Diet Coaches/Buddies - Had one of those tests where you "take nothing after midnight" - Yuck, since "nothing" included breakfast, not to mention coffee! Due to delays, I didn't get home until 11am thinking, I am so going to catch up for this awful deprivation. Then noticed that I wasn't actually hungry and remembered my Hunger is Not an Emergency exercise. So, I went about my business until lunch of its normal size. CREDIT moi for stopping to remember that non-stop food isn't required and that it's not necessary to make up for missed food.
onebyone – Kudos for giving yourself a non-food reward. [We locals do not recognize Manhatten Clam Chowder as real Chowda, LOL.]
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Kudos for threading a path through a convoluted food day.
Erika (eusebius) – Sending supportive thoughts to you and your beloved 17 year old kitty. Will be thinking about you and your concert today.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Thanks for the discussion of a weekly plan for exercise and meals. I, too, really love the introduction chapters of both Beck books.
Beverlyjoy – Yay for journaling to clear the mind.
Pam (pamaga) – Yep, Kudos for "Getting back on track" - the BIG one. [I abandoned the notion of doing a marathon after I read that the condition of the heart after a marathon is the same as the early stages of a heart attack. How's that for an excuse, LOL.]
maryann - Oh Yes, precious and so easy to forget that. Sending supportive thoughts as you process the death of the custodian and help the kids deal with it.
Donamari (fyreflie24) – Kudos for having specific goals to keep yourself "in gear" on your journey - a beach trip and high school reunion are great places to be confident in your body.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 4Stage 1The Success Skills Plan Success Skill 8Follow Your Plan, No Matter What resistance technique 5 Read all of your Response Cards - including these additional cards. . . .
Successful dieters and maintainers stay successful
because they don't eat whatever they want, when-
ever they want it. They stick to their plans.
. . .
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 99.
Hi coaches/friends ..yesterday was another healthuful day. I am always grateful for that.
I stayed pretty close to my original plan. Just a couple changes when my tummy was upset. I had many credits: I wrote it all down in my journal, measured my food, had lots of water, no seconds, ate seated mostly (gotta work on this), slower eating, tasting the food more, was able to resist unplanned food several times & always left a bite. I weighed myself, too - it was the same. No exercise... but, I've already got my stretches and strengthening exercises in for today.
Today is some writing, banking, and organizing a few things. Getting a few things together for.... taxes..... ugh.
Billbe - credit for the remembering that hunger isn't an emergency - and the hunger experiment. Seems like lots of folks are remembering the hunger experiment lately. Thanks, Dr. Beck!
Gardener/joy - credit for all your preplanning that results in a healthy food day.
Erika - I am sorry to hear that your kitty is not well.
Lexxiss/Debbie- you and Pam have inspired me to ‘get back to basics’ too. You posted: It is so worth the effort to master every skill. It is worth the improved self-esteem, the better health, and the enriched life you will enjoy. It's worth the renewed confidence and control. It's worth the rest of your life!" (p.9). Such a wonderful reminder. Thanks so much.
Pam - kudo’s for your diligence of measuring everything you eat and having no seconds. That has been an important concept for me to accept too. I am glad your group work is such a reinforcing factor of the Beck principles too. It’s a double good thing!
Onebyone - so happy for you - seeing the weight loss at your WW meeting. Yes, it can be a real boost. I like the nonfood rewards the best, too.
Fyreflie - you said: Eating isn't my issue right now, committing to weight training is! I am so glad you are in such a good place with food. Of course, it take diligence - but, it’s a very good thing to be able to say. Onward with your weight training!!
Maryann- sorry to hear your son is sick… and that there was a death of staff at school. That’s hard on the children and families. Good for you… thinking of ways to get off those last stubborn pounds.
map lover - credit for not eating those pistachios! It’s a big credit too, when a jar of nuts lasts the whole week when it hasn’t been that way before!!
Have a great day and a good weekend too.
Last edited by Beverlyjoy; 01-20-2012 at 08:51 AM.
Thanks for everyone's kind and supportive words regarding my cat. I keep seeing him in shadows, but I know he is much better off now.
I had a couple of realizations today. 1) I have a period after work before my husband gets home where I'm too fatigued to continue working, even though I need to get more done. So, I take a break (usually TV or sometimes housework or errands), expecting to work more when he gets home. But then he gets home and I would rather spend time with him than work. I need to fill in this energy gap because I end up wasting lots of time watching the Stupid Box. 2) I have a habit of using high energy foods to break food monotony and take care of similar energy gaps as above when I am too work out for dinner. I end up thinking these high energy (fat, calorie) foods are things I am craving, when it may be more of a quick fix for the situation I am in. It seems like more discipline is required on my part to fix these situations, but them my resistance muscle gets fatigued. The answer is certainly a balance that I am not achieving right now.
No change with my weight today and I ate over my calorie goal. This could have been avoided (and I would not have become overfull in the process) if I had tracked my food as I went along and not at the end. Oh well.
BeverlyJoy, that is too bad that your gallbladder won't mend itself. I hope you are able to find some answer soon. Are your new cards very different from your old cards?
BillBlueEyes, those were neat tricks to distract yourself from gym-brain-wandering. 120 lunges is impressive & Ouch! Yay for hunger is not an emergency!
Eusebius, sending warm thoughts to your kitty! We tried lots of different foods and in the end had some luck with meat flavored baby food (without garlic). Have a wonderful concert tomorrow!
Fyreflie24, congratulations on your new level of cycling! Clipless pedals are impressive, as is your attitude!
GardenerJoy, those sound like great strategies for your Tuesdays and it is terrific that you had a nice, routine day. Glad that things worked out ok with food yesterday too.
Lexxiss, last month I reread much of BDS. I found it really helpful as well. You have such a terrific attitude!
Maryann, I am sorry for the loss of your friend. I do hope you son is feeling better. How did you like the Weight Watchers meeting?
OnebyOne, congratulations on meeting your goal. It is terrific that Weight Watchers is working so well for you.
PamatGA, it is really brave of you to sit with those uncomfortable feelings and not eat over them. Terrific job!
Last edited by FutureFitChick; 01-20-2012 at 08:55 AM.
This will be a short post and I promise to get back here for personals over the weekend. Returned from my Arizona visit late Monday night to a deep freeze of cold that is still lingering today. Had a 47 degree temperature change in 3 hours from the Phoenix airport to the Calgary airport. Now I claim to be a hardy Canadian but even that change takes your breath away. I'm just happy that this is the first real blast of winter we have had and we can be thankful that it should all be gone by April! Today is -25C, tomorrow is supposed to be +2C. Again the pleasure of weather changes here.
I have a couple of NSV that I wanted to share with everyone from my trip. First one was how much extra room I had in the airplane seat from the last time I flew which was Jan of 2010. I was very comfortable and didn't feel like I was taking space from the seat beside me, which is okay when travelling with DH but not so good with a stranger.
Second NSV was buying a new pair of dress pants for work in a size 12. I cannot ever remember buying a size 12 in clothing and that number was the goal size I had in mind when I got to the end of my journey. One of the items on my ARC was to "not" have to shop in plus size stores and I have now accomplished that one and it feels really good.
Well best get back to work here, I have my Christmas party tonight at an Italian restaurant (need to check the online menu before I go) and tomorrow night I have a winter gala event for a client. Back to Zumba on Sunday and hopefully some more routine before heading off for the cruise on Feb 11.
Good Morning, Coaches.
Rain here finally which we really needed. Can't grow walnuts without rain! I went to Weight Watcher's meeting last nite and had several surprises. The first is I am considered a life time member and that entitles me to free everything since I am within (their thinking) goal range. So I get the e tools to track my food online, recipes, activity tracker... etc... plus free meetings. This will be a nice little change of pace from my paper and pencils meal plans i have been doing from Beck. Also I discovered that the food plan has been changed dramatically to align with HOW I HAVE LEARNED TO EAT - i.e. fewer grains, lots of fruits and veggies and low fat protein. It is neat to think I can start weight watchers as complementary to the path I have been on. The difference will be tighter accountability with the etools. Hopefully, I can finally take off the last 8 pounds.
Tazzy: Congrats on the size 12. Terrific. Enjoy the feeling of the "impossible" being possible because of effort.
FFChick:Awareness really is the key isn't it. I am fiddling with the same situation of pretending I will get MFA work done when my boys are home. Nope. I just have to keep telling myself the truth and then adjust my behavior. Small steps.
BBE: Credit for putting a "STOP" on the instinct. I wonder what we would be like if our ancestors hadn't evolve from the hunter gatherers.
Beverleyjoy: Congrats on the healthy steps. You and I are sisters in needing to learn to SIT DOWN.
I read from the Green book while I was on the recumbent bike early this morning. I wanted to make sure I got my 30 minutes logged BEFORE heading to Denver. It was the perfect combo. I resisted all goodies at Costco and Whole Foods but did taste some Alaska salmon which was outrageous. I smiled remembering I'll be up there in 4 months. 100% OP today. In my reading this am, Dr. Beck talked about remembering what it used to be like and what it's like now (in the section on re-motivating). I was in an upper level parking lot waiting for the elevator when I remembered I could take the stairs. I ran down three flights AND carried all my groceries back up, just because I could. I couldn't do either before I started losing. I am grateful today and feel re-motivated. Credit moi.
Erika(eusebius), sorry to hear of your cat, too. Gosh, 17 years old...that's a long time.
BillBlueEyes, great job remembering that you COULD wait until lunch to eat!
MaryAnn, great to hear WW has changed a bit, which will fit with your way of eating plus the added benefit of lifetime membership.
Tazzy, welcome home! Great NSV's! Brrrr!
FutureFitChick, I get very fatigued late in the day which turns into my hardest moments with food. I have been testing the value of short naps, which seem to help me recharge.
Beverlyjoy, great that you got your exercises in early, since you missed them the previous day.
gardenerjoy, thanks for the reminder that when lunch is late that a non-supper is ok. I'm trying that tonight.
Coaches/Buddies,
I managed to not even consider making or planning for my lunch today and didn’t even realize it until I was out the door. Oh well. We were going to go skiing, but both need to cancel due to work. Plus, the roads are looking bad. I’ll try to get a workout video in or a walk instead.
Yesterday/Today’s Essentials:
Weigh-in: -.5 lbs.
Read Advantage Cards two times: no
Read Response Cards at least two times: no
Ate slowly, sitting down, noticing every bite: yes
Gave myself credit when I engaged in helpful eating behaviors: yes
Did spontaneous exercise: walking on campus
Did planned exercise: no
Wrote out food plan for tomorrow: no
Tracked today’s food: yes
Left food on my plate: no!
Ate only to normal fullness: no - overate at dinner
Identified and responded to a self-deluding thought: no
Lexxiss, it is wonderful that you are now able to carry groceries up three flights! Great job!!
Maryann, that is terrific news regarding Weight Watchers. Those new changes will surely help you get to where you want to be!
Tazzy, your NSVs are fantastic. That is really exciting news! Congratulations.
Not a great eating day. I seem to be see-sawing lately -- one good day, one not so good day. I'm having a hard time putting a string of good days in a row. I think I may need a different motivator than watching the scale go down right now. I'm with Winnie the Pooh: Think, think, think. Maybe we should go ask Christopher Robin!
WI: -0.45kgs, Exercise:+45 830/1300 minutes for January, Food: 75%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
BillBlueEyes: kudos on the excellent post-medical-procedure behavior. I had a long habit in my overeating days of always treating myself after doctor's appointment and other medical stuff. To the point, it's pretty much my first thought walking out of a doctor's office: "Okay, what shall I eat?" Your experience is a good reminder that the response can be as simple as "nothing."
FutureFitChick: sounds like you're doing some good thinking, too!
Tazzy: yay for size 12. I love size 12.
Lexxiss: Carrying groceries is so wonderful, now. I forget to remember sometimes what a huge chore that seemed and now it's no big deal. I can imagine taking the stairs, too.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Woke up to two inches of snow, just like winter is 'sposed to have. Was able to walk (CREDIT moi) to a morning appointment to resolve the final invoice from my work this summer. Thinking it was going to be a painful experience I arrived with a folder of contracts, invoices, bills, and receipts but, withing five minutes, resolved both concerns, wrote a check, then swapped stories for another thirty minutes. There are many good ways to burn down a house by negligent wiring and electricians have seen them all. Did gym with its d*rn lunges, CREDIT moi.
Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, including Bok Choi with dinner. It's such a great veggie - so much fun to eat yet seems to have the calories of, say, celery, LOL.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – That's it, "go ask Christopher Robin" is my new Response Card. I love the comfort that Christopher Robin always knows what to do. [Interesting that doctor's visits are now a Pavlov trigger for eating for you.]
Debbie (Lexxiss) – In my judgment, any opportunity to taste Alaska salmon fits my rare and unusual criteria. Kudos for those spontaneous stairs.
Beverlyjoy – Ouch for being reminded that I have to get tax stuff together also.
FutureFitChick – Kudos for evaluating your situation at the end of the day when your brain is work-tired so you can find a solution. Sometimes I've found that I can do work after dinner when my brain clicks back on and I've enjoyed some time with my DW.
maryann - Yay for finding WW to be a good place for you. Double Yay to find yourself a lifetime member - free is so sweet.
Tazzy - Congrats for enjoying the comfort of your new size. -25 C is really cold.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 4Stage 1The Success Skills Plan Success Skill 8Follow Your Plan, No Matter What resistance technique 5 Read all of your Response Cards - including these additional cards. . . .
Every time I resist eating something I'm not
supposed to have, I strengthen my resistance
muscle - which will make it easier and easier and
easier to resist in the future.
. . .
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 99.
Last edited by BillBlueEyes; 01-22-2012 at 05:34 AM.
Reason: Typo
So happy that yesterday was a healthy day! Am always grateful for that.
I fulfilled many of my goals:
planned/measured/logged food
did my stretches and strengthening
ate my food seated (mostly)
no seconds
slowed down!
TASTED the food
resisted many temptations - used my resistance techniques
left a bite of food on my plate
bought more healthy food at the grocery
Weighed - stayed the same
I am trying to feel fullness - I think it’s broken… but, I’ll keep trying.
We are having an ice storm. I think it's a good day to stay in.
Billbe - glad you got the summer stuff all paid for… best part, in my thought, is the swappin’ of stories! Hooray for lunges and bok choy.
Gardener/joy - sorry about your seesaw days of on plan and off plan eating. Hmm what would Christopher Robin say?? Are you one for incentives. Three days and some new hand lotion (or something). Would writing it all down and checking it off as the day goes on help.?
Futurefitchick - I hope you got your workout video in today. I think it’s sometimes hard to switch the day.. Like when it’s cancelled because of weather. Credit for giving yourself credit during the day!!!
You asked: Are your new cards very different from your old cards? Yes, they are. My first response cards (from the first book)that I made were like an outline of each chapter. I had lots of things and ideas written on them. It was helpful. In fact, I write down many of those things in my journal as goals. I wanted to ‘switch it up’ a bit. So, I cut out the response cards that came with the 2nd book (workbook). I am hoping to make it a bit more ‘fresh.
Lexxiss/Debbie - Credit for your twofer… Beck book and cycling!! - along with spontaneous exercise on the stairs with groceries. Safe travel to Denver, Debbie.
Maryann - glad you got the much needed rain. I am doing a happy dance in honor of your lifetime membership news at WW. It’s so nice that their new program is like how you are eating now. You are on your way…
Tazz/y - it’s wonderful about the seat belt on the plane.. It’s a terrific nsv. I am doing a size twelve pants happy dance for you.
Erika - I am so so sorry about your kitty. I understand - our fur kids are so important. Sending a hug.
Have a good weekend.
Last edited by Beverlyjoy; 01-21-2012 at 08:38 PM.
Good Morning, Coaches.
Up early for DS first basketball game. It was similar to the old Mcdonald's commercial with a bunch of 7 year olds supposedly playing football but chasing butterflies instead. Credit that I didn't feel the need to give the coach the benefit of my wisdom. (HMMMM) It will be what it will be. Some kids had never played before and hadn't been told about out of bounds or walking with the ball in their hands. But they made a few points, finished the game and learned a great deal. Plus DS can't wait till next weeks game. A success, then. Especially in my learning to keep my mouth shut.
OP day. Tracked. exercised. menu planned. Said "no choice" this morning to candy which is overwhelmingly attractive right now. I promised myself I will get some work done today.
gardenerjoy: I hear you about the Pavlov's dog response at the Dr. Everytime I give blood, I am secretly thinking about all the sugar that will be pushed on me later. Lexxiss: credit for the samples resistance and the biking. BBE: How is your "new" place? Happy about all your decisions? Eusebius: I am sorry about your cat. This life is perilous with emotion often. FFCHICK: Good idea about the exercise video. I think that is what I am doing today.
Something seems to be working. Though it is slow, I have dropped to within 1.4 of my first mini goal (-5 lbs). Yesterday I was a pound up from the day before and today I'm 1.4 down from yesterday. So Beck is right. Your weight will fluctuate from day to day. I am recording and graphing it daily and while I'm zig zagging, the trend is definitely down.
I did not let the "gain" bother me so much yesterday. Contrast that with the one-day-a-week weigh in at WW where if you were up a pound they would say "and what did YOU DO WRONG this week?" Sure to cause a binge breakfast immediately after the meeting.
Traveling next week. Always a problem with eating. Suggestions welcome.
Packing tonite. Don't have time for personals, but I am thinking of you all and particularly FFC and Erika--grieving over lost kitties.
The Martha Stewart 16 cube shelving unit is finally up in my dining room-art studio room. The construction and design of that piece of furniture was horrific. I am planning on sending several negative reviews for that product tomorrow. What an ordeal. It made me look back in fondness at putting similar things together made by IKEA. Amazing.
The end result though is nice. I like it. I already placed a few key items onto it to look at. I have an image in my head of Picasso's studio in France that I saw in a documentary. He had stuff everywhere related, and unrelated, to his own work. Someday I'll have the luxury of space. For now I'll do what I can. I've attached a jpg I just found of Picasso's studio. I'd like to have a studio like that, just to give you and idea of what would make me very happy...
And this is all well and good but the frustration sent me into the food. I was standing over the stove last night, (hours after I gave up putting the thing together leaving it to lay on the floor), cooking DH's pasta and I was "testing" the little ravioli's too much. And I knew it. I tried to talk myself out of eating standing up, eating extra, but I didn't stop--though I did slow down, stop, and start again. I really tried to fight it.
When I finished cooking and assembling his meal and it was ready to be served, while I was waiting for him to come and get it I was taste testing it off the plate this time! I must have had 6 or 7 big spoonfuls-like half a serving of my own. Eventually he came and took it away. *credit* I tracked it right away and it put me over my daily points for the day and dipped me into my weekly points. That's what they are there for, so I am OP, but last week I didn't do that and I had wished for a week "as perfect" as last week. Well I was so focused on seeing that loss, to getting myself to within spitting distance of 269 that that was ALL I was really focused on. This week I feel myself drifting a bit. I am starting to really REALLY feel the aproach of my trip. I saw pictures of the newly renovated residence I'll be in, the first to live there along with the Brooklyn NY writer...beside the eagerly awaited painter from New Mexico. My printmaking ink arrived at my sister's and she showed me the package via skype yesterday---and also yesterday I ordered my printmaking paper-a dream order- and today some linoblocks are on their way there. It is all happening and I am really going to do this and geez it's tough to stay focused on simply losing weight and staying on plan. I want to eat eat eat. I had a large point-rich late (2:30/3:00)lunch and then was really hungry by 6, so I made and we shared a big salad. I sacrificed a few points to be satisfied for the night. I *credit* sat through the feeling I needed MORE. That lasted a good 60 min. The feeling is gone now though so *credit* for flexing my resistance muscle finally. I shudder to think what kind of shape I would be in without having Beck in my toolbox to draw on, and without having you coaches here to show me how it's done. I'd be so lost. WW would never ever work for me because I wouldn't know I even HAD a resistance muscle. Thanks for being my personal trainers!
Until tomorrow.
PS. FutureFitChick and Eusebius--So sorry about the loss of your cats. It's really hard I know. Just remember that you gave those animals a good loving home. It's the best we can do. They were lucky to have had you and vice versa.
I did hardly any real activity today other than shopping, but I sure am tired. I didn't read my cards. Eating was on plan and I tracked my food. I ate my yogurt while walking around to plan meals - counterproductive, I know.
BevelyJoy, I hope the new cards are working well for you. Congraulations on all of the wonderful, healthy stuff you did yesterday!
BillBlueEyes, awesome job eating on plan and hitting the gym!
Eusebius, how sorry I am for your loss of your kitty-friend. That is a tough decision. We were actually about to head out the door to put ours down, but he died in my arms. Sending you comforting thoughts!
How was the concert?
GardenerJoy, hope you get to have a great day tomorrow! I remember when you had a period like this during weight loss that you switched up your eating plan a few times. Would that help you?
Maryann, I hope you had a really productive day. Funny what kids' sports teach the whole family. Great job on exercise and "NO CHOICE" today!
Maplover, that is terrific news that you are so close to your mini-goal. I am so glad you pointed out why the Weight Watchers weigh-ins can be so discouraging. I've never realized that is exactly what I was feeling too (and why I always felt so resentful, almost, to the -90 pound leader that stood before us each week...)
OneByOne, great job for tracking the OOPs bites! Sounds like you have some exciting new things for you in your work.
Friday
sorry to hear of your cat, too. Gosh, 17 years old...that's a long time.
Saturday Evening
