maryann I teach 12th grade regular level and AP macro economics courses. I also have one AP European history class. BTW I love to sew, too. I'm thinking about buying a pair of khaki pants and tailoring the legs down to skinnies. I can't seem to find a pair like I want, so I'll just create them. I also need to make a baby blanket fora friend. Her little boy has kidnapped the pink one I made for her daughter. The dad is not too excited about him carrying around a pink blanket.
Made into yoga this morning. It was a traditional class today and we managed to work up a sweat. I should start everyday with a yoga practice. It definitely wakes up the stiff joints and loosens up the hamstrings and other muscles.
Since Beck doesn't put up new motivation thoughts on the weekend, I thought I would just go back and get some old ones for Saturdays and Sundays. I know I need them everyday!
Quote:
Dieting, like any other skill, gets easier the more you practice it. If you think, "this is so hard, there is no way I can keep it up forever," remind yourself that it WON'T be this hard forever so that's not an accurate concern. Even though it's hard now, in 2 months it will be easier and in 2 years it will be MUCH easier.
A cold rainy Saturday here, but the trees are flaming out with their fall colors!
We moved some of the thrift furniture I'd finished painting to our teeny place on the lake and I did some measuring for window coverings. DH, DS and I then spent the rest of the day prowling more thrift stores on the way home--a couple "treasures" found. Cruising second hand stores is the family Indoor Sport.
I am on plan so far for the week and feeling good about tomorrow's weekly weigh-in; hoping to put a dot a little lower on my wonderful graph.
Tonight is chops on the grill, those little red potatoes, and a salad. Thank heaven for leisurely weekends!
I realize I want to thank everyone here for their weight loss. When I see your tickers, I think it more likely that I can do this too.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Yesterday we had a productive early winter bird walk. We saw a Moorhen swimming with the Coots - an unusual bird for that specific pond. Saw a single flock of some 60 Canada Geese high overhead flying South in their classic 'V' formation. Did gym in the afternoon, CREDIT moi, even though I didn't wanna.
Eating was good enough, CREDIT moi. A triumph happened in the evening when I was trying to complete my dinner composed of pick up stuff. I could finish off with a killer-double-chocolate brownie or with a plate of left over grilled Brussels Sprouts. I chose veggie over sugar, CREDIT moi.
Debbie (Lexxiss) It's fun when the healthy is appealing, "an orange and whole grain muffin await in the fridge."
maryann - I still own a couple of handkerchiefs with name tags sewn in; They remind me of the days when I was so cared for.
spanky - Congrats for choosing a DH and having a DS for whom, "Cruising second hand stores is the family Indoor Sport." I love the "treasures" that occasionally surface.
HaleyJu - LOL at the little boy with the kidnapped pink blanket - sexual stereotyping has to be instilled early or people would just become themselves.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 8Stage 5The Motivation-for-Life Plan
Daily Motivation Plan
each morning
Do the following each morning, before you eat breakfast: . . .Review your Advantages Deck. Keep reviewing your Advantages Deck daily until you are doing every skill in Stage 4, including following your plan without any struggle. But err on the side of caution: It's better to review your deck when you don't really need it than to skip reading it when you do. The moment you stop practicing a needed skill, deviate from your plan, or feel as if dieting has become more difficult, go back to reading your Advantages Deck daily. At some point, you can start reviewing the deck every other day, then once a week, then once every two weeks, and then once a month. You should stay at the once-a-month frequency for a very long time.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 189.
Sometimes I sit reading your posts and my little head is nodding up and down saying, 'I know! I know! I feel that too!' It's very reassuring. And I think I must comment back about one, and then another and then I get to the end of reading and can't remember all the things I wanted to comment about. I fear my brain might be getting thin as well!
BBE--I wanted to ask you, as you've been maintaining for such a long time, when you have days that your snacking is excessive (however you define that) do you do anything to make up for it? Or is it one of those things that happen in Xanadu, where your body doesn't over-react to every hint of excess or deprivation and your metabolism has become more or less functional? When we read that it will get easier, obviously that doesn't mean we let our guard down, but I was curious how you experience maintenance. Thanks!
For me, I'm happy to keep monitoring and weighing. Down 1.5 this morning, which I guess is mostly due to the care I took in the week and certainly not to yesterday's (planned for) indulgences at a bridal shower. Credit (though honestly it feels more like luck than effort) to me for being able to plan for these things then get back on the trail the next morning. Credit to me for finding and sticking with this program!
Hello Beck Trekkers
Where has the week gone??? I cannot believe it is over a week since I last checked in. Each day, time seems to get away as I try to make the many adjustments to my daily schedule to allow time to follow the Beck principles. Goal No. 1 for this week is to be check in regularly with my coaches
I had an up and down week last weekend we had a public holiday, and somehow that seemed to translate to a relaxation of my diet. The scales let me know in no uncertain fashion that this was not OK. This battle of the bulge is unrelenting and unforgiving. During the working week, I was back to healthy eating and daily walk during lunchtime. Credit for following good routines.
Around rolls this weekend, and its back to letting my giving in muscle get stronger, instead of strengthening my resistance muscle. Each morning I read my reasons for wanting to lose weight, and I renew my resolve (credit), but the evening munchies hit and I seem to run out of energy for being self-disciplined. Goal No. 2 for this week is to build up my resistance muscle.
Its taken me quite a while to read through all the posts and its now getting late so I wont have time for personals. Suffice to say, I celebrated your victories scale and non-scale, and I commiserated with your challenges many of which are similar to the issues I face.
I've been wandering around in the weeds somewhere. But it's time to find that track again. I'm with Koala: Goal No. 1 for this week is to check in regularly with my coaches. I know that track is going to be easier to find with the help of my coaches.
Last edited by gardenerjoy; 10-14-2012 at 08:49 AM.
Thought for today from way back on the Beck Board.
Quote:
Dieting is generally easy in the beginning because motivation is high but some point (whether it's in three weeks or three months) it gets harder. This is completely NORMAL and it happens to everyone, and as long as dieters keep at it, dieting will get easier again.
This week, I don't have the opportunity to report a loss. In fact I gained back .5 pound. Considering the week I had, I'm not devastated. This week I'll do better. This week I won't be lured by the can of nuts sitting on the cabinet in the kitchen. This week I will read my cards more. I will not let one little deviation cause me to lose momentum.
I have been missing in action on this board for awhile. Not even sure the last day I was able to read your posts. Life in the fall is crazy in my world. Very busy at work, spent 5.5 hours there on Sat to try and get ahead, it's so much easier to work uninterrupted sometimes. And there is no reprieve in sight, I am really looking forward to Dec 17 when the last of my big fall/Christmas events is over. Nothing like wishing away 2 months
Weight moves between 1 and 2 pounds so I'm okay with that. Would like to be about 5 down but realize that I can't get bogged down with that right now. Getting lots of walking with Dexter, who's weight is on the steady increase - better him than me! He now over 60 pounds. Trying to get to the gym as often as I can whether for classes or just using the cardio equipment for now. I want to get my sister to come with me once to go over all the weight equipment we both used to use so diligently before husbands, kids and pets arrived in our lives.
Hope everyone is doing well. No time for personals now, I'm going to try and catch up on reading some posts.
credit for:
-weighing in this morning: a steady 252.9lbs. Great
-planning my food today and eating what was on plan
-posting here
-exercise tearing down/packing up my show booth from the weekend studio tour
I'm not sure how things "are". I say "are" because I think my perception of everything is coloured by a film of, hmm, what's the right word? Any of these:
During the long, boring hours this weekend, (it was a slow show, in hot church hall, with not that many people coming through) I talked the ear off my abstract painting neighbour. Once more I found it hard to shut myself up AND I KNEW BETTER. I know how to have a conversation for pete's sake. Part of it require you to listen and to up the quality of the conversation you ask people about themselves epecially when they are strangers and you are trying to get to know people and you don't know that many cause you are new somewhere. Hello? But I was talktalktalktalktalk. I annoyed myself, and apologized to the other artist at the end of the show who said there was no need to apologize as she felt like a caged lion, trapped in that room, cause she is a total introvert and seeing and talking to all those strangers was awful for her, so my stories (which were really REALLY rambling) kept her from thinking about how trapped she felt. I did invite her to my studio once it's up and running and she did say she wanted to join the potters' guild(!) so I did not have the negative effect I feared I would have. I suppose all this talking and expressing my feelings all over the place is a real step up from eating over all of that stuff. That's what I would have done. I didn't do that. Didn't even think to do that. My old OA buddy had a saying "You either face your stuff or stuff your face." This is true for me.
But I am just really irritated by everything right now. I just feel like the world is full of injustice and I feel like I am here stuck in this place and I don't like it and it's not changing and what's the point and just total frustration. And that just makes me feel mad. The last time I felt like this I made a piece of art that is now in a permanent art collection, so I have plenty of fuel for making things that's for sure.
Anyway these days I feel my stuff, I tell you guys my stuff, I deal with my stuff. I did overeat one day last week on some frozen stuff, given to us by my still-foodpushing MIL because "my freezer is just too small to have this in it, will you take it home with you?" as she bagged up a pint of dark coloured stuff and a frozen-ish commercial goop cake for us. I said to DH "we're just throwing this out" He said "I'll bring it to the office." And then Looloo and the toilet and the landlord and I ate all of the pint of dark stuff but did throw ito the compost bin the goopy cake. As I did that the thing practically screamed for me to eat it. I can hear it even now. N.O. And afgter I ate it that thigh muscle that goes on fire sometimes that hasn't been feeling firey at all flared like it has never flared for three days. Coincidence? Giant sugar bomb in my body and horrible symptom? I think not. DH, when I told him this, just said "Sugar is a poison", like he knew it all along and was just pretending to be hooked on the stuff for 40 years.
Anyway. See? Look. I've gone on way too long even here. Wow. But you can just skip over this or scroll down and all that. And I know you know it is better for me to put this all here than to keep it in and I thank every single one of you who can relate to me. I would not be 252 were it not for this group.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Food was on plan, CREDIT moi, thanks to lunch being exactly one mini bagel as we waited in line to attend a lecture in Boston. I was offered half a Subway turkey sub by a stranger but stuck with my modest little bagel.
The lecture was electric. The Dalai Lama spoke of the need for a world of compassion that all seven billion of us can share regardless of religion, belief system, or theism. Certainly fit Beck's suggestion that we do the unusual to keep ourselves growing. The warm up act was James Taylor singing some of his best including my favorite, Sweet Baby James. My challenge this week is to incorporate all that wonderfulness into mindful eating between meals.
onebyone Love the list of that which colours our vision - I found a few that I recognize. Kudos for keeping your sanity despite the challenges with your Looloo, your loo, and a helpful DH dropping, "Sugar is a poison" as an insight from a more experienced sane eater. Keep the faith.
Joy (gardenerjoy) Yep, beware the weeds. Which reminds me that DW says it's time to pull out our community garden and prepare it for winter.
Tazzy - Yay for Dexter - your personal trainer. Who puts on pounds of pure muscle without an ounce of fat. Sending supportive thoughts for your busy season for the next two months.
TeachMe - LOL at, "I fear my brain might be getting thin as well!" I'm using this to explain all mental slips from now on. Congrats on that 1.5 pounds down with Kudos for the care that took you there. [My experience with maintenance is that each indulgence requires compensation; I haven't reached a "Xanadu" where the body just increases its metabolism to keep the set point.]
HaleyJu - I will join you this week avoiding those nuts in the pantry - despite their shrill calling. Kudos for "not devastated" - a sane response.
Koala - Ouch for scales that don't know about national holidays. Or birthdays or anniversaries or wakes or weddings for that matter. Yay for a plan to increase your resistance muscle.
Readers -
Quote:
chapter 8Stage 5The Motivation-for-Life Plan
Daily Motivation Plan
each morning
Do the following each morning, before you eat breakfast: . . . Now is the time to modify your Advantages Deck. When you created it, you listed advantages that you hoped to achieve. Some of them may have come true for you already, and other may soon come true. As you read your deck, look for milestone you have already reached and rewrite those cards. For instance you might write, "I can walk two miles!" "I can buy clothes in regular stores!" "I don't have to take blood-pressure medication anymore!"
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), pg 189.
Credit for reporting to my coaches and exercising yesterday. Both things I didn't manage the day before.
I seem to need baby steps at the moment, so I'll add just one thing: my Evening Routine. It's a checklist of things I do at night that make my next day function and it includes planning my food and exercise. I haven't completed the checklist in many days so getting that back into my life is vital to getting out of the weeds and back on track.
So today:
Check in with my coaches (DONE! CREDIT!)
Exercise
Evening Routine
onebyone: As an introvert, I can confirm your new friend's experience in that situation -- you made her more comfortable and I know I would have been grateful for your company.
I also total relate to the whole injustice of it all. There was a part of me that was ready last week to wage a campaign against the unfairness of not getting to overeat when I have to make decisions that I don't want to make and do things that I don't want to do. But then I realized she was railing against a law of physics not a law of Congress. But it still doesn't seem fair.
BillBlueEyes: James Taylor and the Dalai Lama! What a wonderful experience.
Woke up early this morning and cried my eyes out while i wrote DS a letter he will get it in two days at camp. I pulled it together and put on a happy face. His send off was cheerful.
My food is completely undisciplined and I am only minimally following Beck. I do checkin and weigh in everyday but I continue to stand while I eat and plan nothing. Maybe it is time to revisit the basics. So for today - I will find my Beck book. That seems to be all that I am willing to commit to. Credit step class this morning.
Lexxiss: I reread my post and was horrified that I said "keep up the wining stream." I of course meant "winning" streak referring to not eating at work. My lack of proofing skills continues to haunt me everywhere.
Best to all. I think I'll be a little sad and quiet for a little longer.
HI.... tomorrow I go to see the Registered Dietician. Maybe she has her magic wand to give me the willingness to have sanity with food. At least... the willingness to try and do what I know can work and be helpful.
October 15, 2012 - Monday Motivation
We asked one maintainer how she is able to get herself to do what she needs to do to maintain her weight, day in and day out. She responded, “When I’m in control of my eating and my weight, I feel more like my natural self. When I’m out of control, I feel badly and it shows. It’s worth it to me to do what I need to do because it enables me to feel like me.”
I was motivated this morning to see the scales say that I was back to last week's weigh in #. The blip on the + side has moved on. Now it's time to move in the right direction. Working tonight until 7:00 because of open house will definitely eliminate that 4:30 snack monster! If I'm not where the snacks are, I can't snack.
I've spent the day stewing over the landlord's letter, over my response to the letter as there needs to be a reply, and over the prospect of all the things that I need to do to get ready to move. It is *hard* to find a place to rent here. But I have one leg up on the last time we did that. I am not in Ottawa. I know the area now. I know some people that I can ask for advice/suggestions/support. I am able to check into possible locations and to even put our name on waiting lists if need be.
I am not stuck.
Foodwise, I think I have eaten. I am not sure. Weird eh? DH is home soon so I am planning ahead for dinner now.
*credit for weighing in: +1.4 this morning.
*credit for creating the decluttering thread as it is my go-to place to keep me on track re:moving out
*credit for lining up a studio to stash a good portion of my stuff in 16 days and counting. Could not be better timing.
HaleyJu In the Beck quote it says "when I feel badly, it shows." I know that often when I feel badly I am so self-absorbed that I have no clue how it's showing. I am just lost. Funny thing is, if I don't pretend I am better than I am, my friends will ask me what's wrong and there is the value of a friend. sharing your troubles lessens them by half they say.... and such is the value of this space here. Thanks for the quote. Credit for " If I'm not where the snacks are, I can't snack."
Beverlyjoy*credit* for stepping out of your comfort zone and into the office of a professional who may tell you some good things, some obvious things, and some new-to-you things. I look forward to hearing how it went. I hope it's what you need to move forward once again.
gardenerjoy Thanks for your thoughts directed my way. We do seem to be somewhat on the same page these days emotionally speaking, and I guess also in term of getting back to basics with Beck. *credit for checking in with your coaches and making a simple plan.
maryann Sorry to read you are feeling sad. *credit for doing minimal Beck strategies. I have been doing the minimum for a few months now. We do what we can when we can and when we can, we do more. *credit for checking in.
Billblueeyes "the need for a world of compassion" *sigh* I have to say, I don't think we are going to get there in my lifetime. However, it all starts with each one of us, and compassion for ourselves, which Beck does advocate when we get to say the all encompassing "Oh well"; it goes a long way to moving us forward instead of staying stuck. Imagine if international leaders did an "oh well" sometimes? Hard, really hard, to imagine it. *credit for sticking with your mini bagel inspite of the offer of a FREE half of a sub from a compassionate stranger.
Sunday
*still shaking my fist at the world*
and to up the quality of the conversation you ask people about themselves epecially when they are strangers and you are trying to get to know people and you don't know that many cause you are new somewhere. Hello? But I was talktalktalktalktalk. I annoyed myself, and apologized to the other artist at the end of the show who said there was no need to apologize as she felt like a caged lion, trapped in that room, cause she is a total introvert and seeing and talking to all those strangers was awful for her, so my stories (which were really REALLY rambling) kept her from thinking about how trapped she felt. I did invite her to my studio once it's up and running and she did say she wanted to join the potters' guild(!) so I did not have the negative effect I feared I would have. I suppose all this talking and expressing my feelings all over the place is a real step up from eating over all of that stuff. That's what I would have done. I didn't do that. Didn't even think to do that. My old OA buddy had a saying "You either face your stuff or stuff your face." This is true for me.
stew
Lexxiss, Tazzy (welcome back!), Koala, TeachMe.
