Evening coaches

I have had a busy day - more or less on plan. When I was at the gym I found a "Ginger Nut Paleo Bar" which looked really great - when I got home I tried it (very small piece), sitting down etc. But it wasn't on my plan. I think it will be in the future!

Exercise was 9000 steps on top of gym this afternoon. I had another appointment with the trainer - he is more engaged and on board than I thought. He did in fact work me very hard and it was nice to have expectations placed on me. I think I did OK. I did mention to him (when he asked) that I experienced either ridiculous over expectations from young PT or a patronizing underestimation of abilities when they saw grey hair. He seemed to step up to the challenge

Credits today: had a plan and food 90% OP; logged food in MFP; weighed myself and logged my weight; walked to 9,000 steps; exercised; posted to coaches; ate sitting down - 70%

Waving to all - will catch up tomorrow

Diet Coaches/Buddies – At gym class, CREDIT moi, the replacement leader didn't show up so we chose the most experienced member to lead us thoughtfully through a thorough workout. (He smirked that he could combine three 'th' words in one sentence since he doesn't have an editor to cross that out.) We worked harder than normal since she was a tad uncertain and never paused for a rest break. A few different muscles stretched is good.

The heavens caused the local bagel shop to send me a coupon for three FREE bagels. I snagged them. They needn't be a problem; my notion that bagels deserve a ton of butter is a problem. I planned one for my peanut butter sandwich for lunch yesterday. That worked. Gave one to DW. Two down. Planned the third for breakfast this morning with a slice of ham instead of butter and cream cheese. I walked to a deli to get the ham so I've burned a few of the calories that it'll cost, LOL. Food and snacks on plan, CREDIT moi, allows streak to 79. Grapefruit for evening snack was a first in a long time. The scale gods awarded me a one pound down-jitter to counter the tiny guilt for enjoying the bagels.


onebyone – Ouch for the kindly acts of others that harm our motivation. Good luck on your quest to get in that art event.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for 3 3W's in a row. I've debated your question about clearing half the snow or waiting for it to finish - never reached a conclusion. Congrats for choosing a DH smart enough to pay the young teens enough to get them to come back.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Learning to work a buffet on plan is one of the greatest challenges. Kudos for your thoughtful demo, especially a plate with "only veggies and a bit of salad."

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Good news that your trainer responded to your needs. Kudos for speaking out to get what you wanted.

FutureFitChick – I remember so fondly that moment of weaning off crutches. Yay for bodies that heal themselves - what a good feature.

Beth (bethFromDayton) – I so loved the Museum of Science & Industry when I visited it decades ago. What an amazing, massive place. Hope you had days to wander about. Big Ouch for check-in cookies - they should be outlawed when apples are a much better choice.

ForMyGirls - Yay for feelings that "come up gasping for air pretty quickly" with Kudos for training them. Interesting that you observe that it's the end of the stress that triggered the diversion.

systemsaddict - Kudos for your success sticking to your plan using the Beck strategies. Bon Voyage with your Facebook group - thanks for letting us know. May many successes follow you.

AZtricia - Ouch for the temptations of pizza. Yay for a house full of hungry males so that there's not too much available for you to consider.

flnu - LOL at the troops and the general working your plan who, presumably, caused a forced march of 14000 steps. Kudos for conquering it all and coming out with specific steps for the future.

Readers -

Day 22. Nothing much to report. I was OP. I exercised for my 26th day in a row. I am a tiny bit less slow on the treadmill now. And I enjoyed remembering the athlete I was in my teens and how that felt when all your body just hums. I don’t know if I could ever feel that again. I gave myself 10 weeks to lose 5 lbs before I start tweaking anything. I’m happy to report that in week 1/10 I am down 2.

Gardenerjoy: Entitlement-eating is an interesting concept. I will have to think on it. I think I may be a disgruntlement-eater. I’m thinking 4 inches once is easier but it’s smarter/healthier to do it your way. The kids sound great. My girls have yet to see snow. Well, we did go to Snow World in Bangkok, where there is artificial snow and sledding but, yeah, not the same.

So glad you’re off the crutches, FutureFitChick. That seemed much faster than I would have expected. Do you try to leave some food on your plate at every meal? Is that a Beck strategy that I missed? I did the Day 17 exercise but thought it was a one time deal.

Tricia, I think it’s kind of awesome you made yourself wait at all.

Hi, onebyone, ok, “I call this ‘motivation’” is a great line. I am so stealing that. I am glad that your friend’s intentions were good because the action was misguided at best. I would have reacted the same way you did only less generously.

For me, I think an important and recent realization is that the scale is not the only or even the best metric of progress. The most important part is the mind. And the most important measure of progress is whether my habits, the ones I think are most important, are improving. For me, that’s getting to bed at a decent hour and eating (only) three meals a day. If I can do those things, then I am making progress. I’ll worry about tweaking the system later if it turns out I need to for the scale to fall in line.

Back to onebyone, I think your post made me think about that (thanks) because I am worried that if the scale doesn’t cooperate in the short term you won’t go to the event with the same fabulousness that comes through when you write about it. ‘Cause the event sounds totally cool.

Beth: That was a cookie ambush. Now I’m being amused by imagining you shouting “hai-ya!” and karate-chopping the cookie out of the reps hand. Probably not helpful. Sorry.

Seadwaters: I am super impressed that you are getting to 9000 steps in spontaneous, or at least, non-gym exercise. I think I get about 4000 if I don’t include my gym time. (Just got my new fitbit a few days ago – it is fun.)

BBE: Great streak. What kind of gym class? I used to do step aerobics and I loved it but now my knees are crotchety.

Ok, until tomorrow, coaches.

flnu, kudos for a great exercise streak you have going! Thanks for checking in.!

Hi Coaches!

Weighed, wrote my food plan(beside the refrigerator) and am writing a post. Streak 4. Credit.

Weight at ticker this morning. Interestingly, as I had had some unplanned/off plan days last week the scale went up and I felt really "heavy". I'm gaining weight, I have to stop.....I've blown it....all the sabotaging thoughts came back. It was simple, get back on plan. What I've noticed, along with a 7# miracle drop, is that my emotional space is so much better when I plan and stay on plan. It's the direct result of healthy eating and how I feel about myself when I stay on track.. I know I'll always have to plan and monitor to keep control of my weight so why not just do it.

Take care everyone!

It was so cold this morning that I forgot to weight myself in the rush to get dressed. When I remembered, 45 minutes later (fortunately, before I got around to eating breakfast), I got undressed so I could weigh -- I didn't want to break my streak!

3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 4 Credit!

WI: -0.6 kg, Exercise: +30 330/1400 minutes for February, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

flnu: LOL at a karate chop to bethfromDayton's cookie. That's an image I can use!

Hi, Coaches!

Another Flyby check in from me.

I slept in later than a wanted (bummer), but ate an OP breakfast and now am going to focus on writing for the day. I did not leave food on my plate. (This time I was reading while eating - more rats!) I will do more PT today for exercise.

This weekend DH is representing his company that is sponsoring a hack-a-thon. He'll be gone from tonight through Sunday afternoon. It will be the first time I've been on my own for a long time. I am hoping to get tons of writing done (not that he is to blame for me not getting tons of writing done regularly).

[AZTricia[/B], ouch on the pizza! That is so tough for me. I'm so glad your were OK with the calories though!

OnebyOne, just say no to the clothes if they make you feel bad. Just say you are trying to have a minimal wardrobe or something. Great job of being positive in face of that. I think one of the things I am most thankful for on 3FC is that I get to see many people who realize this is a lifelong battle, not just a fight to win once.

BethfromDayton, ouch for the cookie. Have a great time at the museum of Science & Industry. I love that place!

SeaDWaters, Great job going to the gym. I find gym "health bars" weird. Much of the stuff they have at mine isn't healthy at all. It sounds healthy, but they load it full of junk. Great job with the 9,000 steps too!

BillBlueEyes, cool that your gym class worked out in spite of a missing leader. I love grapefruit! It is such a wonderful winter treat.

[B]FLNu[B], how fun to remember the "athlete [you] were in [your] teens". I was never coordinated enough to be athletic as a kid, so I am a bit envious. I am shocked how fast this recovery is too. Especially with the fracture, I would have thought I would be down longer. I thought leaving food on my plate was a Beck thing. I don't have my book on me to check. Maybe I just picked that up from someone here at 3fc?

Lexxiss, you haven't blown it. Don't forget the scale is a tool and it is not all or nothing! (I need to hear this myself too.) I'm glad your mind switched to the plan instead of those ugly thoughts.

Good Afternoon, Coaches.

I had to walk through anxiety the last few days. There is a threat of a teacher's strike. I have done what I feel what I can. I have written to the leaders saying I would not strike. I have ask questions of the strike agitator in an open meeting. Not negative questions, things like "How long does the average strike last?" (There was one last year that lasted 8 weeks.) What percent of the membership needs to authorize it? Is that the percentage that votes or total membership etc. . . I was uncomfortable being so visible but I think the organizers were uncomfortable as well. The most disappointing part was only 100 people were there in a 700 person union. Are these few radicals going to run the show and why will everybody let them?

So, I am out of sorts. I began micromanaging my life which ended up with me driving in bad snow conditions to our mountain place because I couldn't say "No" to a family we had invited during better weather. But I am here now and I seem to be settling down. There is nowhere for me to go for the next two days so maybe that is a good thing.

Through it all, I have remained OP in that I have not touched the 7 drop foods. The amounts, however, are concerning me. Maybe they will right themselves this weekend.

BethFromDayton: Boy do I remember Doubletree cookies. I associate the taste with so many things: the honeymoon of my first disastrous marriage,trips to Vermont to go to college, Disneyland. Wow! Food memory is powerful. Credit for checking in and counting it.

seadwaters: Big credit for communicating to someone exactly what you need. The bonus prize is actually getting it.

BBE: Nice plan for the bagels. "Frugal February" has me repurposing food in healthier meals. Like my white rice that went with turkey. Off dairy so I had to use olives to get that little salty jag. Truth be told, I missed the butter - but not desperately.

flnu: Big credit for 2 pounds. I usually drop 1/2 pound a week. So you are like lightening in comparison.

Lexxiss; I can appreciate the feeling of panic when the scale starts to go back up. I, too, feel better on plan even though I have only lost .5 pound this week.

Gardenerjoy: Thinking of you. I will be using snow shoveling as exercise tomorrow. Common for you; a first for me.

FutureFitChick: Have you shared what you're writing is?

Back from our cruise, but still on vacation. Challenged by sheer amount of food at every turn...not scrumptious, which had me eating more simple carbs ...not smart. Walked a lot and went up a lot of stairs. We'll see the damage on the scale this week...hope my metabolism kicked into high gear with the addl calories. Wishful thinking, I know... shhhh...

Enjoy the weekend. Off to read what I've missed here and will check in tomorrow. Saw that I missed a day off from work because of another winter storm... enough!

Hi coaches

Sorry coaches - this is another fly by - I did consider not checking in but not really an option.

My body was tired today after yesterday's exercise - not sore but really tired so I rested up. Just made my steps which ended up at around 7000. I made a plan, logged it in MFP and essentially followed that plan

I agree with FutureFitChick that health bars are usually full of particularly unhealthy ingredients. But this one seems good - 5 ingredients - almonds, organic turkish apricots, coconut, coconut oil, ginger - that's all. But it has enough calories for a meal so caution is warranted! I will cut them into three pieces and eat over 3 snacks.

I am planning on more exercise tomorrow so hope my muscles recover in time! I am logging my weight but I really hate logging it when it bounces up. I know it is "just" a fluctuation but I just seem to bounce around the same weight. However I think it is important that I don't just weigh myself but acknowledge that weight by logging it

Credits today: had a plan and food OP; logged food in MFP; weighed myself and logged my weight; walked to 9,000 steps; exercised; posted to coaches; ate sitting down - 90%

Hi Coaches!
Weighed, wrote my food plan(beside the refrigerator) and am writing a post. Streak 5. Credit.
Tonight's dinner will be the same as yesterday's. easy.

BBE, I just put my two grapefruit in the fridge. One is for my after work snack. They are delicious this time of year. Kudos for bagel planning.

Maryann, kudos for stepping up and voicing your values. It matters.

Nationalparker, welcome back to winter. Glad you had a great time!

Cheryl(seadwaters), yes, posting when you considered not to us important. Credit

FutureFitChick, enjoy your quiet time and writing. Glad you are improving from your surgery every day.

Gardenerjoy, kudos for your streak. It's working for me, too.

Off for an hour nap before work calls. Yesterday was long and stressful and I'm glad my plan guided me through without any unplanned eating. Credit

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Eating on plan, CREDIT moi, included that bagel with ham for breakfast and sardines for lunch - an unusual day. Snacks were on-plan, to stretch the streak to 80. Evening snack was a California Navel Orange that was as good as they get.

Walked, CREDIT moi, to pick up my backpack that I'd left last week when I carried something in it for DW. Sorta amazing, since I wasn't using it for myself I lost track of it. Glad I wasn't climbing Mount Everest at the time. Did our folk dance thing; it is exercise, but even more it's coordination - and fun. Faced a table of snacks including Jícama with humus but ignored it all. I thought about the strawberries, grapes, and baby carrots because they're 'good for me' but sticking to my plan is also 'good for me.'

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for the extra effort to keep your streak going.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Thanks for the reminder, "my emotional space is so much better when I plan and stay on plan." Yay for naps; Double Yay for morning, before-work naps.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – "Really tired" from exercise is a good thing; Kudos.

FutureFitChick – Hope the writing is going well to stave off loneliness.

maryann - Ouch for the possible strike with Kudos for stepping outside your comfort zone to help calm down the rabble-rousers. It is interesting how few it takes to make a movement.

nationalparker – Good news that your cruise was a success. Ouch for "food at every turn."

flnu - Less slow is always good - even if "a tiny bit." Congrats on those two pounds toward a sane first goal. [My exercise class is sorta 'Zumba light' - taught by the Zumba instructor for those of us who want the cardio and stretching with less dancing intensity.]

Readers -

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Eating on plan, CREDIT moi, included that bagel with ham for breakfast and sardines for lunch - an unusual day. Snacks were on-plan, to stretch the streak to 80. Evening snack was a California Navel Orange that was as good as they get.

Walked, CREDIT moi, to pick up my backpack that I'd left last week when I carried something in it for DW. Sorta amazing, since I wasn't using it for myself I lost track of it. Glad I wasn't climbing Mount Everest at the time. Did our folk dance thing; it is exercise, but even more it's coordination - and fun. Faced a table of snacks including Jícama with humus but ignored it all. I thought about the strawberries, grapes, and baby carrots because they're 'good for me' but sticking to my plan is also 'good for me.'

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for the extra effort to keep your streak going.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Thanks for the reminder, "my emotional space is so much better when I plan and stay on plan." Yay for naps; Double Yay for morning, before-work naps.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – "Really tired" from exercise is a good thing; Kudos.

FutureFitChick – Hope the writing is going well to stave off loneliness.

maryann - Ouch for the possible strike with Kudos for stepping outside your comfort zone to help calm down the rabble-rousers. It is interesting how few it takes to make a movement.

nationalparker – Good news that your cruise was a success. Ouch for "food at every turn."

flnu - Less slow is always good - even if "a tiny bit." Congrats on those two pounds toward a sane first goal. [My exercise class is sorta 'Zumba light' - taught by the Zumba instructor for those of us who want the cardio and stretching with less dancing intensity.]

Readers -

Hi, Lexiss, I just read your bio. I am so inspired by people like you that stick with it. Because I know that’s what I need to do too. I am also thrilled for you that you got off your blood pressure meds. I was just switched to an ACE inhibitor and it sucks. Makes me cough. I would love love love if weight loss or exercise or just healthy living made the difference for me and my hypertension. I also checked out SBD. The name somehow made me assume it was one of those diets that excludes whole categories of food, like don’t eat white food or whatever. I see now that it is meal-plan based. Not for me, as I have control issues (also I can’t get “common” ingredients where I live), but I’m glad it’s been a win for you.

Gardenerjoy: Credit for weighing. The streaks are motivating aren’t they? I really don’t want to break my exercise streak because I feel like I can never do so well again. Hmm…maybe not the best mindset. I guess I will work on the mindset if the streak breaks. I’ve got a three day vacation coming up and I’m already strategizing about how to get in exercise.

FutureFitChick: Is a hack-a-thon computer-related? My husband will be gone from Sunday through Wednesday but for me it is a net loss in alone time because that means no help with the girls. But I enjoy having them all to myself. And then I enjoy not having them all to myself when he comes home so it’s a win. We can be future fit-and-athletic chicks together.

Maryann: SO AWESOME that you spoke up, especially if it is out of your comfort zone but is something you believe in. Do you think moving beyond your comfort zone in eating has spilled over into other areas? Is this something you would have done before? I feel more confident in other areas of my life, I think because of the exercise, or maybe just being in control, has ripple effects. BTW, what are the 7 drop foods?

I hope you enjoyed the cruise, nationalparker. The one time I went on a cruise, many many years ago, I do remember the near constant food. Well, whatever the scale says, you can get back on track. And here you are posting already.

Seadwaters: Glad you made yourself sore – enjoy!

BBE: Now I really want a delicious orange. So nice that you’ve found fun ways to exercise – dance.

‘Til tomorrow, Coaches

Quick pop-in before a morning event. Which I just realized might have food. But it won't be better than what I have at home, so I'm pledging here, to follow my plan which has perfectly wonderful things on it.

3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 5 Credit!

WI: +0.45 kg, Exercise: +45 375/1400 minutes for February, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

Good Morning, Coaches.

I am up in the mountains and all the beautiful snow has been washed away by the rain. Oh, well. We will take anything wet here in California. No skiing. I am going to try and stay away from food while under lockdown in the cabin and focus on finishing my scrapbook.

Credit for resisting a voice that says, "You're on vacation and you lose weight so slowly, you should go ahead and eat what you want. You can start tomorrow." But I kept to my eating rules. Even though the amounts were a little high I call it a win.

Nationalparker: Welcome back.

Seadwaters: I have found a bar that works for my current food program. I, too, have to be careful how I eat them. It works the best for me if I am on the go and plan it for an emergency meal. It is nice to know I don't HAVE to go out to eat.

Lexxiss: Yeah for naps, my favorite.

BBE: Ah the rationalizing brain. What is good for must be eaten. We wouldn't want it to go to waste. (Credit for ignoring your brain.)

flnu: I do think my success with food has enable me to become more authentic with who I am. I don't have that "secret shame" that accompanies any kind of compulsion.