Discussion Board

I don't post here too much, but I feel compelled to share an idea that I am currently pursuing.

It turns out that this Wednesday September 23 marks the last 100 days until the end of this year. Someone recently shared with me the idea of using these last days to finish the year out strong and get a head start on next years resolutions and goals. I am planning this as a way to kick start my program and achieve at least partially some of the resolutions that I had for myself at the beginning of this year. When I first heard of the idea of Finishing Strong it really appealed to me on many levels, in the past week as I have been thinking more and more about it I find that this idea that has gotten me very excited and has already acted as a catalyst to make some positive changes in my life.

I am someone who is drawn to significant milestones and although I don't have a great record for keeping them I am an eternal optimist who must make resolutions each January 1st. This time of year its easy to get down on myself for things that I haven't yet accomplished, excess weight that I am still carrying and bad habits that I still struggle with. Its also very tempting to tell myself that "well the Holiday season is almost upon me so I'll make a great plan to really work on this stuff come January". Now that I realize that there is 100 days left of 2009 I feel like I can still accomplish a significant amount of what I was planning on in January.

My personal plan is eat strictly according to the MWL plan for the last 100 days of the year. I think this will allow me to achieve a significant amount of weight loss in the remaining portion of the year and provide me with some great momentum going into the new year and my new yet to be identified resolutions. I also want to get some physical activity in 2 to 3 times a week not because I think it will add too much in terms of weight loss, I just want to benefit from the increase in energy that come with being fit at any size. I also enjoy physical activity and consistently fail to make it a priority in my life.

I have found that since I have resolved myself to finishing strong there have been a number of coincidental things that have transpired in my life which will make my plan just a little easier. For instance, I usually travel a lot for work and struggle with eating well while away from home, but just recently I have been told that travel is going to severely restricted for the rest of the year which has never happened before but will help me tremendously in accomplishing my goal. There have been 1 or 2 others things in a similar vain that I'm not going to share publicly but which have added to my enthusiasm for this.

Anyway just wanted to put it out there in case anyone else could benefit from it.

I love the idea of finishing strong! In years past I have finished the year very poorly, starting with Halloween candy and ending with a big New Years day lunch. This year I will continue my new way of eating and will not be making x-mas cookies and candy for the neighbors. I too will be finishing strong.

What a great idea! Sounds like we have similar plans. I'm recommitting to MWL (as of today) and I also need to add in some REGULAR exercise. If I could stick to MWL for 100 days, imagine what progress I would make! Of course, we are also moving into the most difficult time of year for those watching their weight. It's going to be a challenge. But I feel up to it! At least, right now I do.

Finishing strong. Well everyone has unique motivational methods and no doubt some people do better using certain goals.

Has finishing strong worked before?

I have a question. If you have a goal, how long would it take to arrive at that goal via losing 1 ounce per day?

I think that's a wonderful idea, Kevtrane! I think I might give Finishing Strong a try myself. I still have problems with one refined carb: Kashi cereal. It puts weight on me every weekend, which I have to take off again during the week.

It will probably take 100 days to create a new habit, one of not doing so much night-time eating when I'm not really hungry. Thanks for the idea!

Nettie

I received a message a couple days ago in a newsletter I subscribe to about the "100 Days" until the end of the year, encouraging us to use the 100 Days to set our personal, individual health goals. I loved the idea, and was inspired by it, also.

Thanks for sharing the idea here, Kevtrane, and I wish you the very best success during your 100 Days journey.

Keep us posted!

I love the idea!! Could we mix it in with our MWL thread? Should we do a hundred day thread starting tomorrow? Opinions please!! Take care LauraA

Laura, I think thats a great idea. I have never joined a challenge before but would love the company along the way and having a place to go to share struggles and triumphs.

Purdy, I'm not sure what your point is obviously this is a life long program and not a short get ready for summer diet. I just personally respond better to time boxing things instead of leaving them wide open where I can easily tell myself I'll start tomorrow. Just my personal preference.

Clary - We may get the same newsletter, LOL.

Nettie, Mary and txveggie glad that you guys liked the idea hopefully we can all find success!!

Kevtrane, I copied your first post about the 100 days on our MWL thread to see what others think. Please do join us, we are not really a challenge, just a group who are greatly helped by giving and receiving support.

Purdy, Our MWL group has done a great job of giving and receiving support, and helping each of us keep our goals of sticking with our programs. Our goals are not how many pounds or ounces we lose, just that we eat healthy, according to whatever we have decided works best for us within the McDougall program. Most of us have changed our past programs of starting off strong and then giving up (or giving in to foods that we may overeat) Take a look at our results! As a group we have tried, and failed on every diet. The difference has been the McDougall program, and lots of amazing support on these boards. I recall that you predicted failure for me, and I think also for Letha. Maybe your lack of confidence spurred us on!! If so, thanks! I have lost an average of about a pound per week for nearly a year, and Letha has lost three times that much. Take care, LauraA[/b]

I liked this idea so much that I posted it as a challenge on both of my blogs. My personal challenges are to eat for free and to do my core workout daily.

Eating for free will force me to stay on track because it means I'll have to eat from my pantry with fresh food coming in regularly from my CSA and hubby's garden. I might also be able to harvest some wild food (olives), salvage some food that a local convenience store throws out regularly (bananas), and trade with others. (I have a lot of food I've canned that I can barter for other people's home-preserved food.)

I think if your idea helps get more people over the hump it's wonderful. If that is the spark a person needs to make it work in their situation you have done well. Please don't be put off by naysayers trying to be discouraging. We never know what idea might be the switch for the light bulb in our head. Clearly others liked it too. Run with it.
f1jim

You have a good memory LauraA. I still have a ways to travel before I’ll really feel like I can say I’ve proved Purdy wrong.
Letha

Oh, so do I (have a long way to go), but sometimes someone suggesting that I can't do something, makes me more determined. The first time that I visited The Children's Village in Tanzania, where I work each year, I was with a group of photographers, and we just stopped there to make some donations before continuing our photography. I said that I wanted to work there, and one woman in our group said, "Oh you would never want to do that - it is so remote!" Well, even though I've never seen or heard from that woman since that trip, as soon as she made her comment, I knew that I could and would work there!! Take care, LauraA

"Laura, I'm not too optimistic about your outcome.
You began in February and have made almost no progress.
Your past history is one of abandoning diets and now you are back on a new "stricter" plan.
You speak about "getting back on track"... "messing up"....
In the other posts you talk about "strictly" following MWL...
In short, you ARE on yet another diet.
All your prior diets have ended in failure."

Letha, the above quote is part of Purdy's post to me on Sept 21, 08 - just about exactly one year ago. There was truth in my history, of course, but not much hope in his reply. He went on to recommend gradually beginning regular plan. I tried to explain binge eating, compulsive, addictive eating, but I don't think that he replied after that. I noticed that he recommended that you not try MWL, because he had also recommended that to me. I found it frustrating, because for many of us, gradually stopping certain foods just doesn't work! It's not that I have a good memory!! Take care, LauraA