Coaches/Buddies, I had kind of a down weekend. Saturday started out pretty well - I got up early, although we had been out late the night before. But, a few hours into it, I was off track with my schedule and planned cooking and didn't really manage to get back to it. This kind of stuff gets me so down! I spent lots of time planning my work, meals, and cooking on Friday with great intentions. I'm disappointed when I am unable to do what I had planned. I know that I need to plan smaller - put less into my expectations for a day. But, then I often end up at the other extreme and get stuck getting very little done because there isn't enough detail in my plan. I don't know how to get all of it done between making good health habits, classes, work, my pets, and trying to take care of our house.
Among the magic weight loss pill that I wish existed, I want a magic "become a morning person" pill. I am not a morning person - I don't wake up well at all. But, I am not very energetic at night either. Sometimes I wonder if I am not a morning person or a night person, am I a person? Sounds dumb, but where is the energy of life in me? I know that the energy and motivation required to succeed with this life change is going to take some time every day, but why does it feel like it has to take hours and I am not seeing progress yet?
Anyhow, I am feeling a bit better now. I'm nervous about the holiday I've associated with such a great deal of disgusting overeating all my life. I am looking forward to seeing my brother's family and hoping that our dogs travel well and behave themselves. I have caught up on my food log now - boy I shouldn't let that slide. I think it is going to have to become a multiple time a day affair rather than once a day (or days as it has been in the last several). But, I feel guilty trying to do it at work. I am finishing my Hunger/Desire/Craving exercise today and will not move on to the next day (not eating during the day) until a week from yesterday, since I would like it to occur on a day when there is more of a regular routine occurring. I read my response card this morning and started investigating the cost of personal trainers in the area. I have fibromyalgia, so finding a trainer that can "push" me without putting me in several days of pain is important to me. My hope is that if i can get someone that can help me build the habit of regular intentional exercise into my day that it will feel more comfortable and maybe even enjoyable. WI:+3 pounds - ugh! (but I am not at all surprised).
AnnZ, hi and welcome.
BillBlueEyes, I've found a great source for dark chocolate is cocoa nibs, made by sweetriot. I have gotten them at healthfood stores. That have 1 - 2 calories a piece, and pack a great chocolate taste. Plus they come is a small container that even if I overate on them, it would be fairly few calories.
Also, how do you know WGHS?
Great job on passing up hardware cake!
I had thought couscous was a grain. Thanks for the education. Also, nice job on the good form.
Glad your major deadline is passed sans vending machine and here's hoping your projects for next week go well.
CeeJay, go to see you! Eating mindfully is challenging, especially if you don't often sit still. Maybe that might be helpful, just taking 5 minutes or so (while not eating) to sit and look out the window or at a picture or something - no laptop, no phone, to TV. That way, when you are eating it won't be the only "still" moment you have. It is hard to switch out of that gear once you get into it. By the way, I love your rewards. Congratulations on losing almost 15 pounds!
ChinaMaine, nice to "see" you. I'd been thinking about you and your family and hoping you were doing OK. I like your committed changes and think that is really impressive. I also like your new summary, and if you don't mind think I may copy that to do myself. It sounds like you are on the right track. Congratulations on getting rid of almost 20%!
I second Bill's suggestion of finding a way to leave your mother-in-law at home alone. I am often desperate to get some quiet time at home. About the Hershey's Kisses, great thinking about the no choice. I need to implement that in my eating.
Also, do you have fibromyalgia or CFS (if you don't mind my asking)?
What a cool gift for your son!
Great job with mindful eating and Hunger/Desire observations!
GardenerJoy, so sorry to hear about your brother-in-law. What a rough time it must be. I am really "proud" (for lack of a better word) that you are continuing to post here. In some weird way, I feel honored that you are sharing this with all of us. Not sure if that makes sense to anyone else or not...
What a fabulous reward to shop in a regular store!
KidsLibraryLady, you're so funny - ace bandages! Also, I really loved the advice about anticipating plateaus every 10% and how to preemptively avoid them. How awesome that you had clothes too big to get rid of! You won't need them! You are stronger than that. Hope your kids are feeling OK. The fact that you are posting and taking care of your babies is hugely impressive. You are fabulous!
Nuxmaga, great job on the cheese restraint. I couldn't agree with you more about the craft store selling junk food. I would add to that the hardware store and the pet store too! I like your plan for tomorrow and am thinking about copying your ideas!
Maryblue, the duct tape idea is a sound, albeit sticky one!
RobinW, it's great to hear that your husband is looking out for your health when other parts of life are trying to distract you. What an amazing gym story. Honestly, I didn't know it was possible for someone like me to get endorphins at the gym - I'd heard it from skinnies before, but I've NEVER experienced it myself. I am really joyful for you - it made me feel like I was getting a hug!
Shepherdess, great job at the craft fair and the Turkey Trot. 29 minutes is indeed awsome!
How cool is that that you felt it was "easy" to eat out with your family?!
Glad to hear things are getting back on your "normal" schedule. Great job on the late run, though I hope you glow like a radioactive cat when your out there (I'm assuming on country roads). I love the idea of packing snacks for running errands. I am going to have to try that too.
Wndranne, it is so nice to hear about how your success is evidenced in your family. That is terrific. Good job at recording the bad day, even though it was a bad day. That is power and commitment in action. Great attitude about the cookie mishap too.
Last edited by FutureFitChick; 11-25-2009 at 10:13 AM.
Hi All,
A quick check-in before bed. Tracked food, credit. Zumba, credit. Split a muffin with dh rather than eating a whole one, though I did ask if *he* wanted a whole one, so the sabotaging voice was in action. . .Left some of my spaghetti squash at dinner, even though I had the impusle to finish it all, as it was healthy, even though I was full, credit. Got all sorts of veggies for t-day salad. Plan to go to the gym in the morning, since they are open. Hope everyone from the US has a good Thanksgiving! Personals soon!
Diet Coaches/Buddies - The pre-Thanksgiving gym (CREDIT moi) was packed - loved the energy of the place. Dinner was OP, CREDIT moi, easily because it was dahl (spicy lentils) with a small piece of the cornbread made the day before for the turkey's stuffing. DW and I talked about strategies for sane eating on Thanksgiving, and I realized that it would be my fifth one on this Journey - CREDIT moi. Biggest obstacle is to recognize that pie crust is plain evil.
Got to be family hero last night when DW noticed that her backing powder was two years out of date. Don't know if that matters, but didn't seem worth the risk. So, I was delegated for a grocery store run at the peak of day-before-madness. Sigh, it was indeed a madhouse, but I returned with a fresh can, CREDIT moi.
maryblu - Shouting back to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving also. Laughing at you laughing at the little boy in me. When I'm on a project with enough money on the table they pass my vu-graphs through an editor - a humorless person who takes no joy in the foibles of the English language allbethem proficient in its linguistics - and I have to read sentences that sound as if they have no author. Methinks it's the little kid in us that finds the joy in life.
Margaret (Nuxmaga) - Neat insight into the Sabotaging Thought when you offered your DH a full muffin. Kudos for not overeating spaghetti squash even though it's good for you - that's some clear vision.
FutureFitChick - Ouch for that bummer feeling from an emotional bump in the road. Kudos for facing it and thinking about alternative strategies - give yourself credit that you're not just throwing in the towel which is a standard response from many folks not on a plan like Beck. Yes you are a person and Yes you'll climb over this bump.
Thanks for the tip about Sweetriot cocoa nibs; we have those around here - local brand - and I do love them. Hadn't ever thought of only having a couple, LOL, you've given me a new idea. I googled WGHS from your post - that's my only knowledge of it.
Shepherdess - Yep, Kudos for packing snacks to avoid all the opportunities for junk food when running errands.
Readers -
Quote:
day 9 Select an Exercise Plan
Exercise has many diet- and non-diet-related benefits. . . . Exercise makes you feel better physically. The more you move, the more you feel like moving. Regular exercise strengthens your lungs, heart, and other muscles with the result that your daily activities (such as carrying bags of groceries or doing housework) feel less taxing. Because exercise can improve sleep, you might find that you have more energy as well. . . .
DH and I went to lunch yesterday at a new Asian Bistro. My vegetable dish came out glimmering and shining with lots of oil. I left a lot of the lunch on my plate and my calories were on track, but it did leave me hungry for the rest of the afternoon. I guess that’s why it’s a good idea not to do those lunches very often. I got my run in yesterday evening and it was an absolutely beautiful evening.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I’m spending my morning doing my cooking. All of my contributions to the meal are healthy. I have a plan in place and am feeling optimistic. Among the many things I am thankful for on this Thanksgiving, I am thankful for a growing sense of control over my eating (and therefore much of my life) and I’m thankful for all of wonderful support I have found here.
FutureFitChick, I can relate about not being able to accomplish all of your intentions. I think it just takes patience and practice. You already had a lot of things to balance, and you’ve added one more time-consuming goal to your life. Good luck finding a personal trainer. I think that’s a great idea.
Maryblu, LOL about the big kid in BillBe! I ditto that it’s the big kid in us that finds the joy in life.
Nuxmaga, credit for tracking food and getting your exercise and kudos for splitting the muffin even if you wanted a whole one to yourself. Good job recognizing that healthy food can be a trigger to overeat.
BillBE, yum dahl. One of my favorite dishes! Huge kudos for facing five Thanksgivings on your Beck journey. LOL about evil pie crust. Good job being the hero and facing the shopping madness.
Happy Thanksgiving! I'm grateful for each one of you!
FutureFitChick: I'm not a morning or a night person either and it does make one feel kind of nothing, doesn't it? Now that I've accepted that, I'm starting to appreciate my mid-day energy, say 10 to 2, and my after supper second-wind that lasts on hour or two. I'm still working on accepting how much time in a day that adding healthy behaviors seems to take. Right now, I've got the time for cooking working well, but I've lost my exercise time somewhere.My great hope, at the moment, is a new calendar I bought at a local craft fair, but they're selling it on-line, too: http://www.daysteps.com/
Oh! It's on sale through Black Friday.
BillBlueEyes: Thanks for the reminder that pie crust is pure evil. I will now be skipping any pie crust I encounter today!
And Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans in our group and Happy Thursday to ever one else!
My strategy for today is to eat lots of vegetables (I'm bring a salad with green and purple cabbage, red Bulgarian sweet peppers, and carrots that are orange on the inside and purple on the outside -- all bought from the Winter Farmer's Market on Saturday) and tiny servings of anything else that I want.
Thanks all for the welcome to the forum. I haven't been checking in each night so I'm going to commit to that.
I was down a pound today.
I did a Turkey Trot this morning, so I felt great about that. I didn't monitor my food today, so I didn't great about that. I do have the sabotaging thoughts that if I exercise a lot during a day, I can eat lots of "healthy" food. That's not truthful or realistic, so I'm going to have to face the reality of what I'm putting in my mouth.
Black Friday (the day after American Thanksgiving)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Was a great Thanksgiving. Good walk before dinner with another on the beach after dinner; CREDIT moi. One meal served for both lunch and dinner and I made one plate with no seconds, mostly vegetables; CREDIT moi. Had uber thin slices of three desserts - all home made by close relatives expecting critical acclimations which were well deserved. And the freshest ever organic salad that included edible flowers. I peeled two pomegranates that served as a nice diversion for those of us avoiding the huge pie selection and had only a reasonable handful of my dark chocolate covered cranberries - leaving the remainder for some young adults to devour. A good day.
And this morning my weight was within its normal variations, BUT, with a smirk, I note it was 2 pounds less than yesterday. Now I know that's just my normal ups and downs but I accept the scale's statement that I didn't overeat on Thanksgiving Day. Thank you scale.
Anne (wndranne) - Gobble Gobble posts, LOL. I had trouble also, and am, at this moment, typing on my DW's computer since mine seems too annoyed to connect to 3FC at all.
Shepherdess - Kudos for leaving good food at the Asian Bistro. I just love hearing stories of food left at restaurants since that still remains a challenge for me.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Drooling over that salad - like the visual image of the colors. Yay for "Winter Farmer's Market" - we don't have one of those.
AnnZ - Congrats on down a pound and Kudos for the Turkey Trot. And Kudos for spotting that Sabotaging Thought that some exercise justifies later overeating - think that one gets all of us at sometime.
Readers -
Quote:
day 9 Select an Exercise Plan
Exercise has many diet- and non-diet-related benefits. . . . Exercise improves your health and helps prevent diseases. Studies have found a correlation between regular exercise and a reduced risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
I’m enjoying a sunrise with deep purples and pinks peaking up over my lilac bushes. I think it’s a well-deserved reward for a very good day yesterday. I stuck to my eating plan and enjoyed every single bite and enjoyed the family time after dinner, playing cards, without feeling stuffed. I realized how much of the food I normally take I don’t even care much about, I just take it to be polite. So this year, I passed on the role (like we don’t have enough carbs on the table) and I passed on the sweet potatoes. I like the way I cook sweet potatoes, but the traditional Thanksgiving way is too sweet and buttery for me. I’d rather have dessert.
I didn’t get my planned exercise yesterday, but did get some unplanned exercise. DH and I were heading out to feed the sheep and got a flat tire. The jack that comes with the truck was obviously not tested on a ¾ ton pickup, so I hiked the 2 miles back to the house to get the decent jack out of the shop. The entire ordeal made us late for Thanksgiving, but that’s life out here. Now the jack is staying in the truck.
Gardenerjoy, thanks for the link for the daysteps calendar. It looks like it could be a helpful tool. Sounds like your Thanksgiving strategy was a good one. Those carrots sound like a lot of fun!
Wndranne, I was having trouble losing my posts as well. Now I write them on a Word document and cut and paste them for the post.
AnnZ, yay for one lb down and kudos for doing the Turkey Trot! Good job realizing the importance of monitoring as well as exercise. Many of us use exercise as an excuse to overeat. I was recently reading a post on a running forum from someone who wanted to lose weight through running, but didn’t want to count calories. The expert replied that yes, running burns a lot of calories, but running a 12 min mile, you burn approximately 500 calories in an hour and you can eat those calories in less than 5 minutes. So we’re back to monitoring. . .
BillBE, congrats on the hugely successful Thanksgiving and the weigh-in to prove it! Kudos for two walks. Glad you were able to get the taste of the chocolate covered cranberries that you craved without over doing it.
I had a novel idea the other day: I should actually read "The Complete Beck Diet for Life" book that I've owned since it first came out and haven't read past the first chapter I kid you not! I read the first few chapters of the original book about a year ago and I sporadically followed some of the guidelines, but never really did it all. The old book was based on 1 new concept a day which was too much. That was part of why Dr. Beck changed the format of the new version and what I really liked a lot.
Approximately a year ago I came across the original book and also purchased the Sensewear WMS armband. Using the Sensewear religiously, combined with some of the Beck techniques I managed to lose over 25 lbs and felt as if I had a life altering experience. Unfortunately, I've started to gain some of the weight back (I've been yo-yoing up and down about 5lbs for the past 6 months or so).
I sporadically check in here and then drop it all together. I'm stuck in the whole "on plan" vs. "off plan" mentality again and have been struggling with negative self-talk.
I started reading the new book today and realized that I have not even come close to following Beck's techniques in the past 6 months.
My plan now is to follow the book to the letter. Including not worrying about diet changes until it is recommended (which I didn't do in the past).
Here are some lines that really spoke to me so far...
Quote:
Here is my best advice: Practice every skill I teach you in this book. Don't skip any.
Wow, I missed the author's best advice-- or chose to ignore it.
Quote:
You learn these skills as well as how to get yourself to practice them, day after day -- even if you are tired, stressed, busy or unmotivated.
This is where I've had the biggest problems (go figure!)-- I did well when I wasn't stressed, tired or busy. As you can imagine, those days were few and far between.
So, this is the beginning of a new journey. Therefore, I have not addressed you all as my "coaches/buddies" because I'm not up to that part of the book yet
BillBlueEyes: Your Thanksgiving experience reminds me so much of Dr. Beck's example right at the beginning of chapter 1-- in control, confident and incredible choices. I love having a real life example of how to make this program work right in my midst! I love your reward of 2lbs down the day after Thanksgiving (even if it was within your normal fluctuation!)
Glad you had such a wonderful day.
Shepherdess: Sounds like you too had a wonderful Thanksgiving-- congratulations on such a successful day. I also love your description of the sky and referring to it as your reward (so much better than any food reward!).
Hi All,
Thankgiving went well--only a small amount of seconds, and passed on the stuffing. My sil took some of everything, but in small enough amounts that there were gaps between the portions! I don't know if I've ever done that at Thanksgiving. It's quite fascinating to watch her.
Today was the first day of a craft show, and I didn't have a plan for it, and I set a record for calories, sigh. Lots of easily accessible tasty food, and a very long day(got there at 7 am, left at 7pm) and then friends had us over for dinner, so more good tasty food. The sabotaging voice is jumping up and down and going "whee"--since all the good food is there tomorrow as well.
Quick check-in. Eating very well all week, except today but to heck with today. It is finished. Walking everyday, except today. See prior comment.
Today does not matter, it is done.
Tomorrow I will do the following- weigh in, eat 3 healthy meals and 3 healthy snacks. Walk twice. Lift weights. Stay positive. Relax. Spend time with my husband. Meals are planned. Read Response Cards. Make a few new Advantages cards. And hardest of all- eat slowly and mindfully.
Peace to you all and happy thanksgiving to all our American coaches and buddies.
I join BillBlueEyes in my smugness about a down tic on the scale the day after Thanksgiving, while fully aware that it doesn't truly mean much! My big new thing was one small serving of stuffing instead of three large ones. And today I made my own stuffing, better than sil's (if I do say so myself) and I will eat it over the next few days in a planned way instead of an out of control one, because there is plenty there and I don't have to eat it all at once.
WI: -0.45kg, Exercise: +0, 1009/1300 minutes for November, Food: op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
AnnZ: Good job on the turkey trot. I'm another one who would prefer to exercise rather than pay attention to eating. After losing fifteen pounds in the last three months, I'm really beginning to accept that for me, it takes both exercise and watching what I eat.
Shepherdess: great job with your Thanksgiving strategy!
bennyhannahmama: enjoy your reading! Credit for your determination to follow the book to the letter.
Nuxmaga: great observations of your sil and how she works the Thanksgiving meal.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Black Friday shopping wasn't bad since I went about noon to downtown Boston where Macy's had a deep sales price on the khaki's I needed plus an additional discount on the total. CREDIT moi because the pair I was wearing were frayed on the inner cuff - OK ratty on the whole cuff - because I despise shopping. And because I've always used failure to fit into my pants as the clue to replace them. This buying new clothes because they're worn past presentable is new for me; gotta get better at recognizing that they look bad.
Post-Thanksgiving gym (CREDIT moi) was nearly deserted. Remembering that I failed to report that on Thanksgiving I found my hand in a bowl of roasted peanuts on the table - Yuk. The food was served from a sideboard with peanuts the only item left on the table. Should have removed it; Oh Well.
Kim (bennyhannamama) - Yay for tackling "When all else fails, read the instructions," LOL. Bon Voyage on your start over in Beck's new book. Appreciate the quote "Don't skip any." - I need to be reminded of that frequently.
Margaret (Nuxmaga) - Love the "gaps between the portions" of your SIL's plate - you could make YouTube videos of her eating for all of us to watch. Interesting because I feel a little embarrassed when my food doesn't completely cover my plate at a buffet.
Shepherdess - Ouch for hiking back for a jack; Yay for the glorious sunrise. I dream of owning a house with a clear Eastern view of some mountains - I love sunrises since I'm up early enough most winter mornings. Interesting observation about taking food to be "polite" - that's one prime idea to get rid of.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Yay for "smugness about a down tic" - take the positive feedback from wherever we can extract it, LOL. Neat that you made stuffing the day after to get what you wanted. And Kudos for being within reach of your monthly goal; I do like your style of showing your moving total.
CeeJay - Kudos for a good week and a plan for tomorrow. Good luck with "slowly and mindfully" - easy for me to drift away from those also.
Readers -
Quote:
day 10 Set a Realistic Goal
Setting a goal for yourself can be a great motivator - but you can easily become overwhelmed if you set a goal that seems too daunting or will take too long to achieve Don't fall into that trap.
Wednesday
Thursday - Happy Thanksgiving in America
I kid you not! I read the first few chapters of the original book about a year ago and I sporadically followed some of the guidelines, but never really did it all. The old book was based on 1 new concept a day which was too much. That was part of why Dr. Beck changed the format of the new version and what I really liked a lot. 
