no weight loss

[ncyg46]

i haven't been doing MWL but I gained 10 lbs after ETL and it is staying constant and no matter what I eat it stays the same. Yeah I know I have had off days but I gain if I eat oatmeal in the morning and still do my smoothies from etl. Usually have a salad and soup or leftovers for lunch and not that much for dinner.
what is happening? My cholestrrol is almost down to 150 and I am on less blood pressure meds, so I know it is working but just frustrated. Any yes I cleaned out our pantry again while Ed was gone!

[veggiecat]

I guess you'll have to choose between them & the oatmeal...

[ncyg46]

i use a banana, some strawberries or blueberries, spinach or swiss chard/any veggie I need to use up and some flax seed with water.....sometimes I add some beans if I am going to have a late lunch! Doesn't look to appetizing but it tastes good!

[nomikins]

How about a little exercise? Take a little walk each day or every other day.

[ncyg46]

i walk the dog three times a day, walk to the laundry, walk everywhere in this park....just don't do "organized" exercise! Actually I thought I looked gaunt at 130 lbs.

I was 125 in high school (until I went to college and gained that awful freshman 15 nd more!) and after my first baby I lost too much weight and looked terrible. Maybe my body just likes where I am at as I do have a large frame and have wide shoulders and I wear a 7 1/2-8 inch bracelet. I can't even get bangle bracelets on over my hands! my waist is 31, hips 37 so I guess i am built like a guy!

[MTeehan]

I know ETL works for a lot of people and is an awesome way to eat 'healthy' but for me I gained weight while doing it. TOO much fruit! MWL says just 2 fruits a day. Dr. McDougall also says NO oil (flax) and no more than one cup of beans (for some?) While ETL says one cup of 'starch' a day I've been eating at least 3 or 4 (potatoes mostly) and I'm still in a bit of disbelief that the scale is going down!

[ncyg46]

i guess i need to add more potatoes. It is so darn hot right now I just don't feel that hungry and haven't been eating much...and drinking too much beer

[kimba]

ETL is way low calorie. Maybe your body doesnt like having that few of them, thus its hanging onto every thing you eat. Id be starved for sure eating that way.

[dlb]

Nancy -

Since you asked I'm going to give you an honest reply. In some of your past posts you mention: beer, a little taste of this or that, things not exactly on plan, breads with dried fruits and nuts, a little bit of oil.

I know that I would not lose weight eating or drinking any of that. I am one of those people who cannot even have a little and still lose weight.

You've been flirting with MWL but not making that full commitment. I urge you to do so if you want to lose weight. If you are ok where you are now, then embrace that and continue on with the regular plan.

I hate to see you struggling back and forth and back and forth. You are a nice person and I would like to see you happy!

Donna

[ncyg46]

Donna..

I guess some days I get frustrated but you are right on the little things I let slip in. I am not concerned that much with the weight, but the fact that I have lowered all my medications considerably. Still working on the cholesterol but that is a family thing.

I haven't made bread in awhile, cause if I do make it I eat it and I haven't been eating much bread lately. I wish I could find those pizza crusts that Mary suggests. The don't have them anywhere around here and the ones they do have here have oil in them. I still have to make some bread for friends that keep asking...but I won't eat it!

I will be more complient, I made a soup recipe from the Quick and Easy cookbook yesterday (the Greeny Beany one) and it is okay so I have plenty of it to eat this week! Not one that I would make again but it has greens, beans and potatoes in it. I may dump in a small can of tomato sauce and maybe I would like it better!

Kimba...

you are right that etl is a very low calorie program and they stressed the no snacking. I couldn't eat as much as required in 3 meals..and was grouchy! I like McDougall sooooo much better! I did drink beer on both programs and still do so I guess that is the extra calories I take in

[Sulamith]

I will be more complient

There is no such thing as "more compliant."

You're either compliant or you are not.

I too see all the little things you mention in your posts as adding up to much more than you seem to believe you are consuming. It's not just the beer.

You seem like a very kind and giving lady but sometimes you just have to say "no" to other people. If you find the making of bread to be a temptation, as you admit, then your friends can make their own bread.

Friends will understand. If they don't, they ain't your friends!

Also, when I hear people say "I walk my dog" I know that in many cases, this simply means they put a leash on the dog and meander about as the dog decides where they should go based on the whims of his nose. When I walk my dog, we WALK. We usually do 2 hours at a time. Much of it uphill. I sweat like crazy. We only stop moving at red lights or to pee or poop. (She gets plenty of playtime and meandering/sniffing time during the day but walks are serious business.)

Granted, my dog is a working dog. I don't know what breed you have and I know you live in the heat and may not be able to be too active during the middle of the day but if you are not already following the pack walk rules, you should start now. Even little lap dogs can and should be walked like this. It's great for humans and dogs both. My dog's whole nature has changed for the better since I started following these simple guidelines.

I also know she will never be fat like her mama once was! (60+ pounds lost since September, 2008 with 20 or so more to go and still losing steadily. I don't know my exact pounds lost as I had to estimate my beginning weight because I was too ashamed to know to actual number once I hit 200 for the first time.)

Here's a link:

http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/articles/dogwalk.htm

I suggest you give the MWL plan a sincere, COMPLETELY COMPLIANT go for a specific period of time and see what happens. No beer, no little things, no little things that other people are eating, none of that.

Q: What do you have to lose?

A: Only the things you WANT to lose!

[ncyg46]

I have read his books and watch the program too. I am trying to be alpha dog but Ed lets him do anything.

With me he walks by my side, lies down if I stop to talk to anyone, but when he needs to go I let him go to his area and sniff. i have to short leash him with traffic coming by in the park, and yes we use a retractable leash that can be clicked to stop it.

He is a mutt of 26 lbs or so, part rat terrier and part basenji, and getting old! I will look more at the mwl part, have not been eating much bread, and nothing off plan at the moment (Ed is out of town) but the beer is not going anywhere, I enjoy it! I can't find anything else I like to drink besides water

[Faith in DC]

I have a beer or two sometimes also. So you can consume. All the suggestions are right on, and if you've kept steady after the 10 lb gain, then you have learned something. You know what you are doing is keeping you maintained. This is helpful info, because when you do lose weight, if you go back to it, then you know the weight will come back on. So now it's your choice to what to do for changes.

[ncyg46]

I did get rid of whatever bad things I had in the pantry...have cut out bread for right now, use wraps some. Been eating more salads and soups lately. I basically have stayed steady at this weight for a year so I guess I am not complaining. I should eat more potatoes but on a brown rice thing right now with steamed veggies. I did have hash browns with green pepper, onion and flaxseed ground up over it with some spicy mustard for breakfast and a side of cantaloupe. Not holding me as well as the smoothies I usually do.

[MilesA]

Beware, lot of wraps (and flour tortillas) have fat added to them. Some of the "whole wheat" ones are white flour with a small amount of whole wheat flour added. Also, the portions tend to be bigger than you might think.

If you like whole-wheat pita bread as I do, that might be a good alternative. You can stuff pita bread with the same fillings as you use for your wraps.