I didn't realize how much this place was helping til....

[Beth]

Until I didn't have access. I totally crashed and burned. I landed in a heap of SAD and then some! My headaches were back within a day and now I'm having a hard time restarting. My cravings are sooooo powerful this time! I'm angry with myself for letting it get this way and angry with my schedule for not having time to get online!! Help me restart!

[KristaO]

I know how you feel! I was maintaining for a while and decided to just do it. It's a simple key really - planning. I planned my entire week on Sunday - 7 lunches, 7 dinners, made some good soup and froze some of it, and had vegies, etc. for snacks and kept them with me when I ran errands. And it worked! Eating lots of potatoes helps. If I can do it, then you can do it.
Good luck!

[Malva]

Let's start at the beginning . . .
My name is Malva, and I'm a food-aholic.

We've all had our crash and burn times, but we brushed off the dust and started over.
It's never too late, and no one here will judge you for it.

[Mallow]

Been there too! Just ended a two week stint of going off McDougall too often because I had no decent recipes. Kept eating more and more off the plan, until I gained 9 pounds!

After much crying, I got back on the plan, and am back down to my lowest weight (still plenty!) I am trying to McDougall more, and stressing out over MWL less. It's the MWL part that's really hard for me to cook with.

[Sunny]

Have food prepared and ready to eat. That is my saving Grace.
And of course this board. I also watch the DVD's and re-read my books it helps keep me on track.

[Steve]

Hi Beth,

Restarting is tough. If you read a McDougall book or saw a DVD when you started I suggest re-reading and reviewing. The story in foot ball was that Vince Lombardi lifted up a foot ball to the Green Bay packers and said, "Gentlemen, this is a football." If it worked for the Packers to go back to basics it will work with us too. If you have the MWL go ahead and start reading. If the headaches are too bad to read, pop in a DVD if available. Part of the problem with time is you forget how important and logical the program is. Also remember that it took us decades to get this sick and although the program can restore health rapidly, once you have been sick you cannot build back your original resistance to the stuff that got us sick. In other words if it took 20 years to get the headaches from eating garbage and you were able to stop the headaches in a few months, you cannot expect it to take another 20 years to return. Ornish explains and I think Dr. McDougall too that once we have the problems we have to be viligant to keep them from returning. Sort of like getting bronchititus makes you more suceptible to another episode. Also either McDougall or Esselstien pointed out that if you roll around in poison Ivy once or twice a week you are not going to get better.
Enough pontificating. Get back on the wagon, wait out the cravings till they are gone, and get healthy. You can do this.