Back in the saddle to simplify

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

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Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Wed Jan 09, 2019 9:48 pm

Hi. I'm back from a long hiatus. Seven years ago I was having horrible gall bladder issues and researched diet to handle it instead of surgery. Dr McDougall had the answers for me. I lost my gall bladder attacks immediately! And then I slowly lost 65 pounds (from 245 to 180.) I still had 50 to 60 pounds to go, but stopped losing because of bread and pasta mostly. After 5 years at that weight I tried some high fat items like avocados and nuts when I was on vacation. Previously those would give me gall bladder attacks. Now they don't. I'm not sure if the stones are gone, or what. But the last year I have eaten badly off plan, probably just because I can. Pain was previously a good motivator.

I'm done with it though. I wake up with aches and pains again. My knees hurt. I get viruses again. I've gained weight back. I weighed 222 at the first of the year. My clothes look bad on me. I want to feel good again and I want to lose ALL the weight this time.

My plan is for eating mostly Maximum Weight Loss style. I read the entirety of Geo's first year journal and I was seriously inspired. I am inspired to simplify my food and add exercise. I have never been active physically. I read, and in the summer I garden and read. I'm going to begin with walking. I do have a pedometer.

I'm a 56 year old mother of 10, grandmother of 6 (so far!) 5'7" about 218 pounds.

So today:

B 4 red potatoes, previously baked, smashed and water fried.
Salt, pepper, garlic and.onion powder. Then I had hot chocolate made with soymilk, water, sugar and cocoa. Dangit.

L veggie soup with rice added

S frozen Mexican mixed veggies and a huge leaf of chard from the garden and rice with salsa. And a pear.

D big white sweet potato with salt and pepper. So good!

This was more like 4 meals.
No exercise, but I ran a lot of errands and grocery shopped. It rained all day.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby Michele613 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 4:33 am

Hi Cena, Glad you're back in the saddle. Hopefully you're riding a bucker. You can do it as you know from past experience. Did you join our January 2019 MWL Weekly Weigh-in group? This is probably where you should be so you can keep yourself on track and be in touch with all of us who are starting new, restarting or rebooting. Looking forward to more of your optimism. Do it!
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Thu Jan 10, 2019 8:44 am

Yes. Thank you michele613. I actually did post in the January weigh in group last week. I can't wait to post tomorrow because I weighed this morning and it's good news!
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby Michele613 » Thu Jan 10, 2019 8:57 am

YAY~~~~ YAY. Looking forward to tomorrow's weigh-in. Hope none of us are disappointed :D
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Thu Jan 10, 2019 9:43 pm

Day 2

B 3 red smashed potatoes, hot peppermint tea w/4 drops stevia

S veggie soup w/ rice, bowl of mixed frozen berries w/ a tsp of maple syrup

L 1/3 can black beans, a chopped baked potato, mushroom gravy

S an orange

S 2 baked potatoes w/salt and pepper

D potato broccoli soup w/ 2 pieces homemade whole wheat bread

So, I ate all day long. I strayed from my plan with the maple syrup and the bread. Otherwise pretty good. I recall last time I began the no fat I ate all day long, but then it tapered off and I ate less. So I'm not going to worry about it.

I made a potato broccoli soup and a snap style soup today. I wanted chocolate twice today, but I kept away.

I think I need more structure to my day. I homeschool my kids and only work 1 day a week outside my home. But my kids are older and pretty much doing their own school now. I'm going to make some daily routines about chores and yard work for myself instead of the kids for a change.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby Michele613 » Fri Jan 11, 2019 4:09 am

Good. It's healthy for us to recognize what we need to change to help us change what we want. I look forward to seeing and sharing your successes.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:45 pm

Day 3

Lost 5 pounds last week. :-D

Today

B veggie soup and pinto beans, a banana

L potato/broccoli soup, an orange

S potato/broccoli soup, wheat thins (honestly!)

D 8 ounces sweet potato, green salad with tahini dressing, Brussels sprouts with mustard and balsamic

Not too bad. The wheat thins are now in the garbage. I keep coming across these snacky things left from the holidays.

We have a wedding out of town tomorrow so i need to plan and pack my food for lunch and dinner. Baking some gold potatoes tonight. Already have a sweet potato ready. Maybe I'll make a potato salad. But i need to leave the onions and garlic out, there will be many good friends to visit with. It should be fun.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby Lyndzie » Fri Jan 11, 2019 9:55 pm

Hi cena! I’m a homeschooling mom, too. Excellent loss, and good luck with the wedding.
Lindsey
My food journal: Adventures in Eating
My pregnancy journal: Maybe a Baby 2017
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:15 am

Lyndzie wrote:Hi cena! I’m a homeschooling mom, too. Excellent loss, and good luck with the wedding.


Yay for homeschooling! I'm in the last stretch with my youngest in 8th grade. The wedding was really fun. There was a perfect mix of people to visit with. At weddings for the past 20 years, I have either been the caterer or my kids are getting married. So to be able to wear what i want and sit down and visit who i wanted, made for a very nice day. The food was bad, but i supplemented with my own. I have a pretty cooler bag and i never feel nervous bringing it anywhere.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Tue Jan 15, 2019 9:30 am

My weekend was crazy, so I didn't post here. But i have a handwritten food journal.

Wedding Saturday was bad for food. I ate breakfast at home. Lunch at a cafe in the way to the venue. I had a salad. For dinner at the wedding i had brought sweet potatoes and i ate them. But i underestimated my hunger and the salad at lunch was not enough. So i ended up picking at the sad food on my plate at the wedding dinner.

Sunday at home was good, smashed potatoes before church. Soup for lunch and sweet potatoes and salad and steamed vegetables for dinner.

Yesterday:
B oats, soymilk, sugar. Then a sweet potato with salt and pepper.

L soup and homemade whole wheat sourdough to dip in soup.

S peanut butter and choc chips (sheesh).

D. Oven fries, salad, steamed zucchini

This was an improvement, but still imperfect. Also I am clearly more regular McDougall than MWL. I'll take either way at this point. I'm grocery shopping today and will fill the fridge with veggies and the counter with fruit. My pantry will have sweet potatoes again. It's taco Tuesday, so I'll get beans going in the instant pot before I head out. It's a rainy California day. We are always grateful for the rain in California though.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Thu Jan 17, 2019 9:04 pm

Day 9

B. None. Drank a lot of water though.

L. Minestrone soup

D. Minestrone soup and sourdough bread to dip.
Frozen banana and apricot dessert


I have added chocolate and butter and even some sad ice cream the last few days. So today was another another another start.

I have been dreadfully thirsty lately and it freaked me out. I think that it is common in diabetics to be very thirsty. So I'm back on track. I did this for 6 years, why oh why am I having trouble now?
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby Michele613 » Fri Jan 18, 2019 4:39 am

Hi Cena,

Don't be bothered by the slips....evaluate, accept and move forward without delay so that the slip doesn't become more discouraging. This is my 5th time around on the program since Summer 2017...each time I lost weight, was happy on the program...but...a slip turned into an extended breakdown. Let your past inspire you to reach and go beyond your prior successes....but remember...you've had successes and you can again...bigger and better and life-long lasting.

My sons live in California-the Valley and Venice and they said it's been pouring all week. Water is needed but no doubt there are some negative side effects what with all the fires CA has suffered in the past year and even recently in the past few months. Be safe, grateful and positive. All is from Above and is for the good.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Fri Jan 18, 2019 9:48 am

Thank you Michelle, I am moving on with my very next bite of food. Yesterday was great all around. Good food and I went and spent the afternoon with my daughter and 4 grandkids. 5 year old, 3 year old (girls), and twin 4 month old boys. Hide and seek was my main exercise! I stepped on the scale this morning for weigh in and have lost 2 pounds for the week in spite of slips. I'm so grateful. Have a great weekend.
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Re: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby bunsofaluminum » Fri Jan 18, 2019 10:33 am

Hi cena

Just skimmed through your journal. I love it that you played hide and seek with your grandkids! what fun! And I"m encouraged, because you are a gramma AND you are losing weight! Which gives me hope that I can, too. Isn't homeschooling the best? I did it until my kids were high school/jr high age and LOVED it. It's really good for the kids, too. I know mine are more centered and contented with themselves than they would be if their chief "mirror" had been "the cool kids" vs. "the nerds" vs. "the jocks" vs. "the stoners" vs. "mean teachers"

Keep on going...you're doing it!
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: Back in the saddle to simplify

Postby cena » Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:28 am

[quoteJust skimmed through your journal. I love it that you played hide and seek with your grandkids! what fun! And I"m encouraged, because you are a gramma AND you are losing weight! Which gives me hope that I can, too. Isn't homeschooling the best? I did it until my kids were high school/jr high age and LOVED it. It's really good for the kids, too. I know mine are more centered and contented with themselves than they would be if their chief "mirror" had been "the cool kids" vs. "the nerds" vs. "the jocks" vs. "the stoners" vs. "mean teachers" ][/quote]
Thank you for the encouragement, bunsofaluminum. Homeschooling is definitely great on many levels. I love that I can teach my kids what I want them to know. This is particularly true for highschool at our house. I require my kids to take an entire semester of Financial Planning. I also designed a nutrition course that I make them take where they read and respond to McDougall, Esselstyn, and Campbell. So my grown children are financially sound with no debt except for their houses. And they all know how to eat for optimum nutrition. They also make me a mean compliant Mothers Day brunch and birthday dinner each year.
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