My McDougall Diet Failure
I listened to Dr. McDougall and Jeff Novick and I failed. Or I should say that their diet failed me.
I've listened to Dr. McDougall speak a number of times, I've read his writing, and I took his advice:
- No added fats.
- Eat starches.
- 50-50 plate, which is optional, but I did it anyway.
- Daily exercise.
I found myself up 8 lbs. at the doctor's office, and I'm quitting the diet. Eating this diet has left me in a state of perpetually low satiety and suffering from chronic hunger. I was constantly bloated and feeling 'stuffed' yet still hungry, so I would eat more food (generally the 50-50 plate) and the cycle would continue. Potatoes and other starches provided me with a short-term fullness but I would rapidly digest them and be hungry within an hour or two. My blood glucose was a wreck, I was constantly dizzy and nauseated from spikes and drops. I've posted before about waking up hungry in the middle of the night and being unable to sleep while following the diet...and well...let me share another anecdote:
It felt like I was starving to death constantly, probably due to the very low fat content. I went on vacation and kept mostly compliant, but I had a few non-compliant foods, and my hunger absolutely worsened to the point where I was easily downing 5,000 calories in mostly compliant foods (green and yellow vegetables and starches with a small amount of meat and a some dessert) and I was ravenous. The issue with me waking in the night worsened terribly, and I don't want to eat in a way where I have to keep a boiled potato at the bedside to ensure I can sleep.
I did have more regular bowel movements, which was nice, but I'm afraid that the Starch Solution isn't for me.
I know that some people thrive on a diet of potatoes, grains, and legumes, but I'm not one of them, it would seem.
I don't know what the solution is, but it's not the Starch Solution.