10 Day Mary's Mini

[MaryW]

I'm not currently following Mary's mini, but I just had to butt in!

kirstykay--I cook my hashbrowns in a dry non-stick skillet. I use the frozen ones, but fresh would work the same. Whether I use the cubes or the shreds, I just dump them in the pan, spread them in a think layer and put the lid on. I leave them without stirring for about 8-10 mins. This allows them to brown a bit. Also if you stir too much, you will get a sticky mess. After about 10 mins, I take off the lid, give them a good stir, and put the lid back on for another 10 mins or until they are as brown as I want them. I like them pretty brown! Cook yours a bit less if you don't.

Also, if you use a non-stick pan, you should never use non-stick spray in it. I've read and heard that those sprays will ruin non-stick pans. And Ive seen it first hand in my own pans.

silvafox--I'd like to pass on some advice I've heard here on the boards many times. The best way for most people (including me) to avoid cravings is to stuff yourself with approved foods. If you are hungry, eat a potato (or starch of choice). If you crave a cookie, eat a potato. If you want some chocolate, eat a potato. Stuff yourself so full of potatoes, there isn't room for any junk food.

Getting over cravings is hard. Every time you give in, you go back to square one. Every time you so no to bad food, you take a step forward. The more you DON'T eat SAD food, the more you don't want it. It will take time, but you will get there. You can do it!

[kirstykay]

I'll try my hashbrowns like that tomorrow! I'm going to try your tip about filling myself with good food whenever I have a craving. So far, I'm still really hungry and thinking about food way too much. Day two on MM was good for me, though, as far as staying on plan. I had hashbrowns for breakfast, oven fries for lunch with a mixed green salad, an apple for a snack (twice) and mashed potatoes, beets, and mixed veggies for dinner. I'm going to bed pretty hungry, but it's too late to eat now. Tomorrow I'll try to eat more.

Thanks for all your support on this site. It helps me so much!
Kirsty

[Silvafox]

It's EARLY Wednesday AM. Sounds like I was not completely alone yesterday with the poor choices thing. Debbie...I always relate to other women with "my" name...for some reason I relate "more" to other "Deb's" (is that weird?) ...I think today we might do better. Applebee's is not going to be an issue today and I'm out of oatmeal cookies...At least you had a better reason than I did.


MaryW & KristyKay...thanks for the words of encouragement. I really hate that I'm over 60 and still don't take control over food...your words do help. I also resent the fact that I "need" support...at "my age" I want food to be a non-issue. I've been a food-purist for years, I've not eaten the SAD diet for many years, I just get sucked into believing that if my "cookies" (oatmeal, mashed bananas, raisins) are "healthy" I can eat the whole batch.

So, it's a new day...if I am going to do this MM for 10 days, I'll count this as day two. After my fiasco yesterday I did make a huge pot of potatoes, kale and spinach. DH didn't even ask me about it.

Anyone else out there have a Newly Unemployed DH?

Talk to you all later...

The Other Deb

[janluvs2heel]

Silvafox & Debbie-

Just put the bad choices behind you. I have been there as well. Always lurking in the back of my mind is the fact that I might blow it again. I have been there so many times, where I thought I got it right, then wham. But I am learning to get right back on the horse & move forward with McDougall.

A long time ago, when I was low carbing, I remember reading somewhere that if you are going to eat something that isn't allowed, eat it but eat it within an hour. Then go right back to your plan, it seemed like it had something to do with blood sugar? If you are eating after the hour passes, the cravings will start, something like that. I dont know if that makes sense but I do know that when I have gone off plan, it does seem to help or maybe that is just my head but I dont know it?

MaryW-thanks for the advice. I try & tell myself if I still want something that isn't on plan, I have to wait until I have eaten my McDougall stuff, then if I want it I can have it. Usually I will get cravings right before lunch, at work. It is stress, I know. I also get them sometimes in the evenings, but I just tell myself, no, if I want it tomorrow I can have whatever it is, but usually I dont.

Here's to a new day.

Happy Wed. I am on plan & staying that way.

[kirstykay]

Good Morning! Today is going to be a great day!

I found this article on Jeff Novick's forum.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=12425

Maybe you've all read it already, but I just found it yesterday, and it was very helpful and motivating! My favorite part is # 5 that says: Be Persistent and Work Hard: Never give up. Relapse/set backs do not equal failure, they are PART of the process. Obstacles are to be seen as a challange to strengthen your commitment.

Now, you can all remind me that I posted this when I have a "relapse/set back."

Blessings,
Kirsty

[desertwind56]

Checking in

Stayed on plan yesterday. Throughout the day I had hash-browns, 1/2 a tomato, 3/4 of an apple, mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms and broccoli, raw broccoli, 1/2 a baked potato, beets and greens, salad, roasted potatoes and onions. Lost 1 pound.

I grazed all day, not eating very much at once. And even though it sounds like a lot, it isn't. According to CRON-o-Meter its only about 700 calories. I'm puzzled. That doesn't sound like enough calories. Do I force myself to eat more? Or is such a low calorie count normal.

Oh yeah, I woke up very hungry this morning. I've had two plates of hash-browns (about an hour apart). Maybe I need to try to listen to my body more and CRON-o-Meter less.

Time to go for our morning walk!
Connie M.

[Letha..]

Checking in. Same old same old rice/lettuce/apples for me. My advice for anyone who has taken a little detour on their journey to good health.

Begin Again.


Letha

[Silvafox]

Connie, that sounds like a lot of good things to eat. Thank you for taking time to post your foods. Even though I KNOW how to do this, I seem to be at a low point.

Letha, thank you, again...just for being there.

On my end of things, I was doing errands, it took longer than I'd planned so I bopped over to Wendy's and got a plain baked potato...One Small Step.

Debra

[sksamboots]

Desert: I don't know if you have ever read Jeff or Dr. M's article about calorie counting but they say it doesn't matter. What is more important is are you satisfied? Maybe someone else knows how to search for the article but I don't. Anyways. That's why I don't count calories..I just eat until i'm full and sometimes I do stuff myself so I don't eat SAD food. I say it's more important that from the Cron o meter that you learn about nutrition and how much you are getting, calories shouldn't matter much. Just stay satisfied.

[sksamboots]

Day 2

Breakfast: Potatoe

Lunch: Potatoe

Dinner: Potatoe

How simple? Is this........My coworkers all had a potluck and I had a potatoe......I enjoyed myself.......Everyone here is doing great

[janluvs2heel]

Sksamboots, your diet is the same as mine. Ha,ha.

Desert-I agree. If you need to eat more to keep from being hungry, then go for it. You can always adjust later. I personally eat 3 meals a day, with usually a fruit for a snack sometime during the day. But I have heard others say they eat 5-6 times a day. Do what you need to stay on plan.

I really struggled today, well, this afternoon to stay out of the lunch room & not eat a cinnamon roll. They are still in the fridge. It is just stress & I am happy to report that I did not succomb. Really, it just isnt' worth it, I am trying to really separate real hunger from my emotional hunger. Not always easy. But I am calm now, no hunger. Just one more day at work, then I am off.

Thanks Letha, for posting that, BEGIN AGAIN. I have certainly started over more than a few times. It is just catching it before it is too late I think. It just isn't worth it, beating ourselves up over a slip up. I just find myself not wanting to stray to the "dark" side, (the dark chocolate side for me) as much.

Silvafox-that is one small step in the right direction. Hang in there.

[kirstykay]

Yesterday (day 3 for me) was :

Hashbrowns for breakfast with onions, green pepper, zucchini--
I think I need a new non-stick pan...probably because I've used non-stick spray in it. Thanks for the tip, Mary W. I didn't know that could ruin my pans. Anyway, my hashbrowns were sticking so much that I couldn't let them get crispy. I'll try a different pan today.

Then I had a plate of fresh fruit at my Bible study in the morning. That was a huge accomplishment for me because there were ALOT of delicious-looking sweetbreads and coffee cakes, and I always cave in when I'm there...but I didn't at all!

Lunch was the panera vegetable soup with an apple, and I liked it so much I made soup for dinner. I made a potato vegetable soup with three different kinds of potatoes, onion, celery, cabbage, zucchini, tomatoes, corn, peas, carrots and vegetable broth and some V8 juice. It was yummy, and my whole family ate it for dinner.

I wasn't nearly as hungry as I was the day before.

Today is day #4 and I'm starting to see my blood sugar #'s coming down, so I'm happy. It was my very high blood sugar and the threat from my Dr. of being put on more medication that motivated me to start MM, so it seems to be working already, and I'm relieved!

I'm anxious to weigh myself, but I'm not sure if I should wait until the end of the 10 days or not. I'm going to the gym now, so we'll see if I can stay off the scale...I don't have one at home. If it's a good number, I'll be thrilled, if it's a bad one, I know that sometimes kills my momentum and motivation...not sure what to do.

[Letha..]

Good morning. I'm down 3.2 pounds this week. I'm on plan and planning to stay that way. Still doing Mary's Mini with rice/lettuce/apples. Here is a link to my list of weekly weigh in stats.
http://mcdougallstats.wordpress.com/200 ... oss-stats/
Letha

[kirstykay]

Letha,
Your weightloss is impressive! I also am so appreciative of the food lists and recipes on your journal! Thanks for being an inspiration to me! Congrats on another 3.2 pounds this week!
Kirsty

[sksamboots]

Glad to see people doing so great. I am currently weighing myself daily but won't post the results because I had ate a lot of SAD food before I started Mary's mini, so I want to wait until I'm back down to my lowest weight, then I will start counting again.

Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner: All potatoes for me

I'm feeling good. If I have a craving or if I feel hungry then I have a potatoe. I think I literally stuff mysef but the scale is moving down, so I'm happy with my progress.....I might start exercising come Friday, we will see...

Stay positive