Hi Coaches,

Since I can't calculate calories for tonight's dinner with friends, I decided to allow 500 calories for it. That's a healthy meal I think. I will avoid large portions and any alcohol.

I gave myself a 91% yesterday. I struggle with figuring what counts as spontaneous exercise. I certainly get exercise in the garden ( plus lots of ham string stretching ), but I prefer to do a few leg lifts, yoga type things for this event. I need to start remembering to do it every day.

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AZtricia: Yup, portion size will be what I can control tonight. I have a plan! Glad for you that you feel more OP now.

Lexxiss: Nice job stomping on excuses!

May bee: I'm in total agreement. Hearing how others deal with life's stresses here means the world to me as I encounter my own.

onebyone: Packing portable food is a great idea.

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Good Morning, Coaches.

Per Day 8, I spent some time and energy prepping food and practicing Beck skills.

Weighed in today with incredible fear since I had been gone nearly a week with no scale and had only been practicing Beck skills - not following a food plan. Even with the homemade ice cream and pie last night (ate sitting down and enjoying every bite) I was a pound under ticker. This truly demonstrates the critical nature of behavior in losing weight.

nationalparker: I am going through pantry and freezer as well listing possible meals. My goal is to not grocery stop until then August 1 (Only produce at farmstands and milk for DS)

AZTricia: Absolutely agree that the worst burden anyone can have is being their parents' favorite.

Thinking a lot about gardenerjoy's question: How little can I eat to satisfy myself?

OP today. Grilling chicken to go with herb bread for dinner while watching storm clouds roll in and wishing for rain. A neighbor I've met while walking Teddy came by for a visit and the boys adored her 18 m/o daughter. Emily likes trucks/tractors which we have plenty of here. They were showing her all the CAT models we have from my dad (he worked there) and entertaining her.

maryann What an awesome discovery. Kudos for practicing you skills and congrats on the nice scale #.

Woodland Wishing you the best for your meal out.

onebyone Hope your dh is better soon and your endurance day went well.

Debbie/Lexxiss Kudos for eliminating excuses resulting in healthy choices.

BillBlueEyes Picturing sad rabbits peering gloomily through your protection.

May bee Huge kudos for coming/checking in and the positive thinking that resulted.

CherylGosfordGirl

Gotta get off before the rumble-y thunder causes the electricity to glitch...turning off all computers.

I meant to post this morning, but the day slipped away from me. Tomorrow looks like a slippery day, too, so I though I'd better post now while the posting is good.

The weight chart on the wall has proved to be as motivating as anything I've tried in months. I wouldn't have guessed that.

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walked to the gym, CREDIT moi, for the first time in a long while. Good news is that the gym has begun construction of the area for classes. The desk attendant told me that it'd happen by 'fall.' Looking forward to them - I miss the ones at my departed gym.

Food was OK, CREDIT moi, with less snacking than previous days. Dinner on the patio was summer glorious. DW left to run an errand right after eating, so I just sat alone savoring the moment. I finished Revolutionary Summer: The Birth of American Independence inspired by the Declaration of Independence. I'm one of those who was erroneously taught that the 'Minutemen' saved the day when it was the ragtag Continental Army under Washington that did it. We came so close to total failure in the first defense of New York. More impressive that our own distortion of the events was the British total inability to assess what had gone wrong - that the current notion of the British Empire needed adjustment for colonies. The debate in Parliament had to tiptoe around the thought that King George III might have made a monumental error because to criticize the king was treason. Surprisingly, it made me admire the UK even more for taking themselves from the Empire of the 1700's to the current Commonwealth with as few wars as it took. I do think I need to read a British history of King George III - a bunch of apparent contradictions aren't clear to me.


onebyone – Good news that your sister "is only interested in real food simply made" - a silver lining to her visit. Hope the long term care visits went well. DW just learned that her mother has stopped cleaning her dentures and her facility hadn't noticed - Big Ouch, but now it will get taken care of.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for reaping benefits of your experiment with a posted weight chart.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Reorganizing the basement for a new boiler is a bit of unexpected work. Yay for a guy who recommends a change that must have value to you. [Thanks for the tip to look online at Home Depot.]

maryann - Yay for savoring that homemade ice cream and pie. My take is that measured treats help fight off the Sabotaging Thoughts about feeling deprived.

Woodland - This forum tends to accept gardening as serious exercise. "I will avoid large portions and any alcohol" is a great plan for dinner with friends.

Tricia (AZtricia) - Yay for an 18 month old girl who loves trucks and tractors - may her parents keep encouraging her. [LOL at your image of sad rabbits.]

Readers -

Coaches

I was just totally running behind yesterday so didn't post. I had a very on plan day as I really wanted to get back on track. Made a casserole for last night, and tonight and it will be tomorrow's lunch as well so I am sorted out. I have decided I need to take enough protein to work that I am not looking for food. The day of successive 1/4 sandwiches was because my lunch was too light and no protein snacks (yes I know...). So will take lunch and spare protein tomorrow

Today the buyer gave over 10% so he is now committed to the purchase, or I make a cool 10% . I also spent part of the day yesterday on the phone with the executor of my father's estate (things move very slowly), the public trustee, and the person who is acting as the solicitor / conveyancer for his place. So I am surrounded by stress and property deals it seems.

The good news is that my Indonesian student has received favourable reports on his doctoral thesis and the corrections are fine so it can be finalised. Bad news is that means I have to do all the production stuff in one week because he is - well in Indonesia wouldn't you know.

I haven't kept track of all the posts sorry but will cherry pick the most recent!

BillBE - I hope you got the rabbits under control. I rather like technology giving it up because it means I get new technology. Unfortunately that usually means inferior so hope you get a good dishwasher (I notice you are sleepwalking again because you have already posted for the next day from this one I am responding to)

Debbie (Lexxiss) - I know the feeling of overwhelm so you do well to maintain a routine when that happens. Mine goes out the window unfortunately

Onebyone - hope your DH is improving and that you reach some resolution with your mother

Tricia - Hope the storm went well and carried some rain to you

That's it coaches. Stay well

Credits
- Checked in
- Ate on plan
- Logged my food
- Ate sitting down
- I stopped eating when satisfied - yes - could have eaten more at lunch and didn't
- Weighed myself
- Exercised - gym today - difficult
- Made a food plan for tomorrow

The day slipped by me yesterday with a busy work day that stretched well into the evening with a work dinner out. I completely proved the theory that often we eat more in larger groups. I certainly did - two rolls (one was delish and sufficient and the second wasn't as tasty but i still ate it all and wanted a third, honestly). Ate a light spicy soup and half of my sandwich while everyone else was eating large steaks and salmon plates ... and skipped all appetizers, but STILL. What I DOWNED were the wonderful large french fries, leaving only a handful on my plate. Must go lighter today and planned on skipping breakfast as I had an early alarm this morning, but was hungry and just figured I'll lighten up the rest of the day. Frustrated at my knee-jerk reaction to just join in when everyone else is chowing down.

Aiming to check in later that I've been on track and gone with a lower-calorie day.

Hi Coaches!

OP yesterday, turning down the accidental egg at work in favor of the fried egg already planned with my dinner. Credit. Boiler work continues today and I've already logged spontaneous exercise hauling massive amounts of "stuff" up from the basement to sort/organize/get rid of today. DH is gone (lol) and none of it is going back down.
Yesterday MaryAnn commented, "Thinking a lot about gardenerjoy's question: How little can I eat to satisfy myself?"
I've been thinking about that, too. As I continue to read/educate myself as to how much more food we consume-so much more than 20-30 years ago….I recognize my quest to find MY new normal. How little can I eat to satisfy myself, knowing that what is promoted via TV/restaurants/magazines/etc. is, in fact, NOT normal. I am really working on finding peace with less, instead of trying to bulk up with low calorie foods, even healthy ones. I "think", from my experience, that we are lead to believe that we need far more food to exist than is really necessary. Quality VS Quantity?
I do understand and acknowledge that when I first started dieting/losing I needed quality AND quantity to make the process of getting healthy satisfying enough to keep me on track but I'm definitely past that now. I am rarely hungry....and feel I am nutritionally "fit". Learning to live with less, and enjoy it is becoming a daily part of my process. I am letting go of many feelings of restriction and deprivation. Credit Moi.

BBE, yay that your gym is adding an area for classes! Thx for history lesson and kudos for Getting to the gym!

nationalparker, looking forward to your check in later. Credit that you still ate less than everyone else last nigh!

Cheryl(GosfordGirl), yay for back on track!

gardenerjoy, nice that your new chart strategy is working. I always remember how helpful you find it to switch things around from time to time and I am always trying something new/different.

Aztricia, yay for another OP day!

MaryAnn, thanks for getting me thinking again! Yay for an uneventful weigh-in despite nearly a week without a scale.

Woodland, great strategy for a dinner out! I think gardening is surely exercise worthy. Worthy enough, that we know we need to add something else in once gardening season is over (Then we have snow shoveling)

onebyone, super kudos that you and your sis have a simple/healthy goal for eating while she is visiting!

Ok, back to the projects and more decluttering-exercise.

Good Morning, Coaches.

Thought-provoking posts from Nationalparker and Lexxiss. I often judge myself by what I am NOT eating when out in society. It makes me feel somehow better about not sticking to my food plan precisely. And as Lexxiss stated, I eat very healthy. It is a matter of eating less that continues to baffle me. Why do I panic at the thought of the end of a meal? Why am I uncomfortable not eating between meals? I have done so many things that are so much more uncomfortable - see surgery and childbirth. Questions to continue to ponder.

Credit for making 80% of step class per Day 9's exercise plan. I was unusually tired today and left 10 minutes early. Now I can go on Friday as well ( I usually have to limit myself in order to not aggravate plantars faciitis.) Credit for continuing to sit down while I eat.

Had a crazy notion I may do nothing today but read, putter and play Risk with DS. Hmmmmm.

We all have fresh hair cuts, piles of clean clothing to pack, and lists...On my way to take boys to swim and collect some groceries for our trip. I will be off-line till Sunday. Packing, driving, going to convention 2 days, packing, driving home! Got the car washed for dh who cannot imagine starting a trip with an un-vacuumed car. For me, it will need to be cleaned afterward since then it will be a mess from living in it. Different! Wishing y'all an awesome weekend.

Hi Coaches,

My dinner out went well. I had reasonable portions. The crowd I was with didn't serve sweets, so there was no temptation around that. Yeah! Thanks everyone for your support on this.

Today I was proud of myself for working through a craving for sweet junk. While I was gaining weight these last few months, I'd forgotten the power of listening for sabotaging thoughts and responding to them. I love the Beck techniques so much!

My feet are up, my doggie is laying by me, and I'm going to relax! Ha! 100% success today too. Credit Me !

Hope all is well with all of you.

Hi Coaches,

Just popping in to wave. My life is settling back down, sort of. I'm still living in a hotel. I decided not to focus on weight during this transition. I'm within a pound or two of where I was last time I posted. Which is a yay! for me. I'm framing it as practicing maintanence. I'm ready to get back to the business of losing, although I don't have an exercise routine sorted out yet. Anyway, glad to see the familiar names and look forward to getting to know the new.

Hi Coaches

Long day. It all went well especially the visit to my friend's house with mom and sis. Yay for a good friend.

We saw two places. That was good. Not so good: I have the cold now and a tenderness in my gums I am super concerned about. Sigh
I doubt I will be able to see any more homes. Too potentially infectious now.

Off to bed now. Maybe some sleep will help this pass ASAP. G'night All.

I had a challenging day with an unexpected 3 and half hours in an auto service waiting room (about an hour was what I expected). Credit for packing a snack so the vending machine remained invisible to me. Credit for walking when I got home even though it was later than my normal exercise time.

Coaches

A standard work day but I did eat the food I took and ate to plan - drying out from carbohydrates and that is going OK. Just got in and have dinner prepped to cook and want to cook and settle for the evening. If I leave the computer on I work so like to turn it off and eat. I won't feel good until I start to lose again - but I feel good about other things

BillBE - Glad your gym classes are looking possible in the future. I appreciate the pleasure you get in reading - particularly history.

Nationalparker - Ouch for joining the pack but you seemed pretty restrained. I was in a group meeting all day yesterday with food and it is so hard to say no when morning and afternoon tea is cakes and pastries, and lunch had fruit. I don't respond well to sugar. The lunch at least has some protein in it. I stood firm and feel good about that

Debbie / Lexxiss - A good question - to determine the minimum amount that will keep you satisfied. Great thoughts in there from you all (Maryann and Gardenerjoy included). I do believe food has to satisfy more than hunger but I don't really know what hunger is

Maryann - interesting that there are different sorts of discomforts that we bear no problem but food and hunger and craving - totally different

Tricia - not sure if you are receiving but have an awesome time with your mother and family. May all go well

Woodland - I love to see you getting so much out of Beck - makes me look afresh

flnu -

Onebyone - hope the sniffles and sore mouth are gone. Glad you had a good day with your mum

Gardenerjoy - 3 hours in a auto shop is enough to try anyone's resolve so well done sticking to your snacks

Credits
- Checked in
- Ate on plan
- Measured my food
- Logged my food
- Ate sitting down
- Used distraction and resistance techniques - and ate my snacks
- Weighed myself
- Made opportunities for incidental exercise yes - running up and down stairs

- Made a food plan for tomorrow - not yet
- Made a schedule for tomorrow - will stick to a tight work schedule and make soup