Nov JUDDD / Alternate Day (We can do hard things!)

[BillB]

Hey everyone,

Just popping in to say "hi" and start a new thread for the month.

I was with friends last night...we gave popcorn (individual microwave bags) to the trick-or-treaters. I was amazed at how universally thrilled they were to get popcorn. We expected them to be disappointed it wasn't candy! Now I don't eat either candy or popcorn, but it was nice for me to see that kids were happy with the healthier treat.

Another UPish day yesterday, a great broccoli soup and maybe too much pork loin. And pistachios. And smoked Gouda.

Leo, I will experiment with the dairy and my sugar numbers. I sure hope I don't have to give up cheese....it is a valuable part of my success with LC.

Will check in tonight....everybody stay on plan!!!

--bill

[PMoon]

I am doing a DD today to get back on track for alternating. For some reason I'm starving! And the day is dragging cause it's earlier than I'm used to with the time change.

Tomorrow is my first day at my new job. Can't wait to get started!

[Agee]

Hey there -
Just subscribing to subscribe.
Except for today (because I hardly think 5 mini candy bars should be part of ANY DD, even if total calories are less than 1000) I have been doing well watching my UDs this week, but the scale thinks otherwise. Yesterday I was actually up about 2 lbs, which is significant considering that in over 2 months I've only dropped 8, and 3 of those were in the first 3 days.
Soooooooooooo.....I think I'm going to avoid the scale for a while. It's depressing! Maybe I'll do like some of you all do and weigh once a month or so.
My dh said I was looking better these days, and my pants are looser.
Feeling uncertain,
A

[EmandM]

Thanks for starting this Bill. Love the addition of "We can do hard things!" We can!

I have WAY too much Halloween candy in the house! My kids got so much loot in less than an hour of trick or treating. They don't even remember the candy the next day (they are 3.5) so I bring it into work and my co-workers go wild on it! Better them than me!

[BillB]

Got my A1c results today...

Down to 5.8, was 9.9 in July. I am pretty happy with that. The data indicates that a little lower is better (risk of heart attack increases sharply with A1c levels above 5.5)... I'll probably weigh in again in 6 weeks, and have another A1c in 3 months. I must be patient.

Another upish day today, mostly just one meal, 2000ish calories.

--bill

[Bengal Cat]

Originally Posted by EmandM

I have WAY too much Halloween candy in the house! My kids got so much loot in less than an hour of trick or treating. They don't even remember the candy the next day (they are 3.5) so I bring it into work and my co-workers go wild on it! Better them than me!

My twins got alot too!!! Mine remember though, lol
Hello again!

I hope no one minds if I post here every once in a while. I need to get my maintenance back on track and the past 2 months I have been somewhat sloppy with my eating. My fault, not JUDDD. I am quite amazed I did not gain 10+ lbs or more with too much processed foods creeping back in.

Tomorrow is my back on track to maintenance....DD!

Happy November to Everyone!!!

[EmandM]

Welcome BG! Good to "see" you over here. I have no doubt you will get back on track. After eating too much Halloween candy I may do a 500 cal DD tomorrow instead of my regular maintenance DD cals. We shall see...

[BillB]

Step away from the plastic pumpkin! It is filled with evil!



--bill

[GrammyPat]

Hi all,
Thanks Bill for doing the Nov thread and I too, love the tag line addition! Just want to say that this WOE has been amazing for my lungs (have emphysema) because I have not had to use medication as I did this past summer. I'm only doing 1 spiriva daily (a MUST have every day) but have eliminated the xopenex nebulizer daily (this is incredible because that is how I used to start every day), and the emergency inhaler. Changes that I think may have helped are: I take my Tylenol PM every night to insure I sleep straight through, I make sure I have my CPAP on at least 6 hours, and I take 1 tablespoon of olive oil first thing every morning (read this in Woman's World magazine). Otherwise, I'll be binge-eating on my UD's and make the DDs uber hard! I've lost 10 lbs. and even my DH noticed! This is the "weigh" to go (sorry - just had to go there, LOL).

Finally, I find that when the scale doesn't always show lbs. lost (which is a real bummer), but my clothes fit better, that my body is shifting and has actually burned fat. I can still remember folks saying I had lost some real weight but the scale only registered 7 lbs. It, like the orange plastic container, is EVIL! But because the scale did not show a 10 or 15-lb. loss, I gave up and every day became an UD! So this is round 2 of JUDDD for me and I'm so happy to have broken through my 7-lb. loss plateau!!! Just thought I'd throw that out there.

Leo, good luck in Disney! Will you still have time to check in with us? Your persistence, in the face of challenges, is so inspiring to us all! You're the one I think of when my DD's are really hard and I want to cheat, but then I think "what else will I do?" and I remember how this WOE is so good for my breathing! Anyway, I'm sending to you all to have a GREAT week!

[Leo41]

Bill-

Thanks for starting us for Nov.--and great news about your A1c; that's a terrific reduction. But I thought that anything under 6.0 was 'normal,' and no cause for concern. When my endo last checked mine, I think it was about 5.6, and I'm not diabetic, so I assume your number is magnificent.

GrammyPat-

I forgot to mention that I won't be online while I'm away (Thurs-Sun), but I'll be thinking of all of you. It's your confidence in me that keeps me on track sometimes. This morning, for example, is a DD that I really would love to change into an UD--perhaps because I did two UDs in a row on Sat. and Sun (unable to keep one of them a MD). So I come here to get encouraged to keep my DD [fingers crossed].

[onceNforall]

Well, last week I just couldn't seem to get it all together so decided to take a "vacation" from JUDD and not worry about it. The GUILT of not eating on plan sometimes just really sabotages me into an all out binge so figured I was better off deciding not to be on plan all together and not be so hard on myself. (Now does that sound like rationalization?)

Anyway, after making myself practically sick on little candy bars over the weekend, I finally sent all of the rest of the leftover candy home with my grandchildren yesterday to add to their stash!

I'm so ready for a DD today!! Know it will be a hard one after all the carbs I've consumed, but today I will embrace the hunger. Sounds like everyone has a new determination going into November and the start of the holiday season. I just want three clean DD's this week and I'll be happy!!

Bill...the drop in your A1C is really impressive. Mine has been hovering around 6.0-6.1 forever and I know what I have to do to see it drop, but my food issues always seem to win out. I just have to stay away from the flour and sugar and make it a part of my lifestyle. Here's to HARD THINGS!!

[PMoon]

Ok, whew. Today is going to be my first day working at my new job. I think I have decided to schedule myself like some of you have done, instead of alternating. My DD's are going to be Tuesday, Thursday, & Sunday. I always like to be up on Saturday, cause hubby & I usually have something good for dinner while we watch a movie. Friday's can be a sort of MD.

While I was gone to training, I told people a few times, "I don't eat grain." And they were all very accepting of that. On the rare occassions when more of an explanation was needed, or I found myself in a situation of, "Well, do you want ..... instead?" I would just say, no thanks. There was one girl whose husband is a type 2 diabetic. I was able to talk to her a little more about it. And talked about how I don't eat sugar, grain, fruit, or very starchy food. And how I was able to keep my BG normal by doing this.

Just goes to show, the anticipation of doing things is almost always worse than the doing. LOL

[nitenurse]

Thanks for starting the new thread, Bill, congrats on the excellent lab work.
My scale is still being very stubborn, size going down. Avoided the halloween trap, had some apples to give away, balance give away. Thanksgiving is the next trap.lol. JUDDD sure does help on holidays, and having permission to eat as an ud makes it all less attractive.

[Leo41]

Sherrie-

I think that deciding to 'coast' for a while when you know it will be impossible to JUDDD is much wiser than attempting DDs and then going overboard out of guilt--been there/done that

As soon as you get that candy out of your system, you'll feel so much better. What keeps me away from sugar is that I really get arthritic pain big time if I indulge. It's amazing how it affects the body, but before I was so careful, I didn't even notice. I'd say, "Oh,well, a lot of pain today" and never attribute it to what I was eating.

Nitenurse-

I'm having a strange situation, too. Although the scale isn't budging lately, my clothes are clearly getting much looser, and I "look" much thinner. I hope that I eventually see a result on the scale, too.

[Leo41]

Other People

I had an interesting experience on Saturday (Halloween) that I thought I'd share with my fellow JUDDDers. On the Main Lobby, people are always commenting about co-workers and others commenting on their food choices, etc., but although I'm now retired, I never had that happen to me when I was working. If anyone at work noticed what I was eating or not eating, no one ever commented.

On Saturday, I attended an all-day training session for Literacy Volunteers, which I've been trying to join since the spring (this was their first training session since I contacted them). I brought along a portion of almonds for 'lunch' because it was easy (an UD for me) and had a big breakfast before I left. I didn't know what to expect there in terms of food choices, but it was typical of these events.

They offered coffee in the morning, and there was a BIG box of assorted doughnuts and a bowl of fruit. I had only coffee, and other people had nothing at all--or some doughnuts or an apple. No one cared what anyone was eating. When we broke for lunch, most people had brought sandwiches and chips and things, but no one commented about what I was eating--or even seemed to notice. We just enjoyed getting acquainted.

In the afternoon session, the leaders put out 'treats'--little dishes of chocolates and boxes of raisins. Some people ate from the dishes; others didn't. I was very aware of the fact that I wasn't eating, but no one else seemed to notice or care.

My point is that sometimes we can convince ourselves that we MUST eat like others in these situations, but that might be a rationalization. Are we looking for an excuse to go off plan? Or sometimes we have good intentions but the anxiety of having to attend an event that includes food can cause us to 'cave.' We assume that others will comment, etc. If anyone had asked, I would have trotted out my usual, "I don't eat sugar" or "I don't eat bread," but I didn't have to.

If anyone does comment (and it has happened a couple of times in social situations), I always assume that they have a problem, and I don't let it affect me. But it's been a rare situation when anyone asks why I'm not eating something. Most adults know that's incredibly rude.

What was great for me is that although Saturday was an UD, I know now that I could have done it as a DD as well.

[Ilpirata]

horrid weekend. Horrid
(on the eating front)

The parties were great... I'll post pics of me in costume when I get home

All I can say is thank god its November... new month and I'm truly truly going to do my best. Once again I won't be weighing in until Saturday. This was a big time pattern for me in October. Good M,W,F DD but then heinous saturday & sundays including carbage. lots of it. I basically was "maintaining" near my sig weight - which means bouncing way above it and then getting back down to it after three DD.

I've got to break this cycle for November! I'm hoping I've gotten the bingeing out of my system.

UGH.

[Leo41]

At least you weren't gaining, Kisha!

October wasn't a particularly good month for me either, and I don't have a busy social life to blame for it I'm looking forward to a better November, too.

We CAN do this!

[Ilpirata]

Originally Posted by Leo41

At least you weren't gaining, Kisha!

October wasn't a particularly good month for me either, and I don't have a busy social life to blame for it I'm looking forward to a better November, too.

We CAN do this!

New Month New Start!

[JKat]

This may be a stupid question but what is JUDD??

[Leo41]

It's a plan of calorie alternation developed by a Dr. Johnson (the J) that alternates "up days" (UD) with 'down days' (DD). If you check out the first post on last month's thread, you'll see a fuller explanation of the plan. Or you can Google JUDDD and find the official website that explains it thoroughly.

Many of us combine this with low carbing.

[BillB]

Originally Posted by JKat

This may be a stupid question but what is JUDD??

Hey....and

It's 3 Ds, actually....JUDDD. Johnson Up Day Down Day Diet. Also known as the Alternate Day diet.

It occurs to me that we should work on a FAQ for this, and post it at the beginning of each month's thread, to help people who have just arrived. JKat, if you google JUDDD you will find Dr. Johnson's site, and a lot of info. Feel free to ask questions if you aren't sure of something.

--bill

[Ilpirata]

Originally Posted by BillB

Hey....and

It's 3 Ds, actually....JUDDD. Johnson Up Day Down Day Diet. Also known as the Alternate Day diet.

It occurs to me that we should work on a FAQ for this, and post it at the beginning of each month's thread, to help people who have just arrived. JKat, if you google JUDDD you will find Dr. Johnson's site, and a lot of info. Feel free to ask questions if you aren't sure of something.

--bill

There actually should be one in the first post... we just copy and paste it from month to month pretty much straight froM Dr.J's website. i think we just missed that part of starting the monthly thread this month.

[JKat]

Thank you...I will take a look.

[caramel]

Hello everyone
And a glorious November to everyone, I love talking like that, Just saw the movie Elizabeth the Goldenage and I just love,love, the way they talk. Any ways hope everyone is starting this month off with much success with Juddd. Today is a DD for me and tomorrow will be my 1st weigh in after a week of no weigh-ins. Haven't done this in a long time so even if their is no losses I will feel a triumph in not weighing in a week.(and their was also that candy)
to all newbees,
Bill Thanks for starting this new thread.

Everyone have a great day!

[snaggle]

Hi Everybody. I will jump on the "good riddance to October" bandwagon myself.
Hit 148 on Oct. 6th and have been hovering between that and 152 ever since.
I am glad to be back on Juddd, but would sure love to hit some VFT soon.
It is a comfort to come here and know I have others to share the struggles with.

I am doing okay with my dd's, but have only been getting in 3 per week.
Cannot seem to master the medium day at all, so I keep ending up with 4 ups per week and that, I am guessing is what is keeping me stuck.

Welcome jcat!

[snaggle]

oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I am sick.
Think it may be the flu or just a heinous cold.
I admire whomover can adapt the old adage of starve a cold, feed a fever.
I always feed both!
TRYING to keep today down.
Yesterdays up day was a disaster. I nurtured myself with halloween candy and popcorn.
................amongst other things.

[nitenurse]

Nice to see you, Snaggle, I am still trying to get in VFT too-I think I am still losing abd. fat, but not any scale progress.
What I was just looking at-could use some feedback on this.
For my UDs, I eat 2 meals, and usually 1 shake., calories seem to be coming in about 2000, which would be my break even #.
I am thinking that for a medium day, I could try 2 shakes and one meal-I think the calories would be less than 1200-1500????
My carbs are always somewhere 20-30 on all days, including DDs.
I'm always looking for something with a minimum of thinking (obscessing) and cooking.

[Leo41]

Snaggle-

Hope you're feeling better soon. This can't help you with the scale if you're anything like me--I retain water like crazy with any cold or flu. But it leaves when I get better, so perhaps you have a WHOOSH to look forward to.

I also FEED both cold and fever. I think I feel sorry for myself when I'm sick, but I envy people who immediately lose their appetite. Mine goes into high gear at the first sign of illness.

Nitenurse-

Are you looking for simple meals? On UDs, my dinner is almost always the same thing--grilled meat or fish and a bag of frozen veggies--mostly broccoli or spinach (my favorites). I saute a little olive oil with garlic to put on the veggies. My breakfast and lunch are interchangeable--i.e., I'll have one or the other--salmon or tuna salad (mixed with chopped celery and homemade mayo) or eggwhite omelet with veggies (chopped spinach or broccoli).

For 'treats' I have a few nuts (almonds or walnuts--unsalted) or a T of almond butter.

You can't get much simpler than this!

Occasionally I'll do something 'elaborate' like the cauliflower 'rice' I made last weekend, but that's relatively rare for me. And sometimes I'll have my meat or fish on a salad instead of with veggies, but that, too, isn't often.

I find that sticking to my basic meal plan most of the time not only makes prep and clean up easy but it keeps me from thinking about food all the time as I would if I were planning meals and constructing recipes.

[Meek75]

Hello. I just stumbled across this thread and I'm interested in the plan. I recently followed the hcg protocol w/500 cals per day. I lost 10.6 pounds the first week. I have since decided to stop the plan.

I was wondering how much weight are you all losing on JUDDD?

[Bengal Cat]

Originally Posted by EmandM

Welcome BG! Good to "see" you over here. I have no doubt you will get back on track. After eating too much Halloween candy I may do a 500 cal DD tomorrow instead of my regular maintenance DD cals. We shall see...

Thanks! I caved on the Halloween candy too:blush:

Snaggle~ Sorry you are sick, I am just now recovering from a 3 week sickness (cold? flu?) and I swear I was SO HUNGRY thru that ordeal!

My first DD went okay, I went slightly over but tomorrow I am going to nail it I miss my fats on DD's. Now that I am feeling better and can get out to the stores, I am going to prepare better.

I think for my DD's I am going to stick to Bag of Salad (mediterrean or spring mix, more fibrous mixes) fat free dressing........Oat Bran (mixed w/ one tbs of cacoa powder) and use up the rest of my alloted cals with probiotic yogurt. I am going to play around with that and if that works I will just keep a 'daily DD' food menu, and just get my fats (and more yogurt/kefir) on my UD's
(I just got off 2 back-to-back rounds of abx I am trying to restore my gut flora

I also want to include raw garlic/onions in my daily intakes.
I am stocked up on teas too!

Yay to a new month!!!