How about a MWL Challenge for Nov?

[kobfa2]

I would like to join in also. I will start on Wednesday. I was going to try Mary's mini, but I think this would be a better place for me to start. My goals are to walk 30 min. 5 days a week, and I am also going to add in some yoga.

[Letha]

Happy Monday everyone,
I’m glad to see so many folks doing the MWL challenge for November with me. Thank you LauraA for starting this thread.

MadCityVegan, I like your goals. Walk 30+ min. every day and loose .5 lbs per week. I’m looking forward to the time when I can walk that much.

Beth, Great job on planning work meals which can be very challenging. Tell us how the curried potatoes turn out.

Marion, Traveling is so difficult, please share whatever tips you discover as you travel and do McDougall.

Dale & Casey, I’m looking forward to chatting with you in this thread.

Vegan1mimi, Boy you have your hands full. Makes my life seem very peaceful. If you can do this then I certainly can too. (Smile)

I’ve got a sprained knee so I’m not moving around much. I had been just eating veggie soup and potatoes for about two weeks until Friday when I decided to do the regular McDougall plan for a few days until I could stock up supplies and do the MWL plan. I’ve got my menu done up and my grocery list is almost done. I’m still picking out dressing recipes I want to try. Feeling strong and motivated today.
Letha

[LauraA]

Happy Monday everyone!! Well, first off I want to welcome Melissa - Melissa, you and MadcityVegan are our inspiration for remembering exercise. I'm in NYC now, so I'm walking everywhere. I'm off to a great start with eating. For breakfast - oatmeal, fruit, a little soy milk- lunch was salad greens with veggies, a little corn and beans on top, just with vinegar. There is a little grocery store right next to where I'm staying with a healthy salad bar. How is everyone else doing? For those who haven't started yet, how are your preparations going? Take care, LauraA

[Debbie R.]

I'd like to join the MWL group for Nov. I really need lots of hand-holding to stay on track. I will start tomorrow - Election Day!
I will:
Post my progress weekdays
Exercise at Curves 3 times a week
Walk 1/2 hour 3 times a week
Weigh myself once a week.
I'm glad this group is starting - it has inspired me to get back to MWL.
Vegeloon

[MadcityVegan]

All my prep is done. Just getting rid of some bread and vodka!

[LauraA]

Well, I posted a few minutes ago, and it never showed up - if something like this shows up twice - sorry. I said something like this:
Welcome Debbie R, the more the merrier. Letha, take care of your knee! In addition to weight loss, I'm hoping that my knees will feel better. They are very stiff. I really felt it walking all around NYC today.
I finished off day one having dinner out with my daughter and son in law. They found a restaurant here in NYC that they knew that I would love. It is called Mana, all organic, mostly vegetarian (some fish) It is on Amsterdam Ave and 91st Street. I had a dish named Simple Platter - mostly brown rice, beans, greens and other veggies. It was perfect McDougall food! I feel good about day one, and I'm all ready for tomorrow. How is everyone else doing?

[LauraA]

Oh - I forgot to say - things that tempted me today but I totally avoided - nuts, soy chips and rice cakes, bread! I knew that I'd be proud to post that I passed up these extras!

[Dale Jackson]

Hate to admit this, but I think I am going to put off starting the challenge until AFTER the election. I have been doing a lot of NERVOUS eating today and tomorrow night I am going to a pizza party to watch the election returns. I haven't eaten any meat or dairy, but still eating too much.

[redheadeb]

I'm in too, starting tomorrow. I've been following the regular plan but I really need to be eating a lot more green and yellow veggies than I have been.

[bethannerickson]

I haven't prepared the curried potatoes yet. I'm working my way through the New McDougal Cookbook and have been enjoying the recipes as they come up.

Yesterday I made a spicy garbanzo dish and the family really liked it. I'm walking daily as well.

Good times!

Beth

[Mommylut]

Yesterday was not the greatest, but I woke up today all excited that I am now a part of a challenge! I did exercise yesterday - 40 minutes aerobics - 20 on the eliptical and 20 minutes on the tread mill.

Today - "baked" oatmeal with no sugar jelly
Lunch - rice and veggies and lentil cous cous soup
Snack - oatmeal with soy milk
Dinner - TBD

[Letha]

Good morning all,

Beth, I look forward to hearing more recipe reviews as you continue to work through the New McDougall Cookbook.

Redheadeb, Please share any good tips you have on increasing those veggies.

Dale, Look forward to hearing from you later this week.

LauraA, Way to stay strong!

MadcityVegan, Getting rid of vodka? Do we have a hangover this morning???

Debbie R. Welcome. Great job of setting goals.

Mommylut, What a good example you are setting for all of us with the exercise.

Melissa, I look forward to chatting with you more in this thread.

My new copy of MWL is due to arrive on Thursday. I’m looking forward to reading it again for inspiration. I posted my daily menu over in Roberta’s corner. I really want to get my green and yellow veggie ratio up for the maximum weight loss program so we’re going to get busy on the big salads. I’m going to pick up a couple of a couple of huge boxes of Earthbound Farms spring mix greens from Costco. They contain: Organic baby lettuces (red and green romaine, red and green oak leaf, lollo rosa, tango), organic red and green chard, organic mizuna, organic arugula, organic frisée, organic radicchio. I haven’t gotten these in a while. I hope they still carry them.

There’s another recent thread that talks about 100% compliance. On the MWL plan I’m allowing myself to be flexible in a couple of areas. I’m not counting the blueberries on my oatmeal as a serving of fruit because ¼ cup of frozen blueberries only has 20 calories. Also I might get slightly over on the beans. Like I’m only counting a big bowl of lentil soup as ½ cup of beans because it has so much water and other stuff in it. Plus, I’ll be using salt in my cooking, not just using it at the table as Dr. McDougall recommends. Despite my size I don’t have high blood pressure. To be frugal, I avoid using packaged vegetable broths or soy sauce in lieu of salt like so many “healthy” recipes, plus I’m going to be using a lot of dried beans and frozen veggies instead of canned, which eliminates more of the hidden salt in many recipes. So I’ll actually use salt in my cooking and I’m not going to worry about it. Using what I need to make MWL food palatable to me.

Anyway, that’s some of the stuff I’m thinking about. Hope you all have a good McDougalling day.
Letha

[cindder]

Hi, I am up for trying this. I have about 15 pounds to lose and I am new to McDougall's program. Are there differences between these programs? Is there a good book I should read to better understand MWL?

Thanks!

[kobfa2]

Hi all,
I will also be starting tomorrow. I've been shopping, and have everything I need food-wise. Treadmill is ready to go . Now if I can just get past this self-imposed mental block I seem to have developed about getting started. Everything is ready for me, I just have to jump in. I think having this thread for support will help a LOT! My partner is on board--I do all of the cooking, and she just eats whatever I fix, so I feel pretty lucky there. Our kids are the reason we became vegetarian, and they've been adapting well so far. So, I guess it's up to me to get with it!

[Casey]

Hey, what a great group! LauraA you had a good idea here!

I have about 15 lbs to lose also. Actually I would like to lose 25, but I have not been able to get below the 15 lb mark in years, so I wonder if it's just my body???

It is Tuesday, 4 hours and 37 minutes into my start, and so far so good. ':D' I started the day with edamame, and I've eaten the soup I made this morning for snack, and I'll have it for lunch, too. I am not sure about dinner yet, but does anyone care if I just eat soup all day???

It's pouring down rain so already I am behind in my exercise, but my aim is for 45 minute walks, 4-5X/week. That's where I struggle the most, too!! I can restrict my food to the end of the world, but exercise? Forget it!! It's weird I am like that, too, because I have exercised in my life, and whenever I do, I feel SO good!! I remember that feeling, yet I just don't do it. Talk about lazy!!

Anyway, I am really happy to be a part of this group. It's the first time I've ever joined something like this. But I really think it will help keep me on track and staying honest.

Oh, I will do as many of you, too, weighing in once a week.

Good luck to all of us!

Casey