My sleep has been off, and sometimes that's an excuse to let everything go just a bit, but for now I'm actually managing. I'm within my Points. I'm exercising daily. I'm keeping my ARCs close by and reminding myself that even though some times are a little stranger/tougher than others, that as long as I'm still here and still making the effort... well... that's succeeding. That's much better than just giving up!
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Still can't get my own computer to see the Internet. Otherwise, life goes on. On plan eating day.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - A good nights sleep is a gift from the gods.
Debbie (Lexxiss) - Ouch for "stuff" - DW and I savor the thought of never moving the furniture and books back in, LOL.
Beverlyjoy - Yay for the notion of a "planned" s'more.
maryann - Thanks for "Happiness and health start now."
pamatga - Yep, brownies are for church, LOL.
Tazzy - Yay for both brownies and a happy DW.
Lovely – Nicely put, "still here and still making the effort... well... that's succeeding."
missyj - A day off sounds like the right idea.
Val (va1erie) - Sounds like a winning formula, "I believe the skills I learned from Beck, along with daily weighing, weekly WW meetings, and checking in every day with my diet buddy are the keys."
Robin (4EverLearning) - Yay for a cat as a justification to leave a bite.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 4 Stage 1The Success Skills Plan
Success Skill 6Overcome Hunger, Cravings, and Emotional Eating
You may have had these thoughts - or variations of them - thousands of time in your life. But I will teach you how to overcome these thoughts so that you can stick to your eating plan.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg. 72.
report: read my cards, weighed (down 2.2 -- yesterday's big up was definitely the coffee I drank before remembering to weigh), ate slowly and mindfully and made good choices even though we went out to a bar to play trivia last night, came home and did not have a wine-induced snackfest, contacted my diet buddy.
So I attend my WW meeting yesterday and the topic of the week was "Why are you doing this?" Our leader had a whiteboard with that question on it and lines numbered 1 - 25. She asked, "How many reasons can you come up with for why you want to lose weight or maintain?" So I reached into my purse and pulled out my ARCs. I held up my hand and said, "I actually have about thirty here." She about dropped over. Just pure stunned delight on her face. I handed them to her, and she asked if she could read some of them out, so I said yes, and she read aloud some of the less embarrassing ones. The whole room was ROARING. She said, "Did you bring these because you knew what the discussion was going to be?" And I said no, I carry them with me and have another set for at home that I keep in the kitchen. "And how often do you read them?" I said I tried to read them every day. She has little star stickers that say Bravo on them, and she'll give one to you when you've had a loss or a breakthrough or a good idea, and she started to hand me one, then unwound three feet of stickers from the roll and handed me that. It was definitely a FUN moment, and one for my memory box!
Debbie -- Yay, you, for resisting seeking comfort in food! Food can't really comfort us in times of stress. When we eat for comfort, it feels comforting while we're eating but when we're done, the original stress is still there and now it's compounded by the stress of having eaten off plan. Resisting trying to comfort ourselves with food helps us develop our resistance muscle!
missyj -- You said you're having a hard time feeling motivated. Do you have your ARCs?
Beverlyjoy -- Good for you for planning the s'more last time -- can you do that with the whole visit? PLAN your reaction to your family and the defeat you feel. What sabotaging thoughts are making you feel defeated, and what helpful responses can you plan for when those thoughts occur to you during this visit?
pamatga -- Good for you for committing to re-reading both books before the holidays! Great idea!
maryann -- Good idea to post what you eat! Just -knowing- that you're going to have to tell us everything you ate might make you stop before you start. Maybe make a response card for that? Sabotaging thought: I can eat this piece of chocolate; it doesn't matter. Helpful response: It does matter, and I'm going to be unhappy I ate it tomorrow when I'm listing it out for my diet buddies.
gardenerjoy -- Hope you're feeling better today!
Robin -- Keep that memory of being reluctant to weigh because it had been a few days and you were afraid you had gained! Yay on the good day! Re: the strange dynamic of feeling a need to keep lowering your goal as you approach it -- I hear you! I'm at 111.4 today, well below my goal weight. But 112 was my "fat" weight when I was a young woman, and I find myself wondering if I should try to reach 107 (my "thin" weight back then.) It does make me wonder whether I want to weigh less for the right reasons. The "right" reason would be my knees -- my orthopedic surgeon has basically said the lighter I can get, the better. "Model-thin is not too thin" were his words, actually. But I don't think I could maintain that, and I do also think I should be happy to be "normal" weight rather than having some residual dissatisfaction.
Lovely -- good for you for recognizing that you can't fail as long as you don't give up!
BBE -- Yay for another onplan day, and yay for realizing that EVERY on plan day is a reason for giving yourself credit!
Quick check in this morning. Weighed (same), read ARC and have done my food plan for today.
This quote was emailed to me and I'd like to share it with all of you: Change isn't your enemy it is your personal opportunity for greatness. Martin Luther King, Jr. I need to change my idea about motivation and after reading Lovely's great thread on the WW board I'm going to look at the committment level I've been putting into my journey.
Busy day at work today as I'm taking Thursday and Friday off. Plan to go through all the clothes in my closet and deal with the ones that don't fit, don't look good even if they do fit and ones that have just been there for far too long.
Hi friends/Becksters... not a healthy day yesterday... phooey. The scale says I've gained since last week. It should.. I am not surprised. But, I am not giving up. I really can't expect positive results from eating unhealthfully.(I wish I could but that is 'magical thinking')
Here is my plan:
breakfast - peanut butter toast, pumpkin with smart balance margerine, cinn, sf syrup
snack - yellow pepper strips
lunch - black beans and 2% melt, green beans
snack - cereal, fruit, milk
dinner - out - salad with chicken, Apple Cranberry Spinach Salad
snack - cheese toast
lots of water
eat seated
exercise
meditation
log food/plan food
journal
Pam - I did read the reviews on the kale chips site... mostly good! plus other ways and ideas. I hope DH likes them. I'll have to try baked sweet potato chips. I've been doing alot of roasted veggies.
Valerie - you've given me much to think about. I can plan my food and shout back at those sabatoging thoughts. There will be foods around that are challenging. I will journal all these things and see what I can come up with. Thanks for these thoughts.
Thanks, friends - for your support, wisdom and caring ways.
I am very busy today. I will try and get back later.
Last edited by Beverlyjoy; 09-28-2011 at 01:43 PM.
Quick check in to say hello to everyone! I feel my work week taking hold of me, and my planned vacation day for Friday slowly slipping away........sigh.
Some folks at work have decided to do a two month challenge for weight loss. This humors me some, as four of the six of them are competitive runners and/or triathletes and do not need to lose much/any weight IMHO.
But I said I would join them - so here we go. Since there is such a disparity in weight loss needed across the group, we are going to report percentage of total body weight loss at the end of November. I declined to share my current weight with these coworkers but promised to be honest. I did offer to provide them with a fake weight if they really felt it was necessary - mighty big of me I thought!
So one of them recommended the Eat for Life/Eat for Health books to me. I was wondering if anyone here has ever tried these plans? I am no longer certain the WW thing is the plan for me, so I have been looking at options. My biggest concern is that I don't see myself as a vegetarian - for either the long or short haul. Just curious if anyone had any experience with the plans.
I just finally found the complete list of smilies after weeks of wondering where you all find these great ones! Did I mention computers are not my forte??? But I will leave you with some of the ones that make me laugh. Have a great day all!
A strange day….I posted on several other threads this morning then wasn't able to post on the daily at SBD or here. It got too late this AM but I went back to BBE's list for speedy posting and seem to be "back on track" My day was busy; slept in, then went to the dentist w/Kirk, drove towards Aspen looking for peaches and lunch, dropped a donation at the thrift store (Ruthxxx mentioned Flylady's 27 Pitchon another thread), then got dropped off at the pool to retrieve my bike which I left there yesterday. I had a very heated ride (81 degrees) a mile up a hill to meet Kirk at Lowe's (big credit) now I'm home and don't plan to go anywhere. Survivor and homemade pizza/salad tonight!
Our lunch was spontaneous since the dentist took so long. I squelched sabotaging thoughts of mexican and Chinese buffet, and instead went to a local spot. I ordered 1/2 sandwich, salad and a tiny order of fries (credit) when there were much more lethal items tempting me. I gave 2 bites to Kirk which was the only way I was going to avoid not eating them-it would have been a clear victory in resistance to leave them on my plate but it worked good enough.
I may get back later (if my connection cooperates) but must go make the pizza crust NOW if I want to stick with my plan for dinner. It takes 90 minutes to rise.
ETA-Back!
BillBlueEyes, hmm….glad DW shares her computer. We would certainly be missing you otherwise. Credit for an OP eating day.
missyj, still hoping you get your vacation day, as planned. Re: Eat for Life-if you do not see yourself as a vegetarian, I wouldn't recommend it. That said, it never hurts to read.
Beverlyjoy, yay for making a plan even after a "not healthy" day.
Tazzy, thanks for the quote! Glad that Lovely's comments on the WW thread gave to motivation to change your idea about motivation.
Val(va1erie), I read your WW story this morning and smiled….just read it again and smiled again. Thanks for sharing!
Lovely, I always love the reminder that even though some times are a little stranger/toughter than others, that as long as I'm still here and still making the effort….well….that's succeeding. Thanks!
Robin(4EverLearning), yay for getting back on track with your daily weighing.
gardenerjoy, hope you're feeling better!
maryann, I love "living peacefully with food"! Such a powerful observation on maintenance, too...
Pam(atga),great that you have found a strategy to calm down and "try today" for your extra steps!
Sorry I am late today but another day that just seemed to zoooooom right on by!!
First of all, Val, what you said about your WW meeting was absolutely "priceless". I just love the idea of 3 ft of gold stars (who doesn't love that kind of public affirmation?) and I just hope that we will see some of those WW-ers over here some day!! Major Credit also goes to you to be the "messenger" from Beck! You are going to soon become the "poster child for BDS". I just know it!!
Between you and 4EverLearning: please do ask Dr. Beck's thoughts about this theory of "1600 calories and weight lose". Obviously, I am no model in this area but I am finding that I am toning up nice but the scales are really not budging like I would have expected. I am ready to really do a stiff re-examination of my food plan and see where I am really amiss. Should I go low carb again like the SBD? Should I also cut out my diet sodas I love to drink so much of?
Credit for me: I DID IT! This was a first but yesterday I managed 6400 steps and 4-10 minute sessions on the treadmill with an average pace of 1.8 mph. In a few minutes, I am going to do my 4th 10 minutes after I post here.
Stats for 9/27:
**2123 calories 26 g fiber 3265 mg sodium
***6400 STEPS 4-10 MIN SESSIONS ON TREADMILL (1.7 MPH--A FIRST!)
**Upper Body strength exercises 1 set of 15 reps with 5 lb hand weights
**Lower Body strength exercises 2 sets of 15 reps (no wts this time)
**second time doing specific neck exercises (15 separate ones) to strengthen neck muscles for arthritis in neck
**F/V: lite grape cranberry juice, whole apple, raisins, banana, green beans, cooked carrots, corn
**sleeping like a rock these days-gee, I wonder why?
First, a dumb question: Can someone explain to me what the difference is between coaches and buddies? I feel like I'm missing something.
my report: Between work, choir practice, and several other commitments, I was out of the house for 16 hours straight today and am exhausted. But I stayed on plan, made a concerted effort to eat slowly and mindfully, got a little spontaneous walking in, contacted my diet buddy, and posted here. I remembered to weigh myself this morning; was up .8 (which always seems to happen on the day after a personal training session, so I'm not concerned.) That's as good as it's going to get for today. And sometimes good enough really is good enough!!
And speaking of "good enough"--here are my thoughts on that weird feeling of discomfort when you get close to your goal weight, which then prompts you to lower your goal weight...and then lower it again, keeping your goal just out of reach. (I'm struggling with this one a little bit myself right now.) Sometimes this happens because you almost get "addicted" to the "high" of seeing the scale go down and can't stand to give that up. (BillBlueEyes, I love the way you put it when you said you "lost the joy of watching the scale drop" and knew you had to find an alternative reinforcer that would keep you motivated for long-term maintenance.) Sometimes we keep lowering our goal so that we never actually get to maintenance, which would be too scary because we fear that as soon as the scale stops moving downward, it will inevitably start to move upward. Sometimes we get to our original goal and then feel disappointed because we still don't have a "perfect body" OR a "perfect life", and we retain the hope that "perfection" (an elusive ideal if ever there was one!) is still attainable if we just lose "a little more." But most often that need to keep lowering your goal weight is about struggling with self-acceptance and learning to be happy with what you have and where you are in the present--a real and genuine psychic battle for many who have a history of eating issues. Maryann, you really captured that struggle in your post about learning to stop postponing your life "until you lost the weight." It's really ironic, but I think that when we finally stop postponing our lives, and learn to live in the present and enjoy the here and now, that we finally become able to shed the weight--because we no longer NEED the weight so much. We no longer need that barrier of fat that protects us and walls us off from the world we were always to afraid to fully become engaged in.
I was reading some of the back posts (to try to get to know everyone a little better) and came across your post, Pam, about your epic battle with the pizza!! YAY you! Your story reminded me so much of the day I first bought a pint of Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough ice cream (my all-time favorite binge food, which I always ate right out of the container in a single sitting) and was able to actually eat a small serving of it and put the rest in the freezer. I actually cried with joy that day, I was so overwhelmed by what had always seemed to me to be a completely insurmountable challenge. I have the lid from that container in my memory basket now!
Val, I grinned from ear-to-ear when I saw your wonderful story about your WW meeting!! OMG, I can just imagine how the leader and the rest of the group reacted when you pulled out your list!! That is one for the memory box for sure.
missyj, good luck with that BL competition at work. I would have loved participating in that kind of friendly competition while I was losing. I hope the group will be really supportive of each other as well as competitive with each other.
Lexxiss, YAY for that long bike rid uphill in the heat AND for making such good spontaneous choices at lunch!
WI: -1.05kgs, Exercise: +20 585/1300 minutes for September, Food: 90%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
va1erie: Love the 3 feet of Bravo stickers! Yay, you!
missyj: take a look at Fuhrman's books (Eat to Live and Eat for Health, in two volumes). The plan is vegan or close to it and I found his style hard to take, so I've never done more than skim his books. But they're worth a look. I suggest trying them from the library before buying them. Have you considered the plan in Beck's green book?
Diet Coaches/Buddies - From DW's computer. Too busy to get off plan (CREDIT moi), LOL. But did avoid a few urges to grab a handful of something to make tension go away, CREDIT moi.
gardenerjoy - Glad you're feeling better.
Beverlyjoy - Pumpkin for breakfast is a good start for the day.
pamaga - Yay days that "zooom right on by."
Debbie (Lexxiss) - Love the juxtaposition that a dawdling dentist means a spontaneous lunch. Kudos for making good enough choices.
Tazzy - Good luck with your clothes purge.
missyj - Kudos for attentively searching for a plan - that's a good place to invest some effort. (No recommendations from here, though.)
Val (va1erie) - Love the three feet of stickers - best NSV ever.
Robin (4EverLearning) - Re: "Can someone explain to me what the difference is between coaches and buddies?" It's too easy. Beck's first book used 'coach' and her second book used 'buddy' for the same person. I like 'buddy' since it removes the notion of hierarchy.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 4 Stage 1The Success Skills Plan
Success Skill 6Overcome Hunger, Cravings, and Emotional Eating
In the following pages, I'm going to ask you to conduct six experiments that will help you prove the following to yourself:
Experiment 1: I often think I'm hungry when I'm not. Experiment 2: Hunger is not an emergency. It's no big deal, and if I get involved in something else, it will go away. Experiment 3: Fullness always sets in within 20 minutes of finishing a healthy meal. I may still feel hungry immediately after I've eaten, but it will soon subside. Experiment 4: I can stop eating when I've finished my planned food. Experiment 5: Cravings are tolerable and go away. Experiment 6: I can tolerate negative emotions without eating in response.
You may not believe these statements now, but you will soon. You will start by proving that true hunger is different from cravings, desire, and other sensations.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pgs. 72-73.
Hello all! Today is officially Day 1 back on plan for me! The doctor gave me 10 months to get it together - and 10 months from today is my birthday. The BL challenge with the coworkers has started, so here we go! Hopefully these two thoughts will get me through the first weekend with some much needed much healthier eating!
Got to be quick - work is crazed today. But wanted to thank everyone for their thoughts on the Eat for Life/Eat for Health books. Going to start today on the WW path while still researching other options. Definitely going to take gardnerjoy's advice and check out the books at the library. Especially the Beck Green Book and the eating plan in that one - thanks for the tip!
Can't leave without sending pamatga a big shoutout for the awesome exercise reported! I am very happy for you! And will use your experiences as inspiration again when I work exercise back into my plan this weekend!
report: read my cards, weighed (up 2, but no biggie as I'd once again forgotten to weigh until after I started drinking coffee), ate -okay-. Yet another stressful day here, and it's starting to wear on me. I didn't pay as much attention to my choices as I usually do. So that may also have contributed to the up day on the scale. But, oh well. Move on. Got lots of exercise as I walked to and from class. Contacted my diet buddy.
Tazzy -- When you go through your clothes, are you planning to get rid of stuff that's too big?
Beverlyjoy -- bummer on the not healthy yesterday, but you're still on track since you haven't given up!
missyj -- for competitive runners, maybe they feel even a five pound difference will make a difference in their times as long as they aren't losing muscle?
Debbie -- yay, you, for making a very reasonable choice for the spontaneous lunch! And YEAH that WW experience had me smiling too!
pamatga -- LOL on me being the messenger to Beck! I have heard that diet sodas can be a problem in weight loss. I don't drink a lot of them, but I do like them from time to time. Yay, you for getting in 6400 steps and 4 sessions on the treadmill two days in a row!
Robin -- Yay, you for such a good day on such a LONG day! I think coaches vs. buddies is probably interchangeable here? Great thoughts on why we avoid finally declaring ourselves at goal. Re: pulling out the ARCs at WW meeting -- now I'm hoping one of these days the topic is dealing with sabotaging thoughts so I can pull out my Response deck!
gardenerjoy -- glad you're feeling better, and yay on the good onplan day!
BBE -- this computer issue has been days now! Definitely credit for being "too busy" to get off plan. Usually that's the excuse people give for why they went off plan -- "too busy" to stay on plan. Too busy to cook from scratch, shop, plan, exercise. So when I hear someone saying they were too busy to get =off= plan, I suspect that person has changed his thinking a LOT.
All -- I took those Bravo stickers and stuck one onto each of my Advantages cards, then took the half-empty roll and stuck it into my memory box.
I'll be out of town starting tomorrow morning, back Tuesday. I'm taking my laptop, but no idea which stops I'll have access at, so if I go MIA, don't fret!
val I hope you don't mind but I shared your words (as a quote) with my BLC group. I just thought they would really appreciate the "story". It is a true gem! And, the fact that you put all those Bravos back onto your cards is even better reinforcement. You are definitely "workin it", GF Yea, I have heard that about diet sodas before. I slam dunk them. Thanks for the I am in my element when it comes to pushing myself physically. 10 minutes is tolerable for my knees. I am so hoping though that when I lose another 25/30 lbs maybe I can take "it on the road" and get out and enjoy the beautiful fall we have here. Fingers crossed.
Tazzy -- So, how is the project going with going through your closet? I am not sure if you had joined here yet when I was sharing about my same venture but I really feel that since Beck stresses the "mental, emotional and behavioral" aspects of both weight lose and maintenance, it would be in my best interest to get all reminders of my former "uber-fat" self out of the closet, out of my home and out of my life. Whoosh!
I have hung onto a handful of favorites though "justifying" that wearing a looser t-shirt when I sleep allows air circulation so I'm not having one of those "power surges" like I used to. Yesterday, I put on one of my favorite walking shorts to go to the library. I wore it with a top that tied at the waist, something I would never had dared before because of how my lower abs looked. However, when I caught the reflection of myself in the glass door, I realized that "Wow! These shorts are just way too big for me to be wearing them any more." I looked like I was a child wearing their parents' clothes. The first thought that raced through my mind is "Do people think I didn't look in the mirror before I left home?" Well, actually I did but obviously what I saw then was different than what I saw at that moment. I swear adapting my "inner body image" to "actual body image" comes at the most "unexpected times". At least, now, it is going in the right direction!
Beverlyjoy -- I hear your struggles, bev!! I am with you on this. Although I am very pleased to be able to "tolerate" the added work load of one more session on the treadmill, I fell into that "slippery slope" of thinking that now that you are busting your chops you can eat more!
Another fallacy that will keep me right where I am at. I am afraid of eating less and working out more. There I said it. I have this irrational fear that I will wilt like a daisy in the hot sun if I don't shore myself up for these work-outs. I C/Ped today's "Experiments" and I am going to tape a card to my hand and read it! F.E.A.R.= false evidence appearing real.
missyj -- I am ambivalent about competitions regarding weight lose since I think it can bring up a lot of unhealthy emotions, at least it does in me, about "best, better, worse and no show". However, it can be fun too as long as you don't get where it brings the out in you. I am starting a "Spontaneous Movement" at my BLC group. I have also shared with them many of these Beck tips throughout the current challenge since I just feel like without them you are like a small boat in a large ocean with big waves. You are just going to get tossed around a lot without the compass of Beck. The success of Bill et al is the proof Beck works.
Lexxiss -- Great Job on choosing well even when faced with an unplanned choice. That is Beck at work in the most sublime moments.
4EverLearning -- Wonderful insights on the ambivalence people feel about meeting certain weight lose goals. Again, this is worth sharing in my other group. [P.S. when I share, I do not share personal details just the general content of your inspiring moments, thoughts, etc.] Good news is worth sharing.
Dr. Beck has a good dialogue in the hot pink book about a woman who was putting her life on hold until she weighed less. Any change, even good change, is scary but life is not static so we just need to learn to "go with the flow" and sometimes even "wing it".
It has been so long that I have been a "normal weight" that I am not even sure when that will happen. Something tells me it might even sneak up on me. I do have memories of when I was and I try to keep those fresh in my "inner memory box" so I know what I am "capable of". In the meantime, I am careful to think, do and behave in ways that support my emerging thinner self. I just feel that part of this journey is so vital. I am very careful about self-talk. Although I have eaten more than I would have preferred in the past couple of days I don't want to react hysterically (well, that is what it feels like sometimes) and then boomerang the opposite direction. I remind myself, "Calm down, you can correct this!" Then, I do and I am back "on track" to where I want and need to be.
gardenerjoy -- Major Credit for an on plan day in the midst of not feeling 100%!
BBE -- I think we all have a love/hate relationship with how our computers perform. Great Job in staying OP in spite of life's curve balls. So, speaking of balls, are you rooting for one or the other team now that the World Series is coming upon us??
Stats for 9/28:
**2694 calories 7 grams fiber 3868 mg sodium
**5700 steps and 4-10 minute sessions on the treadmill (between 1.7 and 2.0 mph)
**F/V-spinach, broccoli, grapes, lite cranberry juice
Speaking of FREE I had a FREE appetizer with our "2-for house sirloin entrees" at Applebee's and when I got home and looked up the calories, fat, carbs and sodium, I almost fell off my chair! 1500 calories with 2300 mg sodium for the spinach artichoke dip and tortilla chips. Paul doesn't like cheese so I had it all to myself. All I can say is that it is amazing that I only gained .4 lbs but even so, I am at myself for being such a fool.
Credit: for logging it and reporting it. Credit for getting back on the treadmill and walking some of it off. Credit for "hand to the plow" and definitely hopeful that it won't happen again any time soon. (it was sooooo good though!)
Wednesday
I handed them to her, and she asked if she could read some of them out, so I said yes, and she read aloud some of the less embarrassing ones. 
This was a first but yesterday I managed 6400 steps and 4-10 minute sessions on the treadmill with an average pace of 1.8 mph.
In a few minutes, I am going to do my 4th 10 minutes after I post here. 
fellow Beckies! 
I am in my element when it comes to pushing myself physically. 10 minutes is tolerable for my knees. I am so hoping though that when I lose another 25/30 lbs maybe I can take "it on the road" and get out and enjoy the beautiful fall we have here. Fingers crossed. 
out in you. I am starting a "Spontaneous Movement" at my BLC group. I have also shared with them many of these Beck tips throughout the current challenge since I just feel like without them you are like a small boat in a large ocean with big waves. You are just going to get tossed around a lot without the compass of Beck. The success of Bill et al is the proof Beck works.
Great Job in staying OP in spite of life's curve balls. So, speaking of balls, are you rooting for one or the other team now that the World Series is coming upon us??
I had a FREE appetizer with our "2-for house sirloin entrees" at Applebee's and when I got home and looked up the calories, fat, carbs and sodium, I almost fell off my chair! 
1500 calories with 2300 mg sodium for the spinach artichoke dip and tortilla chips. Paul doesn't like cheese so I had it all to myself. All I can say is that it is amazing that I only gained .4 lbs but even so, I am 
Credit for getting back on the treadmill and walking some of it off. Credit for "hand to the plow" and definitely hopeful that it won't happen again any time soon. (it was sooooo good though!)
