One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Recount your testimonials and personal success stories, both large and small, here. Give inspiration to others.
stl_viewer
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One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by stl_viewer »

... and now I am 30 pounds lighter.  :thumbsup:

I started Let's Do Lunch on April 1, 2011.  I strongly doubted it would work, but, I figured, at least I'd be able to say I had tried.

I've posted my experience elsewhere on this board. I was pretty shocked that I not only lost weight over the next few months (down from a 10-12 to a 4-6, and remember I'm only 4'11"), but that I managed to stay on this eating plan longer than 3 months. I think 3 months is about the longest I've stayed on any diet before derailing.

I believe that the tremendous amount of fiber in LDL foods--beans, corn, veggies, fruit--not only helps stave off hunger pangs and cravings, but it keeps things "moving", so even if I eat a lot, it's not just stagnating there in my stomach waiting for a new home on my hips.  I may be wrong--I'm no scientist--but anyway that's what I think.

I deliberately started LDL during the spring, anticipating (1) getting out more due to weather/daylight savings time and (2) the arrival of lots more fruits and veggies than I might find during the winter months. 

So this is a good time to give it a serious try, if you're thinking about doing LDL but haven't quite gotten around to it. (Took me 2 years of "thinking about doing it" before I actually started!)

Lori
MsHeirloom
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by MsHeirloom »

Congratulations, Lori.  Your experience should motivate anyone who is "on the fence" about trying this fabulous plan!  Aren't you so happy that you trusted the plan to regain your health and look fabulous.  Way to go!!!!!  Pam
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cameron
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by cameron »

Wow, Lori, what a great job you have done. Congratulations!
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LINDA RN
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by LINDA RN »

You are absolutely right, Lori. I have found when food is not "moving" my weight stalls or even increases.
Linda
"And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 2:26

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Taste and see that the Lord is good...
mrsj
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by mrsj »

:thumbsup:  Congratulations Lori on achieving such sweet success!
mrsj
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by Joyful Friend »

Lori, That's the LDL way--not hungry, satisfied, and losing weight.  I bet your health has improved as well.  It is such a nice success story.  Now, maybe some more lurkers or silent followers will post or maybe get started on the path to success.  Keep up the good work.  :thumbsup:  JF
stl_viewer
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by stl_viewer »

Thanks, Guys. I could not have done it without the support and encouragement I've gotten from all of your posts throughout the year. It's been great to have this forum where I can gain encouragement from the success of others and find answers to my many questions. 

It's especially helpful since, you know, people look at you (well, some people do, anyway) like you have a screw loose when you try to explain this "diet plan".  Based on the reactions of people around me, you'd think that when I say this plan basically doesn't permit grains (except for corn), I was being positively un-American. :rolleyes:
MsHeirloom
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by MsHeirloom »

Seems it's rather un-American to be at a healthy weight, too  *hug*!!!  Pam
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stl_viewer
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by stl_viewer »

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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by Joyful Friend »

:laughing:  :laughing:  You have the best answers.  *love*  JF
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by SweetRose »

Congrats Lori! You are a weight-loss success! :thumbsup:

While you were losing did you eat until full? What was a typical day's eating? Did you ever eat late in the evening?

I'm embarking on my second round of LDL after maintaining a loss of 24 pounds for almost a year. The more good tips I get from those who have lost, the better chance for me to succeed, too! I have about 30 pounds to go. I'll weigh again in a few weeks.

Thanks!

SweetRose :rose:
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by stl_viewer »

While you were losing did you eat until full? What was a typical day's eating? Did you ever eat late in the evening?


The first few days, I tried to eat "moderately". But Roger and others said it was okay to eat as much as you want when you first start, and I quickly realized if I didn't eat as much as I wanted, I wouldn't stay on the plan very long. Bad enough having to give up my comfort foods. If I had to control my portions, too, that would be too much.

So I threw caution to the winds, and I did eat a lot, but only LDL-acceptable foods. No wheat or grains (except for corn).  No dairy. (I'm allergic anyway.)  I do drink tea with caffeine and some diet soda, but I think it's easier to follow this plan if you nix the diet soda.

For lunch at work, I brought (and still bring) what is probably about 2 servings of Little Mary's Beef Potato Pie, or some sort of chili--I need the meat protein, plus I like that these types of recipes have beans, which also are satisfying (though they can be -ahem- "gassy" making). And the thing is, I was afraid of being hungry at work and having nothing acceptable left to eat, so I doubled up on my protein. I'd rather stuff my face with two helpings of Beef Potato Pie than have one helping and then head for the vending machine for a candy bar or chips later.

I have to eat breakfast early during the week--about 6 a.m.--and around 9 or 10 I usually have a piece of fruit or 2-3 cut-up carrots to tide me over to lunch. (Yes, that many.) Carrots seem to work like a charm as a mid-morning or afternoon snack--filling and tasty (just sweet enough to satisfy). 

I forgot to mention that after a couple of weeks, I realized that although a breakfast of fruit or fruit smoothie worked great for a lot of people, it left me hungry an hour later. So I began having just a bit of fruit and adding an egg or two (or a tiny bit of other left-over protein), or sometimes bean or lentil or split pea soup.  I still more or less have breakfast this way, although on the weekends, I'm more inclined to just do fruit or a fruit smoothie for breakfast. I do occasionally have quinoa instead of beans or lentils.

Dinner is usually fruit in the late afternoon.  An hour or two later, I'll have soup, or corn, or winter squash, or fat-free refried beans.  And plenty of non-starchy veggies. That's a must! I always try to have a big salad, Brussels sprouts, green beans, something along those lines.

And yes I eat popcorn. I don't think it's the best for digestion, but I really like the texture. So I have a big bowl of popcorn, maybe 5 times a week. 

If I'm hungry later, more fruit. Also, usually, a mug of decaf tea. (I like the kind with spices, like chai.)

Seems crazy, I know, but so far it's worked. The first few times I "binged"--I just couldn't seem to feel terribly satisfied and I kept eating--I had, like, 3 fruits, then a little later a can of fat-free refried beans (beans, water, salt), then some veggies, then a bit of popcorn, on and on.    It was ridiculous, and I figured that if I had lost any weight so far (it was early days and I didn't have a scale), surely it must all have been put back on by eating what I wanted when I wanted.  That's why I was so surprised to lose the weight I did.

I do try not to eat much after 7 or 7:30 pm unless I'm just feeling starved. In which case, then I eat, yes. If it's really late, I try to stick with fruits or veggies.

I think when you're first starting this way of eating, it's most important to focus on eating LDL-friendly foods only. Do not worry about the size of your servings. Don't weigh or measure (unless following a recipe).  Forget what you "learned" on other diets about calories and portions.  Just worry about eating foods that are approved for LDL.

As you become accustomed to eating the right foods, and your cravings become more manageable, then you can try following the rest of Roger's plan a little more closely. You may find it works perfectly for you. Or you may need to tweak it a bit.

Hope that helps.
chewy
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by chewy »

your post of your daily meals is wonderful and shows how healthy LDL is! !thank you for sharing!:)
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LINDA RN
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by LINDA RN »

Lori,
Thanks for sharing your details.
This is really helpful.
Linda
"And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. Joel 2:26

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Taste and see that the Lord is good...
chewy
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by chewy »

i also enjoy air popped popcorn -daily!along with my vegan LDL foods fruit,vegetables and legumes!!great slimming foods!popcorn in the news lately-high in polyphenols-eat it if you love it  but keep eating your fruits and veggies too!take care LDL friends!
stl_viewer
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by stl_viewer »

I forgot to mention, I noticed, as I have been following this way of eating, I sometimes have a craving for protein for dinner/supper, even if I had it for lunch already. (And I do my big protein meal 99% of the time at lunch, seldom at dinner.)

Especially I initially had a craving for--get this--oysters. Which I've hardly ever eaten, and which I like but don't love.

On those occasions, I have gone ahead and had some protein, be it a leftover burger, some fish, or, yes, a little can of oysters rinsed and then plopped on a salad. 

I suppose the extra protein, or a little "binge-ing" on LDL foods, might slow down weight loss, I don't know. But by accommodating that craving--it's not like I was eating Oreos, right?--it enabled me to stay on this eating plan. And the weight did come off.
SweetRose
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by SweetRose »

Thx Lori for sharing how you lost~ that was most helpful! :kissed:

One more question: did you ever binge on non LDL foods during the year that you were on LDL? Or even consume small portions of non LDL treats only occasionally?

SweetRose :rose:
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by stl_viewer »

Not really, SweetRose.   I was afraid that if I slipped up and had a cookie or sliver of cake or something that all the cravings would come back. And getting the cravings under control was half the battle.  

Now, having lost the weight I needed to by last autumn (IOW, it took about 6 months), since then I've occasionally (like for Thanksgiving) had a sweet potato. Or maybe someone makes stew and I suppose there could have been a tiny bit of sweetener in it or something.  Or we go to Red Lobster and I have a baked potato with my fish and broccoli. In those cases, I don't sweat it.

What I work hard to avoid is really fatty or processed stuff--cookies, pies, cakes, candy, tv dinners--and grains except for corn.  I've been asked many times by others to "try a little bite" of this or that treat. But it would have to be *some* treat, and some mighty big occasion, for me to try a non-LDL-friendly food.

It isn't that I don't sometimes look with lust at the brownies and other goodies my coworkers bring in. (We have a monthly Food day at work, plus folks are always bringing in treats in between.) Or at the chips in the vending machine. Or at all the Christmas candy folks had on their desks this year. Or at the Kentucky Fried chicken my co-workers were munching on the other day. I can look and think about how good all that stuff would taste.

But... if you can get your cravings under control, it's much easier to look at that kind of food and then choose not to eat it.  And for me, getting my cravings under control means constantly substituting LDL foods like beans, peas, and lentils in place of detrimental carbs like cookies, candies, etc.  I keep popcorn, fruits , and sometimes even a can of fat-free refried beans at my desk to ensure I always have an alternative to junk food. Seems to work for me.

ETA: I was just reminded that we went to a Mexican place not that long ago and I had some of those corn chips they set out in baskets for you to munch on while you're waiting. So yes, I guess I might occasionally eat a little junk food. Of course, I was also starving, which is never a good situation to let yourself get into in the first place.  :-)
Last edited by stl_viewer on April 4th, 2012, 5:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
SweetRose
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Re: One Year Ago Today, I started LDL...

Post by SweetRose »

Thx again Lori for such a detailed explanation. It really helps to hear how you were able to lose and how you keep the weight off. And it's great that it took only 6 months to reach your goal!

You are a great inspiration to all of us! :thumbsup:

SweetRose :rose:
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