Everyday Systems

I can't sleep so I thought I would share an experience that happened earlier this evening.

I was reading posts on the Diamond Dallas Page Yoga website-chat room when a fellow asked how he should eat. Another guy, who knows everything (no it wasn't me...), started yacking (again), about the diet he is on, the Mcdougall Diet. The McDougall Diet is a hardcore vegan diet based on starches. And to be honest the chatter has had significant weight loss while on it. (Very good for him.)

So, being curious I went to the website and started reading. I can honestly say I started getting anxiety when I started reading what you could and couldn't eat. I guess it was a boxed in feeling.

I realized afterword I can't live with the calorie counting and evil food diets again.

Of course the author suggests healthy snacks.

I learned something about myself tonight.

Did you take the chance to witness to the forum about No S? I almost feel responsible to educate people who complain about their diets. There's a way out! (No S)

although it seems like sometimes you try to educate people about NoS and they want to cling to the restrictive diets that never worked in the first place.

I get anxious when I read too much in passing about low carb. They'd probably say that's a sign I need to go low carb! I'm going to keep going with moderation until it becomes more dire.

I think strict programs appeal because secretly people think the programs are temporary. They don't really intend to make permanent changes. They keep thinking, well, if I can just get the weight off. Then I'll worry about maintenance. Fails over and over until they get that most most of what they do to lose is what they'll have to do to maintain.

There have been several current or former McDougall followers here over the years, including me. I'd given it up by the time I started No-S. But I could quote McDougall chapter and verse. Probably still could. Even so, I never quite believed the necessity of it.

All I can say is "WHOA!" There was also a section where he was featured in a magazine and made this statement: "Every other Thanksgiving, as a ceremony to prove, I am not a vegetarian, I have an ounce of sliced turkey."
Every Other?!?! An Ounce?!?!':shock:' That could be funny, but also sad. Sad that people actually believe that hype. And of course he has a company that makes "healthy" convenience foods for people on the go. HMMMM..$$$$$

HealthyMommy wrote:All I can say is "WHOA!" There was also a section where he was featured in a magazine and made this statement: "Every other Thanksgiving, as a ceremony to prove, I am not a vegetarian, I have an ounce of sliced turkey."
Every Other?!?! An Ounce?!?!':shock:' That could be funny, but also sad. Sad that people actually believe that hype. And of course he has a company that makes "healthy" convenience foods for people on the go. HMMMM..$$$$$

He's definitely a smart business man. Not only are there the convenience foods, but also books (at least 12), trips, and seminars.

I didn't follow his program to lose weight, but for health reasons. Big health scares will do that to you.

While I was following the program I read something in another source that said "beware diet programs that omit food groups." By following McDougall, I was omitting three of them: meats and fish, dairy, and any added fats. It was one of many eye-openers.

I wonder what he thinks is so wrong with being "thought of" as a vegetarian. Maybe he gets more meat eating followers by insisting he is not? Or maybe he thinks meat is so bad for you that it's only worth eating once every two years?

leafy_greens wrote:I wonder what he thinks is so wrong with being "thought of" as a vegetarian. Maybe he gets more meat eating followers by insisting he is not? Or maybe he thinks meat is so bad for you that it's only worth eating once every two years?

Although he does think meat is so bad it should be consumed very infrequently, if I remember correctly he doesn't like labels ("vegetarian," "vegan").

Funny thing is, now I think we should avoid most of the meat available to us, but for very different reasons.

I don't eat meat at all, so I think it's insulting for him to act like there's something wrong with that term.. but that's a different discussion..