Nothing Good Will Come of Me...

[Trinity]

Beth—if you see this—that is such a good idea to do grocery pickup to avoid impulse buying at the store! I do grocery pickup from time to time—it’s free at the commissary, no minimum purchase even—but I always feel guilty about it (unless I’m sick) because I can get off my rear end and shop myself! But now I won’t feel so guilty AND I won’t have my 4-year-old saying, “Can we get this?” over and over…

Rick, I’m reading Atomic Habits by James Clear right now and it is so so good. I’ve been doing this WOE for almost 10 years and I’m still learning new great things about habits from this book! Save money and get it from the library or at least visit jamesclear.com and sign up for his e-mail list. Katie also mentioned habits.

One thing is changing your identity. You identify as a sober person now, right? Start telling yourself, “I’m a McDougaller”, or, “I’m a healthy person.” This blew my mind. I’m not explaining this well but—I’ve been telling everyone to read this book. It’s similar to The Power of Habits by Charles Duhigg but even better. Ending ramble now!

[rickfm]

Bleh... been in a funk for the past week. Nothing new to report. Man, I thought starting this "journal" would help me find some motivation and discipline. Instead, it feels like my appetite has gone into raging rebellious mode. It's very much the same as trying to overcome chemical dependency... battling the obsession of the mind and the phenomenon of craving.

The summer heat may have something to do with it. We're not as bad off as many others in the country, but we've had a string of triple digit days here in Eastern Washington... which is really nothing unusual for summer here. I ate a pint of ice cream the other day, because... "Effit", as Beth would say.

Katie and Erin, I just read through that last post of mine and want to apologize if I came across as being dismissive when I said you weren't telling me anything I didn't know. On the surface that may be true, but I most definitely needed to hear what you were trying to tell me.

Trinity, thanks for the book recommendation. I don't have much in my budget for new books right now, but I have bookmarked it at Amazon for future consideration.

Anyhoo... Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more.

[Ruff]

Morning Rick, another new week, another new start. And you are still here, still reporting in. Well done you.

Get ahead of things, make some frozen banana nice cream when you dont want it and your will power is high, then it is waiting for you when you need it. Actually I cant eat it, having issues with bananas at the best of times, but many people love it.

I have been thinking about you this weekend, and wondering what we can do to get you over the 'hump', so I was glad to see you here today. Those cravings and the effits are REAL and not easy to overcome, but once over the hump, although they never truly go away (and the monster can be re awakened at any time) it does get easier.

So, things that might help.
Go vegan but not plant based? Sort of get one level under your belt before starting the next? So you can eat ice cream, but have to take the time (and spend extra dollars) finding vegan alternatives. Then after a month of that take out processed foods. Then after a month of that take out oils etc etc. This works for lots of people but I sense you are an all or nothing chap?

All or nothing. Try a 10 day potato based Mary's Mini, or even a full on potato hack (potatoes only). On the principle you can do anything for 10 days you just go for it. You tell your friends you are doing a 10 day hack and they dont think you have lost your mind (of course you are regaining your sense, not losing it) its just a 10 day thing after all. And after 10 days you will be over the hump and defeated the worst of the cravings. Spud Fit did potatoes only for a year with amazing results. Has the side benefit of being very cheap and requires no decision making. Is it a potato? Thats the only question you need to ask. Tim Steele has written an amazing book on the potato hack, called "The Potato Hack" available on kindle. Its brilliant and one of the few diet books I would recommend other than Dr McD. I think he also has a web page/blog.

So depending on your nature would either of those 2 approaches help? I have done a few potato hacks when my weight loss stalled, or I fell into the pleasure trap and needed to reset. I also did a number of Mary's Mini's on my journey, finding them more to my 'taste' than MWL.

Good luck, carry on and eat chips! (photo of potato hack and Dr McD legal chips. You can eat these all day on the potato hack...)

[rickfm]

Katie, thanks for encouragement.

I'm definitely an all or nothing kind of guy. I did actually do a potato hack last October. Managed to go for a whole week. I set out initially to do 3 days and felt so good I just kept going. Lost 10 pounds in that one week.

Kept it off for a couple months, then fell off the wagon again. I keep telling myself I just need to get back into that frame of mind once again - that elusive alignment of desire, determination and discipline.

I'm feeling really good this morning, so going for an all potato day today. I'll check back in at bedtime and let ya'll know how it went.

Oh, and where do I find some of them Dr McD legal chips?

[Ruff]

I'm feeling really good this morning, so going for an all potato day today. I'll check back in at bedtime and let ya'll know how it went.

Oh, and where do I find some of them Dr McD legal chips?

You make them! Slice a potato thinly, not a red potato, the sort you you use to make roast potatoes or fries, as thinly as you can. I use a cheap mandolin from the $2 shop. Put some baking parchment in your microwave and put the potato slices in a single layer. Nuke on high for 5 minutes. They need to be a golden colour. If they go brown they taste burnt. No need to turn. Microwaves vary, so they might take longer or shorter in yours, so watch very carefully until you get the time sorted. It takes about 5 seconds for them to go from golden to burnt! It takes about 3 microwave fulls to make a bowlful in my small microwave so the time factor is the issue with these, as that is 15 minutes and I have to slice them and arrange them so I start 20 minutes or so before I want them.

Good luck for today, and do check in.

Actually that was something else I was thinking about. Try Immersing yourself. Read Spud Fit's blog, read McD sucess stories, read all the journals on here, watch the Game Changers again etc etc, so your environment is flooded out by plant based stuff to overwhelm the rest of the world around you. Surround yourself with people like you (us!) even if you have to do it virtually.

Good luck.

[rickfm]

Day 1 of nothing-but-potatoes is in the bag.

You make them!

Oh, cool. I'll have to pick up some parchment paper and give it a try.

Try Immersing yourself... even if you have to do it virtually.

That's actually a really good idea. And much of my life is virtual, these days. I'm a very solitary person.

I do have a lot of old WFPB videos bookmarked from the past many years since taking an interest in this thing. I'll have to revisit some of them.

[Lizzy_F]

Rooting for you to have a successful potato hack!

[Ruff]

Day 1 of nothing-but-potatoes is in the bag.

Well done! Go you!

[rickfm]

All potatoes day 2, done and done.

That is all.

[VegSeekingFit]

All potatoes day 2, done and done.

That is all.

YAY!! Excellent!!

Anyway... Wishing you the best ... but you are conquering all sorts of stuff and don't need that...

I would totally make the Katie "potato chips"...

Keep going, RIck!! You can do this...

Cheers,
Stephanie

[rickfm]

Day three?

Check.

Feelin' groovy.

[Ruff]

I just popped in to see how you were doing Rick. 3 days! I am so proud of you! You got this.

[rickfm]

Day numberrrr....

[Lizzy_F]

Good for you! Keep it simple and keep it going!

[bunsofaluminum]

Yay potato hack! Keep it up, see how things look after you're done. and how they FEEL! I couldn't do 100% potatoes, they stopped me up by the third day. But I'm always impressed by the improvements people achieve doing it.