Morning coaches

My plan is a bit scatty for today so I had better make it more structured and useful. Yesterday I had a plan and followed it but it was an intensive desk day where I had to remind myself to move regularly - just made my steps

Pamatga - I have to say I didn't find Kangaroo greasy or gamey - supposedly very healthy and low fat. Will have to chase up this Zimmerman
Lulu - hang in there - a minor lapse not relapse as you know. Be fabulous!
GardenerJoy - I will seriously need to plan for Christmas and plan in treats or it will be out of control - thanks for the hints
BillBE - ouch being stuck with the oranges. Great streak - how are you going to end it? Oh for snow and ice
ForMyGirls - sorry about the disappointment from a no doubt cash-strapped department - they should do better. And sad that you are having financial difficulties - story of my life actually and for similar reasons. Turn into a moron when numbers have a $ sign in front of them! Might join you on the other list but not sure of priorities yet
Beth(FromDayton) - was it you who asked who else used MFP - I do. And as Pamatga said - it was a little hard to log Australian Native exotica on there but otherwise it does pretty well. Packing lunch a constant bugbear but so important for me to stay on track - hope you get there
LoseToAll - great recovery from off plan cheese
Nationalparker - credit for a great plan for the office party that was not unhinged by chicken tenders. I know - behaviour can be positively mystifying

Progress
Weight - down 0.2 lb / +1 lb on ticker; 5340/5000 steps; 3.6/3 km; Food - on plan

Lose to all: Thanks for asking about the Dukan Plan. It is a diet, called the Dukan Diet, create by a French doctor named Pierre Dukan. You eat low carb, focusing on veggies and proteins, but eat some fruits and whole grains. When you get to your goal weight you can have two extra servings of starch a week, and two “celebration meals” a week, during which you can eat an appetizer, main dish, drink, and dessert of your choice. I have been doing it for a year, and have been at my goal weight since last May. I did gain a few lbs. over the summer, but I just stopped the weight creep and have been maintaining ever since. There is a book, and a website about the Dukan diet, if anyone if ever interested. I found that I needed Dr. Beck also, or I had a hard time with vacations, conventions, parties, etc.

Today was a good day. I have been on plan, and I exercised at the gym: upper body, and half an hour of treadmill/cardio. I had an aggravating comment from my cleaning lady. She was always so encouraging about my weight loss. I had purchased some new pants, and was showing them to my daughter. The cleaning lady saw them, and asked, have you gained weight? “No, I, weigh the same,” I replied. It was true. I don’t know why I let it bother me. I should be more even minded, I guess. I was so ticked off that I didn’t give her the Christmas bonus I had been planning to give her. That was petty of me, but I will give it to her next time, when I have cooled down from the insult. What makes people think they have a right to comment on my body? But then again, why was I so ready to accept compliments, but not willing to accept critical questions? Either way, I’m giving away too much power to my cleaning lady! :?:

Hi all,

Today is Day 7 of recording everything--and actually, I recorded everything right after breakfast! I just finished recording tomorrow. I'm remembering that it doesn't really take more than a few minutes to do and it makes the day so simple food-wise.

In mentally preparing for our big weekend house party in January, I am realizing that continuing to track is a key piece--even if I eat more than my regular calorie goals, I need to record it all. So, I'll have two big weekend party goals--record everything and only eat sitting down, even at the party, all food must go on a plate and be eaten sitting properly.

Valkyrie1: Welcome! Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Dukan Diet. It's interesting to note that Beck's approach works with pretty much any food plan.

seadwaters: Credit for making yourself make your steps--even on a desk day! I only have a brief time where I fell off of the "bring a lunch everyday" wagon--and I am back on it properly--meaning, I want to be on it--it makes the day less stressful to have lunch ready to go in the morning--and to not have to go out and seek lunch during the day.

pamatga: I really like reading your day summaries! A sleep challenge sounds like a wonderful idea!

LuLu01801: You will recover--if we didn't have off-plan days, it wouldn't be such an accomplishment to have so many OP days--you've been doing great--and can get yourself back on track.

gardenerjoy: It's so encouraging to remember that it only takes 3 minutes to make a plan--it is so not a hardship. Your success helps me remember that!

BillBE: Hello to your moon beam. 27 days--that's awesome. Are you seeing the results you want to be seeing?

ForMyGirls: Fudge! I'm distressed for you on the award not coming with cash. You deserve incredible credit for dealing with that stress without food. :hug: Interesting thought of using CBT for financial issues--it's a powerful tool.

Public service announcement: when faced with adorable Girl Scouts, ask if their troop is participating in the Gift of Caring. This is very common for US Girl Scout troops. You can buy boxes and donate them--each troop chooses their own organization to donate to--children's hospitals, shelters, to troops overseas are all common. Our sales start after the first of the year. I think I "bought" 10 boxes last year--but had exactly 2 cookies.

Take care all!

67 today team. Well done us.

I had a really empowering day thinking about my ARCs for living within my means - and working out exactly how big the hole is that I need to climb out of. (A much more time consuming task than the standing on the scales I did at the beginning of this weight loss journey, but an equally important line in the sand that I have vowed never to cross back over). All that meant that I hadn't done my exercise by 9.30pm. So then the thought process went "never mind I'll just start my streak again" and then I thought "bugger that" and did the exercise. Yay for streaking.

Thanks everyone for the support and encouragement on the award disappointment. I am feeling much more accepting of the situation now - the trophy will serve as a powerful symbol of my determination to live a financial stable life!

Lulu - days off can be hard to manage hey? Good on you for posting about it and look forward to seeing your name back on the streak list soon!

On the topic of kangaroo - I really like it. Haven't had it for a while but I used to have a friend who was "vegetarian except for kangaroo" so it was a regular meat for a while. A lean meat like beef but not as dry. I think I would struggle with croc meat though - maybe just a karma thing - the crocs didn't eat me when I was up north so it's only fair not to dine on them now that I'm in safer climes.

Wednesday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – The big deal: at the supermarket, the one that NEVER gives samples, I was greeted right inside the door with an offer of FREE chicken noodle soup. Every part of that was weird since this store just doesn't. It was midafternoon; I was tempted. It wasn't Campbell's concentrate - it came from the specialty foods case. It was small. I could count it as my afternoon snack. Even though I've been skipping morning and afternoon snacks lately, they're still on my plan. I could just Do It! The die was cast. Then, like a bolt of lightning, I recognized that all of the above were Sabotaging Thoughts. I didn't need that soup. Nor was it rare and unusual. So I passed, CREDIT moi. For those with petty judgment, I acknowledge that I don't like chicken noodle soup and have never eaten a bowl of it in my life. When facing 'FREE' I consider that irrelevant. (Streak thus grows to 28 - which is like four weeks!)

Exercise was an emergency walk, CREDIT moi, to the bank to move money from here to there since we'd written a check from account 'there' but the money was in 'here.' When I hire the butler, he'll attend to that kind of nonsense.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Neat that you have a 'Tickler' to help plan dinner. Kudos for "I've exercised 150 days in a row."

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Ouch for an "intensive desk day" with Kudos for making your steps goal anyway.

Pam (pamatga) – Ouch for the increased hassle due to dead time with a probation officer. Kudos for marching forth.

Beth (bethFromDayton) – Thanks for the "Public service announcement:" - I'll keep that in mind because there are a few more young girls in the neighborhood who might be Girl Scouts. Kudos for the planning for now and for January. [I'm seeing the results commensurate with my actions. Unfortunately, minding my snacks is worth about a pound a month and eating off plan seems to have added a pound each snack. Accepting any offers for how to find patience.]

Lulu (LuLu01801) – Yep, "I will recover" is the path forward.

ForMyGirls - "Yay for streaking" indeed; Kudos. Love the notion of "vegetarian except for kangaroo" - don't think I could have imagined that sentence on my own.

Valkyrie1 - Ouch for the comment from your cleaning lady. I've discovered that it's considered OK for Russians and Japanese to make body comments - perhaps she comes from a culture where that's expected as a way of being attentive.

Readers -

My 100%OP Day streak count is up to 7.

And, it's helping. Today's weight is my lowest since February.

WI: -0.2 kg, Exercise: +30 790/1400 minutes for December, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

pamatga: (and anyone else who would like to join) December's monthly exercise thread is here: http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/chic...challenge.html We do it every month and you're welcome to join!

Meant to check in yesterday to say I was on track, but apparently I was on track with everything but time. Streak is at 1 from yesterday, and thankfully the near keg-size bins of gourmet Chicago style popcorn are emptied in our office kitchens, so the tempation that used to last a week here at work is over with in two days. In retrospect, I'm pleased with my handling of the office party and am not going to be as hard on myself as I was since I stayed light that night, and the scale bumped up a tiny bit from salt, I guess, and is back down. I'm closing in on the 169s and the lowest i was earlier this year was 167 ... and then jumped right back into the 170s. So, when I finally move that ticker to under 170, I will be aiming to not return.

I know the days at home in Florida will be challenging, foodwise. I did well this last time, and only will be there for five days, so I can commit to restraint for most of the time. The challenge will be the cookie trays of frosted cutout cookies, sugar cookies, etc. Frosted cutouts are the unique and rare category for me because I only bake them myself at Christmas (but this year I'm skipping it but know my sister is going to make them there). n But will thoroughly enjoy one with a cup of tea and not scarf several.

Today I'm lunching with a friend and we're walking (13 degrees) a short distance to a cafe in a museum ... Instead of a sandwich that I typically eat half and save the other half for later, I'm going to choose a cup of chicken tortilla soup. It's small but I don't like the jalapeno cornbread and can bring that home and freeze for DH, and it's still a treat because I do not make that. No chips with that, so that'll help me stay on track.

Made new ARC card but called them my success steps and like what I have come up with so far for the holiday span. I make this whole dang thing harder than it has to be (weight loss).

REALLY wanting to join forces with DH and work toward a healthier year in 2014 ... but just don't think he's at the same place as I am, and it's bothering me. He's enjoying holiday treats with abandon and I cringe when I count the calories in my head. But I know - lay off. But it's hard.

Bill - You cracked me up with the free soup temptation. Like you, I am not a chicken soup person but the free would have been a teaser. Kudos for the four-week span of kickin' it!!

GardenerJoy - MAJOR credits on the action taken to achieve the lowest weight since Feb. Great job!! In a few weeks, I hope I can say that I'm the lightest since April... Well, hopefully by the end of January. That's my goal. You have set the bar. :)

Beth - Great job on seeing the need to get OP and DOING IT. Good advice on the Girl Scout's Gift of Caring. I'm weary of their cookie sales myself because they're set up outside every market/store here during their push, it seems, and then I tend to get cranky in my mind. This is a good option.

Day 35 & 36: Weighing In/Believe it!
 

Day 35: Weighing In: I do this every day and keep it recorded in a pocket calendar on my computer desk so I will pass on this. I have known what I weigh every day for the past 3 years. I do not define myself by that number and I have desensitized myself to it.

losetoall: I do have to depart from my daily summaries to say if that bothered you what your cleaning lady said then don't visit the south any time soon. I grew up with a Mom born and raised in the South and she was so blunt about her observations that it left me wounded for nearly my entire life. I always thought it was "just her" until I moved to the deep South 10 years ago and the first "native Southern" I met socially said and acted the same way as my Mom and then I realized that it is a regional and cultural thing. Also, when a "real Southern" says 'bless your heart', it is their way of saying "You ** idiot, what were you were thinking?" I was so accustomed to saying the former than finally one day a "native Southern" lady told me what it really meant. Now, my DH and I have an inside joke where we still say it but add " but in the nicest way."

Which brings me to another thing. From the first day I decided to recommit to losing weight (which let's face it is about once every 18 months in the past few years), I do NOT tell anyone but my DH and all of you that I am "dieting". NO! NO! NO! I have had different people ask me and I just say "oh a few pounds, I don't know I'm not keeping track" or I will say " I guess, in all the right places." Nothing brings out the "diet police" more than knowing someone is on a diet. I like to fly under the radar on that one. This is also an added benefit for me in moving. The next "group of new friends" won't know what I looked like as a 301.8 lbs woman and I have no plans in telling any one unless the situation deems it the 'right thing to do'. "Taint nobody's business..." IMO. and it isn't your cleaning lady's business neither...she is paid to clean not make derisive comments. :soap: End of story! "bless her heart".;)

beth: WTG on Day 7 for being OP. It sounds like you have found what works for you and you are working it! Great Job!

Thanks for the info regarding the GS. I got caught by them as I was entering a store and I simply said that I would like to give a donation to their organization (I used to be one so we are "sisters" in green) and they could keep the cookies. The young girls give you the most puzzled looks (I know because selling the most cookies means money taken off going to camp in the summer time and it is kind of competitive) but I usually add that I am diabetic and the older women who are chaperoning the girls "get it". Not everyone is meant to eat sugar with abandonment. I am one who can not any more. I am okay with sharing that information since it is not something that is necessarily "obvious".

Day 36: Believe It! Okay, this is the one that is the apex of the reason why I have failed to lose all of the weight that I need and want to lose. :dunno: I have always had the desire to lose weight. I have always had the willpower :dust: to lose weight. I just didn't have the FAITHto believe that I could do it. I still don't. I read this stuff and it is all in my head but it hasn't yet all filtered down into my heart and my soul. :blah:

So, having said that, I am just going to keep going over and over the Days that I have trouble with as well as keep this in mind when I rewrite my ARC cards. I mean, it doesn't take a genius to know that I am medically obese nor that I have some health issues that would be "fixed" with weight loss. I know this!

Last year, since I was on the cusp of turning 60 as well as it being the Year of the Snake (which is me), I deemed it to be the "Year of Me". I even have a file folder on my computer so named. Although the "new year" is going to end on January 31st and be the "Year of the Horse", as far as I am concerned it is still the "Year of Me." Period. My old ARC cards are just plain too "duh" (really, you think I need to lose weight?, really)..... I need to focus more on cracking this lack of faith in myself and really get down to the nitty gritty of why I can be a cheerleader :cheer: for everyone else on this planet except me. So, I am going to :write: sit down and do some brainstorming these next couple of days and if anyone here knows of any good books on teaching a person how to believe in themselves, let me know! Please!:^:

BBE: Well, I don't know if I completely understand your "snack to pound" ratio but I do have a Maxine cartoon that says" Why does it take 2 weeks to lose a pound and 2-3 days to gain two pounds?" There is some universal truth in that for any one who has "been there, done that." Keep up the good work and I bet you would eat a second bowl of my homemade chicken noodle soup. :D

Since we are having a whole turkey for the third time since Thanksgiving for Christmas Eve; I thought I would share with y'all how I roast a turkey so that it is not dry the first, second, third et al times. I got this from "Secrets of a Restaurant Chef". I was doing it all wrong until I watched her cook a whole chicken and I have been doing this ever since.

Pre-roasting: You can do a salt brine the night before if you eat the skin. The skin on the turkey must stay dry the entire time that it is cooking. If it seems moist after prep-cleaning and rinsing then pat it dry with paper towels. Do a salt rub with coarse kosher or sea salt all over the bird. Then ample black pepper and other seasonings as you like. You can also add sliced onion and/or butter to put in the cavity if you wish.

Pour about 1 1/2-2" of plain water in the bottom of the roasting pan. Mistake #1: Do not baste the turkey during cooking. This will dry out the meat.

Cook the turkey for 45-60 minutes at 375 degrees (I am sorry I don't know the conversion for non-U.S. appliances). Then, turn the oven down to 325 degrees with a loose "tent" of foil over the bird and cook it until either the interior temps are done for poultry (which 165 degrees for U.S. standards) and/or no visible pink in the deepest part of the breast. You will have to test that to be sure. Then, remove and wait 15-20 minutes to allow the bird to cool down before slicing.

Do not be surprised if the meat literally falls off the bone. After I have cooked all poultry this way, I do not do it any other way. Even the breast meat is juicy and very moist. Do not let the cut turkey stand in the open air. Make sure to cover it until you are ready to put it in the refrigerator. When you have removed all of the meat from the bone, line a baking pan (13"x9") with first aluminum foil then plastic wrap. You will put the turkey in that, making sure to seal it with the plastic wrap and then the foil over that. This will lock in the moistness because the most common reason for poultry drying out after being cooked is how you store it. This double wrap method is key to enjoying leftovers. In fact, they will taste so good, they will go even faster.

gardenerjoy: Will you have a separate exercise challenge thread each month like we do here for our discussion group? If so; where can I find it? I will join all of you in January. December is the worst month for my RA and I am pushing the limits right now in reorganizing all of my seasonal decorations right now. I have been doubling up my usual NSAIDS just so I can "move" through a lot of organizational prep work I am doing for the 2014 move. So, January, as it starts to warm up here, I will be more able to throw myself into daily exercising.

Major Kudos for being under your lowest weight. You are in a good place.

Take care all, and for those of you are readers or lurkers, hope things are well on your end of the stick, Pam :comp:

The plateau is over!

After 6 weeks of stagnation the scales finally moved this morning and reported me as down 1.3kg from my last weigh in. Woohoo. New mini goal achieved. Time to change the ticker :-)

Late check-in for yesterday. I have been rushed today and lost track.

My food was on plan - I had the snacks I planned for and stayed within an 8 hour window to eat. That usually means I have breakfast and lunch together which works for me most of the time. I have introduced a processed snack (protein bar). I usually avoid processed foods / biscuits / packet stuff but other "treats" like fruit are all high carb or sugar or starch which I am staying away from at the moment. Hope an Atkins bar (which was delicious) doesn't spark a craving frenzy but it seemed OK yesterday. I did find myself nibbling as I made lunch this morning and had to tell myself that it wasn't on - and put a stop to it! Made my step count for yesterday - will be a miracle if I do for today because another day tied to the desk.

Happy for your weight loss ForMyGirls; Credit Beth(FromDayton) for a streak in recording everything - I can get a bit hit and miss with entering things into MFP

Progress
Weight - down 0.4 lb / +0.6 lb on ticker; 6100/5000 steps; 4.1/3 km; Food - on plan

Good Evening, Coaches.

Brief check in tonight. Very long day with season craziness fully engaged at my middle school. Big credit for maintaining the one rule I set for myself at the potluck: No sweets at work. I brought a tupperware and stored four tastes of the homemade treats that showed up every year. I ate a small plate of main courses with a baked sweet potato I brought. I tried homemade samosas and taquitos but didn't finish them. I waited until I got home and ate my treats for dinner. Certainly not a perfect plan but I am still calling it a win.

Also credit for recognizing my family drama starting up for Xmas. I took the bold step of erasing all the emails without reading them. If someone needs to speak to me, he or she can pick up the phone.

ForMyGirls: Congrats on the weightloss.

Hello coaches,

72 points tonight. This is our highest score - we've been here once before - I'll be itching to add it up tomorrow and see if we have set a new record :-)

14 points for me. Another busy day which meant I got to my exercise / Wellbeing tasks at 9pm. Thank goodness of the streaks to motivate me to do them.

Some credits - for doing the exercise well being stuff despite it being late. For not going back for seconds of a very yummy dinner. For not celebrating today's weightloss by overeating today :-)

BBE - your story about the chicken soup had me worried - I thought you were leading to an unhappy "streak has ended" finish to your tale. 28 days is pretty darn astonishing.

Maryann - what a brave wise move to delete emails BEFORE they messed with your head.

Thursday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – I got to exercise my resistance muscle at both Trader Joe's and Whole Foods, CREDIT moi. Whole Foods offered the usual, including Cabot cheeses from Vermont of which I'm particularly fond, as well as whole mini-muffins from their bakery. Whole mini-muffins tweak my childhood stuff. Better yet, my evening event meant sitting for two hours in front of good cheeses, nuts, and wines - I ate nothing. Streak goes to 29.

Exercise was another round of snow shoveling, CREDIT moi, as well as walking to my evening event. I was offered a ride home due to the icy sidewalks. It wasn't hard to decline; the night was crisp and clear - just a joy to be outside.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Congrats on lowest weight in ten months.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Kudos for being mindful trying out that Atkins bar. I love when we avoid processed foods but never achieve 100% avoidance.

Pam (pamatga) – LOL at "Bless your heart." Yep, one has to learn how to let it drip out of the mouth for its full impact. Smart to avoid the "diet police." [Putting it on my Bucket List to try your chicken soup.]

maryann - Super Kudos for showing up at your middle school potluck with Tupperware and a baked sweet potato - that's serious planning.

nationalparker – Neat idea to plan to bring the jalapeno cornbread home for your DH.

ForMyGirls - Congrats on moving your ticker - in kilograms no less. Special Kudos for not eating to celebrate weight loss.

Readers -

Pam. It was Valkyrie that has the annoying cleaning lady. But your bless your heart story was funny.

By the way. Valkyrie I have been thinking.... Maybe she just doesn't have any reason to buy clothes BUT for weight gain. It seems that is what I buy clothes for I can never go down far enough to buy new clothes but I am wearing out and buying clothes a size bigger. Not anymore, Beck has changed that I think

Fast day yesterday. I did it and I didn't suffer too much. Fasting is getting easier. TOM is on and I did not gain this month before it started, a miracle. I have a dinner out tonight and I have decided what to order and I am going to eat light for the day. Weigh-in day is Friday and I may hit my goal.

BBE. I love cheese and the holidays have so many opportunities to try it but I have stayed clear.

Maryann you are amazing. I know what it is like at my middle school with treats. The kids bring them to me and I have to give them away. You are so strong. And I love that you deleted the family emails. So smart to not even engage in the craziness. Good luck on the maybe phone calls.

ForMyGirls. Can I join your streak? I would like to add a point for yesterday.

GardenerJoy. Thanks on the exercise info. Can you post the January exercise link when it starts. I need something to get the exercise going.

Well hope you are all well. Have a great OP day.

My 100%OP Day streak count is back down to 0. (Sorry, team)

And it wasn't DH's fault this time. It was the eye doctor's. Does anyone else routinely have 3 hour appointments at the eye doctor? I do, but I'm in complete denial about it, so I planned for about a third of that. And, thus, the errands I ran afterwards ended up at lunch time instead of mid-morning. So, I ate mall food.

I thought mall food would be a treat since it's been awhile. But, not so much. I learned that I'm still susceptible to the effects that David Kessler describes in The End of Overeating. If I'm not paying much attention I think food tastes good when, really, it just goes down easy. So easy that I'm looking around for more, even if I'm uncomfortably full. Fortunately, just a little attention and I realize that the food has two flavors "sweet" and "salt" (plus a chemically taste I've begun to detect in processed foods) and one easily chewed texture. The tastiness is an illusion. No where near as interesting as the salad that I would have eaten at home. So, I'm happily back to eating my normal food today.

WI: NA kg, Exercise: +30 820/1400 minutes for December, Food: 60%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

pamatga and LoseToAll: The monthly exercise challenge is under Support Groups / Chicks Up For a Challenge. I've been starting it each month for a couple of years, but it was going long before I took it over. Someone recently came back to 3FC who ran it something like 5 years ago. We're not very chatty on that thread -- I figure it's because we're all too busy exercising! But it's a supportive place to keep track. Great idea, LoseToAll -- I just made a note to post the January thread here when it gets going.

ForMyGirls: so happy you got a scale result that you wanted!