Artista’s Journal

[Artista]

What I ate today:

B: Cantaloupe, arugula, oatmeal, cannellini beans, mixed berries
S: Yellow mango, 2 apricots, carrot
L: Salad, steamed vegetables, beans, sweet potato
S: Plum
D: Apple, cucumber, potatoes, broccoli

Exercise: 40 minutes walking
BP: 117/65
Meditation: 10 minutes

Today was a challenging day. For some reason I just felt out of sorts and didn't want to follow the program. I somehow managed to stay the course except for eating a whole lot of fruit. I've been following MWL for about 5 weeks now. I was hoping for a point in time when I would no longer have thoughts of wanting to eat a different way. Maybe there is that point in time but I obviously haven't reached it yet. Nevertheless, I'm not giving up. I'm grateful for the forums. It helps to tune in here and see other people on this same path and doing it successfully. I also get inspiration from reading the Star McDougaller stories.

[Ruff]

Briefly..Dr McD said when people fall off the MWL wagon they fall onto the main programme and this is OK. You did this, you ate fruit. Its fine, hop back on the MWL wagon again and off you go. Sorry arm aching, gotta go.

[squealcat]

Hi Artista !

I was going to ask you a question about all the beans I see in your meals but I see you mix some in your oatmeal? I may try that. When I have oats each morning, I find that I am pretty hungry after two hours. Maybe adding beans would help?

Also, arugula at breakfast? Do you chop it and put it in the bowl with the oatmeal? Just wondering. I like arugula but usually mix with my greens at lunch.

I think you are doing great by the way ! You are inspiring me !

-squealcat

[VegSeekingFit]

Today was a challenging day. For some reason I just felt out of sorts and didn't want to follow the program. I somehow managed to stay the course except for eating a whole lot of fruit.

Hi Artista!!!

I agree with Marilyn that you are inspiring!!!

I think we can all relate to situations as you describe... I remember having several days when I only wanted starch and fruit.... I remember at least one day when that was exactly what I ate and I reported it accordingly... (Nothing bad happened and I moved on to pre-loading and 50/50 the next day!!!)

https://www.drmcdougallforums.com/viewt ... I.#p616434

Above is post from Mark Cooper on fruit consumption. McD MWL limits fruit to 2 servings per day - 10 Point checklist doesn't explicitly say... How you may be using it and your health considerations may factor in... Totally not something to beat yourself up about in my opinion... (as a peep that exceeds the 2 fruit, but not binging or eating "copious amounts" or having blood sugar or triglygeride issues..)

I bet you could ask a ? on the MWL thread if you are concerned to get an official answer...

Best,
Stephanie

[Artista]

What I are today:

Breakfast: cantaloupe slice, oatmeal, cannellini beans, arugula, peach, green tea
Lunch: apple, raw veg (cucumber, onion, tomatoes, cauliflower), grapes, cannellini beans, potato
Snack: cantaloupe slice, potato cubes
Dinner: carrots, celery, sweet potato, broccoli, a few sips of a fruity, carbonated drink
Snack: oatmeal, mango

MWL 10-point checklist: 9/10 (missed #8 don’t drink your calories)
Exercise: 32 min brisk walking
B/P: 114/64
Meditation: 20 min.

A bit of a misstep with the fruity drink at dinner. It was a gift and I think I just wanted to try it. I tossed out the rest of it.

[Artista]

Thanks, Katie, for those helpful words. I hope your arm feels better soon!

Hi Marilyn, I takes a little getting used to having beans in the oatmeal but it does help me stay fuller longer, as you say. You might have to start with just a spoonful of beans and see how it tastes, also experiment with different kinds of beans. I find that the cannellini beans are a little milder and don't overwhelm the oatmeal. I don't mix the arugula with the oats. I steam it lightly and eat it separately. Steaming takes some of the bitterness out of it. Arugula is one of the vegetables that I can eat in the morning. I haven't yet been able to make the transition to completely savory oatmeal or savory breakfast.

Hi Stephanie, Thanks for sharing that helpful link. There were some things in there I hadn't read before. Most days I eat a few more than 2 pieces of fruit and don't worry about it. I'm like you in that my blood sugar, A1C, and triglycerides are all normal. I read comments here on the forums about fruit raising cholesterol in some people. Since I'm looking at ways I might lower cholesterol, I thought I could try limiting fruit too. But I haven't read Jeff Novick saying anything about fruit and cholesterol, he recommends the BYOB & B foods, so maybe I'm focusing where I don't need to. I enjoy fruit, I always have. I grew up eating fresh fruit every day. I think the comment in the link you provided about not overdoing any one MWL food is helpful to remember.

[squealcat]

Hello again Artista !
I was thinking about using beans at meals more and also vegetables at breakfast. Thursday I want to try beans with my oats and a side of steamed cabbage. I think I can do cabbage at breakfast. I have some mild canned beans that I will try in my oatmeal. I will have some fruit as well. I love fruit in the morning ! I did try savory oats once and just couldn't do it. Oh! just remembered that I HAVE had cauliflower with my oatmeal before and I like that. Those two go well together. Some people use riced cauliflower but I use just cut up and steamed. I still want to use the cabbage. Just for one day and see how it goes. Tomorrow I watch my grandson so I am not trying anything new tomorrow. I want to get in a walk before I leave the house so I am concentrating on that one thing.

-squealcat (Marilyn)

[Artista]

What I ate today:

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, arugula, oatmeal, blueberries
Lunch: raw carrots, dry sautéed mushrooms, onion, garlic, broccoli, chickpeas, kale, collards, 2 apricots, crushed red pepper and 1/2 sweet potato. The apricots were surprisingly good in this, they gave it the extra flavor dimension it needed.
Dinner: grapes, raw carrots and celery, steamed broccoli, carrots, potato, chickpeas

MWL 10 point checklist 10/10
Exercise: 30 minutes calisthenics and resistance exercises
Meditation: 18 minutes
BP: 135/76

My blood pressure was higher today than usual. I’ve been worrying about things and I think that may be the reason. It was a busy day today but I took some time out to paint and center my thoughts. BP went down to 124/69 after that. It really makes me see how much meditation, exercise, and stress management are an important part of a healthy lifestyle.

[Artista]

Hi Marilyn I’ve been eating beans at breakfast because Jeff Novick said to include beans at every meal if trying to lower cholesterol because of the high soluble fiber content in beans. Cabbage or cauliflower sound really adventurous for breakfast to me but then I would’ve said the same thing about arugula not too long ago! I’ve never tried riced cauliflower but I might give it a try. It seems like it would be convenient for adding to things. I’ve had green beans for breakfast before and they’re not too bad. My favorite breakfast is cooked oat groats with fruit and arugula on the side. I finally made a new pot of oat groats so that’s what I’ll be having for the next few days.

Have a wonderful day with your grandson!

[squealcat]

I will try the beans and cabbage along with my oats tomorrow at breakfast tomorrow. I think the beans with blend in with the oats. The cabbage is sweet -tasting to me. We will see ! I will use the cabbage as my pre-load.

I had a good day watching little Felix today. His big sister (9 yrs old) was home too and spend the whole time with me. I got out my zentangle pens, pencils and tiles (3.5X3.5 inch ) and she and I watched a YouTube video and did a pretty good job of following directions. Her's turned out SO good ! We enjoy doing art together !

Looking forward to breakfast tomorrow !

-squealcat

[Artista]

What I ate today:

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, 1 fig, arugula, oat groats, blueberries
Lunch: raw veg (cucumber, sugar snap peas, carrot), steamed veg (cauliflower, carrots, green beans, greens), chickpeas, potato
Snack: 3 small apricots
Dinner: salad, steamed greens, sweet potato, chickpeas

MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Exercise: 30 minutes walking
Meditation: 20 minutes
BP: 129/76

[Artista]

You're doing great, Marilyn. Let me know how you like the beans and oats. I've forgotten to eat the beans at breakfast for the last 2 days. It's not enough of a habit yet, it hasn't become automatic. I'll leave the can of beans out on the counter where I won't be able to miss it in the morning.

How fun that you got to spend the day with your grandkids and do art with them. Kids and art just naturally go together. Your granddaughter sounds like a bright and thoughtful young person. I'm glad she had a good time working on the zentangle. I'm sure it meant a lot to her that you spent that time doing art with her.

[squealcat]

I had 1/4 cup of butter beans with my oats this morning Artista ! Couldn't taste them as they kinda blended in. Tried the cabbage before that meal and I won't do that again. I WILL do the beans again as I think it helped by breakfast last longer in my tummy.

-squealcat

[Artista]

What I ate today:

Breakfast: green tea, cantaloupe, oat groats, cannellini beans, peach, steamed arugula
Snack: 2 figs
Lunch: Salad of shredded cabbage, tomatoes, sugar snap peas, onion, and carrot, steamed cauliflower, green beans, carrots, chickpeas
Snack: 2 apricots
Dinner: 3 cherries, raw carrot, cucumber, steamed cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, chickpeas, 1/2 sweet potato

MWL 10-point checklist: 10/10
Exercise: 45 minutes brisk walking
Meditation: 20 minutes
BP: 119/66

I have this quote tacked on my studio wall--

“To persevere, trusting in what hopes one has, is courage. The coward despairs.”—Euripides.

I have been a little on the despairing side lately, feeling like I can’t budge my weight or cholesterol. Wondering if I am destined to be a pudgy woman with clogged arteries. But the hopes I have for changing those two things is in the McDougall program, in the knowledge and experience of Jeff Novick, Dr. McDougall, and others here on the forums. To persevere is the same to me as time and adherence. I seem to be one of those people who don’t see immediate results, I especially need the benefit of time and adherence. Around the time I started back on MWL, I walked down to a local park and was swinging on the swings. It was a beautiful morning and watching the blue sky over head as I was swinging, welled up in me the joy of being alive. I thought of my friend whom I walk with who has to walk slowly because of her knees and has a hard time getting her butt to fit in the swing. I felt grateful for all the right choices I have made, that I can walk or run, and my butt does fit in the swing. So now I’m stepping it up a notch with MWL, trying to lose those last 10-15 lbs and bring my cholesterol into a healthy range. This morning I walked to that same park and swung on the swing. I didn’t have that same joyful, epiphany moment as last time but I do feel a solidifying of my resolve and commitment. The encouraging news is that this morning I weighed myself and I have lost a little more weight. Overall I have lost 3.4 lbs since starting MWL on May 15th. That’s about 1/2 a pound a week. I’ll take that. I am a slow loser and to be able to lose weight without deprivation, hunger, or suffering is a gift. My weight now is 139.2. Although I decided to not really have a goal weight, I was hoping to eventually make my way to 130, which is less than 10 lbs away. My weight has gone up and down and probably will continue to do so and I don't know what my cholesterol will do, but I'm going to do my best not to let those things derail me. I know eating this way is the best thing I can do for my weight and health.

[Artista]

Hi Squealcat, Good job with the beans at breakfast! I find that same thing to be true, that they keep me fuller longer. That's great that you found a variety of bean that works for you. My tastes are so different in the morning. Some things I might love for lunch or dinner I can't face at breakfast. I haven't tried butter beans. I'm on a cannellini bean kick at the moment.