Stephanie's Journal - One Bite at a Time...

Share your daily McDougall menus and/or keep a journal describing your personal progress.

Moderators: JeffN, f1jim, carolve, Heather McDougall

10/21 Time & Adherence Report

Postby VegSeekingFit » Fri Oct 21, 2022 1:21 pm

Hey Heidi!! :-D :D Thanks for your kind comments. I LOVE the broad spectrum of colors in fruits and veggies --- also, texture, taste combinations. I frequently check out McD official recipe pics --- as well as Forks Over Knives magazine (for any new ideas of what to throw on a plate) … Would love to see other people’s food pics (hint, hint)!!!

Hi Journal!!! :)

Feeling terrific this week!!! Spent tons of time with family and friends – had a lot of laughs. Also, still going with the half day a week at work with goal of collaborating (ha!!! Chatting and walking around when not in meetings!!!). Planning another community investment event for early December for our team and am on the games committee for the holiday party (much more fun than day job!).

Doing well with maintaining weight and continuing to build self-confidence here. It is ironic to me that in the past three months when weight is out of range, needing to manage it up (oven fries!). Potentially this could shift as weather gets colder, but I’m not planning to spend the winter on the couch! Will be exploring various exercise options for the chilly weather and still planning to walk outside as much as feasible (probably at lunch time, hopefully in the sun). I never did replace my treadmill and don’t intend to at this point. I do have some equipment: stationary bike, step, jump rope, lots of exercise DVD’s, dumb bells, weight bench, etc. I haven’t gone to a gym for at least 2.5 years; however, will likely do that this winter as we have a shiny well-equipped work gym (open 24 hours!). I have been scoping it out when at the office and it is basically empty – so, I guess that I will make friends with it.

This exercise thought also reminds me that I signed up for a 15K last November (for this November). Was thinking to recruit peeps to walk it with me. Finding out now, that nobody (so far) has any interest – I have been told that this is a crazy idea (too long, too cold, too early, too far – blah blah blah). My son would do it, but he has a large project due the following Monday (so I told him, no!). Anyway, they shifted the date of the event since I signed up and I find that I would need to be in Grant Park before 7AM on a Saturday (no fun by myself for sure). Thinking that I will instead map out a route close to home and walk it myself (kind of virtually participating). Live and learn!

Reading “Empire of Pain” for my next October spooky story. Yes, it is non-fiction; however, the Sacklers seem like the epitome of monsters to me… Only about 15% in so far, where focus is on Big Pharma meets Big Medicine via Big Business / Marketing – so may be of interest to others.

Today I have the afternoon off work and will be basking in the unseasonably warm weather! Maybe do a fire outside tonight.
Here are some pics (of course!)…

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Love the color on this tree that I passed in recent walk.

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This was my sugar this week! About 1.5 T of bbq sauce (sodium is 1:1). Delicious!

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Made Creamy Beany soup with addition of large jalapeno and bell pepper. Ate this mainly over rice. Delicious, but was a little hot (blaming that on the jalapeno)!

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Ran out of Jeff burgers over the weekend. Took some creamy beany and potatoes instead to work.

“Some believe in destiny and some believe in fate
But I believe that happiness is something we create
You best believe that I’m not gonna wait…” --- Sugarland

Below is Behavioral assessment that I will post to Time & Adherence group for 10/21.

Hi Fellow MWL’ers!!! :D

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week! Excited that we are going to have some unseasonably warm weather here in Chicagoland over the weekend. Planning at least one hike in the woods to check out the autumn colors. Thinking I should probably do some yardwork too (but hiking takes priority!).

Appreciated all the awesome travel food threads that Mark shared last week! Wanted to share how I handled our recent trip to Iowa (with no microwave --- which really makes me appreciate my microwave more than ever!). Here is what I brought with - large soft sided cooler that I packed: Jeff burgers, a few gallon sized bags of oven fries, oats with thermos (from WG idea), bananas, grapes, carrots, grape tomatoes. I also took a can of garbanzo beans and a couple of McD RightFoods cups (but did not have opportunity to eat them). Brought some sandwich bags (for stashing some of the food in my purse!), plastic spoons, napkins. I was not perfect (as you can see from below!); however, feeling like it went ok under the circumstances. Mark – What a beautiful state to grow up in!!! Drove through some small towns, but we stayed in suburban Des Moines (almost looked like suburban Chicago!).

1 Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
Sometimes. Loving carrots and kumatoes this week!!! Also, Cara Cara oranges and Cotton Candy grapes.

2 Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
Yes! Have been mainly having oatmeal for breakfast with various fruit. Have been making 8 quarts at a time of Jeff Longevity soup (recipe on main website). Since it is chilly, making smaller pots of various soups (Creamy beany, split pea) which have been awesome. Ate a ton of potatoes in the form of oven fries. :D

3 Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
Mostly. Probably impacts from #7 scenario. Boo. :mrgreen:

4 Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
Yes. :-D

5 Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
Yes. :D

6 Eliminate any added oil.
Yes. (unless any impacts from #7 scenario, but didn’t sense any oil)

7 Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes, puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
NO. :twisted: Double ding here. Had 2 pieces of bread (refined, white) at wedding. Bread is like a wolf in sheep’s clothing to me. Totally non-compliant, but yet doesn’t seem (to me) as “bad” as some other choices. Anyway, I had it because I went into buffet line, and it was the only item that I was willing to eat (not even 1 “compliant” item to be found). I was expecting that there would be salad and I had dressing in my purse (that I have been waiting to use for about 6 months!). In retrospect, I should have just skipped over the bread and eaten oven fries that I had in my purse. Would have been a good opportunity to practice that and I was at a “friendly” table --- meaning that I am pretty sure that nobody would have given me a hard time about that. Anyway, not an on-going problem item for me. Also, gave me the opportunity to (again) practice being kind to self and I am getting better at that!

8 Don’t drink your calories especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
Yes. :)

9 Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
Yes – no starving or stuffing. :D

10 Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
Mostly. :o Walked briskly 5 days. Danced (at wedding) 1 day. Then, lazy traveling inactive day. Usually, I am on point with this one and am now firmly back to regular routine.

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
I was looking for a way to use a couple of cans of pumpkin left over from last year and thought to try it with oatmeal. Great results – so sharing the “non-recipe”.
½ cup old-fashioned oatmeal
1/3 can of pumpkin
1 chopped apple
1 ¼-1 ½ cup water
Pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon would probably work fine too)
Throw it all in a bowl big enough that it won’t spill over in the microwave. Microwave for 3 minutes and then stir. Can microwave again to further soften apple (I did for 2 minutes). Voila, festive fall oatmeal!
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Really appreciate this group!! Thank you so much, Mark / Jeff / WildGoose --- and all fellow participants! You all keep me sane (and on the straight and narrow)!

Wishing everyone an excellent forthcoming week with lots of fun and sunshine! :cool:

Cheers,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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Re: Stephanie's Journal - One Bite at a Time...

Postby VegSeekingFit » Tue Oct 25, 2022 7:20 pm

Hi Journal!! :) :-D

Have totally different thing than I originally intended to post...

So, I must be the 2nd most organized participant from Nov. 2021 McD 12 Day class and am taking the torch to host our weekly meet-up's. Super fine to me!!! :-D Has been really helpful and I have made some awesome McD friends!!!! In this transition, have found a couple people out of the woodwork that do want to come... Love this... the more the merrier!!! :) I did have a weird... remove me... from someone who participated a lot. Texted my couple of peeps that are really now friends (as I do need perspective)... Also, my Project Manager hat says... try to find out why... So, yeah, I sent this person a "survey" to better understand... OMG... I do feel a bit bad about this... (but, yes... I could be the most sensitive person you meet... that is my worst fault and /or greatest strength...)

Otherwise, unbelievably 100% terrific feeling... Just going to share a few pics with hopefully few words and the following... I am still super happy to follow MWL checklist and doing good with maintaining weight...

"Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it will evade you, but if you notice the other things around you, it will gently come and sit on your shoulder." --- Henry David Thoreau

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So, this is called "Exer-Trail"... Have to LOVE it... Have casually explored... Best believe that I am a good ways away from a chin-up or pull-up, but can do some knee raises... One step at a time... and I have no goal of chin-up's... :) There are also balance beams, etc. and welcoming to folks to use it... Amusing!!!

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Yeah, I definitely post too many oats!!! The purple oats are amazing!!! :-D

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Still loving more than anything fruit and fries snack... Eating a good clip of that !!!

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Made more Jeff burgers... pretty much same as last recipe... but did use Cannellini instead of red kidney beans... doesn't matter -- comes out fine...

Wishing everyone a wonderful week!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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Re: Stephanie's Journal - One Bite at a Time...

Postby Matcha » Tue Oct 25, 2022 9:45 pm

hi Stephanie,
nice pictures. i know you said you have no chin up goals. i really my over the door frame chin up bar even though i don't do it perfectly, i can see that i am getting stronger. sometimes, i do assisted chin-ups by gripping the door frame with my feet, or jumping.
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Re: Stephanie's Journal - One Bite at a Time...

Postby Daydream » Wed Oct 26, 2022 6:52 am

Stephanie, I just want to say I enjoy seeing your pictures. Thank you for sharing...
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Re: Stephanie's Journal - One Bite at a Time...

Postby Ejeff » Wed Oct 26, 2022 9:18 am

I agree, thanks for the photos and adding cheer to my day! Really love the happiness butterfly quote, shared it with my family.

Erin
"The more disciplined your environment is, the less disciplined you need to be. Don't swim upstream."
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10/28 Time & Adherence Report

Postby VegSeekingFit » Fri Oct 28, 2022 5:44 pm

Hey --- Thank you and Hi Matcha, Daydream, and Erin!!! :D :-D Appreciate your kind comments.

Erin, I have a ton of happy butterfly quotes!!! Can’t help myself here… Find them and save them. Makes me happy that you liked!!!

Matcha, For pull-ups / chin-ups, my son has this bar you mentioned that I could use too. I am way behind you here on ability… if I progress this, will be because I find my favorite “assisted” weight machine in the gym --- which has amused me throughout life that the higher weight you put on the stack, the easier it is!!! LOL!!! :lol:

Has been a fantastic week! Zero complaints or worries here… I guess my husband trounced me last night in Trivial Pursuit, but that isn’t making me lose any sleep… it is expected. Will try to get him to play Boggle, Scrabble, or cards with me tonight to even the score!

Scary reading… “UR” by Stephen King – check out the crazy pink Kindle that only SK could conjure up… Almost done with “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman (and audio is read / performed by him – pretty awesome!)… Haven’t seem that movie yet, but will do this weekend. It is children’s book – which YES, genre I still read!!!

I only have a few pics.
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I ate this with the Longevity Soup / Stew…

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This is mostly what I have been eating for lunch. Making huge batches of the soup / stew and also eat as a snack. Was surprised to find that I really like both the sweet potato and the greens in with this tomatoey, veggie mix … it is pretty delicious.

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Didn’t buy enough portabellas to make a good clip of this. LOVE this mix of veggies roasted – just mushrooms, onion, bell pepper. Next time, need to remember to double down on the mushrooms next time.

Below is Behavioral assessment that I will post to Time & Adherence group for 10/28.

Hi Team Time & Adherence, :)

Hope everyone is doing great!!! Can’t believe next week we are into November. Doing better with checklist / behaviors this week in my own house / environment (with microwave)! :-D

1 Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
Sometimes. Have found Gala apples and clementines amazing this week. Also, some grape tomatoes that are super sweet and delicious.

2 Follow the 50/50 plate method for your meals, filling half your plate (by visual volume) with non-starchy vegetables and 50% (by visual volume) with minimally processed starches. Choose fruit for dessert.
Yes! :D All oatmeal and fruit for breakfast (which I never miss)… Lunch has mainly been Jeff Longevity soup (recipe on main website) – which I have starched up to a stew. Else, making various soups in the crockpot and eating oven fries for dinner / snacks with various veggies and fruits (fresh and frozen).

3 Greatly reduce or eliminate added sugars and added salts. This includes gourmet sugars and salts too. If either is troublesome for you, you can eliminate them.
Yes. Reduced, not eliminated. :)

4 Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
Yes :-D .

5 Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
Yes :-D .

6 Eliminate any added oil.
Yes. :)

7 Eliminate all higher calorie-dense foods including flour products (i.e., bread, bagels, muffins, crackers, dry cereals, cookies, cakes, puffed cereals, air-popped popcorn and dried fruit.
Yes. :-D

8 Don’t drink your calories especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
Yes. :D

9 Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
Yes – no starving or stuffing. :D

10 Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
Yes. :) Walked briskly 7/7 days. My feet have a mind of their own and just want to walk --- even when it has been a bit chilly and dark. I am stocking up on fleece and warm socks (so much so that the Target guy asked me about this!!!)!!! I do prefer to walk outside – so, will see how this plays out this winter. Have alternatives in mind too… but, damn feet are moving forward!!!

Victories, comments, concerns, questions:

Thanks, Mark Cooper for sharing the information on calorie counting last week (and why not recommended). I always read and enjoy whatever you post each week!!! I will be honest that: 1) I haven’t counted any calories so far (and don’t intend to ever), 2) I would be a super annoying person if I did (to self and others), and 3) I am convinced would be time / energy wasted (just watch Calorie Density presentation again instead). What is ironic a bit to me… So, I am an accountant that doesn’t love to count (why I do mainly project work that I do mostly love) and I can understand on a rudimentary level these flaws in estimation and the materiality – I mean 20% leeway would be off the charts (definitely MATERIAL)… (if we were talking dollars… which we aren’t).

Have to +1 Beth on 12 Day Alumni event comments. Very awesome!! (still in search of LOVE emoji!!!)

Beth, OMG --- IBSC (from last week)… LOVE this!!! I called this phenomenon my inner toddler when I was having issues with 5/7 things in my house, but if they ever recur, going with IBSC!!! Let me know if you try the pumpkin oats. I really love them and even bought more pumpkin (hilarious when I was trying to get rid of pumpkin)… Awesome what you have done to get in exercise!!! Woo-hoo!

Bambi, Wishing you the best with your return to work. I am back too, but really not much… This is a big change after 2.5 years --- especially if you have to go everyday. What I have found with my small time percent at work --- make sure to bring enough recommended food – like, don’t get hungry because there are land-mines of junk food at work. I like to keep McD Right Foods cups of soup and shelf-stable, zero oil brown rice in desk (for hungry emergencies). I bet Mark will post some thread on how to combat the other challenge… (but else… are there empty stair wells??? )…

Carol, So glad to see you post!!! Sounds like you have a ton going on… so do the Mark Cooper be kind to yourself thing… (and KEEP POSTING TOO!!!)… There is a super smart dude that said this.. “You never fail until you stop trying.” – Albert Einstein

Noella, I had similar with what you said about restaurant food last week --- Sent back once… got second try and was still BOO… but, then was hesitant to send back a second time. This is a tough one.

HUGE Hi and YAY to everyone else!!!

Doing a bold thing this weekend that others in this Group have already done / posted about here… donating / trashing (as appropriate) too big clothes. It is probably past time for this, but some things seem to take me more time than others (but that’s ok… seems that it is what it is) !

Happy end of October, everyone!!!

“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble." – William Shakespeare (Macbeth)

Cheers,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
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VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

Re: Stephanie's Journal - One Bite at a Time...

Postby VegSeekingFit » Wed Nov 02, 2022 5:26 pm

Hi,

Closing out this journal... timing seems right to me somehow from where I feel like I am.
* 18 months (imperfectly) following MWL checklist
* About 1 year since 12 day McD program
* Maintaining weight range --- about 4 months... (have gone below a few times, never above... like I am living in some alternate universe.... :lol: )

Anyway, at the risk of posting the corniest thing ever (except I did skip the costumed ones)... Feeling like I am "flying away on a wing and a prayer"... Believe it or not!!! :-D

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?&q=b ... ajaxhist=0

So, totally if we were playing Pac-Man... I haven't reached Level 257... Not sure which level that I may have reached, but feeling pretty awesome!!!

Here is my current journal..
viewtopic.php?f=52&t=62324

Cheers to all,
Stephanie
"Just put one foot in front of the other and don't worry about the length of the path.
Once you get on that path, and the longer you stay on it, there eventually will come a time when you will not turn back." - Martina Navratilova
User avatar
VegSeekingFit
 
Posts: 1324
Joined: Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:21 am
Location: Illinois

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