Good morning, Becksters! I can't tell you how excited I am to log on every morning and get motivated by reading your posts. THANK YOU!
Just a quick check-in/update. No time for personals because I'm running about an hour and a half behind schedule this morning. This is the first week of the semester here at USC, which doesn't affect me too much because I'm on fellowship! This means that, except for a poetry workshop I'm taking on Thursday evenings (part of the mind-body balance goal), I have no other responsibilities outside of writing my dissertation. (I have taught my way through graduate school for the past six years, so I am more than ready for a break!)
Still, in the academic world a year is not that long to write and revise 250-300 critical pages, so I am in mad-planning mode. It's all inter-connected, of course with the Beck Plan, and I am completely enjoying making charts and timelines that intersect my eating, my exercise, and my writing.
Perfection kicks in -- and so I have decided to adopt the "warming up" approach to both my dissertation writing and Beck Plan. I have been warming up with the Beck plan for about a month. I appreciate all the comments urging me to be patient and take this time to test different approaches to the FP and find one that excites me and works for me! Today I realized that I accomplished eight of the ten Success Skills, credit! So I warm up / test my writing schedule this week, make changes, and get down to it by next week!
I'm feeling so optimistic and joyful that I'm afraid I might be delusional . . . BUT:
I SEE YOU, SABOTAGING THOUGHT. I SEE YOU!
Be well, more soon, and thank you all, so much . . . .
So yesterday...what can I say? I followed my plan perfectly, until about 9pm, when BF decided it was dinner time. I had eaten all of my points (on Weight Watchers...), but the late night munchies were kicking in. I (wrongfully) talked myself into eating froyo and 1/2 a cookie, for 6 points. Which worked into my diet plan, but since they were not planned, I'm not looking at it positively. I also had 3 bites of my bf's dinner, so I counted that for 3 points. I've already made a sabotaging thoughts card catered to that scenario, so I feel okay about it. I've also realized something: I'm not gonna be "perfect" (my idea of perfect is 24 points exactly every day, all "clean" [unprocessed] foods), so I have to PLAN for my imperfections. Here's what I'm planning: I will plan a "bad" food everyday into my planned eating. For 3 points. It'll be undefined as to what it is, but I'll only get it if I earn those three points through exercise. If I exercise and then want a cookie, I can have it, as long as it isn't above 3 points. If I didn't earn my activity points, I don't get that planned treat. I'm going to try this for a week and see what happens.
Credits:
I exercised yesterday. Planned exercise with Ms. Michaels again tonight. 30 day shred is tough, but I'm gonna do it!
I read my ARC.
I read both the chapter in the workbook and regular book in preparation for today (throwing away food...I'm going to do it this weekend since everything I have in my house is already planned for and in single servings...it'll be do-able at my parent's house when they make family size portions).
I'm calling this a credit: I measured out my frozen yogurt and also ate half a cookie instead of a full one. Normal binges for me would have been two cookies and the rest of the pint of frozen yogurt.
I have not taken an elevator (besides the one at my BF's apt...he lives on the 12th floor and it's kind of exclusive meaning the elevator opens into the apt, so I'm not sure if I can even take the stairs. I'll look into this, though. Perhaps, if possible [there's got to be stairs for an emergency exit], I can start getting off a floor early, and each week add an extra flight...will look into this).
Hi again….I have a patch of time. So, I thought I’d do some catching up with folks.
From BillBlueEyes and Mary Blu
Diet Coaches/Buddies
Yep, I am 100% positive that the Beck blueprint step-by-step will succeed. And, I'm equally as positive that waddling about getting complacent won't. I've got evidence for both.
It's not "rationalizing." You gotta make a food plan that you love, that you look forward to each day, each meal. Tweak til you're there. Then, you've got your Beck recipe.
Thanks! Good to remember.
Mary contrary - glad you have been ‘warming up’ for the Beck plan. DH’s family went to USC. I’ve been there and it’s a beautiful campus. (like a fortress). Sounds like you have a full semester ahead.
New2me2 - so glad that scale is going down. So glad you have your plan today.
Gardner joy - your pesto sounds great. I love that some herbs with grow right back, too. Great job on your exercise this month.
Onebyone - kudos for getting in your planned exercise.
new bebop - so glad you could get in your exercise despite the rain. I did canning years ago…such a good way to keep the extras from the garden.
Lexxiss - glad you have your plan and a nap plan if you need it!
Billblueeyes - so glad you stayed on course with your supper. I appreciate your daily quotes from the Beck book, too
Amber - you are doing many things right. Carry on.
Starling - Hi!
Alma - glad you’ve planned to do spin class and the beck book after. Planning helps a lot.
Seadwaters - planning ahead and packing food is so good. So many credits too. YAY
Ade - I totally agree with food being better in the trash than in your tummy. I often douse dh’s food or goodies that in the cupboard/fridge with dish soap instead of eating it.
It has felt so good to connect to you all, new folks (to me) and read your comments, plans, etc. Gotta go for now. Now - I want to do a meditation.
Last edited by Beverlyjoy; 08-25-2010 at 02:24 PM.
OK, I'm trying to figure out this ticker thing. I am NOT computer savvy!
I just realized you can click on it (I think mine is ticker factory) and keep a record of your weight! (it makes a little chart). Then just update it as you go. You can even enter past data (I used to make a new one each week, but I love the chart) if you hadn't been entering it in as you go!
Is that how you spell that? I hit the 10 lb lost mark today (10.6 lbs actually), I am so happy, as you know, my weight loss has been slow. This is the first time I have had a loss 3 weeks in a row.
Oh, I found out why I am having such fatigue, apparently I have a Vitamin D deficiency! I could not believe it as I am in the sun all the time and take a multi vitamin with 1200 mg. I love being outdoors.
My doctor explained that I need to be taking a medical grade vitamin. She feels this ensures a better quality of vitamin. There is a dispensary here in Seattle affiliated with the school of Naturopathy that sells this type vitamin. She is having me take 5000 mg/day which seems like a lot. No telling what I will do with more energy Watch out world, haha
Thanks for the encouragement on the 12 week problem I seem to have had in the past with sticking to a diet. I am thinking up a strategy. Funny, one time I read (years ago) that it only takes 12 weeks to make a habit. So, I use to approach diets and exercise with "I can do anything for 12 weeks" Somehow this turned into, I only need to do this for 12 weeks. I am glad I recognize this now though.
ade903: You should be so proud of yourself for taking this approach at such a young age. If I would have stuck to a diet 20 years ago, well, you can't go back, but I would have had a lot less stress. You are doing GREAT. That late night eating is HARD. This may be a place to establish a hard fast rule that Beck talks about in one of the chapters. I have a rule NO EATING after 8 pm EVER. It is hard for me, but getting easier.
madrikh: I am not computer savvy either. Here is what I did, may not be the easiest way though, Go to "edit signature", 3 blocks of text down it says "edit signature", there is a url link to the ticker, in the link, you will recognize the weights you put in, change you current weight in that spot. Then, you don't have to make a new ticker each time.
Beverlyjoy: Hello, glad you are here. congratulations getting on the scale. For me, this is the first step in losing weight. My problem is when i quit getting on the scale, I always gain gain gain. So, BIG credit for weighing! The hardest part is over, you saw the number.
MaryContrary: Good luck with your dissertation. I have a Masters and wrote a thesis which helped me decide I would not be getting a Phd. Very admirable.
new2me2: Celebrate that weight loss! You earned it.
gardenerjoy: The pesto sounds so good. I wish I had room for a real garden. I have a small garden of pots, but I get NO sun so herbs and fruits are out for me. Do you know any that grow in shade?
onebyone: I hope you find the time to work on your art. I have noticed the food planning is leading to a little more planning in general for me in my life. I previously was "scared" of all planning and plans. This is something I am working on. Good luck
newbebop: Credit for substituting a rain workout when plan A fell through.
Lexxiss: I hope you were able to get your nap today. Right now I am sending you great napping dreams
BillBlueEyes: Great job on the walk to dinner. You are such an inspiration to me, you have a really positive story every day.
AmberPr: Good job getting exercise every day. I have noticed you take 2 walks most days. Also, good job realizing you need to work on writing things down and took the initiative to build a spreadsheet to help facilitate this.
Hi All, I'm checking in today a little earlier than yesterday (10 min before midnight)
I'm easing into TBDS. It's a different kinda thing. Last year I worked with a nutritionist for 6 months. She helped me to lose my taste for a lot of my old favorite foods; she taught me to eat a lot less sugar and fat, and a lot more fruits and vegs. I reported to her every week, showing her what I had recorded in Fitday. I ate whenever I was hungry, .....or bored, or sad, or lonely, or angry but still managed to lose half a pound a week. That ten pounds stayed off! Credit to me for that hard work and thank you to my body for finding a new set point!
We worked on what to eat, but not on when, or why, or how! Last year I wasn't ready to make these changes, but this year I am.
So, this is the first time in years and years I've tried sticking to a plan (instead of going with the flow). ....Wow! Arrgh! Ack!! Some unpleasant emotions from the past have been brought to the surface. It's also affecting my digestive tract.
Kudos to you Beckies for your hard work. It helps to hear the all the different ways you give yourselves credit.
Credit to me for making these huge changes
and credit to me for coming here and learning from you!
PS. Homeschool Mom (I lost your post -- what's your name again?) ...good luck with this year's school. How many kids? It must be challenging to work on your own life changes while focusing on your kids, too.
PPS. The grubs are happy, today they got lots of summer squash skins and carrot peels
To stay on track and not feel *guilty* about anything I am going to share with you my tweaks to my foodplan. It will be good to see them here and then I can refer to them if I don't lose weight or the weightloss stops as one member suggested.
(gardenerjoy was that you?)
MY TWEAKS
creamers in my coffee - be reasonable
farmers' market salad dressing (oil+herbs) on my green things without measuring the amount - again within reason
if having cottage cheese as my lunch protein I can eat 1cup not the prescribed 1/2cup which leaves me feeing starving - unless it's a day when that is the right amount to have
I am not removing the skin off of my poultry
I am not cutting the fat off of my pork or beef either
I am allowing myself a serving (250ml) of heavy duty fruit smoothie drink and counting it as "fruit" but will only drink this until my two bottles are gone and WILL NOT replace them but eat more fresh fruit instead
when eating my walnuts, I will eat 1/4 of a cup, the suggested serving on the walnut bag, instead of the "6 whole walnuts" prescribed as my walnuts are not whole ones but are in pieces. If I try (I tried today) to make up 6 whole ones from the pieces I will drive myself batty and grow a resentment which, fast on its heels=a desire for food to quell the emotion of resentment, so 1/4c. it is
no diet anything
I ate a lot of green "spring mix" lettuce today. I bought a huge container of it for just that purpose. I had some for lunch and dinner. It's full of all kinds of leaves, all sorts of shapes and colours. I am always very conscious of eating leaves. I find them very unappetizing but know they are good for me and they hold the salad together, like an edible basket or something. credit for eating salad leaves and actually making myself salads which bothers me at least as much! The solution, of course, is to just make a giant salad and have it in the fridge waiting for me. I'll do that, but not tonight.
Breakfast is the same every morning, but I can vary my fruit one my grapefruit is consumed. Today I miss eggs, but I can have them tomorrow at lunch so it's all good.
I've been watching the BBC series The Power of Art over the last week. (I have it on dvd).
Boy, it's enough to bring a gal to tears.
Carravagio, Bernini, David, Rembrandt, Turner, Van Gogh, Picasso and now I am on the last one, Rothko.
*sigh*
All the episodes go like this:
1)artist emerges.
2)artist makes a masterpiece.
3)masterpiece unacceptable to public/patron.
4)artist disgraced, ostracized, never equals his peak, fades away or dies.
Why the heck would I want to do this line of work? Because if I don't I am a crazy loon is why. I have to make things-I don't have a choice.
Actually the series has re-ignited in me my deep abiding desire to completely immerse myself in my painting and printmaking. If I could do nothing else but work on art right now I'd be a happy camper. Alas I can barely come up with my 1/2 of the rent as it stands. DH has been doing all the heavy financial lifting for sometime now and that makes me not feel so great.
Still.
My next de-cluttering focus will be on my studio space aka the master bedroom which is mine all mine. Two pieces of furniture have found their way into that room, a dresser and a vanity, and they have got to go. This means making space in the small bedroom currently piled up with boxes of who-knows-what. But I don't have to do it "perfect". I just have to do my best and do enough to get my workspace back. I won't become a better painter by not painting! Hello?!
I am posting on a short break from classes and will try to catch up tomorrow.
I am going to borrow the name of last decade to describe my present state - I am now in the noughties - I saw 209.6 pounds this morning. It is a very tenuous state and I am sure it will pass because I said it, but it is something I am aiming for at the moment. It was very nice to see. I have lost a lot of weight rapidly this past week on this new diet and I know it is mainly water weight and that I need to be REALLY careful not to fall off plan so that is nicely motivating. Next big goal is onederland.
Progress -
- I motivated myself by reading A&R cards - Yes
- Consciously gave credit for positive eating / exercise behaviours - Yes
- Limit junk food to once per day - No junk food
- Made food plan - Yes - Logged food soon after eating - Yes
- Food on-plan - Yes
- Ate seated every time - Yes
- Ate mindfully & slowly & put down fork occasionally - Sometimes
- Weighed myself - Yes - the noughties - 209.6
- Exercise - No
Working on -
Reading the green book again to keep in the groove
I did an exercise video this morning (credit). Arms, legs, and stomach work. I can feel it in my arms tonight! The rest of my choices weren't the best, but I do recognize them as choices.
Tomorrow is another day, which reminds me- I need to put my chicken in the crockpot! <--- preparing ---> Done. (credit)
So, I'm planning my food for tomorrow as I check in tonight. (credit)
Hello All,
Today I did walk 8800+ steps, credit, tracked my food, credit, and came here(big credit!)
Last week, my doctor called with my blood test results, and my good cholesterol went up(yay!) but so did my bad cholesterol. She was baffled, since usually they don't both go up at the same time, so she wants to retest in 6-8 weeks, in case it was a lab error. I'd forgotten about taking flaxseed oil, so she encouraged me to start that up again.
The HR dept of my husband's workplace called and left a message today, while he is on his trip. I hope it's not something ominous. I'm making lots of art and working on my business, but if he gets laid off, I'm not sure what I'll do. I am enjoying this break from a day job, but for how much longer, I don't know.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Stopped by a deli that sells sandwiches wrapped in large pita bread - awful, tasteless, white flour pita bread. Got my mojo up and asked for three falafel plain - no sandwich. They looked at me like I was crazy, but put them in a carton with some humus. I took them home and put them on my own whole wheat pita bread; CREDIT moi for recognizing that I'd have had a hard time throwing away the store's pita, and a worse time being annoyed with myself for eating stuff that I didn't want to eat. Dinner also included two large, fresh-from-our-garden tomatoes with balsamic vinegar. CREDIT moi for eating like a king.
Normal gym; CREDIT moi. No FREE Kashi cereal boxes. I felt deprived.
onebyone - You've got a strong body, as evidenced by not being sore after so much exercise, and a strong core, as evidenced by pausing before just gobbling the Lebanese delicacies. Good food plan tweaks, just LOL at the thought of reconstructing walnuts from the pieces. Your ancestors painted bison on the walls of deeply hidden caves - just because. You don't need a reason to be an artist.
Margaret (Nuxmaga) - Congrats for the increased good cholesterol - plausibly due to your exercise. Ouch for the bad, but I'll vote for a lab error. Hope that HR is just chasing down travel vouchers.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Happiness is pesto cubes in the freezer; my adult DD still knows to drop by a pick up a few every now and then.
Cheryl (Seadwaters) - Honking Congrats on the "noughties" - a clear sign of where you're going.
Beverlyjoy - You've got real stuff to deal with; Kudos for emerging from that sufficiently to face your food planning as well. Such a joy to hear you able to say, "I've had a good day....."
Debbie (Lexxiss) - Sending supportive thoughts for the emotional stuff you're dealing with, with Kudos for working you food plan at the same time - such a good demo that food and emotions are separate realms.
Donna (new2me2) - Good work making the pieces of your plan fit together. I'm grateful for those individual packs of unsweetened applesauce - we can now use one when DW makes pork chops without a whole jar spoiling in the fridge.
Amber (AmberPr) - Yay for crockpots. Kudos for preparing your meal, however quickly done.
Marci (madrikh) - Really like the blue madonna of your avatar - what's its story?
Alma (Alma4343) - Kudos for tracking down that vitamin D deficiency. And Kudos again for spotting "I only need to do this for 12 weeks" - that one's insidious.
newbebop - Yay for looking closely at those Sabotaging Thoughts; they can't survive when exposed to sunlight. Are you growing fruits also?
Ashley (ade903) - Neat planning to do the throwing away food exercise at your parents' house when there's plenty. I've always thought that elevators that opened into the apartment were only for NY condos overlooking Central Park; classy indeed.
MaryContrary - The joy of no coxswain beating out the rhythm; the burden of moving forward without a coxswain. LOL at "I SEE YOU, SABOTAGING THOUGHT" - this thread's recent theme.
Carol (Starling) - Ouch that the "sticking to a plan" is a portal to old emotions. Good job spotting that and exposing it to the light.
Readers -
Quote:
day 36 Believe It
As the weeks went by, Brenda slowly but steadily lost weight - but she remained skeptical. After she lost 10 pounds, she said, "It won't last." After she lost 20 pounds, she was confused: "I know the scale says I've lost this much weight, and I know my clothes are loser, but it just doesn't seem real." After she lost 30 pounds, she was very confused. The evidence that she was successfully losing weight was undeniable, but Brenda still doubted herself. "Okay, I know I've lost weight, but I don't know how I did it," she said. "It's just a fluke." After she lost a total of 40 pounds, she thought she had the answer: "I'm 40 pounds lighter, but that's only because you're helping me."
Hi Beck folks - yesterday was a healthy on plan day. I am so, so grateful. Somehow I got through it. YAY. CREDIT I ate lots of veggies and yelled silently back at some of my sabotaging thoughts and gave myself credit out loud during the day.
Today Mom and I are going to Bob Evans for dinner. I know what I’ll have already and know the calories.
Water - lots
Planned/logged/measured/counted calories - yes
Eat seated - most of the time
Fork down - some of the time
No seconds - all the of time
Leave a bite - all of the time
Read arc/rc
Beck - no
Slow mindful eating - some of the time.
Feel fullness - some of the time
Did my journal
Gave credit - often
Did my meditation - yay
Billbe - kudos for leaving the white flour wrap and knowing yourself in that situation.
Nuxmaga - glad the good cholesterol is better - hmm, puzzling about the overall number. Hope all is well with the Hr call.
Amber - great job on the exercise video and your good planning!
Seadwaters - love the name, the noughties! YAY!!!! Many credits, too. Carry on.
Onebyone - good tweaks…eating should not be guilt ridden. Sounds like you are figuring it out.
Starling - sticking to a plan is helpful to many folks. I imagine it’s a big change in approach to your recent mindful approach. It’s good that you are exploring different ways to learn to live with food in the manner that works best for you.
Alma - I am doing a 10 pound happy dance for you. I am so glad you doctor discovered you vitamin D deficiency. My sister had that and felt much much better when she started the supplements.
Madrich - hope you can get your ticker to work.
Have a great day, folks.
Last edited by Beverlyjoy; 08-26-2010 at 10:49 AM.
Credit for making a good choice at a restaurant at lunch and not feeling guilty that it wasn't the best choice I could have made -- salmon burger with fruit salad, leaving half the bun, instead of salad with fish on top. Some days I'm in the mood for the salad, but yesterday wasn't one.
I'm sure I mentioned before that I got down to 200 pounds a few years ago, and put the 40 pounds back on in a year. In part, I blame that I was too cheap to buy new clothes. Unconsciously, I had to put the weight back on to have clothes that fit! So, this time around I've been buying new clothes.
I've now gotten too small for a pair of pants that I bought in the spring. I took them back yesterday to see if they could be tailored to my new size. They could be, for a pretty good sum. My sales lady helped me find a new pair, that fits better than the altered old pair would, for a few dollars more. So new pants, and I'm going to give away pants that are only a few months old. Credit for not getting upset over that. DH says we'll consider it an investment in my health.
WI: +0.2kg, Exercise: +60 1505/1800 minutes for August, Food: 70%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Beverlyjoy: so happy to see you posting here! Yay for all the credits and good job making a plan for a meal out.
BillBlueEyes: excellent way to modify carry out food to suit your needs! I'm going to remember that.
Nuxmaga: great to see you here, too! Crossing fingers and toes that the HR thing is good news, not bad.
My food plan today is much the same as yesterday except I forgot my little Ninja blender and also forgot the shaker cup, so not quite sure how I'll make my protein shake, lol. I'll figure it out. Dang Ninja is sitting in a bag on my stove...had it all ready to go and everything, lol. I DID remember to bring my eggs today though. Yay, lol.
My exercise also changed a bit...I decided that I should probably put weights off one more day, so did 30 minutes of Walk It Out instead. I'll do weight tonight. My "at home care" for my tooth said the first three nights to sleep with head elevated on several pillows" and "do not put pressure on your jaw". No matter how hard I try to relax my jaw when I do weights, there is usually some tightening of it, so I think it will be better tonight than last.
Didn't do any decluttering afterall yesterday, but did some already this morning. Whilst in my closet deciding what to wear, I took out all my too-big pants and put them in a pile in the spare bedroom to go to the Goodwill, or maybe Career Closet.
Got in some spontaneous exercise already as well. When I parked at work, I noticed a car with its lights on, so walked around our rather large building several times trying to find someone who it might belong to. Never did see another living soul. I tried.
Sorry, the morning got away from me, so no personals.
Warming up!
I can't tell you how excited I am to log on every morning and get motivated by reading your posts. THANK YOU!
This means that, except for a poetry workshop I'm taking on Thursday evenings (part of the mind-body balance goal), I have no other responsibilities outside of writing my dissertation. (I have taught my way through graduate school for the past six years, so I am more than ready for a break!)
You can even enter past data (I used to make a new one each week, but I love the chart) if you hadn't been entering it in as you go!
Watch out world, haha
but still managed to lose half a pound a week. That ten pounds stayed off! Credit to me for that hard work 
Some unpleasant emotions from the past have been brought to the surface. It's also affecting my digestive tract. 
-- what's your name again?) ...good luck with this year's school. How many kids? It must be challenging to work on your own life changes while focusing on your kids, too. 
flotsam and jetsam of the day + ACCOUNTABILITY
Hello?!
Thursday
