It finally arrived, and I am excited for the new school year. I have two more weeks before students starts arriving. I love catching up with my colleagues and there is something rejuvenating about the start of a new school year.
Looked over my food journal and I have not eaten 100% on plan for six day. SIX DAYS. Yikes. Time to focus.
BillBB: I have had to give myself the library lecture several times. I have always bought my books because I love to reread. I love books around my house. But I cataloged all of my picture books (kids need books in the house, I always told myself) and I have 816 books (over the last 30 years)!! That is just ridiculous. I can't get rid of them, but I have quit buying them. Maybe. However, I do go to the library now for my other reading. I am reading "Dead Wake" now - it is amazing to me how many events have to form and collide for a specific moment in history to take place. Fate? I don't know - but it is fascinating.
maryann: I am so incredibly happy for you and your mother. Congratulations. I hadn't even thought about not going out for lunch. I would be such a rebel. I am not sure who is going to be at the meetings this week - my hope is that I don't know any of them well enough to go out with. Not the best plan, is it? I do have a restaurant plan, though, I am going to do it today. If successful I will stick with it, if not, I will pack a lunch and give them an excuse not to go out.
onebyone: 700 people is quite the "exclusive" party. Did your husband play or watch? I would be a terrible poker player. The Artist in Residence gig sounds complicated. What an opportunity. And thank you for the idea for the response card - it is perfect.
Chattier than usual - must be excited for the day.
Yay for a 100% day! It feels like I have to earn every one of those, right now.
WI: -0.15 kg, Exercise: +45 45/1300 minutes for August, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
BillBlueEyes and SuzLen: I'm reading The Girl on The Train by Paula Hawkins. I can't remember if anyone mentioned reading it here. It's definitely popular because it took weeks for my turn to come up at the library. It took me a while to get into it, but now I'm having a hard time putting it down!
*Credit* for weighing this morning. 45.07 BMI. Good. Going down again. 270.5 this morning in the other unit of measure.
*credit* as well for tracking my breakfast and planning my food for the day and inserting it into the tracker. May I follow it today. of course, being on-site and not leaving the site makes it easier to follow a foodplan as it isn't my house and I ma bringing my food with me. The challenge in residence today will be the Monday Painters group. A 35+year casual painting group who meets at the gallery every Monday. there are Monday Morning Painters and Monday Afternoon Painters and Monday Evening Painters. But this is also a Holiday Monday here so perhaps their number will be smaller than the norm. So far the resident artists have been annoyed by them as they just simply spread out, often plunking their easels down into the space of the residents so they cannot work at peace. My plan is to take it outside since I can't get outside otherwise cause I have to watch the gallery while I work. Today is the first of only 2 long working days there. I am in from 1-8. Tomorrow through Wednesday were also 1-8's but I have a dermatology appt tomorrow downtown so I won't be back until 5:30ish making tomorrow super short, leaving me 1-8 on Wednesday and I found out that the extra long Thursday, which coincides with the free concerts at the Mill Pond (across the street) includes an announcement that the gallery is open as so people pour in to see the exhibition=can't work at all. My Thursday workday will end at about 5. After the concert (I'm there until 10) I have to get my work off the walls so the next resident can come set up. My friend with the big SUV is away so it'll be several small trips for me and my vehicle. Must make it a point to declutter somewhat here to make room for my work. I will need to reinstall it at the end of the month for week2. *Credit* for planning ahead so I minimize stress therefore diminishing the chance of my emotions driving me to eat to combat stress.
gardenerjoy KUDOS for working it to get that 100% day!!! I just ordered this because I read this
Quote:
Great writers are witnesses to the spirit of their age. They need not be accepted by their times; they rarely are. Speaking the truth, they may go unheard, be misunderstood or criticized. Later, posthumously, it is said they were ahead of their time.
here The book I am reading right now is by a local potter, Tony Clennell, called Stuck in the Mud. He falls into that Outliers category of having put in 10,000 hours and become an expert in his field. Interesting read. Someday I hope to write something like this.
SuzLen My husband was a pro-poker player, primarily online. Then he burnt out and asked someone to hire him and the site he played for did! They were the sponsors for the event so he went for work with about 12 others from work. I am terrible poker player. Pure emotion and no poker face. I gamble doing art shows. Enjoy your first day of school!!
BillBlueEyes We had our first tomatoes last night: Tye Dye is the variety. Orangey-red. Small. Cocktail size I think they call them now. If you ever run across Edward Gibbons classic feel free to purchase it for me and I will reimburse you price+ shipping! This goes double for Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologicae, especially this part of it. Written in 1275 it boggles my mind and would be a good reader workout.
I am looking forward to catching up on all of the posts but wanted to pop in here and say that I'm back and have set a focus on five months. What can I do before January because by my birthday will be too quick and I just feel like I'd set myself up for failure if I have a bad weekend and then think "Oh what the heck I can't rescue this in three weeks," etc. All this weight I'm putting back on is all fat - I'm getting bigger than I was at this weight before. A BIG reality check. We ate SO MUCH this weekend. I knew it would be full of food but then added to it with decisions made without any care to the consequences of an add'l 1000 calories in a slice of frosted cake.
I'm listening to "The End of Overeating" again - I've checked it out from the library a few times in the past few years, and glean something different from it each time. Good reinforcement to eat better now.
Again, I have my hopes up that DH is joining me. I need to figure out WHY it's important to me, other than he's gained substantial amount of weight since we married and I worry for his health/body confidence. I notice now he'll leave his shirt on more, put a towel up, etc. Is it bc of his thoughts about his body or is it bc he thinks I'm critical? I don't know. BUT he looked me in my eyes yesterday and said he was on board. My issue is I don't know what range of calories he should have and neither does he. I guess we'll take some target practice and see how things roll to start and adjust from there.
Years ago I used to put a new motivational note on the fridge every day when I was on my initial weight loss journey and it had to be changed daily or I wouldn't pay attention. But what to focus on that day, what makes it important, etc. I am going to do a week at a time, print them out, and see how that "works" for us. I do not have the basics for healthy recipes this week until I hit the market so will do a quick stop on the way home for some fruits/veggies/chicken. He's working nights, so whatever I make will not be fresh for him.
Thanks for letting me "think out loud" here and get my mind in gear. Cousin wants to join me to see where we get in two months before she visits. That will be a good motivation as well. Then I will be going into the fall clothes that will not fit at this size for me, too.
I'm making it so, so much harder than it needs to be. I don't understand why I do that. My dad used to say it's easy - just push yourself away from the table earlier. Sometimes I wonder if it just can't be that easy. Just freakin' do it.
National Parker What a good idea to start now, in August, to get the weight down before 2015 ends!!! Having that goal is one I'll adopt, too.
I remember a motivational chart I had on the fridge once that had "wall of bricks" I could color in a brick for each 1/2 pound with now way to erase the block if I gained. For some reason it helped and the fridge shouted at me when I went to eat at a time that was not according to plan.
SuzLen Your area begins the school year much earlier than here. Students begin on August 20. Not sure when teachers start. Hope this is a good you for you. by the way, I have Thomas Aquinas' Summa Theologicae, but sorry, I won't part with it. Buying non fiction is acceptable to me, but I shall not buy any non-fiction. Wish I had someone near by to take the big box of books I've pulled from my shelves.
OneByOne You are back going the right direction!
Credit: Walked and gardened today with some muscles complaining but I'm feeling so pleased. Credit: Down a pound this week. Credit: passed up lots of temptations at grocery store yesterday.
Just finished The Chamber by John Grisham. I can read something
and not be as upset as I would if I saw in. Still, it takes a strong stomach to read this book. He is a writer that I like, but not the subject.
Tuesday - U.S. Coast Guard Day (since August 4, 1790)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Good gym workout, CREDIT moi, trying to push myself a little harder. DW reminds me that it's air-conditioned in there so I should want to stay longer.
Major success of the day happened when the recycle folks took away the broken-beyond-repair recycle bin I'd added to my newspapers and bottles. The neighborhood history is that it takes about three tries before they actually take it. I'm local hero by getting rid of it on my first try. Food was on plan, CREDIT moi, including a Groupon purchase of take-out sushi from a new Japanese restaurant. DW had declared the kitchen closed due to heat; dinner was anything I appeared with.
onebyone – Kudos for seeking a way to live within the constraints of entitled folk in your face. The crowds from the concert sound like potential customers. I'm impressed with your reading choices. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire is one HUGE read. I'm quite used to hearing folks comparing the current U.S. to Rome just before it fell; it would be useful for me to read the expert's opinion of the causes.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay, indeed, for 100%. [I was mesmerized by The Girl on The Train - but only after I figured out the obvious that each chapter was spoken by a different character, LOL. The author wrote in the same voice for each.]
nationalparker – Choosing a five month goal is smart - Kudos. Having both your DH and your cousin on your team is great.
Sandy (love2garden) - Yay for working in the garden enough for the muscles to complain. Not sure that I'm ready for The Chamber.
SuzLen - Neat to hear your excitement about the new school year despite all the dread before. Kudos for seeing "Time to focus." [Part of the appeal to me of Dead Wake was being reminded of the history of isolation in the U.S. at the time of Wilson's presidency.]
Readers -
Quote:
Day 42Practice, Practice, Practice
remindersto think thin If you think ...It's okay to eat [this unplanned food] because: everyone else is eating it; it'll go to waste; it was free; I'm celebrating; I'm upset; I really want it; I don't care; it won't matter.
Remind yourself ... It's not okay to eat this; I'm just trying to fool myself. Every single time I eat something I'm not supposed to, I strengthen my giving-in muscle and weaken my resistance muscle.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 267.
CREDIT for being 100% on plan yesterday. I had a plan what to eat out if we went to Subway or BarBQ, then we ended up going to another joint, but they had a grilled chicken salad so all was good. Another goal was to leave food on my plate at each meal - CREDIT.
Strength training - CREDIT
CREDIT for not eating any of the snacks/chocolates.
BillBB: Sushi, a love of my life. Getting rid of unusable recycle bins must be a universal problem. Why is that? Congrats on getting rid of yours.
love2garden: I bet a boy scout troop or someone from the optimist club would come get your books for you. That is something that is so hard to get rid of......
nationalparker: glad you are putting the weekend behind you, you have support and a partner from DH, and you have a new plan. It's all good. My husband started counting calories when he wanted to lose weight. He is a big man - 6'5" - and he started with a limit of 2400 calories. He has lost 35 pounds, so it seemed to work for him. I am not a calorie counter, so it doesn't work for me. Men lose that initial weight so fast, it seems.
gardenerjoy: thanks for a suggestion to add to my list, I usually have a couple of books going at a time - a "for me" book and a professional book. I enjoy reading before bed.
My goal is another 100% day and leaving food on my plate at each meal. I have cut out snacking entirely for the last two months with success. Had bloodwork done and all of my areas look good except for some reason I am low on protein, but I am not much of a meat eater, so that may be part of the problem.
Went after PD to set up my room. I walked in, looked around, decided I just didn't have the energy to tackle it and turned right around and walked out. Ha! Maybe Friday.....??
Checking in to say that I had a day on plan! yay. I can honestly say that I doubt that DH and cousin will hang in there with me (or me, half the time) but for today, I'll be thankful for it. Cousin will prob stick with it but we seem to lose touch in the day-to-day then reconnect. I'm hoping that we can stick it out with helping each other. We'll see.
Today is what would have been my parents' 64th anniversary. They made it to just under 63. A good day in my mind, though.
Lunch plans with a friend fell through but was expecting that as she gave me the alert that she had to handle extra stuff with someone else out ... so I made backup plan of eating at home and what I would eat. It's a beautiful day and running home at lunch, while a waste of gas, is an investment in happiness.
School is back in session for all ages here and behind school buses all over.
I'm not doing a good job incorporating activity into my days other than yardwork/gardening ... DH is bringing home our pooch from his folks this morning after working all night - an hour and a half drive, so hope he manages okay. I'll commit to walking her, even if only for 30 minutes.
Love2Garden - LOVE the idea of the wall of bricks that you color in. I'd done the paperclip chain with cheerful bright colored ones ... and am going to see if I need to do something like that to keep me going.
SuzLen - I think DH is going to go with portion control and fewer snacks. We'll see. I can't decide for him and am not going to be counting for HIM. But he will eyeball nutritional info and ingredients so he's aware, at least. It's the eating at all hours bc of his wacky schedule that I think really messes him up. And i need to stop buying ice cream that is 12 servings ... only single serve portions so he's aware. I wasn't helping there.
Bill - Cracking up at your local hero status for the removal of the bin. I used to secretly smile when our crew would take anything I had - I think bc my dad had always made it super easy for them to haul and I picked up on that - wrapping things with twine and a handle so they could easily sling it into the truck, etc. (Beck daily thought - It was free is a big thing for me and I don't know why...similarly I paid for it is equally as big. So it's always one or the other, so why do I entertain the thought?)
Weight two pounds above ticker and will be adjusting that this week.
I had a reasonable eating day on a day that had a lot of twists and turns. Twists and turns are triggering for me, so I'm pleased. CREDIT for being flexible without food.
WI: -0.2 kg, Exercise: +40 135/1300 minutes for August, Food: 90% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
onebyone: The book Solemn Pleasures looks inspiring.
I echo nationalparker and Love2Garden. Now is the time. I have completely failed to lose any of the weight I'd hoped for at the beginning of summer. But I am also giving myself credit for not gaining while on my back for most of the summer. I managed to walk most days and that is something.
I go back to school today so today I begin. My mini goal is under 160. I have a plan. I will sweep aside other plans on the frig and use the plan I lost the most weight on. I will fill out my skills sheet. All of this is "Just For Today" I can do something today that would appall me to do for a lifetime.
Another beginning: I am joining the California Bucket Brigade. I am putting a bucket in the shower to capture the water while it warms up for my shower and then I pour the water on my lawn. We are only allowed two water days. Many people in my neighborhood have let their lawn go "California Gold" but that is hurting many small businesses ( landscapers) so we are maintaining the best we can. I am counting carrying the bucket as spontaneous exercise
DH is on board with me. I went to the Dr.'s last Tuesday with him. The Dr. cut his blood pressure medication which was making him lethargic and didn't put him on cholesterol medicine on the condition that he loses weight. I promised to make lunches for him and, of course, I already cook dinner. He has lost five pounds in a week. I am serious about changing what I serve him. Last night he asked what I did differently with the chicken. I told him I took the skin off. This is a brave step for me because I want him to like my cooking. He asked, "Do you want me to like your cooking and be dead?" OK. I had a talk with DS and told him he was not to change his eating because of the change with Dad. DS is a healthy weight, growing 13yo and needs a lot more good quality food than his aging parents do.
Suzlen: I enjoy work as well and don't mind going back.
Mary Ann Good to hear that the doctor cut the blood pressure medication for your DH. Had to laugh at his familiar complaint when you helped him by removing the fatty skin.
California Bucket Brigade sounds like a great idea! I'll try that, too.
When my washing machine was top loader, I used to stop the cycle, dip out as much water as I could into buckets and water my veggies. Occasionally we have really dry summers. This one has been unusually wet. I did water some veggies and newer plants today after heavy weeding.
National Parker I remember your struggle to help each of your parents before they died. GLad to hear you can handle this day OK.
Remembering the good times always helps me when December comes. First Dad then Mom 11 years later died in December.
My activity has really increased this summer and my weight is gradually moving in the right direction. Passing up second helpings and sweets helps so much.
Bill That is a really good one to get rid of your bin and stuff on the first try. You did well to handle "no cooking for dinner", tool. I agree the good AC in the gym does help, but my body can still only go so long then I begin to find walking straight an issue.
To those of you who enjoy your work, GOOD FOR YOU. For me, I am delighted to be retired and wouldn't return to work for all the money in the world.
Hi, all, I'm new here. Mind if I join in?
I'm on day 6 of the Beck Diet Solution, which means I need to find a coach. I can't think of anyone in real life who would be all that helpful to me in this.
Though I don't have a lot of weight in pounds to lose (about 10), I'm primarily using this method to help me stay on my eating plan (paleo) and to be consistent with exercise (I haven't gotten to the exercise part in the book, but I did go to the gym yesterday for the first time in 4+ months.
When I don't eat paleo, I gain weight. But more importantly, I have an autoimmune disorder that flares up and can be painful when I eat gluten, and I have terrible GI issues on occasion when I eat dairy. I ate this way fairly strictly for over a year and felt great, but then I went off and have not followed it for the past year. And that's when I gained 15 lbs. Today is my 8th day back on Paleo and I have lost 5 lbs. and feel so much better.
So I hope it's OK if I check in. Please give me a few days to figure out the protocol and try to get you all straight before I post much.
I'm posting a second time today because I won't be able to post in the morning and I want to set myself up to do well tomorrow. I'll be in an all-day meeting where they are serving breakfast and lunch. I expect to eat what I'm served, but with careful attention to portion sizes (I intend to watch what the skinny women in the room choose and do likewise).
However, if breakfast is a box of donuts, I've got a problem. I haven't eaten a donut since 2009. When I changed how I ate, the cravings for most things disappeared in a couple of weeks, but donut cravings recurred periodically for nearly a year. I have no intention of putting myself through that again. Plus, it's more fun to say that I haven't eaten a donut since 2009 than it would be to eat a donut. So, I've slipped a baggy of cereal into my purse and I'll eat that if the breakfast options won't work for me.
Welcome, wallenda! You're off to a great start. I love having this group as my diet coach -- so much collective wisdom and always available.
It's late so I'll make it short. I accidentally dropped the TV remote last night and it controls how I see the Wii fit on our TV so I can't weigh in. It will be up to me to solve the remote issue as DH never uses the Wii or watch reg. TV, which I can't get now either. I didn't eat over this
Dermatology went fine. No issues. Everything is good.
Food OK. Exercise stellar. Tons of walking today.
Goodnight.
BTW thought if this group as I walked downtown and came across the sign I took a picture of. Enjoy.
Early check in as I want to exercise before I leave for school this morning. 100% on plan until DH wanted to see the new Mission Impossible movie, then I snitched some of his popcorn. But it could of been worse, so CREDIT for that.
Starting an 8 week workout plan today, will see how it helps me.
CREDIT for no snacks or chocolates during PD - got up and walked the back of the room when I felt boredom and sleepiness overtake me, instead of grabbing a bag of chips.
Welcome, Wallenda!
gardenerjoy: good for you for resisting those donuts and having a super back-up plan.
Monday Painters
