The Behavioral Path to MWL Success - February 2022 Group

[Mark Cooper]

squealcat - I'm pleased to see your self-assessment, Marilyn, and with a fair number of smiley faces, too! It is great that you've found some soups you enjoy. I totally support your inclination to step away from reviewing Facebook and other sites or recipe resources that you feel have led you toward non adherent food choices. Are there any adjustments you might be able to make, in arranging things or otherwise, that might help make it easier to avoid the bread? Taking focus away from the scale, especially if you are weighing more frequently, and directing your effort and emphasis toward making the recommended pattern of behavior "just what you do every day" seems like a worthwhile pursuit.

The key is not the loss or the gain each week, but to see where you can improve on adherence to the behaviors. We don't chase calories or lbs, we modify our behavior to be more adherent. Time and adherence are the most important issues.

I hope your grandson is doing well. Have a great week!

josietheschnauzer -

I have completed five weeks. I have lost 6 pounds in that time frame. Almost no weight loss this week. Doesn’t matter. I can’t believe I am writing that! But, I am learning. The important thing is to change my brain and not eat foods that cause me to join the pleasure trap train in a first class seat!

That is music to my ears, Elsa! I think your impression that even "low sodium" vegetable broth isn't very low is probably correct, I don't think I've come across a commercial vegetable broth/stock that meets the standards presented in Jeff's Rules & Guidelines for Reading Labels. Homemade mushroom broth sounds like an excellent alternative. You might also have a look at the recipe below; it works well.

Basic Vegetable Stock

If you like to use vegetable stock instead of water for cooking vegetables on the stovetop or in soups and stews, use this easy recipe (courtesy of Jeff Novick, R.D.). Unlike with meat-based stocks, there’s no skimming off fat and you don’t need to keep the pot on the stove for hours.

4 cups chopped potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
2 cups chopped carrots, peeled or unpeeled
2 cups chopped celery (leaves are fine to include)
2 cups chopped yellow or white onions
1 cup chopped parsley (stems are fine to include)

1. Wash the vegetables and parsley well. Place all of the ingredients (potatoes, carrots, celery, onions, and parsley) into a large stockpot. Add water to cover plus an extra couple inches (less water will yield a more concentrated broth and more water will result in a lighter flavored stock). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

2. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for at least 20 minutes.

3. Take the pot off the stove and remove all of the vegetables with a slotted spoon. Pour the broth through a fine mesh strainer (or a regular colander lined with cheesecloth) to filter out any pieces. Pour 1- to 2-cup portions of the stock into storage containers (I like canning jars). When cooled completely, the broth may be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.

Notes:
• For mushroom flavor, add ½ to 1 pound chopped mushrooms (any variety) to the pot of vegetables.

• What’s the difference between stock and broth? Stock is left unseasoned for cooking, and broth is seasoned and so can be used for drinking or as a soup base. Feel free to add some garlic, ginger, or any other favorite seasonings to this “stock” recipe to create a more flavorful “broth.”

• To use vegetable trimmings, add them (clean) to a bag in your freezer as you accumulate them. Once the bag is full, use the contents to make a batch of broth. Most vegetables can be used, but cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts) are usually avoided since they can impart a bitter flavor.

Preparation: about 20 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Makes: (variable)

Offering most (or all ) of that free sushi to your friend seems like an astute solution to that challenge - well done. Carry on with the "brain training!"

frowsyowl - A very thoughtful and considered self-assessment - I can tell you really took the time to reflect on the factors that contributed to the challenges and obstacles you were facing! As you observed, staying focused on the recommendation to eat the recommended foods, whenever you feel hungry (and WHATever you might feel hungry for . . ) without worrying about whether you're "really hungry" is always a solid practice. The other tools you highlighted (distraction, eating a meal "early") seem useful, too. Isn't it interesting how our "brain" can sometimes set up false dichotomies, like eating nothing or eating CRAP being the sole choice, that push us away from our better intentions? I wouldn't fret over that scale body composition reading, as they tend not to be especially accurate. Substituting some other fun experience with your mother for that proffered birthday meal seems like a perfect solution - good idea!

Gimmelean - Really excellent effort staying active! I agree that there are some really great options on YouTube for all sorts of workouts (some of which I've been enjoying myself ). Like you, I am longing for spring; it cannot come soon enough for me. Your anecdote about that "gift" of a soft pretzel points toward how important not taking that first bite can be for some of us (myself included) - it just isn't worth it, right? Being hungry and stressed certainly doesn't help one's resolve, either. Could you make your diligent food prep routine work for you in these situations, perhaps by having a personal "rule" to always eat some adherent food on hand, before deciding to step down "that slippery slope? "When Covid is in the rear view mirror"; won't that be a glorious day! Keep doing your best!

moonlight - I'm so sorry you were feeling unwell this week! I hope you are on the mend. Speaking for myself, I know when some aspect of my routine is disrupted or skipped, especially early in the day, it can certainly make following through with my remaining intentions and habits feel more difficult. In my experience, habits and behaviors can sometimes anchor each other, so sometimes avoiding breaking the habit by doing SOMETHING (even if it is to a lesser extent than usual) might be better than nothing.

For some bizarre reason, I relax and eat a little more of restricted foods when I think my diet plan is working!

Do you think this might be because you are still feeling a little more focused on the outcome of weight loss, rather than the process of attaining and maintaining the recommended pattern of behavior? The points you included in your plan for the week ahead should certainly help with keeping the focus where it will best serve you. Best wishes!

[Mark Cooper]

Please note - I replied to reporting participants in the two posts linked below.

Mark's Replies for February 4 - Part 1
Mark's Replies for February 4 - Part 2

And just like that, our first February check-in is past! Salutations and applause for all participants as you make the effort to adopt a pattern of behavior that supports achieving what is important to you!

Below, I've included some resources that may be helpful now or in the future, particularly for newcomers.

Dr. McDougall's webpage on Common Health Problems
This is a great resource for general information about many different illnesses and conditions, with Dr. McDougall's general recommendations included for most listings.

Nutrition & Health FAQ: Answers To The Most Asked Questions by Jeff Novick, MS, RD
Another excellent resource for answers to MANY different questions.

LINK for SEARCH FUNCTION
Great for finding past topics and discussions here on the board. To use:

If you go to the top right corner of any discussion board page, you will see a box with a search button directly beneath it. You can enter a term or question in the box, click the button, and find previous posts on the topic. Additionally, if you click on "Advanced search" (directly to the right of the search button), you can perform a more detailed search by keywords, specific author username, and search a specific subforum (e.g. Maximum Weight Loss Program). Search can be really useful for finding answers for questions or gaining information. For example, this is an advanced search for keywords "label reading" by author "JeffN" - it delivers a list of Jeff's posts on that topic, starting from the most recent and working backward. You can even search through your own posts by entering your username in the author field. Hopefully, that explanation is helpful; let me know if anything is unclear.

Please let me know if there are other tools, topics or articles you would like to see highlighted here; I would be very happy to do so.

Everyone take care, be well, and have an outstanding week!

[josietheschnauzer]

Dear Mark, thank you for the comments! Thank you for the recipe for Jeff's broth! I will make it and save a bundle! thank you also for explaining the search function--I had trouble finding the new month group page (February) because of my deficient searching ability!

[Noella]

Hi Mark,

Thank you for this weekly opportunity to think about ways to make healthy lifestyle choices. Even a five-minute writing session can make a big difference in my dedication, and I usually spend much longer than that as I reflect on my progress.

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. I enjoy having an appetizer before each meal. It's a delightful habit!
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. This makes meal planning so straightforward! I appreciate the simplicity!
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. I had maple syrup on my steel-cut oats porridge with cherries and cinnamon, and it tasted like dessert. It was so lovely to enjoy the natural sweetness of the fruit. More and more, I realize how I used to eat to excess. I can have a small amount and feel satisfied. It's a beautiful feeling not to eat salt and sugar excessively anymore. Those days of eating excessive amounts of salt and sugar seem to be over -- I'm gaining freedom from sugar and salt.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). I feel relieved that these foods aren't ever on my plate. I do not need or want these anymore. I didn't expect to become vegan, but it has happened naturally as animal foods have steadily lost their appeal.
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). I look forward to the day when I am at my goal weight, and I can have a slice of avocado or sprinkle some pumpkin seeds on my salad.
6. Eliminate any added oil. Oil has lost it's previous attraction. I now find it unappetizing
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods, including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. I had sprouted whole grain bread that I thoroughly enjoyed with some delicious homemade no oil added hummus... Yes... I had a few little crouton-size pieces even though I had cut up lots of fresh veggies to dip in the hummus. I think it was because of the social pressure to belong and fit in. I was with my daughter, and I didn't want her to think overly obsessive and inflexible about my eating. It means I need to rewatch Dr. Lisle. I'm still not secure enough in my MWL eating habits when eating with others. I am still swayed, not quite as quickly as I used to be, but it still happens from time to time. I wish I could change this. I need to do more reading, thinking and reflecting, reflecting (journalling) on why I let other people influence what I eat.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). This is easy enough since I prefer water most times.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until comfortably full. Don't starve yourself, and don't stuff yourself. I'm getting better at this, still not super aware, but more aware than ever before. I don't want to be eating to excess, or doing anything to excess, for that matter.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). I'm still not in the healthy habit of ensuring I get some daily exercise. I need to be more intentional about it. I plan to get out on the cross-country ski trails.

I want you to know how much I appreciate your support and encouragement, Mark. Thanks SO much for all of your suggestions. I enjoy reading about every participant's experiences. I read and reread every post, and I find inspiration and wisdom in each comment! Thanks to all!

Noella
Down slightly: 146 lbs.

[Rebecka22]

1.Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES This continued to be a habit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. YES I stuck with my regular frozen veggies this week.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. NO As it turns out there are certain vegan restaurants that I just don’t seem to be able to choose healthy options from which then led into ice cream, candy and sugar coffee. I did keep it to one day though.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). YES I am committed to this one so it’s easier for me.
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). NO Saturday’s meal out plus chocolate candies with nuts and vegan ice cream with nuts.
6. Eliminate any added oil. NO Saturday’s meal out definitely had oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. NO Saturday
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). NO Once I gave into eating the unhealthy choice at the restaurant then I did the same grocery shopping and ended up buying a new vegan drink I keep hearing advertised from Starbucks.
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. NO On Saturday I definitely overate junk.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). YES I do well with this one.

Overall I know I made this week harder than it needed to be by going off plan Saturday. There are certain situations that I just don’t have the willpower in and then that opens the floodgates for cravings. I am happy that I kept it all to just one day and got right back on track even though it was hard.

[BambiS]

2/11

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. Yes, no issues here

2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. Yes, but still think I could do better. I’ll be glad when summer produce is available


3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. Yes no problem

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). Yes, I haven’t had any desire for these foods

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).Yes, no desire for them

6. Eliminate any added oil. Yes, not a problem


7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. Yes

8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). Yes
I drink water daily, herbal teas, or Teeccino

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. Yes


10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). Yes
I met my daily steps goal. Still tied up with my mom, no toning


Victories, comments, concerns, questions

I was hoping to get in the 180’s by Valentines Day, I am 2 oz away. I think I’ll make it!

-1, actually was ounces but averaged up. -25 total since 11-7 and -35 since end of August. I had lost some before joining the group

[Noella]

Hi Mark and Everyone,

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
6. Eliminate any added oil.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods, including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until comfortably full. Don't starve yourself, and don't stuff yourself.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Victories, comments, concerns, and questions: I have no wiggle room with only about five more pounds to lose. I need to adhere to the MWL behaviours, which I do, except for the daily exercise part, which I haven't been able to motivate myself with again this week. The ski trails are icy because of the warmer temperatures, and I don't feel secure skiing on ice. Even the roads in our neighbourhood are icy. I set up three exercise stations at the beginning of January and was SO excited and motivated, but I haven't used one of them for the last eleven days. I have been getting outside for some morning sun and vitamin d, though, because we have a spot in our yard that is very sunny, and it's nice to sit outside surrounded by snow for thirty minutes. I'm doing that right now as I write this assessment. It's about 2 degrees celsius, and it feels lovely to be out in the sun. I need to book a ski vacation at our favourite winter resort- it’s nearby, ski-in/ski-out, and it has a variety of outdoor swimming pools and hot tubs for after a day of skiing. I need to get out of my funk...maybe that would inspire me to get me moving every day again! Also, they maintain the trails better at the mountain resort, and it is a bit colder, so it's not as icy. But why am I so lazy at home? Being naturally sedentary when I'm at home, having a sedentary profession, is something I need to understand and make changes to, and I SO want to do this. When my knees hurt, I used them as an excuse not to exercise. My knees are doing quite well; it's not an excuse anymore. When I read of others loving their brisk daily walks, I wish that could be me. I wake up wanting to be active, but somehow I keep coming up with excuses and procrastinating until bedtime, and the opportunity is lost. Ideas, please. I need to hear some suggestions that have worked to motivate other couch potatoes like me to get moving, not just in short bursts but developing a daily practice of exercising.

Best regards,
Noella
145 lbs - down slightly this week

[Mark Cooper]

Rebecka22 - This is the sort of information that is important and useful to learn about ourselves, no? Not feeling capable, at present, to choose adherent options in the immediate face of hyperpalatable restaurant foods isn't something about which to feel shame, but knowing that makes it all the more important to adjust one's behavior and break that potential chain of causation at the initiating point. Something that I found helpful was to really disassociate the term "vegan" from the idea of "healthful." To quote Jeff, from Dining Out and several other threads:

Dining out is one of the most challenging aspects of this program.

If you remember a few simple basic principles, you will succeed.

1) You need a minimally processed starch as the center of your plate, along with some veggies and possibly fruit
2) Keep it simple
3) Do the best you can
4) Vegan is not always healthy and in most restaurants, isn't.
5) Always be nice

The easiest restaurants to get a healthy meal at are not vegan restaurants but steakhouses and SE Asian style restaurants (Japanese, Chinese, Thai, etc).

Top 10 Reasons for Lack of Success . . .
4) Too many ultra processed, refined and/or calorie dense foods, especially those that are marketed as being healthy, vegan or plant-based.

When Vegan Is Not Enough! is an excellent thread where Jeff discusses this concept. Kudos to you for keeping the lapses confined to a single day! That is an achievement in itself.

BambiS - Another excellent week! I'm really looking forward to the coming seasonal produce, as well. You are definitely well on your way to that next milestone, no doubt as a result of your diligent focus on maintaining the recommended pattern of behavior. Carry on!

Noella - Nine SMILIES! And that is more than last week, too, right? I think you are correct in your assessment that, as the available margin for error while maintaining results goes down, closer attention to behavior is necessary. Would it perhaps feel helpful to commit to immediately exercising (even if it is just for 5-10 minutes) when you first "wake up wanting to be active"? For me, having (relatively) set times for exercise, and consistent behavioral cues has been extremely helpful for building a durable exercise habit. Each morning, after finishing my Graded Motor Imagery / Mirror Therapy, I know it is time for my workout. Likewise, after I finish my first meal and clean up, I know it is now time for a walk; when the weather is especially lousy, I do indoor walking workouts (some great examples on this YouTube channel). "Attaching" the behaviors I want to engender to existing parts of my daily routine has proven really useful for me; something that isn't "booked" into one's schedule often might not get done, right? And if not now, when?

[squealcat]

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit This is getting easier !
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. I think I did pretty well with this one too
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them. I don't really add sugars and use just a little salt. In the future, after I do better on all the other points, I will work more on the salt
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). no animal foods
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy). I believe I had some peanut butter a few days ago but did not eat any more after that
6. Eliminate any added oil. no added oil
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. had one oil free bagel a few days ago but none the rest of the week
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). no problem
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. I did not feel stuffed this week at all, just comfortable
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). I am satisfied with the amount of exercise I get, walking 2 to 3 miles on the days I don't babysit and also have been doing Essentrics for 30 minutes those days too.

This week has gone very well for me. I wasn't perfect but I feel I did pretty darn good ! I stayed away from temptation while at my daughter's house by not opening the snack cupboard . I don't want my brain to think that this is something that I can do when I get bored. I took extra food ( potatoes ) with me instead and plenty of veg soup too. I decided to weigh myself today rather than wait and wonder and I lost a nice amount this week too. I am not dwelling on this though because I want to just follow these guidelines and relax about it all. My grandson is finally getting nursing care 3 days a week starting this coming week so I should be able to get more walking in and get back to my old routine. I probably will still watch him once a week or fill in as needed .

I am thankful to all of you and especially Mark, Goose and Jeff. Your guidance is important . I pay little attention to Facebook and other places now and just stick with what I know to be true. I like easy and simple!

See you next week !
squealcat (Marilyn)

[josietheschnauzer]

MWL Check List 2/11/22

Hello Everyone! Following Marilyn again! Happy Valentines Day! Eat Strawberries!
1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit: Yes. I have home-made mushroom and broth followed by salad made with baby spinach.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals: Yes. I usually have another serving of greens in addition to the 50/50.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts: Yes! Making my own broth now with no added salt.
4. Eliminate all animal foods: Yes.
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods: Yes! No Chinese this week.
6. Eliminate any added oil: Yes
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products, popcorn and dried fruit: Yes
8. Don't drink your calories: Yes
9. Eat when hungry & until comfortably full. Don't starve and don't stuff: Yes.
10. Include 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily: Yes, I walk every day at 5am.
I have completed six weeks on this go-around with you all on your MWL wagon! I lost 2 pounds last week for a total of 8 pounds in that time frame. Last week I lost nothing. I repeat, and hope it becomes my “regular order:” The scale doesn’t matter; the scale doesn’t matter, my endothelial cells matter, my health matters, my food matters, what I eat is what I wear! I made a delicious yellow bean and red lentil dal from the Mary McDougall recipe collection online last night for my book club. It was a complete meal with brown rice and greens. I am having trouble printing recipes from the new website. Does anyone know the trick besides copying and pasting? I also watched Dr. McDougall’s interview on weight loss (with chef AJ) that was advertised on his email. It was great, AND, I had no idea he was a former smoker like me. He is so inspiring! He has walked the road, and he knows what it is like to have cravings. Thank you, again, Mark, Wild Goose, and Jeff, for your inspiration.

[Gimmelean]

Post for week ending 2/11/22


1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.  

Yes.
I noticed that broth based soup especially made the difference. It is warming, made me really slow down when it was really hot, and I ate less of the meal to follow.

2). Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals:

Yes.
It’s much easier to gauge 50/50 when starches are cooked separately and mixed at serving time. I batch cooked brown basmati rice, brown rice and petite beluga lentils, a portobello sweet pepper dish, and oil free caramelized onions at the beginning of the week. Small touches felt very special and I never felt bored by the end of the week eating the same things.

3) Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts.  This includes gourmet sugars and salts too.  If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.

Yes.

4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).

Yes.

5) Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).

Yes.

6) Eliminate any added oil.

Yes
7) Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.

Yes, until the 6th day!

8 ) Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).

Yes. Even though not mandatory, I have been drinking more water. I always keep a pot of decaf herbal tea with all kinds of herbs and spices on the stove to reheat and grab a cup all year round.

9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full.   Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.

Yes. I really worked on this and having soup or salad beforehand really helps.

10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Yes. It was nicer weather this week which made it easier and more pleasant to walk. I am accepting each 30 minutes session of walking or weights as okay because I’m not going the gym anymore yet.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Hello! The new year is 43 days old and feels like old news by now. Doesn’t it?
This week I was 100% compliant for 6 whole days and absolutely caved on the 7th by eating one and a half huge bagels. I don’t know why I did that. The next morning I felt as if I had a food hangover. Puffy and sluggish. It was as if I experienced the immediate side by side positive difference eating the MWL way vs. the downside of not eating well. I’m back on track. Last week I did well 3 days. This week 6 days. I’m still much further ahead because in prior years. (Every year I can remember) by February I would have gained about 9 pounds between Halloween and Valentine’s Day and felt like I could never get ahead. Since eating this way, this year and last it feels so good to say that’s not the case. Lapses yes , but I’m not willing to let go.

Marks comments 2/4/22. “Could you make your diligent food prep routine work for you in these situations, perhaps by having a personal "rule" to always eat some adherent food on hand, before deciding to step down "that slippery slope?”
Mark your advice helped me to improve my outcome this week. I followed your suggestions to make appealing and adherent meals and will do more of the same this week.
Have a good week everyone.

[Lachoffman]

10-POINT CHECKLIST
1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. YES, for about 80% of the meals. I don't find it necessary with breakfast but with lunch and dinner, YES.
2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert. YES, although there was one dinner meal thus week where I was off MWL program.
3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts, too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.YES, always.
4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood). yes, I have even learned to drink my coffee black!
5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).YES, always.
6. Eliminate any added oil. YES, although the aforementioned meal made it less 100% this week.
7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit. YES, always.
8. Don't drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages). No, had one Chai Tea and one hot chocolate
9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself. YES, always.
10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking). NO, only able to get in 2 of 7 days this week. Will aim to get in all 7 days week coming up.

C) Victories, comments, concerns, questions: Weighed in at 188; lost 1 lbs. Good to be back on the program. Excited by the possibilities ahead eating this way agin.

[Noella]

Would it perhaps feel helpful to commit to immediately exercising (even if it is just for 5-10 minutes) when you first "wake up wanting to be active"? For me, having (relatively) set times for exercise and consistent behavioral cues has been extremely helpful for building a durable exercise habit. Each morning, after finishing my Graded Motor Imagery / Mirror Therapy, I know it is time for my workout. Likewise, after I finish my first meal and clean up, I know it is now time for a walk; when the weather is especially lousy, I do indoor walking workouts (some great examples on this YouTube channel). "Attaching" the behaviors I want to engender to existing parts of my daily routine has proven useful for me; something that isn't "booked" into one's schedule often might not get done, right? And if not now, when?

Thank you, Mark! Your suggestions were precisely the words of encouragement I needed. YES! Today I am starting fresh with a new resolve to exercise Priority One! I am going to take your recommendation to “commit to immediately exercising (even if it is just for 5-10 minutes) when you first wake up wanting to be active.” I want to have a durable exercise habit and feel energized by it! The YouTube channel you mentioned looks promising, and I like her enthusiasm and encouragement; I have weights and an exercise room ready to do these indoor walking workouts. When I set up my three exercise stations a month ago, I planned to do ten minutes, or more, at each station every day. It still seems like a good plan. Here I go…daily exercise new start day number 1!

[moonlight]

1. Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.81%

2. Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.86%

3. Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.96%

4. Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).93%

5. Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).89%

6. Eliminate any added oil.96%

7. Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e. bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes), puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.82%

8. Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).93%

9. Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don’t starve yourself and don’t stuff yourself.100%

10. Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).7/7 Woot! Woot!

Great quote from JeffN: The problem isn't in differentiating between which foods are healthy and unhealthy. Rather, the challenge most people face lies in figuring out how to stay motivated and how to follow through.
I fall into this category. I am inconsistent in following all the principals all the time. Sometimes I am bored with my choices. Other times it is because I haven't planned and don't have something ready to eat when I need it. I am encouraged, though, that I am getting more consistent.
New Habit: I have started doing a little gentle yoga every morning first thing. It has really helped me have more energy and a positive outlook on my day.
Plan: Cook more and have plenty of ready to go food. I think this was my goal last week. I will keep trying.

Thank you, Mark, for your encouraging words. I really appreciate your input.

To all, I wish you a great week and fun Valentine's Day free of SAD sweet stuff!

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Team Time & Adherence,

Hope that everyone is doing well!! I got extra busy last week and didn't prioritize posting ... However, still following the checklist.

1 Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
Yes.

2 Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches.
Choose fruit for dessert.
Yes.

3 Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
Yes.

4 Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
YES, of course.

5 Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
No.
* I continue to have periodic after dinner struggle with the nuts.
* Next time that these tempt me, I will wait 10 minutes to be sure hungry and if so, then will eat salad, fruit, and soup or bean burger.
* I continue to work to eliminate.
* This is a mental struggle.

6 Eliminate any added oil.
Yes! .

7 Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes, puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
No.
See #5 above. Comments are same.

8 Don’t drink your calories (especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
Yes.

9 Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
Yes.


10 Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
Yes.
* Walked outside 4 days !!!
* Met goal of averaging 8K steps / day over the week (still Pacing with a Purpose...)
* Will continue to focus on indoor exercise when outside is infeasible, step at least 8K average / day, make better friends with stationary bike, and join weekly remote Zumba class.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:

I am planning to go back to recording daily food, exercise, adherence to the Checklist for next week. Hoping that this will help to improve my compliance with #5 / 7.

Hope that everyone has a very Happy Valentine's Day and a great week ahead!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie