Starflower’s Journey to Health

[Starflower]

I’ve been trying all evening to get into the forums to start journaling again today. The site just keeps freezing up, and I was suddenly logged out three times earlier. I saw that Mark lost his post today, too. Too many glitches for me. I give up! It’s back to keeping a hand-written journal.

Good luck and happy McDougalling to everyone!

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Starflower!

Hope that you are doing amazing with your McDougalling!

Take care,
Stephanie

[Starflower]

Hi Stephanie! Thanks for the good wishes! Wishing you a fantastic week!

It looks like people are posting without trouble again. Maybe I can get back to journaling here. MWL seems to be the only way I can get and keep my weight under control. Without driving myself crazy that is. Staying away from the higher fat foods is really hard for me but limiting them is even harder. I’m not one of those people who can eat them regularly and maintain a healthy weight. I have to keep weight and fat low to keep a few health problems under control. I went back and read through my journal again, especially the advice and comments from Jeff, Stephanie and others. I’m ready to try again. This time I plan to pay close attention to environment and self-talk.

[Starflower]

I plan to set up a post for each week to keep track of the MWL Checklist for the next Saturday.

10-POINT CHECKLIST FOR MAXIMUM WEIGHT LOSS (MWL) - Tracking post for 6/1 thru 6/7

1) Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit. 

Y

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 desert.

Y

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.

Y

4) Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).

Y

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

N

6) Eliminate any added oil.

Y

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.

Y

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

Y

9) Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full.   Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.

Y

10) Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).

Y