NancyNancyR - Congratulations on being down 6 lbs since last Monday! Since that was pre-MWL, we'll use this report as your baseline. You appear to be doing an excellent job adjusting to the recommended behaviors; if your progress slows or stalls you can reassess and make adjustments as needed.
This post offers some insight into how the MWL recommendations function as guidelines for our efforts. Water aerobics sound like a fun way to stay active!
chowbby - Happy to be of assistance! Try not to let your concern for your friends joining the group take attention from focusing your efforts on the
recommended pattern of behavior.
jkcook - Definitely starting October right! That next milestone is just waiting for you! It's great that you have found some ways to have adherent meals when
dining out. Do be mindful of the ingredients in "vegan" sauces, they can often include a lot of salt/oil/sugar.
tinathescreamer - Try not to beat yourself up! That deviation is behind you now, and you have the tools and knowledge to proceed in a fashion that better supports what you seek to achieve; having plenty of the recommended foods on hand and ready to go is always an excellent place to start.
And your second day back at it went better than your first; that is exactly the path to follow - make today's actions at least a little closer to the recommendations than yesterday, keep learning and adjusting where you can better support your success, and you'll achieve your healthy weight by and by.
NorthwestGnome - That "freak out day" may have acted as a strange blessing, if it spurred you to make important changes in your behavior! Eating as simply as possible, in alignment with the
MWL guidelines, is a sensible way to start; simplicity nearly always makes adherence more easily attainable. Well done getting right to making the changes! If you can find the No Salt Added Ro-tel (or just substitute NSA tomatoes), that could work for your bean recipe.
JeffN wrote:In regard to added salt and added sugar, we recommend buying and preparing food without either and if any are to be used, to add them at the table on the surface of the food. If either one is troublesome and create uncontrollable cravings for you, then leave them out.
In regard to coffee -
JeffN wrote:Coffee & Tea
While there may be individual reasons to avoid these, they are not an issue for the MWL program. There is no recommendation to avoid them as part of the MWL program. We serve both decaf and regular tea at the program and have no qualms if someone walks to Starbucks and gets a cup of coffee.
So, if you can eliminate the half and half, that is acceptable (although feel free to shift away from coffee if you like). Carrying out those other action items ought to serve you very well!
MaryP - Back on the wagon is the place to be! Keep doing your best to "swing back" into the recommended pattern of behavior. Keeping things simple and concentrating on the fundamentals seems wise. Gifting those cookies should be a viable plan; you may also want to be sure you aren't too hungry while you have them in your house, maybe make a point of eating the recommended foods (assuming you are hungry) before the cookies come out of the oven? Best of luck to you!
SueV - Happy first day to you! Back on track, stocked up, and well-prepared with adherent food ready to go puts you in an advantageous position! Keep it up!
moranjacqui - A 6 lb drop is certainly a thrilling way to start! Companies can be quite sneaky about slipping in troublesome ingredients, right? Jeff's
Rules & Guidelines for Reading Labels are an excellent tool for helping with that. I wish you a brief and easy recovery from your back problems. How wonderful to have the company and support of your husband while making these changes in your behavior. Jeff's thread on
Dining Out may offer you some guidance in making the best possible decisions, while you celebrate with your granddaughter. A very happy 16th birthday to her! Stay well!
Shereenz - Down 2 pounds already! I think it's fabulous that we have participants on opposite sides of the planet! My thanks for making the effort to have our group reports all in the same unit of measure. Carry on using the MWL 10-Point Checklist as a guide for your behavior, and have fun digging and planting!
squealcat - I'm so happy to hear that those
comments from wildgoose left you feeling uplifted, Marilyn! Climbing out of the Pleasure Trap isn't easy (I guess if it were, it wouldn't be much of a trap, right?), but I find Jeff's advice to be the surest route.
JeffN wrote:The fundamental basic principle of the MWL Program and the principles of calorie density is "whenever hungry, eat until comfortably full of the recommended foods." Because of this, there is no reason for anyone to feel hungry when following our guidelines. The recommended foods are minimally processed starches, fruits and vegetables. The most satiety, short term and long term comes from minimally processed starches and to keep the calorie density low, have them with some non-starchy vegetables. Remember, we do not have to figure out if it is true hunger, appetite, craving, etc. However, to be successful, you have to prepare for success and make sure you have availability of minimally processed starches throughout the day.
At the 10-Day program, the snack room is full of veggies (cherry tomatoes, baby carrots), fruits (apples, oranges) and starches (regular hummus, roasted red pepper hummus, potatoes, Split pea soup, Black bean soup, and Lentil Couscous soup). People choose from both the starches and fruits/vegetables. Choosing just vegetables or fruit will not be enough for most people to feel satiated. If you experience cravings for unhealthy foods, you can beat these cravings by choosing healthy foods to eat and knowing that these cravings will eventually pass and stop. However, you can not beat your biology (hunger) and your biology/hunger will eventually win.
Dr. Lisle's talk on the Cram Circuit may also have some applicable ideas to offer.
squealcat wrote:I need to stop looking at recipes and cooking shows, keeping my mind on the path ahead and thinking about other things that I enjoy doing.
That seems like an excellent step to take; focus on the fundamentals, keep things simple, and you'll get through this bumpy stretch with tools to carry forward.
wischbone - Hello! My utmost congratulations for everything you've achieved in the last 5 years! The behavior adjustments described in the
MWL 10-Point Checklist are a great way to maintain that impressive progress!
CUgorji22 - Cheers for getting off to a superb start practicing the recommended behaviors! That diligent attention is a key component for succeeding.
This post from Jeff further discusses how to apply the preload recommendation (and all the MWL recommendations, for that matter) within their context as guidelines; it should give you a sense of the perspective to apply. Keep up your great work!
emmycaitlin - All right, ready to go! The next step is to get started putting the principles from the
MWL 10-Point Checklist into action!
connielovesdogs - Hi! Great to have you back with the group! Including some strength building exercises within your activity plan seems like a laudable and reasonable goal.
Cathy Ann - Woo-hoo! Back on track, attending to adherence and down 3 pounds! I can imagine how your current hip pain is making it more difficult to stay active; be patient and gentle with yourself and just do what you can (great idea to use the pool!) Soup is probably the simplest and most convenient preload, as Jeff mentions in
On Salad, Soup, and Success. Strong and committed!
KayVee - Good for you! It isn't always easy to look squarely at the position from which we are starting; but, no matter where we begin and how far we have to go, the path to follow is adjusting our pattern of behavior in those ways that support what we seek to achieve. Let me also say THANK YOU for the important work you do as a front-line health care worker! Eliminating those calorie rich, higher fat, and processed foods, in concert with the other recommendations in the
MWL 10-Point Checklist, offers an effective, sustainable plan for attaining your goals.
Kathie - Kudos! I'm glad this week felt like it went much better! Those higher fat and calorie dense foods certainly do influence one's results, which is why we're directed to eliminate them for MWL. Unlike the other things you mention, plantains are not high fat, but they are somewhat more calorie dense than most fruits, and I can imagine how someone might find them easy to over consume. If that is the case for you, eliminating them makes sense. Since the week was great otherwise, addressing those few remaining deviations should serve to buttress your progress.
Tamia - Hello and welcome! The
MWL guidelines offer the simplest, easiest, most effective path to achieve your weight management and health goals. If you haven't already, be sure to review the
Orientation information, which addresses all the fundamental principles you can use to get started.
grammyjax - Cheers for the 31 pounds you already lost with the Starch Solution! It sounds like you have some important reasons for continuing your weight loss journey; the recommendations in the
MWL 10-Point Checklist are an appropriate step to support your efforts. To get a full idea of the adjustments made for MWL, be sure to take advantage of the
Orientation information.
Lucas - Congrats on losing 2 more pounds and hitting the 170s! Look at how far you have come; a really good week for sure! That soup sounds great, and if it comprises roughly equal visual volumes of starches and non-starchy vegetables, it is essentially fulfilling the concept of the 50/50 plate. Jeff discusses this in
On Salad, Soup, and Success, and the
SNAP template might give you a sense of the respective amounts of each to aim for. Your ongoing, diligent efforts can make October great!
CarolMarie - Cheers for the nearly 30 pounds you've lost already, and the 1.4 pounds since October 1! As you note, for one's way of eating and pattern of behavior to deliver the lasting results we want, it must be sustainable; the most effective behaviors for achieving healthy, sustainable weight loss are outlined in the
MWL 10-Point Checklist. Just as you experienced this week, when we are eating the recommended foods, in the recommended fashion, whenever hungry until comfortably full, we inevitably make progress while feeling satisfied. Refraining from eating troublesome, non adherent foods is probably the most common challenge; cravings for something like cheese may endure for some time - which makes it even more important to eat of the recommended foods whenever you are hungry. If it's possible to remove the bothersome items from your environment (or at least make them less readily available), that can give your "willpower" a break. The cravings will fade with time, provided you refrain from indulging them. Keep reminding yourself to make the choices that will support your goals.
kirstykay - Kudos for taking that "poor start" and getting it turned right around in the end with 3 days of 10/10! I think you are wise to focus on those things you can control; I read something on a related note recently that really struck me - "If you can do something about it, why worry?" (You should just take the appropriate action.) "If you can't do anything about it, why worry?" (What effect will your worry have, apart from possibly leaving you less ready to face whatever challenges are ahead). Keep moving forward!
Mrsmillyme - Hi!
It often takes folks a little time to become familiar with how to use the discussion board; no worries, just do your best and be patient with yourself. Dr. McDougall discusses
Hypertension under the Common Health Problems section of the site, including his general recommendations. The Hot Topics page for
High Blood Pressure collects his many newsletter articles on the subject, and a couple of relevant Success Stories.
In this post, Jeff shares directions for how to accurately measure blood pressure. How are you doing with implementing the
MWL 10-Point Checklist?
timbo97 - Kudos! You have it right; when we strictly adhere to the pattern of behavior described by the
MWL 10-Point Checklist, we'll inevitably reach a healthy, sustainable weight, given sufficient time. So, a productive focus is to reduce and ultimately eliminate deviations wherever we have the opportunity and capability of doing so. You may find some of the accounts in the
My Daily Menus & Journals encouraging; you could even start a journal yourself,
I found it to be a very helpful practice.
dbrezee - Hi! Welcome to the group; I'm glad you decided to join! Have you made a start on the
MWL 10-Point Checklist?
Zoey - YAY! Great to see you posting again! I think you've captured what, to me, is so amazing about the MWL 10-Point Checklist and the behavioral framework of MWL - since the outcome is contingent on behavior, so long as we have a clear understanding of the principles, and are confident in our execution, the scale will take care of itself. If we start getting incongruent feedback from the scale consistently over time, rather than incidentally, then that is a signal to take inventory and review our understanding of the principles. In other words, when we are doing the right things consistently, we're making progress, whether or not that progress is immediately visible via our method of measure. Do you know what happens to someone who consistently loses, on average, a half a pound per week? In a year they find themselves 26 pounds lighter!
All without "suffering!" Not a bad deal at all!
chef16 - How nice to be saying goodbye to 3 more pounds! Having half the checklist fully integrated into your routine, is half the battle won! The remaining recommendations offer clear areas where taking action to better prepare and better adhere could support continued progress. Keep striving to make each week and day better than the last!
Kelly140 - Down a pound! Your assessment looks pretty solid; is it possible to remove the almonds and peanuts from your environment, so you can take a break from that struggle? Do your best to reach for the recommended foods when you want to eat, and keep heading for your goal!
laura_delao - Modest progress in the right direction still counts! With all the beautiful, seasonal fruits available, I can see why you've been enjoying those. I think
this post and
this post help to provide some perspective for the fruit recommendations. Your shopping cart sounds very similar to my own, Laura! When I'm waiting to checkout (6 feet back), I always find it eye-opening to peek at the selections of nearby shoppers - what a difference, indeed!
OrangeBird - I'm delighted that your daughter's wedding was a beautiful, tremendous event! My very best to the newlyweds! It sounds like that foray off plan is giving you a powerful demonstration of how the Pleasure Trap works. The good news is, if you resist those renewed cravings and stay on track, they will subside again with time, and those added pounds can be gone again before long.
Growing a Pear - Kudos for showing up to report on the tough weeks, as well as the easy ones! Hang in there, and know that once you can successfully meet this new challenge, you'll be able to carry the tools you devise forward for other challenges.
Let me take a moment to recognize the effort and achievement inherent in those respective periods of abstinence - I think it is important to take note of the significant accomplishments achieved with effort and intent. If it isn't feasible to remove the particular items that are troubling you, committing to, at minimum, always eat the recommended foods BEFORE deciding to eat something non adherent is a sensible approach. Would it make sense to plan on having an adherent "snack" in the afternoon, since the slip is happening in the evening? Keep in mind
Dr. Lisle's lecture on The Story of Willpower, our blood glucose levels exercise a powerful influence on our decision making.
JeffN wrote:The most important part is his discussion on decision making (by the judges) and their blood glucose level. The best way to maintain steady blood glucose levels (and your willpower to make good decisions), is to eat when hungry and include starch when you do. Not eating when hungry, fasting, time restricted eating, eating by the clock, etc and you may run into low blood sugar and hunger and perhaps, some unhealthy choices.
In my own case, I found it necessary to decide that there were certain "healthy," but non-MWL foods that I just would not ever eat anymore, because of the effect they had on me, and my inability to "moderate" consumption of those foods. Interestingly, after I said goodbye to those things forever, my troubles went away, despite the foods still being in my house.
Growing a Pear wrote:As long as I don't quit, I know I'm capable of figuring this out.
I absolutely agree!
JaBee - Goodbye to 5 pounds! Just eliminate those raisins, and you'll be hitting 10/10!
Thanks to Jeff for fielding your question about grains/cereals. If you're in search of an alternative to oatmeal, I personally quite enjoy both millet and buckwheat, and either can be prepared in ~10 minutes.
Renestl - Happy October! Resolving those "rocky" times and getting right back to "hitting the points" is a valuable skill to cultivate. Try to think through the factors that led to things feeling "rocky," if you can address those, then you'll be able to circumvent the next "rocky" stretch entirely. Cheers to conquering those cravings!
Phila - Greetings and welcome! Today is a great day to step on deck and get involved with changing your behavior! How are you doing with the
MWL 10-Point Checklist?
Moonlight - Hi! I'm really excited you are back and recommitting to MWL! You did successfully report ahead of the deadline.
Since those 4 pounds accrued during your time away, I'll mark today as a new start. 2 points managed, 8 to go; you know the behaviors well, but a review of the
group resources never hurts for spurring action.
I always find a replay of one of Dr. Lisle's lectures helps get me motivated, too. All the best!
Lachoffman - 36 lbs since July 4! That Wellness Soup sounded appealing to me, too! With assiduous attention to the 10 points, progress is sure to follow.
by chef16 » Sat Oct 03, 2020 7:41 am 
