Mary's Mini

dreamer12151
dreamer12151 Posts: 1,031 Member
edited March 2020 in Food and Nutrition
I plan on doing a potato Mary's mini starting next week. I've done my own reading, research and planning for it, so I'm not wanting to hear the "ooooh, so unhealthy, I could never do it" kind of posts. I am aware it is only a short term reset deal, not meant for a long term all-in type plan. I need to get control over myself again, so that is why I am doing it.

I was just wondering if anyone has actually done a MM (or more!) and what you found to be helpful when it comes to doing one, completing it and, more importantly, at the end incorporating other foods back into the meal rotation?

And in case you are wondering what it is, this website breaks it down: https://www.brandnewvegan.com/articles/what-is-a-marys-mini

Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    I know you say you want people who have tried it to comment, but really how many people would even try such a "plan?"

    What are you trying to "reset?" Is it about over-eating and/or cravings or something? How do you plan to fill in the missing nutrition? Supplements?

  • dreamer12151
    dreamer12151 Posts: 1,031 Member
    The reason I was planning it was because I am out of control again with my eating. No matter how I try to rein it in, I do well for a while, then "crack" and the next thing I know, I'm adding cheese to everything, munching on chips, adding that little "extra" something....and the pants that used to fit are now tight. The scale is creeping back up & I don't want it to go any further up.

    The deal for this Dr. McDougall based plan is to bring you & the tastebuds down. To give you back control. It's not forever, only 10 days. Yes, I do take supplements, and would still take them. And I would still drink my tea (with soy milk & stevia), so I would not be 100% compliant. Something to help break the bad habits.

    I have found that, since moving back to the midwest, it has been a lot more difficult to stick with a plant based eating, and junk foods (yes Oreos & chips, I'm talking to you!) are easy to munch on while studying.
  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    How do you know after 10 days you won't return to your old eating habits. And, if you don't buy Oreos and chips they won't be available for you to eat.
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  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    I’ve never heard of Mary’s mini or Dr. McDougall, but I have eaten kind of like this.
    When I was younger, I had stomach problems. My Dr. said we could start doing tests right away, probably ending in exploratory surgery, skip the tests and go right to the surgery, or I could start with a very bland diet (boiled potatoes, no butter or salt and limited amounts of dry toast). It was certainly boring! After about a week, I added boiled carrots, then slowly added more vegetables and then other foods. It temporarily cured my stomach problems.
    I don’t remember how much weight I lost, but I did lose some. I was 5’10” and weighed about 150 at that time, so it wasn’t important.

    It wasn’t hard for me, and I don’t think it hurt my overall health. But I had super-motivation.

    A few times after that when I could feel the same stomach problems coming back, i quickly went right back to my boiled potatoes every time.

    Again, I can’t say if it’s good for weight loss, but I can certainly emphatically say I’m glad I did it, and I would do it again in a heartbeat if those symptoms ever come back!

    Good luck! I won’t encourage you to try it, but I wish you the best if you do. I hope it helps make your journey easier.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
    Hey there, I’ve not done this but did my own thing. It started off with slim fast, then I basically took that idea and then decided to fast mornings with keto coffee and had a soup 140-170 calf and a broth about 40 and then a sensible dinner. ( I was having a lot of digestive problems at the time and eating was not feeling to great on my belly so there fore the soup) and aimed for 1200/1400 window. And snack like granola. I felt this helped me get into the right frame of mind to move onto diet and to rest my digestive system a bit. I did that for two weeks.
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  • LoveyChar
    LoveyChar Posts: 4,336 Member
    edited March 2020
    For everyone telling the OP how unhealthy this is, please check your ego. OP literally asked you not to comment on that. If you can't keep your ego in line, at least try refraining from pushing it on others. OP deserves their space too.

    I'm not vegan, but I'll do an egg fast to get back on keto. I usually don't eat eggs for a while after that. It's VERY effective for weight loss for me, but I often get the urge to binge when I finish because of the severe restriction. I do find that I otherwise take smaller portions afterward though. Best of luck to you!

    OP has her space. Nobody here has the ability to force lysine-containing foods into her body against her will.

    It's not ego to note that a plan is blatantly nutritionally insufficient and unlikely to address the root cause of unwanted weight gain. OP can do with that information what she will, but I'm not the type of person who is going to just sit on my hands and bite my tongue when someone is asking for help and I think I have relevant information.

    I was talking about space for their discussion, not their eating habits. Their food choices are 100% theirs. It's egotistical to feel you HAVE to tell them your opinion when they specifically asked not to hear it. They weren't asking for what you're giving, so keep it to yourself! Plain and simple.

    The space for the discussion is still here. Consider the ego you're demonstrating in trying to control who should be allowed to express an opinion here. I don't recall anyone asking for what you're giving either. OP is an adult with the capability to read opinions that don't mirror hers and then decide whether she wants to regard or disregard them.

    It's cool, we can let the mods sort it out. Maybe preaching is allowed here, but in the forums I generally use, it's seen as rude AF. I mean, OP already said they were disregarding opinions like yours and didn't want to be bothered with hearing them again, so you're coming across as basically saying, "I know what's better for your body than you do--hear my opinion anyway!" Just something to think about.

    I'm unclear what you think the mods have to sort out, but I encourage you to disregard my posts if they're not to your taste. Or read them and dwell on them! Either way, it's up to you. I completely understand you'd rather I not make them.

    They can sort out if preaching is allowed. I've asked. I'd love to hear your ideas and encourage you to share them, just in a respectful way that stays on topic. 😬 I guess we just agree to disagree on what is tactful, okay?

    Once you're done chiding me for not using your preferred tone, the thread can get back on topic. You decide when you're ready.

    I like you too much to let you put the ball in an idiot's court.
  • CupcakeCrusoe
    CupcakeCrusoe Posts: 1,423 Member
    Wow - did not expect a debate to break out!

    TBH, @janejellyroll, you did touch on a few areas that I was thinking of, that's kind of why I put this up. Even though I was planning on taking my supplements, I have been vegan/vegetarian long enough to know my body - enough. For example, even though I don't generally eat eggs, when I start to smell and crave them, I know my protein is low. Eat some more beans/lentils/tofu etc for a few days and I'll be fine again. I was worried about if something like that happened. (And no, I'm not one of those "have to have 100+ grams of protein a day!" people)

    @CupcakeCrusoe I am open to other ways. I know what has worked for me before, but it isn't working now. Could be my age, could be my mindset, but if you have something that would help....

    @harper16 You are correct, there would be no garauntee that I would not go back. But with a break from all the bad, over processed foods, there would be less of a chance. And the snack foods are in the house for my partner's kids who are with us part time. So easy when they leave to just much on the left overs. I have to use my self control.

    @corinasue1143 Thank you for your story. I hope you are feeling better now.

    I actually became aware of this several months ago and it has been mulling around in my head. I did talk to my carnivore partner (who was going to do it with me) and we kind of agreed to put it on the back burner for now. We will be revamping our eating, and I said I was going to try to get back to a more WFPB, less processed diet. I do plan on incorporating more potatoes though, because, damn they are good, and I just haven't been eating them.

    Thank you everyone for your input and comments!

    I'm glad you're reconsidering, mostly because the plan doesn't sound super great to me! That much restriction, to me, equals almost immediate non-compliance.

    I do, however, eat very similar things, day in and day out. I make up meals that fit my goals, and if I like them enough, I can just rotate through them without feeling deprived.

    That would be my suggestion- find your very favorite recipes. Make them fit your goals, make sure you still like them a lot, then just make those things all the time. Don't let non-optimal foods in your house for a little while. Have enough where you don't get bored. I'm afraid I'm a meat-eater, so I can't help you a lot with my favorite vegan recipes.

    When you're comfortable that you've taken hold of what you make and eat, then you can branch out and start making recipes that maybe aren't optimal for your goals, but still super delicious, every once in a while. Nothing wrong with indulgence, as long as it's not every day. Buy maybe a single packet of oreos. See if you still like them, if they're worth it to you, after you've been making yourself all this delicious food that meets your goals.

    Those things have helped for me. And I still eat brownies (hellloooo last weekend!), but as soon as they are out of my house, they're out of my mind, because I eat things I really enjoy on a daily basis.
  • amtyrell
    amtyrell Posts: 1,447 Member
    Instead of bringing your tastebuds down bring them up. I have found I am much more satisfied with low calorie foor is very flavorful.
    Look in your spice cabinet and start using them much more. Challenge yourself on ways to make healthy foods much more delicious and flavorful. Go ahead and have potatoes but also dry grating ginger over your wilted kale, try adding in many more flavors and spices and the healrhy stuff becomes more satisfying.
    This mary mini is a bad health idea.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    This thread got confusing with all the deleted posts.

    I'm glad OP decided to rethink the plan.

    I think all of us who have gotten to overweight have a lot of emotional and psychological baggage when it comes to food and sometimes the desperate most extreme method seems to be the Hail Mary we think we need.

    I don't know, I didn't try any of the "diets" I just ate less. In the beginning I still tried to hold onto my ice cream HABIT and my peanut butter with crackers (not a few, but 1000 calories worth) at night.

    In order to get to my healthy weight I had to change Everything. Food choices, eating times, rotating nutrition, eliminating snacking, planning ahead, macro planning, lots more vegetables, emotional regulation, sleep, stress, parties, alcohol, treats, "special" occasions - there is a lot. It doesn't happen quickly but it can happen with mindful choices, a little exercise and time. My journal was helpful, too.

    Keep at it, one day at a time.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    Oh, I wanted to give a little tool that was helpful.

    Those snack foods for the kids? Can you put them in a designated place? Maybe an opaque bin? Put "Kids" on a label. Then tell yourself, "Not mine." I am very good about not taking things that don't belong to me. :)

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Wow - did not expect a debate to break out!

    TBH, @janejellyroll, you did touch on a few areas that I was thinking of, that's kind of why I put this up. Even though I was planning on taking my supplements, I have been vegan/vegetarian long enough to know my body - enough. For example, even though I don't generally eat eggs, when I start to smell and crave them, I know my protein is low. Eat some more beans/lentils/tofu etc for a few days and I'll be fine again. I was worried about if something like that happened. (And no, I'm not one of those "have to have 100+ grams of protein a day!" people)

    @CupcakeCrusoe I am open to other ways. I know what has worked for me before, but it isn't working now. Could be my age, could be my mindset, but if you have something that would help....

    @harper16 You are correct, there would be no garauntee that I would not go back. But with a break from all the bad, over processed foods, there would be less of a chance. And the snack foods are in the house for my partner's kids who are with us part time. So easy when they leave to just much on the left overs. I have to use my self control.

    @corinasue1143 Thank you for your story. I hope you are feeling better now.

    I actually became aware of this several months ago and it has been mulling around in my head. I did talk to my carnivore partner (who was going to do it with me) and we kind of agreed to put it on the back burner for now. We will be revamping our eating, and I said I was going to try to get back to a more WFPB, less processed diet. I do plan on incorporating more potatoes though, because, damn they are good, and I just haven't been eating them.

    Thank you everyone for your input and comments!

    Potatoes are great! And I do agree that many people find value in temporarily limiting their food choices while losing weight (and some studies do indicate that people who are successful maintaining their weight tend to eat the same foods regularly). I just support doing it in a way that gets all your nutrients and it sounds like you're already thinking of that and also paying attention to when you crave protein. Good luck!
  • ShredWeek1
    ShredWeek1 Posts: 188 Member
    OP: If you're still following this discussion there are a number of very good, supportive Dr. McD groups on FB. Take care.