Beck Diet For Life/Solution – February 2012 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

[Lexxiss]

Hi Coaches/Buddies/Friends!

A quick check in tonight. I had a great Beck morning! I worked on my Success sheet and checked many items off, especially since I had completed my exercise by 6am. I now have a notepad right next to the refrig and since my Beck reading this am discussed how little time it actually takes to make a plan I'm trying a new skill- writing down my daily plan while I make my smoothie and leaving next to the refrigerator. I might have been tempted to go out for lunch today but when I got home my written plan worked to easily guide me through a healthy lunch.

It's been a very long day working on company books and I need to sign off and prepare dinner.

maplover, glad you are feeling better! Dr. Beck's wisdom regarding the scale has been very helpful to me. Faced with your situation, I find it especially helpful not to use the word "gain". An overnight rise of 2# might be better described as a "fluxuation". It also helps me to recognize the sabotaging thought associated with "gaining 2 pounds overnight" as "I am close to quitting" and working through a new response card for next time.

[onebyone]

Hello Coaches

It's 72F, windows are open, ceiling fan is on and I have several credits to report before I head to bed...

CREDIT

-tracked my food today--way under--didn't even notice until I tracked it. was waaayyyy too busy. need to address this as eventually I will boomerang into feeling "entitled" to eat more.
-walked across the island of Key West from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean where my sister lives, took me about 1.5hrs with lots of stops to take pictures, and to chat with a local who walked up as I was taking pictures of houseboats moored across from the marina. He and his dog Brutus live on one he said. I could live on one I thought.
-turned down food offered to me too late at night, turned down food not on plan earlier in the day, turned away from the tempting candybars at cash registers when I was feeling hungry. Hungry passed.

I have a bike to ride but in my enthusiasm at photographing fence patterns as I passed by house after house after house, my feet got tripped up in my wide leg linen pants and I fell on the sidewalk hard, camera in hand. I survived, camera survived, the knee is really sore and turning very black and blue. Not sure how well I will be moving tomorrow. I need to get work done so I may stay fairly still until my visit to the bird sanctuary, (Billblueeyes I promise a full report-see attached pics of 2 Florida burrowing owls!!! These were seen from the window of the shuttle bus en route from the airport to my residence-they just sit outside their burrow about 3 ft. from the sidewalk watching the world go by. Locals inserted a short length of white pvc pipe for them to easily scoot in and out of their nest and they also erected a homemade sign announcing the owl nest to the public).

At the end of the day tomorrow I will be on a "moonlight meditation cruise on the topic of Dreams".

Is this place even real? Hello?

Much more to say, but I'll sum up with I made it to my artist residency and am finding it easy to settle in.

Until tomorrow!

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Got to the gym, CREDIT moi. To my joy, I finally added five pounds to the dumbbells I use for my chest press. I'm still not back up to where I was last July when I fell off my gym routine, but it's neat to feel like I'm building back. Food was OK, CREDIT moi, including breakfast of an everything bagel with salmon cream cheese because I had a coupon from the nearby place for FREE, which made it taste twice as good.

onebyone – Waving toward Nirvana with Kudos for your ability to enjoy your environment. Thanks for the picture of the Burrowing Owl. I saw my first one in Florida a few years ago - just couldn't believe that their location was printed in a guide book; we drove there and, like you said, they were standing outside their burrows watching the world go by.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Waving back.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Yay for a written plan. Double Yay for finding a convenient way to generate it.

Beverlyjoy – LOL at your knock knock joke, even though the constant interruption at a hospital isn't funny. Glad your DSM is doing well.

Pam (pamaga) – Gotta love, "No sugar and no cravings. End of story", sugar really is evil stuff.

maplover – Ouch for the pain of watching scale wiggle when you want the numbers to only go down. I agree with the others, there's more hidden salt in foods than you'd ever guess. Hope the sleep returns.

Readers -

chapter 4 Stage 1 The Success Skills Plan
Success Skill 8 Follow Your Plan, No Matter What

tip:Do not use chew-
ing gum as a resistance tech-
nique. Some dieters tell me
"I can resist tempting foods,
but only if I chew a piece of
gum." To effectively exercise
your resistance muscle, you
need to get accustomed to
eating three meals and three
snacks with nothing else in
between. It's okay to enjoy
an occasional piece of gum,
but don't pop it in your mouth
because you think, I need it.
Once you learn to tolerate the
sensation of having an empty
mouth, you will be truly free.

When you contact your Diet Buddy from now on, report on which techniques helped the most.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 102.

[fyreflie24]

Hey folks! I posted this as a reply to another question but since many of you inquired about working with the nutritionist, I thought I'd post it here too!

This is about fueling for workouts, especially carb loading

If I'm exercising in the morning, I try to have my shake within a half hour. That's Milk (soy, almond, low fat, your choice but the calories & sugar will vary with your decision), 2 tbsp Better n'Peanut Butter, 1 tbsp whey (choc), banana, ice... so there the carbs are mostly from the banana.

When work out in the afternoons, I often have a piece of dense wheat bread with a bit of jelly for a fast burn up front. I also use Bloks during my workout. I used to use them for just longer rides (over 60 mins) but my nutritionist and I are messing with using them half way through shorter interval training sessions b/c I'm petering out about half way in. If I don't get to eat before my class/workout, I'll pop one or two Bloks right before.

I haven't had a training appointment yet since we've changed the system so I can't report there. She's also talking to me about recovery snacks b/c my training appointment will literally knock me out for a day or two. Recovery is a piece of fruit and a fat like nuts. I haven't thrown that in yet but it's my experiment for this coming week. She says recovery food is extremely important to fuel subsequent workouts. In Sept, I'll be riding two long back to back days so we're working really hard on what my body needs so I'll be ready for that.

As for the extra calories, well you just have to see how your body responds. I can burn almost 2000 on a long ride so a few hundred extra isn't a huge deal plus the after burn is really where you see the benefit.

Bloks are like carb enriched gummy bites. Took a bit of getting used to but I really feel the difference when I use them!

MAPLOVER: My nutritionist has strictly forbidden me from weighing myself at home AT ALL for this very reason! Fluctuations. It could be that you ate late or, again, the sodium factor. Sodium does a huge number on me... less so now but when I was heavier it really was bad. I drink green tea when I eat sodium-rich foods like sushi and it helps a lot. Trying staying off the scale for a few days, drink a ton and see what happens. And not to be graphic but some foods move through your system faster than others. That makes a HUGE difference! Makes me nuts but that's largely what causes my fluctuations. And scales can just be wonky. Hang tight! I know it's frustrating but you're doing AWESOME!

[maryann]

Good Morning All,
Weigh in down a bit. 1 pound from ticker. I am through a rough food week and feel like I am settling into WW. Credit exercise yesterday for yoga. I tried to make homemade granola but it burned. Bummer. It is a terrific recipe and I will try it again soon.
I refined my 333 project (lol BBE who can't put 33 items together - men kill me) What an eye opener. After all the laundry was picked up and sorted I have three times 33 extra in the second closet. I just didn't realize. I had two really good moments on Wednesday. I gave two bags of clothes I had gleaned from the project to our hardworking school secretary. She was thrilled.
I also gave a public prize to a student of mine who is learning disabled and who pass my exam (a tough one) for the first time. The whole class hooped and hollered.
All of these plans - using up the food I have (granola), organizing clothes, etc... is getting ready for the sabbatical I am going to take next year. I am going to finish my book and play mom full time. School will be tough to let go but i need a break.
maplover: If you haven't gained you are not treading water, you are a winner. Remember you said last time your mom was sick you gained? Congrats for doing things differently.
Lexxiss: Credit for writing down food. I agree that it helps stay the course. I do it online now with WW.
Pamatga: Terrific. 10 days OP. I bet it feels great.
Fyreflie: Thanks for the nutrition info. I like to know what other people are eating.

[Beverlyjoy]

Hi coaches/buddies...yesterday was a healthy one...yay...am grateful. I fulfilled many of my goals: planned/measured/logged food, ate seated only, no seconds, lots of water, exercise, read my materials, said no way to some extra goodies I came across during the day, lots of water, and more.

TGIF - should have a nice weekend. It's not so hectic like when I was taking care of my stepmom in the hospital.

Saw the surgeon about my gallbladder..the poor sad thing. It's going bye bye later on.

We have a Super Bowl Party on Sunday. I am planning ahead in my mind now to have some healthy things for me to eat.

Have a wonderful weekend!

[Lexxiss]

Hi Coaches/Buddies/Friends!

My day took a twist from plan when I got called in to work at 545am. *credit* for taking time for my breakfast smoothie before leaving when eating there/not eating would have been much simpler. I brought DH home a bacon/cheeseburger w/fries and made my own healthy dinner. *credit* considering I was out of my yummy salad and had to take time to make another one. We have lots of accumulated snow and it's still coming down so I anticipate some shoveling in my future.

BillBlueEyes, glad to hear you are still adding weights to your dumbbells! Wow-a free salmon/cc bagel. Glad it was in your plan.

Beverlyjoy, many credits especially saying no to the extra goodies that you encountered!

MaryAnn, interesting commentary on the 333 project. Glad to hear you are settling into WW.

Donamarie(fyreflie24), thanks for the nutritional info. It's just so great that you have the professional assistance as you are exercising incredible amounts.

onebyone, thanks for checking in with us amidst your busy schedule I adore the owls! Just an amazing adaption on their part. I have pangs while reading...my bro lives there and I've missed visiting for a few years. credit for keeping your food plan on the forefront, resisting junk and getting lots of exercise.

Pam(atga), credit for 10 days OP! Yep, sugar just leads to more!

Erika(eusebius), glad your week was less crazy . credit for finishing week 2 or your c25k.

[gardenerjoy]

In honor of onebyone's trip, I started reading An Appetite for Murder by Lucy Burdette, the first in a series of mystery novels featuring a food writer living in Key West. It's fun and I imagine onebyone around every corner!

WI: NA kgs, Exercise:+35 150/1300 minutes for January, Food: 80%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Evening snack was exactly per plan, CREDIT moi, with no points off because I did it by going out to a movie. CREDIT moi also for not indulging in 1500 calories of buttered popcorn or a 700 calorie soda, even though those items have long ago fallen off my list of problem foods. For those who need to know, Drew Barrymore is still acting, but rather than being a precocious teenager, she's a precocious 20-something saving gray whales.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – I'm immediately drawn to a mystery "featuring a food writer" - hope you can keep your distance. Have you read the Millennium Series?

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Yep, Kudos indeed for doing your on-plan breakfast smoothie before headed to work.

Beverlyjoy – Kudos for " no way to some extra goodies." Ouch for the gallbladder news.

maryann - Such a moving story that "The whole class hooped and hollered" when you gave the prize to the learning disabled student. Kudos that you're settling in to WW.

Donamari (fyreflie24) – Thanks for the tips on fueling long workouts - a 2000 calorie ride sounds like a big deal.

Readers -

chapter 4 Stage 1 The Success Skills Plan
Success Skill 9 Get Back on Track - Right Away

You may not realize that all long-time maintainers, and even people who have never had weight problems, overeat from time to time. Why don't they gain weight? Because they don't think about it catastrophically. Instead, they just use their skills to get back on track immediately. They don't get down on themselves. They don't get hopeless. They tell themselves, Okay, I wish I hadn't done that ... Oh, well, I'll eat a bit less the rest of today.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 102.

[Beverlyjoy]

Hi coaches/buddies/friends - yesterday I stayed within the parameters of my plan..but, my food was 'all over the place'. Luckily I didn't eat too many calories. I logged my food, drank lots of water, always left a bite and tried to eat slower.

It's a hard time for .DH & I. Three people we love/care about are/were in hospice. One passed away last night. Food will not make my sadness/stress go away. This has been a very stressful week with my step mom’s surgery and these three other special people near death. But - I will take it all one day at a time. My stepmom is doing pretty well from her surgery on Monday, thankfully.

Super Bowl will be at the neighbor's/friend's house. I know that they are doing pizza. I am doing a big salad with dressing on the side for everyone. Lately when I go somewhere with pizza I scrape of the cheese and pepperoni and eat a bit of tasty baked dough. (sounds silly.. but it works) I will bring some pretzels & fruit, too. Pretzels can last me a long time because I pick off the salt. LOL.

Lexxiss/Debbie - it’s a wonderful idea to make a specific time to write down your plan! LOVE the reminder that gaining one day is really fluxuation… thanks for this reminder. Credit for say no choice to dh’s burger and flies and choosing to make a healthy meal.

Onebyone - you are doing very well while on your trip. Credit, yes, for not eating when your not hungry!

Billbe - I love salmon cream cheese, too. Not always easy to find. Good to hear you could add five pounds to your weights. You are on your way to where you where last summer. Credit for avoiding those heavy snacks at the movies.

gardener joy - Hi!! Glad you posted.

Fyreflie - I appreciate you sharing your workout information!

Maryann - I LOVE hearing of your disabled student getting an award and the others cheering!

Pam - I plan for an evening snack too. However, it has to be early in the evening 7:30 - 8pm. - so it doesn’t effect my reflux. I used to go between breakfast and lunch with no snack in between. A while back someone here was talking about how helpful a midmorning snack was for them. I find it extremely helpful. I eat three meals and three snacks. I am doing a happy dance in honor of 10 days OP and avoiding sugar!!

Erika - awesome to avoid a snack when that’s what you wanted/planned to do. I understand about missing the kitty cat too.

map lover - I think it’s a good idea to get your manicure. Sometimes it’s important to get away from the hospital. You can come back renewed and ready to be there again. I agree with the others… don’t give it up with food. Remember the scale is just information. Unless you ate about 7000 calories- your weight fluxuation is not ‘real’ weight gain.

[maplover]

Despite some days of mental pain with my mom's situation, I am gradually getting a grip. My weight is gradually coming down (fluctuating in the right direction!) again. This morning I started the couch to 5k program and read my advantage and response cards and planned my meals. I am going to a play today with some friends and out to lunch beforehand. Hoping for the strength to stick with my plan and say no choice, especially for the after dinner period.

Oh an interesting thing. Thursday nite I took an Ambien (had a prescription but did not like the way I felt the next day so only took it once before). Not only did I sleep really well, but it definitely made my cravings go away the next day. Anyone else have this experience?

Lexxis: Thanks for the wisdom about fluctuations and kudos to you for the meal planning strategies.

onebyone: glad you are enjoying Key West and sorry about the fall from the bike. But great job staying on plan.

BBE: great to hear you are able to increase your weights

fyreflie24: kudos on the exercise and thanks for the good advice about fluctuations.

maryann:thanks for the heartwarming stories about your student.

Beverlyjoy: yay for the healthy day!

[onebyone]

Hi Coaches

I'm just back from another spontaneous 2 hour walk. What is it with this place that I can wander endlessly until 120min have passed? How does that work?
Oh Well as Dr. Beck would advise me. It just happens.So credit for the walk today.

I did myself a favour and went to the local OA meeting this morning. I found myself in tears there, so profoundly grateful to be right where I am today. To have a foodplan. To not be obsessed with my weight or my food/diet, to not be filled with the self-loathing and the disgust I used to just-live-with. In fact, I feel, I am truly living my life. I am scared here sometimes, but the anxiety is very brief and it passes and I do not/have not/will not eat over it. And now I have 6 locals to call or email and I still have you guys, to get this stuff out of my system before my system overwhelms me and I am called to the food. Whatever has happened to me, whyever it has happened now, I am just grateful. the meeting reminded me of where I have come from and truly how far I have travelled down my own road. credit for sticking it out to see what happens.

Food today was a very fast breakfast as I finally had a good night's sleep after only managing 4-5 hrs since I arrived. I think I have the ceiling fan/air conditioning/windows open or closed choices figured out for me to have a good sleep. I am ok with two windows open, but not all of the windows. (This is from when someone broke into our apt years ago and was at the foot of our bed taking $ out of DH's wallet in his jeans which were there on the floor. He left after he got that but I can no longer be blase about leaving windows open... but I digress.) So, no air con, one ceiling fan on low, ceiling fan in studio off, all studio windows shut.

In general I am not using the air con. I know from summers where I have to get used to the heat it is better for me to...just get used to the heat. Air con always interferes with that. But I won't be stupid. If I need it, I'll use it.

I have been worried about overindulging in The New-new foods/tastes/ingredients. This is a real trigger for overeating for me. But having a whole month makes me slow down and it's not an emergency. I can *plan* for that special meal/food. As a result I had a "cuban mix" sandwich for lunch, no conch fritters with it. That'll be for another day and probably on their own. Thank goodness I don't drink except occasionally. This place has a liquor store everywhere.

Better go. I am about to get caught up in my daily prints. I am, already, 3 prints behind! I do have my images sorted out though so I am, to me, over halfway done. Just have to actually manifest them in the world now.

maplover I just have to note how well you are doing. I think you are really turning a corner with your food and how you deal with it. Bravo. I can relate to the sleep/no sleep having an effect on appetite and cravings. I was *ravenous* yesterday and *exhausted* - just couldn't sleep well. I still always manage to sleep, but for me this was like insomnia. Today, with my 10 hours under my belt (bit more that usual) I am calm and food is not such a big deal. I just don't think straight if I am exhausted. Glad you are feeling better and also that your mom is doing ok too.

Beverlyjoy Good to hear you are planning planning planning and doing alright as well despite being all over the place with your food, but that place is well defined space within your plan, so carry on! Very good to hear your step mom is continuing to recover from her surgery. I've had several people close to me lose their gallbladder to the surgeon and ALL of them were thrilled to have the thing gone and all of them claimed the whole thing was no big deal. More of a hassle living with it than without it was the message I got. Just wanted to pass that along...

BillBlueEyes Drew Barrymore is pushing 40 and is still playing 20-sg. She's like the man I met this morning who made my jaw drop by telling me he is 85. I gave him early 60's. But then I overheard another man complaining about his botox dr. so The Physical Body is pretty important here--like it isn't everywhere...it's just really "out there" here. Speaking of which, kudos on the extra weights at the gym! and fyi I fed a Cooper's Hawk a (frozen) mouse, and brought dinner (yes I saw what it is to "eat like a bird") to cormorants, pelicans, turkey vultures, pigeons, ibis, herons and a vast enclosure of gypsy chickens, all rescued or injured birds. This place is at the end of my street and I'm going to go back to sketch there.

gardenerjoy How great! A Key West food writer. Tell me if the character goes to 5Brothers. I was just there this morning... How very nice to be in your thoughts

Lexxiss Credit you for taking the time to take care of yourself by taking the time to make a salad. So simple and so important. I admit I got to your last line about the shoveling and snow still coming down and when the picture of snow came in my head I pushed it out! Although someone told me they were hoping I'd tell them we were having a terribly cold snowy winter. He says he wants the cold water to come down from Canada to cool off the gulf which I guess is way too hot, meaning, the hurricane season could be bad. We are all connected aren't we?

maryann I'm going to echo the others at how great you are to recognize the work of that student and how great a class you have to spontaneously do the same. Wonderful. Good to hear WW is working for you. I am doing well on WW and my meeting is next Tuesday so I am looking forward to it. However, I can't stay for the meeting meeting as I have an OA meeting at the same time and I get more out of that meeting than the one's held by WW--still I will go to the weigh-in, I'll get there early, and then I'll leave. I am lucky to have both.

fyreflie24 I'm just curious, but when did you "get serious" about your exercise, like the competitive part of it? Have you always been athletic, or always wanted to be athletic, or did it evolve as you started to work out for weightloss then you just pushed further with it or did you start as a way to set goals for yourself and to keep yourself exercising in that way? I ask as I have two little tiny athletic nudges in my brain. 1) would be to become a water aerobic instructor and 2) would be to join a Masters Swimmers group. Both of these goals require me to acquire/upgrade my swimming skills ie. I'd need to take some lessons, get some first aid related courses and all that. You are inspiring me to take the first step, which is to allow myself to think/dream about doing it. Thanks.

pamatga Good job being OP for 10 days! I too am staying away from the sugar. I won't completely eliminate right now, I am not feeling the need to do so, but I only have it for a real reason: restaurant dinner out, etc. I constantly have to turn down offerings of food from my sister. She loves to cook and feed others, but she knows not to push it on me after I say no. She's good like that. But she always offers.

Ok must go work now.
Everyone, thanks for being here. You too Lurkers.

[silverbirch]

Originally Posted by onebyone

Everyone, thanks for being here. You too Lurkers.

Thanks, onebyone! Key West is really suiting you. I'm so glad.

[FutureFitChick]

Hi, Everyone.

I just wanted to check in and let you know that I am going to be giving up my daily posting for a while. I hope to get back in every once in a while, but I have a ridiculous semester and am trying hard to keep up!

You and Beck will not be too far from me, as I am keeping my ARC on my daily to do list. Best wishes to you all!

FFC

[gardenerjoy]

Did reasonably well through a family potluck.

WI: NC kgs, Exercise:+15 165/1300 minutes for January, Food: 80%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

BillBlueEyes: I couldn't get into The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. People tell me that I didn't try hard enough, though, so I may try again. Have you read it?

Beverlyjoy: So sorry that you're dealing with so much sadness and sickness and stress right now. Good for you for remembering "one day at a time."