Wow - what a big thinking weekend we have all been having! And spectacularly at the same time as facing so many of our demons we have also been increasing our streaks. 67 points!!!!
My personal streak is at 10. I remember being at 6 and thinking one more day and I'll break my record and today I find myself thinking "how did I get to 10"????
It has been another day of grumpiness for me but thanks to a wise and loving partner who said "you know - I'm not sure weeding is what you need to be doing today" I opted for a day of sloth (after completing my exercise for the day) and self-indulgence (but not of the calorific type).
That, plus reading everyone's big thinking has shifted something inside my head about other challenges I face in my life. Not sure how it will fall out yet but it feels like greater clarity / a new way of dealing with it is almost within reach. Amazing how I never remember when I am in the grumps that this is where I end up and that the grumps are actually a good and useful thing.
Credits - I didn't eat on top of the grumps. I realised I was full so stopped eating dinner, even though there was some of my measured out serve left.
Welcome Valkyrie1!
Lulu - thanks for "only in remission from my crazy behaviors around food/drink"
National Parker - hooray to you for making it through on a "hanging on by a thread" day. Loved the Channing quote
Maryblu - thanks for being so brave in sharing the discovery of your bitterness. It was very powerful to read. I hope that naming it will help you start to let it go.
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Exercise was limited to waddling about an electronics store trying to figure out how to buy components needed to play all DVD's (except 3D). Seems that each component now includes Wi-Fi connection to parts of the Internet. Each connection is a separate 'App' - more can't be added. For those of us who think that's confusing, there's a single box that is essentially a computer that lets you browse the whole Web like you do at your desk. A new thing is a 'Sound Bar' for speakers with a wireless link to a large sub-woofer that sits on the floor. The kids selling stuff wonder why anyone would want an FM radio antenna when they can get iHeartRadio over the Internet. I've got some catching up to do.
Streak increments to 25 days of snacks on plan or below, CREDIT moi. Big deal was to pass through Trader Joe's and refuse their FREE sample of something with cheese. Seems silly to be so excited about refusing a small sample, but it's an attitude adjustment for me to get back into eating only what's planned. Trader Joe's was mobbed; every checkout line was about eight long; I left without buying anything. Dinner was a quick trip to our local Thai fast food place. We arrived with two Glad containers in my backpack so that we each brought home half of our dinner. It's in the fridge for my lunch today. Made a green salad when I got home since Thai isn't a very salady cuisine. Evening snack was the Tangerines I forgot to eat last night.
maryblu – Thanks for the supportive thoughts about using the Seven Questions Technique - I'll have to revisit those. Your diligence and honesty searching for the source of your obsession are stunning. I salute you; Kudos. Love the affirmation that those of us striving to use the Beck strategies are on the right track, "Bloody brilliant, I say."
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Good Grief! You held a warm baguette in your hand and remembered, "I only eat baguettes in France." I'm impressed. Super Kudos.
CeeJay - Hope all is going well with you.
Cheryl (seadwaters) – Kudos for acknowledging, "The amount of change and vigilance and commitment is significant" - even when the overwhelms attack that it's not enough, you can recognize what you're doing. Kudos.
Pam (pamatga) – Yep, "thoughtful" people do bring their issues to our food. Kudos for seeing that you weren't obligated to make him happy. Good luck planning for the visit from your dad and sister.
maryann - Yay for the joy anticipating your reward of black boots.
nationalparker – So neat how you take pleasure enjoying the nature about you. Canada Geese aren't a favorite around here. Love the WILLIAM HENRY CHANNING quote - thanks.
Beth (bethFromDayton) – Always encouraging, "what I intended to." Thanks for nailing it with, "a line between feeling it's restrictive and feeling it's empowering."
Lulu (LuLu01801) – Yay for motivation with Kudos for being aware enough to be grateful for it. Love the happy image of you strutting out in your "skinny jeans and riding boots." Congrats for figuring out that early shopping was 6:45 instead of the 8:00 when I went; your prediction was right - it was a zoo.
LoseToAll - Smart idea to work on your ARC's to figure out what matter to you.
Valkyrie1 - A free cupcake is a tough one to turn down. Kudos for being aware.
Readers -
Quote:
day 9Select and Exercise Plan
Exercise has many diet- and non-diet-related benefits: . . .
Exercise improves your health and helps prevent disease. Studies have found a correlation between regular exercise and a reduced risk for heart disease, diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 108.
Exercise yesterday was shoveling snow. The driveway isn't quite clear, so that will be today's exercise as well. We don't need to go anywhere, but it will be nice to have the job done.
WI: +0.1kg, Exercise: +80 665/1400 minutes for December, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
Welcome, Valkyrie1! Great to have you here!
maryblu: that was some powerful effect the 7 Questions had for you, bringing an answer before you even asked them. Thanks for the background about their use in quality control -- I didn't know that. I'm going to revisit that technique as I'm thinking about new year goals that are going to have to deal with a disappointing end, professionally, to this year.
BillBlueEyes: still not seeing birds, but eight squirrels flitted around the oak tree in the back yard this morning. I guess they're digging for acorns in the snow? I'm not sure why the acorns are more attractive under snow than they were last week laying on the ground.
Location: Carlsbad (North San Diego County, California)
Posts: 104
S/C/G: 213/157/153
Height: 5 ft. four inches
Hi Coaches, and thanks so much for accepting a new person into your group!
Pamagata: I have been lurking for quite a while, and I have never seen a post from another Valkyrie. When I tried to register, however, Valkyrie was taken, so I had to go with "Valkyrie1." I hope the other Valkyrie is an intelligent, compassionate soul, and that there are no cases of mistaken identity, haha.
Nationalparker: I love your posts and descriptions of nature
I have a party today at a restaurant. I am proud of myself because I called the host and asked what will be served. Now I can make a plan, and will not have an excuse to cheat. Credit to me!
Well, *hmmm..in trying to stay with my clean- eating-anti-inflammation-food-as-nourishment-not-entertainment strategy, I experimented with Tahini in my oatmeal rather than peanut butter as per Dr. Oz. Dosed it with a good amount of cinnamon and thought it would be edible. Not so much. Choked about half of it down. New to Tahini, but I adore sesame seeds so thought I would love it. *sigh. Organic Tahini in not cheap. Anyone know of a good way to endure the stuff?
Welcome, Valkrie 1. I hope you get as much out of this site as I do. The insights here are amazing. Reinforces my (biased) opinion that Beckies are really smart!
Am gonna have to stop indulging myself is posting right now, it's back to decluttering. Alas, an endless task.
Rocky emotional morning. I am beginning to think this is inevitable after the siege of over scheduling I have been surviving. Credit to DH and (begrudgingly) myself for working through it to the point that we are all now quietly sitting by the fire or heaters working on relaxing little tasks. I wish it did not take a big scene to find peace through exhaustion but maybe that is a requirement. In my morning meditation I reaffirm, "I am no longer running the show. God is."
So yesterday's two holiday events were healthy food choices but not exactly what I had planned. Then, at the last minute, I ate a homemade sugar cookie. "Oh well." I add it to the other imperfections I am working hard to let go. Today I have a plan. Exercise will be Pilates. Like ForMyGals partner, DH said "I don't think you are suppose to be cleaning today." So he wrote in the dust on our tv "Do Not Clean" and expects to still see the writing when he gets back from the Sacramento Kings game. I will try to let the cleaning go as well.
nationalparker: The quote is copied on a sticky note. Thanks.
Maryblu: I use tahini for delish hummus.
BBE: California Oranges are not at their best until January or Feb. in my experience. We have about ten trees.
I am disgruntled that still my weight is unchanging or going up. I keep revisiting my plan and my food and checking out the food log to see if I did anything off plan - but no real reason so I just have to tough it out. Will rethink plan after the holiday season if no further improvements. I will move my eating into an 8 hour window between 11.30 am and 7.30 pm to see if that makes a difference. Having said all that yesterday wasn't quite on plan. I was organising my work lunch box and found three Macadamia nuts left in my snack box which I promptly gobbled without thinking - not on plan and standing up. Room for improvement
Maryann - good luck with letting go - always a challenge but extreme kudos for recognising the desire to hold on; Maryblu - Tahini with yoghurt and garlic and lemon is a great dressing or dip and goes well with lamb. You had me going back to revise the 7 Question method - and yes it is powerful thanks; Welcome Valkyrie1 - great to see a new member; GardenerJoy - great streak going and WOW for not eating hot baguette! BillBlueEyes - thanks for the reminder that restaurant food can be enjoyed twice when you prepare for it. Kudos on avoiding the Trader Joe pitfalls ForMyGirls - hope the grumps transformed into a new plan of action. Kudos for a streak of 10 sneaking up on you; Debbie (Lexxiss) - great for maintaining "maintaining" as a priority in the midst of some severe aggravations. it is that dedication to purpose that I need to put into action more.
Not sure how I will manage food today. There is an 'event' at work at 2.30 which is part of our project to integrate indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing into our work practice. I think all of the food fits into the "rare and unusual category" as it is all Australian native food and bush tucker (sorry this is too long but it can't be paraphrased ).
•Wild Barramundi fillet, aniseed, myrtle & artichoke roulade
•Marinated Kangaroo carpaccio and bush tomato relish on baby rocket and wood oven baked bread
•Crocodile, braised leek and corn nori parcel tempura, pandanus leaf dipping sauce
•Baked Cheese fruit and goat fetta tartlet, Roma tomato and Native River mint salsa
•Seared Hervey Bay scallop served on warrigal green, Basil and pea puree
•Miniature wild finger lime tartlet, Qld tropical fruit slivers
•Macadamia & orange almond meal cake covered in lemon Myrtle creamed frosting
I think it might be difficult to stick to anything like my usual plan - so I will plan to: have a light and late breakfast/lunch at 11.30 am; not overeat; avoid the foods with bread or carbs; have a light evening meal; enjoy and appreciate the rare and unusual (not sure I could try the totally unusual like crocodile and kangaroo but who knows - a bit freaked really)
Progress Checked in 7 times in a row; Weigh in 199.6 - no change for day / +1 lb (total for week); Physiotherapy exercises - Half done yesterday; Exercise Not a lot - sitting about contemplating; 5620/5000 steps; 3.8/3 km; Food - macadamia ambush
hi everyone!!
I'm still plugging away, today is day 10 of my OP streak . . . YAY!!!
I had a ball last night dancing, my knee cooperated and it feels ok.
I'm having a pajama day today and loving every minute of it!!!
I have Monday and Tuesday off this week and I'm so excited about that.
I'm gonna get my act together for Christmas and have a productive day tomorrow.
but first I'll be at the gym and get a good workout under my belt.
I enjoy so much reading all your posts and find it very motivating and inspiring.
I want to do personals but it will have to wait.
In my quiet time today, I thought "being just good enough is not good enough anymore".
I'm shooting for fabulous!!!
I hope you are all having a beautiful Sunday!!
Lulu
Just checking in to say I am doing great- back down to 285 and planning on hitting my next goal of 281 as soon as possible. But I know it will take as long as it takes and no use getting ahead of myself. Excited for that because then I will be a short step to the next goal- out of the 280's. After yo-yoing so much, I just want to see that 279 badly!!!
Love reading all the discussion here and appreciate all of you who take the time to share your life. Here are some of your thoughts that have hit me lately:
- "I didn't go there so credit"- seadwaters
- "Glorious success due to...wait for it...planning"- BillBlueEyes
- "BillBlueEyes and Lexxiss don't go to Hardees, and I don't have any reason to go there either"- gardenerjoy. (I have never seen a Hardees in Canada but I am getting your drift. )
- "I need to get up every morning and formulate a plan for the day"-Lexxiss
- "he could take it or he could dump it, but we wouldn't be eating it" bethFromDayton
- "peace is the ultimate goal, peace around food for once in my life" LuLu01801
- "I have reached goal"-maryann--
- "We do have control, we do have a choice..." maryblu
Also loving the discussion on mindfulness- thanks for the links ForMyGirls
Day 30 & 31: Stay In Control when Dining Out/Decide about Drinking
Day 30: Stay in control when dining out: I have improved a lot in this area from the last tour of duty I did with BDS two years ago. The main thing that I have learned about any of these problem areas is that it does get better the more often you practice it. I liken it to learning how to drive a car. Eventually, it becomes automatic.
Day 31: Decide about Drinking: Now, I realize that Dr. Beck is referring to alcohol but since I rarely drink alcohol and when I do I take two sips and then pass it to my DH (it aggravates my hot flashes right now) that I had to widen the net for this day and include caloric beverages, which I do have trouble with IF I indulge. I just love the taste of regular Coca-Cola. When I want to "splurge" this is the beverage of choice. Fruit juices come in as a distant second. In fact, if I have any fantasies about foods that I "hope" that I will be able to have "on occasion" regular Coca-Cola is top of the list. Whether that will happen or not will, of course, depend on how my blood glucose is doing at my end goal weight.
lulu: glad you had a great time at your party last night. Glad to hear that you are in a "happy place". It feels good, doesn't it? Best wishes for your knee and its continual "cooperation".
nationalparker: Great Job on streak 8! TY for the quote. I have read it before and I also do my best to put it into practice.
losetoall: Well, the good thing about "feelings" is that they are NOT facts! So, even though I/we may not feel like a success sometimes, the fact that we are "showing up" (half the battle IMO) is noteworthy. As a good friend reminded me not long ago "Fake it until you make it!"
bethfromdayton:Great Job on being OP especially with pizza (my Kryptonite). Again, it bears repeating since I often say it aloud to myself. "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail." You are "right on".
seadwaters: Well, I have had the opposite experience than you. I had a comment that says it all: (from a priest whom I have known when I was my heaviest and he has watched me over the past 4 1/2 years): "You are the skinniest fat person I know." He knows that this is a spiritual quest that I have been on for nearly 2 decades. It used to really bother me that I was watching other people lose weight while I was being as faithful to my 12 Steps as I could be until I realized what was missing: I could not take Step 3.
I could work wonders with all of the rest of them but I just could not "let go" the tight control that I had over not only my weight "issue" but also the other areas of my life. I realized this a couple of years ago. What was at the core of my inability to take the necessary step I needed to take was that I lacked trust. I did not trust God, barely trust other people and I certainly didn't trust myself. So, I have been working that one Step diligently ever since. The best that I can say is that I trust more today than I did yesterday. This is a daily ongoing "work in progress".
I am also a recovering "control-aholic" which probably explains why I don't even like pain killers (including alcohol): I want to be in full control of all of my senses at all time. Yes, I am the proverbial wet blanket and I used to be so uptight emotionally, I once had my ex-husband's male friend say, "... never met a more nice frigid ***** in his life." Well, I have come a long way since those days but I still have to constantly "let go" over and over.
lexxiss: Love back at you. Glad to see you pop in from time to time. Love your gift of "being the same weight". It is the gift that keeps on giving.
ForMyGirls: One of the first things that I noticed when I stopped eating to cover my feelings is how grumpy I was some days. However, what I am grateful for is how many people I know socially tell me how upbeat I am, how I always have a smile in spite of the chronic physical pain I live with and in general what a pleasant a person I am. The neat thing about "feeling feelings" (thanks to my therapist from decades ago with that phrase) is that they pass on once you feel them. This too shall pass.
BBE There are some things that I do remember about you from before and one of those was your reporting about all of the free samples in the stores you visit and how you are dodging them like you are in "open fire". I must be shopping on the wrong days of the week because I rarely encounter this. Great Job on the continued streaking. You win the prize! Hope those jeans are a little looser.
gardenerjoy: As a person who is also dealing with a couple of personal disappointments of my own at this time from this past year; I hope you can move beyond it and perhaps the 7 Question Technique will work for you. I wish you the best in that and please do report back to us how it worked for you.
valkyrie1: Glad to have you join Beck Diet Solution discussion group. I hope the party went well today. Credit indeed for planning ahead. You are doing great!
maryblu: Thank you for your thoughtful reflection on the 7 Question Technique. I don't like hummus so I have no hints on how to "like" it. Sorry.
I had a really good day yesterday and so far today. I am presently sitting with hunger. I have become quite a coffee drinker of late since I am working on shrinking my stomach back to where it needs to be.
I am being a little bit of stickler on what constitutes being "on plan" for myself at the present time so I will pass on reporting that, ForMyGirls.
Staying within my calorie range has been good but trying to stick to 3 meals and 2 snacks is darn near impossible for me. I can handle one snack but it keeps meaning I have to shrink my meals to less calories to eat every 3 hours. However, practice will make "perfect" ...someday.
Thanks, Maryann and Seadwaters, for tips on using Tahini. SO and I get a 1/2 lamb locally raised as needed, and we are all about garlic and lemon, so especially hopeful about that with Tahini and yogurt...love Taziki sauce, and this sounds pretty close. Am thinking the hummus thing could work, too. Just not willing to try the oatmeal idea again.
Well, interesting. Checking in that I think I need to go back to 0 on my streak. I WANT to say that I was on track, but have had 1,500 calories today and had planned to go lighter because yesterday was another higher- calorie day. I enjoyed one piece of biscotti that I'm baking, and have bypassed DH's chocolate chip cookies. Midway through the baking for this evening and will enjoy hot tea while the holiday movies provide the backdrop. I honestly think if I count this day as on track even though it's not that far from my plan, I will look for reasons to keep believing myself on track, even when I'm truly not. This would have been an "on plan" day earlier this week, but I wanted to go lighter today. Phooey. I will have trouble this holiday season, but honesty with myself has to be a basis for it.
Challenge tomorrow is our work holiday party from 3-5. I will plan around that and goal is to report back with an OP day.
OP today. Checking in quickly. Made sugar cookies and I had one. Didn't taste as good as they used to and if I spend my calories on something, I want it to be on something I want to savor. Like chocolate berries from Costco. Yummy. 20 of them is 120 calories and they are dark chocolate, which I love.
Fast day tomorrow. I have a dinner on Thursday that I am nervous about since that is a fast day. I may have to switch it to Friday. Which messes with my weigh day. My goal is 225 by the 20th. That would be 5 lbs this month which is a miracle for me. I am taking it 5 lbs at a time.
Pam thanks for the uplift. Fake it until I make it will be on a card.
I don't want to be just enough anymore either. I want to be fabulous too.
Today was an OP day. We went to UNO's (DH, DD, and I went south and DS came north so we could meet in the middle). I ate what I intended--and "gave" my leftover pizza to DD--it was a "one-time" treat.
I'm finding myself hungry right now and have been for the last hour or so, but I'm going to go to bed--I'll be fine until morning. I'm usually not that hungry when it's not a regularly scheduled eating time, but I usually have a light lunch and a heavier dinner and swapped those out today to fit into DS's schedule.
I've not been planning a week at a time with the required accompanying grocery trip. But, tonight is Sunday night and I have typed up the week's meal plan and updated the on-line grocery app with the grocery list. Tomorrow's dinner is defrosting. Tomorrow's lunch and snack are packed. This is the behavior that I was doing when successfully losing weight.
Streak--I've decided to join the streak group, if that's okay,--and my streak right now is 5 -- 5 days of recording everything I eat in MFP. I've decided to count that rather than count days OP, because for me, those sort of go together--it's hard to keep going off plan when the numbers are staring me in the face! (Who in our Beck group is on MFP?)
maryblu: I admire your honesty with yourself and us. Recognition is the first step towards solution--you've done amazing things for yourself in coming to an understanding of what's going on for you.
Take care, all!
Added after midnight: when I realized my body was starting to get the shakes (that whole blood sugar stuff I try to ignore but really can't), I went ahead and had a snack of about 180 calories. I feel much better. (And I recorded it) (and I'm still under calories for the day)
(and now it's way past bedtime)
Last edited by bethFromDayton; 12-16-2013 at 12:16 AM.
Welcome Valkyrie1
Food challenge ahead
).
Day 30 & 31: Stay In Control when Dining Out/Decide about Drinking
). Again, it bears repeating since I often say it aloud to myself. "Those who fail to plan, plan to fail." You are "right on".
Well, I have come a long way since those days but I still have to constantly "let go" over and over. 
Glad to have you join 
