July 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Renestl]

Last week: 236.4 lbs
This week: 235.4 lbs
Weight Change: -1.0 lbs

I’m not upset with that loss after the holiday. I was on and off compliant and realize I need to plan better for when visiting friends, especially during holidays. They’re supportive but also not interested in eating this way, so it’s hard being around all the temptation. I did great on making sure I ate raw veggies or fruit before eating anything else, not matter how many times I ended up in the kitchen, so that helped.

Did good on points 1 and 8, better than last week on 10 and know I need to work on the rest when out visiting. I don’t wish to go back to past ways.

[Aussiefruitygirl]

Hi I am very tech challenged so not sure if i am doing this right. Wanting to post weight. -1lb this week. Now 123lbs. I am only 5 foot nothing not a lot to lose but really want to get back to previous weight and fit back into clothes in the wardrobe.

This week followed 50/50 plate
No soy
No oil
Fell short with crackers and bread
Ate at times when upset not hungry

Also ate to much fruit
Didnt exercise each day.
Overall happy with progress.

[Dot]

Weight: July 3/20 - 150 lbs
July 10/20 - 148 lbs

Challenges: Keeping fruit down to 2 a day. I’m using a lot less balsamic vinegar and nutritional yeast. I have had to use a sprinkle of salt occasionally. I've stopped using tofu mayonnaise and mushroom gravy thickened with flour. I was quite happy on the regular McDougall diet, just couldn’t lose weight.
I'm starting to figure out eating to comfortably full. I’m putting part of my meal aside and letting it serve as a snack. No dried fruit. I have two savory meals a day ( 11am and 6 pm with snacks in between. ) I use oat grouts and fruit as dessert. Not hungry in evening anymore.
Since I cut down on fruit and have been using citrus instead of balsamic on salads, I've had less cravings. I'm walking 2-3 times a week. Using rowing machine most other days. My life is pretty sedentary during lockdown with a minor back strain injury.
Lots of my questions get asked and answered by others.
Very helpful.

My post last week didn’t go through, Hope I’m successful this week.

[LLee]

What a surprising and wonderful week
Down 3 lbs
Today 184

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. check
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. check
2) Choose fruit for desert. check and actually passed up the Bennets doughnut in the breakroom
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. check
4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). check
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). check
6) Eliminate any added oil. check
7) 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
8 ) Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). check
9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. check
10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). check daily walk and 2 days stretched

I had a really nice week. was surprised on not feeling hungry
Breakfast mainly whole oat groats with fruit usually around 10 I get up at 0500 for work
lunch and dinner mainly large salad with all the good stuff no dressing and either sweet potato or redskins
looking forward to this week I would like to focus more on stretching and meditation

[simon]

Change: 0 lbs
This Week: 231lbs

I'll happily take that after the week I've had. My daughter has been sick and I haven't been able to stick to a lot of what I started with last week and crossed to the dark side with vegan junk food. She's on the mend and so is my habits.

Stuck to the salad first as much as I could.
Took the salt off the kitchen bench and put it in the cupboard. Put Herbamare on the bench instead and used that. Another step taken in the lowering of salt in my diet.

Looking forward, I'm going to be making soup and replace some salad with soup instead at the start of a meal.

[Ejg]

Starting weight: 203.5
Last week: 197.6 (2 weeks ago, technically)
This week: ~197
week over week change: ~ -0.6

Ahoy all, I didn’t report last week partly because i was too busy and didn’t get to it and partly because I didn’t have much to report. I have been hanging pretty reliably around 197. Not gaining anything but losing real slowly. I could tighten things up in hopes of faster results but I’m not going to lie, fruit is plentiful and cheap right now and I love fruit. Cantalopes, cherries, watermelons, strawberries, grapes, fresh corn, MANGOS....I pay top dollar for lousy mangoes in November. Right now, they are cheap and taste glorious. This won’t last all year so while it’s available, I’m getting it. I am doing what Dr. Lisle calls “eating into the pain.” Hence, 0.6 lb weight loss over 2 weeks.

My BMI about a year and a half ago was ~30.8 and now is ~28.3. My sole purpose for doing a maximum weight loss way of eating is to address what I suspect might be low-grade sleep apnea. So my progress is heading still in the right direction, just real slowly right now. Soon fruit won’t be so cheap anymore so I can see if its absence speeds it back up.

Otherwise I’m still following all the principles, and when I deviate, correct pretty quickly.

Happy Friday

[GreenGables]

Weight change = 0 (Disappointed because when I weighed myself midweek I had lost 1 pound... To counter the disappointment, I reminded myself that I had lost 11 pounds during the previous 5 weeks before joining this group last week.)

I was 100% compliant on #4 (no animal foods), #6 (no added oil), #7, and #9.

It's doubtful that I'll ever be compliant on #3 because for the past 20 years I've heard from various doctors, "I've never told a patient this before, but I want YOU to salt your food." -- I have a low sodium serum level.

I suffer from adrenal fatigue and low blood pressure. I have been instructed to drink coconut water; I often drink one or two cans per day, 90 calories per can, zero fat. Other than that, I did not drink calories (#8) this week. There are other instructions which help me feel better that conflict with the 10-point checklist. I look forward to the day when adrenals are functioning perfectly...

It's difficult for me to avoid being sedentary (#10) when I feel weak or dizzy. (Yesterday my blood pressure was 85/63. Until a few years ago, my systolic number was consistently 120-125, but now I'm lucky if it is consistently at least 105. I have met a couple people who have below "normal" blood pressure and function fine, but I really notice a difference in my energy level and mental clarity.)

The effects of low blood pressure can weaken willpower, so I've done a pretty good job of making my environment compliant. No "treats" for company. Just eliminate the choice of being conveniently non-compliant. It works!! Luckily, my husband mostly eats "regular" McDougall and that's a BIG help in maintaining a compliant environment.

This week I was mindful of starting each meal with soup/salad/fruit (#1) and the 50/50 plate (#2). I was NOT 100% compliant - lots of room for improvement. I made mental notes of problem areas that hindered compliance. My main problem seems to be lack of energy in order to be adequately prepared. I tend to make one-pot meals because it seems to be easier: less time on my feet, fewer pots on the stove to monitor, fewer dishes, and may have easy leftovers for lunch the next day. Also, using an Instant-Pot keeps the kitchen cooler during these hot days of summer (I live in a desert). I think one-pot meals is going to be a difficult habit to let go... Baby steps are probably the best method given my situation. This week I began adding more vegetables to the pot to move closer to the 50/50 ratio. I will continue this strategy next week.

[K-Squared]

I could tighten things up in hopes of faster results but I’m not going to lie, fruit is plentiful and cheap right now and I love fruit. Cantalopes, cherries, watermelons, strawberries, grapes, fresh corn, MANGOS....I pay top dollar for lousy mangoes in November. Right now, they are cheap and taste glorious. This won’t last all year so while it’s available, I’m getting it.

Ejg, I find myself in the same boat. It is very challenging to stick to the 2 servings per day with inexpensive, plentiful, and delicious fruit available. In a few months, I will only be able to purchase Bananas and Apples reliably!!

[Cinderoli]

Wt loss this week:
Cindy - down 2.5 for total of 4.3 since the 1st
Terri - down 1.2 4.6 since the 1st.
I think I am about 75% there even though good results. Still fighting cravings for sweet things and eating too much fruit. A tiny (mister) of oil on potatoes going into air fryer and still have not started any activity. Been trying to eat 2x a day as not much of a breakfast eater, but I think volume either too little (then I'm hungry) or too much - then stuffed. Need to learn to discern true hunger and stop before full.

[MaryE]

Weight change -5 I had a good 1st week. Mostly compliant on 2,3,4,5,6,7,and 9. Need to work on 1,8 and 10. I had tea with stevia and almond milk to stave off headaches. I have been a pepsiholic most of my adult life and gave it up. I batch cooked and ate basically the same meals this past week. It was easier for me to stay within the guidelines this way. I easily did the 50/50 plate but need to work on the soup or salad before. Exercise is not something I have ever enjoyed so that will be something I really will have to work at!!! I watched a video by Jeff Novick and one by Dr. Lisle this week and plan on watching more next week. On to another week of healthful eating!!

[Gimmelean]

Down .2 this week
Increasing my exercise routine at home is a plus. While gyms have opened In PA and I belong to 3, it is safer to stay at home at this time and I’m not anticipating returning any time soon. For the first time in my adult life I’m not going to the gym 3-5 x per week. Walking and online curated exercise videos are free and lifesavers.
Whole grains,potatoes, and greens have been the foundation of pre-planned dinners. Preparing batches to have ready really helps when I’m so hungry after a day of work I’m no longer making good decisions. I am working on eliminating my after dinner recreational eating routine which is still a challenge but less and less. Not eating out since March of this year has helped immensely because I know exactly what is in the food I’m eating and I know it’s not full of oil and salt. I love all of the program resources you have provided and read and watch the videos for knowledgeable and motivation a little bit every day. I am very grateful that you’ve made this program available. Thank you!!

[NatalieJ]

Hi all,

My weight has not changed this week. I strughled with the deleting soy milk from my decaf coffee. I also have been invited out to friends houses (school holidays) 3 times this week, and the vegan options were not WFPB.

156.87 pounds
No change from last week

[Lachoffman]

Lost 7 lbs this week. Compliant on all 10 items with exception of soy milk in coffee in the mornings. Enjoying eating MWL style. I keep thinking, "Its okay to be hungry!" But it's not too bad actually and I am feeling good about my progress.

[philmwl]

Hi, My results for July 10:

Weight change +/- in lbs: Down 2.0 lbs ( 190 vs 192 lbs )
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,
Points from the MWL Checklist that need greater attention:
9, I could probably reduce the total amount eaten at each meal without feeling too hungry.
10, only walked 30 mins six times in the 7 days, could increase this.
General impressions & observations / resources to share / sources of excitement / requests for input & support:
If I can do that for one week (as I did), I can do it for two weeks, and so on.

Thanks.

[OrangeBird]

OrangeBird - Fantastic! Great attention to the fundamental principles! On those occasions when you make a meal of salad, be sure to include starch in those salads, as well (if you weren't already doing so). Big for eliminating that creamer! Do you have a particular type of exercise you are scheduling in for the week ahead?

Technically, I am supposed to have started training for a half marathon in Nov. So I have a plan....but I have been a bit unmotivated lately. Not sure if the race is going to actually happen so I think that is playing into my lack of motivation.

I am adding a starch in the salad so no worries there.