Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

Thanks for the support everyone.

Lfwfv: Unfortunatly I live with my family, and so I cannot get rid of the things I know are bad for me, as much as I want to. I had thought a lot about that, and know that if it is not in the house, I will not eat it, and am not tempted by it. While my family are supportive of my decisions, they are not willing to eat the same way I am or keep these items that they still eat out of the house.

Will power is still comething I am trying to work on. I know just because it is there doesn't mean I have to eat it, but sometimes I will anyway. I'm trying to figure out whether it really is just about breaking habit, where I mindlessly grab for the food I used to eat without a second thought, or whether it is something more that I need to deal with.

Carroll: That is such a good story to hear. I know that is something I tend towards, the idea that oh well I already had a "bad" lunch so i might as well have a "bad" dinner, or its the holidays, etc, etc. It is so nice to hear that you found a way to make it work and got back on track.

I love what Sksamboots had to say a while back "Every time I eat something off plan, it just gives me the opportunity to make the next thing I eat something that's on plan". Remembering this has helped me a lot. I deal a lot with teptation, my sister keeps eating tortilla chips and salsa. One of my favourites. I'm not sure the exact moment when I stopped eating them when she offered to share, I just found it easier to do the longer I was on plan. Same thing happened with cookies. It is just emotional triggers that make me crave these foods, but that is a whole other story I won't go into here hehe.

Day 5...

...and feeling good today.

Breakfast: banana, oatmeal
Lunch: sweet potato soup I am sad this is the last of it, but cheered by the thought that i can make more
Dinner: I don't know yet. I think I will makes split pea soup today, so maybe that, or wild rice with cauliflower, peppers, green beans and snap peas
Snacks: peaches, corn, cucumber, carrots

Exercise? at least 1/2 hour cardio and 25 minutes muscle conditioning, plus maybe (probably) an hour walk outside

Day 6

Nearly one week in, and minus a few blips I think I've done pretty well. I lost a little more weight, and I am finding myself less tired even though I am sleeping less. I am pretty happy that I was able to give up real junk food with almost no thought to it. My few blips this week were with regular Mcdougall foods, rather than going completely off the wagon.

I make plans everyday, but usually end up changing the plan somewhat anyway. But I still like having them becuase I always have something to look back at for what I could eat if I get stuck, or if I get extra hungry.

So the plan for today:
Breakfast: peaches, oatmeal
Lunch: lettuce wraps with chick peas, pepper, other veggies and salsa
Dinner: split pea and veggie soup, corn
snack: banana, cucumber, carrots, celery

Your doing great. Keep on keepin on

Day 7

I've lost 2 pounds in 7 days! YAY! I was definatly not expecting that, but hopefully it will keep up for the next week, and I'll break in to the 120's in the next day or so. YAY.

Today:
breakfast: peaches, oatmeal
lunch: brown rice with veggies and chick peas
Dinner: split pea soup
snack: chick peas in corn tortilla, banana, cucumber and celery

exercise: already did a 1 hour fitness class today

Congrats on the 2 pounds. Keep on keepin on

berryberry wrote:Day 7

I've lost 2 pounds in 7 days! YAY!

Yeah!!

Day 9

Broke into the 120's I'm now 129.6 and just excited to keep going. hopefully I'll be low 128's or 127 by the end of the week.

Been mostly sticking to MWL with a few blips, but have been exercising a lot, and will keep exercising a lot and working on the eating. Overall, I feel good about Mcdougall and it has gotten easier as my family has come around to accept the way I eat (rejecting meat, dairy, and sweets).

Day 10

My eating pattern has been haywire lately becuase family is in town, so I've been having irregular meals because I am out with them, and need to get myself back on track. So that is what I am going to focus on right now: just getting myself back into a regular pattern, with the right foods and eating often, even when they are not.

Exercise today: swimming, 1 hr pilates and 1 hr fitness class

Day 11

Still working on the eating. I know that my eating is the most important thing, and I figure if I just stay on track while my family is here than I can stay on track through anything (they are here for 3 weeks). I'm doing my best though.

Breakfast: banana, oatmeal
lunch: rice with green veggies and lemon juice, 1 piece toast with peanut butter (I know its not on MWL)
dinner: slipt pea soup and carrots
snack: sweet potato mash, mango, watermelon

exercise: fitness classes (1 hour cardio, 1 hr 10 min muscle conditioning)

I see that scale moving. Keep on keepin on

Day 12

Today's eating has been much better.

Breakfast: banana, oatmeal
lunch: split pea soup, toast with peanut butter (i know, i know), grapes and a cookie
Dinner: rice with veggies and lemon juice, sweet potato mash
snack: carrots

exercise: 1 hr cardio, 1 hr muscle conditioning (maybe an extra half hour of each)

So just when I thought my family was starting to accept how I've chosen to eat (since as they can see I am less sick than I have been in years), my mom busted out with the talk last night. This upsets me so much, blah blah, just while you are exercising so much have some chicken or fish or eggs blah blah. So I camly told her that I appreciated her concern, but I would hope that she would trust that I was taking care of myself and that I would not eat this way if I thought, through my extensive research, that this would do me any harm. I just can't believe it. She told me it was a burden on her and that I was being a premadonna. Considering I cook all my own meals and we haven't eaten together as a family for years since we all have drastically different schedules, and I grocery shop for myself, how could she possibly try to turn this into something about her? If she was trying to guilt me or make me eat the way she does that is the most ridiculous point she could bring up since it has the least credibility to it.

Stick to your guns, berryberry. There are many reasons those close to us may prefer we do not change and remain the same, even when the change is for the better. Labeling you a prima donna is a dead giveaway that an attempt is being made to manipulate you, esp. under the conditions you describe ---in my opinion. Do not be deterred. Read The Pleasure Trap for tips on how to deal with these kinds of objections. Onward and upward!

Day 13

Down again Yay. not as far as I'd hoped to be down by this point in the week, but still, progress is progress. Yesterday and today I've been much better about really making myself meals instead of grabbing whatever the family is eating or making myself a snack of not so filling foods.