Discussion Board

January 1, 2012

Happy New Year everyone!

My resolution this year is to lose my last 100 lbs. I lost 25 lbs. in 2011, but need to step it up a bit this coming year.

I am still having trouble with my knees and feet. I banged up both my knees slipping on the ice a few years ago. I also have plantar fasciitis which causes me heel pain. The dr. said it was because I have extremely high arches (it can also happen to people with very flat feet). However being overweight just makes it worse.

Went to the movies today with my husband. Thank goodness our local AMC has fresh fruit and fresh veggies at the snack bar. I just love it! You can buy apples, oranges or bananas as well as fruit and veggie snack packs. The veggie ones have carrots, cauliflower and broccoli. You can also get popcorn with no butter. Pretty cool for those of us who eat this way. We love to go there so much we bought a season discount card for the snack bar.

What a great start to the new year! Where do you live? The movie theaters here only serve junk food.

Hi GJ

Just wanted to say that I am happy you are back posting on the forum. Best of luck with your health goals in 2012!

I live near Columbus, OH. We have several theaters that sell healthy snacks. What was really cool is that when I went to see Forks Over Knives last year I could actually munch on the food that Dr. Esselstyn was taling about in the film instead of the standard candy and cokes that most theaters offer.

Thanks!

Sunday's Food:

B-Oatmeal

L- Mock Egg Salad (made with tofu)

D- Brussels sprouts, brown rice, salad with mixed salad greens, nuts and sliced strawberries

Snack-chopped apples, grapes, orange sections

Monday's Meals:

B- Cereal and almond "milk"

L- Vegetable soup

D- Tossed salad with Bragg's fat-free dressing, red potatoes, green beans, a small slice of gluten-free cake with fresh strawberries
................................................................

Well I am a little discouraged tonight. My grown daughter and I were talking today about different grocery stores. I mentioned that Dr. McDougall, Dr. Esselstyn and Dr. Furman who advocated a plant-based diet were on the medical advisory board to Whole Foods. She then went on a huge rant about how dangerous it is to not eat meat because we all need fat. We've had similar conversations in the past even though I have never tried to influence how she eats, but she seems determined to show me I am wrong for eating this way. It's so discouraging.

Hm, I've never heard of anyone dying of a "fat deficiency"!

Sounds like you're doing great, Gramma J! Just keep your head down and do what you're doing.

HUGS!!! Sweetie don't let others get you down. I made that mistake and I'm much healthier now with being on this way of eating.

I know I shouldn't, but I do get discouraged easily.

Many of my family members are overweight including my daughter, but none of them are doing anything to try to lose weight but me. It is so frustrating to watch them eat junk food and then criticize the way I eat.

I have not nagged them either, so why do they criticize me? I can't figure it out.

I really feel that people don't really mean to criticize but when we start succeeding they get a little jealous and without even realize it say and do things that sometimes hurt. Thinking that they are saying something positive. We got to just do what we have learned to do and show them that we are healthier not sicker. HUGS!!!

Thanks Rosie. I really appreciate your encouragment.

Today's Food:

B- Bob's Red Mill GF hot cereal

L- Salad, potatoes, green beans

D- Bean enchiladas, salad

Snack: GF crackers

Exercise:

30 minutes stationary bike

I am struggling this week---mainly with sweets leftover from the holidays. I finally threw out the rest of the Halloween candy since it was tempting me. I never buy the stuff, but my husband always buys a ton of it so he can eat the leftovers. Only thing is I am a chocoholic ----not good when there's a lot of chocolate candy around. Also had some gluten-free muffins and cake leftover from New Year's. So if my husband doesn't finish it up, I am ditching it tonight.

B- 2 small GF blueberry muffins

L- Mexican beans

D- Brown rice, asparagus, onions and mushrooms

Snacks: slice of GF cake and strawberries

I changed the title of my journal to reflect how I really feel.

I understand how the MCDougall program works. As some people know, I have been on and off it for years (more off than on). My problem is not with this program, it is with commitment. To be honest, I am just self-indulgent. I have always enjoyed food of all kinds. Like most people I have a sweet tooth. One of my self-indulgent pleasures is taking coffee breaks with a sweet snack. I just don't get the same pleasure out of celery and carrot sticks and water. My son is engaged to a girl who eats like a bird. She doesn't eat breakfast, divides her plate up between herself and her kids and then pushes food around on her plate the rest of the time. I even wonder if she isn't anorexic. My sister-in-law doesn't eat when she's feeling depressed. I am exactly the opposite of both of them. I devour every meal as if it were my last and snack between meals. I am also an emotional eater and try as I might, when I am depressed all I can think about is food---lot's of it.

So I think it's obvious why I re-titled my blog. My problem is not just what kind of food I eat, but how much. For instance, a half cup of rice is about 200 calories more or less. I usually eat at least a cup and a half to two cups whenever I eat rice. I can't eat a plain potato. I have to slather something on it. I don't ever use butter or sour cream anymore. Although it's a step in the right direction, I still put a lot of stuff on top, like vegetarian chili. I am just addicted to overeating.

I also get zero support from family members, so I am on my own except for my on-line weight loss friends. I not only don't get support for my weight loss from family members, but some of them are critical on the McDougall program. That just makes me even more depressed and hungry.

So here I am starting a new year feeling like I am right back at square one.