Starflower’s Journey to Health

[Starflower]

Today was a day when food was more of a second thought. I missed the same point on the checklist. I kept better track of salt, sugar and high-fat foods to get a better idea of how quickly they add up. Quickly!

10-Point Checklist for The McDougall Program

1) 70 - 90% minimally processed starches. YES

2) 10 - 30% fruits and non-starchy vegetables. YES

3) Eliminate all animal foods. YES

4) Eliminate fake meats and cheeses. YES

5) Eliminate any added oil. NO

6) Limit intake of all higher-fat plant foods. YES

7) Limit added sugars and added salts. YES

8 ) Avoid liquid calories. YES

9) Eat whenever hungry until comfortably full. YES

10) 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise. YES

[Starflower]

I didn’t do as well as I hoped, but considering all the Christmas food it was a fair day. There was too much salt and sugar, one glass of wine and too much food at dinner. I’m giving myself some grace and focusing on making better choices tomorrow.

10-Point Checklist for The McDougall Program

1) 70 - 90% minimally processed starches. YES

2) 10 - 30% fruits and non-starchy vegetables. YES

3) Eliminate all animal foods. YES

4) Eliminate fake meats and cheeses. YES

5) Eliminate any added oil. YES

6) Limit intake of all higher-fat plant foods. YES

7) Limit added sugars and added salts. NO

8 ) Avoid liquid calories. NO

9) Eat whenever hungry until comfortably full. NO

10) 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise. YES

[Starflower]

Today was better. There was still too much sugar. That aside, my food choices were good. I limited higher-fat foods, but I want to reduce them more.

10-Point Checklist for The McDougall Program

1) 70 - 90% minimally processed starches. YES

2) 10 - 30% fruits and non-starchy vegetables. YES

3) Eliminate all animal foods. YES

4) Eliminate fake meats and cheeses. YES

5) Eliminate any added oil. YES

6) Limit intake of all higher-fat plant foods. YES

7) Limit added sugars and added salts. NO

8 ) Avoid liquid calories. YES

9) Eat whenever hungry until comfortably full. YES

10) 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise. YES

[Starflower]

This quote is very appropriate for me right now. I stood in my kitchen with a vegan creamer in my hand, read the ingredients (there was oil), struggled for a minute, then decided to put it back for my family to use. I can’t keep things like that out of the house because other people use them. That’s their choice. It was a small victory, but a good one. I feel more in control because of it.

In regard to getting back on track in the wake of a lapse, an initial question I would ask myself is why the lapse occurred - was it an intentional, considered choice or an unplanned occurrence driven by environment, situation or other stimuli? Different tactics might apply for different root causes. For example, planning, preparation and practice are almost always the remedy for unplanned lapses. I'm pretty conscientious and have always tended to overprepare, so for me planned digressions actually tended to be a more significant challenge. I would have something along the lines of Rip's Big Bowl Cereal or some WFPB baked confection or some mixture of dates and nuts to "celebrate" something. For me, this tended to send me right into the Pleasure Trap, and I would feel very out of control and even engage in borderline binge-eating behavior (all on "healthy" but very calorie rich plant foods). I really hated how that made me feel, feeling not in control of my behavior was unpleasant and worrying to me. Ultimately, I decided I would rather just completely avoid the Pleasure Trap instead of periodically needing to fight my way out of it. Arriving at that conclusion took quite a bit of time, and many little "lessons". Moving away from the idea that lapses are "failures," and instead framing them as opportunities for learning and growth was a big revelation for me; I was able to see how each stumble, when assessed, adjusted for and ameliorated made my practice stronger and more resilient going forward. Think about what you really want, what your most important goals are, and how best to achieve that. Those answers aren't always the same for everybody.

[Starflower]

I was close to where I need to be today. There was less sugar and less higher-fat food. I think I need to almost eliminate added sugar and salt.

10-Point Checklist for The McDougall Program

1) 70 - 90% minimally processed starches. YES

2) 10 - 30% fruits and non-starchy vegetables. YES

3) Eliminate all animal foods. YES

4) Eliminate fake meats and cheeses. YES

5) Eliminate any added oil. YES

6) Limit intake of all higher-fat plant foods. YES

7) Limit added sugars and added salts. YES

8 ) Avoid liquid calories. YES

9) Eat whenever hungry until comfortably full. YES

10) 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise. YES

[Starflower]

I did much better avoiding added sugar and salt, and reduced the higher-fat foods to a good level for me.

10-Point Checklist for The McDougall Program

1) 70 - 90% minimally processed starches. YES

2) 10 - 30% fruits and non-starchy vegetables. YES

3) Eliminate all animal foods. YES

4) Eliminate fake meats and cheeses. YES

5) Eliminate any added oil. YES

6) Limit intake of all higher-fat plant foods. YES

7) Limit added sugars and added salts. YES

8 ) Avoid liquid calories. YES

9) Eat whenever hungry until comfortably full. YES

10) 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise. YES

[Starflower]

This quote from Ejg on the MWL group spoke to me. I’m grateful for the post.

"My daddy always told me to just do the best you knew how and tell the truth. He said there was nothing to set a man's mind at ease like waking up in the morning and not having to decide who you were. And if you done something wrong just stand up and say you done it and say you're sorry and get on with it. Don't haul stuff around with you." Cormac McCarthy, "No Country for Old Men."

[bunsofaluminum]

This quote is very appropriate for me right now. I stood in my kitchen with a vegan creamer in my hand, read the ingredients (there was oil), struggled for a minute, then decided to put it back for my family to use. I can’t keep things like that out of the house because other people use them. That’s their choice. It was a small victory, but a good one. I feel more in control because of it.

In regard to getting back on track in the wake of a lapse, an initial question I would ask myself is why the lapse occurred - was it an intentional, considered choice or an unplanned occurrence driven by environment, situation or other stimuli? Different tactics might apply for different root causes. For example, planning, preparation and practice are almost always the remedy for unplanned lapses. I'm pretty conscientious and have always tended to overprepare, so for me planned digressions actually tended to be a more significant challenge. I would have something along the lines of Rip's Big Bowl Cereal or some WFPB baked confection or some mixture of dates and nuts to "celebrate" something. For me, this tended to send me right into the Pleasure Trap, and I would feel very out of control and even engage in borderline binge-eating behavior (all on "healthy" but very calorie rich plant foods). I really hated how that made me feel, feeling not in control of my behavior was unpleasant and worrying to me. Ultimately, I decided I would rather just completely avoid the Pleasure Trap instead of periodically needing to fight my way out of it. Arriving at that conclusion took quite a bit of time, and many little "lessons". Moving away from the idea that lapses are "failures," and instead framing them as opportunities for learning and growth was a big revelation for me; I was able to see how each stumble, when assessed, adjusted for and ameliorated made my practice stronger and more resilient going forward. Think about what you really want, what your most important goals are, and how best to achieve that. Those answers aren't always the same for everybody.

I need to embrace this. It's easier to avoid the Pleasure Trap than having to fight my way out of it after getting caught. And of course, post holidays...now I really do gotta fight my way out. Ugh.

[VegSeekingFit]

Hi Starflower!!!

Wishing you an awesomely Happy New Year!!!

Keep going!!! You are doing great!!!

Best,
Stephanie

[Starflower]

I need to embrace this. It's easier to avoid the Pleasure Trap than having to fight my way out of it after getting caught. And of course, post holidays...now I really do gotta fight my way out. Ugh.

You and me both, Buns. It’s a perfect time to start! Happy New Year!

[Starflower]

Hi Starflower!!!

Wishing you an awesomely Happy New Year!!!

Keep going!!! You are doing great!!!

Best,
Stephanie

Thanks, Stephanie! Wishing you a Happy New Year, too! Keep up that beautiful journal! Your pictures and progress are inspiration for all of us!

[Starflower]

Today I accomplished 9/10 of the checklist. I overate at one meal. I stayed on plan over the weekend. That’s a victory for me. I weighed myself this morning and I’ve lost four pounds so far.

This list is going to help a lot going forward.

Dr. Lim’s list of 10 common mistakes in behavior change.

1. Focus on outcome vs habit
2. Too vague a goal
3. Unrealistic Expectations
4. Underestimating Power of Environment
5. Lacking Support/Accountability
6. Not Tracking Progress
7. Thinking Just a Little Bit is “Okay”
8. Neglecting Other Core Areas of Life
9. Allowing Thoughts/Feelings to Guide Behavior
10. Giving Up

[Starflower]

Linking to Stephanie’s insightful and inspiring New Year’s post. Somehow I missed it until today. It pays to look back at the Unread Posts!

https://www.drmcdougallforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=52&t=62324&view=unread#p633387

[Starflower]

I stayed on track today, for the most part. I didn’t have as many starches as I usually do and that made me feel less satiated. I definitely noticed the difference. I need to focus more on that. I bought a big bag of potatoes for baking and boiling ahead tomorrow. Despite the lower starch, I still did 10/10 on the checklist.

[Starflower]

I was on track today. It was disappointing that the whole eight pounds of potatoes was thrown in the garbage. It was the first time in a long time they looked good enough to buy. Until I opened them. All of them either had bad spots, green spots or were beginning to sprout. And most were soft. I substituted rice and dried potato, and stayed close to plan, and 10/10 on the checklist.