I had an insight last night when thinking about that issue of why I don't post when I'm struggling. I still don't know why, but what I figured out is, I should post as a call for coaching help, instead of viewing the post as a report of my failure.
If I were to say "Help, coaches, I can't stop buying ice cream! Any strategies?" I would be keeping myself accountable while hopefully eliciting ideas for my latest struggle.
This would be more helpful than feeling like I just have to write a report card: "Dear coaches, I screwed up again. I'm such a bad person."
So yes, it is true I have ice cream in my freezer again and no one else to eat it but me---whadoi do? And how do I prevent this?
Side note victory: went to the doctor and weighed in 1 pound above my latest weight (from 10/6) with a HUGE sweatshirt and jeans on! That probably means I will be on target when I get back to my scale next weekend! (I know, not the Beck way to do it, but it has worked for me for 17.5 lbs, so I'm going with it.)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Gym was gym, CREDIT moi. Particularly pleasing that a buff guy was using the same weights that I was using. When I reach enlightenment, I won't compare my workout to any other since it's pointless. No reason to do it at all. I'm up early enough to watch the meteor shower near Orion in the East as we pass through the tail of Halley's Comet - but it's raining here. Hope the rest of you get to see it.
Food was off with some nibbling - Ouch. I need to up my vanity sensitivity a bit more. Since dinner was a lentil soup, DW noted that we had a vegetarian day.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for checking in even as you're arranging your schedule to get on top of things.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Good luck with your pizza dilemma.
Nature Girl – Congrats for staying on track in Onederland. Super Kudos for posting when it doesn't feel comfortable. Do you have an uber small dish that you could use for a serving of ice cream? A Thai restaurant once served me a fat thimble of ice cream after the meal and it felt just right.
Beverlyjoy – Kudos for "Quite a few credits" - I like that Beck insists that we tally each and every one. Ouch for fickle computer hard drives.
spanky - Yep, "Deep breath. Patience. Keep going." This patience business remains a challenge for me.
HaleyJu - Yep, weekends matter. Hope all is going well for you.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 8Stage 5The Motivation-for-Life Plan
Daily Motivation Plan
several times a day . . .Give yourself credit. I find that many dieters gradually stop practicing this important skill as time goes on. You should be giving yourself credit throughout the entire day - at least 15 or 20 times, whenever you:
. . .. . .
Use Resistance Techniques.
Tolerate hunger if it's not time to eat.
Say no to tempting foods that are not on your plan.
Contact your Diet Buddy.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 190.
We didn't get home until very late, and still needed dinner. credit for eating in. Our pizza would have taken too long, so I made a great quesadilla with my own homemade black beans. credit. I've weighed today...down from yesterday. After dinner I had a snack not planned for, but it had a beginning and end.
Nature Girl, we always have ice cream of some sort, because DH eats it. It is one food I ALWAYS put on the scale. One serving, that's it. Accordingly, since I buy I bring home the most reasonable choice possible. Right now, we're minimizing dairy so I bounce between rice dream and soy-licious. Both are tasty but don't seem to encourage overeating.
Thanks for putting your thoughts into words here...when we struggle it would be so much better to post for assistance instead of reporting failure. credit yourself.
Ok, work calls...my lunch is packed and next to my keys to prevent forgetting like I did last Saturday.
I did my three things yesterday -- talked to my coaches, exercised, and did my evening routine. (CREDIT! CREDIT! CREDIT!)
The big blog project is complete, with posts scheduled the entire time we'll be gone.
Today is packing day with its own stressors. But kind of a relief to have different stressors for a change.
Credit for writing this post. Exercise today will likely be running up and down the stairs. I'll consider anything else a bonus. I'll plan to do an abbreviated version of the Evening Routine just to make sure things are going okay.
Naturegirl: Thanks for the notion to post when we struggle as a request for assistance not as some sort of confession. I needed that. I'm going to quit using the word "report" because that has a ring to it that isn't working for me and I didn't realize it until you said it.
My ice cream strategy changes depending on what's working at the moment. One is to only eat ice cream outside of the house as a treat -- the smallest serving available. Another is to eat only the ice cream that I make (which is really frozen yogurt -- here's one of my recipes: http://www.joyweesemoll.com/2012/09/...frozen-yogurt/).
It can be very empowering, once in a while, to throw away a food that ends up in my house when I didn't really mean for it to. That seems to send a strong signal that this is unacceptable and it really helps me stick to the plan.
Today's quote is one of the thoughts from way back. It seems to speak to the issues that some of us are having right now.
Quote:
It's important for dieters to think about the difference between things that are impossible and things that are very difficult. Just because it's hard doesn't mean you can't do it!
It's not impossible to resist the ice cream or impossible to throw it out........ but it's darned sure difficult!
This week I have been close enough most days to OP eating to get credit. I do carefully track all that I put in my mouth on Fitday -- another credit. I have worked hard on the resistance muscle. It's been difficult. The scale dropped a pound one day and then took a rebound back up. I am hoping that tomorrow (official weight change day) it will be down again. Credit for weighing each day. Yoga this morning (credit) ........ and a nap this afternoon. I haven't accoumplshed anything other than a low stress existence. That's kind of nice.
Ah. The Ice Cream Discussion...Ice cream is one of those things which I can find myself up in the wee hours of the morning with a pint and a spoon, standing at the counter in a stupor of bliss with the container sweating down my elbow, I've been scooping it that long.
Right now it works to buy obnoxious flavors only a 6 yr old would eat--"banana split superman with blue stripes" for DS. When I must have the chocolate Haagen Daas, they sell those half-cup sizes now and I make one last 2 servings. Bliss, but not a quart's worth of bliss. KUDO!
I appreciate the thinking behind posting as a means of getting some assistance. A good way to look at it: "Beck Team has your back!"
By the way, I'm almost getting used to thinking of green vegetables as carbohydrates. As opposed to a football-sized baked potato or a load of fettucini! Really a required mindset for Atkins practitioners and I'm surprised to see myself content with a salad, a pork chop, and brussels sprouts. Big step for me. KUDO!
Been v busy and did not find time to write the last few days, but have been reading your writings and recording my food.
Naturegirl-- I was interested in the idea of posting to ask for help as opposed to reporting how naughty one had been. It did make me think that I am moving out of that guilty mindset more and more. That's not to say I'm always OP, but I am always moving toward it. Well maybe not ALWAYS, but shortly thereafter!
I did go off plan the last 2daysne was preparing food for friend's dd's wedding and the other was the wedding day itself. In the midst of it all was DS's 13th birthday (eek!) Many things interesting here. I had anticipated increased calories this weekend, but in the event I went over my weekly target by about 1000 calories. As a result I was up 2 lbs this morning, but because I'm getting good at tracking cals I know that 1000 does not equal 2 lbs, so I don't feel like a failure.
I know I can't do this every weekend, but I want to give myself credit for continually tracking which helps keep everything in perspective. I also figured get excercise credit for being on my feet for 2 days doing the cooking etc!
Finally, credit this morning for tracking, reading, writing and planning for the week. This is such a useful system for me.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Just came in from looking at the meteorites coming from the region of Orion. Yesterday was the big day, but there were still a few this morning. In my next life I'm going to be an astronomer - get to spend the whole night watching stars, and wondering about it all.
Eating was distorted by the food at a late afternoon memorial service. Seems that the more friends you have the more food gets stacked on tables. I tried to choose only that which was special, but most stuff was homemade and special. I made my peace with what I ate and called it early dinner. CREDIT moi for stopping when new platters were still arriving from the kitchen. Wasn't a stellar day; Oh, Well.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Neat notion, "It can be very empowering, once in a while, to throw away a food" - a reminder that it's our brains to be wrestled with not just the calories.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Ice cream does tend to encourage overeating. It's no longer welcome in our freezer.
Beverlyjoy – Yay for healthy Friday.
spanky - LOL at "banana split superman with blue stripes" - that's what I'm looking for in Halloween candy.
HaleyJu - Yep, scales do that pound down then pound up. Kudos for accepting that with equanimity.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 8Stage 5The Motivation-for-Life Plan
Daily Motivation Plan
several times a day . . .Give yourself credit.. . .
You should also give yourself credit for giving yourself credit; filling out a Cheat Sheet as needed; being assertive with food pushers' making special requests at restaurants; postponing a meal or snack if you are upset; comforting yourself without food; making the time for diet and exercise activities; staying in control during special events; reading this book; adding to your Advantages Deck or making new Response Cards; writing cards for your Memory Box; and so on.
Continue giving yourself credit throughout your life.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 190.
Last edited by BillBlueEyes; 10-21-2012 at 08:04 AM.
Reason: meteors reduced to meteorites, LOL.
BBE, great that the rain let up so you could view the meteors. Yep, memorial services are the spot for lots of special foods, as friends remember the departed one....and food is the "other social lubricant". credit for thinking in advance then stopping when you did.
Great conversation yesterday and opportunities for learning. Thanks everyone!
I weighed this morning and enjoyed some time in the kitchen prepping my first ever homemade quinoa patty. WF has them but I've been too thrifty to pay their prices. I haven't cooked and tasted one yet, because it's not on my morning plan. credit. I did, however, eat three spoonfuls of fresh quinoa right out of the pan Ouch yet recognized it not to be MY healthy practice.
Nearly packed and ready to go. We should have internet, but the check-ins will be quick vacation ones just to remind myself that I have a plan, that I know what to do on vacation, that I intend this vacation to be a re-set from what's been going on the last few weeks.
Hi Beckies/coaches - four healthy days... I am so, so grateful. The dietician said weighing daily has been proven to help people lose weight and keep it off. - as well as Dr. Beck in her second book. This is very hard for me. It's my food/eating disordered mind wants that number to go down everyday. I know with time I should be able to just look at that number as information as time goes on. I hope that really does happen. I'll try it again. Credit for weighing the last four days.
We had fun yesterday. We watched college football in the neighbor's garage while all the kids played outside in the front yard riding bikes, scooters, playing basket ball, soccer etc. The children would go in the house and play in between. I didn't know this gathering was going to happen. However, I had made a huge pot of healthy chilli - we brought that, carrots, apples, crackers. I had planned to make myself a taco salad (lettuce, litte bit of cheese, chilli, low fat sour cream. broken up taco shell) I was willing to bring my taco salad while everyone ate a bowl of hot chilli. I didn't eat any unplanned food. There was a huge spread of yummy looking unhealthy food. I snacked on apples. Credit. I am so grateful for the willingness.
Yesterday I planned & logged all the food I ate, had lots of water, did my stretches & strengthening exercises, read over my list of 'why and the advantages of my losing this weight etc. Always grateful for the willingness. I've been going through the workbook. I've read my advantages a couple times a day. And, I try to read my list of daily goals around food before each meal. Hopefully, this will help me get my mind back to the Beck approach of food and having food sanity.
I am planning my day in the manner the dietician suggested. It seems to be helpful to have a bigger breakfast that I am used to having.
I hope you are all having a good weekend. As always, am grateful for your support.
gardenerjoy - safe travel nature girl - I too have trouble posting here when I am struggling. It's part shame, part wanting to eat what ever I want, and more. What a basic reminder you've mentioned that I've needed to hear. That folks here really want to help. That we can ask for help or suggestions in a way that doesn't make us feel so bad about it. Thanks for this basic reminder. For me, it's often about willingness .... Billbe - I too will look to the skies tonight in hopes seeing the meteors. Credit for realizing comparing others at the gym is often not that productive. lexxiss/debbie - Tell me how you like the quinoa.
Gotta go... am using DH's business computer and he needs it. I think that in every marriage/realtionship each person needs their own computer. This 'sharing' .... don't like it that much.
Last edited by Beverlyjoy; 10-21-2012 at 11:31 AM.
Today I am grateful to be able to move my ticker and my sig line down one pound. The way that I figure it, if I can continue to lose a pound a week until school is out (222 days-- if I was counting) I would be back at my goal weight by the first of June. I'm expecting a big situation next weekend with granddaughter's birthday party. I will need to use all my resistence skills and many of the things in Bill's quote of the day. All other suggestions for dealing with a day where I have no control on what is available will be helpful.
Something for me to keep in mind for the upcoming week.....
Quote:
Sabotaging Thought: It's okay to eat this extra food because I'll make up for it later.
Response: When has "making up for it later" EVER really worked? I need to learn how to consistently eat about the same amount of food so I'm not constantly tempted to eat more. Once I do this, the struggle will go down and dieting will get easier.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Exercise was searching for the winter ducks passing through on their way to find a place warm enough to provide open water so they can eat. Saw hundreds of the expected ducks - nothing unusual. Coots continue to amuse me with their chicken-like head bobbing.
Food was on plan during meals - CREDIT moi - with too much nibbling between - Ouch. DW tried a new chick pea soup recipe from Penzeys Spices last night for dinner - so good. I could become a sales rep for spices as a way to redirect the mindset that one ought to be eating meat and potatoes. Think I'll invent the Spice Diet where the concentration on spices achieves the Beck strategy of focusing on our food.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Waving toward the Antarctic - may you see many penguins. In case that's not where you're vacationing (just because that's where I wish I were going), may you see many local wonders anyway.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Can't wait to hear how the quinoa patties came out.
Beverlyjoy – Yep, Kudos for sticking to your new path - you're working good muscles.
maryann - Waving. Happy Nut Day - I hope you celebrate. Thanks for getting walnuts way out here to the East Coast where we don't grow a single one.
HaleyJu - Congrats on your pound gone. A pound a week seems like a doable plan. Days with no control over the food available are challenging. It's helpful to me to deliberately plan to make a plan when I see the choices. A last minute plan works for me better than no plan at all.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 8Stage 5The Motivation-for-Life Plan
Daily Motivation Plan
several times a day . . .Look for "worth-it" experiences. You will have multiple opportunities every day to say to yourself, It's so worth it to keep going. Every time you look in the mirror, say, It's so worth it to look this way. Every time you more easily accomplish a physical task - such as lugging heavy groceries - say, It's so worth it. Every time you realize a skill, such as ignoring a craving, has made your life easier, say, This is really worth it. When you recognize a repetitive worth-it experience, add it to your Advantages Deck.
Continue to remind yourself why it's so worth it for the rest of your life.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pgs 190-191.
Yesterday I got called into work and needed to get ready and head out the door, pronto. Credit moi! I enjoyed a cup of coffee with DH first, then made my smoothie AND packed my lunch. That's such an improvement from the old days. At the end of the day, there was a sampling of fried cod, which I chose not to resist. I kind of "beat myself up" over it. This morning I was able to recognize that tasting the cod after working there for a year was not a big deal. Resisting the very real urge to bring home a piece of cake or homemade cinnamon roll several times a week is the more important use of my resistance skills. Credit yesterday for not bringing home the "too small to sell" cinn. roll, which did cross my mind.
BBE, the quinoa cakes turned out great for my first try, considering I had to leave the project and head to work. I binded them with a little instant mashed potato, since I'm trying to cook "vegan" when possible. I might still try with an egg snatched from a local and happy chicken at our CSA.
HaleyJu, congrats on another pound down. I loved the idea, "when did making up for it later ever work." I so relate.
Posting while struggling
Saturday
Really a required mindset for Atkins practitioners and I'm surprised to see myself content with a salad, a pork chop, and brussels sprouts. Big step for me. KUDO!
ne was preparing food for friend's dd's wedding and the other was the wedding day itself. In the midst of it all was DS's 13th birthday (eek!) Many things interesting here. I had anticipated increased calories this weekend, but in the event I went over my weekly target by about 1000 calories. As a result I was up 2 lbs this morning, but because I'm getting good at tracking cals I know that 1000 does not equal 2 lbs, so I don't feel like a failure. 
everyone else! Gotta get ready for work!
