Beck Diet For Life/Solution – February 2013 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

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  • Hello coaches/buddies,
    Well, I have had 2 nights and a day to recover from the report my team made. I am reconciled to the fact that we had to make the report for the good of the student. My biggest concern was for the isolation of the student and his lack of socialization. It will probably be some time before we hear of any action.
    Today is day 2 of non JC food. Yesterday went fine. I didn’t have much of an appetite so it was easy. I was probably under 1200 cal. but one day a week is not going to kill my metabolism. ( I hope 2 days doesn’t kill it either because today I don’t feel like eating either). I just drank a protein shake and will continue with those if I don’t feel like eating.
    Only 4 days until we go to Phoenix now. I can’t wait to see the sun and my SIL. I don’t even know what to pack for 60 degree weather!
    Gardenerjoy- I have read the banana slicer reviews on Amazon in the past, laughed my head off. I thought about the same thing you did when you read banana keeper. I clicked the link and was surprised to see that people are still writing reviews about the product. I clicked on your reviews and found the review of “Thin for Life”. It sounds interesting. I have so little faith that I can keep the weight off if I am able to lose it. How long have you been maintaining?
    BigChiefDave-congrats on the 3 pounds! I hope you have been able to avoid all the foods around you this weekend. Kudos on the planning.
    Lexxiss-Kudos on avoiding emotional eating. I find a certain satisfaction and peace when I recognize and avoid feeding my feelings. I hope you can find some organic bananas soon. Safe travel home.
    Beverlyjoy –I hadn’t noticed your ticker before. Look how far you’ve come! I’m so impressed. I am going to pay attention to really chewing my food before taking another bite. I think it was OnebyOne who mentioned how disappointing it is to come to the end of a good meal. So true for me.
    NationalParker-It sounds like you are having a wonderful trip. Did you have a week in FL? I hope it’s given you a nice break from the winter weather.
    BillBlueEyes-I’m enjoying the zipper saga. I’m sure a fabric store could recommend the perfect fix, but if one is not readily available you are certainly inventive. I have been complaining about our dreary weather but I should be thankful that we aren’t having to dig out of all the snow and navigate the streets. Stay warm and safe. Your area must still have power. We don’t realize how much we rely on it until we don’t have it. I’ve never lost power in my suburban home but plenty of times at the lakehouse.
    Kitty-good job on maintaining. I like the idea of a post incident response card. One of my thin friends told me that she unconsciously decreases intake the day after an indulgence. I guess that’s the key to maintenance.
    Beth- Happy Birthday to your grandmother. I hope she is in good health and able to enjoy her family. I have learned so well that special occasions are for overeating, unlearning it is going to take some time and mindfulness. I’m looking forward to my trip to the sunshine and my brain is already thinking EAT,EAT,EAT as much as you want, it’s a vacation. Good for you for re-reading Beck for a refresher. Have a safe trip home.
    MaryAnn- Credit for stopping the pattern in its tracks. Dance duty sounds like a reaaaallll treat. Is this normally your rainy season? What do you grow? My dad was a farmer, we spent many a spring hoping for rain. Three weeks without a trip to the store? I can hardly go 2 days. I always forget something.
    Tazzy- Great job on the 1.4 you weren’t expecting. Costco on a Saturday is nasty. Actually, we were there too but just pricing a new laptop so we were only in the front corner of the store and out again. I have found that going late in the evening can almost be a pleasant experience there.

    Thank you my friends for being here. You give me hope.
    Julia
  • Oh wait, where is IBelieveInMe2? Are you enjoying being in the 190's. Let's not stay here too long OK.
  • Hi Folks - I've had four solid days of healthy eating. I am so grateful. I feel like I have my 'foot in the door'. (I know that I can sometimes derail quickly - am working on that.)

    I am still concetrating on slowing down. Had two meals at 20 minutes. Credit. I am trying TASTE the food more... really enjoy it. Credit. I did my meditations. I don't know why I stop doing that. It's always a good thing for me. Also: sodium/exercise/water were good. I planned/measured/logged, always left a bite and a few others. I am most proud of wanting to eat last evening. Even 'prowling' around the kitchen... BUT - shouted back to those sabatoging thoughts.. NO choice, stand firm, red light. I went through I few other things and the urgency passed by. Credit.

    I did a little walk about in the garden. My Lenton Roses (Hellebores) are in bloom. I have a huge patch of them... so pretty and cheerful for a February day.

    maryann - credit for going to your yoga class! I, too, am trying to use up what foodstuff is around before buying much more. Food is so costly.. it amazing, really. Good for you. How nice to have all those 'home grown' foods around.

    lexxis/debbie - I hope you find your organic banana soon! Good for DH... putting a smoothie in your hand at the auction/appetizer - dessert affair at church.Credit. Did he buy the cake you made?

    gardenerjoy - I am glad you figured it out... about how to use your foodplan. I absolutely agree... dieting is a mind set group of skills.

    tazzy - wonderful that the scale is down!! Major credit for bypassing the free sample at Costco. I do know a couple of folks to try everything and eat there like meal. I try to put on my blinders and No choice hat when see the free tastes.

    billbe - glad your zipper held up through the shovelling! Sounds like a 'winner'. Shovelling is such good exercise. Oops on the extra snack. My mind goes to "I can have some because I did my exercises' , too. It's tricky.

    Julia 150 -I am sure if you were justified in the referal/report. It's just so very emotional. How exciting to be taking a trip to warm weather. Good idea filling in with your protein shakes. Carry on.

    Hope everyone has a GREAT day.
  • Hello everyone, I'm back again. I figured out all the calculations for tax forms, now I just need to fill out the documents. Wasn't expecting it to take all day but am only here for a couple more hours so guess the filing won't get done too. Oh well, it'll keep!

    beverlyjoy Credit for 4 days on plan! Roses in full bloom in your garden make me very envious in February. I don't usually see too much in full bloom here until late May or early June.

    Julia150 Congrats on making it to onederland, it's been awhile since I did personals so missed letting you know sooner. Are you taking a break from JC food or are you on your own now?

    maryann I wish I could avoid grocery shopping as much as I seem to have to do it. I've stopped stockpiling so many canned goods, there's no need to have 10 cans of corn in the pantry for 3 people who live a 10 minute walk to the store. I think it was a throwback of my mom's keeping lots in the cupboards, she grew up without much so I'm sure it's a safety net thing for her. Where my parents live now is much smaller so she's learned to downsize her pantry supplies as well.

    Lexxiss I laughed at your DH buying your cake at the auction. Sounds like a good plan to me. I'm not a fan of Crisco in anything and can taste it as soon as I take one bite. Guess if I did more baking that way I'd eat a lot less of it! Did you find your organic banana yet?

    gardenerjoy Great job on getting to the bottom of your maintenance range. Out of curiosity how big of a range do you have for it? I have not thought about maintenance ever, as I've never been close to achieving it.

    billblueeyes Loving your stories about the zipper and tape. I think our go-to solution here when tapes involved is Duck Tape and it comes in lots of fashionable color choices and can be a pain to get off of something! Interesting concept of having to order $25 of books to get free shipping on the tape! Kind of like the logic of saving money by buying something on sale that you really didn't need anyways Hope the snow shoveling exercise routine is over soon. Our snow is melting really fast and one of the trees outside my office window is covered in buds. Not going to be a good thing for the tree, same thing happened last year.

    BigchiefDavid Congrats on the 3 pounds. From my trip to New Orleans many years ago I remember beignets and hurricane drinks the most!

    bethfromDayton Happy birthday to your grandma and credit for realizing that the event is not only about the food. I'd consider walking in an art museum all day exercise.

    to booted kitty, national parker, ibelieveinme2, onebyone and any others I may have missed. Back to work.
  • I'm still here!!!
    Hello Everyone! I am still here. I wrote out notes for personals the other day and actually thought I posted them, but now realize I never did. I haven't read my advantages or my Beck book for a few days, and I need to just do it so that I don't get derailed. I was so excited that my old scale said 197, but ~ as I suspected ~ I was still over 200 on the new scale I purchased. I trust it more, as it is very similar to the one I have been using. DARN IT!!! I will wait for my Thursday weigh-in to change my current weight, but I so want to be in ONEderland to stay...... soon!!!!! I have been a little laxed on my program over the weekend, so I really need to buckle down and get back on track immediately!!! This lifestyle change stuff is hard and constant work ~ at least for me, it is!!! But it will be worth it!!! I need to remember that ~ and ALL of my advantages! Why does it have to require so much effort to stay on track, but it is so darn easy to get derailed?!? That fact is hard for me to swallow.

    Okay, now for personals. Bear with me if some of this is old news. Hopefully, my comments will still apply. I added new notes when reviewing the recent posts today. I will divide up my posts, so that I don't lose too much to cybespace if I hit the wrong key while typing.

    gardenerjoy: That is great that you are practicing good habits and maintaining your weight in the bottom half of your maintenance range recently! It sounds like the Game On Diet helped you get refocused and that you have a good sense of what you need to be doing to continue to do well on maintenance. CREDIT to you!

    onebyone: Sorry to hear that your experience of painting the guild's tea room put you in one of the worst places you have been with food in some time. CREDIT to you for exploring this relationship and your feelings about the situation. CREDIT, too, for going to your local support group. I was so happy to hear that you woke up happy and recharged afterward! Congratulations on the 1.6 pound drop on the scale, and another CREDIT for implementing the tried and true food structure that works for you! Ouch on the 4 cookies that one day, but good that you stopped there.

    Beverlyjoy: You made me crave Sloppy Joe's when you posted your yummy recipe! Good luck keeping your sodium down and planning!!! It sure sounds like you are well on your way now!!! CREDIT for all of your hard work and for using your Beck principles!

    bethFromDayton: I wanted to recommend Kneed-It bands for your sore knees. I injured my left knee during a workout awhile ago, and have sore knees often just from the extra weight, and I alternated these bands and a stability brace from our local Kroger store, and it has really helped me. Have you tried any braces or bands? If not, I highly recommend something to fortify your sore knees during workouts (and other times as needed). Good for you for giving yourself CREDIT for your accomplishments this past month! You are doing so many things right, and I am happy to see that you acknowledged yourself for those things! Regarding gardenerjoy's advice about workout DVDs that would be easier on your knees, I also like Leslie Sansone's walking workouts. Great that you are using Beck principles while in Chicago! And, last but not least, Happy 97th Birthday to your grandma! That is awesome!

    Julia150: Sorry to say that I am most likely NOT yet in ONEderland after all, although seeing the 1 on that old scale gave me hope, if nothing else! Thank you for all of your shout outs and your clapping and cheering for my one day in ONEderland! You have been a great support to me and I really appreciate it! So sorry that you had a rough week last week. Please remind yourself that you did the RIGHT thing by contacting CPS for that child. Sending you hugs!

    Jenny19072: WELCOME to our group! I will be turning 47 this year as well, but not until December. And I sure hope to be in a much better place this time next year! I, too, would like to live at a better fitness level and be around as long as possible for my kids and husband. So we have some things in common! Good luck on the Beck plan! Hope to hear from you again soon!

    Okay, now onto a new post for more personals.......
  • Personals..... continued!
    BigchiefDavid: Sounds like you are doing well staying on plan (or close) with all of your recent festivities. CREDIT for that and for keeping your response cards handy! Neat about your wife dancing in the Mardi Gras parade. Your description of the parade cracked me up! And OMGosh, I am so impressed that you lost 3 pounds at your weigh-in, especially with all of the food temptations surrounding you!!! WooHoo!!!

    Tazzy: I, too, am tired because of my puppy waking me in the night and/or very early in the morning. Good thing they are so darn cute!!! Wishing you a good night's sleep! CREDIT for reminding yourself to "follow the plan" and for being down 1.4 today!!!

    BillBlueEyes: DARN on the eating too much at the group lunch several days ago. YIKES, new people challenge me as well. CREDIT, though, for realizing you weren't mindful enough. OUCH on that bagel with cream cheese! You are totally cracking me up about the zipper on your coat!!! I vote for Duck (duct) tape, too! It is so useful, comes in a variety of colors and designs, and adheres really well to just about everything. What's the latest in the "jacket saga?!?"

    maryann: I am sending you strength for RESISTING chocolate, unless it is planned for in advance. I was sorry to hear that you were sad, but glad that you felt better after a good night's sleep! Wow and CREDIT to you that it only took a week to get over your trip to the beach!!! I hope I will do as well when we go to the beach at the end of March/early April!

    Lexxiss: YAY YOU for choosing NOT to engage in emotional eating!!! That is not an easy thing to resist! CREDIT, too, for saying "NO CHOICE" to the pool and the smoothie. Your smoothies always sound so yummy!

    Bootedkitty: Good for you for not beating yourself up about giving in to your craving and for reviewing the incident to help prevent overeating in the future! CREDIT to you for learning from your mistake!
  • ...smile and the world will smile with you...!!
    Just a quick "jump" in the forum to wish you alla a good start of the week! Here in Italy is snowing after a sunny weekend! Credit to me for staying OP and for not eating at dinner yesterday after a "long-lasting-Italian lunch" in a special occasion. :-)
    Still have to write my "post incident response card" but I'll do it tonight after swimming. Any idea is wellcome! :-)
    Again, have a good monday!
    Kitty
  • Monday
    Diet Coaches/Buddies – Shoveled and shoveled and shoveled some more. Multi CREDIT moi for the exercise. Walking was so funny when I'd head down a well shoveled sidewalk only to encounter a wall of snow, then have to backtrack. It was like wandering in a maze. I was impressed by how much sidewalk was clear over the 2.5 miles that I traveled. The snow is still white everywhere so all is beautiful.

    Unfortunately, today's shoveling also had snacking in the breaks. I'm just like a toddler, I want a sugar hit after running about. My snacks were healthy but the digestive system consumed the calories just as fast. Good news is that there's no more snow in my domain.


    Joy (gardenerjoy) – It's encouraging to relish your thought, "I've got skills." Persistence pays.

    Debbie (Lexxiss) – LOL at your DH buying your cake. Blueberry pineapple cake does sound good.

    Beverlyjoy – Walking about in your garden is super; DW's garden has four foot drifts. The good news is that her stuff likes a period under snow.

    maryann - Clearing down the pantry seems like a good idea. When we cleared everything for our re-painting, we found stuff of unknown vintage just waiting to be tossed. I suspect it could have sat there for another dozen years.

    Tazzy - It's the little quirks in tax laws that drive me nuts. If I own a mutual fund that makes me $1 from overseas, I have to figure out a whole section of tax code to handle it. Makes me think that putting cash under the mattress wasn't so dumb. [Yep, it's a strain on the trees when they bud too early.]

    IBelieveInMe2 – Just the reminder I need today, "This lifestyle change stuff is hard and constant work." [Yep, duct tape is vicious stuff. I own a bunch but have some awful experiences with the residue it leaves behind when removed.]

    Julia (Julia150) – Good to hear that you're successfully weaning yourself from the JC food. Right now, Phoenix sounds wonderful.

    Kitty (Bootedkitty) – Thanks for starting our Monday with a smile. Hope your snow comes in a small batch.

    Readers -
    Quote:
    chapter 3
    How Thin People Think

    characteristic 5
    You Comfort Yourself With Food

    When thin people are emotionally upset, they don't turn to food for distraction or solace. It just doesn't cross their minds. If anything, they tend to lose their desire to eat.

    Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 38.
  • Hello, all! We returned from our trip home to Florida yesterday, and now are working to get back into our routine. I unwisely hopped on the scale this morning after earlier deciding that I would wait until my regular weigh-in day on Saturday ... yeesh. Back to work with healthier eating. We didn't eat a LOT, but a lot of things that we do not have at the ready, or choose, when not on vacation.

    Will plan out the meals for this week and have already planned one indulgence on Valentine's Day, but are celebrating DH's birthday with his family this weekend, as well. Need to get crackin' on exercise if only to burn a few of these calories off. Seeems at home I do much better with the indulgences since I"m not in vacation mode/mentality.

    Two goals for me by tomorrow evening - to have reread a few of the earlier chapeters of Beck's book, and get caught up with the week's worth of postings to see how everyone is doing. I couldn't really read/write online during the trip and now am so "lost"... Hope everyone is doing well!
  • Good morning all!

    I'll do personals tonight, but wanted to check in this morning.

    My dieting schedule calls for planning meals (and preparing a shopping list) Sunday evening. With all the things to do after getting back from a trip out of town, it didn't get done :-(. However, I did it this morning so I'm ready for my scheduled grocery trip after work today. Weekly meal planning is getting easier since I can cut and paste from previous weeks. Planning for today isn't detailed enough, but I weigh or measure everything, so I know I can fill it in today on a break from work.

    I stayed very close to my calorie goal while I was in Chicago--even with two pieces of Chicago pizza (can't get pizza like that in Dayton, except for Uno's) and a piece of grandma's birthday cake. I am actually down after my weekend away! Credit to me!

    I had an interesting breakfast out experience. I picked a menu option, but ordered 1 egg instead of 2, 2 pieces of bacon instead of 3, 1 pancake instead of 2 (butter on the side, no powdered sugar), and fruit instead of hash browns. I ate my entire meal--and was uncomfortably full. If I was uncomfortably full after 1/2 to 2/3 of the listed items, that just tells me how huge the listed menu really is!

    I appreciate the good wishes for my grandma's birthday. She is in good health--frail, but healthy and still sharp. I feel very fortunate.

    I have my scheduled doctor's appointment this morning. I haven't tested my morning blood sugar in so long I can't remember--so I guess I'll find out this morning what it is. I'm fasting until after my appointment, since I'm sure he'll want to order blood work. The first item on my ARC is getting my blood sugar and cholesterol under control. I'll find out soon if I'm making progress there.

    BillBE: I love the saga of your zipper, too. I saw pictures of the snow on TV--wow.

    Happy Monday to everyone!
  • Hi Coaches!

    Very brief, but checking in. credit. Weighed this morning. credit. Have a plan.credit.

    I traveled last night...thought if I left at 530pm I would miss the worst of the ski traffic. wrong. My two hour trip was 4.5 hours. I stopped on the West side of the divide to look for bananas...a wait out the traffic thing. Alas, I finally asked and was told no one can get organic bananas here right now. I bought apples. Decided, too, I'd better eat. credit for avoiding the multitudes of poor choices and heading in to noodlecompany for my favorite asian salad w/tofu. credit.
  • Good Morning, Coaches.

    After reading posts this morning, I had a feeling that everyone is in the mainstream of life and that is a good thing, not always easy but a good thing. By posting here, I feel like I am paying my tribute to the health gods despite my busy schedule. That is, also, a good thing.

    I did the first leg of my return to shopping yesterday--the health food store (I couldn't go to box stores on a Sunday afternoon-good gravy.)I took my time to see what was available. I found the tart cherry juice I am supposed to drink at morning and night (for the flat belly diet) Expensive but I am willing to give it a shot. The other two shopping legs will be this morning after step class.

    I wrote my food plan down. It is complicated because it is a new menu. I know once I get the hang of it, it will get easier. Credit for doing the new and uncomfortable. Stepped on the scale and it was up instead of down but I know that is because I have been exercising more and my muscle are sore. Credit for knowing it is just a number.

    Julia150: We farm walnuts and open ground that rotates. We desperately need rain.
    Beverleyjoy: Congrats on your streak. Thanks for the reminder to eat slow. Boy, do I need that
    BBE: How is the leg with all this exercise?
    Lexxiss: My number one nightmare is traffic. I moved to my city years ago because I couldn't take the LA traffic.
    Tazzy: Yuck for working late, credit for getting the thing done.
    IBELieveinMe2: This is a long race. You will be back on track and below two hundred in no time. Just keep doing what you have been doing.
    BethfromDayton: It always amazes how little food I actually need (compared to what I want)

    Everybody else, A big Wave!
  • Posting, credit, even though my day already feels like it's running behind. Encountering a new sabotaging thought for maintenance -- I'm at the bottom of my maintenance range, that means I should get to eat whatever I want, right? Wrong. Doing some of that yesterday means I'm now at the mid-point of my maintenance range so I don't have to worry about that thought today. But I'd like to handle it better next time the opportunity arises.

    Exercise: +30 450/1300 minutes for February

    Julia150: I declared myself in maintenance on January 1st, but mostly because I weighed the same as I did on January 1, 2012. That's how I knew I was in maintenance--I've been maintaining! A year ago, I wasn't sure if I was at my final weight. Maybe I would go lower. Or maybe I would find it all too difficult to maintain and choose a higher weight. It took a year to figure out what range I wanted for my maintenance weight.

    Tazzy: I'm maintaining in a 2 kg range (a little less than 5 pounds). In the last year, I've been both lower and higher -- in about a 9 pound range. I'm hoping, this year, to keep things a bit tighter now that I'm committed to a range.

    bethFromDayton: Good for you! I managed a loss with my last food-centric trip to Chicago, too. I skipped snacks and walked a ton as well as eating some of the best food of my life.
  • Hi coaches/friends... I had another healthful day yesterday. I am grateful.

    The day went in all directions. DH and a neighbor were helping a different neighbor put his tv on the wall with speakers. Well the neighbor with the new TV had a drill accident and had to go to the ER. I had a roast and veggies in the crock pot. When folks got back from the ER our friends ordered a pizza for the four families helping. I was going eat in at home and go over after. DH had a great idea.... he suggested..just bring the crockpot over and add it to the supper. It worked out well. I stayed out of the pizza, donuts, cookies and candy. CREDITS!!

    During the afternoon 4 of the neighbors kids were here... I was watching them while folks worked on the project. We did some art projects, watched a Disney movie and had a snack... It was tortila and potato chips. I dished them out and didn't have a bite. Credit..

    So, I was able to to stay within my plan. Also... been working on slowing down. I did my meditations, did will with sodium, always left a bite, no seconds, gave credit, weighed/exercises/water, and did my journal work.

    I don't have time for personals today. Thanks to everyone for your comments and support.
  • Hi all!

    I started my week off right--food on plan, 40 minutes of walking (I'm still slow but at least we're moving), grocery shopping as scheduled, and tomorrow's food already entered into MFP.

    I also had a doctor's visit this morning--and my fasting blood sugar is much improved. This is a big deal and is half of the first item on my ARC (cholesterol is the other half). My weight is down from the last time I saw him (last Feb)--but he doesn't realize it went up 10+ lbs before it came down.

    I've signed up for another resolution challenge through April Fool's Day. That'll be my last exercise one for a while--I'm having toe surgery on April 3rd and will be mostly off my feet and definitely not exercising for 6-8 weeks. I am not looking forward to it, but the podiatrist assures me that the pain will get worse and not better, so, we scheduled surgery.

    Beverlyjoy: Credit for slowing down the eating. I find that hard--I feel as if I'm getting better at it--but if I'm not diligent and get caught up in conversation, I speed up. Definite credits for counting to 10!

    BigchiefDavid: Looking forward to hearing how a child on your shoulders kept you from snacking!

    BillBE: I'm picturing a wall of snow--and feeling like you're in a maze. Fresh snow sure is beautiful.

    Bootedkitty: When I initially learned about CBT for non-food stuff, I was told it can be a valuable step to recognize you're having sabotaging thoughts, even if you aren't good yet at responding to them. If I recall correctly, the first step is to recognize, the second step is to respond, and the third step is to internalize. I tell myself "I recognized it. Next time, I'll respond <this way>." Experience tells me CBT gets easier. So, credit for recognizing!

    gardenerjoy: I had to look up the Game On Diet. It sounds as if you're adjusting it well--especially by planning instead of just taking an entire meal off. Thanks for the reminder about not letting perfection get in the way of progress.

    IBelieveInMe2: Soon you'll hit that 1xx for real. At least with a new scale you know you're getting accurate numbers. Credit for getting back to reading your response cards. I don't know if this would help you, but I keep a copy of the ARC where I see it (and read it) every morning when I get ready for the day. Even if I don't read it a second time, I always read it once, and it keeps me focused. Thanks for the pointer about Kneed-It bands--I'll look them up. The doctor says it's the inner meniscus (both knees) and to never do jumping jacks again, but I can keep walking. (I probably have some various knee braces in the basement--I've injured them before.) (Oh, and some fitness DVDs, including Biggest Loser and Leslie Sansone, came in the mail today.)

    Julia150: Are you going to keep up with JC 5 days a week and your own food 2 days a week while you're gone? (Is that still your plan?) For Arizona in the winter, you pack several sweaters and plan to layer--it will be cool in the mornings and at night and be lovely most afternoons.

    Lexiss: I love your search for an organic banana. Credit for having a smoothie before being tempted with hunger at a dessert auction and for selecting a good choice at noodlecompany.

    maryann: Credit for compensating for chocolate with a smaller dinner. I know Beck says we should eat the rest of the day normally, but it seems to me that normal compensation makes sense. That is, a smaller dinner, but not skipping dinner. I ought to try juicing--you inspire me. I'm impressed by cooking from the pantry, too--I have tons of food in there--I think I'm going to go through it and bring my son a load of food!

    nationalparker: Welcome back! Credit for planning this week's menus already. I know what you mean about rereading earlier chapters--I find myself leafing through the pink book and just re-reading sections of it almost every day.

    onebyone: Hope all is well.

    Tazzy: Credit for following the plan--and congrats for it being so successful! Having the rule "no eating standing up" keeps me in line at the grocery and Sam's Club.

    Hope everyone's week is starting out great!