Nov 09 MWL Anniversary! ON PLAN, PLANNING TO STAY THAT WAY!

[LauraA]

LET'S FINISH STRONG-
THERE ARE 60 DAYS LEFT IN 2009!

Good morning all - we've made it through one year, and now we've made it through Halloween. I hope that everyone has a great MWL week. I'm happy to be in New York, where I started this program and this group. New York is a great place to eat out if you are McDougalling! Take care, LauraA

[Letha..]

Good morning everyone. I enjoyed reading through the posts this morning. You all have just been so warm and supportive toward me. It’s very heartwarming.

I’m having a good morning. On plan and planning to stay that way. Have a great day.
Letha

[Felini]

Hello everyone and Congratulations on the one year milestone.

Please include me for November.


Felini

[toadfood]

I like to have incentives, so I bought myself a little silver charm bracelet, with a charm for every 5 pounds lost (until I get to 200, then a charm for every 10 pounds--otherwise I'd go broke). Anyway, the first charm I bought is a little turtle, as homage to Letha. When I look at it, I am constantly inspired by her mantra: slow and steady wins the race.
Yeah to all of us.

Amy, I have a charm bracelet too, and it has six turtles on it, all in honor of Letha. I also have a potato and a pair of sneakers, among other things.

I have accomplished so much with the help of this group. I started posting regularly in January. I had lost about 20 pounds McDougalling on my own the previous spring, but had gained some of it back. Since January I have been doing mostly MWL, with some regular plan and many slip ups. I've lost 30+ pounds, and cut my diabetes and blood pressure medications in half. My doctor assures me I will eventually be able to go off the blood pressure medication completely. My blood sugar is NORMAL. I have become a person who exercises. I've had to get rid of a lot of too-big clothes. When I started, I had clothes in my closet ranging from size 20 to 24. Now most of my clothes are size 16, and there are even a couple of 14s. I have less than 20 pounds to go before I'm no longer "obese" according to the BMI charts. Then I'll think about setting a new goal.

I'm not always as consistent with posting as I would like to be. I have a tendency to disappear when things aren't going well, which I'm trying to change. Knowing this group is here has been a tremendous source of support, and I know I would not be where I am now without all of you.

[mairead11]

I'm in for November too! I am in CA this week, so I won't be weighing in—but I'll be back in line next week.

I've been weighing in since a couple of weeks into this thread last year. This group really paid a major role in how I celebrated the holidays [my birthday falls over the holidays, and I even had a McD-friendly cake]. My weight has dropped since I began here but not as much as I would have liked, but that's absolutely because I've not been 100% compliant to MWL throughout the year. I'd been falling back on regular plan—in the grand scheme of things, this is okay with me, however, I have a bunch of weight yet to lose and I need to deal with that before I can be okay with maintaining. This has been quite a journey and I'm so grateful you guys are all here with me!

Have a wonderful week!
Mairead

[kirstykay]

Hi!
I've been reading through your posts, and this seems like a wonderful, supportive thread! I joined McD in late October, but have been doing MM for 7 days (this is day eight). And I've seen excellent results. I would love to be a part of this group if you'll have me!

I'm a 41 (almost 42, my birthday is this month) mother of 3 children. I've been struggling with my weight since my first child was born 19 years ago. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes five years ago, and recently have seen my numbers jump up near 200 fasting. In an effort to avoid going on more meds, my husband suggested I do McDougall which I had done when I was newly diagnosed, but not 100%. Now I'm in completely. In the week that I've been on MM, I've lost 6 pounds and my bs is between 135-140 fasting the last 3 days. I want to lose over 100 pounds and plan to stick to this 100% until that happens. I'm worried about my birthday and the holidays, but I know with support and committment, I can do it.

Kirsty

[FaithLady09]

I am so excited about all the post that I've read and know that I want to be a part of the MWL Support Group. I need all the support I can get. I came back to McDougall's MWL plan to lose weight on October 19, 2009, after a about a year of being off the program.

Letha has been an inspiration to me in just a few days, since returing and Letha can I really look forward to being rid of acid reflux??? I want to be rid of it forever!

Amyla51, the charm bracelet is a wonderful idea and one that I had never considered. I remember (without) dating myself having a charm bracelet many years ago and loved it. Also, thank you for speaking about having the tendency to back off when things are not going well, because I have the same tendency, but I do not want that to stop me from getting healthy and off of medication this time around. You see when I was last on the program I was not on any meds, but since not being on the program I've been on meds since June of 08 and I don't like it.

LauraA thank you for the thread and reading your post to the 1st anniversary of the MWL group. We all need support and I am reading that support is what you all do and I, too will support each of you as we travel this journey together.

I started my exercise program this morning! I started exercising on the first Monday in June 09 and walked four days a week at the local track and walked up until three weeks ago and I did not walk at all, but I started this am and I'm excited and want to continue four days a week however, I'm not at the track but walking with Leslie Sansone at home

Thank you all and I will join this Thursday. I need to belong to this group

FaithLady09

[Vegeloon]

I’m a McDougall success story in process. I have been on and off the program a lot in the past year. I am so inspired by Letha, Laura A, and everyone else who have had such great success as they stick with the program. I had foot surgery on both feet just over a year ago which contributed to my gaining an additional 30 pounds to my already 50+ pounds overweight body. I know if I had made good food choices along the way, that didn’t need to happen – but I didn’t and it did.
My biggest challenge is staying on plan. I get enthused from reading everyone’s posts and I decide, OK this time I’m going to really do it. And I do – and it lasts from 1 day to 1 week. Then I backslide, go off program and gain back the weight I’d just lost. I’m seem to be in a vicious cycle.
So even though I’ve been on and off this board and MWL a lot for the last year, (like Toadfood, I also disappear when I’m not doing well) I keep coming back for the encouragement and inspiration.
One day I know that I will be able to look back and say that it was somewhat of a struggle for me sticking with the program the first year, but now look what I’ve accomplished!
Thanks to all of you for your kind support and generous spirits!
Debbie

[Faith in DC]

Happy Anniversary all you awesome McDougallers. You all should be proud of yourselves for sticking it out for a year. It's not easy, I've been working on it now gosh, 3 yrs or 4 yrs. I never remember because I don't look behind, just forward and it's became a way of life.

The turtle charms are a great idea. I know I've moved slow with life happens events, but I never lost sight of what I wanted. That is the key. Just keep on trying no matter if you 'fall' off or not. It's the giving up that gets us in trouble.

[LauraA]

Hi!
I've been reading through your posts, and this seems like a wonderful, supportive thread! I joined McD in late October, but have been doing MM for 7 days (this is day eight). And I've seen excellent results. I would love to be a part of this group if you'll have me!

I'm a 41 (almost 42, my birthday is this month) mother of 3 children. I've been struggling with my weight since my first child was born 19 years ago. I was diagnosed with T2 diabetes five years ago, and recently have seen my numbers jump up near 200 fasting. In an effort to avoid going on more meds, my husband suggested I do McDougall which I had done when I was newly diagnosed, but not 100%. Now I'm in completely. In the week that I've been on MM, I've lost 6 pounds and my bs is between 135-140 fasting the last 3 days. I want to lose over 100 pounds and plan to stick to this 100% until that happens. I'm worried about my birthday and the holidays, but I know with support and committment, I can do it.

Kirsty

Hi, Kristy, we'd love to have you in our group! It sounds like you are doing really well! As you may know, most of us weigh in on Thursdays and post our losses, so repost what you've lost on Thursday! Welcome, LauraA

[Bambie113]

Good morning, I'm in for November!
Thank you to everyone who helps keep this forum up and running! I love our count down from Laura and our weigh ins from Letha and recently mairead!
I'm fairly quite in here but have been weighing in/posting since January 09'. Great job everyone! See you on weigh in day!!

[debable]

Hi everyone, I too tend to disappear when things aren't going well even though I do read the posts everyday.

I have been mcDougalling for 2 months now.My blood pressure was a little higher than normal, but not yet considered high, since after the birth of my last child 5 years ago.My mom has been taking bp meds for 30 years, both of my siblings are under 40 on bp meds.I am happy to say my bp is now normal at 116/78!!

I have been trying to stick to mwl but not doing so great.Meat, dairy and oil are no longer a problem, it is bread and other baked goods,some of it not even vegan.But I am pegging along and trying to stick with the program.This way of eating seems natural to me so I am sure I will get better with practice.

I stopped weighing myself a couple of weeks ago because I was driving myself crazy with the weight fluctuations ,but burying my head in the sand will not make me healthier.

This Thurs. I will weigh myself and weigh in every Thurs. even if I am not doing so great. My health matters more to me than my weight but I need to lose about 15 pounds to get to the top of my bmi range.I lost 25 pounds in the last 10 months using weight watchers.

Please give me a kick in the pants as needed.This time next year we will all be much healthier for mcDougalling.I look forward to giving and receiving support as needed and I promise not to just lurk anymore.

Another Deb(debable)

[Mommylut]

Well, today I started my new job, so it seems fitting that I am also going to start posting on this November thread. Don't have much time today to post more, but I certainly need everyone's support.

[bunsofaluminum]

I did good today. All of my foods were MWL compatible, and I made a scrumptious Three Sisters soup yum!

got some exercise, I'd like to be moving it more. I need the cardio but with aching legs and feet...meh, excuses, excuses.

I'll just go for a hike tomorrow, no matter what! we have wonderful weather for it and it's my day off, so...

i'm so glad this website is here. There was nothing like it in 1995 when I McDougalled before. It's going to make the difference I know it!

[desertwind56]

Wow! 1500 pounds gone! Great job!

I'm in for November as well! I just re-started McDougalling 4 weeks ago. Right now I'm doing Mary's mini - two more days, Tues. And Wed. Then I'm going to do the MWL as close to 100% as possible.



Connie