# The Starch Solution for losing weight.



## Happyflowerlady

It has been cold all winter, and I have stayed huddled up to my little electric heater all day long, trying to keep warm, and managed to gain another 20 lbs over what I was last summer. (Already WAY to much !)

Somehow, I came across Dr. McDougall and his book called The Starch Solution.  
I decided that it was worth  trying for a week, although I have spent at least the last 50 years believing that eating potatoes makes you fat. 
I had no other alternatives that I thought might work, and a huge list of ones that I tried and it didn’t work. 

I was tired of starving myself, and the idea of eating anytime I wanted food sounded really good to me, even though I couldn’t see how that could ever work.  I knew that unless you felt hungry 24/7, you would not lose weight, and even that was not guaranteed. 

I lived on mostly potatoes and salads for the first week, and it was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.   At the end of the week, all of my arthritis pain was gone..... an unexpected surprise !  I can actually clench my hands again, even. 
Plus, I lost a couple of pounds. 
So, I decided to try another week, and bought more of the ebooks and watched more youtube videos and joined some Facebook groups for both potato diet and starch solution weight loss diet. 

It has not been a whole month yet, and I have lost about 7-8 lbs, and I NEVER feel hungry !  
I am a 76 year old lady who has heart failure, and had about given up that anything would ever work for me, especially with limited physical ability now. 

I am actually looking forward to my morning potatoes, which still mystifies and amazes me, but it is true. I am not tired of them at all. 
I can wear jeans again for the first time since last summer. 
Life is good !


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## Kathleen’s Place

Will definitely have to look into THIS one!  Cuz I love me taters


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## Happyflowerlady

There are a lot of youtube videos about having a starch based diet, as well as what is called the Potato Diet.  Both seem to work really well, and I eat mostly potatoes every day, with lots of greens and non-starchy vegetables. 
Sometimes, I have oatmeal or rice, but since everything is working with potatoes, and I did not get tired of eating them (Like I thought I would do), I have been sticking with the potatoes. 
Andrew “Spudfit” Taylor (from the potato diet) says we should make our food boring and our life interesting, so that is another thing that keeps me on potatoes. 
I have never overeaten on cold steamed potatoes, so I am learning to eat when my body wants some food, and not because something looks or smells wonderful.


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## Ruth n Jersey

@Happyflowerlady,I'm glad  the starch diet is working for you. Maybe the large amount of potassium in the potatoes has something to do with helping the pain. 
On occasion I have gone on the rice diet. At one time, I'm not sure if it is still open, there was a place in the south called the rice house. It was very expensive but people would go there to get pampered, eat all sorts of exotic rice and lose weight. 
They had the diet on line which I followed for awhile and I did loose a few pounds but quit because I got tiered just eating rice.
I wish you luck and hope you continue to lose weight. 
I'm wondering if you are getting all the proper nutrition you need just from potatoes and salad?


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## hollydolly

But, but, HFL....how can we eat taters without butter ? ...i badly need to lose weight now too..


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## Happyflowerlady

hollydolly said:


> But, but, HFL....how can we eat taters without butter ? ...i badly need to lose weight now too..


I totally agree with you, Holly !  I have always one of those people who ate the baked potato in order to have the butter and sour cream, and bacon bits and shredded cheese on top. When I was doing low carb, I could have all of those toppings, but not the baked potato, so I put them on things like cauliflower, but that was just not the same , either. 
I didn’t believe that a starch diet could possibly work when I tried it, and was sure that I would be tired of potatoes long before my trial week was up.

I bought some (resistant starch) potato starch, and make gravy with that, some soy sauce and a little boullion, and put that on my potatoes and greens, and it is pretty darn good !
I still miss mayonnaise, but I have been looking at the youtube videos for fat-free mayo and hoping to come up with something that works as a substitute for using in salad dressings.
I made one from tofu, and it is not bad once there are seasonings and some vinegar mixed in, but it is totally not like mayo.

Nonetheless, my goal is to find an eating plan where I can lose weight and not have to limit so many healthy foods like I did with low carb (no fruits or starchy veggies EVER), and not starving like I do with the OMAD diet.
I lost weight on both of those, and then gained it all back and more, once I stopped forcing myself to eat that way. It is still too early to see how this one goes, but it is healthy, I feel good, have more energy, walking more, and do not feel hungry or denied.


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## StarSong

Glad this is working well for you, HFL. Please keep us updated on your progress!   

I looked it up an found The Starch Solution is a version of a low-fat, vegan, plant-based diet, which I've followed fairly closely for the past 7 years. 
The major difference between this eating plan and most other whole-food plant-based low-fat diets is McDougall's heavier emphasis on starchy vegetables.

The first year I lost the 20-25 lbs. that I'd gained from taking anti-depressants and getting older, and have had little maintained my weight ever since. I do eat some sweets every day , and will occasionally have something with cheese or a little fish, but more than 95% of my average calorie intake falls within WFPB guidelines. 

McDougall's advice in a nutshell:


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## Happyflowerlady

Dr. McDougall has two basic eating plans.  The starch solution is for someone who wants to be healthy, and maybe needs to lose a little weight.  He also has what he calls the Maximum Weight Loss plan for people like me who need to lose more than just a few pounds.  It is similar, but suggests eating half starchy foods and half greens and non-starchy veggies, some fruit, and no seeds, and nuts, until you have lost the weight, and then you can add those back into the eating plan. 

I am walking more and have set a goal to try and close all the rings on my Apple Watch and walk 3 miles each day. I want to fit back into my bathing suit so I can go swimming once it warms up this spring.  
The fitness center still has the pool open, but not the hot tub or steam room, so after swimming for an hour, I was freezing afterwards, and a quick shower just was not the same as a good soak in the hot tub. 
Hopefully, it will get warmer soon, and we can start going back to the fitness center.


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## Happyflowerlady

I have now lost around 15 lbs, and can fit into my swimming suit comfortably again, so we are going to start going back to the fitness center again, probably will start back today ! 
This is the easiest diet that I have ever done, and it is still hard to believe that I can eat all of this potatoes, sweet potatoes, and rice, and still be losing weight, even though I do not feel hungry. 
I can have sushi with the starch diet, so I got a little sushi making device, and am going to teach myself how to make vegan sushi next. 

I downloaded a diet tracker app called “Lose It”, and am using that. It keeps track of my calories, carbs, protein, and fats, plus how many vitamins and minerals are in the foods that I am eating. Even though I am not counting calories, I like having the charts that show how I am doing. 
Here is an example of one of the graphs that comes with the Lose It app.


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## StarSong

Congratulations and Well Done @Happyflowerlady!  

Just over the past two weeks I've been rereading some of the books that started me on WFPB eating and returning to  a more rigorous version of WFPB.  

A bit more oil snuck it's way into my diet, and I've also been eating chocolate and other sweets every day.  While my scale hadn't yet noticed, my arteries surely did.  Seeing your post is another great reminder of how well my body runs on a whole food plant based diet.  

I think I need to find some new cookbooks... have you tried any that you like well enough to recommend?


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## Happyflowerlady

I belong to bookgorilla.com, and they send me lists everyday of cookbooks that Amazon has either free or on sale that day. So when I see something interesting, then I add it to my kindle library while it is free. 
I actually have not been trying to make any special recipes though, at least for right now, because I am trying to retrain my mind and body to eat food because I am hungry and not because there is food that looks or smells good. 
What the advice was, is to “make your food boring and your life interesting “, and that makes sense to me.  When I just have the same foods over and over, then I am way less apt to want to eat something just to be eating it. 

My usual breakfast is a baked potato and steamed cabbage or other veggie, and it suits me fine because i am hungry in the morning. Lunch might be another potato, but with a salad, and sometimes, I have rice with stirfry (steamed) veggies.  Now, I will be adding more of the rice with sushi. 
On weekends, I relax a little, and have fruit if I want it, and if we go to the Chinese restaurant, then I have rice and veggies, and stay away from all of the greasy deep-fried foods. 

Amazingly, I have found that I don’t really miss all of those foods that I was eating before , like meat, cheese, and cream in my morning coffee.
 I don’t know how that happened so fast, but I like it.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> What the advice was, is to “make your food boring and your life interesting “, and that makes sense to me. When I just have the same foods over and over, then I am way less apt to want to eat something just to be eating it.


This is very good advice, isn't it?  I hadn't heard it before.  My breakfasts likewise tend to be repetitious.  I rotate between oatmeal with fruit, vegetable stir fry, soup with a lot of veggies, and leftovers.  

I make a lot of meal-sized salads, soups, and lentil or bean based stews.

Thanks for the tip about bookgorilla.com. I just joined.


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## Kaila

I'm very glad you found this food plan is working well for you!  @Happyflowerlady 


I noticed that it includes legumes, but also the recommendation to not eat seeds or nuts untill you've lost enough weight.
I would personally think some lentils or quinoa, would be a healthy protein addition, but I'm just adding it as an idea.

You know what is working, and as I said, I'm glad for you!


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## Don M.

Congratulations to Anyone who has found a way to lose some excess weight.  As we grow older, extra weight becomes a leading cause for health problems.  Getting older is No fun if it just leads to endless doctor visits.


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## Happyflowerlady

Kaila said:


> I'm very glad you found this food plan is working well for you!  @Happyflowerlady
> 
> 
> I noticed that it includes legumes, but also the recommendation to not eat seeds or nuts untill you've lost enough weight.
> I would personally think some lentils or quinoa, would be a healthy protein addition, but I'm just adding it as an idea.
> 
> You know what is working, and as I said, I'm glad for you!



I do eat legumes, but in smaller quantities , for right now. I like to add garbanzos or dark kidney beans to my salads, and also sometimes add lentils, either cooked or sprouted. Any kind of sprouts are considered a non-starchy vegetable, so adding sprouted lentils or bean sprouts is perfectly fine. 
The only seeds that I have are flax seeds and chia seeds, and those are not every day, and in small quantities, so it is not like having peanut butter or something like that. 
I am still playing around with this , to fine tune it for what works best for me, so it is still kind of trial and error at this point.  As long as I am feeling healthy and still losing weight, that is what is important to me.


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## Happyflowerlady

It finally warmed up enough for us to go back to the fitness center and I can swim while my husband does his strength training for an hour.  I noticed that I am wearing out really fast yet, because my body is way out of shape for swimming, but I am still close to a half mile and I feel good after swimming.
I am going to try to do this every other day instead of every day, for a while, until my body gets back into shape for swimming again.  I took a nap in the afternoon for the last two days after swimming, which tells me that my body was pretty worn out by the exercise.
My sushi kit arrived, so I tried making sushi today. It was made from brown rice, and didn’t get as sticky as it should have been, but it tasted good, and adds something that I enjoy to my diet.


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## Kaila

Slow and Steady, wins the race!


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> It finally warmed up enough for us to go back to the fitness center and I can swim while my husband does his strength training for an hour.  I noticed that I am wearing out really fast yet, because my body is way out of shape for swimming, but I am still close to a half mile and I feel good after swimming.
> I am going to try to do this every other day instead of every day, for a while, until my body gets back into shape for swimming again.  I took a nap in the afternoon for the last two days after swimming, which tells me that my body was pretty worn out by the exercise.
> My sushi kit arrived, so I tried making sushi today. It was made from brown rice, and didn’t get as sticky as it should have been, but it tasted good, and adds something that I enjoy to my diet.


Please tell me about your sushi kit.  Where did you get it?  If you bought it online can you furnish a link?     

We see my daughter's closest friend (Anne) and her family several times a year. About a month ago, Anne's mother started to feel generally unwell including ear pain, dizziness, nausea and vomiting. 

So her husband took her to the ER where she was tested for Covid, then a middle ear infection, but no go. The ER decided to admit her for testing. A day later they narrowed it down to a minor heart issue for which they were going to do an angiogram to remove some tiny something or other on her heart that might cause a stroke. 

Don't know if she ever had the angio, but four hours later they scheduled her for triple bypass surgery. Successful surgery. 14 days in the hospital, and a long recovery ahead at home. 

My point, and I do have one, is that she's only a few years older than me and had no major health issues. Her experience was enough to scare me back to healthy eating with no cheats or rationalizing that a little bit won't hurt. 

I'm reminding myself that to a senior, "a moment on the lips, forever on the hips" should be rephrased to "a moment on the lips, forever in the arteries."


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## Happyflowerlady

There is a thread in the food section about sushi, and I think I might have put a picture of mine in that thread, @StarSong .  In any case, I found it on Amazon, and they have several different kinds of kits on there, besides the one that I got. 
I am so sorry to hear about your friend’s mother, too; but glad that the surgery went well. 

According to Dr. McDougall, the clogged arteries can be reversed by starting on a plant-based, fat-free eating plan. I will look for the youtube video that shows this and share it if I can find it again. 

I definitely recommend buying the Starch Solution book, or at least going to the McDougall website and also his youtube videos.  Even when I was eating mostly plant-based, I still was using what I thought was “heart-healthy oil” (like EVO), but Dr. McDougall says we get way too much processed oils, and we should get them from eating the plants that have the oil naturally, like having the olive instead of the olive oil.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> There is a thread in the food section about sushi, and I think I might have put a picture of mine in that thread, @StarSong .  In any case, I found it on Amazon, and they have several different kinds of kits on there, besides the one that I got.
> I am so sorry to hear about your friend’s mother, too; but glad that the surgery went well.
> 
> According to Dr. McDougall, the clogged arteries can be reversed by starting on a plant-based, fat-free eating plan. I will look for the youtube video that shows this and share it if I can find it again.
> 
> I definitely recommend buying the Starch Solution book, or at least going to the McDougall website and also his youtube videos.  Even when I was eating mostly plant-based, I still was using what I thought was “heart-healthy oil” (like EVO), but Dr. McDougall says we get way too much processed oils, and we should get them from eating the plants that have the oil naturally, like having the olive instead of the olive oil.
> 
> 
> View attachment 156818


Yes, I'm familiar with Dr. McDougall's work and his website, and also Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, who recommends a very similar approach (WFPB, no added fats or oils).  These doctors are godsends.  I'll check out the food threads.  Thanks~!


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## Happyflowerlady

Here is one of the videos that explains how we can get clogged arteries, the different damages they cause, depending on where the clogs are.  
Not just heart disease and stroke, but things like degenerative disk disease, ringing in the ears, vertigo, and impotence are all caused by a lack of blood to an area of our bodies. 
There is a very graphic picture of the surgeons actually cleaning out someone’s arteries during heart surgery, and it is enough to really make a person think about how important (or unimportant) it is to have that butter and sour cream on our baked potatoes.


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## StarSong

Thanks for posting this terrific video. 

The cardiovascular link to degenerative diseases took me by surprise, especially since I was quite recently diagnosed with some disk degeneration.  It causes me no pain or disability and was only diagnosed because it happened to appear on a lung x-ray. 

I spent some time on Dr. McDougall's website after watching this and will continue lurking there. Thanks again.


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## Kaila

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's friend's mom, Starsong. 
 What an ordeal for her to go through.



Happyflowerlady said:


> I like to add garbanzos or dark kidney beans


I love those, too.  Black beans, as well, for me.


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## StarSong

I thicken tomato based soups with refried beans.  My own invention... and it's a good one!  Can't taste the beans but it really improves a thin broth.


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## StarSong

Kaila said:


> I'm sorry to hear about your daughter's friend's mom, Starsong.
> What an ordeal for her to go through.


Thank you.  I'm so relieved that all went well for her.  
It was a huge wake-up call for me - I do not want to have my chest cracked open, or indeed have any kind of surgery. If I can stay healthy by eschewing (so ironic that "chew" is in the center of that word) all animal products plus added fats and oils, that's my preference.


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## StarSong

@Happyflowerlady, this isn't much of a leap for me because I've been eating 95% vegan for 7 years anyway.  Just needed to tight up that last 5%, be mindful about the mixed nuts that I occasionally indulge in, and see if I can figure out how to saute onions without any oil - and still like how they come out.  So far no success on that front.  

How do you saute onions - or don't you?


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## Happyflowerlady

I have been working on the no-oil sautéing also, @StarSong .  I have been using a bit of water and some bouillon powder and seasonings. I think that there are some things that can’t be exactly replaced, so I am trying to just find acceptable substitutes that work for me.  Every week, I have been losing between 1-2 lbs, so it keeps me motivated to keep on trying with this, and I am enjoying most of what i am eating, even with keeping it boring, and not much variation normally. 

Since you are used to doing this, and already have learned the ways of making plant-based foods taste good, you are way ahead of me on this, changing from so many years of low-carbing, and thinking that a potato was a sinful extravagance. 

I ordered some of the Molly McButter seasonings, both the butter and the cheese flavors ( cheese will arrive next week), and I am liking that on my baked potatoes.


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## Oris Borloff

StarSong said:


> @Happyflowerlady, this isn't much of a leap for me because I've been eating 95% vegan for 7 years anyway.  Just needed to tight up that last 5%, be mindful about the mixed nuts that I occasionally indulge in, and see if I can figure out how to saute onions without any oil - and still like how they come out.  So far no success on that front.
> 
> How do you saute onions - or don't you?


Starsong, 

I routinely water "fry" onions and even caramelize them using an uncoated regular triply stainless frying pan.  What I do is start with the pan heated with a fairly high flame so that there is sizzle when the onions hit it and let them start to sweat.  Moving them around keeps them from sticking much. I'll adjust the heat downwards if needed.  

As the onions cook and begin to stick I add a small bit of water which releases the onions and by keeping the onions moving I incorporate the fond which browns the onions further and helps clean the pan.  To get a true caramelized onion does take about 50-60 minutes, but that's for 3lbs of onions.  To speed the process up you can lightly salt them to help release their moisture,  I don't as I try to limit my salt intake.

Does it brown as effectively as using fat? No, it doesn't, nor as quickly. Not to mention one can't just leave them on to cook unattended.  However, I can get 90- 95% as good  depending on the product and we've just adapted to that.  Of course, everyone's tastes are different.


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## StarSong

Oris Borloff said:


> by keeping the onions moving *I incorporate the fond* which browns the onions further and helps clean the pan


I don't know what this means.  

I'm not a fan of caramelized onions, or indeed any caramelized vegetables. Thanks for the tips - I'll see if I can make that work. If not, I'll just continue with 1/2 tsp of oil when sauteing onions and call it good enough.


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## Oris Borloff

StarSong said:


> I don't know what this means.
> 
> I'm not a fan of caramelized onions, or indeed any caramelized vegetables. Thanks for the tips - I'll see if I can make that work. If not, I'll just continue with 1/2 tsp of oil when sauteing onions and call it good enough.


The fond is the brown stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan, concentrated juices--more intense flavor,  that's why one uses a liquid to deglaze the pan to make a sauce.

I hope you get the results you're looking for.


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## StarSong

Oris Borloff said:


> The fond is the brown stuff that sticks to the bottom of the pan, concentrated juices--more intense flavor,  that's why one uses a liquid to deglaze the pan to make a sauce.
> 
> I hope you get the results you're looking for.


Thanks!  I'll report back on my progress and results.


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## Happyflowerlady

Just an update on my McDougalling life.  I feel like I am enjoying my food more than ever, and have been really happy that I can have things like fresh fruit, whole wheat bread and pasta, and starchy veggies again. I know that completely changing over will take a while for me. 
Atkins diet came out in the early 1970’s, so I have spent about a half century thinking that I could only eat low carb foods, and that starchy foods like potato and corn were totally sinful. 
 I lost weight and gained it back with even more weight, and always felt like I was starving in order to lose what I did lose, so it never really worked for me. 
Weight Watchers had me hungry all of the time, and trying to eat the small recommended amounts, so I washed out of that a few times as well. 

Now, I have lost almost 20 lbs, but slowly and steady. When I started swimming again, the scale almost stopped moving, even though I am burning up more calories than I was before I started swimming again. Since my clothes are feeling looser, I think that I am burning fat and building muscle (which weighs 4 times as much as fat), so the scale is not moving as fast as I want it to do, but I am happy that it is going in the right direction. 

I totally recommend the starch solution diet for anyone who wants to lose weight, or just wants to be healthier and hurt less.  I stay pretty faithful to the program, but I do add small amounts of fat-free yogurt or meat occasionally, just for flavor, not as a main part of the meal.
(My baked potato with Molly McButter sprinkles and FF yogurt is delicious, and much healthier than it used to be with the butter and sour cream piled on top of it. )
 Also, if we go out to eat, then I enjoy having breakfast at IHOP and don’t worry about doing that, since it is only one meal on an occasional basis, and not part of my everyday diet. But it helps me to feel like I have not been totally cut off from foods that I have enjoyed for all of my life.


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## StarSong

@Happyflowerlady - I've never known anyone who lost significant weight by swimming - whether recreationally, competitively, or strictly for exercise.  Even Olympic long-distance swimmers tend to have far more body fat than their track-and-field running counterparts.  (My children's swim teacher was hardly svelte despite being extremely active teaching young children in her pool 8 hours or more each day every summer.)  

To add to my personal story of the friend who had emergency triple bypass surgery (post #18, above), a very dear friend recently died at work of a heart attack.  He was gone before his coworkers could dial 911.   63 years old.  Between him and Anne's mom, I've been scared straight.    

After reading some of the website info and McDougall's books, I've integrated their plan with the quite similar whole food plant based diet I'd already been eating.  Just became more vigilant, backed off a bit on some of the fruit, and added more starches.  No sacrifice in the starch for fruit swap, believe me!  

I've lost 6 pounds in about 6 weeks, which took me by surprise because my weight was already in a good place.  Good grief, who could imagine losing weight while eating_ a lot more_ potatoes, rice, and homemade bread than I've had in decades!


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## Happyflowerlady

Last week, I got the bread machine out and made a loaf of whole wheat bread, and we have been really enjoying the fresh bread; so today I decided to try another one and make it with cinnamon and raisins and a little flax and chia seeds.  The recipe also called for some steel cut oats, so with all of the things added, it should be great as a breakfast bread. 

I just cashed in a $100 amazon gift card that I got from my Humana Medicare Advantage plan, so I looked on amazon and found a nice new bread machine on sale and ordered that. 
 If I am going to be making bread, it is time for a new machine. 
The one that I have, I have had for 4-5 years, and it came from a thrift store in the first place, so it is like a dinosaur bread machine. 

Yesterday, we went out and I had Mexican food, and I still lost another pound this week. I stay away from anything that was fried, but the food that I ordered had beans and salad and the Chili Rellano ; so most of what I had was compliant with McDougal food.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> Last week, I got the bread machine out and made a loaf of whole wheat bread, and we have been really enjoying the fresh bread; so today I decided to try another one and make it with cinnamon and raisins and a little flax and chia seeds.  The recipe also called for some steel cut oats, so with all of the things added, it should be great as a breakfast bread.
> 
> I just cashed in a $100 amazon gift card that I got from my Humana Medicare Advantage plan, so I looked on amazon and found a nice new bread machine on sale and ordered that.
> If I am going to be making bread, it is time for a new machine.
> The one that I have, I have had for 4-5 years, and it came from a thrift store in the first place, so it is like a dinosaur bread machine.
> 
> Yesterday, we went out and I had Mexican food, and I still lost another pound this week. I stay away from anything that was fried, but the food that I ordered had beans and salad and the Chili Rellano ; so most of what I had was compliant with McDougal food.


When my husband and I traveled to Spain and Italy a few years ago we fell in love with their rustic, crusty breads, so that's what I've been making.  Not bothering with the bread machine - just my Kitchen Aid mixer for a little bit of the kneading and doing the rest myself.  

I've been baking round loaves (free form) on parchment paper that I put on my pizza stones.


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## Happyflowerlady

Good News from my doctor ! 

Today, I went in for my 3-month checkup from my regular doctor, and she is VERY pleased with me and my progress ! 
My cholesterol has dropped from around 200 to 188, my thyroid is in a great range, my triglycerides are still around 100, my kidneys are doing better, and I have lost 24 lbs since I was there in February. 
She asked if I had been to the cardiologist, and I explained that I have not needed to, and no episodes of a-fib or tachycardia in the last 3 months, either. 
So, over all, everything is looking great, and I am giving a lot credit to the Whole Foods, plant -based diet that I have been doing since mid-February.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> Good News from my doctor !
> 
> Today, I went in for my 3-month checkup from my regular doctor, and she is VERY pleased with me and my progress !
> My cholesterol has dropped from around 200 to 188, my thyroid is in a great range, my triglycerides are still around 100, my kidneys are doing better, and I have lost 24 lbs since I was there in February.
> She asked if I had been to the cardiologist, and I explained that I have not needed to, and no episodes of a-fib or tachycardia in the last 3 months, either.
> So, over all, everything is looking great, and I am giving a lot credit to the Whole Foods, plant -based diet that I have been doing since mid-February.


    
Your hard work, persistence and determination are paying off!  So happy for you!!!


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## oslooskar

I did Keto for a while, but it just didn't go well with my system. Years ago I went on Covert Bailey's "Fit or Fat Diet" and lost forty pounds in exactly three months. So, I will probably go back on that diet.


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## Happyflowerlady

Last week, I had my annual visit with my cardiologist, and he is very happy at how well my heart is doing.  When he asked if I had been exercising, he was pleased that I said that I swim for an hour 4-5 days a week. He said that a lot of people come in, feel poorly, but are not open to making any lifestyle changes that will help them to feel better, and I could see from his face that he was actually pleased, and not just saying that.
Altogether, I have lost almost 30 lbs now, so things are going well, and I can definitely feel the difference in my body and my clothes.

I have been reading more books besides just Dr. McDougall’s  Starch Solution.  I also like Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and am reading his book on Eat To Live, and also got the “Quick and Easy Cookbook” from both doctors. 
I like quick and easy !
I also am reading a very interesting book called “The Pleasure Trap” by Dr. Douglas Lisle.  He is a psychologist, and he does an excellent job of explaining the reason that we are so connected to our eating habits, even when we know that they are bad ones.

Here is his TED talk about the Pleasure Trap.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> Last week, I had my annual visit with my cardiologist, and he is very happy at how well my heart is doing.  When he asked if I had been exercising, he was pleased that I said that I swim for an hour 4-5 days a week. He said that a lot of people come in, feel poorly, but are not open to making any lifestyle changes that will help them to feel better, and I could see from his face that he was actually pleased, and not just saying that.
> Altogether, I have lost almost 30 lbs now, so things are going well, and I can definitely feel the difference in my body and my clothes.
> 
> I have been reading more books besides just Dr. McDougall’s  Starch Solution.  I also like Dr. Joel Fuhrman, and am reading his book on Eat To Live, and also got the “Quick and Easy Cookbook” from both doctors.
> I like quick and easy !
> I also am reading a very interesting book called “The Pleasure Trap” by Dr. Douglas Lisle.  He is a psychologist, and he does an excellent job of explaining the reason that we are so connected to our eating habits, even when we know that they are bad ones.
> 
> Here is his TED talk about the Pleasure Trap.


This is all such wonderful news about your health improvements, HFL.  

I just put a library hold on Lisle's book - his TED talk was amusing and informative. Hoping he injected some of that humor into his book, too.


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## Happyflowerlady

The Kindle edition of The Starch Solution is on sale at Amazon today for only $1.99, which is a great savings, if someone wants to read this book. They usually only stay on sale for 1-2 days, so grab it right away !


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## fmdog44

Cows milk is formulated so calfs can gain a minimum of three pounds per week.


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## Happyflowerlady

fmdog44 said:


> Cows milk is formulated so calfs can gain a minimum of three pounds per week.


This is very true. Calves have to grow from 30+ lbs to almost 300 lbs in a very short time, and their milk definitely helps them to grow fast.
Another interesting thing to think about is that most dairy cows are bred each year, so the milk you buy is likely coming from a pregnant cow, and has a lot of estrogen in it.  
 Plus, they give the cows hormone shots to help them produce even more milk than nature intended for a cow to produce, and they give cows lots of antibiotics because so many dairy cows have mastitis , and they are only allowed to have a certain amount of pus to be in the milk to sell it.
After reading about that part, it totally helped me to think that I didn’t need dairy products as much as I thought I did before.

I am now reading a book called “The Cheese Trap”. Just started it and already learned a bunch of things about milk, cheese, and other dairy products, most of which I didn’t want to know. 
We have long known that sugar is one of the addictive foods, but it turns out that cheese also stimulates the receptors in the brain that cause it to release dopamine (just like drugs do), and that is why we feel so good when we eat something with cheese. 
Learning this is upsetting to me, because I have always loved cheese, and do not want to completely stop eating it, but on the other hand, I don’t want to be addicted to food either. 
I used to actually crave having pizza, and almost always had a sandwich or something that had cheese every day, and maybe an apple and cheese (which I thought was a healthy bedtime snack) before bed at night. 
Now, I have not craved a pizza since February.  I still know (or at least think) that I would enjoy eating pizza, but it is not a craving that tells me that I NEED a pizza, so this is almost 5 months that I have lived pizza-free.


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## fancicoffee13

hollydolly said:


> But, but, HFL....how can we eat taters without butter ? ...i badly need to lose weight now too..


I personally love Weight Watchers!  I paid to do it online, monthly, and never go hungry.  I love fruit, tacos, and I eat!  I lose weight too!


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> Now, I have not craved a pizza since February. I still know (or at least think) that I would enjoy eating pizza, but it is not a craving that tells me that I NEED a pizza, so this is almost 5 months that I have lived pizza-free.


I eat homemade pizza with real cheese once a month or so.  I've learned to enjoy eating it but am careful to not revisit the experience too often.  My pizzas aren't heavily laden with cheese so the crust, tomato sauce and spice flavors come through - and I don't feel like I'm knocking my arteries for a loop.


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## Happyflowerlady

StarSong said:


> I eat homemade pizza with real cheese once a month or so.  I've learned to enjoy eating it but am careful to not revisit the experience too often.  My pizzas aren't heavily laden with cheese so the crust, tomato sauce and spice flavors come through - and I don't feel like I'm knocking my arteries for a loop.


That is how I look at this eating venture, too, @StarSong .  It is what you eat every day, day after day, that is important, and not the occasional meal that you have, that determines the health of one’s body. 
I remember reading, in one of my many diet books, the suggestion , “Eat what you should when it doesn’t matter, so that you can eat what you want when it does matter”. 
Now, if it is a special occasion (any kind of occasion counts), then I have what I want and feel okay with that, and then it is back to healthy eating again for the duration.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> I remember reading, in one of my many diet books, the suggestion , “Eat what you should when it doesn’t matter, so that you can eat what you want when it does matter”.


Wow - great quote! 
That's pretty much what I do but I hadn't framed it out nearly that succinctly. I'm going to print that one out.


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## Happyflowerlady

I now weigh less than I have in literally YEARS, and can wear smaller clothes , and I am really liking this !
  It is a slow (very slow) weight loss. I think that my body has had so much extra fat for so long, it hates to give it up; but it is still happening, and I am almost up to a total loss of 40 lbs now, and still enjoying what i am eating. 

I really do not even think about foods like pizza anymore, so I think that I am breaking the cheese/dairy addiction.  I do use a little bit of dairy, like fat-free yogurt or powdered milk, in something I am making; but only in small amounts, and not very often. 
This month I will get my latest lab results, so I will know how my cholesterol, thyroid, and kidney function are doing , and I am hoping to see an improvement again this time, like I did last time. 
My doctor (actually the NP) is no longer with my doctor’s office, so I will probably be seeing my actual doctor, at least until he replaces the lady that left. 

I have really been enjoying all of the fresh summer fruits and veggies that I haven’t allowed myself when I was doing the low-carb type of diet.  
Fresh pineapple, peaches, grapes, cherries, and even corn on the cob, and still losing weight, life is wonderful ! 

I am going on a trip out west with my daughter next week, to see my family out in the Seattle area, and it is awesome to be able to pack clothes that actually look good on me, and not like a blob. 
Still have months to go to reach goal, but at least it is gradually getting closer.


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> I now weigh less than I have in literally YEARS, and can wear smaller clothes , and I am really liking this !
> It is a slow (very slow) weight loss. I think that my body has had so much extra fat for so long, it hates to give it up; but it is still happening, and I am almost up to a total loss of 40 lbs now, and still enjoying what i am eating.
> 
> I really do not even think about foods like pizza anymore, so I think that I am breaking the cheese/dairy addiction.  I do use a little bit of dairy, like fat-free yogurt or powdered milk, in something I am making; but only in small amounts, and not very often.
> This month I will get my latest lab results, so I will know how my cholesterol, thyroid, and kidney function are doing , and I am hoping to see an improvement again this time, like I did last time.
> My doctor (actually the NP) is no longer with my doctor’s office, so I will probably be seeing my actual doctor, at least until he replaces the lady that left.
> 
> I have really been enjoying all of the fresh summer fruits and veggies that I haven’t allowed myself when I was doing the low-carb type of diet.
> Fresh pineapple, peaches, grapes, cherries, and even corn on the cob, and still losing weight, life is wonderful !
> 
> I am going on a trip out west with my daughter next week, to see my family out in the Seattle area, and it is awesome to be able to pack clothes that actually look good on me, and not like a blob.
> Still have months to go to reach goal, but at least it is gradually getting closer.


Congratulations!  You must be feeling wonderful about your successes!


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## Happyflowerlady

It has taken me most of this year to lose the weight, but I have lost over 45 lbs, and looking forward to that 50 lb weight loss.  I am still basically doing the whole food, plant based way of eating, although I have added foods like non-fat cottage cheese with fresh pineapple (after crushing it in the food processor), and also the non-fat yogurt and coffee creamer, and I am still feeling good and losing weight comfortably. 
I feel much better in my body now than I did when I was so overweight, if that makes sense.
 I am thinking that by next spring, I should be at my goal weight, unless winter slows me down.  I am really happy that I found the Starch Solution book !


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## Tom 86

hollydolly said:


> But, but, HFL....how can we eat taters without butter ? ...i badly need to lose weight now too..


When I went to a Keto diet dr. several years ago.  She told me to stop all pieces of bread, but eat potatoes with REAL BUTTER on them,  NO salt, so I use a lot of pepper.  Also, she said I can eat all the bacon I wanted.  I did lose weight on her diet.


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## Happyflowerlady

Not every diet works for everyone, and I had followed a low-carb/keto diet for so many years, losing and gaining the weight back, over and over. 
I missed having the fresh fruits, and got tired of having mostly meat and salads. It is funny, but back when keto first became popular, it was put down by most doctors, who just recommended low-calorie diets, and not caring how you got those calories, just that you stopped when you reached the limit for the day. 
Now, it seems like doctors are telling people to cut the carbs, and eat more protein. 
This is another reason that I am doing better on the starch solution diet, is because it is relatively low protein, compared to a keto diet.  I have had kidney failure for several years (which is now improving, even though my doctor said it would keep getting worse), and too much protein is bad for the kidneys and liver function. 
My husband lives on fatty foods and almost all protein, and he is completely happy with eating that way, so that seems to work for him; but he is more concerned with body-building than with losing weight.


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## hollydolly

Tom 86 said:


> When I went to a Keto diet dr. several years ago.  She told me to stop all pieces of bread, but eat potatoes with REAL BUTTER on them,  NO salt, so I use a lot of pepper.  Also, she said I can eat all the bacon I wanted.  I did lose weight on her diet.


Did you always use unsalted butter, Tom ?


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## StarSong

Happyflowerlady said:


> It has taken me most of this year to lose the weight, but I have lost over 45 lbs, and looking forward to that 50 lb weight loss.  I am still basically doing the whole food, plant based way of eating, although I have added foods like non-fat cottage cheese with fresh pineapple (after crushing it in the food processor), and also the non-fat yogurt and coffee creamer, and I am still feeling good and losing weight comfortably.
> I feel much better in my body now than I did when I was so overweight, if that makes sense.
> I am thinking that by next spring, I should be at my goal weight, unless winter slows me down.  I am really happy that I found the Starch Solution book !


Congratulations, HFL!  45 pounds is very impressive!  I went whole food, plant based 7-1/2 years ago and lost 20 lbs pretty quickly (all of which I'd gained during a long anti-depressants stint for treating very gnarly menopause symptoms).  The weight loss stopped after about a year and settled at where I'd mostly been since graduating HS.      

Lost another 8 pounds surprisingly quickly and easily via SS. I've intentionally stabilized my weight to keep my BMI remains in the 21 range. My face was starting to look drawn so I upped my intake of avocados, nuts and olives to halt the weight loss. After a couple of months some pounds rearranged themselves (as they tend to do) and my face filled out again. 

DH continues to lose weight on it - he's down 25 pounds over the past six months by following Start Solution guidelines.  He more follows the spirit than the letter.  He still eats eggs a few times a week and when fish tacos are on an eatery's menu he'll likely order them (once or twice a month).  I might have a few bites of salmon or other fish once a month but stay pretty true.          

My dairy cheats are limited to adding a couple of tbsps of feta when making a Greek salad, and using various (real) cheeses when I make pizza (which we eat roughly once a month).  During a visit to Italy I took a one day cooking class and learned that balance is the name of the game.  When it comes to cheese on pizza, less is definitely more.  The American tendency is to use too much so I weigh it up.  5-1/2 oz of mozzarella on one of 16" pizzas is perfect!     

p.s. I just asked DH how much he'd lost so far on SS and he told me 25 lbs. I mentioned your weight loss and that you were the person who recommended SS to me. He asked me to thank you for pointing me (and him by extension) toward Dr. McDougall's plan. So thank you from both of us!


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## Don M.

Anything a person can do to lose weight is a Plus.  Obesity is the "root cause" for 1/3rd of the nations health problems and costs....across ALL age groups.  I've lost several old friends in the past few years, and they ALL shared a common trait....excess weight, and sitting in front of the TV all day.


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## Happyflowerlady

So, here I am, almost a year later, and starting over again. 
I was doing great until late last fall, and then my heart went into wackiness again and all of the a-fib problems. My doctor decided to do another procedure with the pacemaker, and in February, he changed it so that it is now in total control of my heart, and it can’t go into a-fib because he did an AV node ablation which stops that. 

I lost a lot of energy, and it was not until late spring that I even went back to the fitness center and started swimming again. It has been really hot here all summer, and not good for being outside working in the yard , or walking my little Poodle, and over these last several months, I have gradually gained back about 15 lbs of what I  lost. 

So, I am starting back on the starch solution diet, and doing the potato reset for probably the first month, or until I lose those 15 lbs again and get back to where I was last fall. 
Once I reach that first goal, I will add a few more healthy foods back into my diet, but right now, it is just the potatoes and non-starchy veggies and greens and water to drink. 
I have been using the Sodastream and making the plain carbonated water because I like drinking that better than just plain water.


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## hollydolly

Good luck Yvonne..I know how hard you worked last time, so hopefully you'll have the same success this time..


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## StarSong

@Happyflowerlady: wishing you the best.  Glad your doctor sorted out your heart problems and that your energy has returned.  You'll shed those 15 lbs in no time!  

I'm also a huge fan of seltzer and drink it rather than plain water. Sometimes I add a little lemon or lime juice, or even a couple of ounces of unsweetened fruit juice.


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## Happyflowerlady

I actually lost the 15 lbs again, and then I got a sniffly/achy cold, and stopped being careful what i ate, and I am now back at about a 10 lb re-loss, and need to get back to the healthy eating again.  
My daughter is here visiting from her job in the Netherlands, so we have been spending some time with family, and then I just ate what everyone else was eating, and said it was not the time to be concerned about my diet.  She goes back in a couple of days, and then I will have no reason not to get back on track again. 
Sometimes, motivation is just not my strong point.


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## StarSong

Enjoy the rest of your daughter's visit, HFL.  After she leaves you can figure out what you want to do.  

Sometimes I remind myself why I moved to a WFPB diet by rereading the books (or the most motivating chapters) that set me on this path.


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