[onebyone]

Hi.

Credits= weighed in just now: (+1.7lbs) 253.9 this morning
-harvested my garden before the frost ruined the produce. This required me to face the weeds and my feelings about the garden and my reality vs. fantasy for it this year. Most successful were the hot peppers. I have A LOT of Thai hot peppers. Most are green, a few red nd some inbetween in a most glorious coral red colour. Amazing colours. So... plans for these are my dehydrator, with maybe a stab at making a jar or two of my own hot sauce.

I am about to harvest THREE home grown lemons as soon as I read up if it's ok to take them with a little greenish tinge on them. No wonder Toronto is not known for its citrus groves... these beauties have been growing since mid May, and were on the plant when I bought it. Over 120 days required to bring them to completion. That's a VERY long growing season for sure. We can count on 90days or so... I need to make something very special with these 3 lemons.

Oh, better go. Time to give Looloo medicine. She is on the mend. No nosebleeds since she saw the vet THANK GOODNESS. Oh, here comes DH. Will be back later...

[spanky]

Reviewing Step 5 today on eating mindfully. I read the sentence about there being up to a 20 minute lag between eating and my brain saying "Full". Trying to focus on that--generally I eat as fast as my terriers and then wonder why I get so full my stomach hurts. Going to try to eat a reasonable meal and then WAIT 20 minutes before diving in for more.

Today I am OP but I do not have a plan for dinner. I realized that I knew exactly what I'd make for my 6yr old when we got home, but had not made any provision for myself. I WILL have a plan by the time I leave work today!

onebyone--I tried to search your posts to find out about Looloo but couldn't find them (?) Instead I will send you a cyber-hug, having been through the wringer with my Cairn Finn last month. It does sound like she is improving and hearing that makes me happy! Also, I saw a wonderful movie called Ushpizin that featured a very special lemon, that too made me smile!

Trek the Beck!--spanky

[luxy]

Hi folks! I've been lurking on the site for awhile, reading success stories to try to gain some motivation. One of the success stories mentioned the Beck forum. So I found this forum and promptly checked out both books from the library. I've been reading the pink book for a couple of weeks and using My Fitness Pal to track my calories. So far, I like the positivity Dr. Beck conveys. What she says about how thin people "think differently" really makes sense.

I've peeked ahead to the green book and I'm honestly not very excited about it...it seems like a "diet" that I don't think I'll be able to stick to. For those of you who have lost on Beck, did you follow the green book? Are you maintaining your weight loss with it?

I'm hoping to lose 30-40 lbs by next summer. Looking forward to "meeting" all of you!

[Woodland]

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the kind welcome back thoughts. I never stopped doing Beck skills, but was trying to add more accountability through posting with family and friends. It was motivating, but in the end, I have to motivate myself.

OnebyOne: My peppers were the best thing out of my garden this year too. I froze some, and will hang others by threads to dry. If you ever get the oil in your eye, milk is something that will take the sting out.

luxy: I like the pink book best, but all the books say some unique things and that can be helpful. I never used the diet part of the green book but I think some found it helpful. I'm a calorie counter myself.

Today was a good day overall. I'm enjoying making sandwiches for lunch. I work hard to do mindful eating - even staring at the food - to be sure I slow down and know I've eaten. I had to do some problem solving on a work issue, then change the subject in my mind so I didn't dwell on it. I think I was successful, and feel relaxed now.

I enjoy reading all your news.

[HaleyJu]

Coaches and Buddies,

Sorry I don't have time to address each of you this evening. This is the end of a grading period and I am up to my eyeballs in things to do. I worked for quite a bit over after school was out this afternoon and as a result I was really really hungry when I left. Because I was mentally and physically dragging I stopped by the coffee shop and got a skinny latte and added it to my usual snack. Even after finishing the coffee and snack (peanut butter) I was still hungry, but powered through the 20 minute wait to see if it would go away. It did and I was able to stay away from other evils until dinner. Overall I still ended the day on plan. (Credit to me!!) The scales are being kind to me this week and for that I am also grateful. (a little more credit due)

[BillBlueEyes]

luxy

And, even though you been here for three years,

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Eating was good enough, CREDIT moi. Dinner was the salmon left over from Sunday - so good. I even like that the house smelled of salmon for a while.

Rained on and off all day so life kept happening with little exercise. I finally found the right place to put away my rain pants from my August vacation; I couldn't have just put them on and gone out for a walk in the rain.


onebyone – Neat that you have a dehydrator - I'm still on the fence about getting one. It is hard to believe that you can do citrus fruit in Toronto. Yay for Looloo on the mend.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Visitations and memorial services are difficult for food since there's usually so much.

Woodland - Kudos for "work hard to do mindful eating" - that's so easy to forget. It's terrific that you can ponder a work problem then shift your mind back to reality.

spanky - It's a big deal to meet the challenge of waiting for our brain to signal satisfied instead of waiting for too stuffed to continue. Kudos for working on that.

HaleyJu - Thanks for the super demo of using a 20 minute wait to let hunger disappear before eating more - Kudos for that.

Koala - This is a part of Beck that also appeals to me, "gives strategies to deal with real life situations." Kudos for getting those evening munchies "a bit more in control."

luxy - Thanks for the reminder that Beck talks about "how thin people 'think differently'" - it's such a fun challenge to start tweaking our own thinking in that direction. It's kinda neat that you heard about Beck from a 3FC success story.

I used the pink book - long before the green book was published - so I still tend to think in its terms. The separation of the strategies into daily tasks was appealing. The green book adds the idea of Memory Box which is neat. A good comparison of the two books can be found here. Glad you've joined us.


Readers -

chapter 8 Stage 5 The Motivation-for-Life Plan

Dieters' motivation usually decreases when the rate at which they are losing weight has slowed or when they are in maintenance. In either case, they find that it's not as rewarding to step on the scale each morning because the number doesn't change very much. By this time, dieters may not feel the same degree of pleasure as they previously did, because it's no longer a new experience when they look in the mirror or shop for clothes. They also may not get as many compliments because the people around them have also become accustomed to their weight loss. On a day-to-day basis, most dieters get so used to living with their thinner, healthier bodies that they don't even think very much about how they looked when they were heavier; had to wear larger-sized clothing; felt embarrassed or self-conscious in many situations; were less energetic and less healthy; and generally just didn't feel very good about themselves.

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pgs 186-187.

[Lexxiss]

Hi Coaches!

luxy! I originally followed the pink book/notebook but find parts of the green book, especially the lifetime plan quite helpful, as I work towards a maintenance weight.

It's a pool day here. There always seems so much to do but I'm recognizing two important priorities...getting my food situation back on track after the two weeks of family AND getting some rest. Everything else can wait.

My food choices were very poor yesterday and I'm trying to acknowledge both physical and mental exhaustion...not just tired. It has been such a long haul for me yet I am finding gratitude that I didn't just jump off the cliff with food.

I perceive the stress to continue and I'm going to try and take these next 3 days to try and reboot both my Beck and South Beach programs and come up with the new and revised plan. Last eve as we were traveling I was so tired and really didn't want to cook. Our fav restaurant would have offered a relaxing and somewhat normal experience yet with off plan food. credit for walking in the door of our home and pulling out the on plan foods which would make a satisfying meal. Ouch for continued snacking afterwards but one step at a time.

Take care everyone!

[gardenerjoy]

Yesterday went completely off the rails.

But this morning, I seem to be in a better place. At least, it's more obvious what I need to do to get in a better place. And I'm doing it. (Credit!)

WI: +0.5 kgs, Exercise: +50 75/1600 minutes for October, Food: NA %op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

Welcome, luxy! I liked the green book because of the phases instead of days. It helped me to work on several things at once over a period of a few weeks rather than a day per task approach. I ignored the diet in the green book at the beginning. I did finally try it and lost weight really quickly -- but that was because a low-carb diet is so foreign to my way of doing things that I wasn't eating enough. It did help me transition to a higher protein lifestyle, but I moved on to a different plan with more flexiblility.

[maryann]

Good Morning, Coaches.

I have been absent for a few days - mostly working on my next MFA in Writing project and hanging out with DS and DH. I spent my 25th sobriety birthday on Oct. 1 feeling grateful for where life has brought me. 25 years ago I was over 200 pounds, depressed, anxious and had just finished two trips to the psych ward for suicide attempts. Today, I am sober; slimmer with the best husband and the most beautiful son in the world; a 22 year long avocation of a career, friends and mostly peace.

Luxy and Koala: I chose Beck because the principles are similar to the steps I took to stay sober for so long - take action, give yourself credit, be willing to do "it" differently no matter how uncomfortable things get, and tell the truth everyday about what is going on.
BBE: Thanks for remembering my bday.
gardenerjoy: I understand what you say when you say your food is wierd and that it always leads to overeating in the end. Thankfully, I didn't have to change my ticker upwards because the amounts of food I have been eating are small. Things have to go back OP, though.

I can't remember who said it but today's rule is: Wait twenty minutes to see if you're still hungry.

Best to all.

[ChefJoona]

I had every intention of starting to post daily again, but I think I need to reexamine the true possibility of that (still getting used to the changes motherhood has brought to my life). I think I'm in the "contemplation" stage of this all. I am definitely thinking and planning for change, but just haven't fully committed yet. I hope to get into a grove soon. I'm taking stock of my current nutrition and eating needs (as a breast feeding mother, those are different than pre-motherhood) and learning where I can make adjustments. My weight seems to be holding steady, but some of my food choices aren't making me feel great and will not help me maintain in the long run. Exercise is still a struggle (sigh).
Hoping to work towards at least 3 posts a week.

Maryann- Huge congratulations on 25 years of sobriety, and the awareness and recognition of all the positive changes in your life. I can imagine it has been quite a journey.

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - I did put on my Gore-Tex and go for a walk in the rain, CREDIT moi, stopping by the library as I went. Unfortunately, two books jumped into my backpack as if I had nothing else to read. Gym was gym, CREDIT moi. I did try a couple of extra reps on a couple of sets since I'd recently read that older muscles take longer to learn than younger muscles. Maybe. The optimum way to exercise generates more opinions than the optimum way to lose weight.

Eating was good enough, CREDIT moi. At one point I did choose an activity rather than a handful of nibbles. A good start - wish it was 100% for the day.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for "in a better place." At the library, I stood in line behind a kid whose head didn't reach the counter - a very serious customer. The librarian admitted that her "little customers" bring her the most joy.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Exhaustion seems to trump everything else - seems wise that you're making that priority one. Kudos for making dinner rather than the comforting favorite restaurant.

maryann - Sometimes "hanging out" is just the best. Thanks for the lovely description of your last 25 years.

ChefJoona - This motherhood business is a pretty dramatic impact. Would think that "thinking and planning for change" is a Kudos worthy first step. Have you checked out the 3FC Pregnancy and Nursing Forum?

Readers -

chapter 8 Stage 5 The Motivation-for-Life Plan

Healthful eating will probably always take
some effort, but it generally gets easier as
time goes on. If you don't put in the effort,
you will lose the advantages you have gained.
Isn't it worth it to keep making the effort?

Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 187.

[HaleyJu]

No time to post yesterday. Eating was marginal. It could have been better. Credit though for not plowing through the kitchen as I could so easily have done. Yesterday was a perfect example of the type day that led to me gaining 40 pounds in 2 years. I'm tired, against the wall with some deadlines and juggling to many issues. Today I'm going to take time to breathe and go to yoga. I need to take care of me.

"If you don't put in the effort,
you will lose the advantages you have gained."

If that's not the truth, I don't know what it.

[Koala]

Hello Beck Trekkers!

I didn’t check in last night as I managed to snag free tickets to a pre-release screening of the film “The Words” with Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid and Bradley Cooper – a great cast! The film was so-so, very slow moving and I think the story could have unfolded in a different way to better hold my interest. We went to a Malaysian restaurant afterwards, and made pretty good choices – a chicken dish and a green vegie dish with light sauces and minimal coconut milk – credit! Today has been reasonable eatingwise – still not an angel with the night munchies, but I am trying to get some discipline happening in time for that phase of BDS.

Onebyone – I hear you on the gardening – we are just coming into spring and I have been considering the weeds (aka triffids) that are overtaking my courtyard – no action on my part as yet, they live to see another day! I am waiting for a couple of weeks before I plant any seedlings – still can’t guarantee that we have had our last frost for the year. Good to hear that Looloo continues to improve.

Spanky – that’s a good reminder to know that your stomach takes 20mins to realise it’s full – it gives purpose to the mindful eating strategy.

Luxy - welcome! Thin people thinking differently was a very powerful insight I gained from Dr Beck – even more powerful was the understanding that I could change my thinking too.

Woodland – eating mindfully is one of my struggles too – I have to pull myself up short and remind myself not to bolt my food and to really think about how it tastes, the nutrition it’s providing me etc.

HaleyJu – wow, that’s awesome you were able to resist hunger urges and stay on plan – big credit to you!

BillBlueEyes – it’s so good when you can review the day and know you’ve stayed on plan – credit indeed! Strange to say, two books jumped into my bag at the shop today! One about the Sandakan death marches of WWII, and the other the latest Marian Keyes, which will give me a laugh.

Lexxiss – yay for making the decision to stay on plan even when tempted by your fave restaurant combined with bone numbing tiredness!

Gardenerjoy – well done at clambering back on to the wagon – that’s what it’s all about!

Maryann – what an amazing life journey you have experienced which has resulted in a true appreciation of where your life is at now. It’s interesting that you see parallels between the strategies to give up alcohol and the Beck strategies. We have quite a lot of advertising on quitting smoking – and I think many of those strategies could apply to Beck also, eg one ad showing on TV is about building up the resistance muscle – very Beckian!

ChefJoona – there are lots of internal and external changes to contend with as a new Mum – be kind to yourself.

[HaleyJu]

- take action, give yourself credit, be willing to do "it" differently no matter how uncomfortable things get, and tell the truth everyday about what is going on.

Thanks maryann for summing it all up in one sentence. Good reminders.