has not worked. I need to tough it out and get past those feelings for three days or more to strengthen my resistance muscle. Maybe journal here more often and read what others are doing will help as well.

If anyone is reading......sorry if this is depressing. Just trying to think this through and plan for my success.

I'll be back !!

-squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby Ejeff » Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:36 am

When you get those cravings, try drinking a glass of water and go distract yourself with something else, a walk, a book, anything that will take your mind off food. Worth a try maybe...and I should follow my own advice lol
"The more disciplined your environment is, the less disciplined you need to be. Don't swim upstream."
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Wed Aug 14, 2019 3:53 pm

This morning I took my 3 mile walk down our street. I was wearing my regular exercise clothes and , (oh dear !!) , my "belly" was sticking out :( ! Also noticed that my stretchy pants that were big on me now fit just right !! It is time for me to take action ! I cannot deny that fact that I have been gaining weight again ! I have to face it and do something about it ! No more pretending that I have been maintaining all this time ! :\

Eating when not hungry and eating fatty, sugary foods has been my downfall since Spring. I feel that I have fallen into the pit and cannot get a foothold to get myself out. But wait a minute.....I DO know what to do. All I have to do is start. Right now . It is 5:50PM and now I start. :nod:
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:07 pm

JeffN’s 10ish Pt. Checklist for Maximum Weight Loss
1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.

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.

2) Choose fruit for dessert.

3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts.

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

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

6) Eliminate any added oil.

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.

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

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

10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).



I am copying this to my page so I can refer to it each day while I climb out of my hole.
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Thu Aug 15, 2019 3:50 pm

Whew !! :eek: Busy day today watching my two grandsons ! We went to the farmer's market and looked at all the lovely vegetables, crafts and other things they had there. We then went to a playground that is all ages and abilities friendly. That playground was FILLED with children and adults enjoying a cooler day outside today. The boys played on all that was available and really were into climbing, hanging, swinging etc, etc. They were happy and busy (my plan :-D ).

While watching them I caught sight of an old friend who was watching her son and nieces play. I haven't seen her in a few years as she moved to another town. She was diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer a year ago after suffering with back pain during pregnancy and afterwards. Five years is what they are telling her ! I have been praying for her since hearing about it. So good to see her and I kept thinking about what a coincidence it was !! I am so thankful for those few minutes visiting !!

Today I have turned around my eating. Today I am thankful for so much. Today I am active and happy. :nod:

Breakfast: steel cut oats and blueberries
Lunch: large salad, dressing, bean soup, peach
Dinner: steamed broccoli and brussel sprouts, potatoes
Probably a fruit following dinner

Please be thankful for all you have today ! I certainly am !

-squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Fri Aug 16, 2019 2:42 pm

Continuing today on my journey to just do one thing at a time in the right direction. I figure that way I will be turning toward the way I want to be and becoming who I was meant to be.

I did a little shopping today. Bought a new purse (much needed) and some things from the health food store (lentils, noodles etc). It is my day to get out and just go wherever I want to go and do a little something for myself. I like these little reward days and things. I feel that if I save rewards just for the times I spend my week perfectly, I am punishing myself every time I go off plan and that is just plain depressing. So I came home happy and feel rewarded and feel like carrying on with my quest!

Breakfast: Old fashioned oats, and splash of almond milk and a big bunch of blueberries (overnight oats)
Lunch: very large salad, dressing, souper beans with noodles, apple
Dinner will be: steamed brussel sprouts and broccoli, potatoes, and a very good recipe from Vegan Under Pressure cookbook . Don't remember the exact name but it is in the "Toppers" section and is made with green lentils, mushrooms, kale, onion and a nice mix of spices. Easy to make and is delicious on potatoes, rice, or in a corn tortilla (as a taco).

I will start my day tomorrow with a nice walk and hope to get in some gardening too. Yesterday I found that some sort of vine had made its way up two evergreen trees and appeared to be trying to choke it to death. I pulled it off and had a huge armload full of that vine. Oh, I need to get after those weeds again !!

Have a good weekend ! I will !

-squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby AnnetteW » Fri Aug 16, 2019 5:16 pm

Sounds like a lovely day. I enjoy days like that.

Enjoy your gardening tomorrow.
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Sat Aug 17, 2019 5:42 pm

Thank you Annette ! It was a nice day today ! Started my day with a three mile walk. Drank a lot of water afterward and then dug around my three rosebushes and put some Rosetone fertilizer down around them and watered. Pulled some weeds and cut down some of the Catmint that is trying to take over the front garden. That was enough for me !! :P By the time I got out of the shower it was already 12:30! Always thankful that I can be active like this. I see so many that cannot and realize that I could be in that group easily.

I got through half my lunch and then I don't know what happened but before I could even reason it out I was eating my way through bread, peanut butter, vegan margarine, honey and who knows (or remembers) what else ! I was able to stop and realize what I was doing (finally) :!:

Anyway, the rest of the day has been much calmer. I went to the store after mass and bought a can of garbanzo beans for a dish I am making tomorrow. I did NOT go through the bakery department and did NOT buy any sweets. I did buy a bottle of kombucha as my treat. Now I realize that drink has caffeine ! Forgot about that ! As a non-caffeine person that little bit may mean that I will have a bit of trouble falling asleep tonight. :oops: there is always something to learn, right?

Breakfast: steel cut oats, blueberries and splash of almond milk
Lunch: large salad, dressing (fat free) with a lot of tomatoes and other raw veggies and then.....who knows what else (see above paragraphs)
Dinner: two corn tortillas stuffed with tomatoes, lentils, onion, mushroom mix that I made a couple days ago (these tacos were delicious! and I will have them again ! :-D ) also steamed broccoli

Enjoy your evening and your Sunday ! Find a few things to be thankful for!

_Squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Sun Aug 18, 2019 4:06 pm

Sundays are my days to relax. I don't go for a walk. I DO keep my PJ's on for a while in the morning a watch the CBS morning show before getting my shower in and getting dressed.

Sundays are also the day when I cook up more than one thing for me to eat during the week. Today was brown Jasmine rice, a mix of garbanzo beans, sweet potatoes and spices in the crock pot and also an Indian dish with yellow chick peas, red lentils, tomatoes, onion and spices in the Instant Pot. These things will last me all week. After three days if it looks like I have too much then I will freeze some of it for another time.

I had my usual breakfast this morning but as soon as my husband disappeared for his Sunday nap I started looking in the cupboards again and started eating. Aaaaahhhhhh!!! When the house is empty, that is my cue to eat. Thinking about writing this down finally stopped me. It is important to get past this if I want to get the rest of the weight off and live the healthy life that I would like. Lets see if tomorrow I can distract myself long enough to get past this "CRAM circuit" (as Dr Lisle calls it ). I will let this journal know how I am doing with it.

All if fine now. My husband and I are going out for dinner a little later. I know what I will have. We frequent the same places and I have a couple of things I can eat at each of them....nothing fancy. We enjoy this time to talk and catch up on our week and talk about upcoming things.

Breakfast: Steel cut oats, blueberries, a little bit of wheat berries that I cooked a few days ago and a splash of almond milk
Lunch: Well I guess I told you about my CRAM circuit :roll:
Dinner: Pasta and plain sauce, maybe veggie soup or salad, apple

Wish me luck tomorrow as i fight to distract myself out of a CRAM. My goal is to do this for three days (then maybe it will get easier).

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday. I have book club tomorrow night so i have some reading to do !

-squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby squealcat » Tue Aug 20, 2019 3:04 pm

My husband has been pretty miserable lately. He had about three or four sinus infections this year, has been on antibiotics maybe 5 times for various things and in the hospital once when he almost passed out and could not get up to a standing or seated position (ambulance ride and two nights in the hospital).

Yesterday he (and I) went to see a dermatologist because of all the skin rashes and itching he has been having and today an allergist. Another antibiotic, some lotions, drops, a shampoo.......oh my! I didn't realize until now how stressed this has made me feel but of course, his stress is much higher !

I don't know where I am going with this except that I do wish he would take in more veggies, greens and fruits into his body and drink more water. I cannot help to think that this would at least keep away some of that awful stuff he has been suffering with. He refuses to eat the way I do and even if a recipe says vegetarian, he will not even touch it! He IS very supportive of ME and my way of eating and for that I am thankful! He is a good man and good husband. I just feel sad for him and wish I could do more.

My eating has not been going well. Breakfast is always the high point of my day. Many times I eat so much in the afternoon that I am not even hungry for dinner ! I DO get in a salad almost every day and fruits are not problem. Still working on that.

Tomorrow I go to my brother's house for dinner with him, his wife and my sister and her husband. My brother is having a Polish dinner. I guess it will be potatoes and sauerkraut for me. I am bringing strawberry shortcake for dessert. I will have strawberries. Sounds doable to me. I will not ask what is in the potatoes or the kraut..... I will do the best I can. I cannot stress about it all. Dont know if my husband is going. I know he does not want to go. He may just take a deep breath and go for it or I will go alone. We will see.

That is really all. I am trying to fill this time of day up with journaling as the house is empty and I usually eat. Writing things down seems to be helping me think things through.

I will probably be back here tomorrow.

love,
squealcat
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Re: My Daily "Weighing in"

Postby AnnetteW » Wed Aug 21, 2019 6:35 am

I too wish my husband would eat more my way, but at the same time I can understand that he's a bit frustrated with me, as I'm the one who's always changing her diet. First weight watchers, then low carb, then count calories, now this. Luckily my husband will eat what I cook and I can also tell he's lost a little weight. It's the bad stuff he'll eat that bugs me, because he does eat good stuff.

Just focus on you, make you as healthy as you can.

Take care and enjoy today.
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