The Beck Diet Solution is a psychological program, not a food plan. It provides a step-by-step program to learn specific techniques to stay on our diet, lose weight, and maintain our weight loss for life. The program is based on Dr. Beck's clinical research in Cognitive Therapy (CT).
The Complete Beck Diet for Life expands the earlier work and includes a food plan with suggested menus. From the cover:
With The Complete Beck Diet for Life you'll discover the 5 stages of successful dieting and maintenance. You'll learn how to motivate yourself, give yourself credit for every change you make, create time and energy for dieting, and handle hunger and cravings. Dr. Beck eases you into changing one step at a time. You'll master one task before moving on to the next. And you'll learn techniques to deal with challenging situations, such as sticking with ou plan at celebrations and dealing with "food pushers." With Dr. Beck's skills, you'll achieve a lifetime of healthful eating and lifelong motivation.
This is a place to discuss the Beck strategies and our daily efforts, to receive and provide support, and, for some of us, is where we serve as on-line diet buddy (coach) to each other.
If you’ve arrived from a search engine, you've landed at the site of 3 Fat Chicks (3FC), a remarkable place for those interested in a healthy life style, including mindful eating, exercise, and weight loss. More about the site, including how to register so that you can post, can be found here.
The books are available on Amazon through the 3FC store by clicking their names above; buying through 3FC helps to cover the costs of running this site.
You can find the list of previous (or more current) monthly Beck threads here on 3 Fat Chicks via:
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Spent the whole day doing a paperwork chore related to the IRS and IRA's. Something that should be simple and automatic is a trauma each year with reams of paper, phone calls, and mysterious calculations. It's done. CREDIT moi. It could be worse - I could be homeless. So this is a first class first world rant. I didn't eat about it.
Eating was OK after a lecture about the environmental impact of tourism on ancient sites of the world. Actual pictures of the Taj Mahal, for example, are blurred by smog and zillions of visitors in long lines instead of the brilliant tourist photograph. The tourist consumption of water and creation of waste vastly exceeds the local. It's sobering to be confronted with our real impact on the planet.
maryann - Yay for the reduction of headaches. And Congrats on the scale headed south.
nationalparker – Waving toward an airplane headed west. Ouch that a good appointment was offset by a conflicting opinion. May you find a path through that morass.
Karen (karenrn) - Wise choice that you "decided to slow down a little" to make sure that you walked out unaided. Maybe you could wear your hiking boots while doing housework to fool the brain into thinking you were in the Flatirons, LOL.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 9 Psychological Traps
#1: The Discouragement Trap
But this wasn't the past. What was different about how he was going about dieting this time? We created a substantial list:
. . .
He had learned how to give himself credit for successes and constructively learn from challenges.
He had learned how to plan his eating, stick to a schedule, and eliminate spontaneous eating.
He had started to change his thinking, thanks to repeatedly reading his reminder cards.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 180
Credit for a scale back in the 50s. Phew!!! It continues to amaze me how little I need to eat if it is the right foods at the right times.
Found an old goals sheet for 2015 which included Weight under 154 and five months of expenses saved. It took me going full time, leaving an old job, surviving a strike and health issues but I think I might make it two years late. It is funny how different the path was from what I thought it would be. And how different reaching my goals feels from what I imagined. All achievements are concurrent with new struggles. Like BBE's wonderful retirement saddled with paperwork or my beautiful little family thriving while my extended family self destructs.
It is true what my meditation book said today - happiness is not a destination but a byproduct of intentional living.
What will I do today to eat light and healthy?
Post here to re-establish a daily posting habit because that's what works for me.
I learned something while I was away.
I'm no longer particularly motivated by a number on the scale or pants that don't fit. I'll readjust and buy new pants.
What got me back here is something that I stole from maryann:
Quote:
Everything in my life is better when I'm in control of my addictive behaviors.
Actually, it was more the reverse of that. My life, as a whole, sucks when I'm overeating. Why would I allow my life to suck when I can make it even a little better by doing pleasant tasks like posting here every day?
Weigh-in: NA kg
Exercise: +35, 1120/1300 minutes for November
Food: 70% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
Here I am ensconced in our recliner for the second day with ?? more days to go. Had “Plantar Fascial Release” surgery yesterday. Simple procedure and very little pain so far, but the tricky part is since it’s on the bottom of my heel, mobility is a huge issue—no weight bearing at all for ? days and then only partial weight bearing. I’ll find out more tomorrow at the dressing change appointment. Learning to use a walker, thankful for DH and his assistance, building a little corner here with all the essentials—books, lip balm, phone & charger, books, computer & charger, ice water, books, etc., etc. I have 8 days off from teaching – three days this week and all of next so hopefully these 12 days total of rest and healing will have me ready for the last week of school before Christmas break.
I am taking this opportunity to really focus on my eating plan since I can’t dash out for fast food treats, or even stroll through the kitchen looking for ‘something good’. DH just brought home groceries including lots of fresh vegies and fruit, chicken, etc. so I can go back to measuring with my containers and making good choices with no distractions. Obviously not able to get any workouts in, but 21 days of excellent eating will have me good to go when the stitches come out and I get the go-ahead for some type of movement.
nationalparker: I have followed with concern your reports about your DB. From the outside looking in, you are showing courage, strength, and incredible patience. You must be so proud of yourself for keeping your eating under control and not letting this stress undermine your health.
lexxissCongrats on all the exercise-via-dirt moving, and your persistence as the weather cooperates. We have had an open, warmish winter so far, also, and are trying to get some trees cut while it lasts, instead of waiting until spring.
karenrnAll of your hiking makes you my role model! That is one of the main reasons for the surgery---I was so disappointed to miss out on hiking in all of the national parks we visited this summer.
Friday - Napoleon crowns himself Emperor (1804, Paris)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walked, CREDIT moi, to class and back on wet streets and bright sunshine after three days of rain: glorious, slow, soaking, rain. Became aware of the notion that my face doesn't have those beautiful, huge eyebrows of prehistoric man because, after becoming fond of cooked food a few million years ago, my ancestors no longer needed those huge facial muscles to chew raw meat so used the energy to grow larger brains. Too bad - I think they looked great and this thinking business is hugely overrated. Later walked to the local hardware store for a refrigerator light bulb. I do like the easy maintenance jobs, LOL.
Eating was OK, CREDIT moi. I did have all my snacks. Unfortunately, not because of stomach hunger, but for tension hunger. When I become Czar of Everything and outlaw tension, eating sanely will be easier.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – I, too, suffer from the ability to just buy a new pair of pants, so appreciate your "Why would I allow my life to suck when I can make it even a little better."
Nature Girl – Yay for recovery from inconvenient surgery. It's tough to be declared immobile. When I had a no-weight-allowed foot, the best help was a wheeled stool for the kitchen so that I could roll from a counter to the table carrying my own plate. May your recovery speed along.
maryann - Thanks for "happiness is not a destination but a byproduct of intentional living."
nationalparker – Waving toward the Midwest. Hope you made it safely home to your waiting animals.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 9 Psychological Traps
#1: The Discouragement Trap
Looking at the list, there was no doubt: this time was truly different. His previous attempts to lose weight had been much harder. He would be good for a few days, and then lose it and go completely off plan. He had really struggled. But, thinking back, he realized how different his mind-set and behavior were now. And come to think of it, through the past week had been more difficult, the preceding six weeks or so had really been okay.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 180
Okay. Random cute tweet "Don't let my medical degree interfere with your Google search."
Actually BBE's quip reminded me of it. When I think I am Czar of Everything, I have the most tension.
Accompanying Avatar: Picture is a beautiful beach with a person sitting in a recliner titled "Relax! Nothing is in my control."
So I have a little secret. I started nationalparker's food plan five days ago. As I read about it, it felt very confusing to me. I also had many reservations - the first being no caffeine. What!!!!!! Also, it didn't seem like there was much food to eat. But she has had so much success, I allowed myself to be confused and NOT PERFECT. I have lost 4 pounds in 4 days and I am half a pound from ticker. True that is probably the holiday weight but WHO CARES!!!! Also, writing in my pocket calendar (which I "journal" in everyday) I have noticed my headaches have continued to diminish. It is a joy to be able to try new ideas that I get from this blog. Thank you everyone for participating.
Today is a wonderful ditch day. Longtime girls friends are descending upon one of the world's largest mall. We have booked rooms in the hotel next to it. Lots of gabbing and goofing off. So nice to get some morning errands done and then head off. Today has the more expansive food menu so I should be able to accommodate the eating out.
Naturegirl: Glad the surgery went well. I had been a longtime sufferer of plantars faciattis and the chronic pain was draining. Here is hoping for a good recovery.
Third food plan written in three days -- CREDIT! Today, I want to get 80% or better at following the plan.
Weigh-in: NA kg
Exercise: +40, 40/1300 minutes for December
Food: 70% on-plan
Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Refrained from eating in the car: yes
Home safe and sound and back at work today. The work morning was fairly shot with folks coming in my cube to check on how things went. Caring. Surprised, but I shouldn't have been (but if I can't weigh, I think I'm sliding backward), that the scale was 150.8 this morning. Down 3.2 more. I'm impressed with this program, to say the least. I'm just not tempted to stray with crapola. And now that I keep hearing about food is medicine for the body, you're either helping it or harming it, I just am not tempted to add in junk. Granted, everything isn't the most scrumptious food, but I don't think of that when I'm able to pick from all of my clothes, and some are just to big to wear now.
Wonderful news, Maryann! I'm so excited for you. I thought it was limited amount of food, too, but then realized, the veggies are unlimited for each phase and so we really bulk up some meals with them - varying ones. The Phase 2 days are our most difficult, but we buy the Trader Joe's turkey bacon with no nitrites and use that for a snack each day and I'm getting in the habit of making a bit of extra protein on the weekend to have handy (or getting a rotisserie chicken on Tuesday nights, heading into that next phase). I do miss caffeine! But we're going to enjoy our little pizza spot this evening, and then I'll get back to cooking tomorrow. I've found a number of great recipes that with no or just a bit of modification, fit wonderfully into two of the phases, so I feel better about this being a true lifestyle change.
Bill - I never ever thought about why the face muscles changed shape - it just "was". Thanks for the education. When you become Czar of Everything, I'd like to add a few things to your agenda...
GardnerJoy - Credits for steady posting and continued steps in the right direction!
NatureGirl - What a great time to really focus tightly on your food plan. Sending speedy recovery vibes your way, and hoping that you don't go stir crazy, since you're always so busy!
Hi all! I'm new at this. Today's my ~7th day on the Beck Diet Solution so here is my awkward attempt to humbly beg the Internet to be my diet coach. Hope I can be of some help to you as well.
This part right here has been the hardest part so far. Accepting support (let alone asking for it) is about as comfortable for me as public nudity. But CBT is about experimenting and we're all safely anonymous so here goes.
Hi Dorogango! Welcome to our support group! I don't think you could find a more supportive, positive group out there. Feel free to check in here daily (or on tough days, more often) Sometimes just posting a declaration of what we expect the day to hold for us helps keeps on track!
Went to the Dr. today and everything looked great: “textbook” incision, etc. Foot cannot touch the floor until Monday, then partial weight-bearing with boot and cane. I’ve been real good about just lying about in the recliner, but you are right about restlessness, nationalparker. I did bring home a whole tub of work I could do sitting down so I’ll probably get started on that tomorrow.
Food was good yesterday; I have planned in a small dessert each night and tried to figure how to reduce allowed containers to compensate. I did this partly to not get that deprivation feeling, and partly because one of my student’s parents presented me with a beautiful home baked ‘chocoflan’ to enjoy while I was recuperating. So a sliver of that each night is a treat, something to look forward to, and a reminder of my sweet kids and families. Hope they are all doing well.
Today’s food was good also, including “dinner out”: We got burrito bowls at Fish Taco (oops I forgot that most people call that Taco del Mar!) and took them up on the hill for a fine dining experience with a view (through the car windows). Hey, it got me out of the house! And is measurable and recordable and healthy…and also delicious. Yay me - I didn't eat it all and didn't save it either.
Diet Coaches/Buddies – At the supermarket, I ignored cookies on a very good sale, CREDIT moi. It's so obvious that cookies left in the store are much easier to avoid than the ones that make it to my pantry. I bought six more boxes of tissues since sniffling has followed DW and I both for weeks now. I suppose it's a sign that life is good if running out of tissues is the most terrifying thought on my mind.
Exercise was walking the aisles of Toys-R-Us in search of a shopping cart for the DGD's Christmas. What an unpleasant experience! Everything was made so flimsily. DW later went to a more local high-end kids store and bought a small box of plastic fruits and veggies to go with the (eventual) shopping cart. She won't tell me what she paid for them, LOL. I suspect that I've discovered the secret and had better get used to the notion. By contrast, when I walk through an REI store, everything looks usable or wearable and safe to bring on a trip into the outdoors - even when not my style. At Toys-R-Us, few items looked like I'd want them in my house.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Kudos for written food plans and posting. DW spent an entire day trying to get our small yard to bed for the winter. Biggest job was emptying three 50 gallon rain barrels - they can freeze and crack.
Nature Girl – Good Grief! Chocoflan should be made illegal on planet earth. Kudos for planning "a sliver of that each night." Yay for an incision that sounds like it's starting its road to mending.
maryann - Kudos for sticking to your new (secret) food plan. Love the Google search quip - aren't we all experts these days.
nationalparker – Welcome home. Love the thought, "I don't think of that when I'm able to pick from all of my clothes." LOL at "I'd like to add a few things to your agenda... "
dorodango - Super Kudos for taking the first step in finding a Diet Coach. Yes, we'll gladly be your online Diet Coach and ask that you take that role for us. "What happens next?" Make a plan to post daily, or as often as works for you. When it's time in your journey through the 42 Days, make your Advantages list. It can be helpful to share some or all of that here just for the feeling that that's what we're supporting. My take is that you shouldn't try to do personals (like this note) right away. Posting your own progress is much more important. Eventually, we'll begin to look like separate people and posting a few personals will seem right. I'm glad that you've joined us.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 9 Psychological Traps
#1: The Discouragement Trap
Chris realized he needed another reminder card for the next time he got discouraged:
If I start to worry that I won't be able to keep going,
remember that things are very different this time. I've
learned how to eat in a way that I can keep up long
term. I've learned how to get myself to stay on track.
I've learned how to deal with hunger and cravings
and how to counteract my sabotaging thoughts. Plus
I've made my giving-in muscle MUCH weaker and
my resistance muscle MUCH stronger.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Deborah Beck Busis, The Diet Trap Solution, Train Your Brain to Lose Weight and Keep It Off for Good (Blue book), pg. 180
Just a short note to say we now have Otis home. Yesterday we flew to Denver and back with no problems. It was so nice to meet his Momma who is raising such sweet pups. Luckily we didn't have to put him in the soft sided crate for under the seat and he was able to sit on my lap the whole way home. I could see several flight attendants saw him, but said nothing as then they would have to say he needed to be put in the crate I imagine. Life as I knew it has changed for now. He requires constant watching and attention. He did sleep in his crate last night from 9 to 5. I sat next to it for the first half of the night . . . just kidding. I stroked his little head and said soothing things for like one minute and then he slept all night. This morning up and out to potty outside. No accidents yet. I think we are quite well trained to take him out frequently.
Food was within calories yesterday as we took a few snacks to eat and didn't and then dinner was some leftovers. Today I will get out for a hike after dh comes home from a little time at work and a trip to the gym. We will try to have one of us home with the new pup for these first few days. Besides it is very fun. He is still under 5 pounds and much smaller in real life than he appeared in photos and videos.
I'm trying to think about how I will get enough exercise, but it may just have to take a backseat and I may have to be satisfied with shorter hikes for a bit. My most important goal (other than to at least maintain) is to raise a sweet pup who feels loved and get him trained well so we can enjoy him for many years to come.
Have a great day everybody. Hopefully back to daily posting and personals tomorrow.
Beck Diet For Life/Solution – December 2016 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach
Thursday - Rosa Parks arrested (1955, Montgomery)
