Hi Marlie,
I’ve got some good news and some bad news for you. Which do you want first?
OK, I’m gonna give you the bad news first.
![cool :cool:](./images/smilies/cool.gif)
The MWL book specifically says that corn tortillas should be avoided. As you read for yourself, on page 61 of the soft cover book it specifically says, “Eat your grains whole. Eliminate breads, bagels, pasta, pretzels, crackers, and corn and wheat tortillas.”
Now here is the good news.
If you follow this link you’ll find the following description of the MWL protocol used at the McDougall center.
http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/ ... ushing.htm
“Avoid Refined Foods and Flours:
Those interested in the utmost efficiency for weight loss should eat their starches in an unprocessed and unrefined condition. In practical terms, this means you minimize your intake of flour products. Flours are more rapidly absorbed than are the whole grains, causing a greater rise in insulin levels. The reason for this is that when you cut a kernel (corn) or a grain (wheat-berry) into a thousand pieces with the steel blade of a grinder; you dramatically increase the surface area for absorption through the intestinal wall – rapid, more complete absorption means more insulin produced. Insulin’s job is to push fat into fat cells (adipose tissue) where it is stored as the “metabolic dollar” for the day when no food is available – but for almost no one in Western societies does that ever occur.
Program Protocol: Except for a few offerings of whole corn tortillas, we eliminated all breads, pastas, bagels, and other flour products. This was an easy adjustment for program guests.
Why did we allow corn tortillas, and not bread and bagels? You can effortlessly eat a half a loaf of bread in one short sitting. That could be over 600 calories downed without a guilty thought – after all it is made of “all natural, whole wheat flour, without butter.” Two or three corn tortillas, at 50 calories each, are more than enough for most people to consume at one sitting.
Practical Tips for Home Compliance: Most of you will still easily lose weight and become healthy if you include some flour products – even whole grain breads – in your diet – but, don’t over-consume them. For best results, these processed foods should be kept for special occasions, and eliminated entirely if weight loss is difficult for you. “
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Now I’m an older female and I’m sedentary and I have a lot of weight to lose so I don’t eat any tortillas or pasta or bread. But I agree with TominTN that if you are getting good results following the MWL plan with a few corn tortillas thrown in, then stick with that. Best wishes.
Letha