Hi Journal!
Again, I am running short on time… just got done playing a couple of hours of pickleball with about 12 of us and have my pb mentoring session coming up at 3. To take a shower or just change clothes? Hmm… HA!
This has been a great week! Lots of time hanging with family in these last lazy days of summer. I have an outing planned with my gf tomorrow – wanted to go hiking but she loves casinos – so that’s something I haven’t done in years and will likely mostly be walking around people watching . A group of work folks cleaned up the forest preserve on Wednesday and the weather was beautiful! Have finished the summer session Pickle Spears and placed well, excited to be signed up again for the fall. Also, found another new partner for the next 2 sessions of the park district league. My current partner is great and I’m still drilling with her, but she doesn’t like the lack of organization in that league… I just want to play!! I guess it’s all about pickleball --- doing my first non-club tournament in early September.
I am going to be making starchy soups for dinner – have mainly been eating potatoes lately for the warmer weather. My plan for the next 2 weeks is: B = oatmeal and fruit, L = brown rice, corn, fruit and veggies, D = Soup (whatever one!) with veggies and fruit (depending on how hungry I am for D), Snacks (if any) = soup with veggies and fruit (depending on hunger) --- I usually don’t snack, but we will see.
I am also looking to see if the change to soup will have any impact on my weight. I am a few pounds over my desired range lately. My thyroid has gone wonky and now it should theoretically be stable with small dose of meds (is now within normal per bloodwork). I really love what I eat so don’t want to make any big changes and am not really in any hurry to lose a couple of pounds --- I fit in my clothes!! So, a big TBD here – just to see how it goes.
I also have been kicking around the idea of working with a trainer in the fall / winter --- this would help me to regularly do the strength training!!! I really love walking and pickleball is a joy --- so mainly need some accountability on the other fitness aspects. I have started looking around and am completely avoiding any who advertises nutritional counseling with training --- also avoiding anything smelling of boot camp.
These are the breakfasts that I will continue to eat.
Still love these lunches and will continue to eat them!
I made soup for the first time in a long time (as I was eating it all the time for many, many months)! This is Pomi tomatoes and water with onion, carrots, potatoes, kale, and garlic. Pretty simple and delicious!
Did my favorite yellow trail yesterday. Now that I go by myself, can do this much more often! Loved snacking on some of these wild raspberries - yum!
Below is behavioral assessment that I will post for week of 8/18.
Hi Team Time & Adherence,
Happy end of August!
1 Start each meal with a soup and/or salad and/or fruit.
Still about 2/3 of the time. Dinner is usually the meal that I don’t preload – not usually as hungry for that meal. 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 dessert.
Yes. Continuing to eat lots of oatmeal, brown rice, corn, beans, and potatoes with various fruit and veggies. Planning to eat lots of starchy soup over the next week also! 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.
Yes. Reduced, not eliminated. 4 Eliminate all animal foods (dairy, meat, eggs, fish, seafood).
Yes. 5 Eliminate all higher fat plant foods (i.e., nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, soy).
Yes. 6 Eliminate any added oil.
Yes. 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).
Yes. 8 Don’t drink your calories especially from juices & sugar-sweetened beverages).
Yes. 9 Follow these principles, eating whenever you are hungry until you are comfortably full. Don't starve yourself and don't stuff yourself.
Yes. No stuffing and no starving. 10 Avoid being sedentary and aim for at least 30 minutes or more of moderate exercise daily (i.e., brisk walking).
Mostly -6 /7 (same as last week). Lots of walking and pickleball. I maybe didn’t need to take a rest day again. I have to remember that I can go to the gym and swim or ride a bike if my feet hurt. Victories, comments, concerns, questions:
Waving “hi” to all and hope
Mark is enjoying his vacation!
Bambi – I am with you on not wanting to backslide. Let’s keep going!
Starflower – hope that your foot is better quickly!
Rebecka – I agree with your sentiment about the food world we live in being so challenging – especially as you try to teach your kids to eat healthy. I am also eager to hear any thoughts here.
Holly – Wishing you the best as you pick up and get back on track. You CAN do it!!! You are the queen of PL soup!
Gimmelean Your fig trees sound amazing!
Thanks,
Wildgoose for great comments last week! Appreciate you sharing the link and your thoughts around JeffN’s fantastic thread around long-term MWL adherence in light of Doug Lisle’s podcast. I found the whole response fascinating and optimistic for a healthy way forward for anyone so inclined. I am still processing all of the information contained within. In a nutshell, I really like Jeff’s thought of increasing the starchy portion of the plate to increase the calorie density of the overall diet as opposed to making other changes. Also, appreciate how you mentioned Mary’s slow cooker pintos! Personally, I don’t want to trigger the Pleasure Trap so prefer to keep to the MWL approved foods and at times have adjusted the starch portion up a bit --- mainly potatoes --- loving them in the form of fries.
Hope that everyone has an incredible week and can take advantage of enjoying the last bits of summer!
Cheers,
Stephanie
by Starflower » Mon Jul 03, 2023 8:52 pm 
Did another solo walk at my favorite yellow trail… Got up super early on the 4th to get there before it turned 90 degrees...
Lunch
Farmers Market
