I came home hungry from our Thanksgiving celebration -- CREDIT! It felt particularly good to skip the big box store cheesecake -- probably 700 calories that I wouldn't have enjoyed nearly as much as my own bread pudding with many fewer calories. I filled half my plate with salad and took tiny servings of everything else I wanted -- including three bites of not-the-usual-stuffing that the foodie nephew made up on the fly.
Back to the green book -- Success Skill 8, Follow Your Plan, No Matter What, and its 11 Resistance Techniques.
Technique 6 is "drink water or a low-calorie beverage if your thirsty." I've been doing well with that recently -- lots of water. Also, Cinnamon Apple Spice tea (from Celestial Seasonings) with a tiny splash of milk is surprisingly satisfying when I'm hungry at a time that I didn't plan to eat.
Technique 7 is "meditate, pray, or relax." She has two breathing techniques here. I prefer the ones I've learned over the years from yoga. But, of course, I need to actually do them to get the benefit! I can report slight improvement on remembering to take three deep breaths before I eat. I'm still forgetting most of the time, but I sometimes remember when I notice that I'm putting my fork down between bites. When I do remember, I stop and take three deep breaths then. I'm confident that practice will eventually get me to remember before I start eating. For now, I'll focus on that.
WI: +0.1 kg, Exercise: +0 975/1200 minutes for November, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
I’m getting a bit cross that this preparing, filling and cleaning is taking so long. It’s taking so long because it has to be fitted in around all the other things I’m trying to do. Also because I asked the plasterer not to be too perfect as that would take away from the character of the house (it’s 1840s) and some of his work needs a bit of tidying up. There can’t be much more to do. Credit for trying to get it right for us.
My food intake is becoming increasingly haywire as it does when I’ve got too much to do. You’ll remember I have a number of stress centres at present. One of them has just registered an alert: my uncle (87) fell in the night and is in hospital again. Main team on the case comprises my mother (89) and another uncle (83). All is OK-ish at present but I foresee a trip there in the next couple of weeks.
WI: no change. Exercise: YES - Flexibility. Spontaneous exercise: bending and stretching whilst decorating. Written food plan: NO. Last night’s sleep: 7 marks out of 10.
nationalparker, very good work, sending all that food off with other people. Credit!
onebyone, and thank you for telling me about your grandmother and mother and Hungarian. That game with your mother sounds like such a nice thing to do. I do like the idea of putting your food plan on the whiteboard - after your sister goes. Hope she gets to you without too much difficulty this time.
Mountain Mamma, Glad that you were able to keep things within bounds.
Bill, also good work at your house as the guests took food away with them. The walk sounds good. (Sorry to be transatlantically obscure about painting. ‘Cutting in’ means the painting you do around the edges of a wall before you use the roller on the middle. Top coat means the coat of paint after plaster, primer and undercoat. Actually, I’m not using a primer but rather a watered down paint to seep into the plaster and provide a good key for the next coat.)
Gardenerjoy, very impressed by your Thanksgiving achievements. Breathing and relaxing are so good! I am finding I'm more tense than usual at the moment and I try to relax myself regularly through the day. Before food would be a good habit to instil.
Silverbirch: Your repair work reminds me to be extra thankful that we chose to have latest remodeling done by a contractor - not by us! They did a great job for which we paid a great price.
OnebyOne: May your visit with your sister (and may she find you OK) be calm, enjoyable and full of fun memories. Sorting thru belongings of another is so hard. I remember sorting Mom's when we finally had to put her in a nursing home for the last 6 months of her life. I kept putting it off, but finally boxed lots of books for library and clothes for giving away. I threw away lots of worked and half worked crossword puzzles. She did love them.\
Writing to do list down keeps me going. Much satisfaction in crossing off the ones completed. This fails to work on food however. Now that I'm NOT the cook, I can only choose to increase or decrease what food is offered.
Joy, glad the cold weather chilled down some of the people's anger.
DD brought beautiful fresh fruit cheesecake that tasted way too good. DH turkey was good, and my cranberries with oranges and honey relish delicious as usual. At least I could choose how much.
Loved having two of 3 daughters here an listening to them giggle and enjoy one another Both are artists, but so very different from one another. We enjoy time with either or both. Lots of laughter and love for Thanksgiving!!!
Hello! Woke up with a cold this morning and have spend much of the day trying to not "feed a cold" ... alternated napping in front of the fire with actual work. Now it kicks up for the next few hours or so. Have stayed on plan for the most part, though, but have had an additional meal, which probably wasn't needed if I'm honest. But WHO can turn down pizza, I ask you. Even though it was Trader Joe's frozen and I can semi-accurately figure out the calories... ah well.
Not the most productive day, but hope to push this cold out soon...and with a late-night working weekend and a flight on Monday...
All in all, too many calories today. Even for being up and moving more hours than I usually am
Looking forward to committing a clear mind to personals tomorrow! Happy weekend on the horizon!
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Successful Black Friday included a trip to the supermarket that is usually jammed on Friday to find it half empty. A trip to Radio Shack to buy their super special packs of AA and AAA batteries for Christmas stockings found it fairly deserted also. But, that means I've started my Christmas shopping already - back here in November. Didn't go anywhere near a mall or a big-box store with Black Friday specials - Shudder. Food was on plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner exactly duplicated Thanksgiving via leftovers; the turkey was sill moist.
Exercise was a walk with DW about our favorite pond, CREDIT moi. Bumped into several folks we knew of the same mind and saw a new Screech Owl in the hole in the tree that's been occupied by one Screech Owl or another for years. It was dusk and it had crept out of its hole to perch on the rim waiting for dark to hunt for dinner. A half dozen curious folk were gathered below savoring the moment. One person stood glued to a raised cell phone repeatedly taking flash photos to change a moment with nature into a paparazzi event. I was reminded that a whole generation believes that nothing is enjoyed that isn't being photographed for Facebook.
onebyone – Yay for finding out that the whiteboard strategy works for you. I do understand the desire to have a corner of our lives that lives without outside comment.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – <sigh> . . . "But, of course, I need to actually do them to get the benefit!" - that tends to escape me now and then.
silverbirch – Neat that you want to preserve the character of your 1840's house. We feel that way about our 1869 house (except where that 'character' is shoddy construction). Our horsehair plaster never was smooth; a glance down a wall shows delightful shadows. Apropos of nothing, at dinner, DW, itself apropos of nothing, reminded me that it would have been silly of Elizabeth I to get married and subject herself to the threat of being beheaded by her husband, who would be the new king. Apparently being the daughter of Henry VIII isn't easy to forget. DW thinks Elizabeth I is just the greatest so she often just wanders into our conversations.
nationalparker – Alternating napping with working sounds like a plan. Hope that cold gets under control.
love2garden - This is my favorite part of Thanksgiving, "cranberries with oranges and honey relish delicious as usual." Kudos for staying your path by "At least I could choose how much."
Readers -
Quote:
Day 28Get Ready to Weigh In
. . .Once I learn to use the scale
as information to guide my efforts, . . . . . .dieting will be easier.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 205.
CREDIT for leaving the house hungry even though I knew lunch was nearly two hours away. I remembered the Hunger Experiment and knew that the event would distract me from hunger and it did.
CREDIT for inventing my own strength training workout on the fly instead of using the workout in the green book like I did earlier in the month. This morning, I feel like I did some strength training!
From the green book, Success Skill 8, "Follow Your Plan, No Matter What" with its 11 Resistance Techniques...
Technique 8 is "Read your Advantages Deck." I just put my three most pressing advantages on my phone. I'd like to get in the habit of reading them before I eat. Maybe that will help me with the habit I'm trying to develop to calm myself before I eat.
Technique 9 is "Do a negative fast-forward" and Technique 10 is "Do a positive fast-forward. How will I feel in 10 minutes if I eat this unplanned food? How will I feel in 10 minutes if I resist? The trick, of course, is to remember to do this at the moment I need it. I'm going to make a couple of response cards to help with that.
WI: -0.3 kg (new low), Exercise: +65 1040/1200 minutes for November, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
A rough day today, dealing with distress across the family. I'm trying to work out how to get essential big things done when too many small essential things keep crossing my path. I may have to stop posting here for a while as part of keeping off the internet for a while.
I am trying to get a grip of my eating but it keeps slipping out of my grasp. I certainly don't have enough time to follow the Green Book at this point. Perhaps I should focus on writing out advantages cards, for the time being.
[Bill, I see your DW's point about Elizabeth I but a husband would not have been King, he would have been her Consort. He could not have been King as he would not have had a better or equal claim to the throne than she did. This was the case with Victoria (1819-1901) who married Albert. Albert then became Prince Consort. It's also the case with the current queen, Elizabeth II, who is married to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, someone who knows to walk a few steps behind her.
[However, having someone so close to affairs of state would have been dangerous for Elizabeth, I agree. Better to have a string of admirers.]
Off to have my evening meal and then consider the painting situation.
Hi coaches- we made it safely there and home, thank goodness! i did see quite a few cars by the side of the road as we drove Weds which was scary.
It was sad to see my m-in-law- she is scrunched up in a hospital bed and not even feeding herself at this point. She is very sleepy, but often has some coherent times and we all had nice brief visits. I was very weepy while I talked to her, thinking this may be the last time we see her...hard to tell.
Definitely ate too much for a few days, so need to get back on track...tomorrow. Its pizza tonight, we all need a break from too much together time, and eating a quick meal while we each do our own thing is a treat!
Sounds like everyone has done quite well for thanksgiving, I am impressed!
I will do personals soon, waving to all!
When I said Thanksgiving was not that badly off plan, I guess anything “off-plan” is off-plan by definition. More accurately, should have said: “compared to Thanksgivings Past”.
1x1 – Hope you’re having a good visit with your sister. Silverbirch - Hope your uncle is recovering. Glad you’re sprucing up the house in time for its 175th (wow!) birthday. Hope the stress dies down. To me ANY decorating project successfully done with *DC would be a miracle. (We’ve never had one.)
*(After reading recent Tudor discussion between SB & BBE, husband now nicknamed Consort.) Gardenerjoy – good plan to put advantages in the phone! Karenrn – hope you are having a good trip as well. How is Harley handling it? Lexxis – a new puppy! How fun! BBE - Always thought "screech owl" an unfair name! Junco’s also have bad pr in the name department. Nationalparker - Hope the cold gets better. Curley - glad you had a safe trip home, after your bitter-sweet visit.
Our worst customs seem to get exported: DS tells me Black Friday now exists in England. ???? And here comes the term "Gray Thursday". Tell me it isn't true!
I've returned from our two days in Tucson and we're heading out to take a friend to dinner in a few minutes. So I'm just letting you know I did much better than years past and I will do a real check in tomorrow morning.
Hello, all! A late night working again tonight and DH is back to working nights again. Realization: I've been mentally rough on myself for not really getting it together here lately. Tonight I was focused on the portions - why I'm not eating smaller portions, etc. Well, then I realized that, while i sat down to eat my dinner, I didn't put it on a nice plate like I typically do - I just put it in a prep bowl ... a one cup prep bowl. So here I am beating myself up tonight for eating a CUP of combined mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes. So while that's not the whole dinner, it was delicious and a holiday treat and not worth lambasting myself. I'm going to give myself credit for measuring that prep bowl.
Drinking hot tea and in between working, watching Christmas movies on the Hallmark channel. I watch very few movies on tv during the year - don't tend to have the tv on and don't like to be "stuck" for two hours. But come the holiday season, I'll watch the corniest Christmas movies and love it. HOWEVER, I just saw a commercial for Valentine's Day movies on this channel. C'mon... absurd.
Thankful those who are traveling are returning home safely and successfully! Nice to read that it's been lighter than years past.
CurlyPudge - Glad that you were able to spend time with MIL, though sorry to hear that she's not doing well. Pizza night sounds great - count me in. I could eat pizza daily.
Bill - I'm with you on some folks and the documenting of everything - it's as if it's not happening or worth doing/experiencing unless it can be posted/tweeted/photographed, whatever. Drives DH and me bonkers. Was committed to staying out of all traffic/stores this weekend, but now have appt. at an optical shop as apparently I sneeze too hard and blew a blood vessel in my eye and want to get it checked out before flying out Monday. Sheesh.
Mountain Mamma - I've not heard "Gray Thursday"! Oh, no. I never really even heard Black Friday until the past decade, maybe. I guess heading to stores was never really on my radar on the holiday weekend and I never paid attention. Kind of like calculus class years ago. Hm
Silverbirch - Know that we're keeping you in our thoughts for mental peace through these stressful times.
GardenerJoy - OK, you're making me feel the NEED to open this Green Beck book this coming week. If I can fit it in my suitcase, I'll pack it with me. If not, I'll commit to starting it next Saturday. It sounds like it's filled with techniques I need. CONGRATS on the new low!!
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walked, CREDIT moi, for two hours on the icy snow covered trails at Middlesex Fells Reservation. The Fells is a 2,575-acre conservation land near Boston. The crunchy sound of each step was magic. Few folks were out so it felt as private as the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Since we had little snow in the city and almost none visible, we'd forgotten that only 15 miles away would be winterland. Just love starting out braced against the cold then removing layer after layer as we generate heat.
Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner was, again, a repeat of Thanksgiving from the fridge full of leftovers. Still great, with enough remaining for one more meal. The mashed potatoes and cheese biscuits will die a natural fridge-death as their calorie load isn't appealing when the brain is away from the Thanksgiving table and makes choices.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yep, Kudos for not being intimidated by Hunger.
silverbirch – Best wishes for threading your use of time amongst the competing interests. When you can't post, I do hope you peek in to read and absorb the supportive feelings. [Thanks for the reminder that the wife of the King can be the Queen Consort even though called King and Queen in the press. (With, of course, the exception of William and Mary.) Seems like a subject for someone raised American to avoid.]
nationalparker – It is interesting that using a "prep bowl" fuddles the mind. Hope your eye examination goes well today.
Karen (karenrn) - Waving back. Wish you lived near here to have joined DW and I on the snowy trails to contrast with your Arizona heat.
curlypudge - Sending supportive thoughts as you think about your Mother-in-Law's health. Neat idea to have a meal that recognizes "too much together time."
Mountain Mamma - LOL at "Pumpkin pie: it’s not for breakfast any more." Good luck selling the title, Dear Consort to your DH. I'm afraid to get back into this subject at my dinner table for fear of being corrected, "Did your mean Mary and William?"
Readers -
Quote:
Week 5Overcome Challenges
By now, you should be experiencing some of the wonderful benefits of this program. Have you figured out that hunger is never an emergency? That you can withstand cravings? That you can tolerate the discomfort of not eating when you're not supposed to?
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 206.
Well I'll have to say this wasn't one of the best weeks I've had as far as food goes. I've had so much worse in my life, BUT. We had a wonderful visit with our friends in Green Valley. Suzanne and I cooked the dinner together and I tried to control my portions. One of the problems was there were too many items and other was that they were all calorie laden. Of course, add in the alcohol and there you have it. We did go on a 3 mile hike in Madera Canyon on Friday, credit.
Add to this that we came home yesterday and took our friend out to dinner where I made a poor choice. About all I can say is that I'm going to pretend this is Monday and get started today with very healthy food and lots of water. I'm sure I will have a gain tomorrow, but it is just a number and I know if I stick with a good plan the weight will come off.
Bill Oh I would have dearly loved to be in the snow. My family in Washington sent a picture yesterday with the snow coming down as they were putting up the Christmas tree. Meanwhile we were putting our patio furniture back out since the outdoor work is finished and it was 73 degrees.
Mountain Momma Harley handled the trip well after a bit of a rough start. I put him in the back seat with his new harness and the seat belt thru it. Before we even got to the gas station he was out of the seat belt and all twisted up. I sat in the backseat with him on the trip down. My husband drove and we were right behind him. We looked like some old goofy couple. At our friends he did well, especially when he met the poodle from next door that is just his size. His tail was wagging at the speed of light. On the way home we didn't attempt the seat belt, just had him sit on his blanket. He was so tired he slept the whole way.
National Parker Count me in as one who can watch a corny Christmas movie on the Hallmark channel. I watched a couple last week as I ironed. I can't sit still long enough to watch a movie very often, but they suck me right in.
Curly pudge Glad you made your trip safely. I can't quite imagine driving in the snow and ice anymore, so nerve wracking. I'm sorry to hear about your mother in law. My mother in law is the only parent we have left and so far is doing well at 84. However, I know that as we get older it doesn't take much to "tip us over".
Silverbirch We will be thinking of you and hope your time of too much to do doesn't last too long. Maybe you are just too good at too many things. Perhaps you need to be like the men who do a horrible job vacuuming, never to be asked again. I'm thinking mostly of your job of filling the holes and painting.
GardenerJoy Congratulations on your new low and continued diligence working the program. No wonder you are being so successful. I should try it. Lately your posts are the closest I've gotten to being involved with the Green book . . . that is not good.
Lovetogarden Your time with your daughters sounds so nice. My son Skyped from Thailand on Thanksgiving and that was as close as it got to seeing family on Thanksgiving. I'm thankful for Skype.
Onebyone I hope you are having a good visit with your sister. Let us know how the white board food planning goes once you try it.
Well, that's it from me. I think I just need to say "Oh well" about the last couple of days and move forward. We really only have two Christmas parties between now and Christmas and I am not baking. My goal is to be diligent and lose a pound or two.
Almost to the point of being able to shut down and wrap up for my trip - one more work thing to tackle in about 90 minutes and then I'm done. Alarm is set for 4 a.m. (no big deal to you, Bill, but I'm not that early morning person!) Ready to wrap it all up and finish packing.
Food has been "ok" today - odd choices but trying hard to stave off the "day before a trip" all out eating this and that. I noticed myself moving toward that this evening and have tried to avoid it. Cleaning out leftover containers since I know DH won't go thru the fridge when he's working nights this week ... and it's HARD to get rid of, of all things, leftover potatoes. Who else has to fight the siren song of mashed potatoes for goodness sake??? argh. Bill - Leave those spuds and cheese biscuits in the fridge - I'll be by to save them. Your walk sounds just heavenly. You demonstrate that there is some good to be had of winter I know our Canada friends are laughing at me, saying, "you weenie!"
Karen - Thank you for: it is just a number and I know if I stick with a good plan the weight will come off.
I have thrown stuff in my suitcase and no real idea if stuff coordinates - so unlike my normal packing. Half work, half family, and all in warmer weather!
Plan to check in daily, and bringing my green Beck book as I have backpack room at this point!
Karen - A 3 mile hike after Thanksgiving is commendable indeed. Glad Harley found a friend & did okay in the car. I like those harnesses, but sometimes they do tangle.
Nationalparker - Love those holiday movies, too. I usually have a task at hand to justify the time - DH humors me & watches too but I feel self-conscious, I mean, who doesn't cry when George Bailey is standing hopeless on the bridge?!
BBE - wow , a 2 hour hike in the snow!
Well, I would have couch-potatoed today BUT there's an exercise challenge on this board - not naming names, but her initials are Gardenerjoy - and I went all out to finish up. Probably first time I ever went to the gym on T'sgiving weekend. Thanks for inspiring us, Joy!
and thank you for telling me about your grandmother and mother and Hungarian. That game with your mother sounds like such a nice thing to do. I do like the idea of putting your food plan on the whiteboard - after your sister goes. Hope she gets to you without too much difficulty this time. 
Glad that you were able to keep things within bounds. 
Small Business Saturday
