[Nature Girl]

Home from MT after a grueling 7 hour trip--now trying to unpack and repack for a 3 day trip west this time. We have a traditional event Saturday, which I would possibly skip this year, if it weren't for the other obligation/complication in my life I haven't mentioned yet: I have a job interview over there. I lost/gave up my job this spring; finished the school year mid-June and have been filling out applications for teaching jobs ever since. Finally one wants to interview me, and ironically it's 10 miles from our friend's house! This is my first interview in YEARS so of course a certain amount of stress. Well, I'll just rehearse all the way over while my husband drives, and by 12:30 I'll be done and ready to relax in our camp trailer for the rest of the weekend. That's when I'm going to sit down with Beck and my cards, etc--look at my current plan and see what to do next.
BTW food today? Who can remember--all that driving! Actually I stuck to my rules (using the exception to "No eating in the car" which is "except on trips of over two hours" to nibble crackers, grapes, string cheese, cherry tomatoes again. Dinner tonight: hummus, multi grain crackers *credit*. Didn't sucker into those awful storebought cookies at any of the rest areas I stopped at *credit*.
No WiFi (or electricity, either probably) until Sunday so I'll check back in then.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Feeling annoyed that my dried figs pounds won't evaporate rapidly, I ate uber on plan (CREDIT moi) with one skipped snack and left half the pasta primavera at dinner (extra CREDIT moi for leaving stuff). This morning I expected a swoosh on the scale like a kid expecting a gold star for actually doing his homework. Alas, the scale weighs my body, not my expectations, so stayed the same. My brain has not yet evolved, LOL.

Took a good walk, CREDIT moi, in the early morning to beat the heat. The heat has the benefit that I arrive home as wet as though I've really worked myself. The drawback is that the used book store on my route wasn't open so I couldn't dawdle.


onebyone – When you learn how to do patience let me know, LOL. Especially when a milestone is close enough that "I can taste it." Kudos for "this is my foodplan of choice and it's working."

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for 8 cups of greens from your own garden - just love these bountiful months. [Thanks for your backstory on reading Bridges - it's so easy to see that a four day affair wouldn't feel good then. Congrats on your 20 years together.]

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Yay for countering too busy at work with sane alternative eating rather than justified snacking. [Laughing at your Clint Eastwood memory. When I insisted to DW that she had seen the movie with me, she finally remembered Clint Eastwood ... and then the rest of the movie, LOL.]

Nature Girl – Seven hours is indeed a grueling drive. Kudos for mindful nibbling during it all. Sending supportive thoughts for your interview.

maryann - Kudos for recognizing that pumice stone to toilets is a cure. As is teaching DS to make French toast. [LOL at "if it was a love of a lifetime it could wait another three days to tell the husband." I'm stuck with the need to scold Francesca for emotionally abandoning her DH - a nice guy had to live out his life without knowing why his wife was distant.]

Ann (Newlifestyle) - Kudos for not eating over stressful busy at work. LOL that some of the U.S. craziness on 4th of July spills over the border. What do you mean by running in the pool?

Readers -

chapter 6 Stage 3 The Challenging Situations Plan
Confidently Follow Your Plan While Traveling

During the trip: You may have to use every Challenging Situation Skill from pages 131-164 to resist eating unplanned food. Read your Response Cards regularly. Get back on track immediately if you make a mistake, or you will likely find that your mood is adversely affected for the rest of the trip. It's worth it to stick with the plan, and it will get so much easier the more you practice.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 161.

[Newlifestyle]

Good Morning all.
I have discovered a bird's nest in our maple tree. It has been so hot here so I put on the sprinkler to try and get the ground moist so worms will be readily available for the bird to feed her babies. I also put out a dish so the bird can get water. It is a makeshift bird bath. lol. The birds are chirping out there, that is why I am awake so early. They are so cute.

Bill-Wow,walking in that heat is brutal. Any thoughts of when the heat wave will be done. I feel bad for the people who have no power. I heard on the news today they are keeping the pools open late in some cities in Canada. My son and I went swimming at 10 last night. He is usually in bed by 8:30 so he thought this was fun. We have an 18 foot round pool so you really can't do laps in it so I run in the water and make a great whirlpool for my son. That way he can enjoy the pool and I can exercise while I am in there. I might go to some acqua classes so I can learn other exercises to do in the pool.

onebyone – congrats on your weight loss. You are doing great. Your painting is awesome.

Joy – You make me want to start gardening. Baby steps. Yeah for neighbors not shooting off fireworks in the direction of your house. I don't know what the fascination is with fireworks.

Debbie – Your life sounds so busy. You must be very organized to make it all come together. I don't know how you do it. Vegetarian Ribs sound delicious. I am going to try and find some.

Nature Girl – Good luck with your job interview.

maryann - do you have any good tips for making french toast? Any time I have made it, it becomes soggy/mushy. I am not sure what I am doing wrong.

Tazzy, I was thinking of Calgary last night as sneak a peak at the Stampede was on. I loved going to the stampede when I lived there. I miss Calgary. We do go back quite often to visit family.

Hello to everyone else and have a wonderful day.


Take Care
Ann

[onebyone]

Coaches, Good Morning.

Woke up with a hungry tummy. *credit*
Weighed in and saw 252.2 (-0.4lbs). *credit*

Guess it's going to be hot again here today. I am grateful for our air conditioned apartment. This is my first place with A/C. I know what it is like to try to make things and get ready for the market when the house is super hot. Not fun.

DH and I have Dr.'s appts this morning. DH is about having to go. He's going to be on my case about it until we get there. He hasn't had a check up for about 4 years and he hasn't had a bloodtest in even longer. The last time I got him to go (he'll only go if I schedule our appt's back to back) we both got bloodtest requisitions and for whatever reason, I think mine was more urgent, I had to go without him and inspite of my insistence, he wormed his way out of it.

Not this time.
But he's going to put me through it until it gets done.
OK I'm off to get some coffee and get ready to go.


update: DH came out of the Dr. barely able to contain himself about his superhuman bloodpressure reading: 110/70. Sheesh. Mine is 130/80 with medication that I hope to chuck as the scale descends. I told him it was worth all the pain he puts me through to find that out. Next will be the blood tests. let's see where our cholesterol lies and we can talk again after that. My new Dr. is in some ways more thorough than my old Dr. and in some ways not as thorough. Odd. There was much more covering up and averting of eyes during the physical exam. Kind of weird to me but whatever. I got zero lec tures about everything as in the short tiem I have been seeing him my weight continues to fall.
Doctors love that.

Superhot here today. Love it. Love it. Love it.

[Beverlyjoy]

Hi... checking in. Been struggling off and on this week. I've been only doing so so planning. I need to stop using thinking that just because I have an event or unusual circumstance to face.. that it's an excuse to wait 'one more day.' I have a hard head. I'll keep trying.

I am starting to 'fret' about a birthday party for a our little neighbor on Sunday. I need to get a plan in mind. I know there will be sloppy joes and bbq meatballs, cake, & ice cream. Probably more... hopefully, some veggies, too.

I have written down my plan today. I am marking it off as the day goes by. So far, no seconds.

I will carry on. Thanks for listening.

[gardenerjoy]

Still doing well on my new mix-and-match plan, but I've got a challenge today -- lunch out at a restaurant to be determined, but likely not one of the normal ones that I already have a plan written up for. So here's my plan: 1 carb, 1 small protein, lots of veggies. Unless I can get a good-sized main dish salad, in which case, I'll skip the carb.

WI: +0.25 kgs, Exercise: +60 255/1400 minutes for July, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

onebyone: your sister needs to read some of kaplod's posts about not giving up when you're succeeding. Here's a good one: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/weig...ml#post4391905.
The painting made me laugh! What a great expression -- and who thought a bird could have an expression!

Newlifestyle: my favorite first step toward gardening is to have a basil plant. In a pot, if necessary. It's so useful in the kitchen -- great for summer cooking with tomatoes. And the plant is probably as cheap as a bunch of fresh basil at the grocery store. You may still be able to find a plant a local nursery, maybe even on sale.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner on the patio included a salad with four types of lettuce from our garden. The main course was a summer white bean dish to make it a vegetarian day. I get plenty of protein, including a protein shake when I do gym, so a non-meat day feels like a healthy hit to the body. Mango was evening snack.

A good exercise day starting with gym, CREDIT moi, and including three hours of serious yard work at my DS's house. It felt good to get so drenched in sweat. I didn't remember to drink water until later in the evening - really dumb. I don't seem to feel thirsty until I feel the dehydration. Gotta work on replenishing water as I'm losing it.


onebyone – Congrats to your DH for his "superhuman bloodpressure reading" - naturally he will assume this is due to his healthy lifestyle instead of genetics, LOL. Yay for a doctor who observes your weight loss and refrains from the lecture.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Neat to develop a plan for Restaurant TBD. Yay for fresh summer Basil.

Beverlyjoy – Good luck planning for a birthday party that will have all the comfort foods at once. It's been years since I've had sloppy joes - used to love them.

Ann (Newlifestyle) - Yay for being wakened by birds. When our kids were young, we had a 12 foot diameter pool that saved many a brutally hot day. DW and I would even sneak out at midnight to cool down - it felt deliciously naughty to be using the kids pool without the kids, LOL. I LOVED making the whole thing a whirlpool to tumble the kids.

Readers -

chapter 6 Stage 3 The Challenging Situations Plan
Confidently Follow Your Plan While Traveling

After the trip: On the way home, plan your meals for the rest of the day and the next day. If you get on the scale and find you have gained weight, don't get discouraged! Reread pages 102=105 to get yourself back on track.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 161.

[Lexxiss]

Hi Coaches!

I've been tracking food and weight daily...getting lots of spontaneous exercise as I do all the household chores now. Work today,and I'll take my lunch. Busy, too, moving forward with new decluttering which feels good.

I have a to do list before work, including DH's written plan. It helps us both get through the day better.

[Tazzy]

Good Morning Everyone

Busy, busy here at my house. Got through my first Stampede event, lots of stairs in an old theatre that is 3 stories high. My calf muscles still hurt but I have another event there on Monday to limber them up again! Event went well, only one small foray into the mini donuts, which is crazy as I don't really even like them much anymore. Weight is up this morning but I think it's a combination of Thursday nights food, not enough water and really sore muscles. Tomorrow is my official day to record my weight. I do feel better about only writing it down once a week and just weighing for knowledge on the other days.

Going to head out to see some horses jump today at a national show here at Spruce Meadows. I can smell the horses from my house on days when the wind is blowing the right way. It's nice to live in a city of over 1 million but still have the rural life a few blocks away. Need to get ready for the day. Hope everyone has a good weekend!

[Beverlyjoy]

Hi Becksters/coaches/friends... Yesterday was an on plan day. I am very grateful. I did plan and write it all down, left a bite, drank lots of water, did my exercises and avoided DH's candy.

I am giving myself credit for really wanting some of DH's candy last night - right at bedtime - BUT I used my resistence techniques for not eating it. I know it's down stairs in his office - in his desk. I would have had 'sneek' down to the basement and search for it. I just wasn't going there. I am very very grateful. You see.... I wasn't willing to leave that candy alone two days ago. But, I was last night. YAY

I found this yesterday & it was helpful:
Sean Anderson (a three hundred pound loser& maintainer ) said:

'You're taking a stand against the patterns of the past. You're deciding in grand fashion to choose change. Your iron-clad decision is powerful, unbreakable and a true relief. This time isn't the others. When this decision is made and your transformation becomes top priority, suddenly you feel lighter. For me, it was the first time I took charge of myself. I was choosing change before change chose me and come what may, I was going to succeed. It was decided. It was chosen. It was a stand like no other because every excuse, rationalization or circumstance I allowed to shape me before, suddenly ran into a steel curtain zone where they were immediately rendered powerless.'

Have a great weekend.

[maryann]

Good Morning, Coaches.
Today is the beginning of my new eating program. I have stalled out long enough and I want to take a stand now instead of 15 pounds from now. I have chosen "Eat to Live" plan by Dr. Furhmann. I am giving it two weeks to see how I feel on it. It is a lot less protein than I have been eating and a ton more veggies. These next two weeks are the perfect time for me to start. It is regimented days (camps for DS) with only one night away from home (family reunion)
It will not be easy. I will go through much withdrawal, I realize. I will have lots of time to get to know the program, shop and cook. So here goes. I am going to the store to get a ton of stuff I don't usual buy - almond milk, nuts, flaxseed and copious amounts of greens for juicing. I will also get easy stuff for DS lunches so that I don't get overwhelmed. Wish me luck on my first day.

Newlifestyle: No special tips on french toast. Just milk and eggs. Make sure the bread is at least day old. Cook at med. heat for awhile.
Beverlyjoy: Great quote. Today is the day the steel curtain of determination is set in place for me.
Tazzy:Best thoughts for weigh in. Remember, it is just information.

[gardenerjoy]

I ended up with a main dish salad at a restaurant lunch yesterday. My bread fast helped me skip the buttered toast that came with the salad.

Today's challenge is our late 4th of July family gathering. The predicted high: 110 degrees. So there won't be much in the way of walking like sometimes.

One of my SILs is doing Whole30 so I'm making two cabbage salads. My normal creamy cole slaw is low-fat because I use yogurt instead of most of the mayo. But that has both dairy and sugar that isn't on her plan. So I made up another dressing that is high fat but no dairy or sugar -- cashews, olive oil, lemon juice, and a plum (to try to get it a little sweet), blended to liquid. We'll see if she likes it. It turned out pinkish purple even though I peeled the plum.

WI: -0.55 kgs, Exercise: +0 255/1400 minutes for July, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

Good luck, maryann! Trying a new plan every once in awhile really helps me. I get to learn some new things, try out some new foods and habits, and generally get off to a fresh start.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - A good eating day - exactly three meals and three snacks, CREDIT moi. Since dinner on the patio was omelets, it was a second vegetarian day in a row. Our Blue Jay did his bath thing right next to me then perched on the chair where my feet were resting - less than a foot away. Beginning to feel like a pet bird, LOL.

Exercise (CREDIT moi) was two hours of physical carpentry of the drenched-in-sweat type. The big deal was that a two pound bag of trail mix was set out for the guest workers. I chose to ignore that the whole time. My clue that I shouldn't indulge was that I didn't want a small amount to boost my energy; I wanted a HUGE handful . . . followed by more HUGE handfuls. An open large bag of trail mix is just evil to me - especially since it was gently being pushed by the grateful hosts.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – A salad dressing that includes cashews blended to liquid sounds good. Kudos for not being thwarted by that buttered toast.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Yay for the benefits of family planning.

Beverlyjoy – Kudos for "avoided DH's candy" - know that can be difficult. Love the quote, "every excuse ... immediately rendered powerless."

maryann - Bon Voyage on your new "Eat to Live" plan. Yep, 'tis the season for a ton of veggies.

Tazzy - Kudos for exercising on the staircase of an old theatre - while on duty even. Love the thought of being able to smell the countryside from your city life.

Readers -

chapter 6 Stage 3 The Challenging Situations Plan
Confidently Follow Your Plan While Traveling

Memory Box Cards

The first time you follow your plan while traveling and find that experience meaningful, file it in your Memory Box. Made subsequent cards for any future trips with meaningful experiences. This is what Renee wrote on a Memory card:

Memory Card

I usually overeat when I travel, but this time I packed
lunch and a snack ahead of time. It felt really good to
eat in a healthy way, and I felt much better than I usu-
ally do when I got to the hotel. I managed to skip all of
the snack from the mini-bar - I've never been able
to do that before. Although I think the portion I took
one night were too big, I basically stayed in control
the whole time.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 161.

[Lexxiss]

Hi Coaches!

Yesterday was a healthy Beck centered day. I did encounter a sabotaging thought last night, thinking, "I'm doing great maintaining my weight through this ordeal WITHOUT exercising". Reality IS that working 4 days a week where I walk constantly and never sit down once during an 8 hour shift IS exercise. I'm also mowing the lawn, hauling all the groceries and performing most of the household chores up and down two flights of stairs. In my thought, I was not giving myself credit for lots of physical activity. I give myself credit for a healthy body/mentality which allows me to accomplish all I do.

Interesting....this morning I was staring at all the cookbooks on our bookshelf, thinking it would be nice to purge in order to make room for new books more pertainent to our evolving food interests. Today is a day off. DH wanted to do something and in my search for a "field trip" I found the Vegetarian Society of Colo. is holding their annual Veg-Fest. DH is really excited as he is really committed to change. I'm excited, too, as it brings us closer together in our eating habits. There are lots of speakers, demos and food booths. I've weighed this morning and am just a hair off ticker weight. I'm feeling very mindful and have given myself permission to enjoy a day of tasting new things, while researching foods to incorporate into our evolving health plan. We have picked two speakers who will be discussing subjects of interest to both of us and I will invest in at least one new book.

BBE, yay for two vegetarian days in a row, especially as you avoided the "vegetarian" trail mix.

Beverlyjoy, thanks for sharing part of the post from Sean. I read it to DH, who is able to relate from his side of the track, as a normal weight person who is trying to reform his junk food habits. Great job resisting DH's candy!

gardenerjoy, kudos for planning ahead for a successful meal at a new restaurant, especially with bread avoidance.

MaryAnn, great that you are starting with a new food plan, especially a healthy one. I love your shopping list!

Tazzy, yay for lots of spontaneous exercise at the Calgary Stampede. I've always heard lots about it.

[gardenerjoy]

At our family gathering, we managed to feed a diabetic vegetarian, a paleo dieter, a bread faster, and a person with an allergy to red meat. Not everyone could eat everything served, of course, but no one went hungry. Credit for not going back for seconds even though others did.

WI: +0.05 kgs, Exercise: +0 255/1400 minutes for July, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

BillBlueEyes: LOL at "Yay for the benefits of family planning." Good job recognizing the dangers of trail mix, especially when pushed by grateful people. So many levels of complexity, there.

Lexxiss: I hope you and DH have a fun day -- that sounds like a great event!