July 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[vegyluvver]

I'm a little intimidated by all the folks who have ten pounds to lose. I have a whole person to lose. It's going to take a while.

[BeadLady]

The only thing I understood is the name change. Please forgive me, I have never been on a forum, bulletin board communication before. What is a stickers, notes, and announcements. I need information about navigating the forum.I saw people put happy faces or smilies next to the 10 point checklist - what is that about? How do do find the reply to my post? I thought I posted yesterday but can not find it today. I plan to weigh in tomorrow however I do not know that procedure. I read the format but how do I get to the right place. I want to set up a journal also. I have been Starch Solution for along time. I am coming off Arimidex (hormone blocker for breast cancer that causes weight gain). I am excited to start a new phase of my life, I just need a shove in the right direction......Judy (Beadlady)

[Mark Cooper]

The only thing I understood is the name change. Please forgive me, I have never been on a forum, bulletin board communication before. What is a stickers, notes, and announcements. I need information about navigating the forum.I saw people put happy faces or smilies next to the 10 point checklist - what is that about? How do do find the reply to my post? I thought I posted yesterday but can not find it today. I plan to weigh in tomorrow however I do not know that procedure. I read the format but how do I get to the right place. I want to set up a journal also. I have been Starch Solution for along time. I am coming off Arimidex (hormone blocker for breast cancer that causes weight gain). I am excited to start a new phase of my life, I just need a shove in the right direction......Judy (Beadlady)

My reply to your earlier post was included in this group of responses.

BeadLady - You can post your weigh-in report in this thread on Friday. If you would like to keep a journal or food diary, you can start a journal in this section, click the NEWTOPIC button to begin your own journal.

The journals you are seeing are examples of people tracking their pattern of behavior in regard to the recommendations from the MWL 10-Point Checklist, changing our behaviors is how we ultimately produce weight loss.

[Mark Cooper]

Welcome aboard briea, KrisR, smdauph, I'm happy you decided to join the group!

vegyluvver - Getting to where you want to be in a way that is sustainable and will last is more important than how quickly you reach that endpoint, right?

In case anyone missed my earlier post -
A reminder to all participants, please be sure to review the introductory post, MWL 10-Point Checklist and MWL Program Guidelines - these will serve as our "textbook" for this group. I also recommend watching Jeff's presentation - Calorie Density: How To Eat More, Weigh Less and Live Longer; this video provides a clear understanding of the concepts embodied in the MWL program, and it will likely answer MANY questions and help alleviate confusion. If you'd like to get a better sense of how the group works, perhaps take a moment to survey the June thread, we had some enlightening and valuable discussions last month.

I would encourage all participants to get started practicing the recommended behaviors as soon as they are ready and able. While Jeff, wildgoose and I can offer accountability and support in terms of understanding and implementing the MWL guidelines, and fellow participants provide a feeling of solidarity and comradeship; the onus is on each of us to actually make these changes in our daily lives. All the forum posts in the world won't have an effect on the outcomes we seek, without lasting changes in our daily pattern of behavior.

[Mark Cooper]

I'm looking forward to tomorrow's weigh-in and seeing everyone's reports! Friday is this group's weigh-in day, and participants have until noon pacific time (19:00 UTC) on Saturday to post a report of their result for the week. Reports posted outside that window of time won't be included in the summary that I compile for Saturday evening. This group is all about changing patterns of behavior, so it seems reasonable to me to expect those who choose to participate in the weekly weigh-in to honor that time frame for reporting. In addition to reporting your weight change in pounds, more importantly, please be sure to evaluate your behaviors within the context of the MWL 10-Point Checklist, if you please. I will respond to everyone's reports in a cumulative post on Friday evening and Saturday evening, and the summary for the week will be posted Saturday night.

For more information on why participants are recommended to weigh themselves once a week while in the weight loss phase, check out this excellent and thorough article from Jeff - To Weigh or Not to Weigh

My very best to all, and I'll see you tomorrow!

[KarenMWL]

This is my first weigh-in report for the July 2020 group. I hope this is the correct place to post it! Here goes:
Weight change: 0 lbs (first week = no comparison data for last week)
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week: Finding out about/Reading/Memorizing the MWL Checklist! Did this by actually Committing to start the program by joining this group. Points 2 & 8 I do well: Choose fruit for desert and don’t drink your calories.
Points from the MWL Checklist that need greater attention: The other 8! Will be ok with no animal products and 50/50 plate. Will struggle with soup or salad before every meal because it complicates things with planning and preparing. I have MUCH weight to lose, and can only stand for 10 minutes max. Meals MUST be FAST AND EASY right now. My exercise for now must be the shopping, preparing and doing dishes for my meals. Also, is there an approved list of which are starchy veggies and which are non-starch? Need to know where carrots fit. Would help to have complete list of all approved foods by category!
General impressions & observations / resources to share / sources of excitement / requests for input & support: I am excited! With help of this group, I think I can do this now. I am committed to do my best each week, and to do better each week. I have short terms goals of losing 25 pounds and then increasing that to 50 pounds lost. I have 100+ to lose so I need short term goals, but I am in this for the long haul. Permanent lifestyle change. I WELCOME suggestions. Thank you moderators and participants for being here!

UPDATE: Sorry I was early—so excited I don’t know what day it is—was up all night reading group materials to try to catch up. MARK, THANK YOU FOR FOOD LISTS!

[Mark Cooper]

Hi, KarenMWL! That report looks great, but just to clarify for everyone - the weigh-in is tomorrow, July 3, 2020.
Perhaps you are on the other side of the international dateline from where I'm located; if so a good morning to you! Here is a list of Starch staples, but note that excepting whole grain pasta, the flours and flour products on the list are not suitable for MWL. Carrots are a non-starchy vegetable. Here is a fairly good list of non-starchy vegetables. It sounds like you're making a good start!

[mwl36]

Looking forward to participating in this forum. I have been vegetarian for 10 years, but haven't lost any weight until about a year ago when I found out about the McDougall's program and I lost 30 lbs. I have started putting weight back on, and that's not ok for me. So, I'm all in for this challenge. I want to lose 35 more pounds and this is a new beginning for me.

[GreenGables]

Hello everyone! I'm new to this group. As suggested I reviewed last month's posts which got me wondering about my version of oven "fries" with respect to calorie density... I understand that the drier something is, the more calorie dense it is. Through the years, I've morphed my oven fries and have settled on my favorite method.... Just wondering what your thoughts are regarding calorie density with my prep method.... I first cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot, using the steamer tray to keep them out of the water while pressure cooking them. I refrigerate the potatoes at least 12 hours. (I find that pre-cooked potatoes slice better into strips when they are cold.) When making the oven fries, I cut the potato into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick strips. (Wish I had that nifty fry cutter that was talked about!) I then bake these potato strips for about 25-35 minutes in a 375 degree oven, until golden brown. The outside is a bit crispy and the inside is moist. Is this acceptable for MWL methods or am I "flirting with disaster" regarding calorie density? Does cooking them twice (steaming then oven roasting) make a significant difference in calorie absorption as opposed to cooking them just once?

[Mark Cooper]

GreenGables - those fries sound fine to me. As long as you aren’t getting to the point where the potatoes or extremely dry and crispy (leaning toward “chip” texture), you shouldn’t need to worry.

[briea]

I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN!

[Mark Cooper]

I WOULD LIKE TO JOIN!

You’re in! See this post above.

[wildgoose]

As suggested I reviewed last month's posts which got me wondering about my version of oven "fries" with respect to calorie density... I understand that the drier something is, the more calorie dense it is. Through the years, I've morphed my oven fries and have settled on my favorite method.... Just wondering what your thoughts are regarding calorie density with my prep method.... I first cook the potatoes in the Instant Pot, using the steamer tray to keep them out of the water while pressure cooking them. I refrigerate the potatoes at least 12 hours. (I find that pre-cooked potatoes slice better into strips when they are cold.) When making the oven fries, I cut the potato into 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick strips. (Wish I had that nifty fry cutter that was talked about!) I then bake these potato strips for about 25-35 minutes in a 375 degree oven, until golden brown. The outside is a bit crispy and the inside is moist. Is this acceptable for MWL methods or am I "flirting with disaster" regarding calorie density? Does cooking them twice (steaming then oven roasting) make a significant difference in calorie absorption as opposed to cooking them just once?

@GreenGables Your oven fries will work for MWL. I make steak fries, smashed potatoes (small potatoes sliced in half and smashed with the heel of my hand, then air-fried), and Chubby Chips (a Jeff Novick recipe, posted here) and have been successful at weight loss and maintenance. Yes, the fries are slightly more calorie dense than, say, a baked potato, but they’re still within the MWL guidelines. The difference in calorie density is not necessarily from cooking them twice, but rather in how dry or crisp they get. You say yours are moist on the inside, which is good. If you were to make them thicker, even better.

Jeff Novick answered a similar question about fries and MWL, in which he said...

If you are making them into "thick" chips like my chubby chips, or making them into thick fries, like my baked potato "steak" fries/wedges, then they are 100% fine. The outside gets golden brown and the inside is still soft and fluffy. They have some outer crispness but you can't "Snap" them like you would do a potato chip. In other words, if you hold a regular potato chip, and bend it, it will break in half with a SNAP. That is the real concern, are the as thin and crisp as a potato chip.

If you are making them into very thinly sliced potato chips, where they are 100% crips with no soft inside, then they are just going to be fairly calorie dense. My guess is, you are not making "fries" into paper thin slices and they are fine.

Hope that helps.

Goose

[Kasie]

I’d like to join the group!
SW: 174.8
GW: 120
Height: 5’3
I’ve read the starch solution. I did the plan for a few weeks and lost 5 pounds. I was off track for several weeks. I’ve been trying to get back on track it’s difficult for me to avoid fat. I snack too much! I’m always eating. Low calorie diets have always been difficult for me. I’ve also tried intermittent fasting which never works for me longer than a day or two. I’ve tried low carb diets, but it triggers migraines. Low carb is especially difficult because I love carbs so much! I enjoyed TSS until I made the mistake of eating processed vegan foods a few days in a row. After that I couldn’t get back on track. I’m hoping this forum will help keep me accountable. I know I can successfully lose weight with this way of eating.

[Mark Cooper]

I’d like to join the group!
SW: 174.8
GW: 120
Height: 5’3
I’ve read the starch solution. I did the plan for a few weeks and lost 5 pounds. I was off track for several weeks. I’ve been trying to get back on track it’s difficult for me to avoid fat. I snack too much! I’m always eating. Low calorie diets have always been difficult for me. I’ve also tried intermittent fasting which never works for me longer than a day or two. I’ve tried low carb diets, but it triggers migraines. Low carb is especially difficult because I love carbs so much! I enjoyed TSS until I made the mistake of eating processed vegan foods a few days in a row. After that I couldn’t get back on track. I’m hoping this forum will help keep me accountable. I know I can successfully lose weight with this way of eating.

Welcome!