Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

I'm a soon to be 54 year old woman, who on May 1st, 2014 weight 304 lbs. I was sick and tired all the time, I started to research different eating "programs". Through Happy Herbivore I found Dr. McDougall and Dr. Bernard at PCRM. I utilized the two sites and printed out the programs and recipes and I now weight 182 pounds. I have a ways to go but for the first time I feel in control. People say women in menopause can't lose weight or they lose very slowly; I'm proof that is not necessarily true, you have to find the right plan.

Wow, that is amazing! I take it you ate food you found you enjoyed and never went hungry? Sometimes it is hard to trust the process like I can't believe I can eat as much as I want of on plan food and still lose but when I see success stories like yours it gives me reassurance and faith. Thanks for posting and welcome to the site. Mind sharing some of your favorite meals/staple foods?

*M

Congratulations on your weight loss. Please keep us updated on your progress.

Thanks all for the responses.
Maggie, I'm rarely hungry and love the food and I'm very satisfied.
I eat whole grains; brown rice, steel cut oats, corn tortilla, corn pasta, barley and cornmeal.
I check all ingredients on things like the corn tortilla to make sure the only ingredients are
corn mas a flour and water, no oils, sugger, etc. Vegetable;winter squashes, potatoes, corn,
carrots, spinach, kale and asparagus. Fruits; apples, blueberries, pumpkins and bananas.
Legumes; pinto, kidney, chickpeas and black beans. I was a vegetarian for years but not
heslthy, I ate lots of eggs, cheese, white flour products and fried things. I was slways
hungry. On a typical day I will eat: oatmeal with blueberries and bananas. Baked potato topped with homemade chili. Mixed green salad, homemade hummus on a cornmeal
no fry fry bread with tomatoes and Pinon Chile beans, and brown rice. Satisfying and filling.
Almost everything I eat comes from recipes on this site, PCRM, Happy Herbivore or the FOK
Plan. Easy peasy.

You lost 122 pounds in seven months? That's a weight loss rate of about 17.5 pounds per month or approximately 4.5 pounds per WEEK consistently over seven months. Fastest rate of weight loss I've ever heard of. ???

Actually the first three weeks I lost 25.6 lbs and after that I usually lost between 3.2 to 3.4 pounds a week. At the same time I changed my eating I started at a gym where I use either the stepclimber or treadmill for 1 hour 6 days a week and twice a week a boxing class. My doctor is very happy with my weight loss as it has eliminated all meds. Ever one I know in my personal life comment daily about how great I look and ask for advice. I don't know why I lost so easily but I'm thankful.

Wow. I look forward to reading your Star Mcdougaller story in the future!

graciezoe wrote:Actually the first three weeks I lost 25.6 lbs and after that I usually lost between 3.2 to 3.4 pounds a week. At the same time I changed my eating I started at a gym where I use either the stepclimber or treadmill for 1 hour 6 days a week and twice a week a boxing class. My doctor is very happy with my weight loss as it has eliminated all meds. Ever one I know in my personal life comment daily about how great I look and ask for advice. I don't know why I lost so easily but I'm thankful.

Congratulations graciezoe!

I had about 30 lbs to lose when I started and I lost all of that in 6 weeks. At that time, I computed how many calories I was eating and how much I was losing and the numbers just did not add up: I was losing too much if I went by just the calculations.

There is something that causes you to lose weight at so fast a rate that it just does not make sense. But the pleasant fact is that is that is the truth.

Which Happy Herbivore cookbook do you mostly use?

"I don't know why I lost so easily but I'm thankful." Its because the fat we eat is the fat we wear. Eating no oil and low fat=fast fat loss. Its just amazing to me too!

UPDATE
As of last week's weigh in I'm down to 137.2. My BMI is 22.1, I wear a size 4 jean. I'm very happy and feel fantastic. I know some on this site would still classify my weight as high but I feel I'm at a great weight for my size frame. I think people like Dr's Barnard, McDougall and Esselstyn are saving lives...mine included. On Dr. Esselstyn and Barnard's sites I showed my before and after pictures along with my blood test from last month and the feedback shows me what a great community we have. All my previous health issues are gone and my Dr. is very pleased. My chart reads managing diabetes and HBP with diet, no medication needed. I love the food I eat and don't feel deprived at all. The only issue I have are with a few friends that call me food choices strange, as in "I'm sure what ever food you bring to the picnic will be strange" I'm not sure what's strange about vegetables, grains and starches but whatever.

Congratulations on your success!

Wow graciezoe, you are an inspiration! You have stayed focussed, committed and like the Nike ads "Just Do It!" No doubt your daily hourly workouts at the gym and boxing classes twice a week also helped move things along. That is very motivating to me because I was just thinking I need to rejoin a gym to lose the last couple of pounds. I have lost 50 lbs, but your large weight loss in such a short time is amazing!

Do you have a link to your before and after pics?

Congratulations! Viv

Yes, ditto Viv! You're an inspiration, graciezoe, and I would love to see your pics.

graciezoe wrote:Actually the first three weeks I lost 25.6 lbs and after that I usually lost between 3.2 to 3.4 pounds a week. At the same time I changed my eating I started at a gym where I use either the stepclimber or treadmill for 1 hour 6 days a week and twice a week a boxing class. My doctor is very happy with my weight loss as it has eliminated all meds. Ever one I know in my personal life comment daily about how great I look and ask for advice. I don't know why I lost so easily but I'm thankful.

I'm happy for you!
May I ask..how much fat are you eating? Zero? I do not mean oils but plant foods that have a bit of fat like an avocado for example. Did you eliminate those completely? I'm curious becuase I'm tweaking my own meal plan you see