April 2020 McDougall MWL Weigh-In Thread

[Mark Cooper]

Jadeice - You are in! Adhering to the MWL principles for an adequate period of time will definitely deliver results, it is the behaviors that lead to the weight loss. If it would help you to feel more comfortable, please feel free to only post your weight change (+/- in pounds) for the Friday weigh-ins, it isn't necessary to share your total weight if that feels too uncomfortable. What is of paramount importance is assessing (on at minimum a weekly basis) your choices and behaviors with respect to the MWL 10-Point Checklist.

PoppyMoss - Hello! A big for making a commitment to MWL! I'm glad you decided to participate, and please let the group know if you have questions or need any clarification.

[Love the Lorax]

I haven't been on in ages, have followed McDougall/Fuhrman on and off for years, my family is definitely SAD and that makes things harder. BUT - I've gained weight, BP is up, fatty liver, etc. and I need elective surgery but would rather go into it in a healthier state. So, we don't post our first weight until this coming Friday, and then every Friday through April? I need some accountability.

[Drew*]

Thank you Mark...I will do it. Thanks for the tips on exercise from March!

Drew*

[Mark Cooper]

Love the Lorax - Welcome! Living in a home with family who don't practice this way of eating can definitely present additional challenges; I believe a couple other participants are in a similar situation, so feel free to post if you have particular difficulties that arise for which you think input from the group would be useful. You can post your current weight now, or on Friday (or just make note of it to yourself, if you prefer). For the weekly weigh-in, the reporting format is -

Weigh-ins are on Friday; participants have until noon PST on Saturday to report your result for that week. If you choose to participate in the weekly weigh-ins, please post your report in the following format -

Weight change +/- in lbs
Points from the MWL Checklist where I succeeded this week
Points from the MWL Checklist that need greater attention
General impressions & observations / resources to share / sources of excitement / requests for input & support

So this month, participants will be reporting on April 3, 10, 17 & 24.

Drew* - I'm delighted to have you continuing this month, and thank you for the kind words.

[Faith in DC]

Love the Lorax, I remember you from way back. Good to see you again.

I am loving seeing all these new folks on too.

[Debbie]

Love the Lorax, I remember you from way back. Good to see you again.

I am loving seeing all these new folks on too.

I miss all the "old timers". I was just reading an old post by Clary and was feeling rather nostalgic and then saw your name. Glad to see some of us are still around.

[BarbF]

Hello! I have been eating a WFPB diet for two years now after my naturopath recommended it to help slow heart disease which is quite prominent in my family. I love to cook and have two kids who both love vegetables (one is mostly vegan and the other still eats some meat products). When I switched diets, I gained weight that has been really tough to take off. I definitely focus on how much better I feel when I eat well but the extra weight has also meant it is more difficult to move. I figure I have about 20-25 pounds to lose. I love taking my dogs for walks and these days those walks are getting longer because it is a way for me to decrease stress. I have been getting recipe ideas from the Dr. McDougall mailing list and those that I have tried have been great. My challenges will be staying away from the junk food that my youngest eats and following the plan even when I'm tired. I'm excited to have the support and weekly check-ins to keep me engaged and on top of what I know is a way of eating that will help me feel better.

[Mark Cooper]

BarbF - Hello and welcome! I'm pleased to read that you are excited to participate in the group! With respect to resisting the temptation of a family member's non-adherent foods and staying on track when tired, you may find it worthwhile to view Dr. Doug Lisle: The Story of Willpower – What it Is & How it Works. Brisk walking is an excellent way to avoid being sedentary, with respect to weight loss, to borrow from Dr. McDougall "It's the food!" that matters most.

[Fabi]

Hello everyone! Its Fabi here

Glad I found this group. I’ve been eating WFPB for about 6 months but ready to commit to this program now. Duo to this Covid-19 crise my anxiety is creeping up and I am reaching out to junk foods to cope with it. Since we are home, I figure there is no better time to focus on my health than now, also need to loose 15 pounds.
Looking to inspire and be inspired

[plantbasebasic]

Hello everyone,

So happy this came through to my email!

I hope to lose weight and the McDougall program has always made sense to me. I was vegan for a couple of years but then went home to my in-laws for Thanksgiving in 2011 and went back to eating the SAD diet. I want to feel better and I know eating a whole foods, plant-based, no dairy/egg/animals/oils is the way to a healthy me, inside and out. I think it's a great time for me to get back to nutritious foods. This is just one silver lining as a result of the Covid-19, "shelter in place" pandemic.

I was surprised that popcorn and brown rice cake are not good choices. I had raisin and flax seed in my oatmeal this morning before reading the MWL do's and don'ts. I should have left the raisin and flax seed out.

Best to everyone,
Diane

[Mark Cooper]

Fabi - I'm glad you feel ready to commit to MWL, I agree that NOW is a great time to focus on health-supporting behaviors. I can't remember where I heard, read or saw the following, but it popped into my head when thinking about reaching for junk foods as a salve for anxiety - if hunger isn't the problem, food isn't the solution.

plantbasebasic - Hello! Your observation that there are some nuances to the principles of MWL that aren't immediately obvious to those unfamiliar with the specifics of the current program is astute. I strongly recommend that all participants, but especially those new to the group set aside time to read and review the MWL Program Guidelines and MWL 10-Point Checklist, if you haven't already done so. Two other common points of confusion (off the top of my head) -

tortillas are not recommended for MWL (they are calorie-dense)

Whole-grain Pasta is acceptable under the guidelines (because it absorbs water when cooked it is ~676 calories/lb); it is recommended that pasta be eaten "primavera-style" with an equal visual volume of non-starchy vegetables.

[goal140]

Hi, I’m new to the weigh in thread. I have been plant based for the last 10 years but I haven’t always been compliant. I live in a SAD household, which for me isn’t good, too many temptations! Over the last four days I have been compliant 99% of the time. I need the support and accountability that hopefully this thread provides, although keeping a journal of what I eat will be difficult. I would like to lose 40 pounds and keep it off! Here’s to Friday! u

[Mark Cooper]

goal140 - Welcome to the group! It isn't REQUIRED that participants keep a journal/food diary; however, I do think it can be a VERY valuable tool, particularly for those who are struggling to achieve their personal goals. It can be a real eye-opener to record everything one consumes each day for a week, as most humans have a pretty spotty memory when it comes to food consumption. To be clear, that DOESN'T mean weighing and measuring food, or counting calories - just a basic log of foods consumed considered in the context of the MWL 10-Point Checklist.

[Mark165]

Hi, McDougallers:

My name is Mark and I have been living based on the McDougall Plan for a number of years--low-fat vegan diet including plenty of starch. Well, it used to be a low-fat diet, but my weight has slowly crept up because over time I began adding in way too much fat, especially olive oil, "healthy" margarine, vegan mayonnaise, peanut butter, and nuts; plus I have been consuming fruit juice and dried fruit every day. I am 5' 9" and today weighed 210.4. My goal is 165. I am 62 years old. Ten years ago, I got down to 175 using strict McDougall.

The email from the program about the weigh-ins jumped out at me today. I intend to rededicate myself to the principles and adhere to the MWL program. I have lost two pounds in the past two weeks from increased exercise--my work is closed down now and for the foreseeable future, so I have had plenty of time for walking and bike riding within my gated community. I intend to see what I can do when I keep up that activity level and add in a more disciplined eating plan.

I am truly tired of being overweight.

Mark in Southern California

[naswaffo]

I would like to join the Weigh-In, please. Do I do so just by adding a post? My name is Natalie and I have 20-25 pounds to lose. I have Autoimmune Thyroid and losing weight is difficult for me. I have been WFPB for several months now, but my weight doesn't budge. I have all but eliminated oil, avocado, olives, etc. and eat precious few nuts or seeds. I will eliminate those completely during this challenge, however. The two points on the 10-Point Checklist that I have not followed is eating soup/salad/fruit before my meals AND filling half my plate with vegetables. Those are the two main changes I will focus on. I look forward to participating in this challenge. Thanks for being there for all of us!

My starting weight as of 4/3/20 is 155.3. I am 59 years old and 5'6". This puts me at 25BMI.

I listened to a really good interview of Dr. Doug Lisle by Chef AJ yesterday. One thing he said turned on a light bulb for me. He said we should eat "WET CARBS" not dry carbs. Wet carbs being potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice, beans, oatmeal, corn, peas, etc. And, dry carbs being crackers, cakes, flour, tortillas, etc. Point taken. I haven't been as "whole" as I thought.

Until next Friday! Good luck friends!!!