Vivian's Daily Journal

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

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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Thu Oct 29, 2020 1:41 am

VivianS October 29, 2020 Thursday
I don't like white potatoes. I cooked a whole potato in water. I blended it for a friend with dental problems. That person can add salt, pepper, or anything else.
I tasted that plain potato soup with salt. I ate 2 cups. Considering that the soup was half water, I put 1 cup of boiled potato on Cronometer. For the first time I noticed that I had enough potassium! That makes a potato worth eating.
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Thu Oct 29, 2020 7:41 pm

VivianS October 29, 2020 Thursday
I saw 149 on my scale this afternoon! I am so excited! I have been in compliance with the MWL CHECKLIST except that I have been using a blender on whole white potatoes and the water I used to cook it to make soup. Maybe I won't mess up in the next few hours. I've been marking my checklist the night before to tell myself ( self fulfilling prophecy ) that I am doing all the things on the checklist.
I like math. It has been interesting watching the numbers change this week.
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Sat Oct 31, 2020 3:36 pm

VivianS October 31, 2020 through November 6, 2020
My trick is to avoid the pleasure trap by preparing my own treat. My treat is fresh pineapple!
I am delighted to see 147.2 on my scale for the first time in several years. That time has passed. The only thing that matters is that I not return to the mistakes of the past and continue with the good new habits I have learned in the Maximum Weight Loss program.
I have a chart for the Friday weigh in post with the checklist that I mark for each day of the week in pencil. I check the box for each day in advance as an agreement with myself that I am going to comply with the behavior I am reading. I have a short hand list that fits in small column. The way the list is worded by MWL is very psychologically correct. I simplified to save space:
Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Soup,salad 1. * * * * * * *
50/50, fruit 2. * * * * * * *
No salt, Like Jeff Novick says,"You know who you are." I like salt a little too much. I think I will empty my salt shaker except for a teaspoon a day. Trying to limit myself when eating potato soup has not been successful while using a full salt shaker. I may try those little envelopes that come in take out sacks. I need some salt limit. My blood pressure is good, but I don't want to damage my bones by salting everything until I can taste it. Old people lose the sense of taste and use too much salt. I saw my mother do it and she had several broken bones as a result of osteoporosis.
No sugar or salt. 3. * X * * * * *
No animal. 4. * * * * * * *
No fat plant 5. * * * * * * *
No oil. 6. * * * * * * *
No refined food 7.* * * * * * *
Don't drink calories 8 * * * X * * Unsweetened tea has 5 calories! I was surprised. I was alive to drive so that was a 5 calorie sacrifice for a good cause. I also learned something new. You know I drank more than 1 cup of tea, but it is the little calories here and there that add up and prevent weight loss.
Don't stuff.
Don't starve.
Eat when hungry
Be comfortable . 9. * * * * * * *
Exercise (I have had cleaning mania, vacuumed like crazy and used a rubber brush along baseboards to see if it will help my husband stop coughing.)
Walk 30 minutes 10. * * * * * * *
The bottom half of the page is in preparation for the actual post.

Weight change. (Last weigh in 149.8) -( Nov. 6 weight) = change + - or no change.

The points on the MWL checklist on which I succeeded: 1,2,4,5,6,7,9,10 ( I am predicting my success. )(When I realize that some point has gotten my attention, I make a note about it. I erase the number off the success line and move the number and the problem in question to the "needs more attention line". I may have had success with the stated things on the checklist, but I may see the opportunity for improvement.

The points on the MWL checklist that need more attention : 3, 8, 10
(I note any difficulty or anticipated problem and think of strategies to give me success. ) I like what George Foreman said about buying exercise gadgets, (not an exact quote) that he didn't regret buying anything that motivated him to try to exercise or practice healthy eating.
3 Putting a teaspoon of salt in a separate salt shaker has resolved my fear that I was using too much salt. I have not used that amount in two days.
8. Water only for 6/7 days.
10 Pool is already closed. I'm trying to come up with more strategies to be less sedentary. I'm staying awake with my husband, but none of this equals the exercise I get in the pool. My exercise bike makes noise. He has been nervous and wanting our household to be quiet. I may have to go to the exercise room at the YMCA to replace my swimming. I think because of Covid19 that I need to stay home. Perhaps I will need to run with the little children more.
Other comments:
I am grateful to Mark Cooper, the board, and the community. Whether I can spell any body's name correctly or not depends on whether I jot a note on paper and whether I can see it when I am typing my post on my cellphone. I have learned that I must tap SUBMIT 2 or 3 times before it will post. I watch the blue progress line until I get the notification that the journal has posted.
On Saturday I will change my chart and the plan I have for submitting the post according to the guidelines we get on November1, 2020. My "NO and not" version is simply to get this chart done. I will type the actual chart for next week. I notice new things that I had not understood every time I read through it. I have enjoyed editing this journal entry to get it ready for Friday.
For the last October weigh in, I was glad I had my notes ready because my day started early when daycare called me to come get a 3 year old little girl. I had time to post when she took her nap. I was so tired that I couldn't have done it had I not done my thinking in advance.
I have also found out that I don't always find the right place to "reply", but I am learning. While reading other journals, I found out that I could edit mistakes in something I already posted.
I hope you are having success this week. I am planning to be healthy and happy! I hope you are, too!
Before I went to vote, I put on a pair of dress pants that I have not worn in a while. They fell off! I put a belt on to keep the pants up and covered the mess with a vest. I voted. I will deal with the pants later. I have lost at least 3 inches in my waistline and obviously my hips are smaller, but I don't know how much. I'm trying to get my waistline to less than 35 inches. 37" is my best measurement now. Bye, bye belly!
VivianS
Last edited by VivianS on Fri Nov 06, 2020 12:55 am, edited 5 times in total.
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Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Sat Oct 31, 2020 7:44 pm

VivianS October 31, 2020
Recipe for P w potato soup, sweet potato, cauliflower and halved Brussel sprouts
Boil 1 medium white potato. Use 2 cups of the water used to cook the potato to blend the potato including the skin and water into a soup. Pour this blended potato soup base into a bowl large enough to hold 3 or 4 cups of soup. Add 1 cup of precooked sweet potato. cauliflower, and halved Brussels sprouts (Pictsweet Farms frozen vegetables). You have a smooth base with some interesting, tasty lumps. Serves 1. I try to limit salt to one pass over the top of the bowl.
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Sun Nov 01, 2020 9:12 pm

VivianS November 1, 2020
I cannot see any change in the template we are encouraged to use from the previous format we have been requested to use. I tried to copy the templare, but I was not able to make it copy. This is an android phone. I will try to write the requested format on this portion of the forum and try to quote or copy it when I post on Friday. I appreciate the smart person who suggested using the template. None of us is as smart as all of us. The forum and journal allows us to expose our thinking to others and other help us find solutions for our problems. This has been very helpful to me. Thank you!
VivianS
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby Mark Cooper » Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:15 am

VivianS wrote:VivianS November 1, 2020
I cannot see any change in the template we are encouraged to use from the previous format we have been requested to use. I tried to copy the templare, but I was not able to make it copy. This is an android phone. I will try to write the requested format on this portion of the forum and try to quote or copy it when I post on Friday. I appreciate the smart person who suggested using the template. None of us is as smart as all of us. The forum and journal allows us to expose our thinking to others and other help us find solutions for our problems. This has been very helpful to me. Thank you!
VivianS
Hi, Vivian! I just wanted to let you know that the chart/checklist/comments that you shared as an example above are perfectly suitable for the weekly weigh-in reports - you've included all the information we've requested, so your reports should be A-OK! Thank you for being such a kind and positive presence within the discussion. :)
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Mon Nov 02, 2020 4:36 am

VivianS November 2, 2020
Thank you, Mark, for letting me know that my posts have been adequate. I have a hard time getting the typing done before my battery runs down or I get interrupted and lose my work. I tried saving a draft, but couldn't find the place where it was saved. You had to look for my initial post, but you were diligent and found it. Thank you for being so kind to me and so reliable about responding. You have made this program successful for me.
In gratitude,
VivianS
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby bunsofaluminum » Mon Nov 02, 2020 12:59 pm

Hi VivianS

I like your rendition of the MWL guidelines. Also love your self-limiting on the salt. Those little packets go a long way. I use them at my PT job to sprinkle salt on my nuked potatoes that I take, and one packet is more than enough for a large baked potato. Because it has no calories I've never given salt a second thought. Stopped using it in my cooking ages ago, and still sprinkled salt direct from the shaker onto foods at the table. Now that I've stopped doing even that, I wonder how salty something with say 25mg of sodium would taste.

Looks like you're doing amazing at the MWL. Keep it up!
JUST DON'T EAT IT

I heart my endothelial lining
by red squirrel

simple, humble food
by f00die

The rest is an industry looking to make a buck off my poor health
by Pamela, a FB user
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Tue Nov 03, 2020 12:28 am

VivianS November 3, 2020 Activity chart...not being sedentary.
Hair stylists have to record their work on a 15 minute basis to be able to keep track of their earnings to pay taxes. Maybe that's not true, but the idea came to me because I need to make myself stand up and move around more. A kitchen timer can help me stay out of my chair and bed more. I must be in bed at least 10 hours to allow my lungs to clear of sticky mucus. I may use the back of my daily page Managing chronic illness is serious business.
My recent vacuuming episode made me realize that I can count that as exercise. Some say it's not exercise unless you sweat, but being tired after any activity is good enough for me. If I sweat in the pool, I don't know it. I know from recovery times in the past that it is a victory to be able to get something off the floor. I love doing that. I pick up anything I see on the floor just because I can! Maybe I could think of that as toe touching.
Maybe there is an app for that, but I don't want an app taking up space on my phone. I need to develop the ACTIVITY habit. I want to have an ACTIVITY MIND SET. Hearing my timer ding may do the trick, whether I record anything on paper or not.
I remember hearing someone say,"Never lie down when you can stand up. Never sit when you can stand. Never be still when you can be moving." I understand the idea now, but I have not implemented it."
BEING STILL is important, too. Meditation and contemplation is when we decide what we do and are. That is why writing a journal is important and why it is important to spend the time being still to write because, "As a man thinks in his heart, so he is." I want to be healthy and active doing important things as long as God gives me breath.
VivianS
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Wed Nov 04, 2020 10:28 am

VivianS November 4, 2020 Wednesday
I lifted weights this morning. My muscles know whenn it is time to do it. They want to do it.
I added a new layer of padding to my dumbbells when my husband put a rubber padding on our hand rail for our outdoor steps. The padding makes the metal dumbbells hurt my hands less. I was surprised at how much easier it has made my workout. Arthritis can be managed and the damage stopped, but preventing pain, keeping myself safe and comfortable make me want to do my exercise.
What can you do to make your exercise more comfortable and enjoyable? I listen to interesting things on YouTube or recorded books or rate setting music. I love my friends at the pool, especially the ones who will challenge me to a two minute watch the clock , feel your heart race exercise. I like the ones who say, "Pick up the pace a little. Swim this lap as fast as you can!" I am grateful for every lifeguard who made a suggestion to help me swim better. I remember the one who said,"Well if you can swim 1,000 yards, you can swim 2,000 yards." She was right! Find somebody who will help and encourage you!
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Thu Nov 05, 2020 3:11 pm

VivianS November 5, 2020
I am having trouble submitting my journal entries. I'm going to write it to you and copy to the journal. I have had invalid or blacklisted posts the last two times I went to my journal from my e-mail.
I made brown rice last night. 10 servings of 3/4 cup each are ready for me to eat.
I mopped and cleaned for an hour last night. I was hungry so I ate a late night meal of brown rice, cabbage, onion, garlic, carrots, capers and celery:Fortunate Surprise. I had blended potato and water soup. It's one portion of potato and two same size portions of the water used to boil the potato in. It only stays in the blender a few seconds. I add a few precooked nonstarchy vegetables to the warm potato soup. The meal was ready in a few minutes because of the precooking I had done. I cook that potato in water and a pot of greens as soon as I come home. Having the basics done every day gives leeway for creativity.
Have fun! Find some special way to enjoy those high nutrient density foods. The starches keep me satisfied.
VivianS
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Fri Nov 06, 2020 1:40 am

VivianS November 6, 2020 Friday
Weight change: -1.8 pounds I weigh 148.0 37" waistline

The points on the Maximum Weight Loss checklist where I succeeded were
1,2,4,5,6,7,9,10 Even with those exceptions, I think my weightloss shows success.

The points on the MWL checklist that need greater attention are
3. I have been trying to be sure that I am not overdoing it on my salt. I am eating a portion of potato soup every night. I have not been eating it without salt. I may grow up next week and just eat it. I have comforted myself by putting one teaspoon in my salt shaker and noting how soon it runs out... usually a couple of days. I feel a little better about it. I have lots of non-starchy vegetables as lumpy texture and interesting tastes in that blended potato soup. Maybe I will get the formula right and can leave out the salt. I will say to myself, "This is my food. Thank you, God." I will be content and stop whining.
8. I drank tea on a day that started earlier than usual and I had responsibility for a child. If I am driving in the morning I must have caffeine. I didn't realize that unsweetened tea had calories. It is a small sacrifice of calories to be a safe driver. I should go to bed earlier just in case I have to pick up a sick child from daycare, but I choose to spend my time with my husband.
10. The pool is closed already. I'm moving my body at every opportunity, but it is not like swimming for an hour or more.

Thank you, Mark, for letting me know that my posts have been adequate. I will try to keep them short. Thank you to the board and the others who read our posts. Thank you to the community members who have encouraged me. (Buns of Aluminum and MandyBee, especially.)

My husband brought home a yellow squash to boil with his potato. He is eating more vegetables and less junk! My little niece and nephew have eaten vegetables this week with me. Many good things are happening in my life because you have given your time and knowledge to me. May God bless you!
Sincerely,
VivianS
Last edited by VivianS on Fri Nov 06, 2020 2:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby Ejeff » Fri Nov 06, 2020 9:32 am

Vivian, congratulations on your successful week. That’s a great idea about how to track salt. I hadn’t thought of doing it that way. I’m going to try it, but I will need my own shaker as right now it’s shared with my hubby lol. As I rarely eat anything packaged, I don’t think my salt intake is that high, but I do like to sprinkle on my food. Lately I’ve been using other spices more frequently instead of salt especially oregano, basil and Mrs. Dash.

Have another great week!

Erin
"The more disciplined your environment is, the less disciplined you need to be. Don't swim upstream."
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby Mark Cooper » Fri Nov 06, 2020 2:04 pm

Hi, Vivian! I included my reply to your weigh-in report in my group post for the day. :D
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Re: Vivian's Daily Journal

Postby VivianS » Fri Nov 06, 2020 7:31 pm

VivianS November 6, 2020 Friday night
Hooray! YMCA got the problem with the pool fixed. I swam 110 minutes for 2,000yards. I am happy! I lifted weights last night. Now I'm going to eat breakfast : Steel cut oats and fresh pineapple with a big 30 ounces of water to sip on for the next couple of hours while I relax. The greens are cooking and the potato is boiling so my husband can eat when he wants to eat. I will eat 6x4 soup with green peas, a 2 cp salad, my 50/50 bowl ofbeans, brown rice, collards and non starchy vegetables tomatoes, onions,garlic, celery, carrots and an apple for dessert.
Later when my husband eats I will eat blended potato soup(1 part potato including the peel and 2 parts of water used to cook the potato). Potatoes come in many sizes. If I get 1 cup or half cup, I then put the same amount of nonstarchy vegetables in the soup ( 50/50). I hope to eat the soup and 2 plums without salt.
Do we live in a great country? Yes! May God bless America! YMCA! YEA!
VIVIANS
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