New and Scared

[tlcmomx2]

Decided enough is enough today. I am a health crisis waiting to happen. I need to lose 100 lbs. I am a complete sugar addict and have been for as long as I can remember. I just don't know what to expect when I give it up.
Can anyone tell me if it's misery or have any tips to make it any easier? If I will feel bad, how long should I expect it to last?



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[Letha..]

Welcome to the McDougall Forum Tlcmomx2,
There is a bit of a transition period for some people. For me, it was just feeling hungry no matter how much I ate. After about a month I started to feel satisfied if I ate a lot. After about 6-8 weeks I started to feel satisfied after eating a reasonable amount of food. I just followed Dr. McDougall’s advice and ate more food whenever I felt hungry. Lots of potatoes and oatmeal and soup/stew/chili over brown rice. I still lost weight.
Give it a try. What do you have to lose?
Letha

[TominTN]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

Congratulations on your decision to get healthy! I can understand how it can be scary to make such a decision and face the challenge of change.

I would encourage you to learn all you can about the program and the nutritional science it's based on. Dr. McDougall's free program is a great place to start. Here's a link:

http://drmcdougall.com/free.html

You might also want to pick up one or two of Dr. McDougall's books if you don't already have them. They're handy for reference when questions come up. They're available at amazon and well as sometimes in used book stores. Here's a list:

http://mcdougall-friendly-recipes.pbwor ... +Questions

Another highly recommended book is The Pleasure Trap by Doug Lisle. It does an excellent job of explaining how addiction works and what getting out of it takes. Addiction really is a situation in which the signals our bodies give us mislead us and push us to do exactly the wrong thing.

There are also DVDs by Dr. McDougall, Dr. Lisle, Jeff Novick (our resident Registered Dietician) and others available for sale on Dr. McD's website.

http://drmcdougall.com/books_tapes.html

Also, come visit the forum often to get and share support and encouragement. Some people like to start a journal for themselves in the Journal board.

Be patient with yourself.

I'm happy you're here.

[Steve]

tlcMomx2,

This is a great plan. I have been doing this over 15 years. I love the food. Last night I made a large batch of Tortilla Soup. Before that I made Vegetable Chilli over rice. These dishes are liked by folks on the program or not. There are oriental, American, Italian, Curry, you name it recipes.

I started with a book. I suggest you get one too. Most of the McDougall books have from 100 to 300 great recipes. You just need to find three or four you really enjoy, then you have it made.

I suggest the Maximum Weight loss book although all of them are great ( I have just about all of them). The books are available on line at the McDougall website, or from Amazon, BN or any book seller. The MWL book is full of suggestions and delicious recipes.

If you follow the plan you will be able to eat all you want of very good food. You will lose weight and get healthy.

There is a lot of information including wonderful DVDs. I just think the first step of getting one of the books is a good way to go.

Steve

Good luck and keep us posted.

Steve

http://drmcdougall.com/store_books.html

[Raine]

I don't think it's misery at all. There is a lot of pleasure to be had among the fruits of the earth. Hang in there, and keep following the plan.

The more you stick to the plan, the more benefits you will see. Keep focused on making good choices now, for today, this meal, this bite, maybe planning for tomorrow and for the next meal.

There is so much food you CAN eat.

We are with you. You can do this. The benefits are so many.

Raine

[talkingmountain]

tlcmom,

I know what you mean about being a sugar addict . There's an increasing amount of science that suggests that sugar cravings are in fact a kind of "addiction" and NOT some kind of personal weakness. You may find it supporting to read books like The End of Overeating (David Kessler), Breaking the Food Seduction (Neal Barnard), and to view videos by Doug Lisle (for purchse on this site).

As far as how long it takes, some folks seem to "get it" right away, whereas others like me are able to get off sugar for a few days or weeks, then relapse for a day (or sometimes even weeks), then struggle with the cravings all over again.

One thing seems clear from all the advice I've received here: the more & sooner you get the sugar out of your diet, the sooner you'll get over that hump. Same goes for fat and other addictive foods (dairy, meat, chocolate -- all are "addictive" for some people).

You are in the right place to regain your health. Many remarkable stories of healing here. The power is yours to harness.

So, welcome & good luck!

[dudley]

When John McDougall talks about eating your fill (my words not his) that’s what I do. I stopped eating Eggs, Milk and meat and have never looked back, actually I still can hardly believe it’s so simple, but it is and I have thoroughly checked the science behind it. Dr John McDougall is the King as far as I’m concerned.

I have fresh fruit for my breakfast, one organic apple, one organic pear, and one organic something else.

after a half an hour or so I have a massive bowl of porridge cooked with care and slowly with a half or even a whole banana chopped up finely and mixed in it.

For lunch I have a massive bowl of vegetable soup, leek and potatoes, anything that sounds healthy and is homemade (no fats). I allow myself one piece of homemade bread wheaten is my choice.

This evening I ate 6 medium sized baked potatoes in their skins with a plate full of mixed salad. the trick is to cook the potatoes well I microwave them first and then cook them in the oven - no oil, no butter I don’t even put salt on them.

I will probably have a bowl of popcorn later popped in air with no flavouring or added anything - but a large bowl.

I have been doing this for a short while 3 weeks but I losing approximately 7 pounds a week with ease.

I used to eat fat, sweets meat eggs anything and everything and lots of it. I don't miss it at all. I weight myself every morning and that motivates me.

I found the free video links on the McDougall website very useful to begin with. Then others at the Hawaii vegetarian site

http://www.vsh.org/

I bought all Dr John McDougall's eBooks, so I could get hem quicker and read them all in a few days – including the recipe books although i spent a fortune on Ink!

My advice, stick to it and don’t go the easy route, be hard on yourself. And be amazed at the results. Oh and watch the video clip on the pleasure trap talk

http://vsh.voip-info.org/lisle.html

– so simple. But it makes you aware of it and the is 90 % of the problem sorted there.

Bon Chance and kind regards Dudley

[pinkrose]

Welcome aboard!

Many feel cooler/colder when they omit the animal products and decrease fat and calories. You can adapt to this by wearing more clothes. I often wear long underwear...even on days that many would not consider cold. Sweaters and heavy socks also help. You may also enjoy drinking hot water or some of the herbal teas.

Remind yourself that the discomfort of hunger and feeling cold are telling you that you are making positive changes--and adapt!