Dissolution's Solution

[zippy]

The wife is preparing for her Christmas baking project. She bought 30+ Lbs of chocolate, 35 Lbs of flour, 30 Lbs of sugar, and lots of other ingredients. It's going to be a tough few weeks. She has promised to not ask me to bag of the chex mix for her this year, and to make it while I'm at work. We'll see how that promise holds up when the dead-line gets closer.

Used to go crazy for the Holidays and make 13 different batches of cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, etc. So glad I'm not in that mindset anymore. I can spend the time this year going for a lot of nice walks instead of making SAD "treats" that would leave me feeling sick. I might get all excited for Christmas Eve and bake a small pan of gingerbread to go with a cup of herbal tea. I've figured out a no fat version using applesauce, molasses, whole wheat pastry flour, spices, etc that is really tasty. That along with some tangerines and a few mixed nuts in the shell will be enough to make the Holiday foods feel special.

[carollynne]

The wife is preparing for her Christmas baking project. She bought 30+ Lbs of chocolate, 35 Lbs of flour, 30 Lbs of sugar, and lots of other ingredients. It's going to be a tough few weeks. She has promised to not ask me to bag of the chex mix for her this year, and to make it while I'm at work. We'll see how that promise holds up when the dead-line gets closer.

Hi Diss, I am having the exact opposite in my kitchen and oddly enuff DS and I just cleaned out the old choc chips, and all baking chips that contain any milk, since none of us will eat it now. Dh must stay off of it, and even my middle son, coming home for the holidays doesn't use milk products either for his adult acne which is cleared up now!! But it is a process that has taken me a yr or too to complete. Choc calls me name so loudly, but really I see the end of the road and all the pot holes in it and refuse to travel that way ever again. I hope.
But the sad thing is how her diabetes is going to suffer because of her eating all that high fat dairy stuff. A dear friend that I worked with for yrs, just put of FB that her mom is having her second leg taken off this morning and showed a pic of her foot which has a sore on it that looks terribly awful, she posted a last line to diabetics--take care of yourself! I cannot imagine living life this way, and I really do pray for your wife to wake up out of her stubbornness before she gets to the amputation process. I know this sounds so negative, but I am super glad that you have cured your diabetes!! Ta Dah!!

You are a great success of a man and I for one am so proud and happy for you and your family, because they will be spared them horrible ordeal of having to watch your decline in health. Your wife needs to go visit some amputees on a diabetic ward in a hospital, and let the visuals tell the story there. Your words fall on deaf ears! I think a picture is worth a thousand words. Just keep lugging away at this plant based eating, and perhaps she will follow one day. All you can do it hope. My DH has, but he does slip up now and then too, but then regrets it too.

[Dissolution]

Lesliec1 It's easy to stand strong when you have knowledge, truth and proof on your side.

She makes Christmas baskets for some of our clients and for friends and family. Last year she made over 100 dozen cookies, I bet she doubles that this year.

peasouper I hold very little hope for my BiL to change the way he eats. My friend from Delaware was very courteous, asked lots of questions, is far more intelligent than my BiL, but in the end turned away from the solution I was showing him. He shut down and refused to be open to further information. Maybe my BiL will surprise me.

zippy The gingerbread sounds lovely. I've tried to get my wife to tone it down, with all the baking, even before I began this way of eating. She sees it as her contributing to the company and gives her a sense of pride and self worth. So I just let her go about her business.

carollynne That's great to hear about your son's acne!

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My wife's health is actually doing much better. She's down into the low 190's and while she doesn't check her blood sugar, I'm pretty sure it has improved in the past few months. I think the occurrences of it getting super high have lessened a lot. While she is far from being healthy, she does seem to be improving. She's cut her intake of cream by a lot and is just eating less. She not eating any healthier, but she is not a volume eater, so she is happy with just eating once a day.

#2 Son was trying to convince me that I am getting shorter because of my diet. He's 26, but didn't hit puberty until he was 16, so I guess it's possible he's had a late growth spurt. He does seem to be slightly taller. Once he lost 30 Lbs and passed his Airforce physical, he completely turned his back on the Engine 2 diet. He's regained 20 Lbs, his skin looks horrible. He was showing us a new tattoo on his back and his bacne is so bad his Mother suggested he see a dermatologist.

#1 Son has bought into the myth of protein powders for gaining muscle mass. So much so that it is causing martial problems. My DiL complains it makes him stink. I've tried to tell him that the protein supplement industry is entirely a sham, but he won't listen. Reminds me of my cousin, paleo paleo paleo, Oooo paleo vitamins.

My weight has been sitting right at 209-210 the past couple of days. I really want to break that 30.0 BMI mark I'm sitting at. I've had some set backs the past couple of months. Mostly from the beast getting loose, he's still lowfat vegan, but 4 granola bars in one sitting is a bit too much. I think I just snapped from stress and when on almost a week long bender. I weighed in as high as 217 a couple of weeks ago, so I have been able to get back down to my low point, now to just push through that threshold.

Anyways happy Wednesday!

[bunsofaluminum]

I'm feeling encouraged by the last couple of pages of your journal. That your wife is cooking your foods for you and not being super negative is WONDERFUL! And good on ya for your Thanksgiving meal

Wish i could say as much...I ate all "on plan" foods, but WAY too much.

keep on going. Looking good

[Norm]

I hold very little hope for my BiL to change the way he eats. My friend from Delaware was very courteous, asked lots of questions, is far more intelligent than my BiL, but in the end turned away from the solution I was showing him. He shut down and refused to be open to further information. Maybe my BiL will surprise me.

I always like to remind people to NEVER give up hope on other people. There was nobody more fanatical about their meat diet and anti-vegan/vegetarian than I was. Always plant seeds and do so in a way they'll have a chance to sprout and grow.

I really want to break that 30.0 BMI

Knuckle up and do it!! Don't let me beat you there!!

-Norm

[carollynne]

Diss, just wanted to stop back and say congrats to your wife for her wt now!! that is terrific! You must break into one-der-land yourself and soon. It will shock the life out of her, and she many be driven to kept up.
funny about all the granola bars, my Dh seems to be living on them at times. But just fixed him an entire bag of spinach with only rice vinegar, wilted and soften like. He really can devour his spinach.
Small victories and you gotta love it if it still gets you where you want to go!
have a good night to all!

[LoriLynn]

Used to go crazy for the Holidays and make 13 different batches of cookies, fudge, peanut brittle, etc. So glad I'm not in that mindset anymore. I can spend the time this year going for a lot of nice walks instead of making SAD "treats" that would leave me feeling sick. I might get all excited for Christmas Eve and bake a small pan of gingerbread to go with a cup of herbal tea. I've figured out a no fat version using applesauce, molasses, whole wheat pastry flour, spices, etc that is really tasty. That along with some tangerines and a few mixed nuts in the shell will be enough to make the Holiday foods feel special.

I know this is Diss' journal, but care to share that gingerbread recipe?

I am encouraged by recent posts. Perhaps there will be a Christmas miracle this year.

[zippy]

Hi LoriLynn, a shout out to you right over Dissolutions head....

I never really follow a recipe... kind of bake and cook by feel and frequently do substitutions. I will try and do some measuring the next time I make gingerbread and see if I can come up with a recipe for you.

[♥ Amy ♥]

Hey Diss, I'm at the 5 day program in Santa Rosa right now and I just wrapped up a talk with Doug Lisle. It so made me think of you and your wife (and me of my sister) that I took notes for both of us! It was called: "Getting Along without Going Along" - maybe it's on you tube? Not sure...

He talked about ways to diffuse the argument and make people feel better with the focus of 1) people we don't know as much and 2) people we are very close to who understand the diet and refuse to try it or tried it and stopped, etc. Doug used the example of his Sister and brother-in-law to illustrate. He talked about how our loved ones feel threatened and embarrassed because they know you must be making the changes for the better but they are not willing, or interested so they assume we are judging or looking down on them. Doug said you should do just what you have done - try to diffuse the situation and let them know you don't think less of them for their choices. He gave some actual things to say, but I really think you've probably said them.

You should look up that lecture and even email him if you are interested in more information. I thought of you instantly and wished you were hearing it.

[Lesliec1]

Would Son #1 do veg protein powder? I've always heard that pea protein is very good. I can understand the desire to do protein powders because I did pea and brown rice powders when I was a weight lifter. There's a store www.veganessentials.com that sells lots of stuff for weight lifters. The owner is a huge guy who used to do strongman competitions. Also I used to read vegan strength coach Mike Mahler's website. He's no skinny vegan either. But maybe your son isn't ready for a change. Anyway, there's stuff out there if you ever need links for him.

Glad to hear your wife's health is improving. I'm so envious of people who aren't volume eaters. Such a mystery to me.

[didi]

dis, I see last year you stopped taking metropolol. I am taking half a 25mg scored tab extended release per day and want to stop. I know you are supposed to wean yourself off a beta blocker and not stop cold turkey but cannot cut the half in half, even with a pill cutter. I tried. Did you gradually wean yourself off?

Didi

[carollynne]

Dis, and Amy!! I love that concept of getting along without going along too. I need to try that and not get the least bit defensive with others try my patience too. IT seems to happen all the time, and when other women seem to be taunting me into a defensive stance of proving something, I tell myself to back off, and after 3 yrs I can only say that it can work at times, and others it just doesn't I'd
like to add that my wt lost and shining good vegan looks speak for themselves, but others will still try to get my goat. My argumentative worst half starts to kick in and then my better nature comes to the forefront and I remember my manners. At my fitness center, I was recently asked if I had the hippie loaf for Thanksgiving dinner, and all I can say is that this one muscular instructor, who charges for a diet plan of medifast, and low fat diary and animal muscle meat, is obviously younger than I am. To mention the hippie word, only brings up the Vietnam Era and I was actually on Active duty with the Woman's Army Corp. so plz do not call me a hippie~~!! And my husband is a VN vet who stayed in, so don't call us hippies, but I just smiled and asked her if that was something you buy... it will get better I know, and I do think that the proof is in the pudding when it comes to us plant based low fat McDougallers. Now she just gives me a odd look and I do not care. I am going to let inner peace shine thru me and not worry about a thing. then we went out for DH birthday today to Olive Garden,, and I had to send the salad back for no dressing, and have tomato sauce only on portabello ravioli and then some roasted butternut squash and wine sauce, it all worked out, but as we were going in, then a lady form the fitness center walked by us, and reminded me to eat all those vegetables! She was just being friendly I know. oh well, gotta go with the flow! Trying to set a good example of not getting upset by mild mannered teasing. it is all a part of going against the grain, it just rubs some people the wrong way.
All a part of getting slimmer and healthier and some peeps will just be jealous and want to drag you off the path. I say: don't let them!

[Dissolution]

bunsofaluminum The lack of open hostility is nice. This Christmas baking project is torturous though. It's made me a little grumpy, but I'm trying to keep the peace.

Norm Maybe there's a chance, but my wife is considered to be the most intelligent/least stubborn of all of her siblings, and we're all aware of her opinion in spite of the huge amount of personal evidence she has seen.

You very well could beat me, how far are you from your BMI 29.9 weight?

LoriLynn About my only hope for a miracle would be if my BiL expressed enough interest to watch Forks Over Knives and my wife watched also. I've tried to get her to watch a couple of times and it makes her very angry for me to ask.

zippy I cook like that, and I know lots of people that do, most though seem to go more for the recipes when baking. That's really impressive to be able to "free-style" bake.

♥ Amy ♥ How awesome is it for you to be able to go to the 5-day program. I hope you had fun!

Couldn't find that presentation on YouTube, maybe it'll show up soon.

I really try not to seem judgmental, but when you're swimming against the current, you've GOT to believe that you are doing the right thing.

Lesliec1 I'm not sure how much vegan protein powders would help. He's just flat out consuming too much protein. I guess though, might be worth a shot getting him to try a soy based and see if that stops his wife from thinking he stinks.

didi My understanding or Metoprolol was that it's primary purpose (being a beta blocker) merely lessened the effects of our "fight or flight" heart rate increase and that the lowering of blood pressure was mostly a side effect. Between my 1st and 2nd heart attacks I went off it for a while when I was going to the gym, because I felt it made it too difficult to get my heart rate up to an appropriate cardio vascular beats per minute.

I think I went back on it after quitting the gym. I all though, I never thought it did all that much for my blood pressure. At least not nearly as much as Lisinopril.

carollynne It is weird. Tell someone you are paleo, or even Atkins and most people will not say a thing. Mention any other diet and you might get a couple of questions. you could even make up something crazy like "I eat 24 raisins before every meal" and people will probably nod their heads and say "That makes sense", but let somebody know that you don't eat meat or cheese and suddenly you're a crazy hippie.

Though, in his defense, I don't think he understood how offensive the word hippie could be to someone from your generation.

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[Norm]

You very well could beat me, how far are you from your BMI 29.9 weight?

I'm not sure, to be honest! I've always been 6 feet tall even. Always. But then, I always went from my height measurement when I was young!
Recently I wanted to calculate my BMI accurately and so measured myself, and I'm now 5'10"!! I've lost TWO INCHES in height over the years. A bit of research indicates that it's normal to lose a bit of height as you age. 2" by 47 is probably a bit much, but I've been supporting a LOT of weight for a long time and it's taken a toll on my body frame.
If I calculate BMI from my current height I need to get down to 208 to get under 30.0. If I calculate from my former height I need to get down to 220. That's a pretty big difference!
I reckon since BMI is a formula for height versus weight that I have to go with my current height. But common sense says what would have been a normal weight for my body at full height isn't going to have changed simply cuz I've damaged some of it and now stand a bit shorter. Who knows.

I'm running with the lower numbers, since that "justifies" getting down to a lower weight.

-Norm

[carollynne]

Dis, you are a real peace maker, and remember, that they shall be called the children of God!! Thanks for the kindness you show all of us, by answering us all by name too.
I am really pulling for us all, and your wife too, during the holidays. Supportive friends get us all thru the holidays. I am going to really pull out all the stops and make up some vegan cookies, and Dr Essy's carrot cake too.
Hey about the hippie comment I must add, that the instructor was a lady, and a non-veteran. It is such an old obsolete type of insult that is always a surprise to hear that word again.
I have just found the perfect before picture and I showed a few of the ladies at the fitness center today and it just amazed them. They all think I have such will power to do this, and that they couldn't. Well we do not know what all we can do, until faced with a health crisis. And so..... you know the drill!
You are doing it up so great! Never give it up!