Monday - Albert Einstein arrives in the US (Princeton, NJ, 1933)
Diet Coaches/Buddies One more time, chasing one year old GDD was the exercise, CREDIT moi. Our kitchen now has those awful cabinet locks so that it takes two hands to open them. I watch little bit studying them and feel that they'll be reverse engineered much sooner than expected.
Eating was only OK. An evening event had a table of snacks, totally unnecessary snacks. I, un-hungry though I was, indulged as if I hadn't had dinner. Dinner, in fact, had been patio-grilled frozen salmon that was incredibly good. DW had always avoided frozen salmon, but this batch may change her mind.
onebyone Company changes are always frightful - hope your DH's company changes in his direction. Congrats for ordering your supplies in advance.
maryann - Ouch for that neck pain. But thanks for the reminder, "No, I will slowly heal" - for all the times that seem forever.
nationalparker Listening to Chris Botti as I type to try to get your strong feelings. Super Kudos for accepting the tough drive home without resorting to food.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8 Holiday Traps
#4: The Before the Big Day Trap
"When will you be most tempted to stray from your plan?"
Kathleen pondered the question. "When I'm baking," she said. "Especially when I'm transferring the cookies from the cookies sheet to the serving plates, and they're all warm ad smell so good. That can be my downfall."
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. 162
Scale up again inexplicably. Oh Well. Credit for exercise and food journal. I think I may need to get a more structured plan to get off the last five pounds.
I am trying to fight the blues off that seem to happen on Mondays these days. i know it is mostly just post-strike stuff. I continue on my journey to health with a new Dr. It is very problematic getting my records transferred over. Walking step by step through it. DH and i both agree that the health care system is completely run on self advocacy even with the best insurance one can get. Still I am grateful for the PT that has help give me my life back and medication which has really helped. Neck is a little bit better today with stretches and "salonpas" patches.
nationalparker: I am going to research that plan. Thanks for the help. BBE: I have remarked in the past but it holds true - noone encounters a snack table as often as you do. Credit for facing the demon so often. onebyone: I agree that financial insecurity is a tough one to face.
My workshop will run. Six students so far. Sign up deadline is Wednesday. Good to know this information. Now I have to steal myself to do it. Yikes. I've never taught this before but I have been taught it and it is "my thing" so I am sure my students will create something. I truly s to simplify the instructions that I need to send them so they bring the right kind ofayerial to work from but I am way too wordy. Tomorrow I'll see if I can find someone else's plan for a similar class.and adapt it. I don't always need to reinvent the wheel. Credit for not allowing perfectionism ruin my day.
Food wise, better. Credit. Weight fell to 270.2. ate Chinese though so expect a rise tomorrow as I did not counter with enough, or really any, water.
Did not call Dr to see about referral and they didn't call me. So first thing tomorrow I'll check on that. Very important. I will be the squeaky wheel on this one!
Diet Coaches/Buddies The walk to class, CREDIT moi, was amazing as temps roared past 70 degrees F. We're predicted to have another warm day today, even though it's raining right now. Additional exercise was installing the car seat; it takes an agile hand to get the little clips between the seat bottom and back. Hats off to mothers everywhere who do this in the dark and in the rain without complaint.
Dinner was at a vegetarian restaurant where DW and I split a bowl of cannellini soup and a Moussaka pizza. Yep, roasted eggplant pizza! Food was super good. I'm not sure, however, that the healthy eggplant reduced the calories in the pizza. Crust was to-die-for - don't know how one pizza can have such good crust and another place make pizza with wonder-bread crust.
onebyone Yep, Double Kudos "for not allowing perfectionism ruin my day." Sounds like the worst part of your workshop is the worry - you'll be great once you start the teaching.
maryann - It is useful to remember that our own health care requires "self advocacy." Glad that your neck is getting better.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8 Holiday Traps
#4: The Before the Big Day Trap
Kathleen and I discussed her options:
Skip making the cookies altogether - and avoid that temptation.
Make the cookies right after breakfast when she was feeling full and less likely to be tempted.
Plan to make the cookies and not have any.
Decide in advance to have a certain number of cookies fresh out of the over (which she would eat sitting down, slowly and mindfully).
Save he cookies for her evening snack so she could look forward all day to having them. A few seconds in the microwave would warm them up.
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. 162
Weight back to ticker after I made some good choices.
A rare work lunch, I packed half of it for today. Skipped cheese and guac. Strength training at home. I have a lot of papers to grade so it's a good thing there is baseball to watch😄
We, too, are enjoying a wonderfully warm couple of days (record high yesterday, I think) and so I opted to walk with DH and pooch on the trail instead of firing up the computer yesterday evening. A nice gift as we head into autumn to walk with shorts at 10 p.m. Our high on Friday will be 30 degrees lower than yesterday. Today, while warm, is very dark and gloomy with storms expected ... a good day if I were hunkered down at home with a cozy mystery.
Dinner was brown rice noodle-lasagna with hot Italian turkey sausage/ground turkey as the protein. A large salad rounded it out. Scale remained up a pound - at 161.8 and have been drinking enough water and rode the bike for a bit yesterday as well, so just know that my body's holding onto something. It sure is a mental relief to be following the plan and then I'm not second guessing what small gains might be from - it just is and I accept it and eat OP again today.
Tried to make pumpkin oatmeal for my breakfast and it just wasn't that good. Finally I thought, I'll sprinkle some pumpkin pie spice on it to jazz it up a bit and whoosh - my pumpkin pie spice jar doesn't have a sprinkle lid like I thought it did and I got about 20x the amount I'd use. No go.
Bill - Mmmm good pizza crust is one of life's simple pleasures.
Lexxiss - Hope you're doing well and have a bit of time to carve out for your self-care. How is the new pooch doing?
Maryann - I am looking forward to the day in retirement when Sunday afternoon will only represent that day and no thoughts of the looming Monday work.
OneByOne - Good luck with the referral and making healthy food choices today!
I have a plan for today. I've been eating pretty close to what I would have planned in recent days, I just haven't written the plan down. Some fatigue contributed to a 2nd snack yesterday. I think I can avoid that today. One snack leads to weight loss. Two snacks lead to weight maintenance. I'm aiming for loss right now.
Weigh-in: NA kg
Exercise: +40, 730/1300 minutes for October
Food: NA% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
Diet Coaches/Buddies Evening walk, CREDIT moi, with DW to learn about the challenges of creating societies in wet vs. dry areas of the Americas. Both require lots of planning to gather and conserve water. Apparently, collecting and distributing water for farming is at least a 6000 year old idea. The Maya are just so cool with their astronomy and organization. I've finished Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy but find that our class discussion points out much that I've missed. Thinking like a spy is a challenge.
Eating was OK, CREDIT moi. Dinner was an unexpected reception after the evening event. I chose wisely: one six inch plate, eaten standing up (no choice), no beverages. Came home and had no evening snack to try to balance the calories.
Joy (gardenerjoy) A difference of only one snack seems like a small change to be the difference between losing and maintaining. Kudos for being able to see that.
maryann - Yay for making a work lunch serve as two meals. Glad you're still watching baseball; the Red Sox made their exit as fast as possible.
nationalparker Kudos for an evening walk - presumable under the Hunter's moon/Supermoon. You won't see a moon this big for quite a while.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8 Holiday Traps
#4: The Before the Big Day Trap
Kathleen chose the fourth option and added ti to her list.
Have 2 cookies as soon as they've cooled down a bit.
Eat them sitting down. Eat slowly and enjoy every
bite, guilt-free. Have a piece of fruit for my evening
snack instead of my usual sweets.
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. 162
My plan was one snack yesterday, but I ended up with three. Sigh. I need a reminder why I'm doing this. Reading my Advantages cards SLOWLY this morning. "I want to feel skinny in Paris" with a drawing of the Eiffel Tower. That's the one that's speaking to me the most. We'll probably go to England and France in September 2017. I'll need every bit of that time if I'm to get my weight down to where I feel skinny.
Weigh-in: NA kg
Exercise: +50, 780/1300 minutes for October
Food: 70% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
Just one more flight this morning and I'll be home before noon. Yesterday we got up at 4 am in Madrid and went to bed here in the hotel in Vancouver 24 hours later, but it was still evening here. We had a fun welcome home with Sandee's daughter who bussed up from Seattle and our friend Coleen who lives here part time. I slept lousy even though tired, but couldn't turn on the light with 2 others sleeping in the room.
My goal is back to tracking, on a good plan without sweets and back to posting beginning tomorrow. I have on clothes from before the trip that Sandee'a daughter brought and they are loose, but I have more to go.
Eating was good yesterday - changed menu up as DH's older daughter asked to come by. Prepped black bean soup to go over cilantro lime brown rice with pico de gallo. Very good. She decided to go out and bring home Thai food. Since she doesn't have that in her town. (True.) But she looked healthier and happier and seemed a bit more drama-free ... she's lost 150 pounds in the past two years. ONE FIFTY. Our dog just loves her, so it's a good treat for the pooch to have the extra love from her. I'm trying to skip over any of the wth moments... and keep it all positive.
Scale at 161.2 entering the few days where I hope for a bit of a drop. We'll see. I'm so anxious for the 159.x that I'm aiming for by the end of the month.
Karen - Welcome back!! Looking forward to hearing what really stood out for you on your trek. SO amazed you had not one blister! How many miles have you logged this year?
Bill - How far away does your DGD live from you? I love that you can spend good time with her. I never grew up near my grands and love that my siblings had that opportunity. I grew to know one more as an adult (the others had passed).
Thursday - Sydney Opera House opened by Queen Elizabeth II (1973)
Diet Coaches/Buddies Chased DGD for a full day, CREDIT moi. Jeepers, there's a lot of energy in a one year old.
Eating was good, CREDIT moi. Dinner was a rotisserie chicken since there was no time for cooking with little-bit around. I didn't eat despite watching the debate last night. Eating doesn't fix that what needs fixing.
Joy (gardenerjoy) Paris is such a good Advantage.
nationalparker That's such a gracious meal for your visiting SD. Kudos for concentrating on the positive. [DGD lives only 30 minutes away when not in rush-hour traffic.]
Karen (karenrn) - Yay for clothes that have become loose. Congrats for completing such a magnificent trek.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8 Holiday Traps
Escape the Before the Big Day Trap
When you get caught up in an exciting time, even the few days before a big event can feel celebratory. If you're in the kitchen more, this could be an especially vulnerable time for you.
If your usual routine is interrupted by being a host, make a preholiday eating plan so you won't be so tempted to eat spontaneously.
Schedule your day to include exercise and rest periods.
Put tempting party food items in grocery bags (even the ones in the refrigerator) until just a few minutes before the guests arrive to minimize your exposure to them.
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. 163
Today is the event that I'd set as a mini goal to lose weight for ... having to be up in front of hundreds of people. I'm able to wear a rather form-fitting dress that's work appropriate and either heels or flats (think I'll go with the flats, though) and feel more self-confident than I would have 15 pounds ago. I weighed in this morning at 160.0 so 14.8 pounds removed. Hopefully I'll be into 159.x by the weekend. It's been two years since I was briefly there - and on this scale, too, so that means something for me. Before that, I had hunkered down around 155 for a number of years, after speedily bopping up from years in the 141-45 range. Lunch is being served today, so will aim to do my best on our most restrictive (choices not calories) days ... but I told DH they typically present a very nice dessert table and he said one dessert won't kill ya. I agree and said if something looks particularly tempting, I'm going to take it and savor it. I've had no sweets other than my birthday fruit tart since starting this plan. Thanks for being here with me helping me reinforce good habits and smart choices and realizing that while it's not the be-all and end-all, living at a healthier weight IS important and worth striving for.
Editing to add that I made great choices at lunch - filled my plate with the mixed greens salad with pears and put a few of the harvest veg on top, and took two grilled chicken tenders. Mixed it up and had a very good tasting salad. Decided I did want a sweet treat and chose a regular-size cupcake, eating most of it but not all, but am satisfied. And I'm not going to let the "NOW I won't lose weight" thoughts rear their ugly heads. They popped in and I quelled them. Guest speaker talked about several things that really hit home for me in so many aspects of life. Basically put forth the effort every day in everything in your life. You can choose the easy route and often make things harder for yourself... or choose to work hard and make things easier for yourself. And BOY this resonated with me - it was easy to just float along, thinking I'll get with a plan or a program, let me just track all this food and nothing ever changed for a few years.
Last edited by nationalparker; 10-20-2016 at 01:07 PM.
Reason: updating
I can't tell you how wonderful it is to be home even though we did had a great adventure. It was simply too long to be away from dh and too long to sleep in a different bed every night. I think in 47 days I slept in the same bed twice cause we stayed in Santiago for 2 nights.
I stepped on the scale this morning, just to get an idea what I weigh. Since I had gained some before I left, it still wasn't a great number, but better than when I left and I do think all the walking helped with a bit of recomposition. I am going to continue weighing daily, but will wait until Monday to record my weight. Typically after lots of exercise and traveling my weight is up a bit from water retention, so I want a more true weight.
Yesterday wasn't a good food day because I ate at the airport, had a high sodium lunch at home and then had some lasagna for dinner and not a small portion either. I actually asked dh to save me a portion from the food I prepared before I left. I did get to the grocery store though and have the foods I need to get back on plan. Today is the day I will begin recording what I eat and getting back to good habits. I had a good nights sleep and I'm in the mood to be back on a good program. I'll start with the exercise tomorrow, but today is pedicure, hair do day.
Nationalparker You have done such a good job of being diligent with your program. I'm so proud of you and you must feel just awesome, both physically and just plain proud of yourself for following through so perfectly.
Bill I second whomever said recently that you have by far the most events with snacks to try to work around.
GardenerJoy Paris, what wonderful motivation is that!
Maryann You've done so well and through so much stress too. Nice to hear about the self-care treats you are doing for yourself too.
Onebyone You sound so busy as usual. I'm looking forward to hearing about the new program you're heading in to.
Just have to say one more time how great it feels to be back home and getting back into the swing of things. We have friends in town now (but not at our house) and more coming, and my good friend is coming to visit for 5 days beginning the 26th, so the busy season is starting for me. Also, the puppy is growing and we should be able to get him by about the first of December. I'm really ready to be home, switch gears a little and have a little more balance in my life. I have less than 200 miles to compete my 2000 miles for the year, heck maybe it's less than 100 and I don't think I'll sign up for that again next year. I don't want to cut back too much on exercise, but as always I need to focus more on strength training and by having that 2000 miles hanging over my head there were times I went hiking/walking rather than the strength training I need. Okay, more later and thanks for letting me ramble on.
Credit for another tick down on the scale. I changed my profile. I am not going back up. Last night after a long day I mentally talked back to my craving. "What would it be like I didn't go find a little something sweet?" That seems to really work for me because I never have a catastrophic answer if I just go to bed. Sometimes I follow it up with "You can have a sweet tomorrow." I'll have a long day at work since my grades are due today. I have tried to pack all the food I will need for a late school day. The "No sweets at work" rule is a savior. There have been two incidents of taking the sweets out to the parking lot and the car but that seems to be enough of a process to discourage mindless eating. I put my perfectionist away.
I feel like I am on a steep learning curve with the students. First period is near to out and out rebellion. There is a dynamic between two students and the outrageous parent that is spreading to others. The quiet, well disciplined ones are not choosing to counterbalance. Oh Well. I am paid to be the adult. There are rules. They do not include standing up and yelling "I'm not moving my desk" or "I don't care what you say" or any version of that. I can cut any discussion and make them work in silence but that becomes a mindless trudge. I worked through prayer and meditation today to find away past my irritation and toward more understanding and finesse.The other two classes seem to be much better although one girl was filmed stealing prize Cheetos from my cabinet when there was a sub. Every single kid I have had to deal with has some kind of nasty history - abandoned by parent, drug use, The Cheetos thief lives with five siblings (one of whom is autistic) and a single father. So I worked as compassionately as possible with all and, no matter what I felt, welcomed each with "I am glad you are here today." First lesson is good teaching - Take a positive action, feelings will follow. Next lesson - Everybody starts fresh the next day or it is a long year.
Here I have gone on and on. Welcome back KarenRN. Here is to 150s national parker. Wave to everybody else.
Monday - Albert Einstein arrives in the US (Princeton, NJ, 1933)
