Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Hello,

My name is Amy Princess. It’s a great name for me, not so much for my husband, but I’ll save that for another day. I am 59 years old and have been overweight my entire adult life, pretty much since having my children. My husband and I have been plant based for a little over a year now. I had reached a point where diabetes was becoming inevitable. I was on metformin for prediabetes for about 8 years, but I never gave up. I was a professional Weight Watcher. I could follow that program, stay in points and eat all the cake and pizza I wanted. All I had to do was save the points. Well, it worked in keeping my weight from going any higher, but definitely didn’t help in my health goals. The doctor was starting to talk about statins for high cholesterol and I was already on blood pressure medications. All of this was in addition to the medication I was already on for a sluggish thyroid.

So we stumbled onto the Whole Food Plant Based lifestyle and I became a sponge for information. We made many mistakes, but kept learning. My only medication now is for my thyroid. My husband is off his medications, as well. But, as usual, I was spinning my wheels as far as my weight goes. I started following people on YouTube. I found many were just too restrictive and I would end up back to my junk food ways but staying away from meat and dairy. I’m really hoping the satiety of the starch in this program will be just the thing we need. So far so good!

So it was suggested to me that I journal for accountability and here I am.

My starting weight on 7/12 was 203.9. I will post again on Friday. If you have read this far, I thank you! I need all he support I can get.

~ Amy

Hi Amy! Love the name...reminds me of a book I read years ago about a Princess named Amy (short for Amethyst) who falls in love with a boy, and doesn't know he's a prince. Cute story

Welcome...you're about to find out just how much energy you can have and I bet the poundage falls off you quick

bunsofaluminum - Thank you for the reply! Very cute story... I met my prince (or Princess, as it is..haha) on Christmas Day when I was at the lowest point in my life. I’ve often called him God’s Christmas gift to me. We will be married 20 years next May. .

Thank you again for taking the time to read my post!

~ Amy

Aprincess wrote:My name is Amy Princess. It’s a great name for me, not so much for my husband, but I’ll save that for another day...

I can imagine the grief he has gotten... especially as a teenager.

Aprincess wrote:I started following people on YouTube. I found many were just too restrictive and I would end up back to my junk food ways but staying away from meat and dairy. I’m really hoping the satiety of the starch in this program will be just the thing we need.

Calorie density is the key to weight loss + satiety. Too many veggies, you'll lose weight but be hungry. Too many starches your weight loss will stall. For some people it is a tricky balance; for others, it is not a problem. You might have to tweak things a little before you find what works for you. So be patient.

Best of luck!

Aprincess wrote:I used to do country line dancing several nights per week. It was GREAT exercise and so much fun. But, the one and only country dance club in the area closed up. It was great fun, though!

Have you tried Contra Dancing? There might be a regular dance near you. Here's a schedule:

New York Contra Dance, Square Dance, and Waltz Schedule

Cheers,

Glad to have another journal to read. I enjoy finding people who are similar to me, and then to watch progressions in healing.

sirdle wrote:Calorie density is the key to weight loss + satiety. Too many veggies, you'll lose weight but be hungry. Too many starches your weight loss will stall. For some people it is a tricky balance; for others, it is not a problem. You might have to tweak things a little before you find what works for you. So be patient.

Best of luck!

Thanks! Yes, I know I’ll be one with a tricky balance. My first daughter was 12lbs 12oz at birth. They feel I was a gestational diabetic at the time. Then years later I was briefly diagnosed as prediabetic. Since becoming plant based even with my occasional junk food binges, my sugar has been great. I do realize I have insulin resistance, however, so yeah, the tricky balance thing is very real for me. As soon as I go below 200, I’m not anymore. Sometimes i think it is a psychological thing for me.

Aprincess wrote:I used to do country line dancing several nights per week. It was GREAT exercise and so much fun. But, the one and only country dance club in the area closed up. It was great fun, though!

Have you tried Contra Dancing? There might be a regular dance near you. Here's a schedule:

New York Contra Dance, Square Dance, and Waltz Schedule

Cheers, [/quote]

Thanks for link! I’ll definitely look at that (I don’t even know what Contra dancing is..lol)

~ Amy

AnnetteW wrote:Glad to have another journal to read. I enjoy finding people who are similar to me, and then to watch progressions in healing.

Thanks! It will be interesting to see how I did this week. Especially with this heat. I have a tendency to retain water. But no matter what, I will NOT give up.. Stay the course..

Aprincess wrote:Thanks for link! I’ll definitely look at that (I don’t even know what Contra dancing is..lol.

Contra dancing is a type of folk dance similar to square dancing.

It is danced in a dance hall or a gymnasium (not a bar) to live music... often Celtic, Bluegrass, or old-timey County. You line up in long lines as if you were in a Jane Austen movie. Then, instead of dancing in groups of 8 (like square dancing) you dance in a group of 4 with your partner and your 'neighbors'. You dance a series of patterns which total 64 beats of music, then you and your partner shift down the line to dance with new 'neighbors'. When you get to the end of the line, you turn around and come back.

A caller calls out each step before you dance it. But the pattern keeps repeating. So after a while, when the caller can tell that most people have got the pattern, she stops calling and everybody just dances to the music.

Each dance lasts 6-9 minutes. An evening is usually 3-4 hours with a break in the middle. By convention, the last dance before the break and the last dance of the evening are waltzes. Before each dance there is a walk-through. And before the evening starts there is usually a free 1/2-hour lesson.

My wife and I have danced in California, Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado. Everyone we have danced with is super friendly and extremely supportive of new dancers. In some dances, maybe 1/4 of the people have never danced contra before. It can be quite chaotic... but fun.

Random YouTube Videos
Folklore Society of Greater Washington Contra Dance
Contra Dance
Roanoke Railroader Contra Dance Weekend
Contra Dance at Guiding Star Grange with Perpetual e-Motion
Great Bear Groove - Lake City
Foggy Moon 2105
Contra Carnivale 2019

Cheers,

sirdle wrote:My wife and I have danced in California, Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado. Everyone we have danced with is super friendly and extremely supportive of new dancers. In some dances, maybe 1/4 of the people have never danced contra before. It can be quite chaotic... but fun.

Cheers,

Hi there,

It does sound like fun and something I’d really enjoy, but there’s only one problem. I would never get my husband to do it. My line dancing days were before I met him.

Thanks so much for all the info, though!

Aprincess wrote:

sirdle wrote:My wife and I have danced in California, Texas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Colorado. Everyone we have danced with is super friendly and extremely supportive of new dancers. In some dances, maybe 1/4 of the people have never danced contra before. It can be quite chaotic... but fun.

Cheers,

Hi there,

It does sound like fun and something I’d really enjoy, but there’s only one problem. I would never get my husband to do it. My line dancing days were before I met him.

Thanks so much for all the info, though!

Oh well. At least you can watch the videos! Maybe you can find a fun one and share it with your husband? Who knows what would happen?

Well. Maybe you know?

Cheers,

So, other than the fact that I am down 1.4 lbs this week, and the fact that I wish it were more, and the fact that I know why it isn’t, I have no clue what to write here. Lol

I’ve never done a journal before so I guess what I need to do is read more of everyone else’s journal to try and figure out what I’m doing. Please be patient!!!

Great start Amy, I've never written a journal either. I think you'll do well . I like your quote you were a professional weight watcher...it's sad isn't it. Have you checked out any of Doug Lisle's talks and his How to Lose weight without losing your mind. He has some insightful talks. take care Dlee.

dlee wrote:Great start Amy, I've never written a journal either. I think you'll do well . I like your quote you were a professional weight watcher...it's sad isn't it. Have you checked out any of Doug Lisle's talks and his How to Lose weight without losing your mind. He has some insightful talks. take care Dlee.

Thanks so much, dlee. Yes, I’ve seen some of his talks but maybe it is time to revisit them. It certainly can’t hurt!

Great, I like the way there are people out there that can inspire us. I am getting near my weight goal and it helps to keep inspired. Dlee

Aprincess wrote:...I have no clue what to write here. Lol

I’ve never done a journal before so I guess what I need to do is read more of everyone else’s journal to try and figure out what I’m doing. Please be patient!!!

I think the idea is that you can make your journal into whatever you want... whatever you think will help you achieve your goals.

You can use it to chronicle every thing you eat... but you don't have to. You could use it to discuss books that you've read or music that you've listened to... places that you've visited or things you'd like to see... people that bring you down or stories that lift you up. It is a place to share things about yourself and bond with other members of the community. In doing so, you join a network of people who will commiserate when you're frustrated and share the joy of your success!

So take off your shoes and dip your feet. The water's not too cold.

Cheers,