July 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Group

[Cathmc]

03/07/20 - 156.3lbs
10/07/20 - 155.8lbs
17/07/20 - 152.5lbs
- 3.3lbs


Although I´m pleased with the drop in weight. I feel I could have done better to tell the truth.

Check list

Haven ´t been very adventurous in the meal planning. Have a few things down to try this weekend.
I´ve also been super tired and had very little energy all week.

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. OK
2) Follow the 50/50 plate method; Choose fruit for desert. YES
3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. Very much so but odd slip. Mainly maple syrup (twice ) and salt.
4) Eliminate all animal foods YES
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods. OK ( handful of nuts once)
6) Eliminate any added oil. YES
7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products, puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. [color=#004000]OK. ( Had 2 slices wholemeal bread once ) [/color]
8 ) Don’t drink your calories. YES
9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES
10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily. Not as active as normal. Certainly room for improvement. I hope I start to feel less tired this week.

Carol - What a wonderful post. Thanks for sharing your experience and thoughts.
Wfpb - Wow ! Go you !
josie - Have a wonderful birthday. Well done on completing the race and I´m sure you´ll soon drop that little extra lb.

Have a good week everyone

[Adriana]

I had a weight gain of 1.7 lbs this week, exactly what I lost last week, so needless to say it was disappointing. I have been following the 50/50 Starch/veggies and I exercise every single day but I did cheat a couple of days with one meal of wine and pizza, and one of margaritas and Mexican food, so there’s that!! I also noticed my bowels are not as regular s as they have been so hopefully that gets moving and the scale moves as well. Going to stay compliant this week and let’s see what happens.

[Dennis h]

Last week 230 lbs
This week 227.5 lbs
-2.5 for the week

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. CHECK
Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). OOPS
Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). OPPS
Eliminate any added oil. OPPS
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. OPPS
Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). CHECK
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). STILL GOTTA WORK ON THIS ONE

Sorry guys and gals , I let you down this week (Cheated celebrating daughters birthday)
I am now beginning third week without any diet coke, feel much better, and have more energy
Thank you everyone for your support
dennis h

[MartiB]

Last week: 167,
this week, 163
-4 lbs
1). Doing okay with this
2) doing okay with this
3) LOVE this part!
4) Sugar has not been my problem - salt has been. I’ve reduced the amount I add
5) Still looking for a good plant based ranch type dressing - otherwise, no animal products
6) did well with this this week
7) I’m good on this one
good on this one
9) I do make a breakfast smoothie - unsweetened almond milk, spinach, fruit, flax and chia seeds

[Joanne_elon]

WEIGHT. July 3rd. 131
July 10. 128.5.
July 17. 127

First week down 2.5
Second week down 1.5
Total loss. 4 pounds

I followed the guidelines closely. Very happy with the results...

Thanks for the support. Having this accountability has made all the difference. Joanne

[AnnetteW]

Jun 26 - 151.4
July 3 - 151 (down 0.6 lbs)
July 10 - 148.8 (down 2.2 lbs)
July 17 - 148.4 (down 0.4 lbs)

(Mark, no need to comment on my eating this week!!! I know it was off plan)

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. I really don't like this one. I tend to plate my food, and take the amount I think I need. Yes, for dinner I will often have a salad first, but not if I had a large salad at lunch.

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, but I don't eat fruit for dessert, I eat it with breakfast or as an afternoon snack. I have never been a dessert person. My meals are all easily 50% veggies

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. I still add some salt, but yes, it's still greatly reduced.

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Not this past week, I ate some Chinese takeout.
One meal only and I kept my plate small

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).Nope, I continue now to add a small amount of chia/flax to my morning oat (my gut likes it) and I had sunflower seeds on my salad one day. And I have soymilk in my morning oats also.

6. Eliminate any added oil.I didn't add oil to my cooking, but I ate takeout one day.

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. I think I met this one, I didn't bake bread so I didn't have it to eat. Though store bought bread products were in the house, I didn't eat them.

8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).I had some beer one night when we had all the kids over for a party. Beer doesn't trigger me, wine would. No wine allowed in my house. I obviously didn't need the beer.

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.This is getting easier and easier. I'm not munching just because. No scouring the house for munchies.
I've pulled out a carrot a time or two, I love an unpeeled carrot.

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).I continue to walk, but the heat slows me down. It's been a busy 2 weeks with company here.

Thoughts regarding last week - Company in the house for 2 weeks definitely made things more difficult. Though I was not fully on plan, I was more on plan that I realized. I just ate my food, my own food, but other things snuck in a few times. I'm looking forward to getting back on plan. I also know I like to "treat" myself and though I started to give up coffee (yet again) I went right back to it. It gives me a warm fuzzy feeling, tea doesn't do that. I guess it's a bit of a buzz...ha ha, I can only fool myself so much. I don't need to be perfect, but I have to keep working at it.

[rlechols]

Last week: 147 lbs
This week: 147 lbs
Loss of 0 lbs

My week went ok. I have had some work anxiety and stress which is affecting me, but after eating a whole food plant based diet for tha past 18 months, I find that stress doesn't really make me want to eat off plan.

Things that needed improvement this week: Eating out. This is a struggle for me sometimes. I don't want to eat out and prefer my compliant, tasty homemade dishes, but my omnivore husband loves to go out. We both work full time and take turns cooking one week at a time. I find he often doesn't plan appropriately and we end up going out. This is nothing new and I am pretty good at handling it to stay compliant, as he is very considerate about going somewhere I can get a meal the way I want. For example, last night we went to a steak house where I got a dry strawberry pecan salad...I had them leave off the feta and the dressing and brought my own, and I got a baked sweet potato and steamed asparagus, no butter and no oil. So the tablespoon or less of pecans was the only thing off plan I ate. However, little slip ups always occur when eating out...1 piece of bread, a tortilla, some nuts, etc. I am a normal weight now and try not to sweat it too much, as being with my husband is important to me and so we both try to accommodate the other. I actually think that is why things are working so well for us. In any case, I had 3 days that weren't quite on plan due to eating out.

Other than that, I also had more than 2 fruit servings several days, since I got a 25 lb box of fresh Georgia peaches last Sunday. I made low sugar freezer jam and have been eating them fresh.

I have continued with my cardio and strength training and feel really good. I also impulsively bought a new dress this week, and since the dressing room was closed, I daringly bought a size small, and it fits! Those are the rewards I like.

Good luck this next week to everyone. Work hard!!

[philmwl]

Weight change Down 1.0 lbs (189 vs 190 lbs )
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week:
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,
Points from the MWL Checklist that need greater attention:
10, only walked 30 mins 3 times in the 7 days, could increase this.

[K-Squared]

Weight Loss: - 2.2
Starting Weight: 163.7
Current Weight: 156.8

Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Once again, dinner was consistent. Breakfast and Lunch less so, due to the variable conditions of being on vacation. We return home today, so hopefully next week I will be able to say that I have been 100% compliant!
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. I am 100% on this one!
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. I have been adding 1 tsp of brown sugar to my oatmeal and salt at the table. Otherwise, I do not use these. Really starting to appreciate pepper on my salads.
Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Nearly 5 years strong on this one!
Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). 100% on this one!
Eliminate any added oil. 100% Easy
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.100%
Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). 100%
Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Well, I am doing this, and 3 weeks in it seems that I am doing well considering that I continue to lose weight.
Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Looking forward to our return to Colorado to get back to this! The mosquitos, humidity, and rainstorms (and frequent beach trips) have really thrown off my groove!

Happy to see that the weight continues to come off! Will be back in Colorado tomorrow with additional control over my environment. I look forward to being 100% compliant with all 10 points, particularly 1 and 10, in this upcoming week. I'm finding it easier and easier to accept the simpler meals of MWL, but am still tempted to find ways to jazz up basic fare (as seen in my journal for the week). I know I'm best off resisting that urge, as it could lead to overconsumption due to variety.

[Laney273]

206.5. Going down slowly. My biggest problem is saying no to desserts. Hard to stop after one bite.

[BarbaraLynn]

Good morning,

Weight: - 2.8 pounds
Total since 5/30: -22.8 (When I started MWL - did not join the boards until July)

I've had a very good week. I am strong on all fronts and doing well. My two areas of focus have been with salt and exercise. I'm feeling much better about my salt intake and have it to a level that is not causing noticeable issues with water retention, so that's a win. I began exercising this week and took two walks and did daily yoga. I'm feeling much stronger and my mobility is increasing daily. I tried a new (to me) recipe this week and enjoyed it very much. It spiced things up a bit this week and that was nice. Overall, I am in a very good and improving groove and am really enjoying our way of eating. I do not ever feel deprived and am satisfied and satiated. I'm appreciating this group and really look forward to our weekly weigh ins. I find the accountability is motivating. I also find it helpful to daily remind myself of my "whys". Listing the benefits of this WOE is also a good motivator for me.

Have a wonderful week everyone!

[rsmith0809]

July 10: 151.0
July 17: 148.6
Weight Change: -2.4lbs

1) Yes
2) Yes
3) Compared to where I was last month I have greatly reduced both. Sugar almost completely.
4) Yes
5) After struggling with peanut butter last week I still had two days this week when to caved and had some more.
6) I had a Chipotle burrito bowl on a date. Other than that no oil.
7) Yes
Yes
9) Still learning with this one.
10) Yes

I have two vacations coming up in the next 3 weeks. Any tips on eating this way while traveling? Especially while in a hotel without a kitchen.

[Waterfit]

Another successful week for weight loss. I am challenged with daily activity due to working and taking care of my 90 year old mother but will be back home next week and will get back to my routine. Other than that, I did great for not being at my house where it's easier to cook, prepare food, and be in my safe zone.

Starting weight: 121.5
Today's weight: 115.5
Total since July 1: 5 lbs
Total since last week: 2 lbs
Goal: 105 (10 to go!)

[VNiehoff]

This morning -1.4 lbs.
Total loss -3.6 lbs.
I'm happy since I haven't been this weight since 2017!
Eating soup a lot since it is an easy way for me to get multiple veggies into one place. Not a hardship since I like soup. Have begun formal exercising 30 minutes a day and try to walk an additional 2 miles daily. Considering the stress from the Covid pandemic, I think my energy level is a little better. So happy I took this opportunity! Doing pretty well at avoiding the things I should. Having trouble with eating oatmeal.... I have opted for hash browns without oil. Made mock tuna without oil or tofu and like it on salad. Hope everyone has a great week!

[GreenFroG]

Hi all,
Weight change: -0.4
Weight: 154.2

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
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.
2) Choose fruit for desert.
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.
4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). dipped vegetable sushi in soy sauce
6) Eliminate any added oil.
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.
Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
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).

Overall, had a good week but had vegetable sushi yesterday and dipped it in soy sauce, so may be retaining water. Can't do that again as it could be a trigger -- tasted too good. I guess I should eat them plain with just ginger and wasabi or not at all. Hmm...
Really focused on the 50/50 plate method and felt I did well with that. Also added in bike riding twice this week instead of the brisk walking, as it is cooler in the heat - at least there is air flow. Tried yoga and added stretching at night.
Focus this week: No deviations from the plan - and really work on # 10 to make it a habit.

Have a great week!