September 2018 McDougall Weigh In Thread

[medamoso]

Mark: Congratulations on reaching your goal! How exciting!

Lyndzie: Great job this week!

Idgie: Fantastic! 3 lbs per week for 15 weeks is amazing, so inspirational!

Rosey: Great job! I hope your feet feel better soon and that the swelling goes down. I have swelling too and I do notice it gets better when I stick to this way of eating.

Squealcat: Wow! What a great loss for one week, well done! I'm glad you wrote the words of advice: I definitely need to remember to keep it simple. Pre-planning helps me so much too and I don't do it enough.

Glenn: I love your attitude! Great job!

Stacey: So great you're exercising again! Thanks for posting that link, I'm going to check it out, it sounds fun.

Stephanie: Thanks for the encouragement! I'll have to check out the recipe from the newsletter, sounds good.

Have a great week everyone! As I mentioned before, I am new to message boards and this is my first post where I am commenting on everyone's updates for the week. I hope I didn't miss anyone. I've read all the posts - you are all so inspirational to me. Thank you for being so welcoming and helpful.

[victw]

@Jan and others.

You might be interested in this description of the last supper effect - and ideas on how to approach it.
http://danariely.com/2018/08/18/ask-ari ... d-finding/

Vic

[Svenja]

Good Morning!

I have to report weight gain ... almost 2 pounds ...

I experimented with adding more things to my diet that I usually avoid (bread and nuts), since I am close to my weight loss goal for 2018 ... it worked great for the first few days and I was very satisfied with my food ... no snacks etc. But I guess I have to take it even slower ...

Off to a seminar Saturday ... taking all my own food.

Have a great weekend everyone!
Svenja.

[amandamechele]

Mark - Congratulations on reaching a goal!


Lindsey - Nice loss this week. In response to your question, yes, I'm working on weight loss. I seem to be trading pounds back and forth over the past couple of years, with some stretches going up and some down based on how closely I stick to the MWL guidelines. I have absolutely no doubt that if I am extremely consistent with avoiding the higher calorie density McDougall approved foods and keep the night-time eating under control the rest of my weight would come off. The game plan is to just keep at it, one compliant meal at a time. I think it was long-time McDougaller Nicoles who said it best It just takes time and adherence.

Idgie - Freaking awesome! You are showing us what consistent time and adherence brings.

Rosey - Double Woot (woot)! Wonderful news, I hope your feet aren't feeling too uncomfortable. Did you ever end up seeing a doctor to figure out what the issue is?

Marilyn - Way to go! You didn't just do well this week, you did quite well. Keep up that focus.

Glenn - LOL... I'm with you on that. Good week holding steady. Best wishes for the coming week. Hopefully you won't have to eat out as often because it can be so tricky. You've probably seen this one, but for anyone who hasn't, Mary McDougall has a talk called Eating Out When You Must that is very helpful in navigating common pitfalls McDougallers face when, well, eating out. When I was travelling with my family last summer, I tried to get them to eat at Wendy's everday so I could just avoid all the troubles but I was advised that not everyone wants to eat potatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner..LOL. I was like, I do!

Stacey - Awesome, I'm glad you've decided to join us.

Melissa - I hate it when that happens. An unexpected scale reading can sometimes be so disheartening as to cause some rebellion of spirit. I'm glad you are able to quickly get back on track, that will be helpful for next week's reading. Not everyone will lose quickly or every week, it's dependant not just on your recent adherence level but also on so many other little things (Current weight, diet you are transitioning from, how much salt you have had in the days before, whether you have been regular, etc.). Please keep at it, your non-scale results are so exciting, and hopefully inspiring.

Stephanie - (I'm still responding to two posts ago): You mention vanity pounds and I wonder if for many of us all of the extra pounds are just that, vanity pounds. Though many people come to McDougalling with health concerns and lose weight as a side effect of following the plan...the reverse is true too. Come for weight loss and improved esteem, and get the free gift of better health. I get the feeling that if something in you wants that small amount of weight gone you will find a way, you are totally not being lazy. Maybe you are just slowing the conscious effort to see how comfortable this current weight and eating pattern is before deciding if more effort is necessary. Live it for a bit and then decide. Good job maintaining this week!

Vic - Thanks for the link! How is maintenance going?

Svenja - Some of that could be from added sodium (which is common in bread). I'm not saying to continue the experiment, by any means, just that I'm sure it will come back off quickly. Enjoy the seminar and the weekend!

[moonlight]

Hi everyone,

This is such an inspiring group!! Thank you all for showing up and sharing your successes and struggles. Amy, thank you for your hard work in keeping us going and for our weekly report.

I'm happy to report no change. I'm not in maintenance yet but at least I didn't gain, right? I feel like I've had a good week. I've started exercising nearly everyday. First thing in the morning. I've started waking up looking forward to doing my routine. Another improvement, I did some batch cooking last week and realized how nice it was to have food ready to eat. I had salads and soups and grains or potatoes at the ready all week. Very nice. I also started the Beck Diet Solution program. Six weeks of daily strategies to help change behaviors and thoughts about food. I feel good!

And, a nice experience buying a shirt. I took 2-3 shirts to the fitting room, I had chosen a size smaller because I've lost 30 lbs since I last shopped. All the shirts were too big! I had to get a smaller size. Woot Woot!! Down 2 sizes. That's enough to inspire me for the next week!

I wish everyone a great week!

[moonspirit]

Hi everyone,

Thanks for sharing your gains, losses, and new beginnings. It's such a wonderful gift to be able to connect with other imperfect beings who are trying to turn their health around; it's a good reminder not to kick myself when I'm not perfect.

I had a mixed week. It was going well until Wednesday night - 100% compliance and started a new exercise plan, which was fun. But then I worked most of Thursday at my "former" job, and then drove an hour each way that evening for a meet-and-greet between the first-year and second-year cohorts in the counseling program I'm studying. They served all sorts of junk. I ate fruits and veggies but then I had a small brownie, which set off sugar cravings and I ended up eating some candy too. Fortunately I stopped before it got way out of control, but it was a good reminder that I need to eat something filling before going to social events; fruit and veggies don't fill me up like starches do, and leave me vulnerable to food cravings. I felt like crap after eating all that sugar, so I focused on that feeling as a preventative for next time. But I also stayed up too late for the past three nights (this might also have had an impact on my food choices Thursday). Staying up too late is one of my favorite means of self-sabotage. I'm going to try to turn it around today.

With all that, I'm down 2.3 lbs to 161.8.

[Rosey]

Rosey - Double Woot (woot)! Wonderful news, I hope your feet aren't feeling too uncomfortable. Did you ever end up seeing a doctor to figure out what the issue is?

I tried messaging my doctor about it and it's making me rethink my doctor. She first said it was because of my high blood pressure and when I messaged back that my blood pressure has been normal for a few months I got told well people that are obese as long as you have been get edema not much we can do for it.

[moonspirit]

I tried messaging my doctor about it and it's making me rethink my doctor. She first said it was because of my high blood pressure and when I messaged back that my blood pressure has been normal for a few months I got told well people that are obese as long as you have been get edema not much we can do for it.

Yes, I would be rethinking my doctor too. They so often attribute every health thing to obesity without actually checking to see what's really going on. It's irresponsibly dangerous. I'd ask around to see if you can find a doctor that is capable of taking you seriously as a patient. This makes me so mad.

[Idgie]

Congrats, everyone (yes, even those who gained -- you're still here, aren't you?)!

I leave for my trip early tomorrow morning. I'm not taking my scale, but I will be back next Saturday, so if weighing in that day will work for the thread, then cool.

I'm renting a car when I get there and I will head straight for my favorite grocery store in all the world, the Berkeley Bowl. Their produce section is the size of some small grocery stores, and I have missed them so much! That way I can stock up the fridge in the guest house and have no excuse for not eating well. Pretty excited. Is it weird that the Berkeley Bowl is the thing I'm really excited about for my trip?

[Svenja]

... not food related ... but just sharing for the joy of it!

I went to an all day seminar today ... and my weight is back to a level where I can wear a shortish skirt and knee high boots ... and feel all comfortable in it and move around without feeling slightest bit awkward or strangely looked at

It seams like a small thing but I really enjoy and celebrate it !!!

(It was a bit odd to be the only one who brought own food while everyone else ate the catered food ... but it wasn't hard ... since I didn't even consider the catered option. Since I belonged to the team setting this seminar up, I had to bring a cake. Made a simple vegan apple cake ... it was the only cake that was gone right away ... maybe good that I didn't put a sign 'vegan and gluten free')

[Mark Cooper]

What a fantastic feeling / experience, Svenja! Definitely worth celebrating.

[Svenja]

What a fantastic feeling / experience, Svenja! Definitely worth celebrating.

Thank you!

[squealcat]

Oh Svenja ! I can feel your joy ! When you can be comfortable in clothes you love (remembering when you were NOT comfortable in the past ) it is a great victory ! Hold onto that feeling as it can keep you going in the right direction when your day is not going so well. I use similar great events like this to help me when my thoughts stray to the "dark side". Many/ most times it keeps me on track. Have a great week !

-Marilyn (squealcat)

[amandamechele]

Hi Everyone!

Thank you so much for checking in this week. It's wonderful to read the flow of ideas and knowledge sharing and support. I'm definitely feeling encouraged and inspired and I hope you are too!

When Glenn mentioned he had been eating out it reminded me of a photo that I had taken a couple of weeks ago while out for dinner that I had been meaning to share here. I eat out more than occasionally as well, and this occasion was date night with my husband. We had gotten out of the habit of doing this, but realized we were in need of a bit of child-free time to reconnect after a busy week. We used to go out for a tea/coffee, but with my no caffeine challenge (and a dislike of the typical selection of herbal tea) we decided to do dinner. Steak places are the best for atmosphere and compliant offerings in my opinion. Mood music and lighting, thick table linens, maybe a fireplace going somewhere...and all the delicious potatoes you can eat. As you can see from our order my hubby does not always eat a McDougall style diet. Thankfully I do because it is way cheaper!!



(I got that extra 1/2 potato from my husband's plate - so really my meal cost $8.85 if I had also ordered it as a side)

What are some of your favourite 100% compliant restaurants? (We all have ones that are pretty close, usually with a little oil sneaking in). But what about those cherished jewels that go above and beyond to make a really spectacular oil-free meal...or even just a spectacularly plain meal?

Best wishes for the fortitude and effort required for losses this week,

Amy XO

PS. I enjoyed an article and comments posted this week by Dr. Garth Davis on Facebook. He's as passionate about whole-food plant based eating as Dr. McDougall!
Different people will take different things from this article: disregard or misunderstanding of the nature of obesity from the level of social institution to individual, confusion caused by the integration of economic forces and health policy and research, the stigma felt by those being judged, the biases experienced by both patient and doctor...so so many things. My intention is just to share stories of those who are struggling and to feel gratitude to the universe for somehow finding my way here, gratitude to the McDougalls for creating a here to be, and hopeful that through good example we can help others pull out of the quiet desperation they feel about the pernicious problem of obesity through kindness, intrinsic and extrinsic understanding, long-term guidance and support...one family member, friend or acquaintance at a time... in their own time.

Here are the results for the third week in September:

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, September 28th, 2018

Total group loss reported in 2018: 449.11 pounds

September 2018 Weight Loss Group :: Monthly Weigh-In Results
Total group loss in January 2018: 54.7 pounds
Total group loss in February 2018: 49.3 pounds
Total group loss in March 2018: 52.5 pounds
Total group loss in April 2018: 26.9 pounds
Total group loss in May 2018: 50.8 pounds
Total group loss in June 2018: 54.3 pounds
Total group loss in July 2018: 50.3 pounds
Total group loss in August 2018: 73.85 pounds
Total group loss in September 2018: 36.46 pounds

Week ending 09/21/2018: 14 participants reported a total loss of 16.2 pounds
---------------------------------------
Svenja - 1.8
---------------------------------------
Total gains: 1.8
--------------------------------------
Jan_npr - 0.0
Mark Cooper - 2.6
Lyndzie - 1.7
Idgie - 3.4
Rosey - 2.2
Squealcat - 4.2
GlennR - 0.0
Stacey - 0.0
Medamoso - 1.0
VegSeekingFit - 0.0
Moonlight - 0.0
Moonspirit - 2.3
Amandamechele - 0.6
---------------------------------------------
Total losses: 18.0
---------------------------------------------

Total group loss in September 2018: 36.46 pounds
Week ending 09/21/2018: 14 participants reported a total loss of 16.2 pounds
Week ending 09/14/2018: 13 participants reported a total loss of 9.8 pounds
Week ending 09/07/2018: 13 participants reported a total loss of 10.46 pounds

[Lyndzie]

Amy, thanks for posting that great article. My husband had been very frustrated with the original Huntington Post article. It’s nice to read a reasonable response.