August 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Joanne_elon]

My weight is unchanged.
125 Ibs

It was a busy week .... had some slip ups due to not planning
ahead. I also want out to lunch one day.....and didn't stay compliant.

I feel good ......been walking 4 or 5 miles everyday!
I hope the scale will move again next week. I realize
it will happen if i stay on the plan.

Thank you for your support....love this accountability. Joanne-elon

[Zoey]

Hi everybody! Wow, so much to read today, I love it. I'll take the time to do that later instead of heading to the farmer's market There's some sourdough bread there that I won't be able to resist. So I'll go to a different market tomorrow where there's nothing but produce.

I have no weight change to report, but I also have no struggles to report either, so I'll take it. I had a really easy week. Potatoes and veggies every day, and I never get tired of it. And I've still maintained control of my fruit intake while not feeling deprived.
But my happiest report is about the liquid calorie consumption. I don't think I'm headed toward total abstinence from the wine, but I know I'm pretty close right now. Since May, I've gone from 2-3 glasses a night to less than that per week. The constant benefits far outweigh the momentary joy of drinking. I'm glad the effects are so immediate, as that gives me the desire and inspiration to keep at it.

Thank you sooooooo much everyone for this support!

[Kelly140]

This week: -3.5
Total loss: -9


01) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit: 90% success
02) Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals: Yes
03) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and salts: Yes
04) Eliminate all animal foods: Yes
05) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods: Yes
06) Eliminate any added oil: Yes
07) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods: 90% success, 1 oz. pistachios
08) Don’t drink your calories: Yes
09) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full: YES
10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily: Still working on this, but improving!

The weight loss success has helped me mentally. I felt on track this week and making good choices is becoming easier.

[Gimmelean]

Stayed exactly the same weight as last weigh in. Sounds easy but not!!
1. Soup salad fruit- good- fruit is easiest to grab to stave off hunger pangs while preparing meals
2.50/50. Batch cooking a grain -baby potatoes- sweet potatoes makes it easy
3. Reduce sugar/salt. -working well for me. Consuming too much salt was never a problem. I love that family members are looking at sodium content now when we shop. Still have a perpetual sweet tooth but it is possible to tame until the first bite.
4.no animal foods/ no problem here
5.avoid higher fat plant foods-if I confessed that air fried tofu is my guilty pleasure - I don’t eat it frequently
6.eliminate oil/ makes a big difference with w/l. Understanding the energy density of oil helps put the need to eliminate oil into perspective. Especially when everyone else says they used just a little and it’s healthy. They didn’t and it’s not. No problem for me anymore.
7.eliminate higher calorie dense foods. I.e.; no bread makes a big difference on the scale and makes me feel better. I can eat the same calories with whole grains as bread on my 50/50!starch plate - feel very satisfied- and lose weight!
8. Don’t drink calories- no problem
9.eat when hungry- my evening recreational eating has always been challenging. I’ve worked on chipping away at this habit for 5 months. When I turn off the lights in the kitchen I just don’t go back in. Big difference. This is my biggest obstacle to weight loss
10. Move more. Week 4/8 of couch to 5k. To learn to run 5k. I’m a walker and got back to the habit of walkIng everyday when the gyms closed. They opened in PA but I won’t go. Not yet. The Cto5k adds jogging intervals very gradually. I never thought I’d be a runner. I was inspired by the Forks over Knives story about the 79 yr old lady and what she does to stay so vital and healthy.
Never went beyond week 2 before.
Thank you. This accountability post aligned with the 10 point checklist helps keep me focused on what matters for MWL and good health.

[Violet3135]

August 21: 174
Net loss: O
I am happy to be through the first week of the semester! Teaching with a mask for several hours is challenging. I haven't been on campus since March so that was strange as well. Most importantly, I feel well and hope that my plant-powered immune system serves me well in the months to come in which that I am not able to isolate . I am feeling less anxiou than last week and am happy that I got through this anxiety ( start of a live semester and my special needs kid starting middle school) without any binge eating which has been my go-to for more years than I can remember.
Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. yes
Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.yes
Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. no- I need to work on this one!
Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).Yes
Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). Yes
Eliminate any added oil. Yes
Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.Yes
Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Yes
Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don’t starve yourself and don’t stuff yourself.Yes
Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking) Yes

[NateKruse]

Height: 6' 5"
03 January 2020 weight: 276.6 pounds.
07 August 2020 weight: 221.6 pounds.
15 August 2020 weight: 221.0 pounds.
21 August 2020 weight: 219.2 pounds.


Change this week: -1.8 pounds.
Change this year: -57.4 pounds.

It's been very hot this week and I have been too lazy to cook a batch of vegetable soup. I cut back on the fruit intake compared to the previous week. I made some trips across town for work this week and picked up lunch with some coworkers. On Thursday I had a Veggie Delight from Subway with cookies and a drink and on Friday I had rice and veggie bowl with guacamole and chips on Friday. Those probably won't be reflected in my weight until next week's weigh-in.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.NO
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. YES
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. NO
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). NO
6. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. NO
7. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). NO
8. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES
9. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).YES

[Drew*]

Weekly weight on Friday…

171.8 lb -.4 lb
BMI: 25.19

Points of success...

So I am giving myself a thumbs up in my journal for each of the daily 10 steps if correct. Last week I had a total success rate of 81% and now it is 84%. My plan on Friday was to keep up the momentum and to keep plugging away day-by-day.

Challenges...

Monday was a challenge. Fortunately, that was Monday and things improved for the most part from there. I had a couple meals that had small amounts of salt or oil in them because they are added to one or two of the ingredients. Later in the week after some planning and meal prep of some SNAP/couscous meals, I am set with frozen food in the freezer for Monday on… That does not mean I am planning on a party from Saturday to Sunday! Mixing the plate 50/50 is my plan! Fruit for the desert is a must.

What needs greater attention?

Not reaching for a processed vegan desert bomb! There are none in the freezer and if any household member puts them there, I plan to reach for fruit, SNAP, carrots, etc.

General impressions

I’ve been reading through some of the postings and it seems that the group is working hard on the MWL plan! It is nice to have a group like this for support.

Mark, thank you for your remark last week, “It seems like you managed your meals within the context of that remembrance gathering in exemplary fashion. In my own experience, planning is the solution for specific, anticipated events (e.g. social gatherings); preparation solves recurrent, regular daily challenges, if that makes sense. It's a question of thinking about how one can overcome a particular challenge vs. just needing to put in the "elbow grease" to make daily adherence attainable.” It helped on that occasion and it could help again with items in the fridge and freezer that are MWL! Prep seems so important!

Drew*

[OrangeBird]

CW 226
- 1.6 lbs

Felt fairly dialed in this week. I did have some regular linguini pasta this week as that was what I had in the house for pasta. No other off plan issues. Still continuing with 30 minutes minimum daily on the activity. I'm working on a perfect month on my Apple Watch. I know I should be happy with the loss but I am wishing it was a little larger and I know its my own fault after going off the plan last week. Of course, I wouldn't be here if I also hadn't eaten terribly for years. Some days knowing that you did this all to yourself is hard to come to terms with. I am glad I am making changes for the better but definitely regretting lost time.

36 days until my daughter's wedding

[minisweet]

Happy Saturday everyone!

Last week weight: 206.6
This week weight: 202.4
Weight loss this week: 4.2 lbs

Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Check
Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. Check
Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. Added salt to tortilla chips at lunch on Wednesday
Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Had a cheese burrito at lunch on Wednesday
Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). Check
Eliminate any added oil. Check
Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. Check
Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Using a lot less almond milk on my oatmeal
Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don’t starve yourself and don’t stuff yourself. Check
Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Not every day, but a lot better on this one.

I really did a lot better this week than last week. Last night I was tired from doing yard work all afternoon and said "let's go to Burger King for dinner" but after thinking that through for awhile we decided to go home where I had a potato and veggies. A much better decision on my part.

Thank you again Mark for all of your insight, recommendations, morale boosting, etc. I look forward to reading your responses to everyone, myself included, in the group every week.

Have a good week everyone!
Sarah

[Growing a Pear]

Happy Saturday, all. Net rolling average this week: -0.8#
SW this week: 145.1#
CW: 144.3#
GW: ~135#

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products.
8. Don't drink your calories.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Though it has been 36 days since my last Clif bar, so that seems to be one bugaboo solved, I haven't successfully rebranded dry cereal as off-plan. Dipped into it twice this week. Also had one day this week I didn't meet the threshold for point 10. But overall I feel like I'm acquiring a better methodology for adopting the MWL program.

I have several soups I toggle between making. Have rice and beans pretty much ready to go at any time in the fridge for a rice bowl. Often cold veggies that just need a quick zap. And for a planned treat, have premade and chilled steel cut oat "pudding" that I top with warm fruit. I don't feel in the least deprived and though I'm female, postmenopausal, and within an estimated 10 pounds of a BMI of 22, I'm still dropping weight. The reassurance of steady progress and a reproducible, understandable set of principles allows me a great sense of relief. I feel like I'm spending less time on the mental energy of change, and that's a lovely place to be.

Putting this down because I might need to remember it in a few weeks if/when I reach a plateau and/or backtrack.

Anyway, thanks to this group and the moderators for your sharing and insights. In your company, the groove feels consistently deeper and wider.

[Lachoffman]

Am weighing in this week at 188 (a loss of 3 lbs), down from a start weight of 216, for a total weight loss of 28 lbs. since 7/4/20. Very excited by these results.

With regard to the 10-Point Checklist for MWL:
1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES
2a) Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals. YES
2b) Choose fruit for desert. YES
3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. YES
4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). YES
6) Eliminate any added oil. YES
7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products. YES
8 ) Don’t drink your calories. NEVER
9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. YES
10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. YES

[Mark Cooper]

The window for reporting this week's weigh-in and behavioral results has officially closed.

The remainder of my replies and the weekly summary will follow.

[Mark Cooper]

MonkeysMom - Keep at it! It sounds like, apart from those cookies, you have been pretty successful in practicing the recommended behaviors. I would imagine not having them in your house going forward (and not buying any more) should make that situation easier to manage. To clarify, the MWL 10-Point Checklist recommends that we

Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).

To make those dressings or sauces adherent, you can substitute beans in place of the nuts, along the line's of Jeff's favorite dressing. I think you are correct that after a sufficient duration of close adherence to the MWL guidelines, your cravings will begin to expire. Enjoy that savory oatmeal!

Dot - Nice loss! It sounds like you continue to make solid progress figuring out how to make this way of eating work for you! Keep putting in the effort to practice the recommended behaviors, and accumulate a substantial period of adherence with opportunities to overcome challenges and deal with changing circumstances and, eventually, it will all start to feel like that normal lifestyle you mention. Just to clarify - a sprinkle of salt on the surface of one's food is acceptable within the MWL guidelines.

We are not a S-S free program. We only ask you to reduce the amount to a true condiment, and to just sprinkle it on your food at the table. You don't have to eliminate them if they are not a problem for you. Understand that for many people, the real issue is not sugar (or salt) per se, but how they are consumed and with what company. Most sugar is consumed as liquid calories (sugar sweetened beverages, sports and energy drinks) or as part of ultra processed highly palatable food (donuts, cupcakes, brownies, etc). Same with salt. Most all the salt we consume is in the form of ultra processed foods.
Most people find that when they eliminate the sugar-filled liquid calories and the ultra processed foods that are high in sugar, salt and are also high in fat and calorie density, they can use salt and/or sugar as a condiment without a problem.

"It" will indeed come, with time.

ladevereaux - The needle on your scale continues to move in the preferred direction, Leslie! Even when we miss the mark on perfect application of the recommended behaviors, making improvements from day to day and week to week is worth acknowledging. It seems that with a more controlled environment and fewer immediate temptations, that progress might start to feel somewhat easier to achieve. Keep going strong and enjoy those new recipes!

Lucas - Wow! Big drop there! I can understand why you are feeling very pleased! That attentive close adherence clearly makes a difference. I'm relieved to hear that your knee is feeling better; I'm sure that was a very welcome development.

cmurphy - Awesome! Back in the groove and down 2 lbs! Your menu of planned food sounds very good and very delicious! Best wishes for some cooler temperatures to come your way.

chef16 - So long to 3 more pounds! It appears you are getting things down with over half the checklist, keep striving for ongoing improvement eliminating the remaining higher fat and calorie-dense foods, and liquid calories. It sounds like your work over the course of the day may be keeping you pretty active, even though it isn't "exercise" in a more stereotypical sense; it definitely seems that you are avoiding being sedentary.

Reni - Kudos! You are off to an auspicious start! Great work implementing the recommended behaviors. Just to clarify for everyone, The McDougall Program for Maximum Weight Loss - the original book, was updated with the guidelines provided in the January 2005 newsletter and has been further condensed into the MWL 10-Point Checklist, which together provide the most current program information. So the updated recommendation for MWL is

Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.

I really think the degree to which the MWL recommendations have been fine-tuned, tested and updated over years of application is a real hallmark of their ongoing value. I'm overjoyed to hear that MWL has felt freeing for you! Your goals for the week ahead seem clear, reasonable and attainable. Keep up your excellent efforts!

Joanne_elon - With a busy, challenging week, sometimes just maintaining can be an achievement! Since you've identified lack of planning as the root for those "slip-ups," a fix should be achievable with a little time invested into preparation. You are so correct in observing that the recommended pattern of behavior (when practiced effectively) will inevitably produce results. Getting in 4 or 5 miles every day and feeling good sounds smashing!

Zoey - A week free of struggle always makes for a happy report! I think your choice to frequent that "temptation free" farmer's market exemplifies the level of thought and candor one can bring to bear in maintaining lasting adherence; I believe recognizing the occasions we might be vulnerable to temptations, and taking actions to best support our important goals is a practice worth highlighting (even if you were speaking partly tongue-in-cheek ). Compliments to your progress with the liquid calories, I know that is the result of ongoing, consistent focus. How great is it to have those immediately noticeable benefits reinforcing the changes in behavior, right?

Kelly140 - Woo-hoo! Quite a successful week! I expect the recommended pattern of behavior feeling easier is a welcome development. Keep attending to the guidelines, improving where you can, and I'm sure you will have much more success ahead of you!

Gimmelean - I can wholly agree that maintaining the exact same weight over a week (or a number of weeks) isn't always easy! Fantastic attention to the MWL 10-Point Checklist, and a big congratulations on completing week 4 of Cto5K! How gratifying that your example has inspired some family members to pay attention to added salt!

Violet3135 - Let me congratulate you on completing that first week back on campus teaching! What a relief to have anxieties about that subside, and you handled it without any binge eating! Looks like a really impressive week overall! Is the excessive salt you feel you need to work on coming from canned foods, or just salt you are adding? If it's the latter, something that helped me transition was to measure a set amount of salt at the beginning of the day, and just sprinkle from that amount, so I could be sure I wouldn't go over the "ceiling" I had set.

NateKruse - 1.8 pounds down and you are sneaking toward that cumulative 60 pound mark! Since you are pretty familiar with the recommended behaviors, now might be a good time to develop some strategies for dining out to use the next time you're presented with a "working lunch," if that feels like something worth tackling.

Drew* - The scale continues to work its way down, as your rate of success works its way up! I couldn't agree more strongly about the importance of preparation; it really is one of the key factors in many of the long term "success stories." I imagine a sense of relief accompanies that "dessert bomb" free freezer. Keep plugging away, day by day.

OrangeBird - Kudos! The feeling of being "dialed in" is always pleasant. Best wishes on your path to that perfect month of activity, as captured by your Apple Watch. Something to perhaps keep in mind when assessing your rate of progress - I don't imagine the weight was accumulated in a matter of weeks or months, so try not to be too hard on yourself if shedding it takes longer than you might wish. Your average is about 2 lbs per week, which is pretty much right on target. Keep adhering to the MWL guidelines and you will get where you hope to be.

minisweet - That is REAL progress, Sarah! Good for you, rethinking that visit to Burger King! Just to clarify for everyone, besides the added salt, those tortilla chips are also calorie dense on their own (and unless they were homemade, likely included added oil). Keep doing the best you can to make progress where you are able, think about how far you have already come in making these changes!

Growing a Pear - Your rolling average continues to roll "downhill!" I am sure the sensation of requiring less "bandwidth" for making / maintaining behavioral changes feels lovely, indeed! You seem to be doing an excellent job staying well-prepared. On the occasions when you are "dipping into" the dry cereal, are you doing that because you are hungry or is it just a sudden impulse? Did it occur at the same time of day, or the same point in the day's routine? Keep carving away at that groove.

Lachoffman - Woot! 3 lbs this week and 28 pounds since July 4th! Very exciting results and exemplary adherence for the week! Fantastic!

[Mark Cooper]

Please note - I replied to each participant individually in the two lengthy posts linked below.

Mark's Replies for August 21 - Part 1
Mark's Replies for August 21 - Part 2

By my count, 49 participants reported for our third August 2020 MWL weigh-in! If I neglected to include anyone, or you notice an error in the tally, please let me know (via PM so we can keep the thread as tidy as possible, or in a post here if you cannot PM).

Here are the results for the third Friday in August:

Week ending 8/21/2020: 49 participants reported a total loss of -55.70 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Conniegeerhart +3.60
Jan_npr +2.00
Laura_delao +1.40
Squealcat +0.70
Goal140 +0.60
Texaslil +0.40
MonkeysMom +0.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total gains: +8.90
--------------------------------------------------
NO CHANGE / MAINTAIN / STARTING OUT
Abe 0.00
BlackBeanSoup 0.00
Gimmelean 0.00
Hope410 0.00
Joanne_elon 0.00
Rlechols 0.00
Violet3135 0.00
Zoey 0.00
--------------------------------------------------
VivianS -0.20
Wstokes -0.20
Drew* -0.40
Wfpb2020 -0.40
Noella -0.50
Growing a Pear -0.80
PonysPlants -0.80
Dot -1.00
Golightly -1.00
Pattyj115 -1.00
Waterfit -1.00
Ladevereaux -1.40
OrangeBird -1.60
Expat in NZ -1.80
NateKruse -1.80
Amberlina -2.00
Cathy Ann -2.00
Cmurphy -2.00
Dennis h -2.00
GreenFroG -2.00
Beeshell -2.10
Creaky -2.30
BarbaraLynn -2.40
CindyD -2.40
Josietheschnauzer -2.40
Calharv -3.00
Chef16 -3.00
Lachoffman -3.00
LesleyMills -3.00
Reni -3.00
Lucas -3.20
Renestl -3.20
Kelly140 -3.50
Minisweet -4.20
--------------------------------------------------
Total losses: -64.60
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for August 2020 to date: 199.60 pounds
Average loss for week ending August 21: 1.14 pounds
--------------------------------------------------
Cumulative group loss for January 2020: 384.15 pounds
Cumulative group loss for February 2020: 96.60 pounds
Cumulative group loss for March 2020: 60.10 pounds
Cumulative group loss for April 2020: 218.00 pounds
Cumulative group loss for May 2020: 191.50 pounds
Cumulative group loss for June 2020: 120.63 pounds
Cumulative group loss for July 2020 to date: 524.80 pounds

Next Weigh-In is on Friday, August 28, 2020.


Cheers to another week of admirable efforts from all our participants! Your dedication to making these important changes in your daily lives is inspiring!

As we head into the final stretch of this month, it seems like an appropriate time to take stock and assess where the most significant challenges to your adherence lie. If something specific immediately springs to mind, why not dedicate the next week to discovering how to overcome that obstacle?

If meals at a restaurant or takeaway orders still tend to knock you off track, what principles might you employ to better adhere to MWL when dining out? Would you be better off avoiding restaurants entirely at the moment?

Are you struggling with cravings for specific, troublesome foods, and reaching for them instead of the recommended choice? How could you make that more difficult to do? What barriers might you build between you and those problematic temptations? How might things go if you were rid of the calorie rich, processed foods entirely?

Do your best to resolve the month in a way that motivates you and supports continued success.

In an illuminating discussion of durable adherence to healthy behavior, Compliance on a Healthy Diet, Jeff highlights a study demonstrating that

for many of us, it is that occasional lapse on a "forbidden food" that is going to start the downward spiral.

Looking at the full study, it was forbidden foods, usually consumed at home, usually in the evening, usually on the weekend. So, to be successful, we have to keep our home and our environment a safe place and to avoid feeling deprived, which we can do by eating when we are hungry until we are comfortably full of the approved foods.

As the old saying goes, "out of sight, out of mind." For many of us it is also, "in the house, in the mouth."

I think candor and self-honesty in recognizing the damaging habits from our past, as well as our current vulnerabilities in the face of this society's toxic food environment is immensely important. If we aren't vigilant to the hazards in front of us, we can't take effective action to circumvent them, and the next lapse or spiral downward is almost inevitable. Considering the environmental, social and economic forces arrayed against us, is it any wonder that this way of living requires rigorous attention?

Take action upon the things within your control to make ongoing adherence as attainable for yourself as possible.

Be well, everyone! My sincerest regards for a wonderful week to come!

[Growing a Pear]

Growing a Pear - On the occasions when you are "dipping into" the dry cereal, are you doing that because you are hungry or is it just a sudden impulse? Did it occur at the same time of day, or the same point in the day's routine?

What an excellent question, Mark. Thank you for the prompt!

Both times I was hungry mid afternoon and thought I'd be fine with the smallest handful possible as a means to tide me over until dinner. Once I tasted it, the calorie density roped me in.

At the time, we were running low on fresh fruit and everything else seemed to involve dirtying a dish or too much effort to plate and heat while doing meal prep. The steel cut oat "pudding" was preportioned in containers for ease of access, but was too large for my estimated hunger. I'll just make the portions smaller going forward and if I'm hungry enough to eat two on occasion, oh well. (I'll make sure I mix it 50:50 with the warmed berries. I've been saving my fruit servings for this. It feels decadent.)

Thanks again!