I super-sized my snacks yesterday. Sigh. So, in case it helps anyone else, Twitter is an oddly effective source of news. It's also addictive and stressful. For me, then, it's the opposite of taking care of myself. So, cutting that out now.
The assignment came through for Thanksgiving after my grocery run, but it turned out to be for something I have all the ingredients for -- bread! I offered that because I realized I hadn't brought bread out for the family since I started grinding my own flour. So, no grocery store today and that's definitely something to be grateful for! The two stores I went to yesterday were already busy enough.
WI: +0.65 kg, Exercise: +40 960/1200 minutes for November, Food: 70% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow. We are headed back from the wedding tomorrow. It was heaven being with all of my children, grandchildren and extended family for my DS wedding. I am so glad we rented the house so we could all stay together. The dinner I made for the 100 guests was a success and my chocolates were a hit. All-in-all it has been a happy, stress-less week of family togetherness. I am a bit sad as I leave because I don't know when I will be back.....
NOW I will have to focus again on me and my eating. I have tried to focus on quantity rather than quality just to keep the stress out. I did fit into my dress with the help of that miraculous "spanx" bodysuit (haha), but I have gained since school has started. I am starting to think it is school more than the diet........
I am giving a copy of the Beck book to my oldest son. I think it will help him. He has gained quite a bit and I have noticed my boys taking midnight runs to the fast food places. Not good, or healthy.
I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and keep safe.
SuzLen: So glad you checked in. I was wondering how you did with the dress. That is a lot of pressure. I am glad it fit and you had a wonderful time - bittersweet I feel. That is often what happens to me around my family. Glad to be together, sad about change that eventually occurs. And now back to a focus for healthy. That sounds 9dare i say it) healthy
Weight is two pounds above ticker. I have food in MFP. I have given up Cloud Atlas after the first 100 pages. I didn't need 650 pages to understand the perspective "people are horrible to each other and always will be millennium ad infinitum. Then I read 100 pages of Eragon and realized it was Star Wars with a dragon. Now I have landed on Empire Falls - a pulitzer prize winner. We'll see.
Gardenerjoy: I too grind our wheat that DH brings me straight from the field. I made a loaf this morning to bring down for sandwiches at the ranch. I use a mix of two thirds whole wheat, one third bread flour.
Thought for the day: Holidays are messy and I need to cut everyone ( even myself) some slack.
After a "not so great" food at work day yesterday AND with the holidays coming upon us, I woke up this morning EXCITED to return to more structured eating/planning/exercise.
Our family meal is today and what I really need is to think out the "days after". I KNOW I need to focus on my better choices. Credit.
Joy of joys, I went to my phone and revisited prior notes. My plan was already composed and awaiting my return.
1. iPod and morning exercise
2. Get out my Beck flower and make a new one
3. Get on my exercise bike and think Spring
4. Follow my "work rules" regarding eating at work
Aha! Simple! Just follow!
These past few months have been difficult for me. Acknowledge. Move forward.
I am sitting in Denver while mom is at her eye appointment. I did my morning exercises. I drank my emergency smoothie before leaving. I made an organic pecan pie without tasting and without using corn syrup. I chose to only provide enough rolls for enjoyment not for gluttony. I looked in the mirror and felt good about myself.
I will enjoy today's meal with my mom, sister and husband. They patched up their difficulties without my needing to officiate and control.
Today, I am especially grateful for all of you.
Friday is the one year anniversary of the big trip to Kansas to rescue the little dog Kirby. I'm grateful we decided to keep the name the shelter had given him. It fits him very well. It's an awesome name for a little dog with a very big heart. His presence this past year has given me so much joy in the midst of difficult times, especially knowing that my choices gave him a second chance at life.
Eta-I love this picture of Kirby with his ears blowing in the breeze.....not comprehending the Grand Tetons, but just excited about life. He was frightened in the car when we returned from Kansas and now absolutely loves it!
I'm not sure why but I'm really down this afternoon and am feeding my heart, not my stomach, as I've been baking cookies. Have eaten one toll house cookie and two pumpkin spice cookies. Honestly I haven't even checked the calories on that - have to divide my ingredients and see. We were let out of work earlier than anticipated - a nice treat. I have been missing my folks a great deal - but the funny is I only spent a few Thanksgivings with them in later years because I've always had to work sports events this weekend. I put on Ellen while I was cleaning/baking and I love it when someone is surprised with a family-type gift and a Navy wife was surprised with her family there and I started crying out of being happy. Then it turned into sobbing in the kitchen and our dog came flying in and of course had no footing, so she was spinning around in there trying to figure out what was wrong. I know I have many blessings in my life to be thankful for - among them the good memories I have of my folks. I have to shut down the extra food, though. Dinner will be homemade enchiladas after DH gets home in a few hours.
Planned on staying up late to get things done, but was up when DH woke up at 4 and I'm starting to fade a bit. I picked up the Simplicity Primer book - it's a bit more religious than I was thinking. One entry referred to a zenhabits.com link that was basically the same as The Life-changing magic of tidying up ... from a while back. Put everything like together, then cull, etc. Makes you realize that it's basically all the same info, packaged differently. One of the entries I especially liked and have already been using in my mind, is "Know what your hill is" ... She writes, "There's an old expression that asks, "Is this the hill you want to die on?" What this means is that there are some things in life that are worth fighting and even dying for. The important thing is being able to distinguish what those things are. It is helpful to know in advance what your "hill" is. ... Too many "hills" lead to unnecessary stress, angst, and ulcers. Nobody should have more than one hill. It could be a darn big hill with a lot of stuff on it, but your "hill" should not be the guy who cuts you off in traffic, or the person with one too many items in the "10 items or less" checkout, or the fact that someone keeps forgetting to fill the ice cube trays. ... If you have a mountain range of hills in front of you, you can't keep track of the hill that's important. If you've built a mountain range where all the peaks are hte same height, then you stand in a valley where the peaks look the same. You get so tired of climbing every single hill that by the time you get to the hill you want to die on, you're too tired to climb it. You get "peak fatigue". This metaphor can only go so far before it starts to sound silly, but the purpose of this exercise is to recognize what's truly, truly important in your life. Know your hill."
I am quick to anger in the car - I snipe at drivers who cut me off, who pass on the shoulder coming into construction, who fly through a 55 mph at 85, etc. Today I kept saying, "not my hill." My hill is my marriage and my family ... not other drivers. This spoke to me. I want to extend it to my food intake. I want to focus on it but not let it encompass so much of my thoughts/feelings.
Thanks for letting me share that thought process here. I'm sure you've all read similar (or the same) mental approaches ...
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm very thankful for the open, accepting and honest group here. Thank you, especially, Bill, for your diligence here and leading us along!
SuzLen - Great news that all went well with the wedding. You put in such a great amount of work with it - that's fantastic! (Spanx rock!)
Last edited by nationalparker; 11-25-2015 at 09:35 PM.
Thursday - U.S. Thanksgiving (George Washington, 1789)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – We moved the turkey from the brine to the roasting pan sitting uncovered in the fridge (per directions). The wings are tucked back; the giblets are removed; the brine is discarded and everything washed thoroughly since brine is an effective way to spread salmonella widely smelling of sweet cider. It goes in the oven this morning. My job is to lift and carry. My other job is to make appetizers from the humus and red bell peppers and to make a huge green salad that will include roasted pecans and feta cheese.
Did gym class, CREDIT moi, even though the instructor was a no-show. The six of us just worked out together - albeit not as hard as when under the task master.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Glad that your assignment didn't require a trip to the stores on Wednesday. Thanks for the warning about Twitter - so far I've avoided it with that addiction notion in mind.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Kudos, indeed, for making "an organic pecan pie without tasting." Happy anniversary to Kirby - fun picture with the wind blowing his fur.
maryann - Super Congrats for stopping a book before finished - a skill I'm still working on. Yep, a little slack doth need to be cut.
nationalparker – Thanks for "not my hill." I can use that - especially in such simple examples as a person with too many items in the fast checkout line. Kudos for recognizing that we all feel the sources of our sadness’s even when our lives are good.
Karen (karenrn) - Smart to avoid stuffing and dessert on Thanksgiving. [We brined the turkey last year and were pleased enough to use the same recipe this year. There are a zillion brining recipes on the web.]
SuzLen - Congrats for the success of your DS's wedding. Cooking for 100 guests just blows my mind. Yep, teaching sure can lead to stressful eating.
howyoulose - Ouch for a mom's comments about your body - as if you didn't know how your own clothes fit. Hope you have a sane Thanksgiving Day.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 2 Foundation Strategies to Escape Your Traps
Foundation Strategy #9: Adopt (and adapt) an eating plan you can follow for life.
You won't have to write out a food plan forever. Once you learn how to stay out of traps, you'll be able to make a mental plan. You'll figure out which foods work best for you and which portion sizes allow you to continue losing weight or maintain your weight loss.
Adapting a healthy, well balance plan that's right for you, deciding in advance what to eat, and monitoring your weight as you go along
Keeps you nourished. A nutritious diet not only supplies the nutrients you need but also minimizes hunger and cravings.
Helps you resist urges to eat food you'll later regret. Even if you can't eat a food that's calling your name at the moment, you can always plan to have it the next day.
Increases your accountability. When you know you will have to write down whatever you spontaneously eat, you're far less likely to eat off plan.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 40
BillBlueEyes - I am Canadian so thankfully our thanksgiving has already passed. You would think that I would be used to my mothers comments by now but words hurt and I am not immune to her stupidity as I like to call it. No matter how much I ask her to stop she does not, she says she's trying to get me to do something about it, not knowing that I am trying but failing at the moment.
I feel like I can't stick to anything. I haven't even managed to do the workbook consecutively days in a row so I am going to restart day one today. I feel so hopeless and helpless as I sit here drinking my 500 calorie coffee (a treat, I usually drink it black but I splurged in a moment of weakness).
A tidbit about me: I have bipolar II disorder. It's very difficult for me to concentrate or remember things because of the medication I was on before, a lot of benzos, and the medication I am on now. I feel like I've let this define me. I know Beck will work because I know CBT works for me because of all the CBT that I've done in the past. I'm just afraid I guess.
Well I didn't get back here for personals yesterday after all. It wasn't the greatest day in the food department. I had two small molasses cookies, which I love, and then had a couple other sweet things. I didn't feel great and of course figured just a little something more to eat would perk me up. It didn't. Luckily I had a pretty long hike so my calories weren't too much over, but my weight is up a pound today. Today's food plan is in MFP and I'll get a walk or hike in this morning probably with my brother and sister in law, credit.
Howyoulose Welcome back and good luck getting a few good days under your belt. Sometimes just one good day can lead to another. I hope you can come up with a plan that works best for you with working nights.
Nationalparker I'm sorry you're feeling low. Holidays can be tough times for sure. And of course even with all the blessing we have it doesn't erase the losses. My brother and I were reminiscing about my folks last evening. It's fun to hear his perspective on our growing up years. He's 4 years younger than I am which seemed like a lot when we were young. Our folks were awesome, but they seemed to have the blinders on by the time my two younger brothers were teens. I hope you get some time with your brother at Christmas.
Debbie Great picture of Kirby. What a lucky dog! I'm so glad your family patched up their difficulties. Here's hoping things calm down a little in your life. You seem to handle things so well, and I am amazed how much you do.
Maryann Congratulations on raising such a great son. Have fun today with the babies. I'm glad you got pretty good news on your knee and that you're feeling good. It's all sounding good in your world.
Suzlen Happy Thanksgiving to you and I'm so happy the wedding was such a success. Sounds like it was a lot of work, but worth it.
Gardenerjoy I haven't done Twitter and have felt kind of "out of it". But after reading what you wrote, I don't need it. I don't need anything that keeps me looking at the phone or computer any more than I already do. Your homemade bread sounds wonderful!
Onebyone Good luck getting your pieces ready for the Guild sale this weekend. I'm sure it's a busy time for you.
Love2garden I've been having trouble with my shoulder too. Not the one I broke last Spring. I think I need to do some exercises like I did for the right side to get it stretched out. I can't put the bar over my head to do squats and lunges, etc. I hope it's something that will work itself out and I hope yours will too. Meanwhile I'm just trying to be careful. I don't want a worse problem.
Happy Thanksgiving to those of us in the states. Let's try to remember it is just one day, not the beginning of a month long run of being off plan. Well at least that's what I'm trying to get into my head.
Happy Thanksgiving to the USians! And, happy Thursday to every one else!
I'm grateful for this group and the support I get here every day of the year.
I'm happy with my plan for today -- a normal breakfast and lunch. Then, we leave for the in-laws. No afternoon snacks -- the ones that will be available won't be normal for me. Here's my supper plan: focus on veggies, tiny servings of anything else I want, no stuffing (I have better at home -- in fact, it's part of my lunch plan). I'll have an evening snack when I get home if I'm hungry for it -- having that on the plan helps me follow through on the "tiny" part.
With that in place, I can focus on the people! Including the new great-nephew. Since he's so little, his parents don't want to expose him to too many people yet. Our gathering is the smaller of the two families, so we get the baby this year. I feel blessed!
WI: NA kg, Exercise: +40 1000/1200 minutes for November, Food: 70% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
howyoulose: thanks for sharing your process. This helped me: "I'm just afraid I guess." I'm so afraid of failure even though I know that CBT works for me. It's weird. If I work with CBT, I know I'll succeed, but fear-of-failure stops me anyway. I'm trying to work on routines and practices that will help me write more, do social media less. But I resist even getting started on that project because I'm afraid that I won't follow through. So, to turn that more positive, I'm going to declare that I'm gathering up my strength and power. The evidence is that I just wrote this. And, I see that you're gathering up strength and power from your posts. We can do this!
Happy Thanksgiving! I got an early start and gave DH a full breakfast in bed ... a treat for him. Then got busy and decided the pooch needed a bath because she'd be up in the in-laws a bunch - they love on her a ton and she adores them. Came out, a bit damp, and DH was relaxing reading. That apparently WAS a hill ha ha... I said boy oh boy, I was hoping you'd surprise me while i bathed Lucy and you did. He was like WHAT? Side swipe on my part, not nice. I KNOW if I just asked, he's be glad to help. So I ate another pumpkin cookie in the morning no less. Cookies are not morning food. Karen - stop on the sweets and I'll eat for us both.
I want to do personals and hope to bop back on here later this afternoon - so much I want to check in on with others - thank you, though, Lexxiss, for the photo of Kirby. I'd forgotten about him. What a cutie!! If I had a big home and more time, I'd adopt more. I never understood the "space" need for animals but with two that do NOT get along, I get it now.
I've been blessed to have a totally lazy day. Yesterday's dinner went well. We ate healthy and beautifully prepared food and no one left overstuffed.
I never made my smoothie today. That's unusual. I started on a project which was to finish a beautiful box my husband made for me a year ago. We teamed up to put all the hardware on then I decided I would continue and finish. I sanded and applied a coat of finish then resend it. By the time I finished it was time for lunch. We had leftovers, of course, which were very tasty. I snacked a bit this afternoon but have really practiced some serious resistance. I will make my smoothie tomorrow. Credit.
Bill, my sister brined our turkey for the first time. It was really delicious and I think we will do that again!
I am already upstairs and am committed to going to bed early. Catching up on rest just seems so right. I've brought water up with me. The kitchen is closed.
Happy Thanksgiving to those south of the 49th parallel (and those in Alaska)
Coaches
A gorgeous +13C day here. overcast but warmish. I drove with the car window open. Nice for late November.
The guild sale begins tomorrow AT LAST. Let me tell you if felt like a never-ending affair. Wow. And 5 of my collaborative mugs have been claimed pre-sale by other members. Unexpected!
More work awaits me this coming week but today was a day off. I did not answer the phone and no one knew where I was. Fantastic.
Today was also weight watchers weigh-in day. Down 4lbs from last weigh in there two weeks ago. I was super puffy but they looked at me like I was a star. It makes no never mind. I continue to eat with an eye toward limiting my carb intake but I am not crazy fool eliminating things. SOmehow some sanity and moderation have crept into my food choices. Where did that come from? Anyway I was 269.4 and that's good.
Today was alos a good day as I used my Veggetti for the first time after buying it before Christmas last yearl. Yes, I have wanted to use it but just haven't. Today I created raw zucchini "noodles" and spooned hot beef stew over them. Wow. Veggetti meals are going to become a go-to thing for me. Very satisfying especially when I want pasta. And I often want pasta.
(BTW I think there's another tool called the Spiralizer that does the same thing. There are recipes on this site that use the veggie noodles too. That's next.)
nationalparker: I get the most sad when the day is a really nice day, a great day and I know my brother can no longer experience it. I get sad when I see things I'd like to share with him, and I can't. It's not the big occasions that trigger me but the everyday things. I can never avoid it and really I shouldn't. Feeling sad honours the place he had in my life. He is missing and he is missed. It's just the truth. It's good to be remembered and to remember. You're a good person. Your folks did a good job.
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Thanksgiving worked. Always grateful for another successful event. DD brought the GDD to be admired by all relatives. I walked her outside in the pleasant warmth - even when she was fussy for a bit; her mom is always attuned to her noises and came out when she decided it was time for a change. The actual dinner was on plan, CREDIT moi, without seconds. However, unexpected appetizers arrived so that the three hours before sitting down were a problem. Did one new thing: I paraded the turkey on its platter garlanded with home grown parsley around the living room for Oh's and Aw's then took it back to the kitchen for carving. That worked. One great accomplishment was a serious distribution of the leftover food so that we are left with a manageable quantity.
I missed the after meal walk because the kitchen was such a disaster that I stayed behind to establish enough order to allow the coffee/dessert phase to happen. Food had to get into the fridge by even the most lenient of safety considerations. I walked, CREDIT moi, after dark by myself just feeling grateful that DW and I can still host such an event. DIL suggested that she might be ready to pull it off next year.
onebyone – It might be a good idea to make a "worth-it memories" card that your peers reserved five of your collaborative mugs in advance - for when the artistic negatives try to dance in your head. Kudos for getting your Veggetti into your cooking.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for getting to enjoy your great-nephew for the day. I'm always encouraged when you're able to skip a food with, "I have better at home" - so useful to me to remember that I don't have to eat whatever is offered.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Encouraged by your "really practiced some serious resistance." It's so good to hear that you're able to slow down for a day.
nationalparker – LOL at "Cookies are not morning food" - I need to remember that, also.
Karen (karenrn) - Thanks for the reminder that it's Thanksgiving Day not Month.
howyoulose - It seems to me reasonable to be aware that moving forward is difficult. Kudos for starting over with the Beck Workbook. Posting here regularly is such a useful commitment.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 2 Foundation Strategies to Escape Your Traps
Foundation Strategy #10: Capture "worth-it memories" to remind you why it's worth it to you to stick to your plan. Unsuccessful dieters tend to give up when the going gets tough. A key sabotaging thought is "It isn't worth all this effort." That's why it's essential to build a storehouse of memories that remind you why it is worth it: memories of the time you felt really happy that you stayed in control. Such experiences might include:
When someone compliment you on your new appearance
When you fit into smaller-size clothing
When your weight goes down
When you move more gracefully and with greater east
When you feel more confident around other people
When you fit more comfortable in your seat at the movies, in a plane, or in an amusement park ride
When you have a great time at an event because you followed your eating plan and felt in control
When you return home from vacation and feel good about getting on the scale
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 40
Better post now to be sure I do it. Thanksgiving was moderately successful. I give myself credit for hiking and getting my brother and sister in law out with me for 90 minutes. Also credit for no stuffing or dessert. However, when asked if they had any must have food items on Thanksgiving, my sister in law wanted candied sweet potatoes, which she made. They were delicious and I'm sure had as many calories as dessert. The credit is for not having both choices. We also had two vegetables and a green salad, so not all bad.
Today my niece and nephew, their spouses and two little ones each will be over for a lasagna dinner. My plan is to keep my portion small because I am going to have a piece of German chocolate cake which I am making this morning. I very seldom make sweets any more and I do love this cake.
Bill I'm glad your Thanksgiving was successful. I can just see you parading around with the turkey. I hear you on the dishes, even with just 4 of us the kitchen was a disaster.
Onebyone Congratulations on the 4 pounds down and also that your mugs are sold even before they are for sale. Today is the sale and I hope it is very successful for you.
Debbie Glad to hear you had a pleasant and lazy day. I don't know that I've ever heard about you having a day like that. It is well deserved for sure.
Nationalparker If you see this post this morning, just know I am eating the sweet for us today. None for you. Starting tomorrow my plan is to give them up again for as long as possible. Weight watchers used to talk about red light foods and I certainly have a list of them. I just can't get started. I wish I could do the moderation thing, but I can't.
Gardenerjoy I hope your Thanksgiving plan went well. Having the baby for a distraction is wonderful. We will have 4 little ones at our house today. The girls are 2 and 3 and the boys are 16 months and 18 months. It will be busy! I hope they keep me busy enough to stick with my plan.
I hope everyone has a great day. Will anyone be shopping?
Exercise yesterday was dancing and marching with the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV.
Thanksgiving worked for me, too. My plan made a big difference. I got at least my fair share of baby-holding and had good conversations with the college-aged nephew and made gentle overtures with the prodigal niece, who we hadn't seen in some time but, if things stay well, may get to see more of in the future.
WI: +0.1 kg, Exercise: +40 1040/1200 minutes for November, Food: 90% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
BillBlueEyes: thanks for the recognition of Ada Lovelace. I loved seeing Charles Babbage's Analytical Engine at the science museum in London. I can't remember if I shared my photos of that day here: http://www.joyweesemoll.com/2015/03/...brifri-photos/
Thursday - U.S. Thanksgiving (George Washington, 1789)
Happy Thanksgiving to those south of the 49th parallel (and those in Alaska)
