Hello coaches,

100% OP on food. 70% on Wellbeing and exercise. Some credits? got some incidental exercise and didn't then use it as an excuse not to do the planned (tho' most of that credit is due to my beloved for encouragement). Credit it for not having a slice of rashly baked bread after dinner. Credit it of realising during the day that I was stewing on some stuff and journaling about it. Good to have been mindful of emotions rather than trying to bury them.

Khemistry - nice to see you here again and credit for posting.

Beth - well done for sending away all the leftovers and yay for finding that more clothes were too big :-)

Bill - yay for a nice walk with your DW

Well, good day to all, but I'm mad at myself and frustrated and irritated and any other -ated words that fit because I've updated my ticker in the opposite direction of which I'd like to, but it's a realization that just carrying around the Beck's book and reading chapters here and there isn't going to do it. Perhaps if the book weighed about 80 pounds, I might see some progress that way. SO ... in my "come to Jesus" talk to myself this morning and what I'll be journaling about in a few minutes ...

1- DH is going on nights now for three weeks ... while normally I find it hard to make his meal an evening in advance for him to take, I'm cutting us BOTH back :) and will get back to the calorie counting and not just eyeballing portions.
2-Work stress cannot dictate what I tackle in the evenings. I shall make a list of oddball chores around home to do each evening and when tempted to snack a bit, undertake a few of them. No postponing. One fridge door opening for nothing = one chore tackled.
3- Next Saturday, I'll be checking in here with a weight that is two pounds down from now. I hope. I plan. I hope I will...
4 - Eating until no longer hungry will be a key. I can always reheat a great meal. I did that last night with dinner and saved 40% for tonight from one meal (chicken burrito bowl from chipotle after six hours of errands).
5 - Plan to bring in a small bowl of fruit for my desk for snacking at work - then I don't have to pack a fruit each day and it's THERE.

I feel as if every time DH says he loves me as I am with the shape I am, I get lax. But I feel this will adversely impact me in job hunting, etc. Others at work have said they would never think that of me, but people can be kind with that at times. I feel I carry it in my mind each day, but then lose it when I'm snagging a snack or a larger serving of potato than I need, etc.

Another good day with good results. Today's challenge is a visit to MiL. We're bringing carry-outs for her lunch and ours. I'm committing, right now, to a salad not a sandwich from Panera, which we still call St. Louis Bread Company or BreadCo, for short. In fact, I'm going to check the menu....Okay, I'll have the Thai Chicken Salad without the wonton strips.

WI: -0.35kg, Exercise: +30 980/1400 minutes for September, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

khemistry: Great job posting here -- a perfect first step for getting back on track.

bethfromDayton: good job making progress on the party eating and getting right back to it afterwards.

nationalparker: we cross-posted, but I thought I'd respond that I had years of being lax knowing that DH loved me at any size. When I finally did it, I focused more on the health benefits -- the reduced pain I hoped for (and it really happened!), living longer than my parents (both died in their 60s, while the youngest any of my grandparents died was 79), and getting off my blood pressure medication. DH still loves me, too! In fact, between losing weight and coloring my hair, he kind of feels like he got a whole new wife without the bother of a mid-life crisis.

Thank you, GardenerJoy! When single, I used to think how nice it would be to have someone to help me stick with it (i KNOW!) and to be supportive. I got to my goal, while eating fairly well. Now that I've cut out a majority of the processed stuff, I'm finding it HARDER, which seems completely wacky to me. I think I have some lingering "health halo" of eating well, just not limiting it enough. Now I'm finding that maybe on the evenings I'm home alone, I can NAIL this and get better habits ingrained ... but I'm worrying that I'll go into the "I'm alone and can eat anything I want" absurd mentality. That's not a choice now.

My Halloween goal is back in mind and I'm committed to reaching out via email to a friend who is trying to get back on track as well. Lately we've been on the "life is short" mentality... several peers of mine have died in their 40s this past month - healthy, so it was unexpected. Not close friends, but still a bit of a shock. But with extra weight, I don't want to be taxing my body so need to keep that in mind, as well as fitting into clothes I own.

Monday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Good walk, CREDIT moi, after the heavy rain had stopped. It's a Camelot thing when it rains at night - so convenient.

Dinner was a challenge. We spent some time at a block party where there were mounds of food followed by dinner at home with DS and his girlfriend. Thought I'd just stick to a single ear of corn at the block party, but item by item kept crossing onto my plate - some folks had made their favorite dish. Had a good time and met some new folks.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – I didn't know that Panera evolved from the St. Louis Bread Company. Some days I'm glad that Panera exists; some days I wish it'd never arrived around here because it makes some high calorie foods seem like healthy fare.

nationalparker – Kudos for working out that stuff on paper where it came be seen, recognized for what it is, and felt. "Six hours of errands" is one busy day.

ForMyGirls - That's such a success, "mindful of emotions" - eating about them has never done me any good.

Readers -

Hi Coaches!

I continue to be mindful, especially of others' tragedies, as I plod along here in (still rainy) Colorado. We made a zip trip over to our other home(everything ok) last week and I enjoyed the pool and catching up with friends. Unfortunately, I bumped my lil' toe pretty bad so work has been mindful, too. With minor agitation (working on it), my contractors are not showing this week and at this point it's who knows when.
Foodwise, I've been really trying to stick to plan. Credit, since in the old days any break from my normal life pattern was a green light for "anything goes". I had a little frustration eat last night but stopped, a Beck strategy I am grateful to employ when needed. I got all kinds of spontaneous exercise last week yet didn't fit in my everyday weight routine. I'm headed to work but fit it in this morning before posting here. credit.

BBE, thanks for the Camelot earworm....I'm sure it will come in handy at work today. I loved yesterdays life lesson. Tx.

Beth(fromDayton), I am sending sympathies that your foot dr. has indicated your surgery didn't work. Credit for remaining thoughtful regarding your planned/spontaneous exercise.

gardenerjoy, yay for such consistent exercise! When thinking about getting back to my morning exercise I again employed your music strategy and as soon as I put on my cleaning/inspiring tunes on I found myself automating into exercise and decluttering! Yay!

:wave: everyone else....DH just walked in the front door which is my cue for morning smoothies.

I'll check back in when I can. This crazy week includes (I think) one...possibly two RT's to a Home Depot 70 miles from here to p/u kitchen cabinets my contractors were supposed to bring over weeks ago, get my electrician in gear so I can get a new furnace put in ($$). Ouch. Thankfully, I don't have to live amidst THIS project.

I'm back in my maintenance weight range!

Here's what I learned: To be successful at maintenance, I'll want to do everything the same. The same food, the same planning, the same exercise -- even the same reporting here at 3FC. When any one of those starts to slip, my weight goes up. Fortunately, when I'm in the swing of things, none of that is difficult or unpleasant. It's just habit. And it's easier to stay on track than it is to get back on track.

Some of you might like my weight loss story that I put on my blog today: Reinvention — A Generation Fabulous Bloghop

WI: -0.7kg, Exercise: +30 1010/1400 minutes for September, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

BillBlueEyes: I think the evolution was more that Panera bought St. Louis Bread Company but wisely kept the name in this region. They did keep some of BreadCo's recipes, though. I had a craving while we were in the store yesterday for something I don't eat anymore. That doesn't happen often! Fortunately, the craving is gone now so I won't have to figure out what to do about it.

Lexxiss: great to see you here and things proceeding. It sounds like contractors are going to be more than usually annoying at this time.

Good Morning, Coaches.

OP yesterday - making it pass the two week mark for the Drop 7 Program. I have not had the miraculous "pain free" response promised in the book (mostly because I have been nursing a cranky back - no fault of food.) But I have stayed OP for a long stretch which has proved impossible for me these last several months. I do attribute the success to not having the "addictive" substances in my body. Also, standing while eating/snacking is at a minimum because I can't eat the foods I am prepping for the boys. I have actual cooked these last two weeks without tasting ANYTHING including the new Cooking Light recipe for Brioche (rolls) or buttered potatoes. (DS said they were both good.)

nationalparker: I hear you about the scale that won't budge. It is incredibly difficult for me to comprehend/accept how little I must eat to move the scale down a pound now that I am this age. I have come to understand my belly must feel empty near the point of uncomfortable "hungry". I have to completely forget how I use to eat because it has no relation to me now and I need to just be grateful I didn't gain more back then.

gardenerjoy: Congrats on returning to maintenance. Since I have been doing "maintenance" while TRYING to lose weight, I understand it will be a life long conscience endeavor.

BBE: Yeah for a nice walk. I plan to take one around a pond/creek while DS is in music today.

BethFromDayton: It is thrilling to purge your closet of your old self. I know.

Completely on plan today. Taking credit as it's rare that I write that. Spread my dinner out a bit to gauge my hunger throughout. Now enjoying a cup of tea, while watching Ladies in Lavender - an older movie with Maggie Smith and Judi Dench ... I started it yesterday and then thought, "I'd love to relax after a crazy busy Monday with this movie," turned it off and saved it for tonight. One feature in their kitchen (set in Cornwall before WWII, I believe so far) is a clothes line contraption that you have a pulley to pull it up out of the way when it's been loaded up. Cleverness that I've never seen. And now that I want :) And in their yard is a bit of a lookout stand - a few steps up and a railing in front to view the shore/seaside.

Will plan my meals for tomorrow tonight. I didn't bring in my bowl of apples for the week, but did bring to work the one for today, so at least the same mission was achieved.

Beth - I'm sorry to hear that all of your pain and recuperation following your foot surgery might not have done the job. Credits abound for plans to pass the remaining desserts on to others.

Bill - You're completely to blame for me humming/singing the Camelot songs here today. Now watching this movie, I had to look up the lyrics of a song, The White Rose - never heard that but immediately loved it. The block party sounds like a wonderful way to ring in autumn.

GardenerJoy - Thank you for posting your weight loss blog link! Good for me to read stories that show it's do-able. By real people. :)

Lexxiss - Good luck with your projects and for your patience with the contractors. Glad your long trips to Home Depot don't have to be made in the ice/snow. At least yet.

Maryann - I cannot imagine not sampling the brioche or buttered potatoes. Those two items would top my list of foods from the week. Especially homemade and fresh. Impressive credits.

ForMyGirls - Hope you're doing well - and enjoyed a wonderful weekend and didn't have to stew on too much for too long. When does spring start kicking in more for you?

Hi Coaches!
Update: got a call after work and my contractor (w/o spouse) will show up with the cabinets tomorrow while I'm at work. :cp: I had an OP day today, house is clean and meals are in the freezer. credit. Instead of feeling frantic I'm pretty laid back and relaxed. credit to Beck and my willingness to plan ahead and be ready when the call came. I will probably disappear again for a few days as we jump into our project.

gardenerjoy, credit for back to maintenance weight!. I will check out your blog when I have some time.

nationalparker, credit for a day OP

maryann, credit for your 2 weeks on VirginDiet! I'll bet you are feeling great!

PS I had wonderful moment today....had to share. While at work, my coworkers in the kitchen were hollering "moose"! Sure enough, a yearling bull moose, with tiny rack, ran in front of the restaurant, around to the back and over a wall back to the front. He was just adorable and it made me so happy! My coworkers had never seen one(and were estatic), and of course, living in AK all those years, and seeing the lil' guy here was just priceless! We never had moose here when I was growing up and they really seem to be thriving! There have been many other sitings but this is the first in my community!

Tuesday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walking, CREDIT moi, was super. My exercise for today has to be . . . dealing with my leaking freezer. Call me Sisyphus.

Eating was close to plan, CREDIT moi. My to-do list is growing faster than items are being removed. That always puts my head in a funny place and nibbling is the first thing my head thinks about there.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Keep reminding us, "And it's easier to stay on track than it is to get back on track."

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Ouch for a banged toe - especially with all the walking that you do. Kudos for staying on your plan even with contractors waffling about. Love the moose sighting. Those critters are spreading into new places.

maryann - Cooking without tasting isn't just Kudos worthy, it's almost worthy of canonization, LOL.

nationalparker – Putting Ladies in Lavender on my list since I'm unabashedly in love with Maggie Smith. Sign me up, too, for a yard where that overlooks the seaside.

Readers -

I have one of those. Would not be able to cope without it. We put washing on the outside line when it's fine or on the airer when it isn't. I'll also dry bunches of lavender on it in a few days time. My mother calls it a Dutch airer. In Scotland they call it a pulley.

Also have a view of the sea ...

Still struggling with only eating sitting down. Lurking here daily does help me. Thank you, everyone.

Hello coaches,

Just a quick post tonight as it is past my bedtime. But needed to post - haven't been managing to keep life in balance the last few days so haven't done my planning or posting. I am reasonably confident I am still about 90% on wick with food and exercise/ well being is taking a hammering. Hopefully some wriggle room tomorrow to work out what is getting me out of kilter and how to turn that around. And as I type it is clear. Tomorrow I will walk - no matter what!

I never made a plan yesterday but managed to eat as if I had one. Today, I have a plan but also some expectation that it will get over run by circumstances so I plan to stay nimble.

WI: +0.2kg, Exercise: +45 1055/1400 minutes for September, Food: NA op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes