Question about weight loss

[tjresin]

Hi Everyone! I am new to the board but not all that new to McDougall. I have been following his diet on and off for about 10 years which is when I first read his book. I am now turning to his diet again because I have severe IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and the diet to manage this is very high in soluble fiber (read CARBS!) and extremely low in fat. In fact that diet and McDougall's are very similar (no dairy, coffee, chocolate, alcohol...).

I am afraid that I will put on weight with just the IBS diet so I am following the MWL plan instead (avoiding all tofu, fish and chicken too). I have only about 10 pounds to lose. In the book, McDougall keeps saying that this will work for those who have more than 30 lbs to lose. Will I be able to lose on this too?

Anyone else out there with less to lose but has found this to be a successful plan for them nonetheless?

[mollyfisher]

In my experience you will lose weight if you stick to lower calorie starches (like potatoes), don't eat breads, bagels and pasta and make yellow and green veggies (those with a higher water content) at least a third and preferably half of each meal. Keep up your regular exercise. It comes down to calories eaten versus calories spent. You don't have to keep a strict food diary, but it doesn't hurt to occasionally journal a day's meals and snacks to find out how many calories you're consuming on average. If you're not losing weight, you might find out why not.

[tjresin]

So if it comes down to counting calories, then can I really also eat until I am full? In his book, Dr. McDougall stresses that it is not about counting calories but eating the right foods. I am confused.

[KareninTN]

You don't have to count calories. I think what mollyfisher is trying to say is that if you don't lose weight, despite eating the right foods, you might want to look at how many calories you are actually consuming; you might be surprised by what you find.

I am down to my last 10-15 pounds and it is very slow going. I agree with molly's advice as stated. I am having to be more restrictive these days than I was earlier on, for sure.

karenturtle

[Faith in DC]

You don't eat until full. You eat until you aren't hungry any longer. Big difference in the amount. Believe me. This was one of my biggest lessons. I wanted that extend the stomach some feeling. I didn't want the so stuffed I can't do anything feeling of thanksgiving, but to me full was a slightly extended stomach. I feel much better if I'm not longer having the hunger symptoms. I give myself permission to eat any time I'm having them, no matter when.

[Malva]

You don't have to measure and count calories, if you eat calorie-dilute foods (greens, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, zucchini, asparagas, sweet peppers, cabbage, sprouts, bok choy, radishes, and fennel).

Be less lenient with starchy foods (potatoes, rice, yams, oatmeal, winter squash).

Drink lots of water.
And remember: NO OIL!

[Lybbe]

I'm very interested in how your marathon training is going. I'm running a half in September and am doing well with the running -but struggling some with weight loss issues. I'm hoping McDougall will be the answer for me.

[Malva]

I'm doing well, thanks for asking.
I felling while doing speed intervals two weeks ago; broke a rib and severely bruised shoulder and knees coming down hard on rough pavement. [ouch!]
I WALKED 26 miles last Saturday and had no pain in either knee, though my rib still complains if I jog hard.
I'm hoping that all will be healed by October 7th and that I'll have a good race.

[Lybbe]

owie! You still have a few weeks of healing before your race - I wish you well! I ran my half marathon last Sunday and came first in my age group. Looking ahead to a marathon next fall.

[DianeR]

I lost those last pounds. But it was slow going. Stepping up my exercise was important. Are your 10 pounds to get to the normal weight range or are they to move within the range? I think the former weight would come off more easily. (Maybe because I took off 20 + pounds but never had a BMI in the overweight range.)

The food diary is a good idea. It isn't so much to get track of calories, fat grams, or anything like that, but it does cut down on eating because something tastes good or you are bored. Once I started the diary, I cut back what I was eating simply because I would have to write it down. I think there were many times before I would get a second helping, not because I was still hungry, but because everyone else was getting one.

In my diary, I also noted my weight in the morning and what exercise I did. The latter made me exercise more. The former allowed me to see what trend there was. My weight fluctuates quite a bit from day to day. If I take an average over a week I can see if I'm staying the same or actually going down.

Having meals closer to the Maximum Weight Loss program than to the regular program helps also. I found that I did lose better when I severely cut back on the refined grains and simple sugars. The more low calorie veggies (ones with fiber too) the better.

Just to throw in some unsolicited advice (which you can throw right back ), have you ever been tested for food intolerances or tried eliminating certain foods and seen how your IBS symptoms react? My food diary in fact led to my suspecting that I might have a problem with gluten. I went off it and felt better, then was tested through Enterolab, which confirmed problems with gluten, casein, egg, soy & yeast. As we say on celiac boards, IBS stands for "I Be Stumped." It isn't a diagnosis, only an explanation of what symptoms you are experiencing. Celiac, on average, takes 11 years to diagnose in this country because physicians just aren't up-to-date on its prevalence or the wide variety of symptoms it can present. Most who have gone the official diagnosis route seem to have years of being told they had IBS.

And that is just celiac, which is the tip of the gluten sensitive iceberg.

At the very least, keep track of what you eat and how you feel. You may begin to see some patterns.

[Malva]

owie! You still have a few weeks of healing before your race - I wish you well! I ran my half marathon last Sunday and came first in my age group. Looking ahead to a marathon next fall.

Congratulations on first place in your age group!

In my first 1/2 marathon I was just glad that I placed ahead of the first place gal in the 90-year-old age group!

I don't plan to break any records doing my first full marathon.
Especially after the fall two weeks ago. I have a lump on my right knee that is not painful, but is a new look for the leg.
I'm working to complete the course in less than 7 hours (maybe 6).
We will see.

[Lybbe]

Yeah - well I'm 61 and the age group wasn't exactly overly filled with runners...LOL