[BillBlueEyes]

Welcome to the discussion group, support group, Diet Coach group, Diet Buddy group relating to the two books by Dr. Judith S. Beck:

The Complete Beck Diet for Life

and the first book

The Beck DIET solution: train your brain to think like a thin person.

The Beck Diet Solution is a psychological program, not a food plan. It provides a step-by-step program to learn specific techniques to stay on our diet, lose weight, and maintain our weight loss for life. The program is based on Dr. Beck's clinical research in Cognitive Therapy (CT).

The Complete Beck Diet for Life expands the earlier work and includes a food plan with suggested menus. From the cover:

With The Complete Beck Diet for Life you'll discover the 5 stages of successful dieting and maintenance. You'll learn how to motivate yourself, give yourself credit for every change you make, create time and energy for dieting, and handle hunger and cravings. Dr. Beck eases you into changing one step at a time. You'll master one task before moving on to the next. And you'll learn techniques to deal with challenging situations, such as sticking with ou plan at celebrations and dealing with "food pushers." With Dr. Beck's skills, you'll achieve a lifetime of healthful eating and lifelong motivation.

This is a place to discuss the Beck strategies and our daily efforts, to receive and provide support, and, for some of us, is where we serve as on-line diet buddy (coach) to each other.

If you’ve arrived from a search engine, you've landed at the site of 3 Fat Chicks (3FC), a remarkable place for those interested in a healthy life style, including mindful eating, exercise, and weight loss. More about the site, including how to register so that you can post, can be found here.

The books are available on Amazon through the 3FC store by clicking their names above; buying through 3FC helps to cover the costs of running this site.

You can find the list of previous (or more current) monthly Beck threads here on 3 Fat Chicks via:

List of Monthly Beck Threads for Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

[BillBlueEyes]

dsha123

And, on the occasion of your first posts,

How did you learn about the books by Dr. Judith Beck?

And how did you find our support thread here on 3 Fat Chicks?

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Great to be back. We stayed three nights in Rome, then five on the Amalfi Coast, then five back in Rome. Loved, loved, loved every minute. I ate vacation-rationally the whole time, CREDIT moi, until the last night when I ordered Tiramisu for dessert for no good reason. Rationally includes sufficient pasta, prosciutto, and gelato, of course. But I'm back on track now. The scale reads exactly the same as the day I left, but I'm pessimistically concerned that I've returned lightly dehydrated or something. I'll see in a week.

Exercise was walking for miles every day, CREDIT moi, enjoying every step. Rome is a walking city. One is never more than a few steps from gelato, ancient cathedrals, and surprises of ancient fragments of buildings and walls. Was delighted to be nearly run over by a pack of Nordic walkers in Rome on our last day; all wearing matching t-shirts strutting with their pair of walking sticks. Much to tell when my brain returns to local time. Waving to everyone whom I've missed on personals.


onebyone – Neat to celebrate a one pound loss by "NOT EATING ANY FOOD at the movies tonight" - presumably overcoming the desire to have a celebratory food. Sending supportive thoughts as you travel the ups and downs of your mother's care.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – During a hike up the hillside on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, DW kept pointing out plants "sold as annuals back home - just wild here." Formal gardens EVERYWHERE in Rome.

Erika (eusebius) – Kudos for making your health a priority during a bunch of major changes in your life.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Kudos for keeping to your path while staying as busy as you do.

silverbirch – Sending supportive thoughts as you process the loss of your uncle. Yay for books. Our only book purchase was a book of Shelly's poetry from the Shelly house near the Spanish Steps in Rome. If I'd bought the art books from every museum that appealed to me I'd have 100 kg of books to sneak past Alitalia luggage check.

maryann - Hope those back problems resolve themselves.

spanky - Ouch for the major life chaos, with Kudos for taking immediate steps to respond.

nationalparker – Good grief - you've gone and returned from a ten day trip all while I was away. Thanks for the question, "How can we make this work for everyone?"

Beth (bethFromDayton) – The little stuff adds up - like your trip upstairs instead of asking your DD to fetch for you.

Karen (karenrn) - LMAO at a "Japanese/Mexican restaurant" - can't imagine.

curlyjax - DW spent two weeks in Italy getting emails from her gardening buddies about NO RAIN. Then we arrived home in the rain - to her great delight. While others were whining about transportation and getting wet, she just grinned.

love2garden - Have a happy Colonoscopy today. Ouch. The good news is that another isn't usually required for five years. I do love the notion that you can tire of "Dark Chocolate Raspberry Ice Cream."

Ani (dailypractice) - Love the notion that we almost crossed paths in Italy.

TripSwitch - Putting back the big chocolate bar in the grocery store is Kudos worthy. And Kudos for facing "UNREALISTIC expectations."

dsha123 - My take is that Beck suggests a written diet plan instead of just doing better. That includes writing your own diet (as I've done), with some items, such as my snacks, as taken from a list of my common snacks. The notion seems to be that it's easier to follow a written plan. Glad that you've joined us.

Readers -

Day 37 Reduce Stress

Three Steps to Lower Your Level of Stress

Lilian, for example, has a rule: I should always put other people first. therefore, even though it was the busiest time of the year at work, she agreed to help her mother buy a new computer, go with a friend to a concert, and help her cousin with gardening. Michael has an unspoken rule: I can't show any sign of weakness. Therefore, he didn't take time off from work when he had the flu (and it took him longer to recover). Suzanne also has a rule" I should do everything myself. Therefore she deprived herself of the assistance she needed when her husband's chronic illness took a turn for the worse.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 245.

[silverbirch]

Bentornato, Bill! Glad you had such a lovely time.

to all. I'll try to post a bit more this week.

[Lexxiss]

Welcome back, Bill! I look forward to hearing more of your wonderful adventure!

[curlyjax]

hi coaches-
well, i had a great talk with my friend, i haven't seen her in ages and it was great to catch up. but i didn't resist the muffin! i didn't eat too badly the rest of the day so it should all come out in the wash.

the project- I guess it is called an arbor, its fun to learn these terms! Its wooden, and the kind that is straight across with a pergola type top, instead of a curve. I like the white curved arches that you see but many of them are vinyl and the rest of the fence is wood so that wouldn't work. The new arbor is sitting forlornly in the rain and I feel irrationally bad about it, although DH points out it is made to be outside! I just don't like something brand new to be accosted by weather yet! There will probably only be two lattice pieces across- we need to be able to move one in case we need to get a machine in the back yard so that will be interesting to figure out (arbor is too narrow).

Bill- Welcome back!!! I'm so glad you had a great trip. It sounds just up your alley! and will be a great memory forever. We missed you but were glad you were off having adventures!
Nationalparker- welcome back too! I think you deserve more than one comp day for all the overtime!! I hope you enjoy your day off and can catch up on some sleep!
Lexiss and gardenerjoy- I really enjoyed and could relate to your posts.
Now a days I think most schools try to teach some nutrition so hopefully kids are getting some information there at least.
Waving to all!

[nationalparker]

Welcome back, Bill - I'm looking forward to hearing much more about your trip ... and will enjoy my "trip envy" that comes from being so happy that someone else loves a place I love.

Started out my day with a banana smoothie with a few pineapple chunks in it. It's a chilly, dreary morning. I sat down early this morning and wrote a letter to very close friends of my parents who asked me to keep in touch - and I've done a poor job at that. Just holiday brief notes. . My mom always treasured written letters, wrote often, and read/reread letters she'd receive. She chose pretty address labels, coordinated stamps (flag stamps went on bills or were for Dad's correspondence, the flower stamps were hers, etc.) But this notecard is going out with teacups on the border and a Batman stamp. Jarring, in a way. ha ha

Adjusting ticker down to weight, though only two pounds now. Goal for weekend is another tick down. Goal for just today: add in more fluids and be more active.

[karenrn]

Good morning coaches,

Food remains on plan and within calories, credit. It's a bit more difficult when I have a rest day (no added exercise calories), but I made it. Friend Coleen came over to float in the pool and visit on her last day here yesterday. I had already been out there a bit. Good thing I put my number 30 sunscreen on before she got here or it would not have been pretty. I like a little color, but do not want to be one of the leathery looking people.

Okay, big time credit for this morning. I went to the gym and did my first Strong Curves workout. I took the book along and used it to remind myself of exactly how the exercises were to be completed. The gym wasn't too busy when I arrived at 6 and I noticed 7 might be an even better time to go. I just have to give myself a talking to in order not to feel self conscious about being new to those exercises and looking foolish. The most difficult part was the warm up which included foam rolling, which I have always hated. I find a few of those moves were difficult due to my arm, which is not quite strong enough yet, so I improvised and know that will be better than nothing for sure.

Bill, do tell more about the trip in the days to come. I love Italy too and haven't been there in 10 years now. I remember coming home without a weight gain also from all the walking, which was just wonderful. I just love Rome. Did you happen to go to the Borghese Museum?

Where is Ani? If you're lurking, Ani, we miss you. I bet you're getting settled back into your Washington home.

I had better get moving, need to get in the shower before my cousin arrives.

[gardenerjoy]

Trying to get all my routines going again. Including my one-line report here.

WI: +0.65 kg, Exercise: +55 1300/1300 minutes for May, Food: NA op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

karenrn: my overeating stems from the opposite of yours, I think. I overeat when I'm avoiding a too-long to-do list. The addition that threw me for a loop last week was to fix the inequities in funding public education. Fortunately, I found a group working on that here over the weekend so I don't have to start from scratch after all.

BillBlueEyes: welcome home! Sounds like a wonderful trip!

[dsha123]

Thanks BBE!! What a nice welcome
I was told about the books by an e counselling session through work. She said it may be a good read and a good way to refocus weight loss. I'd heard of 3fat chicks before, but I just googled Beck diet support and found this group!

I didn't have the best weekend...I haven't read anymore of the book, but I am back on track today

[christabelle66]

Not sure what the etiquette is about introductions but I am VERY excited to find this group. I learned about the Beck books when Judith Beck and her daughter spoke at our local, favorite independent book store. I wasn't able to attend, but did more research and ended up reading The Beck Diet Solution, The Diet Trap Solution and The Complete Beck Diet for Life. I "know" how to lose weight but have never known how to keep it off when I become stressed or have a set back. This cognitive behavioral piece sees like the missing link. I have a long journey ahead of me but am so happy to have discovered other who are embracing these skills.

[onebyone]

Coaches

Finally made it to the guild for a regular pottery-making day. It's been a while. I get really antsy and cranky when I am not making things, so I was happy to be there, even though I gave myself unnecessary extra work by doing my pottery wrong! UGH. Now I have two steps to get to the end instead of one because of my bass-akwards planning.

Otherwise have been tracking and am looking forward to a homemade pizza, a rare treat, tonight. My pottery guild is interfering with a smooth transition to that as right after DH gets home I need to take the car and go finish something I totally forgot to do while at the guild this morning.

Double for that.

I'm finding it tough to reign in the food desire this afternoon. I feel tired and annoyed with myself for the above errors and feel like eating over it, or maybe I simply just feel like eating and I am trying to justify the desire to eat with some kind of reason. Chicken or the egg kind of thinking there. It makes no never mind because I ain't gonna do it.

I was struck by my ticker this morning when I realized I am working on being 20lbs down from January! Hello? When the heck did that sneak up on me? Here I am harbouring sabotaging thoughts daily, like thinking 99% of the time that I'm not getting anywhere, this isn't working, I'll never do it, it's over, I will never be thinprettyyounggoodenoughsmartenoughcleverenoughin sertwishhere____

So. Happy thoughts! I'm on my way to 20lbs down.





Welcome back BBE. I look forward to what insights you gleaned about food consumption/patterns/quality/quantity you experienced in Italy vs. our North American fare.

[dsha123]

Hey all!

Which of the 2 books do you prefer? Do you feel like The Complete Beck Diet for Life is better to do or to start with The Beck DIET solution: train your brain to think like a thin person. I'm reading the latter but thought maybe you guys may think the first one is a better choice..
Thanks!

[dsha123]

Those dancing carrots are hypnotic...

[nationalparker]

Welcome, dsha123 and christabelle! I use the pink book but I'm not using it enough! Tonight I'm coming up with new goals as I've been skating for too long - just "thinking about it" and not "walking the walk."

OK - I am struggling with having more food around, all day. But then, I realize I walked into and out of the kitchen with nothing when on the hunt. I drove north of town to a cooking store and then picked up some specialty bread, which I portioned out at lunch and small amount with dinner. This store isn't a regular on my circuit, so will savor it. Have done larger lunches and smaller dinners on the road (or no dinners due to late nights), and keeping up the lighter later meal. I know this will change when DH is off nights in a few days.

Back to work tomorrow. I need to get some decent sleep tonight. It's light SO late, so I find myself dragging out the evening before wrapping things up. Found a financial blog that is very interesting to me - basically living thriftily and hopefully retiring early and then doing what you WANT to do ... and I've been going from post to post the past few weeks in any spare time. I think it's just a dream - we, too, worry about workplace reduction, but on the offchance we can hang in there for the duration... nice to plan/think about. It meshes well with my goal to waste less food this year... still enjoying meals out together now and then, but becoming more aware.

Wanted to make my homemade black bean soup and cilantro rice for dinner, but we had leftovers, so we each chose those, so will prep that tomorrow, I think. Nothing to go bad there.

Credit - smaller dinner. More liquids. Debit - No trail walk with pooch. Just general walking and cleaning here.

Sure have enjoyed time with the pets to just "be".