Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Thank you!

I was reading somewhere else on the forums and saw someone had posted links to Jeff Novick's caloric density guidelines. They are so simple. I'm intrigued. As someone who used to work for Weight Watchers, the idea of being liberated from numbers/calories/counting/portions etc is exhilarating and mind-bending in its paradigm-shift-iness. I would like to try it to see if the purity of the approach will help with tendency of my mind to tell me to eat when clearly I'm not in need of food. Can anyone relate?

Here are the links:
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/E ... ition.html
http://www.jeffnovick.com/RD/Articles/E ... nsity.html

http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/ ... weight.png

How does this work? Is it not the done thing to join a few days late? I'm 96.8kg this morning, doing an Ironman in June, need to get down to 80 by then...looking forward to it. Alcohol is my Achilles heel I am based on the Austro-Slovak border. Discovered over the holidays that no matter how much you exercise, if you eat and drink too much, you will gain weight!

I'm jumping in again this year

feeling discouraged. munching on cinnamon raisin Ezekiel bread (ate 8-10 slices just now...), stress eating as I type... went to a zumba class and I felt and looked so clunky and heavyset compared to just three weeks ago. Planning for the wedding feels stressful, too.

Hello friends... Like some others, I have never been a part of a group like this but from looking around I am excited to be here.

We have lived a vegan life for the past 4 years, started after my husband's diagnosis of heart disease and continued through reversal of that condition today. I have lived a vegetarian life for periods of time in the past, but this time we said "we'll give it 30 days" and after that, depending... it's a lifetime commitment. Or not. Well you already know the end to that story! We have never felt better, overall. I have been a type 1 insulin dependent diabetic since childhood, taken care of myself and nearing the age of 60 am without complications... however switching to the McDougalls' plant based eating has lowered and stabilized insulin requirements significantly -- totally mystifying my diabetes educator R.N. who has taught me to "count carbs". Something metabolically has changed... on a starch based diet, insulin requirements are dropping!

I come here to MWL because in menopausal years I gained weight despite consistent working out and plant based eating, low fat. I have not been able to lose it. I have some rare but continuing habits to change, though they are very rare at this point, that don't fit into a McDougall way of life... rare but still there the occasional chocolate, diet coke, but of cheese on a greek salad... so this is JUMPing in. I have 15-20 lbs to lose, I am nervous about taking on this commitment... in a group like this. But in reading around the forum I have learned so much already, been inspired and informed, and it is a good place to be.

I hope that I am not the only one who still has some of THOSE habits that challenge me. Others?

Question: Does anyone have experience with Walden Farms (zero fat, sugar, calorie) salad dressings or other products? What's the McDougall take on these? Ingredients are listed as water, flavoring, vinegar, and citric acid (a preservative). I use them on salads, as a dipping sauce for raw veggies, the maple flavor syrup to sweeten breakfast rice... what do you think of them??

Ok, so enough of this introduction.. let me see if I can post my ticker below. What a fun silly thing that turned out to be!

I weighed in just today,Tuesday... what is weekly weigh in day, Monday?

Thanks to all the moderators and especially to you, Debbie, for that concise listing of the WLS program overview. I hope to make some friends here... I am in Maryland, anyone close by?

Welcome aboard Trish and congratulations to you and your husband for tackling and succeeding in controlling significant health issues using this WOE. As for the bits and bobs of veering you do - that's probably similar to many of us. This is not easy - but it sure is great that both you and your husband are doing it - as those who are making the effort among a household that is not are really up against it I think!

I can't answer your question about the salad dressing - but I did know about this link to McDougall approved processed foods. There is a list of salad dressings here too.

https://www.drmcdougall.com/health/educ ... ged-foods/

I am glad you are joining us as you and your husband are already inspirations to me for what you have accomplished - well done - Michelle

Thanks, Michelle!

I have not seen the Walden Farms brand listed on any of mcdougalls list. It just seems that they are innocuous at least.I checked the ingredients again and they are all natural, such as lemon juice, vinegar, triple filtered water, xanthan gum as a thickener and what is described as natural flavors. Now we all know that doesn't really mean anything, but there are no sugars, must be artificially sweetened and the label list it as a natural sweetener.

If anyone else uses these.. please chime in!

good to know that I am NOT alone in these minor indiscretions.

Hi again Trish:

On the Walden Farms salad dressings here is a reply to that question from a past thread. When you have a question like this try the search bar above - chances are someone else has wonder the exact same thing already

Re: Why I keep trying

Unread postby Lacey » Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:52 pm
I really hate to be the one to tell you this, but Walden Farms products all contain Splenda, which is not part of the McDougall program. Here are Dr. McDougall's thoughts on artificial sweeteners: http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2006nl/ ... teners.htm

Thanks again, this gives me a perspective. I am new here and am finding my way around. Help is greatly appreciated and I will try search before posting a question in the future.

Good morning Trish and welcome.

Glad you are joining us on the weekly weigh in and as you can see everyone is here to help. To answer one of your questions on the weigh in day it is on Fridays up to Saturday morning at 11am Pacific time. At that point then Debbie will calculate all the gains and losses and report them. If you use any other weight system other than pounds then please convert your loss (or gain) into pounds to make it easier for her to gather the information.

As for the dressing, when I started this WOE I used Walden Farms for convenience and ease until I found recipes for dressings that I liked.

Again welcome and we will see you Friday.

LadyM (aka Dee)

Thanks, Dee for the welcome and information about Waldens... It seems like Dr. McD would say it is not the best, due to Splenda and concern for artificial sweeteners, yet it is oil free and acceptable. I did read his article on artificial sweeteners and what seems to be the greatest concern that it stimulates desire for sugar and sweets.

So I am ok with Waldens for now. Some are excellent, and as a diabetic I lost my taste/aftertaste with artificial sweeteners a long time ago. I will keep an eye out for good dressings to make, I did find one called Green Goddess on the site that sounds great. If you want it, I'll send it.

So post weight on Friday/Saturday, got it.

[code][/code]First Friday weigh in and I started on Monday........very happy!



I have eaten lots of potatoes and other healthy starches. The biggest change has been wearing a pedometer and making sure I get my 10,000 steps in.....( you cant sit around much!)

Good Morning all:

Official weigh in for me I'm down 1 pound.

I was down 1.5 yesterday and I don't know why I weighed in but I knew I wouldn't stay the same but was hoping for a bigger lose.

It is what it is. Heading in the right direction.

Have a great day!!