I live in Las Vegas Nevada...the city of endless buffets!
I have just started reading "The Beck Diet Solution" (both the book and the workbook) and I feel like this will be the answer to years and years of failed diets. Finding a diet to lose weight is easy, but I think the cognitive part is what has been missing... since STAYING on the diet, and overcoming cravings, meltdowns, and rebounds are my primary problems. Although lately I've had a really hard time getting started AGAIN! I'll be focussing on reading the books for a while....but I'll be back! Thanks for being here.
We are in Tennessee and the wedding is tonight. Rough times for my family as this is the daughter of my brother who was found dead at age 40...totally unexpected. A lot of sadness seeing his pictures with his kids last night at the Rehearsal dinner slide show. And then dealing with mother with Alzheimers. Hard to say OH WELL. Very tempting to eat. BUT...have not caved to the emotional pressures. CREDIT MOI.
Sor far have stayed totally OP with food. Did 50 min workout in hotel pool yesterday and got in 30 bonus minutes today. Not sure HR really cardio as no clock...but tried to keep the intensity up with the waterproof headphones.
Tonight...challenge of lengthy reception and wedding buffet. Plan to follow Beck plan of looking at entire buffet first and selecting what I will eat.
Wynter! Kudos for realizing that the major force in eating healthy is the BRAIN! Wonder if you still in the intro or one of the early days? There is a lot of really good stuff in the first few pages of Beck. Contrats for deciding to build the tools to succeed.
RobinW-Go, girl, go for that treadmill! Yup, I'm here striving to be in onederland when I get back home. Thinking of your great road trip and how well you did. Do you have a low cal broccoli casserole you'd like to share? Seems most of the ones I have all have cream or cheese or some other goody in it that knocks it off my "acceptable for diet" list.
BBE-Grieving for the loss of those outstanding blueberries. Thought of you just now. DH and I bought fresh blueberries in grocery store this am for healthy snack. Put in hotel room frig. Just now helped myself to some...but they were FROZEN! Tasted like a slushy, so still pretty good. High five on those weights. Yup, comparisonitis only acceptable when comparing current healthier self to prior not-so-healthy self..."no-go" when comparing current healthy self to younger lilfters.
onebyone-hoping for a great market for you today. Kudos for getting back into your Beck workbook. Hope you got all you needed at the info session for residency...and withstanding beer and pizza temptation...AWESOME.
Got to run. If I don't post tomorrow....hopefully back on Monday.
Went to market today. My craft booth display sits in the tiny Versa rental car we have for the weekend. I had to dismantle everything as I have my final outdoor art in the park show next Saturday and then the weekend after it's the Carp Fair and the grounds we are on for the weekly market are taken over by the fair board and their vendors. We move back in the next Saturday to finish off the season, selling until the end of October. And I just consulted with my friend and we are skipping the Sunday market tomorrow. Since I had a $0 day today and it's supposed to be raining heavily tomorrow and I have tons of homework I don't mind not going. On his side, he wants to have a family day.
The first week of school has taken its toll on them and on me.
So it's my carb up day and I ate until too full again. I, again, did not plan today but rushed out, late, grabbing here and there and feeling tired. Luckily, this foodplan is very forgiving and I must be doing this good enough for the weightloss to keep happening but I don't seem to learn from week to week. I feel very resistant to do anything about limiting my portions during carb up Saturday. I KNOW this is not a foodplan issue but a BECK thinking issue. Obviously, my foodplan is okay with this. it may slow my weightloss but it keeps on going. It's that I know that this behaviour must change. I cannot continue to do this. Just cause I can get away with "breaking the rules" eg eating to overstuffed, doesn't mean I should break the rules...why do I want to feel so stuffed that it hurts? what's that about? So 98% of the week I am doing great but that 2% is stubbornly hanging on. Need to do some basic Beck work on this.
This week I fit into a linen skirt I bought 3 years ago on sale. Still in style so I am happy it now fits and the waist is a bit loose...with a miniscule hook and eye closure too that isn't tearing from the garment cause I tried to stuff myself into it. Amazing. Today was week 5 day 6 of my new plan. It's incredible I have been able to follow this plan for so long with little, and I mean very little, problem.
I got to the gym but forgot my workout plan and my tshirt but had my bathing suit so I went for a swim. Ugh! TWO cannonballers and their Dad were in the pool and several couples rotated in and out of the pool. Could not get a good rhythm of laps going so i just tread water for 30 minutes knowing that moving is all i really need to do. I was pleased that I did not let myself off the hook of doing whatever I could do. Mental note was taken to aim for mid morning as the best pool time and to avoid Friday afternoons.
The talk was interesting and the speaker spoke about residencies in Hungary and this is my secret dream as I was raised by my Hungarian grandparents and have never been there and would love to go. Imagine, going there to do art?! Wow. And the odds of the speaker talking about that? Of all the places in the world? Pretty neat. After that a group of us old girls got in a car and drove to another art opening for Genevieve who modelled for us in drawing class and in my photography calss and she had a show of her own photography with herself as the subject depicting famous consorts of artists in history. Very good. I was so thrilled she did that! She was fearless when she modelled. It was a very well attended opening with at least 2 pieces sporting the "sold" red dot, each piece going for $875. Probably 50% split with the gallery... de rigeur these days. A crime if you ask me. C'est la vie... that's the art world.
So I have the day off tomorrow and on Monday and I am thrilledeven have a car to bop around in if the rain isn't torrential...or even if it is.
Good evening! It's gotten hot here - back into the 90s - and humid. UGH!
Robin, I use those green bags and I can keep broccoli green and fresh for 2 weeks. Those bags are great. Everything lasts weeks longer. One of those "as seen on TV" products that actually lives up to its advertising.
BBE - Congratulations on your progress at the gym. I'll be glad when I can do my whole Curves workout again. Now I can only do the upper body part. I share your pain at the end of blueberry season. I went to get some today and they are gone. Still had strawberries, though. And I got peaches, plums (red and black), and nectarines for 68 cents a pound. Rounded it out with some red pears and apples. Great fruit for next week.
OneByOne - How'd your hair turn out? I'm going through Beck a second time and I'm still learning new stuff. I think it takes several readings to get it all cemented in your mind.
hDiet Coaches Saw my first Double Breasted Cormorant of the fall - welcome back for the winter guy.
Then it was a day of chores. The mason has the driveway about half done. The carpets are now cleaned. One door has been cleaned up and returned to its hinges. Took a long walk to the supermarket just for red bell peppers for my lunches this week. For taking care of the necessities of life, CREDIT moi.
For our anniversary, DW and I went to a Himalayan Restaurant. The lentils had a wonderful flavor I've not had before - didn't recognize the spice. One of the dips with the initial lentil bread was honey with (maybe) curry - just yummy. The spinach had way more garlic than I'd have expected and the cauliflower and okra were exquisite. Only wish I had stopped a little sooner with the muchly buttered naan (flat bread). Nevertheless, by my rather generous plan for restaurant meals, I remained on plan. CREDIT moi.
onebyone Kudos for doing a gym routine despite the setbacks. Congrats on the NSV with the linen skirt; you just continue to march forward. Can I come visit you in Hungry? Now that's a place on my list of places to explore that might be hard to work in, since Katmandu and New Deli are both higher on the list.
Robin (RobinW) - hmmmm.... Canadian Tire sounds like my kind of store alright. Good luck finding a way to eat too much broccoli; I've had to discard a head or two that faded in our fridge - felt like a murderer, LOL.
shrinkin - My sympathy for having to deal again with the loss of your brother, and for needing to help the whole family cope with the memories. Kudos for sticking to your eating plan and exercise plan under the duress of travel and the abundance surrounding a wedding. Thanks for the reminder about "comparisonitis." If I focus on the talented, buff bodies working out around me I could get discouraged fast.
Susan (QuilterInVA) - Kudos for all that fruit for next week. Double Kudos for "nectarines for 68 cents a pound" - the last we had were so sweet it was hard for me to stop at one.
Wynter Seconding those Kudos for figuring out that the cognitive part is what you need next for your long term healthy eating. Many of us have found that posting here frequently helps us to stay on track and move forward. Glad you're here. Do the locals in Las Vegas go to those "endless buffets?" That must be hard on one's plans to eat rationally, LOL.
Readers "How Thoughts can Sabotage Your Diet
Sabotaging thoughts increase your general level of stress." Beck, pg 28.
Just checking in. I am on day 14 of the workbook. I successfully skipped lunch yesterday and the day before and lived to tell about it. I am pretty much staying op, however I have been having a real hard time motivating myself to exercise. I hate exercise! I have dvd's, a treadmill, gym membership, but cant seem to get motivated.
Anyway I will try and start back up tomorrow,
Hope everyones doing ok.
Amy
As you can tell I have not been here much if at all this week. It was the first full week of school and it has been really hard.
On tuesday I had a parent storm up to my bus and proceeded to tell me that I need to pull up and block a road as that is where the bus stop is. She then stated that I needed to check in with transportation as I had alot of complaints about me. I told here that I could not block a road and that transportation had not called me in. Well they did and pulled my camera...it was good that they did because transportation said that I did a good job with the parent and that I was in the right. They also watched my morning and afternoon runs and all they said was that I need to try to say please and thank you more in the afternoon.....I do say it alot in the am. So that is good.
I have been so tired when I get home at 5pm....I go to bed between 7 and 8...so I have almost no time at night. I do get to come home for a few hours during my mid day...that seem to go so fast. Am still working on my routine but that may take me a few weeks to get it going good.
Yesterday was our 33rd wedding anniversary and we went to olive garden for lunch and the manager paid for us....she said that we are such good patrons that she wanted to do this for us. After that we went down to the western washington fair and walked around for 4-5 hours. We had a strawberry shortcake with I only had a few bites..dh ate the rest. We also had a rosted corn on the cob...I did pass up on the elephant ears...yea for me. I did try to drink more water.
After that dh took me to dinner as we both were very tired...did not do all that great but what the heck...it was our anniversary.
Today is a new day and I hope to be able to begin reading beck again. I have been so tired that I just cannot think and that had been alot of my problem. So I need to take just a few minutes each day to be able to read and to be able to take time for me instead of the house and laundry all the time.
I have read the last messages and they have really helped....thanks
Angelmomma and HisBeloved - You really need to take time for yourself so you can exercise and do Beck. Remember the days when you learned "JUST DO IT" and "NO CHOICE"? Saying those over a couple times a day keeps me on track. I put exercise and reading Beck and recording my food right on my daily schedule. Make it an appointment and keep it. You'll be glad you did. Before you go out to eat, take the time to look up the restaurant's nutritional info on the internet. Then you can make good choices that support your weight loss. And please don't use food as a reward. Planning is the key to it all. Keep on Becking because there a pot of gold at the end of that rainbow.
BBE - I envy you the many restaurants you have to chose from. I live in the country and we have pizza, Italian, Chinese, Thai, and Japanese. There is a Hardee's and MacDonald's but that is it. I could go for some Greek or Lebanese food. I make my own German and Polish dishes. I love to try Indian.
Hot humid and hazy. That's what it's like out there right now. Incredible. I get to enjoy the day as I am not at the market. I should be doing homework but I'll get to that later. I'm taking some time for myself today. Not much else to say... hope you guys have a great relaxing Sunday too
QuilterInVA I was greatly impressed to read that you go to Curves and work the upper body while your lower body heals...and getting and staying OP... really good work there! Many Kudos to you for doing the most with what you've got. You asked how my hair turned out, and I LOVE the haircut but the streaks I'm so so about. There's this trend in hair that's really kind of stripey you know? And I think I am now part of that trend. Maria gave me a bonus 2 foil highlights as she was doing my hair which ws very kind of her. I really like her. I have a feeling that the streaks make me look older than not having streaks. Can this be? Anyway it takes a while to "make it your own" after getting a new haircut. I'm glad I did it. And my hair grows fast so it'll be different soon enough. Have a great Sunday.
angelmomma210 Congratulations on 33 years with your DH! That doesn't come by accident! I have the most downfalls when I am tired too so I know how that feels. I am going to try to plan and make ahead when I am not so tired so when the time comes I just have to grab and go. And I'll have to make the time to do that but it will pay off for sure. Nice to hear from you!
HisBelovedGreat job getting to day 14. Exercise is something I really enjoy once it's over haha! Actually that's true. We all know we should do it and I am now doing it but it has to be very very convenient or I will make an excuse and not go. Sometimes the best way to start is wiht the pedometer onthe shoe and count your steps and add more to your day. make it a game for yourself. work up to the 10,000 steps that's the recommended # to get a day. It doesn't have to be a formal routine... just do more of whatever you do everyday.
BillBlueEyes Of course you can visit me in Hungary! Wow wouldn't that be something?! As for Canadian Tire being all about tires, I don't think I know anyone who got their tires there. You do get Canadian Tire money with every purchase. Some charities collect Canadian Tire money along with regular donations cause you can get everything there. My cordless screwdriver/drill is their housebrand Mastercraft so they just take them back and replacement no questions asked. I hope my 4th one is the one that lasts.
Oh and my markets end the last weekend of October. this is the really tough time for me with school job, market weekends, and full time studies...oh and homework. yikes.
shrinkin How's the hotel pool? What do you do when the pool isn't good for doing laps in? All I could think of was treading water...there must be other things to do. I've totally forgotten everything we used to do in water aerobics class! Kudos for staying on track foodwise. Hope you're still doing all right as you read this. That's a lot of emotional stuff given the circumstances of the wedding with the loss of your brother. Wow. Be extra vigilant once the event is over. I find I am great during the stressful event but after is when I overdo it. It's not quite Persist in the face of Victory but I guess it is similar...you made it through the event=victory, but you must keep on going afterwards too. This really is the ultimate victory!
WynterHi Welcome! I was in Vegas for the first time a year ago. The buffets...you're not kidding. So much of everything. Vegas is not a place where the atmosphere is about holding yourself back, or not giving in but of sheer indulgence. It's so fascinating though. And you are so right to focus onthe mental aspects, and the beliefs that come along with that. They make us or break us. As for starting again, you know from reading the workbook it's a good 14 days before you actually start a diet of your choice... and then it's whatever you choose...can be as simple as not having a second helping. That's it. Hope to hear from you again.
RobinW You sound so fond of Canadian Tire..I know I would feel that way too if I couldn't go there. And I love the Canadian Tire money with the "thrifty Scotsman" on it! I have a lot of broccoli in the fridge too. Not sure what shape it's in but have to cook it up today. I am thinking of making a rice and broccoli salad:
½ cup cooked rice
½ cup cooked broccoli
5 crushed almonds or walnuts (don't have these)
Dressing
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ package sugar substitute (for me I won't add this)
In a large bowl, combine all dressing ingredients. Mix in rice,
broccoli, and almonds, combining well until all ingredients are
coated well with dressing.
Note: Add red pepper flakes if you like it a little hot. You
can add orange segments—or turkey bacon, using the minimum amount.
I'll make a big batch for the week...like 4 cups of broccoli and 4 cups of rice. I haven't made this before but it looks promising.
Diet Coaches Chose a Fuji Apple from an array of choices that included lots of cookies. CREDIT moi. Walked to Whole Foods to get an Italian vegetarian sausage that had been recommended to me by a friend at work. DW made it into marinara sauce over spaghetti squash. Soooo good. And I made a big bowl of bean and tomato salad with rosemary vinaigrette for work this week. So, good lunches to look forward to.
onebyone Taking time for yourself - now that's a good way to keep some energy for handling overload. Double "Yikes" for "really tough time for me with school job, market weekends, and full time studies...oh and homework." Keep the faith; this too shall pass.
angelmomma210 - Congrats on your 33rd wedding anniversary! That's a bunch of years. Ouch for having to deal with complaints and having your camera tape reviewed. BIG Kudos for keeping you cool through this and for staying on plan. LOL at having to say more please and thank you in the afternoon - don't we all. Do you have a secret for handling the portion sizes at Olive Garden? Some people have to wrestle with that one.
Susan (QuilterInVA) - Are you suffering any lingering aftermath from Hurricane Hanna? Still thinking of your fridge full of good fruit.
Amy (HisBeloved) Oh yes, day 14: Plan for Tomorrow. Methinks that planning is the core part of Beck. Kudos for being On Plan. For exercise, perhaps you can try some walking to get the exercise juices flowing. A brisk walk is terrific aerobic exercise, especially if you're in a hilly part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It's easy to commit to a brief walk; you can increase the distance as your body becomes accustomed. Good luck.
Readers "Sabotaging thoughts increase your general level of stress.
Dieting takes time and energy, so its important to reduce your overall stress whenever you can. " Beck, pg 28.
I have a dilemma as to whether I will make it into the school today or not. There is work for me to do in the studio, but I make my own schedule so I may just stay home, do most of my homework for the week today and then stay late during the week to get the ceramic studio work done. Nothing is really pressing in there yet...not as much as getting my homeowrk done for the week! This strategy may actually fit this Beck quote taken from BBE's post today
Quote:
Readers "Sabotaging thoughts increase your general level of stress.
Dieting takes time and energy, so its important to reduce your overall stress whenever you can. " Beck, pg 28.
Getting homework done for the week would definitely reduce my overall stress!
I have written out my food for the day. I commit to following my plan today. If I don't get to the gym today I will do a WATP dvd today or use the mini-trampoline for 30 minutes.
I've just started week 6 of my 8 week program. 3/4 of the way through. I'm amazed to have made it so far and see no need to stop now. I will see it through for sure.
BillBlueEyes What a significant shift to reach for the apple instead of the cookie. And I'll bet you were happy to have an apple to choose from! Beck says somewhere that we won't feel deprived or upset when we choose the healthy food. I think you are there... KUDOS
Back last night about 11 pm. A good report for the weekend. Wedding details: followed the Beck plan for surveying entire buffet, decided to use salad plate rather than large plate, convinced self to load half of plate with fresh veggies and skip many dips, added a bit of fruit. Then had only small amount of room left for two lean meat finger sandwiches. Converted these to open face. Skipped all entrees as all appeared to be not so good choices, skipped the pasta salads, potatoes and nachos. In advance, self was not allowed second trip to buffet. Had decided in advance my treat would be two bites of wedding cake and two bites of grooms cake. Followed thru on those plans. CREDIT MOI. Almost hit downfall when surprise...trays and trays of chocolate covered strawberries on table in front of wedding cakes. Now there is nothing that rates higher with me than chocolate covered strawberries. TOOK ONE, turned my back to the table and never looked back...but I can still remember the force of those trays on my psyche. There is something about the power of desirable food when laid out attractively and en masse. CREDIT MOI for resistance muscle kicking in.
Hotel pool tiny but sparkling clean and at great exercise temp. It was empty (a good thing because three people would have been a crowd). No clock for HR. Onebyone, remember that anything you can do on land, you can do in the water. If the water is deep enough and I have a flotation belt, it is easy to do a routine. Cross country skiing action gives the best HR return for me but I do mix it up. Alas, no belt this weekend, so mostly, was water jogging or doing jumping jacks in water that was up to my chin. LOL. Looks crazy but who cares.
I am having more difficulty getting my HR into cardiac zone. However, just noticed my resting HR is down to 52 (before exercise program was in high 70s low 80s).
Will have to be extra cautious next 48 hours. I do have trouble back sliding after victory on a challenge. Yup, Persist, Especially In Victory. Double trouble because I fly out this afternoon to high power, high profile meeting. High stress combined with plenty of food...especially chocolate and other comfort foods. This time I am going to remember BBE's words..."That's not about me!" Read Beck last night on plane home and reviewed my personal list of extracted Beckisms. Tried to hit the high points of several chapters yet again...dining out, emotional eating, controlling stress and countering unfairness.
BBE-Would like to be adopted by you and DW...the eats sound so great! LOL. Kudos for getting your good food lined up for the week.
onebyone-WooHoo for earlier report of wearing that linen skirt! Sorry to hear that the Saturday market was disappointing. BTW, you are so right about your note to angelmomma about planning and making ahead so when tired or rushed you can "grab and go". Beck talks a lot about life intervening and getting ready for it. "The diet goes great until..." Noting that we have to plan for that intervening whether it is an event like wedding or just everyday rough times with work, studies, home responsibilities. They all fit that umbrella that "life intervenes." Kudos to you for using your well deserved time for self to plan your attack for your life intervening. We went to Budapest this year and absolutely LOVED IT. History and art, awesome; people the best anywhere; food, fantastic; scenery, gorgeous. Go for that dream!
QuilterinVA-You are a real role model with persisting in exercise even when faced with a physical challenge. Recalling that I had a hard time starting out exercising; I remember your very direct encouragement as a friendly . In my first couple of weeks, I can remember truly dragging to the pool. But, just as Beck says, not exercising=not an option. You can lose weight without it, but you can't build the muscle you need to be healthy. Many studies show you can't maintain without exercising. It also relieves stress and controlling that is part of successful dieting. So, it really is NO CHOICE. Eew, sorry if this sounds like preachin to the choir. We are all striving to follow your lead...exercise no matter what.
angelmomma210-WOW for the 33 years! Congrats to you and DH. Feel for your pain on the tiredness and the confrontational parent. Chapter in Beck on managing strees and expectations might be helpful. Keep working on your routine and posting to us. You can do it. Little steps, little steps....5 min or 10 min. We are pulling for you to get your routines in place for both diet and exercise.
HisBeloved-You are doing great on the Beck program. Big credits for doing that practicing hunger. It is hard to get started on exercising...but you CAN do it. It has such a big payoff. Motivation for me comes from ARC. I ask myself.."what do you want? Want to be the same next year that you are this year? or Do you really want what is on this card" Sometimes I get tough with self....remind myself to "Stop fooling yourself" or "Get real with this"..only thing that gets me moving.
Off to the rest of the day, quick packing,then hit the office and then back to the airport ()
Nope I didnt have a lowfat recipe for a broccoli casserole. I went searching online, and everything had blobs of mayo, and canned soup Yuck! Thanks onebyone for that recipe, Im going to try it out!! For now Im just eating more of it
Too many self sabotaging thoughts lately, and Im having a very difficult time. Too much pressure on myself to get thin isnt helping either....and thats just from me, not from anyone else.
Ok, Im off to print more totes Have a great day everyone.
Oh!! yes I miss Canadian tire!!!! If I had the money to do it, I'd start the franchise here in the states! Id go to CT before home depot or lowes any day!!
About Olive Garden..as this was my anniversary I splurged some and then did alot of walking. Usually I eat about half and bring the rest home. I did not have breakfast on saturday as we did sleep in later than usual.
Well back to work I go. Doing alot better with my routes today..we will see about tonight.
Wynter! Kudos for realizing that the major force in eating healthy is the BRAIN! Wonder if you still in the intro or one of the early days? There is a lot of really good stuff in the first few pages of Beck. Contrats for deciding to build the tools to succeed. 
Saturday
even have a car to bop around in if the rain isn't torrential...or even if it is.
. In my first couple of weeks, I can remember truly dragging to the pool. But, just as Beck says, not exercising=not an option. You can lose weight without it, but you can't build the muscle you need to be healthy. Many studies show you can't maintain without exercising. It also relieves stress and controlling that is part of successful dieting. So, it really is NO CHOICE. Eew, sorry if this sounds like preachin to the choir. We are all striving to follow your lead...exercise no matter what. 
) 
Yuck! Thanks onebyone for that recipe, Im going to try it out!! For now Im just eating more of it 
Have a great day everyone.