Artista’s Journal

[Ruff]

MWL, its a GREAT programme and many people have lots of great results. And stick with it if it works for you.

As you all know I didnt follow MWL for my weight loss journey, but I did follow at lot of the 'rules'. I cut my flour consumption to zero, except whole-wheat pasta, and I didnt eat any nuts/dried fruit/avocado etc. I also tried to have half a plate of veg with my starch. What I did do was have some plant milk in my tea, and some soy products to help with menopause symptoms. I also didn't pre load as I found making the extra meal every meal time was too much. I did have a LOT of soup though, as the meal. I think what I am saying is that not following MWL 'as is' doesn't mean dumping all of its guidelines, just making them work for you. If weight loss stalls you can always re juggle things again.

Incidentally, I did do 2 or 3 Mary's Minis when I stalled a bit. These worked great for me as it was only 10 days. I can do anything for 10 days!

So hang on in there, if you need a break from MWL, take one, if you find after a bit of a re think that you are good to carry on...carry on! This is your journey, just stay on the road and all will be well.

[Artista]

Thank you so much, Katie! I really appreciate you sharing your experience with me and what worked for you. It's interesting to see how close you stay to MWL and that you followed a lot of the principles of calorie density. I think this is a really important point you made, "not following MWL 'as is' doesn't mean dumping all of its guidelines, just making them work for you". I agree. If I ever do decide not to follow MWL as is, it would need to be in a very narrow margin. Even with following MWL closely, my weight loss is very slow, and I don't run or anything like you do, so for me there isn't much wiggle room. I'll stay with it as long as I can. It may get easier for me and more intuitive as I go along, and some days it is easy and intuitive. Thank you again for sharing the benefit of your experience with me. I found it very helpful!

[Artista]

Day 51, What I ate today:

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, arugula, oat groats, blueberries/strawberries
Lunch: raw veg, steamed green beans, Brussels sprouts, kale & collards, 1/2 sweet potato
Snack: nectarine, banana
Dinner: large salad (some as preload and some as 50/50), brown rice, pinto beans, homemade salsa, roasted peppers
Snack: nice cream

Exercise: 35 minutes walking
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Meditation: 20 minutes

I signed up for an open studio art event happening in the Fall so I'm going to be very busy between now and then. I'm going to try and keep up with my journal but I may have to post every two or three days instead of every day. I write down what I eat every day anyway so it shouldn't be too much trouble to post it here, but I'll see. I have a lot of artwork to get ready. I've always done okay under pressure in the past but it's not my favorite thing. I usually decide where I want to be and when and then figure out what I need to do to get there, and then break it up into smaller increments. I've been laying low ever since the pandemic and it's time to brush the dust off and participate again.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Artista!

Your open art studio sounds great!! Is this like where you would "show" your art?? Anyway, sounds fun and exciting!

I did the same as you are thinking with logging food less here. I still mostly write it down in my journal --- still helps me --- will stop sometime! It can get to be a bit tedious (like something else to check off the "to-do" list).

Wanted to tell you that I went to swing all by myself the other day!!! The park was empty and I thought, what the heck... I haven't tried the slide yet that you mentioned!!! Maybe another time.

Have a great week.

Best,
Stephanie

[Ruff]

How exciting do do to art show. I would suggest you dont vanish from here yet, but posting very couple of days is a good idea, maybe pencil in a couple of McD sessions a week and consider it therapy!!

[Artista]

Day 52

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, arugula, oat groats, cannellini beans, mixed berries
Lunch: apple, salad, pinto beans, potatoes, homemade salsa, green beans, broccoli, kale, collards
Snack: pear
Dinner:raw veg, Stephanie’s yummy split pea soup , cantaloupe

Exercise: 30 min. yoga; 20 min. jogging on mini-trampoline
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Meditation: 20 min.

I made Stephanie’s split pea soup recipe and it came out really tasty and was simple to make. The only change I made was to add about 4 jalapeño peppers (without the seeds) that I got at the farmers market and to use more water. The peppers didn’t make the soup hot or spicey, it was a more subtle flavor addition than that, I’m sure I’ll be making this again!

[Artista]

Hi Stephanie!

Yes, the studio tour is an opportunity for local artists to show their work and for interested people to meet the artists and see their studios. In the past it was all in-person but since Covid it’s online and in person. An artist can do either one or both. I enjoyed the in-person in the past, it was a lot of fun and I sold a lot of artwork. I haven’t participated in the last two years so I’m a little rusty.

I swing by myself too if my walking friend isn’t with me. The slide I went down is a tall twisty slide that was just built. The kids love it. The first time I went down I got in line with the little kids. They were nice about it but I did get some funny looks, probably wondering what the heck this adult person was doing climbing on their slide, so now I just go down it if it’s empty. I don’t want to take away from the kids enjoyment. But the swings are usually empty and they’re my favorite. Love the swings!

Hi Katie

Yes, I agree, I want to be careful to not vanish from here. Posting what I eat and staying connected with others on the same path is powerful therapy and is very instrumental in keeping me on track. Thank you for that reminder!

[Artista]

Day 53, food today:

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, oatmeal, cannellini beans, blueberries, arugula
Lunch: banana, pea soup, salad
Snack: grapes, potatoes, beans
Dinner: raw veg, steamed broccoli, kale, collards, edamame beans, potatoes, roasted peppers

Exercise: 50 minutes yoga
MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (edamame beans)
Meditation: 9 minutes

[bunsofaluminum]

cool! an art studio event...sounds so interesting and morale boosting! What type of art do you do? Watercolor, pencil sketches, pen and ink? Oil. Acrylic? Sculpting collage? I'd love to see something of yours. I've been practicing portraiture with "5 Portraits a Day" using head shots as found on Pinterest. And of course my usual Zentangle.

good on ya, keeping track of all your food. Do post here once in a while. And have fun getting your pieces ready for the art show!

[Artista]

Hi Buns! That’s so great that you’re doing “5 Portraits a Day”! I looked it up and it looks like a great way to learn to draw portraits. That kind of daily practice is so instrumental in moving one’s art forward. I try to draw every day but don’t always make it but I usually do paint every day. I’m mostly an oil painter. I do lots of still life but portraits are my favorite among things to paint or draw. I go to a local portrait drawing & painting group when I can. I have done portraits as commissions but it’s not my favorite thing, I get too caught up in customer’s expectations and all creativity goes out the window. But that’s just me. Most portrait painters do really well with commissions. If I can figure out how to post photos, I could post an example of my artwork. I’ll have to look into that. Do you post your art anywhere?

Thanks for your encouragement about the open studio tour! I’m trying to not get overwhelmed by the amount of work I need to do. I will try to keep posting my food here, I think I would miss it if I didn’t. That’s so impressive how you have been McDougalling and maintaining your journal for so long!

[Artista]

Yesterday was wall-to-wall busy and I didn’t get a chance to exercise and didn’t get a chance to post what I ate so I’m doing it now.

Day 54

Breakfast: green tea, melon, oatmeal, cannellini beans, blueberries
Lunch: salad, beans, brown rice
Snack: apple
Dinner: salad, pea soup

Exercise: none
Meditation: none
MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (no exercise)

[Artista]

Day 55

Breakfast: green tea, melon, oatmeal & buckwheat groats, blueberries, arugula
Lunch: plum, sweet potato, steamed broccoli & cauliflower, melon
Dinner: raw veg, steamed kale & collards, beans, potato

Exercise: 30 min. yoga
Meditation: nope
MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10

I’ll be visiting family for a few days and won’t be able to post again until Saturday. I’m taking lots of fruit, vegetables, potatoes, and pea soup with me so, hopefully, staying on plan won’t be too challenging. I’ll see you all when I get back.

[Ruff]

Have a great trip, and enjoy visiting the family. Good luck with the food.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Artista,

Hope that you are having a nice trip!!!

Glad that the split pea soup worked out for you --- I am intrigued by the jalapeno addition and may give that a go!!!

Love what you shared about your upcoming open art studio... very cool!!!!

Cheers,
Stephanie

[Artista]

Day 59

2 am: oatmeal, peach
Breakfast: cantaloupe, arugula, oatmeal, cannellini beans, 2 apricots and a few cherries
Lunch: apple, salad of potatoes, chickpeas. shredded kale, cauliflower, cucumber, tomatoes, kohlrabi, and other raw veg
Dinner: raw veg, green beans, sweet potato

Exercise: 30 min. walking
MWL: 9/10 (didn’t preload at 2 am)

My time with my family went really well. I stuck with the MWL foods and walked every day. The only places I fell short in following the guidelines was that I didn’t always preload and, although I included fruit and vegetables at every meal, it wasn’t always 50/50. The pea soup turned out to be the perfect food to take with me. It made it really easy to put together a meal. My mom liked it too and I left the last of it with her. There’s an Asian market in their area and I had a good time browsing around all of the unfamiliar products and beautiful produce. I bought some red chili paste, plums, Japanese sweet potatoes, kohlrabi, and some really fat carrots. I wasn’t adventurous enough to buy anything that I didn’t know what it was, maybe next time. The red chili paste has a good flavor but super spicy. A little goes a long way.