FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

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

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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Thu Oct 24, 2019 8:35 am

(Most amounts are just estimated)

Wednesday:
Breakfast: 2/3 c oats, 1c berries, flax, 1-2 tsp maple syrup. oj with my iron.
Snack: two lg mandarines, apple, Tea
Lunch: 1c bean/veg/corn mix, 1c corn, 1/2c frozen green veg, 2c cabbage w/sunflower seeds/oj.
Snack: remaining cup of bean/veg mix from lunch.
Dinner: 1/2c mashed potatoes, 1/2c corn, 1/2c beans with BBQ sauce, 1c? brussel sprouts, little bit of spinach.
Snack: Dry raisin toast x2, Popcorn (about 3-4 cups), carrots (iron and oj)

Today:
Breakfast: 1c oats, 1c berries, flax, syrup, out of oj. Iron.
Snack: (still at home felt starved, or maybe I was just tired?) A few spoon-fulls of white rice, mandarine, 1T sunflower seeds.
Lunch: Last of the baja vegetable/beans (finally!) 1-2 cups; 1 cup white rice; 1/2-1 c each carrots and cauliflower-raw.
Snack: apple and lg Mandarine.
Dinner: Left-overs from last night, but I'm out of spinach...maybe sub cabbage? (edit: had beans, potatoes and brussel sprouts, still felt hungry and had about 1 c of white rice.)
Snack: 1/2c apple sauce.

Contemplated about and forgot to throw away the rest of the raisin bread last night. Some days my estimated calories are a bit worrying--hoping I can gradually shift in the right direction. I know the dry good snacks are not helping. Ended up with white rice today b/c I forgot to cook more last night--did not have time this morning to wait for brown.

Read Wildgoose's story in the MWL area this morning and was hopeful that I can get to that point.

I had planned out next weeks meals already, but now they feel too complicated. I wondered if I could cook components in large batches and assemble as needed, but I'm not sure if this will work for my husband. I thought maybe freezer meals for him--but I have no idea what he'll be in the mood for. He was really into the fresh cooked spinach last night and announced he would eat that every day--I don't know if all those greens would fit in our fridge!

-------
Later....
Not hungry, but keep imagining eating junk or getting a fancy coffee. In a total fog today, and don't know why.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Fri Oct 25, 2019 11:23 am

Friday!! Whoot!

Breakfast: Oats, with raisins, flax and apple sauce.
Snack: apple, tea
Lunch: Potatoes, brussels sprouts and cabbage with f.free dressing and a few sunflower seeds. (couldn't finish the potatoes),
Snack: Tea?
Dinner:?

Writing this at lunch..felt fine until I ate, then felt stuffed, and now, I'm starting to feel a bit sick. something has been going around here, so I hope it's not that.

Grocery night tonight. I'm going ahead with my complicated menus b/c I didn't want to think of something else:
Tonight: left-overs. (Husband will have pizza).
Three dinners, two nights each: Spaghetti with artichokes (keep planning and skipping this); Chickpea salad (husband will have chicken) with tomato soup; Potato soup and bread with a vegetable-bean topping...will see if I actually get to all of this.
Lunches: Curly pasta salad from the app, plus another veg and fruit on the side.
Breakfast: more oatmeal?

We went mall walking last night, just one trip around. Feel better than yesterday

Zzzzzzz....
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Mon Oct 28, 2019 7:18 am

Not a bad weekend. Kept the fat low, but some snacks got back in...pretzels, etc. Kept my journal in a notebook, but don't have it with me now to copy. Started an exercise program I had bookmarked a while ago. Some of the moves were comical at my fitness level (google: "full-body roll up"), but I'm giving it a go! Actually felt like jogging part of the walk.

Got a lot of food prep done this weekend, but will still need to cook dinners a couple nights this week. Not much to report this morning. Weight is going in the right direction, but not a major change yet.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Wed Oct 30, 2019 9:31 am

Still hurting some from the exercises on Sunday and Monday. Took yesterday off and tried to do them again today, and was just too sore to do the same moves again. Did something different. Will have to change it to doing the full workout 2x/week instead of doing split workouts most days. Keeping up with walking--30 min/day. My plan is to do early morning on the busy, lighted streets. I could do the same route after work, but with rush hour traffic it was almost smoggy last night. The route is almost exactly 2 miles--boring, but convenient.

I'm experimenting today with a different portion at breakfast today, and am trying to be conscious about adding fruits and vegetables to everything in greater amounts. Hoping to shift down the calorie density a bit.

B: 1/2c oats, 1/2c soymilk, 1/2 tbsp sunflower seeds, 1tsp sugar, banana. (Didn't feel like warm oatmeal this morning).
S: 1c celery, orange
L: Curly pasta salad; 2 cups cooked carrots
S: 1c frozen mixed berries
D--Plan: Chickpea salad with tofu mayo. 3 cups salad greens, tomato soup. (May need to add more starch to this meal--we'll see).
S: Soymilk, carob latte--1 c w/2tsp sugar? (maybe)


Next week is planned already, and is simpler than this week. My lunches will be mix and match starch and vegetables with a fruit. If I get bored I'll pull something from the freezer. Dinners: Minestrone soup; Black beans, corn and rice; Shepherd's pie (made with mostly frozen vegetables).

Snowing here today.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Thu Oct 31, 2019 8:47 am

Having one of those days where I just want to eat "because" (tired, etc). Will try not go go too far off the rails. Already had Nutri-grain bars after breakfast. My reduced breakfast yesterday was kind of a wash...ended up making up the difference later in the day, but was surprised how content I was with my salad/veg/bean dinner. I did eat afterward, but sometimes I do that regardless of what I eat.

Doctor appointment coming up next Wed to evaluate my situation again. I was fighting this the end of October, but then changed my mind. Keep going back and forth anticipating worst-case vs best-case recommendations from the doctor, and will I follow those recommendations? The continuous BC was not the god-send that I had hoped, so after consulting with the nurse, I'm taking a one week break before my appointment so that I will be ready in case they prescribe something else. I'm tempted right now to just take my chances without anything, but I could feel 100% worse tomorrow--fingers crossed.

Today:
B: 2/3c oats, sunflower seeds, soy milk (last of it), sugar.
S: Nutragrain bars (probably the best thing at the convenience store besides the odd piece of fruit)?
L: Last batch of pasta salad and carrots, orange, celery, berries.
D: Chick pea salad, etc.

My intention is to gradually work more completely to MWL. I don't have an official date. I've said goodbye (for now) to bread and cold cereal, and soymilk. I do occasionally make a recipe with it, but should be able to avoid those. I know pasta is acceptable, but I may have to make that more seldom. I noticed that I want to eat more when we have pasta. I need to make a better plan for weekends, when we take drives I have the habit of having tea or a diet drink with snacks.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby AnnetteW » Thu Oct 31, 2019 2:31 pm

What exactly is the Dr. appt for again? I couldn't quite figure it out from past posts. Hopefully nothing serious, just figuring everything out??

Well, just wishing you all the best.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Fri Nov 01, 2019 12:11 pm

Annette, sorry...yes I hope it's not too serious. I'm going to see how bad my fibroids, endometriosis and possible adenomyosis is since two years ago, and they will review the surgical/non surgical options. In the last two-plus years, I've come to terms with the fact that I won't have kids, but still kinda want to keep all my parts.

I've been thinner (still overweight) than I've been now, but there wasn't any improvement--possibly due to the placement of one of the fibroids. Funny thing is, with all these issues, I usually don't have too much pain, just can't keep my iron levels up.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Wed Nov 06, 2019 5:39 pm

Still in denial, but I think I'm having surgery in December. I've been putting it off for four years, hoping it wouldn't come to this. I know some make a difference with diet, I'm afraid it's too far gone. I feel like I've failed, and hope this isn't a mistake.

I feel like I'm too fat and too far from menopause to be able to make a difference at this point.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby Lyndzie » Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:36 pm

Your post sounds so sad. I’m sorry. If you chose to have surgery, I hope you can find some peace with the decision. Trying to navigate health challenges can be hard. Would surgery provide you with relief? Maybe get rid of pain? Maybe a phone consult with a plant-based doc will help with the lifestyle vs nature questions. Unfortunately, sometimes food doesn’t fix everything. Sending you hugs and happy thoughts.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Fri Nov 08, 2019 12:17 pm

Thanks Lyndzie...the light of day makes it easier to see things in a positive/balanced way. It's still all up in the air with insurance and scheduling--thinking it over, doing my research.

From what I've gleaned from the plant docs it's uncertain food would directly help once I have the condition--that they are most likely to shrink, if they are going to, if I'm thin. I don't usually have pain (more now that I'm trying birth control), but I know the diet is supposed to help pain in the short term--I think this is working, because I generally feel ok--except tired if my iron drops.

Trying to keep on program. My weight is going vaguely in the right direction. If I end up waiting on the surgery, I'm hoping to last until summer barring any emergencies, and maybe I can have an effect. If I do that though, she wants to start me on another medication. I feel like I change my mind every 12 hours!
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Mon Nov 11, 2019 1:11 pm

My weigh-in day has moved to Saturdays. I had a good week--4.8 lbs this week, and a half-pound the week before. My clothes don't feel different, so this doesn't feel "real". Hoping for a good result this week.

I had some wins and some...well not fails exactly...this weekend. I've started back at a weight loss group for my weigh-ins a few weeks ago, and they all go to breakfast afterward (I know!). I had been avoiding it the last two times, but didn't want to always be anti-social. This time, I felt comfortable enough to go and just have fruit and dry toast. The rest of that day went well, but Sunday was a bit wobbly. It was regular-plan food, and more of a maintenance-level amount. I think I was procrastinating on a project by eating.

I'm still trying to improve my aim toward MWL plan, but every time I announce this to myself, the next thing I eat is not on target.

Plan this week:
Breakfast: Oats, fruit + seeds? +almond milk?
Lunch: Salad and sweet potato or spaghetti squash with vegetable-bean topping plus fruit.
Dinners: Mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy; Whole wheat pasta and veg; Lentil-potato soup w/spinach.

Working on sleep again and exercise. Last week, let both slide.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:33 pm

Apologize ahead of time for more whining....

This feels like the longest week at work. I have a caffeine headache, and went to bed on time but still feel tired. Still exercising...missed yesterday, but still on track.

Surgery is scheduled for next month, but I still feel tentative about it. I'm hoping for a clear "this is right" sign. If only I had a crystal ball! :idea: Based on the last two years, it's the right thing, but of course, I don't know if things will stay the same. Trying to make healthy progress until then in hopes to feel better through recovery.

Exercise: 30 minute "walk at home" ...oops, it was about 15. My foot hurt.
B: Oats, frozen peaches, flax
S: 1/2 large sweet potato--nom nom nom!
L: McDougal soup cup, large salad, cooked veg.
S: Tootsie rolls :oops: (one of my faves, unfortunately in the break room at work).
D: Lentil soup, salad or veg, popcorn?

MWL goals:
1. Eliminate All Animal Foods
2. Eliminate All Oils
3. Eliminate All High Fat Plant Foods: Nuts, Nut Butters, Seeds, Seed Butters, Avocados, Coconut, & Olives.
4. Eliminate All Flour Products
5. Eat Whole Grains and Potatoes
6. Eat Legumes
7. Make Green & Yellow Vegetables One-Half to One-Third of your meal
8. Eat Uncooked Foods
9. Restrict Fresh Fruit to No More Than Two Servings a Day, and Avoid Dried Fruit, Fruit Puree, and Fruit Juice
10. Use Simple Sugar Sparingly
___
11. Exercise 30-60 min/day 5-7 days/week

Rating today: 8/11, -1 (flour), -1 seeds, -1 partial exercise. (Edit: forgot to count the tootsie rolls!! -1 7/11)

A whole week would be 77, 80% would be 61-62.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Wed Nov 20, 2019 3:02 pm

Making progress, but also caught up in getting too restrictive again (Calories). I get impatient, make big plans, and then manage a couple days...get amnesia about how it didn't work long-term...repeat! I haven't followed through on the tracking of MWL compliance either.

I'm below 200 lbs again, but don't feel much different. From Oct 18 to November 18th, I lost 2 inches on my waist, but none on my hips. Clothes pretty much feel the same. I'm down a total of 13 lbs (8 of which I'd already lost once recently)

Tried an 1980s Jane Fonda workout on Sunday "for fun" and am finally not sore today. All the moves were so fast--it wasn't aerobic like I thought it would be, but rather arm circles and leg lifts. Very bouncy and fast--not for post-millennium couch potatoes.

Made an old recipe this weekend from "Oh She Glows" It's a spinach artichoke bean dip. I left out the oil. Have been enjoying it quite a bit. Basically mash up a can of white beans (drained), season with red pepper flakes, garlic, nutritional yeast and italian seasoning. Cook onions about one medium or half large, can of drained artichoke hearts (chopped), about half a bag of frozen spinach...she calls for fresh. Not sure of the equivalent amount. Mix all together in a small casserole, top with breadcrumbs, bake for 15-20 minutes.

Other things this week:
Breakfast: Oats or fruit salad
Lunch: Salad, raw veg, bean dip, fruit, baked sweet potatoes.
Dinners: Potatoes; Cathy Fisher's Enchilada casserole w/rice; Mushroom-rice pilaf...all with a side of vegetables, possibly a fruit for dessert.

Will try again to track MWL compliance and eat based on hunger/fullness.
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby Lyndzie » Wed Nov 20, 2019 4:09 pm

What do you serve the artichoke dip with? Veggies? Crackers?
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Re: FrowsyOwl's Final Commitment

Postby frowsyowl » Thu Nov 21, 2019 12:45 pm

Hey Lyndzie, I've been eating the dip with cut vegetables--carrots, celery, cauliflower, but I've had it on toast before too. I think it would work on most things, except it's firm--need to scoop it.

Trying to decide what to bring for Thanksgiving. All the standard things will be provided, so I was thinking of a side dish that I could use as a main dish. However, I've had a lot of things this week that are similar to what I would have taken--sweet potatoes, rice pilaf, etc. Not sure if I will be in the mood to eat those again. Was looking at the FOK Indian-Spiced cauliflower and potato casserole. I want something that is sort of special, but still compliant....and somewhat acceptable to traditional eaters.

Looking back over the last few days, I'm adding 1 point on the MWL compliance list each day. I'm up to 8/10 now. I'm not counting fruit, because it's not usually an issue over-eating it. Exercised again, first time since Sunday--chose a more appropriate option.

Made mushroom pilaf last night, and it was quite a hit with my husband! Of course, he had chicken on the side which could have been a factor. Used up some wild and brown rice mix cooked separately in the rice cooker, and then sauteed the mushrooms, onions, peas and a small amount of slivered almonds.

I increased my food today after restricting too much the last couple days, and didn't seem to need all of my lunch. I was afraid I'd really have a lot of rebound eating. I did snack a bit last night before dinner--nuts, but was pretty good.
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