15 day Mary's mini--Nov.1-Nov. 15

[kirstykay]

When I decided to start doing MM, it too was out of frustrtation as I wasnt losing. And when I have only lost what I had originally gained it gets a little tiring. I know eventually something has to give.
Deb

Deb- I can understand your discouragement! I think that one thing-discouragement- has kept me so overweight for so long! I know it's frustrating, but just keep making sure you're eating whenever you're hungry, and maybe try to exercise if you can. Sometimes our metabolisms need a little kick, and exercise can do the trick. I know it's really hard when you have little ones! I wish I had known about McD when my babies were little! I could have spared so much unhealthy eating over the years. Now, with teenagers, it's a lot harder to change the way they've been taught to eat. So, I guess I'm just trying to encourage you to keep up the great work and not get too discouraged! I know the scales will show it soon!!!!

Also, for what it's worth, I could never lose weight when I was nursing my babies! (I think in a different post you said you're still breastfeeding.) I know everyone says that the weight falls off when you breastfeed, but the opposite was true for me! I've never seen it written down anywhere, but that was my experience. I don't know if my body was trying to conserve for the baby, or what, but I breastfed each of my three children for anywhere from 6-13 months ( I let them wean when they were ready) and I had much more successs with weightloss after I stopped. So, hang in there!

[CraftyeLadye]

Well it's day 12 for me. Although I was sick from Thursday through Sunday of last week and ate only rice cakes, mushroom broth and ginger ale and water for those 4 days. I have stuck to my plan using fruit, veggies and rice or potatoes as my only source of foods. I drink water, water, water all day long and always have so that wasn't so hard. Once in awhile though I need something different to drink and wonder what all of you drink when you are tired of water.

I walked 4 laps on the track on Wednesday that equals 1mile. Today I will walk again and hope to eventually increase it to 2 miles at least 5 days a week.

I will be the first to admit that I absolutely despise exercise, but I really want to eventually be fit enough to try the "couch to 5k" running plan. I obviously can't do it now, but figure once I have lost another 50 pounds I can try it out.

I am debating on whether to buy a scale today because I have no idea what I weigh right now. Although I measured myself the day I started MM. I measured my thighs, calves, hips, waist, bust, and upper arms.

Should I buy a scale or go by measurements, which do you think would be better???

[Della Street]

Today I start Day 13. There will be one deviation from Mary's Mni this evening. We were invited to an event planning session and I was asked if I could provide them with a vegetarian chili recipe. I just happened to have a wonderful vegan recipe by Bryanna Clark Grogan that has yet to fail me. So I offered to make the chili. My dinner will still be a McDougall meal, just not Mary's Mini.

I'm sure the beer and wine will be flowing. I will bring myself a bottle of sparkling water and forego the wine. I've been on track and have felt so good these last two weeks that I just don't feel like straying.

[sksamboots]

Today is Day 18 of doing Mary's Mini for me. I'm going strong and feeling positive. Everyone is doing great! Keep on keepin on

[MaryW]

Scales can be tricky. Some people find that they jump off and on too many times and become very discouraged if the number doesn't go down each time they get on. Sometimes I weigh myself several times a day and sometimes I go a day or two without weighing. I have found that my weight can fluctuate 5 pounds or more over the course of a week. So I might weigh frequently, but I only count it on Thursdays (weigh in day).

Also, measuring yourself is a fine way to gauge weight loss. Personally, I do both. I have my official weigh in once a week and I measure about once a month. I think they are a good compliment to each other. You might be having a slow weight loss month, but the tape measure is going down (and vice versa). It also helps to have a smaller outfit (jeans are good) to try on as you are losing. Maybe the scale isn't budging and the tape measure is creeping, but you can button that shirt that you haven't worn in 2 years. Whatever keeps you motivated is good!

As far as water, I have recently discovered those powdered drinks you add to water (like Crystal Light). I'm sure everyone here will be horrified cuz they are full of artificial sweeteners, flavors, and colors. But they are so tasty! Usually though, I just drink my water plain. I prefer distilled water.

I mentioned those Simply Potatoes before. Tonight I made that casserole with layers of potatoes, spinach and spaghetti sauce. I used the Simply Potato slices and it was so easy! Not that slicing potatoes is all that hard, but you know what I mean. It was quick to put together (though I cooked it in the over for over an hour). Very tasty!

[janluvs2heel]

Well, I have been having ups & downs but now for the last 2 days have been PERFECT!!! It isn't that I have been eating a lot of junk, just a little, but enough to make me feed bad.

So, yesterday & today I have had the sweet potato & apple or banana breakfast. I am amazed how it fills me up & it lasts forever. I went to an obedience workshop, about 45 min. East of Stockton, Ione. It was so beautiful there, there was a horse event going on & behind that arena were the dog rings. It was such a gorgeous day, cold in the am but it warmed up by 11ish. It didn't start until 10 which was even nicer. I came home with a sinus headache though, those dry & cold days usually do that to me. I usually take food with me but I figured I would be home fairly soon so didn't take anything. I made it almost all the way home, (got home by 2), & was just starting to feel hungry. I ate hash browns around 3. Tonight I am going to make rice though. Just feel like something different, I have been doing MM for a while now, & I think I want a change. Mainly I just want to stay on plan!!!

MaryW-I use those potatoes as well. They are easy, for me, just one person, I can get 3-4 servings in one bag & they are around $1.18 at Winco. And I like those little powdered drinks as well. Really good when I am at the trials & I want something other than water. I dont use them that much either, but sometimes just want a change.

CraftyeLadye-It is already Day 12 for you so you wont really know what you weighed from the beginning. A sure sign of weight loss is that your regular clothes are getting looser. I do weigh myself, I have a scale, digital, it includes 10th's. I just try not to be obsessed by it. I think if I was at my goal weight, I would probably weigh once a day in the beginning, to be sure I was maintaining.

Debbie-Maybe Santa can get you a new scale. We were talking last night & I said maybe her scale was off & she said, only when I weigh, mom? Well, you had to be there I guess. It was kind of funny.

sksamboots-You are doing so well. I think that is probably the best way, do it for your health & dont worry about the scale. Even if you dont lose weight, you have to be healthier.

[Della Street]

I'm back from this evening's dinner event. It didn't quite go as I had planned. I ate some of the chili that I brought (which was McDougall legal) in addition to 2 slices of bread (no idea what was in the bread) and a 1"x1" square of some desserty thing. Also downed 2 glasses of wine.

But I don't feel bad about this. It was a social occasion and I showed great self control compared to what I have done in the past. I don't feel in any way that this slight deviation is going to trigger any cravings or set me off on binge or anything like that. Back to Mary's Mini tomorrow morning.

One interesting thing I noticed is that after doing MM for almost 2 weeks, my no fail chili recipe seemed too spicy now. I've always enjoyed this recipe and I can't say that I did tonight. Your taste buds really can be retrained.

[janluvs2heel]

Debbie-Why doesnt it count? A loss is a loss, even if you previously lost 10 lbs, then gained back 12, 1 lb is still a loss. So pat yourself on the back. It is the first of many losses, just think, if you lost just 1 lb. a week, you would be pretty darn close or past your goal in a year. And we all know how fast a year goes by.

Dellastreet-My usual would be tons of bites so you did really well. I am better but still have that way of throwing caution to the wind when I am faced with non-compliant food. So you did very, very well.

For me, I am down about 6 lbs, but up 3 from my posted weight of 216 a couple weeks ago. That is okay. It could have been a lot worse. I am still out of the 220's & that makes me happy. 210's here I come. I am setting small goals for myself, about 10 lbs at a time. Since I had less than that to get out of the 220's, I just said I wanted to be out of the 220's. Now I have 9 lbs to get out of the "teens". As usual I am trying not to focus on weight loss, more health, but even so, I can't help but be aware of losses as well. My thing now is staying on plan, even with the holidays coming up. Right now, I am doing that. I am staying with MM, but like Debbie, I will allow myself MWL or even regular plan occassionally.

[Della Street]

Oh my. I had another deviation from Mary's Mini this morning. But nothing serious. My starch of choice is the potato and hubby has been getting into the potato thing as well. I was going to have my ususal potato breakfact when he informs me that "we're out of potatoes". So I had to have rice and veggies instead.

We just came back from grocery shopping. Just to make sure we don't run out again, I bought 5 ten pound bags. I've got some cooking in the microwave now and will be having lunch shortly.

Day 14 for me. And while we were out shopping, I bought a pair of jeans a size smaller than I'm wearing right now. I want to have them ready for when the present ones get too big. I'd say another 5 or 6 lbs ought to do it.

[sksamboots]

I'm on Day 19 today. My tummy hurts a little today. Not sure why? I just got back from a 35 minute walk around my neighborhood. Felt good to exercise. I'm still movitated to continue and have no cravings. I'll check in tomorrow.

[Della Street]

Day 15 today. I tossed today's lunch in the crock pot (diced potatoes, cabbage and carrots) this morning. After about an hour of cooking, it started to smell so darn good I couldn't stand it. I could only hold out for another hour and ended up eating my lunch earlier than usual. It was good.

[CraftyeLadye]

Day 15 here for me. I am doing well. I have been eating potatoes and fruit and a green and yellow veggies and even look forward to the monotony. I still don't have a scale, but my pants feel a little bit looser today and I just washed them yesterday and usually after I wash them they are pretty tight, so I consider that a plus. I do feel kind of lost that I have no idea what I weighed 15 days ago and that I don't know what I weigh now, but maybe it's better that I continue to work on getting my blood sugar down because I know that the weight loss will go on as I do this. How can one not lose weight if all they eat is potatoes, fruit and veggies?

Also, for the last 4 days in a row I have walked 1 mile each day in about 20 minutes. So that is a brisk pace and I found a great indoor walking video on Comcast on Demand to do when it is raining outside. I am really proud of myself even though my body is sore.

I push my 45 pound grandson in his stroller for those walks around the track so I am adding some resistance to it as well.

[sksamboots]

I'm on plan. My tummy still hurts a little today. I haven't figured out why. Just enough ache for me to think about it but it's not affecting my day. I'm on Day 20 of following Mary's Mini 100%. Feeling good and motivated to continue. Everyone is doing great! I'll check in later

[CraftyeLadye]

Sksamboots are you still just eating potatoes? Are you losing weight doing this? Just curious.

[sksamboots]

Yup only potatoes. Breakfast is sweet potatoes only and lunch/dinner is russett potaotes. Yes, I am losing weight. I'm also satisfied and I love what I'm eating. No complaints from me. I never thought I could do it; but it's really easy for me and I have no cravings. Kinda of bored but not too bad.