BambiS - Oh, wow! Jackfruit masala sounds very appetizing to me. It is nice to know that you had the opportunity for some relaxation, quiet reflection, and renewed focus this week. I'm sure that felt very revitalizing. What was the context for the nuts this week? Was that something planned or did it just occur "in the moment"? Was it precipitated by some change in your environment or routine?
Hjklost55 -
Hjklost55 wrote:I picked up and moved on without anymore hitches for the rest of the week! So, I guess that is a VICTORY in itself.
Absolutely a victory!
I can imagine how frustrating the situation around that particular meal felt. It is awesome that you were able to assess, put that ordeal in its proper context, and move on to get right back in the groove.
Hjklost55 wrote:This lifestyle really is about the habits!! AND NOT GIVING UP!!!
I couldn't agree more! Have a fantastic week, Holly!
Rebecka22 - Kudos to you! Your planning and diligent efforts certainly delivered adherence, and feeling good is always the best reward, right? Carry on!
VegSeekingFit - Great progress with exercise, Stephanie, and excellent adherence all around, too!
I was able to score a box of Sumos, too. I must have been pretty lucky, because I only saw them in the store that one day, and none since. I very much enjoyed them.
VegSeekingFit wrote:Framing change as a learning experience. Learning how to remove self-judgment and focus on using mistakes to analyze approaches for improvement and try these (to then be evaluated and adjusted as needed – in sometimes a circular fashion).
This concept, along with bringing dedicated focus to removing as much "friction" as possible from the path of the behaviors I want to adopt and / or maintain, feels like a key contributor to my own development in this way of living.
VegSeekingFit wrote:A few family members / friends who aren’t doing this (and who think I am crazy in that) will actively support me. This helps tremendously in certain situations to have an advocate to get others off my back.
As you observe, the "social aspects" of making and maintaining these changes in behavior can be complicated (and sometimes vexing!). Having folks "in your corner" definitely seems like a real asset.
VegSeekingFit wrote:This one has been a bit touchy with a few folks telling me that I am “too restrictive” (like I have a problem). I have really “re-thought” this at least 2 times and come to the same conclusion!!! I do know myself!!! Also, I eat foods that I like and I do eat as much as I want of the recommended foods (which can be a ton) – I do eat when hungry, not starving or stuffing. Not feeling deprived.
I think two things you address here are important signals that you do not "have a problem": The strong conviction that you have interrogated this question and that you do, indeed, KNOW YOURSELF, and the absence of any feeling of deprivation. Rather, in fact, you describe greatly enjoying the foods you eat and feeling fantastic. Those things are all, to a significant degree, internal, personal experiences that are often invisible to other people; I think, without the necessary context, people assume that you (or I) must feel unhappy, deprived and dissatisfied because that is how THEY IMAGINE THEY WOULD FEEL in the same circumstances. They literally don't have any sense of what it feels like to practice this lifestyle across time, right? Keep on keeping on!
Gimmelean -
Gimmelean wrote:I’m trying to ditch the mindset of a new year /new slate by doing my best to practice the right choices ongoingly. Rather than encourage my latent perfectionist to be front and center and fail, this tends to work better from a MWL point of view.
This seems like an astute practice! It is interesting to recognize the influence particular thoughts and feelings can exert over our behavior; that influence can feel pretty powerful at times, right? And of course we oftentimes experience clear and pronounced "reminders" about the potent effect our environment can have over our actions. In that context, "willpower" is pretty low on the list of tools that are most likely to prove beneficial. Addressing the context and chain of causation that surround a particular behavior, including our thoughts and feelings about that behavior, seems essential to me. Onward!
Ejg - Thanks for taking a break from stripping the floor to check-in, Eric!
Looks like a pretty solid week to me, especially in the context of feeling a little "out of the groove" over the holidays.
I'm curious about a few things in relation to your concerns about eating past the point of "comfortably full" and overindulging in fruit: In what context is this occurring? Is it at a specific time or throughout the day? Is this happening in relation to a particular fruit, or a wide variety of fruits? When this happened, had there been any noticeable changes to your environment or routine?
Ejg wrote: I reckon that the important part here is to just try to recognize where this happens and every day try to get better.
Agreed. Keep thinking about what specifically is happening and why and experimenting with how to address that and you will get things figured out in the end.
Greens - Congratulations on that dramatic change in your total cholesterol, Marilyn! That is persuasive evidence that your efforts are delivering positive results! Having the "right stuff" ready and accessible is SO IMPORTANT, right? And as you observed, sometimes our preferred variation of the recommended foods at a give time needs to be informed by the broader context: the seasons and the seasonality of foods, weather and temperature, time of day, all sorts of factors can play a role in what an appropriate meal comprising the recommended foods might be. I think your point about what goals one is seeking, and what pattern of behavior is necessary to secure those goals is important and well-stated. Keep at it!
Lizzy_F - Fantastic progress with exercise!
That dot calendar really works for you! The experience you describe in regard to those "dryer" and more calorie dense plant foods is very much in line with my own personal experience; those foods just don't seem to bring me to satiation or provide me with the satiety that my own particular body seems to prefer. These all seem like foods that would be acceptable, in moderation, within the constraints of the regular McDougall plan, but I think the phrase
"in moderation" is doing a lot of work here. I have never found myself feeling particularly able to eat these foods "in moderation", so for me it seems easier and more tranquil to avoid them.
Lizzy_F wrote:Just because something might fit well into somebody’s else’s McDougalling life doesn’t mean it’s a good fit for me.
This was a really important realization for me, personally.
Lizzy_F wrote:I found myself in gratitude that I HAVE finally cracked the code to what DOES make me feel satiated (thank you Jeff for your calorie density and other lectures around these issues!!!!!!!!!), and awesome mentally and physically. I didn’t know that information before 2022, so what a blessing! To have this information confirmed through this experimentation is, I think, a positive thing. So I’m definitely not beating myself up over it!
I do think these sorts of experiments can be really valuable because they can serve to deepen our self-knowledge and affirm our personal beliefs; when we make a point of noticing, remembering, and carrying forward feelings and sensations associated with these experiences they serve to better inform our future decisions and actions.
Lizzy_F wrote:Going through the checklist really helped me put things in perspective. The week was not a “failure.” There were things I will do differently going forward, and also victories. And also some firm ground on a number of points that have been really steady for me. So an excellent process to keep that committee in my head from going off in unhelpful and exaggerated directions!
Awesome progress! This brought a big smile to my face!
Noella - A pretty fantastic week overall! I hope you wrist is feeling more comfortable, at least, and it is excellent that you've been able to make a solid return to adherence and include some light exercise, too.
Keep doing your best and let the healing continue!