[karenrn]

Good afternoon coaches,

Quick check in cause I'm too exhausted for anything else. Just got back from a 15 mile hike with lots of elevation gain. Dh followed me so I could park my car at one end and then he delivered me to the starting end. He went golfing. Anyway, it's a hike I had done before and just felt like doing it again.

I'm impressed with all the projects you all are doing. I guess I will have to stay home one day soon to get something done. The good news is that not much gets messed up when I'm gone most of the day. The essentials such as laundry, ironing and the kitchen are in good order.

I did make an appointment for us to see an attorney to get our will redone. We haven't done a new one since we moved to AZ and we both want to change the executor to my youngest brother who is agreeable.

Okay, now into the shower while I can still stand. More tomorrow.

[FutureFitChick]

Hi, Coaches and Buddies.

Exercise this morning was a little difficult to start, but I did it! I did not increase my distance. The whole time, I felt like I was going so slow, and labored. I felt like I had an extra 50# or walking through molasses. I don't know why though. I felt like I could have gone further at the end.

Yesterday I had to make a substitution unexpectedly at dinner because my food took longer to defrost than expected (and would have been ruined in the microwave). I ended up over by 307 kcal. Oh well. Food was on plan today, right on target calorie-wise.

We are tempted to ski tomorrow, but it is crunch time for me, so I shouldn't. Work went well today, though it took me a long time to get started.

Bill Blue Eyes, good job getting in your shoveling hours today! I had a messy break up with Comcast last year. They can be so ugly! Now we are enjoying our fiberoptic service. Bummer for "eating was so unplanned".

Curly Jax, I am glad you are safe and have power. I hope your guests are excellent!

Debbie R. (Lexxiss), sending warm, supportive thoughts to you! Good job for setting limits on what you can do right now. Hang in there!

Gardener Joy, great job kicking in to gear and making a food plan for the day.

Karen, R.N.,, your mileage as a day-in-day-out rule is amazing to me! I hope you had a great food day as well!

National Parker, your "supremely cranky note" seems 1) not cranky to me and 2) as though you deserved to be cranky after that. I hope today is better and that your arm is feeling better too!

One by One, great job on all of your wins yesterday!

[onebyone]

Hi coaches

Quick on the road check in

Minor deviation but all is well re foodplan. Everything good. Got exercise in as well. Our team won 6-1. A decisive victory which we saw spectacularly well from our seats pretty much behind the goalie's net.

More later. Must sleep.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies – I'm obsolete. Old fashioned. About pizza boxes. Back in my day, pizza boxes existed only to carry a pizza home. Yesterday, we had an upscale pizza (Upper Crust) for lunch since my DD was visiting and we'd been mailed a $5 off coupon. The lid of the box divided into four 'plates.' The bottom was perforated to easily fold into a wedge for storing the leftover slices in the fridge. I'd never seen this. Of course, our standard pizza place sells the large pie for about $9; this one was $22 before the coupon. It did have roasted eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, and fresh basil along with its mozzarella cheese. CREDIT moi for eating a rational sized lunch so that leftovers existed after three adults lunched on one pizza.

Walk, CREDIT moi, was in the evening to hear a group of guys sing 14th Century English music acapella. Seems that there's a dedicated group of musicologists who collect and perform the music that was destroyed as part of the Reformation in England at that time. It was glorious stuff.


onebyone – What a bunch of top-shelf experiences: behind-the-goal seats; howling winter wind hot tub; and a winning hockey team.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Gotta love that instant food plan.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Kudos for recognizing when it's time to simplify to get re-centered. Ouch for tenants who aren't responsible.

FutureFitChick – Congrats on putting in a good day at work against crunch time.

Karen (karenrn) - That's a clear challenge to start a 15 mile hike knowing that the way home requires going the whole distance. LOL that the house doesn't get messed up if one is gone for the day.

curlyjax - Yay for snow forts! I've discovered that batteries sell for super cheap about two months before Christmas. I buy bunches of them then for stocking stuffers.

Readers -

Chapter 4 Emotional Eating Traps

I questioned whether those fast-food meals actually did make her feel better.

"Well, yes," she replied. "It's my treat." Then she paused. "I do feel better while I'm eating, but . . . " Her voice trailed off.

"But?"

"But I have to admit, I feel bad afterward. I feel overstuffed, weak, . . . and guilty. I know hot bad bast food is for me. I'm embarrassed. I would hate it if anyone saw me eating it."

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. 73

[Lexxiss]

Hi Coaches!

Yesterday OP. I enjoyed a $3 sumo for my evening snack. So delicious and $$. Thought about why I pay that much during the season.....they are 100% reliable, super sweet and have no seeds. I work today but am home early. Decided not to take a "lunch". I'm in the back room away from all food and so busy I never eat anyway. Fortunately, hunger is not an emergency. Food is planned for lunch/dinner. Wish I had another sumo a banana will have to do.

Tomorrow's excitement: My replaced/or refurbished coffee maker arrives. Don't know if I'll get a new one out of this deal. I'm happy either way. Tired of my coffee messes in the kitchen.

Must go....work calls and I have to drop the pups at daycare this morning.

[karenrn]

Good morning coaches,

Went out for Mexican food for dinner last night, but didn't eat it all and stayed well within my calories since I had earned many extra. Feel just fine today. I am grateful for my good health and endurance. I do plan to take the day off of exercise though. We will likely watch the game and will have spaghetti for dinner, but no appetizers.

Lexxis Wow a $3 Sumo, I hope it was delicious.

Bill The pizza sounds good and really the price not bad considering it fed three people. I've never seen one of those fancy boxes, yet.

Onebyone Glad you're having fun on your getaway.

FutureFitChick I know that feeling of dragging through molasses. I don't know why one day can be so different from another. I never can figure out if it is what I ate, sleep or what.

I'd better get going. Apple support will be calling soon to help me with my AppleID problem, hopefully. Have a good day all!

[FutureFitChick]

Hi, Coaches and Buddies.

Today was a pretty good day. Walking was a short, slow walk around the neighborhood with my husband. Food was on plan. We went out to eat, having some treats that were preplanned for the Super Bowl. We did go to dinner earlier than expected, because I was so hungry! I had saved most of my calories for dinner, and did not want to risk screwing up my plan. I am trying to not get discouraged in the coming weeks, as I have several major work deadlines, which typically overtake any dieting efforts I am attempting. To accommodate, on extra stressful days, I will plan to have healthy low-calorie snacks on hand and also allow ~200 kcal extra. I also plan to continue walking most days.

I did a lot of planning for work today, as well as wrote for a short time. I will try to get back to it if the game isn't captivating. I'm amazed at the high proportion of car commercials there are in the game.

Bill Blue Eyes, that pizza box sounded awesome! Great job getting in your walk! That sounds like an awesome concert! Does this group make recordings?

Debbie R. (Lexxiss), enjoy your "new" coffeemaker. I credit you for taking the extra effort to try to repair it rather than just junk it! Thank you! I hope your work went easily for you.

Karen, RN, I hope your computer problems are worked out! Good job on eating smartly while eating out. Mexican has so many cheese traps that I fall in!

One by One, great job staying on track with your food plan!

[nationalparker]

I'm not making great choices that align with my "supposed" goals. I need to reset again. Why do I make it so hard for myself? DH's folks treated for lunch to Chili's. We hadn't been there in two years since they chose that last... I did "OK" and at least ate only half of my lunch entree. Yesterday was just not light at all.

Onward and forward. Need to catch up on everyone's notes tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great start to the week.

[onebyone]

Hi Coaches

Home from being away. Yesterday food was ose to onplan, good enough I'd say today though another story. But when tracking -credit- it wasn't as horrible as I first thought. Tracking is essential to me right now.

Have to sleep. More tomorrow.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Standard Sunday walk, CREDIT moi. The sun was bright. Makes it difficult to believe the blizzard warning for today. I have an evening meeting that's hanging - waiting to see if there'll be too much snow to get around.

Had no snacks while watching the Superbowl last night, CREDIT moi. That bucks a major tradition that super calories must accompany super football. The only ad I remember is Toyota - a good car to use for robbing banks. Leftover pizza for lunch made me grateful that I hadn't overindulged the previous day.


onebyone – Some days "good enough" is good enough. Hope you don't get the blizzard that's hitting so much of the U.S.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Hope you enjoyed your Sumo - now you got me drooling. My brain isn't capable of just skipping lunch. Congrats to your Denver Bronco's for a clearly won game.

FutureFitChick – Congrats for planning and writing. I'm guessing that you found the game captivating enough to stay the course. [The group, Blue Heron, has a bunch of CD's. The one linked sings from the Peterhouse Partbooks. I just learned the word 'partbooks' - seems that when music was copied by hand it was common for the entire choir to gather round and read from one book. The BIG advance was to make a separate book for each part so that the choir could gather round in smaller groups.]

nationalparker – Chili's is a challenge - Kudos for eating only half your entree.

Karen (karenrn) - Staying within calories at a Mexican restaurant is good restraint - Kudos.

Readers -

Chapter 4 Emotional Eating Traps

And what impact did it have on reaching her goal of losing weight?

"Well, it's making it nearly impossible," Beth said. "Even if I've been really good during the day, fast food has so many calories. I know I can't keep doing it and lose weight. But I keep thinking, "I had such a hard day. Aren't I entitled to feel better?"

"Of course you are!" I exclaimed. "But aren't you also entitled to get all the benefits of losing weight?" She nodded and gave me a half smile. "Then we just need to figure out how you can feel better without eating." She made a reminder card to remember this idea:

When I want to eat fast food after an upsetting
day at work, remember: I'm entitled to take care of
myself and I'm entitled to feel better, but I'm also
entitled to get everything on my advantages list,
so I have to find other ways to comfort myself.
(Besides, eating it always makes me feel worse
afterward.)

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. 73

[Lexxiss]

HiCoaches!

I kind of forgot it was the Super Bowl yesterday until I arrived at work. A cardinal sin here....I have not confessed to anyone but you all. Lol. I switched my food plan around a bit to have some healthy food fare for watching the game. It worked. Credit. Now I'm back to all other reality spending time this morning writing the official notification to the defaulting tenants. Boy do I not want to deal with this but they are leaving me no other option. I continue to educate myself in Sudoku to divert my thoughts from turning to food for relief. I am getting quite good. Lol.

Off to work then driving to another town to take pup to his $$$$cardiologist$$$$. I will be glad to return home. Lunchbox is packed and I have a plan for dinner. I get on the scale every morning whether I feel like it or not. Credit. Looking forward to coffeemaker arrival!

[onebyone]

Coaches, good morning.

I have a day of printmaking planned with my friend Hendrik in my studio. Week #2 for this! Excellent. Happy to finally have that in my schedule again. My goal there is to print something for a Year of the Monkey print exchange. Deadline: Thursday as in done and mailed off Thursday.

I just realized this week is the week my MIL has her next Dr. appointment. She has reminded me about the appointment since requesting our (me and DH) presence at it, along with her daughter, who she has not asked to accompany her and who did not visit throughout this whole process except at Christmas, when she would have come anyway. MIL wants us to "hear it from the Doctor" as to her cancer diagnosis-which we know is stage 4 lung cancer. She just wants us there so we will be there. DH has booked the day off. I cannot allow the emotions this week to throw me off my foodplan. If excess food cured cancer the world would not have cancer in it at all! I, myself, would have cured several individuals by now

I have a farmers' market show this weekend. There are some love-themed mugs in the works for it. I'm happy to (potentially) make some money.

Have a good day today.

[maryann]

Phone check in. Away for the weekend. Left on Saturday two pounds down then had a bad eating day yesterday. Will watch closely food today. I echo nationalparker that traction seems illusive. Hopefully by the time I'm back home tomorrow damage will be minimal. Thank goodness I can check in here.

[nationalparker]

Good Monday, coaches! I know I'm going to have an earlier night tonight with DH (for me, anyway - he must stay up as late as he can to cycle into working nights. I'm really feeling for him and the toll this takes on his body cycling back and forth every other week) ... but figured I'd check in earlier rather than skipping it due to no time tonight.

Vented to an email friend about my frustration with myself on just not being present and accounted for in following through on what I say my goals are. She is the same. So we're going to try to work with each other and do more instant communication when tempted/challenged and be honest about it all and not gloss over what we didn't do, chose not to do, ate, etc. Not sure if it will help me but it certainly cannot hurt. I need to just get my mind in gear and right now I'm not there.

It's been so long since I've lost any weight that I'm now doubting that I will/can. (Not in the body working correctly sense, but in the CAN/WILL I do it sense.)

We were treated to a nice weather weekend, which helped clear some of my cranky/down mindset. Trying to stave off DH's cold and now working through a headache today. I know- enough whining - sorry!

I find myself saying way too often, "Oh, I wish my Dad could have seen this," or "I need to ask my Mom about that person" ... I'm not sure why. It's like I'm in denial that they're not accessible to me now. I have my memories, though, and know how fortunate I am. I think I'm just in the winter doldrums. The more weight I pack on, the more I think my Dad would have been a bit disappointed with me, though. He was of the mindset that you just push yourself away from the table and that's that. Never an issue for him.

[karenrn]

Good afternoon coaches,

Just got home from doing the Bluff Spring Loop hike in the Superstitions. This time some hiking buddies that I used to hike with a lot came too. So fun, just like the old days. The weather was just fabulous here today. It's 77 degrees this afternoon. Actually a little warmer than I like it for hiking. I know I'm derelict in my duties at home, but in reality there is nothing that can't wait. I'm fortunate that dh is good with it.

Nationalparker I hear your frustration and I've been there so many times. I know the key for me is that I have the time to burn so many calories. It is just plain hard.

I'd better get in the shower and then to the grocery store. I can't let everything slide. I will have much more time for personals tomorrow.