I am finally able to say hello!

[HappyMomof5]

Hi, I am new to this forum. I have been reading for a little while now but had trouble getting registered! Thanks to Carol for taking care of that. Anyway, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself. I have not eaten meat or dairy for almost a month now, but did not find Dr. McDougall's website until about three weeks ago and I am SO glad I did! I have already felt encouraged by the people on here and also had help discovering good recipes and helpful tips for this way of life.
I little about me...I am a homeschooling mom. I have 5 wonderful kids, the oldest in her first year of college and the youngest will begin kindergarten next fall. I enjoy carting my kids around to all their sporting events and I sponsor the cheerleaders and the yearbook. I have had a yo-yo weight since college days, always around 25 lbs heavy until the last couple of years when I ballooned to around 60 lbs overweight. I have begun to have some health issues, which is what brought me to read The China Study and that initiated my getting rid of meat and dairy. The author mentioned Dr. McDougall and I decided to check out the website and that is how I arrived here. I have been faithful so far to stick to it even while we were on vacation and around foods that would normally trigger me to eat.
Sorry for the novel, but I am so happy to finally be on here and I can't wait to learn from all of you!

Terri[/color][/color]

[Doris]

Welcome! This is great place to come for support and encouragement, tips, and recipes. Keep posting! I think posting on the board helps me stay focused on the McDougall Program. If you are like me, you may not have any family or friends that are following the low fat vegan diet and it helps to know that there are others who do. By the way, I have finally ordered The China Study. So many on this board mention it and I decided it is time for me to read it. Again, Welcome!

[MamaPajama]

Congrats on your success so far! Welcome to the boards!

[hope101]

Happymomof5, I had to chuckle about the bit of enjoying driving your kids to their events. That is so far from my experience it isn't even funny. Of course, I live in one of the cities known for being the worst in the world for urban sprawl, so big surprise.

Anyway, welcome. The China Study is what got me to this lifestyle too. It is an amazing book, isn't it? And this is a great board for support. Are all your family on this journey with you too?

[HappyMomof5]

Hope101,

My oldest dd (18yo) has always been a healthy eater (when she was two and at mother's day out her favorite lunch to for me to send was boiled squash, cooked carrots, and a cucumber) and she has not changed much over the years. She is one of my best friends and really wants to encourage me, so she said that at home she would eat no meat and dairy in my honor and then if she is out and wants something else for some reason, then she will do that. I appreciate her support. My dh is nowhere NEAR ready to give up his meat, but he does eat more chicken than red meat, so for now I won't complain. My oldest son is the same way. My other son's favorite food is broccoli and my two youngest girls would live on fruit if I let them (except the youngest who HAS to have candy she thinks). I don't think it will be hard to incorporate McDougalling into their diet without them realizing it except for the meat that my "men" feel like they have to have right now. But my dh has always been SO supportive of anything I want to do, and I know that as he sees changes in me for the better healthwise he will probably make some of the changes as well. I am very blessed to have a family who want to see me succeed.

I am not really finding myself hungry between meals or anything like that, but I AM thirsty a lot, and I can only drink just so much water before I begin to find it repulsive. What else do you do for "cold" drinks. I do drink hot tea but sometimes I just want something cold.

Terri

[chrisv]

Check out this thread for some ideas, it is from the MWL.

http://www.drmcdougall.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2446

[HappyMomof5]

Chris,

Thank you so much for that link! I read that and said "DUH!" why did I not think of just adding a bit of natural juice to my water for some flavor!!!! All I was thinking was that I really didn't need to drink a bunch of juice straight but rather eat the fruit. I am sure I will be satisfied with that little extra something.

Terri

[hope101]

Aw, what a beautiful family. You have a real asset there, to have a family that will support you even if they don't want to do exactly what you are doing for now. When I decided to go this route DH was supportive of my changes but really had zero intention of following along. Wouldn't you know it that he hasn't had meat now in 13 months and seldom has dairy. It was too funny but yesterday my sister's boyfriend grabbed him aside and asked him, "Now tell me the truth. When Jan's not around you do eat meat, right?" My husband just laughed and had to tell me later. Anyone who knows him from before really can't believe he's chosen this lifestyle for himself. It is such a hard world for men to dare to be different.

[Kerrie]

I thought I posted a hello to you, Terri, a couple of days ago, but it appears to have disappeared. Now I wonder what thread is out there with a nonsensical response.

In any case, I'm also newish here and had similar problems registering. I arrived here via a very similar path - China Study to McDougall.com. I have played around with slowly eliminating dairy first with the idea of eventually getting to the meat but decided just this week to go all out. I'm on day 2.

I don't know whether you were joking or serious about enjoying driving your kids around, but I actually do enjoy that! It's great conversation time, usually isolated from other distractions. I have 4 kids and have always dreamed of homeschooling; the time isn't right yet but we'll be revisiting the idea in another year or so.

Anyway, good to "meet" you!

Kerrie

p.s. You do have a beautiful family.

[HappyMomof5]

Thanks Kerrie,

I really DO enjoy driving my kids around! HSing is NOT for everyone but it has been a real blessing for us and my kids love it. In fact, the joke around our house is that I "threaten" them with sending them to a mainstream school, and they respond, "NOOOOOO, not that!" LOL so we still re-evaluate each year, but so far have found no reason not to continue.

I hope your first few days of going "whole hog" go well. The only problem I had was my body detoxing was pretty rough between days 2-3, but after that I felt great!