Spanky here, reporting my first Atkins weigh in results from 7 day's induction: I lost a whopping 4 pounds and an entire inch off my chest. Mongo CREDIT!
The Birthday celebrations are over and no cake has passed my lips. POINT!
Losing the inch allowed me to wear a cute outfit I couldn't before and I felt so good in it, I made sure to savor and memorize the feeling. That thought will keep me on track going into week 2. I mean, I felt wonderful--what a buzz!
I rewarded myself with a vintage Woodstock T-shirt from 1969 off ebay!
This brings me to another Reason on my ARC: I'm tired of feeling like I fail all the time. Today, for the first time in years, I don't feel that despite the fact I have a long way to go. I'm doing something right.
If you thought I had checked out again after just checking back in, not true--we were camping so far up a canyon that cell phones and internet do not reach. Beautiful, and very relaxing next to the river.
TH & FRI were OP except for one extra beer; substituted healthy dinner that DH cooked for what I had planned. Never pass up someone else at the stove - just adapt it so that it works on plan! SAT had a fast food glitch at lunch but got right back on track for rest of the day. Rode my bike Th, Fri, and this morning. Today was a longer ride than usual - credit moi.
I've been thinking about you, Onebyone, and your DH's diagnosis. It relates directly to my desire to recommit to this program. What I wrote down on paper while 'puterless was this:
Advantages Card: I only need one reason: I absolutely need to avoid diabetes. I lost my uncle two years ago to the disease, and another friend just three weeks ago to the same. My mom has dealt with this for twenty years and I see the ravages to her body because of it. I don't plan to check out in 12 years at the age of 66 like my uncle and our friend; I don't want to struggle like my mom. So NOW is the time to get my act together, keep my weight in a healthy range, and choose foods and exercise that don't put me at risk. Healthy habits, reasonable choices, changes that support this lifestyle: that's where I need to be. I'm working on some kind of visual or physical reminder of Richard, Liz, and Mom so that when I'm tempted to give up or backslide, I can look at or touch these symbols and be strong.
Hi folks: Back home from another weekend away. I was able to stay within my food plan and not overeat. It's really a miracle and I am very grateful. Why can I 'do it' sometimes and other times I can't manage? I suppose it's a question we all ask ourselves at different times.
Hi Coaches -- I guess I should say good morning coaches since it is very early Monday morning -- I've finally had enough sleep that I'm awake...I will say I would not have been able to make it through the overtime day on program without having a food plan and sticking to it. Even if I strayed, it still wasn’t far, it was more like not being able to eat everything because I was not hungry, or choosing to eat a peach instead of the apple I wrote down, etc…..so credit for that.
So I planned my food through Friday, but then Saturday morning after 4 hours sleep I was up early to take my mother on errands (she’s elderly and can’t be out on her own, she gets confused), so I was flying without a plan and OH MY GOSH did it feel panicky….but I did well, for the day….and then this morning again was without a plan, so got in here and worked on my Fitday to write out a plan…..but then I ended up today eating FOUR!!!! Skinny Cow ice cream bars at 100 calories each, but looking over my half-baked plan for Sunday, I didn’t have enough food, so no wonder I was getting into the ice cream………..”ohhhhhhhh wellllllll, it happened, get back on track Elizabeth!”
About the tapes, about a month ago I was looking on the internet about relaxation tapes, and also about …..well….hypnosis as it relates to weight loss….and this is because I used a hypnosis weight loss record (yes I said "record" -- as in vinyl record....yes I'm old) a long time ago when I was a teen to help me. In my search I read about Tom Nicoli and his involvement with a Dateline NBC program about weight loss. He is not one of these entertainer type hypnotists that show up at county fairs, etc....he's the type that does this for health reasons, in fact in my city I did some research and there are some that do this as part of a psychology practice or to help with phobia issues, weight loss, stop smoking, and other problems and habits, includign preparing for dental and medical procedures or surgery, etc.
I downloaded as an app to my phone his weight loss series, and I will say I’m quite impressed with them. (I will also say I’m guarded against messages I would not want to hear, or messages that are contrary to my beliefs, so I have listened to these tapes when not in a relaxed state to be sure I know that I’m listening to, and I do approve of them.)
I believe they have helped with my motivation immensely -- NOT more than Beck though -- but more as an addition to Beck, everything about the tapes helps me want to do Beck more and Beck better -- it just reinforces everything I am doing with Beck. I then additionally purchased his relaxation, and insomnia, and "emotional clutter" CD's. His weight loss series deals with motivation for making positive life changes for weight issues, and he has one that encourages me to want to exercise, and I think they work very well. The additional CD’s I have are similar, but even more relaxing, and those tapes I listen to when going to bed and instead of his “waking” me out of the relaxation and messages at the end, they just go to nice playing sounds and music that drift me off to sleep. Ann (Newlifestyle) and I have been talking on private message since she started using them too, and I wasn’t going to mention them in the thread, but a couple have asked so here it is.
Beck is what is essential always....it's first, it gives me tools, but the relaxation and the hypnosis weight loss CD's help a lot also. If I only had one of the other, I'd never give up Beck though....Beck is essential, without the Beck techniques, I would not be successful.
So in other words, I think Nicoli’s tapes and Beck’s cognitive therapy training techniques are a one-two punch for my weight loss issue……and time will tell for sure. Just like with Beck you have to do the program, just owning the book won’t help, with Nicoli, you need to consistently listen to the tapes/cd’s, etc…..and it takes a couple weeks for it to start working, but it does.
(Looking at Ann…..well hon, I did it, I talked about it....I know I said I didn’t think I should, but here it is….) also Judith Beck does recommend relaxation tapes in BDS on Page 229. NOTE -- she does not recommend on that page hypnosis -- it's that my relaxation tapes involve hypnosis since I have used that in the past.....I recommend either a search for relaxation tapes if you only want the guided relaxation tapes, and relaxing sounds, music, etc.,....and if you want to incorporate hypnosis with the relaxation, music, etc....I do recommend Nicoli now since I've been using them.....but you have to of course decide for yourself -- it's such a personal decision....
oh dear, I rambled....sowwy....it's late and i'm tired....Thank you for listening my dearest coaches....
Well I have these great notes for the personals....i'll tackle those tomorrow...but I think I'll go to bed and listen to one of the tapes and get some sleep.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Oh....credit -- I'm going for my first water aerobics class in the morning!
Last edited by Elizabeth779; 08-06-2012 at 05:39 AM.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - I continued with my failure to return the found wallet, CREDIT moi because it's a nice walk to and fro each time. Today, however, I have decided that I will take the universal advice of everyone who knows what I'm doing and leave a note for the owner to call me. Went for an evening walk with DW even though rain was possible. It became real and I learned that my new golf umbrella does indeed keep me very dry. Except when the wind is strong and it works like a sail. We had to abort the walk to keep the umbrella from self-destruction.
Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, with several opportunities for junk food ignored. I was offered an 'Energy Bar' which wouldn't have had much appeal except that it was offered from a full box - from an abundance. Seems that I'm sucked in to the abundance aspect, just like the old comics of Scrooge McDuck diving into his pool of money. Once I'd declined the Energy Bar, declining two types of factory cookies was easier.
onebyone – Kudos for continued wheat free. Can't wait to hear what new recipes you and your DH find attractive to increase the veggies in your life.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for rain. Yay for rain. Ouch for DH's exercise induced heart-burn - good to know that water is the antidote.
Nature Girl – Thanks for sharing your family's history of diabetes - frightening disease that is. Kudos for all the exercise and for appreciating nature without computers. Both admiration and LOL at "Never pass up someone else at the stove - just adapt."
Beverlyjoy – Yay for another weekend away on plan. Hope you find the answer why that's sometimes easier than others and let us know.
maryann - Love the image of your house "bursting with fresh fruit local strawberries, peaches, blackberries, and cantaloupe." [LOL, Yep, I should note the NSV that I was tempted by a white bean salad instead of a sleeve of Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookies.]
Elizabeth (Elizabeth779) - Thanks for the info on relaxation tapes. Neat thought, "GOAL that is – instead of just driving around the block, around the block, around the block."
spanky - Oh Yes, Mongo Kudos for your first seven days of Atkins. Neat NSV that it allowed an outfit to be worn. Absolutely love that your reward was a Woodstock T-shirt. Reminds me that last summer as we were looking over stuff from our attic that might look good on our newly painted walls, adult DD spotted a poster, "Do you know that's from Woodstock?" "ummm..yes." "Is it real?" "ummm...bought it in 1969, so likely." "That's worth money!" "Over my dead body." So now it hangs in her apartment, greatly admired.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 7Stage 4The Think Thin Lifetime Eating Plan
Experiments to Vary the Think Thin Eating Plan
experiment 1 Add your snack foods to meals.
Some dieters prefer to have larger meals instead of snacks. You can do an experiment to see if this works well for you. Take the food you would have eaten for a snack (from Snack Options, page 224) and add it to another meal. You can add your midmorning snack to breakfast or to lunch, your midafternoon snack to dinner. Find out:
Do you like having a larger meal instead of a snack?
Do you get overly hungry between meals?
Does skipping snacks set up craving for unplanned food?
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pgs 168-169.
Today it has finally cooled off. We had a huge storm yesterday and it was still humid but as I woke up this morning it was much cooler. I have struggled with posting as I feel content with being OP. Thanks for the reminder that I need this group if I don't want to slide down that slippery slope.
Bill, I am like you, I would have kept walking to the rightful owners place to see if they were home. I try to find any excuse to walk. I enjoy walking so much, I just wish my family would enjoy it. Wow on having an original poster from Woodstock and kudos for finding a place in DD's apartment to display it.
onebyone – Hugs to you as you go through the struggles with DH and Diabetes, and the learning curve that will go with it. My brother was just recently diagnosed with it and he is amazed at all the info he is getting from the Diabetic nurse and the dietician.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Thank you for your post about heart burn. Last night I had heartburn and thought I should eat something or drink milk to make it feel better and then I read your post about drinking water. Who knew, water actually works.
Nature Girl – your adventure away sounds peaceful. I find sometimes DH and I can get caught up with computers. The only time we stay off of the computer is when we are on vacation. It is always a struggle to talk DH into leaving the computer home.
Beverlyjoy – Great job staying on plan. I work shift work and I find when I am not getting enough sleep or I feel stressed I find it hard to stay on plan.
Debbie- I love it when a plan comes together. When my house is in order it makes it easier to relax in it. We will be renovating my brothers house and I know once it is done it will be much nicer for him. You inspired me to think about renovations for him with all you have been doing to your home.
maryann - reading about all those local fresh fruits makes me want to live in California, except I would miss the snow we get here.
Elizabeth - Wow your long hours make me tired. Kudos for realizing planning is the key. Thanks for recommending the relaxation tapes.
spanky - Congratulations with the week on Atkins completed. We too are older parents, I find many grandparents help out with their grandchildren in our community while their children work so this works out as we have more in common with the grandparents than the parents.
Hello to everyone else, I hope you have a wonderful day.
Credit for posting. I don't want to slide down that slippery slope.
Take Care
Ann
Last edited by Newlifestyle; 08-06-2012 at 08:15 AM.
Sometimes I find I have to do contrary things. Like, yesterday I had to let go the control over the food list and shopping, handing it over to DH. He had already planned a plan and *I* wanted to take control of it as a part of me did not trust him. So, instead, I could hear myself being overly emotional about it (the reaction did not fit the action--always a sign of some other issue being triggered and not really about the issue at hand) and I told myself to let it go and hang on to myself, keep my opinons to myself and support DH as we go shopping, together, with a list, and a dollar value, all things that have not come together in this specific way in YEARS.
I did see how his "condition" is drawing us back together. We had been living farther apart emotionally and now we are back with each other with a common cause: to make sure DH gets his blood sugar under control. He has attacked it like a bear and I can only say how phenomenal that is. Bad news, life changing news, you just don't know how people will react until it's upon them. "I chose well," I thought, as I watched DH take control of his life. SO AWESOME... it lessens the anger that this whole thing had to happen at all.
Today I plan to get the dishes done. Again. Coaches how many times am I going to mention the dishes?! Everytime they interfere with my Beck plans I suppose. They interfere by causing me to avoid the kitchen and that sends me off my foodplan as I don't want to cook from scratch or spend time "in there". And DH wants to bake(!) rolls(!) from a recipe that says it's ok for your blood sugar and he wants to make his own BBQ sauce too and I do believe this is for our dinner tonight. He needs clean clear space to do that and he needs to do that for his health and I need to encourage and support his actions so I need to do the dishes.
Anyway, I'd much rather sit here and type out the words "do the dishes" than actually go and do the dishes so ... I'll go do the dishes.
Hello Coaches,
Yesterday was my Birthday! And news flash, calories count on your Birthday.
I used my newfound Beck skills and stayed pretty much OP for the weekend. I planned to have a piece of icecream cake for dessert and was pleasantly surprised that the wine didn't interest me at dinner and ice water was much more satisfying.
I realize that my resistance to cravings could use some work. So I am going to make an ad card to refer to.
I plan to weigh and measure on Wednesday and am hoping that I am at least maintaining.
Spanky: Since I can't get a ticker till I post 20 times, on Wed I am going to copy your fill in ticker with my stats. I am hoping this will keep me accountable.
Elizabeth: Thank you for the info on Tom Nicoli. I have heard of him- I think I may have his insomnia cd and pillowspeakers. Last year was very stressful for me I went through a period where I couldn't sleep. I lost 20#'s, but at the time I would rather have been chubby and happy. Which is my normal state....
BBE- Thanks as always for your interesting updates...
Onebyone: Laughed at your story of "newdh". BBE's input was right on target, so glad to have him onboard.
Credit for proposing that everyone bring their own sack lunches for a family business meeting. Our hostess didn't feel the mostest making that suggestion herself, but was grateful that I did. It sure made it easier to cater to everyone's diet needs which, at the moment, range from vegan to paleo.
Exercise was clearing a large oak tree limb that fell across MIL's driveway so that she could leave her house. I felt strong as I performed well-executed squats and lifted logs like barbells.
WI: -0.5 kgs, Exercise: +45 240/1400 minutes for August, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
onebyone: speaking of Mark Bittman, be sure to check out one of his slimmest volumes: Food Matters. Not completely vegetarian, but very low meat. My favorite vegetarian author is Mollie Katzen with The Moosewood Cookbook and related titles because they are so beautiful -- hand-lettered with drawings. Her book that is most relevant for weight loss, however, isn't so beautiful but very useful -- Eat, Drink, and Weigh Less by Mollie Katzen and Walter Willett.
Elizabeth779: Thanks for the Tom Nicoli information. I'm taking a look at that!
soonfit: a belated Happy Birthday to you!
Last edited by gardenerjoy; 08-06-2012 at 11:26 AM.
Good morning -- water aerobics was FUN!!! I had not been in a swimming pool for maybe 15 years.....was very self-conscious. I had shorts and a tank top on over my swimsuit, but felt more comfortable once I was able to "hide" in the water...it was a good workout, and something different from the gym cardio/weights, and different than the kettle bells. I'm going to get a kickboard and do some of that in lane swimming.
Ooops, the time, I'm meeting a diet buddy at olive garden for salad.....later coaches!
Having a terribly difficult day--several weeks ago my beloved Cairn Terrier Finnegan was given a diagnosis of terminal liver cancer. He's 15. I've known him longer than any human in my life today and he is the apple of my eye. The vet has told me what to expect as we go along this road and he fails a little bit each day. There's no pain according to the vet and Finn still shows up for life, so we're walking this path awhile yet. Fighting a very long defeat and it's an ongoing ache in my heart.
So I had to dig for inspiration this morning to keep up with the rest of my life and picked this reason to think about today from my ARC "I'm doing this because I don't want to waste all my hard work so far." We have a covered skywalk attached to our work site that allows me to walk over the city for about 2 miles and I walked it to make up for skipping the bike last night. Kudo.
That said, I am completely OP and not yet eating any of the delicacies I feed to Finn by hand to keep him going. Some days he'll eat just cookies, some days just turkey--at this point he gets whatever he wants. I thought I was too sad to exercise last night and just sat with him instead. Tonight I will just bed him down in the exercise area and get on the bike anyway.
Oh Spanky, that's really tough -- I'm sorry your lil sweetie terrier is so sick. I'm encouraged by your courage to stick with your program so that you "don't waste all the hard work so far".
Hi coaches/ friends...I am getting back into the swing of things. My two a day green smoothies are going down well, so far. I've stayed away from the crusiferous veggies. I think it has helped me to 'switch gears' a bit with my plan. It's like a fresh start that I need.
Yesterday - I logged & measured my food. Today I got on the scale it was the same number that I saw on Friday. Happy dance and credit. I've been to the grocery to buy the healthy foods I need to have around.
Recently I've seen the documentaries Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead & Supesize Me. Very thought provoking. The first is about juicing your way to health. I will not live only on juice. However, it got me to think about green smoothies again. Supersize Me is an eye opening flick about a healthy man who only eats food from McDonalds for a month and how distinctly it had a huge negative impact on his health. Makes a person not want unhealthy fast food. Some fast food places have salads, etc. howver.
I am planning to start my journalling and other Beck techniques full fledged tonight and tomorrow.
Today is the neighbor's birthday. We are all getting together for cupcakes. I don't want one. I've been doing clean eating the past week and it feels good. I always feel 'funny' when I am the only one not eating what everyone else is eating. I can always say that I am watching my sugar intake. People seem to think that's a great reason. as opposed to saying that I am trying to lose weight. I shouldn't have to explain... still, it takes practice.
spanky - HI! I am so, so sorry about Finnegin being so sick. Our furkids are our family. Credit for finding the willingness to dig deep to stay out of the treats/foods you are giving him.
elizabeth - CREDIT for doing that swimming. Carry on.
gardenerjoy - what a GREAT idea for folks to bring their sack lunches. It's something that I"ll remember in the future.
soonfit - HAPPY BIRTHDAY! It's a major credit to stay OP on your birthday. Well done!
onebyone - so nice to hear about you an DH coming together on things. I know it's a good feeling.
newlifestyle - I agree.. we all need to tatoo the message to connect with our coaches/buddies - on our brain!
billbe - dr Beck says it well that each time to use our resistence muscle it makes it somewhat easier later on.
Sorry I couldn't get to personals with more folks.
The next few days I must REST my ankle. It's very sore from the trip and all my driving. sigh.
*credit* spent 2 hours today liberating the garden from foot high weeds; mostly thistles.
Did not liberate the kitchen from dirty dishes.
DH cooked and cleaned whatever he needed to use to make and serve us dinner. A welcome change. He made rolls from scratch, low carb eperimental rolls that I love--almost too much. They are very eclair-pastry-texture like. I am craving them even now. They may be a problem for me. He also made diabetic friendly bbq sauce which was fabulous. He went out, grilled some beef patties, slathered on bbq sauce and put it on the bun he made.It was awesome. I felt good having just about everything made from scratch... and I didn't have to make it.
Also we had a mid afternoon veggie snack from the garden: the first carrots (6 of them), first yellow cherry pear tomatoes, red cherry tomatoes, and more green beans. Very nice. DH now gets why garden veggies are the best of all.
Think I'll go do something. Not sure what... bye for now.
welcome spanky, it sounds like you are off to a right start with your tracking....you're going through something difficult right now, and I hope that control over food through tracking will bring you some peace.
newlifestyle -- ann -- good for you gal for walking to work....that's impressive...and I'm glad you're enjoying the tapes.
Catholic Cajun -- good for you for working on the "stopping when full"....I've been redefining through Beck what full is -- used to think it meant stuffed.
Gardnerjoy -- I like what you said about fairness and it's important to mentor ourselves after successful dieters -- you're right, it does change the perspective when you follow what a successful dieter does versus what a person does who engages in unplanned eating.
Tazzy -- that's interesting about new advantage cards -- what did you notice most about what had changed in the cards?
Onebyone -- I'm sorry to hear about her DH's diabetes, but it does sound good that you are focusing on solutions, and that he's a willing participant in that. It's good how you are planning and persisting in your plans, even when it's tough.
Soonfit -- you are doing well -- and you are realizing that it takes "tweaking" to get the diet you choose to what you need....it may even change at times or need further tweaking from time to time. In the past people like us would give up instead of continuing and tweaking things to fit what we need.
BBE -- you were talking about your company BBQ, and I appreciate how you showed balance by saying there was "some good, some bad." With food I tend to engage in all or nothing, black white thinking, and that leads to problems, I can see by your story that it is better to accept that there was "some good, some bad" and move on. I do notice you are good at turning down "factory made cookies"....you're right, if we have a cookie in our life it should be a really good homemade cookie, and not be wasting calories on something factory made that is mediocre at best.
helping rachel -- good job on the photo flip album type advantages card. I didn't think of that, but that's a great way to do it.
Beveerlyjoy -- I"m glad you're back on track and enjoying your "greenies".
Everyone is hanging in there as best as possible.....we're very fortunate to have found what helps us change our habits...
Monday - Curiosity has Landed on Mars!!!
let go and hang on
just another post on another holiday monday
