I feel like I am on the mend this morning from physical stuff. Super grateful for overall general health. Discovered a class mate, a wonderful opera tenor, passed away at 50. And just this morning, an extended family member passed away at 48. Shocking. DH and I had a discussion about intentional health. After 50 we can't take our activity for level for granted or we will automatically decline. I think of BBE and all his intentional walks and country dances. These things are critical.
Love hearing about April goals. I have a few. I will continue on my plan even though Lent ends. I want to give it fair shot after medications stuff goes away. Walk planned for today.
This is an interesting time for me. I don't have near as much control as I usually have since I can't drive, prepare food etc. I'm realizing this is really hard on dh. I am so fortunate to be retired that for the most part I do the shopping, cooking etc and basically did even when I worked. It is hard for him to take over partly because of the lack of time and he has trouble just winging it. Also the cooking and shopping take him much longer than they do for me since I've been doing it for years and can throw something together easily. Add to that we cook the dogs food every week and it wasn't cooked quite right and Harley was spitting out the carrots (not done enough). Anyway, I'm glad this is just a temporary thing.
I didn't walk this morning because friends picked me up for a morning movie and then lunch. I was afraid if I walked first I'd want to nap in the theater. We saw Seymour: An Introduction, a documentary about Seymour Bernstein. We all really enjoyed it. I will get out and walk again tomorrow and hopefully the rest of the days this week.
I'm afraid it's nap time. Hope to get to personals again tomorrow.
Hello Coaches
Yesterday was a healthy picnic and visit with a friend at Hernando Beach. We were picnicking on little stretch of sand on a narrow waterway that connects to the Gulf of Mexico. I was watching my pooch standing in the water cooling off when a manitee surfaced briefly, right in front of us, then continued on her way. Amazing..
We didn’t end up eating till 4pm and I had a new realization… maybe I should experiment with altering the timing of meals. Normally 4pm is a horrible craving time and based on yesterday, I’m thinking, heck, why not have a real MEAL at 4. And call noon a snack?
Lexxiss (Debbie R) Good to hear that you were able to overcome the urge to stuff your feelings with “no choice”. Kudos. Thanks for sharing how you keep your plans handy and grab one especially after a difficult day and put it on the counter.
Nationalparker: Kudos for Committing to a fresh restart. I love your mantra “Repeat daily”. That works well for me too and why I took the name “DailyPractice” … to remind myself everytime I see my name that this is a “daily practice” not unlike the spiritual practice of a Buddhist monk. I like your idea to post here as a diversion from eating… I’m taking your lead and here I am posting at MY tough time of day, rather than in the morning, which is much easier for me.
GardenerJoy: Congrats on the new family member and Kudos for adjusting your evening snack to reflect the earlier celebratory portions. I agree that the tone of this thread is amazingly helpful and positive. I like your idea of writing encouraging notes to yourself. And thanks for sharing how you do your planning. It helps to read how the rest of you are doing things.
Karen: You ask where in WA we live. It’s White Salmon, in the Columbia River Gorge, in the Cascade mountains, (a renown windsurfing mecca). My BF used to have a house in Seattle, so we've spent time up there too. I got a kick out of your Harley spitting out his carrots. That was Daisy yesterday. We were late getting home and hadn’t brought her dog food so I tried feeding her rye bread. She tried it, screwed up her face and spit it out. LOL.
Bill: Kudos for your OP eating of “treat food”. I do fine with so-so food but if it’s something I really like, I struggle with portion control. Thanks for the explanation of the half orange. Now that you mention it, on most morning walks, I also have just half an orange for the same reason, my bf peels one and hands half to me. Funny I thought your reason MUST have been much more scientifically complicated. LOL.
Spanky: Kudos on your list of excellent actions: Rereading Beck, making cards, posting signs, choosing a calorie counting app, accounting for treats and putting a plan in place… Mucho credit to you.
Maryann: Glad to hear you feel on the mend physically. But I’m so sorry to hear of the losses you recently learned about. It is shocking. Just last night, we were watching an old beach flick with Annette Funicello and I wondered what ever became of her. I Googled and learned she’d died from complications from MS. Which made me think of a former boss who had MS and wondered how HE was doing. I googled and sadly found HIS obituary. So sad.
P/A Congrats on the Scale being down, your food plan in place and aquafit scheduled. All good! Sending you positive vibes to keep the momentum going.
Last edited by dailypractice; 03-30-2015 at 09:37 PM.
A return to day 13: Overcome Cravings
I decided to revisit this step.
And in the process, I fight a feeling of "failure", like a remedial student not progressing at the rate of one "Beck day" per calendar day. But frankly, this step needs more focus. I really didn't put enough effort into it. And I see it as the A#1 most important lesson in the whole book. For me anyway.
So last night, I reread the chapter and took notes in my journal. Beck itemizes 9 anti-craving strategies: I'm going to type them here... as a way to help instill them in my psyche.
Mindset Techniques
1. Label it: It's uncomfortable, but not an emergency.
2. Stand firm
3. Don't give yourself a choice
4. Imagine the aftermath of giving in
5. Re-read the advantages of losing weight
Behavioral Techniques
1. Distance yourself from the food
2. Drink a no-cal beverage
3. Relax
4. Distract yourself. (followed by a page of great distraction ideas)
Wanted to post again today to note that finally I had an OP day with a few exchanges due to work, but taking credit for them. Planned to make a turkey meatloaf, loaded with peppers and onions. I ended up staying at work an extra few hours as someone new needed assistance and we stayed so busy, that food wasn't on my mind there, then got home VERY hungry and regrouped with another meal that had a good bit of protein. I have a good repertoire of healthy meals and my issue is not that I'm eating crapola, it's that an extra few hundred calories of something healthy is still too much. And, of course, the french fries or nice roll out that I certainly don't need but am not willing (yet) to completely bypass.
GardenerJoy - Thanks for the recommendation of the exercise challenges. I'd not checked that one out - even to lurk. That right there should tell me something, ha ha! Apparently I don't even want to READ about it.
Bill - Thanks for the explanation on the orange as well ... I wondered that but never asked. Whenever you write about an orange, I smile, because I remember my nana telling me for new year's she'd get an orange and a few walnuts in her sock (they didn't have a christmas) ... the orange was a BIG DEAL since it had to go from Florida to Canada to get to her! She remains close in my mind and keeps me appreciative of so much that I have - I loved her rationing stories. Sorry to go on and on.
Karen - I was LOL at your pooch spitting out the hard carrots. I wish I lived closer and could help. I've heard a neighbor has to have surgery and this is a good nudge for me to walk over there and see what I can do to help her while he's down and out for a bit. Even if it's just some marketing. Not yard-mowing time yet.
p.a. - KUDOS for following through on your plan and seeing the scale drop! Motivating me! How much longer until it warms up nicely up there? June?
Maryann - I'm sorry to hear about your losses - it is always a bit of a hit to lose someone we know close in age. Not that we get to choose, but I would hope I get some retirement time before I pass
CurlyJax - I'm hoping you and DH are doing okay this week. Any leads on something he would be interested in? Keeping good thoughts that it'll work out even better.
Lexxiss - I love the parameters you've set out for this doesn't get eaten at work, etc. Credits for splitting one meal into two and being clever with it!
Spanky - Way to make it work for you with planning what you knew you'd have and "making do." That's how it should work - no beating yourself up, no overindulging - credits!
Coaches: I signed up for Weight Watchers today and will attend the Thursday morning meeting. The last time I really had some success that's where and when I went. I am willing to give it another try.
My cold is better but wow it was tough over the weekend. Food was not bad not good.
Tired of this stalling. Happy to make a change.
Bill blue eyes: your robo pharmacist reminded me of an X minus 1 episode called How 2. It's available to listen to online. I think you'll enjoy it. I think it's episode 46. My all time favorite episode is there too, The Discovery of Morneal Mathaway. Enjoy!
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Seems repetitive that I celebrate walking (CREDIT moi) again and again. It's just so neat to believe that our winter might be over. DW asked for a time that we're both free to put up the fence in our plot at the community garden and . . . and . . . plant the sugar snaps! Life is good.
Eating was 100% on-plan, CREDIT moi. It does feel good to be back on the path. Dinner was the leftover shrimp marinara; it's violates DW's aesthetics to serve the same meal two nights in a row but she felt that shrimp don't last that long in the fridge. I'm not so picky; it was scrumptious again. Evening snack was a whole California Navel Orange - I cut it up myself. The discussion on this thread led to a marital discussion. Apparently, I get half an orange each evening because she serves herself a half and graciously gives me the remainder. If I want more, serve myself however much I want. I suspect that this isn't the place where I'm going to get sympathy that I have to serve my own evening snack, LOL.
onebyone – Having trouble concentrating this morning since I'm listening to your linked X minus 1 episode called How 2. Now, of course, I want a robot. My robot can chat with my pharmacist's robot all day if they want, LOL. Kudos for jumping into Weight Watchers.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – I love that your Response Card ends with "CELEBRATE."
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Had to google your ghost pepper cheese - now, of course, I want me some. Neat to split a Ruben instead of stuffing yourself.
maryann - Gotta love the phrase, "intentional health" - a great reminder that good health isn't an accident.
spanky - Thanks for demonstrating that we can still have donuts if we plan for them and account for them - Kudos.
nationalparker – Kudos for the smooth recovery from the spill in the morning. Super Congrats for the $0.75 purchase of a useful $8.50 pack of cards - that's my idea of a good sale. I do know about the impact of extra calories of foods that get past the security system by wearing the old healthy disguise.
Karen (karenrn) - Yay for nap time to let you body heal itself. Congrats for choosing a DH who'll step into the breach even though it's harder since he's unpracticed.
p.a. - It's a good day when the plan is in place - Kudos.
Ani (dailypractice) - Yay for being checked out by a manatee. Neat to think about different ways to make your eating schedule work. Thanks for the opportunity to re-read Beck's anti-craving strategies. It helps me to remember that I do have options if I just think about them.
Readers -
Quote:
day 33Eliminate Emotional Eating
Use Behavioral Techniques
Take some action in order to decrease your distress when you're upset: . . . .....Relax. Listen to an audiotape that teaches relaxation techniques, such as progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, or deep breathing. Or do the slow, shallow breathing described on page 131.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 229.
The sunrise cast a bright pink glow over everything this morning. It was unusual and made me think "Summer". Imagine. It might actually come. I am connected to lots of Key West Florida people on facebook and they have started posting "Spring" pictures of enormous flowering trees. Seems everyone celebrates the arrival of Spring. This past weekend while I was away at the printmaking workshop, many of us sat outside of the steps of the studio filing the edges of of copper and our aluminum printing plates. (We file the edges to a 45 degree angle or so so when the plates are inked and going through the press they don't cut through the blankets that protect the press rollers.) I also noted to myself that it was almost warm enough to carve linoleum blocks outside again. This is my definition of warm btw. I experience sheer bliss carving linoblocks in the warm sun.
*credit for weighing in -1lb from yesterday to see 280.9 or 280. This morning I can't believe I am going back to weight watchers and that's ok. It was a gut reaction to do it and I trust that. My body will bring my brain along on this one. LOL.
Today is an organizational day once I finish helping another potter make some prints for my print exchange show opening Thursday night. yes, this Thursday. The set up should be simple. A fancy clothesline that is not supposed to twist or roll and some clips to clip prints up. The tough part will be all the labels I need to make and all the extra labels I will have to create for the prints where people didn't do that. I am sure I will have lots of those. Then the photographs of prints and the labeling of them. Putting them online. It's a lot of stuff. There are still prints coming so I won't actually exchange anything with anyone for a few weeks until I am sure everything has arrived.
Guess that's it for now. Time to make a real breakfast.
I met my March exercise goal a day early. Yay! Even better that it was my first heavy-duty day of gardening this spring. I raked leaves out of ornamental grasses so DH could cut them (lots of lunges), pulled up hen's bit (lots of squats), raked leaves from the edges of my garden where they get stuck against the deck and lumped in the middle where they can act as organic matter, raked & shoveled & hauled compost. Still more work to do today before running the cultivator.
WI: +0.1 kg, Exercise: +120 1330/1300 minutes for March, Food: 90% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Yesterday was on plan. Had to really stop and consider my strategy upon finding there were ten hours left in the day and I only had 600 calories left. I made it under 1200 calories for the day, but spent a lot of time reading to distract myself.
I've been mulling over one of my "Advantage Responses" on my card. Our family life has condensed to daily wrangling and dealing with our very troubled adopted son who's just 8 1/2. We get through our stressful job days and then deal with him and whatever he's done at school, then do all his behavior plans and the homework he missed at school.Then we fall into bed.
Neither DH nor I have a life outside of this. I'm thinking that even something as paltry as weighing what I want to would give me some sense of having something be "mine". That would mean a lot. I also don't want to have my eating behavior contingent on whatever trouble my son has gotten into that day. I want to disconnect eating from emotion.
That said, I have a plan for today. Reading Day 7 in the pink book.
Just wanted to let you know I'm still here, just lurking and working away quietly.
I've decided to exempt myself from weigh-in the week of my period. Due to water retention, the number will not accurately reflect any weight loss and I'm not yet at a place where that won't discourage me, so I don't see what benefit would be gained.
I've never put much stock in self-hypnosis, affirmations, etc. but decided to use the stuff on my Spotify and Amazon Prime accounts as it can't hurt. I listen to self-hypnosis or guided meditations when I'm going to sleep, affirmations when I'm getting ready for work in the morning, and I like the new agey music with subliminal messages.
I'm doing a 10 day fitness program from a Jackie Warner book. I don't like her diets but just love her workout programs and DVDs. I once made the mistake of watching her show, though. She's kind of a hot mess with her personal life. :/
Still haven't reached my mini-goal, but I know why (I still eat too darn much) so I can't claim the process doesn't work. I need to stop eating too much.
Last edited by Violette_R; 03-31-2015 at 04:51 PM.
Coaches Today, I experimented rearranging meals. I had just a snack for lunch and then at 3pm walked over to a local park to meet a friend. That diversionary activity took my mind off the typical 4pm craving time. It worked. When I got back home at 4:30, the spell was broken.
Nationalparker: Kudos for your OP day. I know what you mean how extra calories of something healthy is still too much…. toughest for me when the food is something I really like.
Onebyone: Excellent idea to rejoin Weight Watchers, given you know it was successful in the past. And thanks for mentioning how you enjoy working your art outdoors in the sun. It inspires me to take my paints and go outside.
Bill: Kudos on the walking every day and the eating OP every day AND for serving yourself a WHOLE orange. LOL. That’s neat that you participate in a community garden. That must make it more fun and social to garden alongside others.
GardenerJoy: Yay on meeting your exercise goal early. And getting started with the gardening. With all of you avid gardeners, maybe I’ll get inspired to actually PLANT the seeds I buy but never get around to planting. Right now I have 2 packages of mesclun blend. I just LOVE the flavorful greens.
Spanky: Kudos for staying on plan, and using reading as a distraction. What a helpful idea to view dieting activities as a good way to give you a sense of having something be “yours” at a time when so much of your time is spend devoted to work and a challenging family situation.
Violette: Inspiring to hear you’re giving a try to some new possible aids that may or may not work for you. “Can’t hurt” is a good way of approaching such new ideas. Personally, I DO find value in self-hypnosis. “The Self Hypnosis Diet” by Steven Gurgevich is a book/cd I found at the library that has helped me a lot.
Ani
Last edited by dailypractice; 03-31-2015 at 07:19 PM.
Day 11 OP of meals times at 7,12,6, one smoothie, no wheat. Actually, it is not as strict as it sounds, I do soy sauce for example and had some bread crumbs in a strata. Still I have not sat down for bread, cake, pasta, for all of Lent. I am noticeably less hungry and the "three meals with only life in between" have forced me to do serious strength excerices for my resistance muscle.
The weightloss I had hoped for in the month has not materialized. But I am certainly satisfied with the discipline I have practiced. I had to go off a medication that prevented ovarian cysts from growing. Currently, I just have to live with them. I know they have added a few pounds of water and have made exercise painful this week. Next week should be better. I have said it before, but I am so glad I had a program. I know gaining even more weight would have been horribly discouraging. Weight this morning was just two pounds from ticker.
So for today, I am grateful.
KarenRN: In my home it is the same labor division. I do the cooking, shopping, cleaning, etc. . . If DH is in charge of dinner, we eat out or open a can of soup. I have found though that if I let go of making him do it my way, I can relax and enjoy the break. He is a pretty smart guy; he'll figure out some shortcuts.
Dailypracitce: The manatee setting sounds idyllic. Wish I was there.
nationalparker: I have been thinking about a person who dies so early and who never enjoys a retirement dream. In this particular case, she worked full time raising her two girls. I am lucky enough to have been able to always be part time and for today I feel the gratitude of my choice. I have spent precious time with my son I can never retrieve.
onebyone: Good Luck at WW.
BBE and gardenerjoy: We are in the 80s. It looks like we missed spring
Spanky: I have spent my professional life working with families that have children like your son. I have such compassion for all involved. Some of the sweetest children I know have no capacity to function in a school environment. It is heartbreaking. Know that the work you and your husband are doing doesn't feel like "enough" but you can't imagine the results of no parent intervention. I have seen time and again children completely lossed by 8th grade. Thank you for the work you are doing.
Evening everyone. Spent too long at the studio today. left early this morning and didn't get home till 7 ish,,,,,,didn't stop for lunch. Was I hungry ,,,yup. Did I grab snacks there? ,,,,NOPE. Did I stop at any of the fast foods on the way home,,,,NOPE. Picked up a precooked chicken and some potatoes and was fine.
Good Morning, Coaches
Happy Afternoon.
Returning to Beck Day 13: Overcome Cravings.
I wish I lived closer and could help. I've heard a neighbor has to have surgery and this is a good nudge for me to walk over there and see what I can do to help her while he's down and out for a bit. Even if it's just some marketing. Not yard-mowing time yet. 
