Beck Diet For Life/Solution – March 2014 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach
 

Welcome to the discussion group, support group, diet coach group, diet buddy group relating to the two books by Dr. Judith S. Beck:and the first bookThe Beck Diet Solution is a psychological program, not a food plan. It provides a step-by-step program to learn specific techniques to stay on our diet, lose weight, and maintain our weight loss for life. The program is based on Dr. Beck's clinical research in Cognitive Therapy (CT).

The Complete Beck Diet for Life expands the earlier work and includes a food plan with suggested menus. From the cover:This is a place to discuss the Beck strategies and our daily efforts, to receive and provide support, and, for some of us, is where we serve as on-line diet buddy (coach) to each other.

If you’ve arrived from a search engine, you’ve landed at the site of 3 Fat Chicks (3FC), a remarkable place for those interested in a healthy life style, including mindful eating, exercise, and weight loss. More about the site, including how to register so that you can post, can be found here.

The books are available on Amazon through the 3FC store by clicking their names above; buying through 3FC helps to cover the costs of running this site.

You can find the list of previous (or more current) monthly Beck threads here on 3 Fat Chicks via:

Saturday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Thanks for the many congratulations for the streak of 100. My snacks-on-plan streak continues, but I'll stop the public counting at the 100 mark. Perhaps I'll conjure a monthly goal to follow with exercise, but I haven't thought of just what yet. Last night was a great opportunity to ignore a table of snacks that weren't on my eating plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner was takeout from the local Thai place. We each brought our 'small' order home; halved it; served and enjoyed. Half of 'small' does become a modest dinner, but sufficient and good practice in moderation. DW added Clementines for balance.

Exercise was a walk and dancing, CREDIT moi. I worked on keeping the walking pace brisk which was easy to remember in the cold.


onebyone – Ouch for the crabby phase of human relationships. Kudos for going forward instead of simply burning down the house or mayhem or murder. Yep, Kudos for giving yourself credit for your "no sugar streak."

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Kudos for remembering to give yourself a reward. That triggered me so I just Amazoned Kandel's book, The Age of Insight that I so thoroughly enjoyed but had returned to the library. Now I can leisurely reread. Thanks for the reminder.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Super Kudos for completing your project by the end of February - you get to leave both behind.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Ouch for all those hurts from working out. LOL at "I would not be the ideal customer I am sure." Enjoyed the links. Neat idea that Edible Balcony - perhaps the solutions to many of the problems of cities.

ladym0208 – Yay for "No choice" about exercise - even at 5:30 am. Wonderful mindfulness, "I just knew it was time to stop."

nationalparker – Will keep your dad's pending lung biopsy in my thoughts as you're all required to just wait for results. Kudos for counting the donut and moving forward.

Tricia (AZtricia) - Just boggling that Fiddler on the Roof keeps on entertaining folks. Neat new avatar.

flnu - Remarkable Kudos for "going unremarkably" - just as it should be as we enjoy life. Happy vacation - hope you see parts of the country new to you.

Readers - Diverting from our normal quotes from Dr. Judith Beck because the world’s favorite Nobel-winning neuroscientist offers a cogent summary of the world’s favorite psychologist, whose work is the basis for what we're doing here.

Farewell February!
 

Coaches

Saying goodbye to February reminds me I don't have a calendar I like up in the house. I have one from the gas station in Key West, a very patriotic American one. Mostly I have it as it comes from a) Key West and b) the place with the best gas station fried chicken on earth! Not sure how many gas station chicken places there are but I doubt any will rival Dion's in Key West.

My KW sister is coming at the end of this week for a week. Ugh I say as I love her and love to see her but she is a ball of stressful energy. If there is a way to amp something up and to make it hard, she will do it that way. Plus seeing her means I am making my final visit to my brother's house in Ottawa. This is the door closing on that and what seems to be the disappearance of the last traces of my brother. I don't know how many people he allowed into his real life. This thought occupies me sometimes.

Today is Saturday and so I need to get to the gym already as it was Monday when I was last there. 4 days ago. I *credit* weighed and saw the scale move up a tiny bit more to 266.7 today. It's from the salty soup base I added to the stew yesterday but like I said yesterday my weight isn't going down without the exercise so I'd better get to it now. No Choice weights today and cardio.

I guess that's it for this morning. It's still winter out there today.

Have a good day.

Good morning and welcome to March, a new month beginning on a new moon!

Credit for meeting my exercise goal in February and for increasing my streak of daily exercise to 224.

3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 26 Credit!
WI: -0.25 kg, Exercise: +50 1415/1400 minutes for February, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

Sorry for the lame check-in, but it is already 3:00 PM and I'm just now getting to do some real work. I planned to be ready several hours ago. Oh, well.

I indulged in 1 too many of my "occasional" snack items yesterday. This morning breakfast wasn't satisfying and ate seconds. Ugh! Stress + hormones = frustration.

Good luck to all!

AZTricia, love the new picture! :)

Hi coaches!

Trying to get caught up in other areas of my life since I know they influence my food choices. Busy at work today I ordered a small lunch instead of grazing.

3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 25 Credit!

I'll add another slim check-in right here ... Have been running errands and walking all over all day long. Left home this morning and still have everything loaded all over the table. I always ALWAYS made homemade meals and especially nicer ones on the weekends. Now some weekends are so busy that prepping, cooking and cleaning up from a nice meal takes too long. Which is a shame, because I enjoy that when I do have the time. I have more turkey italian sausage links from the package and might crumble them up and add to a pasta au gratin with homemade sauce, that way I control the calories. Add in some green beans and we'll be set.

The 8-12" of snow expected is now down to 5-8" ...wonder what we'll actually end up with.

Hello Coaches,

It is beautifully rainy here today, but neither pup nor I enjoy walking in the cold wet so exercise has been very short. I did do grocery shopping today, so that is a bit more walking but slower. Whole Foods had the yummy Romanesco so I purchased some. Everyone is cranky tonight, so I'm ready for bed time. Food OP Exercise -

Lexxiss/Debbie :dancer: Hurray! So glad you are done with your rental. And congrats on your new low. Kudos for 25!

ladym0208 Great job skipping dessert when you were full and leaving part of your lunch. Kudos for your long walk.

seadwaters I agree with you about the showers! I could probably handle either hot or cold but alternating would be awful. Teddy is now about 10 lbs (4.5 kg). Interesting about the rooftop farms, I'd never heard of them.

BillBlueEyes Congrats on your continued streak of on plan snacks. Fiddler on the roof was OK, attended for cultural exposure for kiddos...though the "Do you love me" received laughs.

onebyone I hope you are able to enjoy your visit with your sister and don't let her wind you up.

gardenerjoy Kudos on your 100% OP food!

FutureFitChick Hoping the stress is better now and you are able to be OP.

nationalparker Sounds like you have a great dinner plan, Italian is always a hit here.

Hello coaches,

It has been a big thinking weekend including trying to work out how i can possibly do everything I need to do in the next month and stay on track with my diet. I also found out last week that the big stress in my life will be almost constant for the next monht (but then it will be over!) The conclusion is that i can't! So i am going to have a month off. Not a month off frfom sensible eating - just a month off frfom planning, tracking, posting etc. i have set up a reminder to start it all up again in a month (so that it doesn't turn into having stopped!)

So i will be reading posts if i have the chance, and posting if i can, but chances are I will rejoin the conversation in April.

Good luck to all my lovely beckmates for the month of April - i look forward to being back with you soon.

Good morning coaches,

All in all yesterday was a good day, we went out for lunch as a team and we ended up in a buffet. Having NO CHOICE really helped in this situation as it meant I did not over do it, I left feeling comfortably full and happy with my choices.

My credits for yesterday....

• Stopping when I was full at the buffet and leaving food on the plate
• Making healthier choices at the buffet; rice instead of chips
• Not ordering anything from the menu in addition to the buffet food

Happy Sunday, heres to a good week xx

Happy Tibetan Buddhist new year Sunday 2nd March
 

Coaches

A lovely wet day which was needed - yesterday was wet too so both good days to stay in and work.

My food was planned for the day and I stayed on plan - last night however I strayed a bit. Too much happening at the moment

I just made 5000 steps today because I spent all day at the desk - I am a bit over it as still trying to get finished

Will try to catch up tomorrow

another day like that other one
 

Coaches

Good Morning. Snowplow guy was just here clearing out our driveway. We've seen him a lot this year.

Well yesterday was another of those I just want to eat eat eat days. I strayed, and then course corrected several times.*credit* Mostly I was standing over the pot of yummy stew as it sat on the stove. It just occurred to me that next time I just simply put it away! Hello? If DH wants a second helping we can nuke it.

*credit* for weighing in: 265.9 this morning.

I craved sweet things all evening-ice cream and cookies. I ate baby carrots. *credit*

And while I did go out, I drove past the gym and did not go in. No exercise yesterday. After posting this here I will do my exercise video and a 1 mile walk. I'm going to experiment with 3-1mile walks today, see how that feels. One in the morning, one in the afternoon and one at night. = 40+min = my target time, but it may feel more manageable/doable.

Ok better go.

CREDIT: WATP 1 mile done 2x today. Fitbit tells me I've had 51 active minutes today so I'm done.

Sunday - Tibetan Buddhist New Year
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Tried a new class at gym, "Weight Lifting 101," CREDIT moi. Thought it would be easy, but it drove me to my limits. I once could do two sets of full body push-ups, but yesterday I couldn't. My Yoga-style flexibility was wanting. Muscles are a tad sore this morning. A good wake up call that I have work to do. Unfortunately, this particular class is being discontinued; my gym is replacing the experienced teachers with younger, less expensive teachers. I have to continue looking for a place to force myself to stay in shape.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, including dinner with friends where I ate moderately: Wild caught Alaskan salmon steak, Kale sautéed with fish sauce, garlic, and sesame oil, lentils with curry, and a fruit salad with a small chocolate truffle for dessert. Felt like I was eating a nutritionist's example meal.


onebyone – Can't believe you've got me drooling for gas station fried chicken. Sending supportive thoughts as you spend time thinking about your late brother. Kudos for baby carrots when ice cream was calling.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for a new moon starting a new month. Your continued daily exercising is worthy of Kudos.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Yay for getting back to your life after that massively busy project.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Kudos for staying on plan during a wet day. Thanks for the tip that it's the Tibetan Buddhist New Year.

FutureFitChick – Ouch for frustration and its lure to too many snacks, said the guy who's an expert in too many snacks.

ladym0208 – Kudos for wielding NO CHOICE at that buffet. Extra Kudos for "rice instead of chips."

nationalparker – Love hearing a meal being designed as you type. (I'm suspicious that I love hearing about food anytime, LOL.)

ForMyGirls - Good luck on your month's adventure. You might consider using Beck's notion of a generalized maintenance plan that you don't have to write every day. It can help resist the forces to just fall off a reasonable path. If you get the chance to post, definitely skip personals - we'll do fine. You might be able to design a simplified one-liner like Joy (gardenerjoy) uses that would allow the equivalent of a wave. Whatever you decide, Bon Voyage to a different month.

Tricia (AZtricia) - Yep, bed time solves many problems, including cranky. [Thanks for the reminder that every production we enjoy doesn't have to be Academy Award worthy.]

Readers -

Good Morning, Coaches.

Busy weekend. DS has multiple activities culminating in a (relatively) important piano adjudication event today. We will spend all day at it.

Food has been undisciplined. Trying to sit while eating has been like herding cats. (The cats representing my brain.) I am not getting very far.

We will be gone all day. I have lunch packed, dinner will be at a restaurant, this morning will be a smoothie. I have a plan to walk during the written theory portion of his test.

I want to write to all of you tomorrow and declare a 100% victory of sitting while I eat. Weight is a pound above ticker.

Lexxiss: Super congrats on ordering a small lunch instead of grazing.

ForMyGirls: Good Luck with all your work in March.

Ladym0208: Buffets are tough. I can't remember who posted buffet guidelines - maybe Lexxiss - they were good. First plate is a salad. The return trip is small portions of whatever is interesting.

seadwaters: Funny you posted about Tibetan new year. DS marched in the Bokai Parade here yesterday celebrating the New Year.

onebyone: Let un know how the 3 one mile walks went. It might help with the cravings.

BBE: Speaking of flexibility - in my Pilates workout I was able to do an exercise that once eluded me - The Open Leg Rocker. You have to grab your feet and rock your feet back over your head while still holding on. The tricky part is coming back to start position without letting go. Could it be I am getting more flexible as I get older? Hmmm.

Why do I make this so hard?
 

I weighed this morning and with not calling on excuses for higher-sodium stuff yesterday, body cycles, anything - I'm up three pounds since learning of my father's cancer and being back at work with a frenzied, stressful schedlue that extends into the evenings at home every night. (work, not stressed out home)... I cannot continue this momentum. I'm even up 0.4 since committing to a combo effort with DH... though still only a few days in.

I just keep wanting to reach for food. Carbs. And not fruit/veggie carbs. And not just when I'm hungry. The fridge is filled with healthy stuff, waiting for me to cook it up this evening to get us set a bit forward this week ... swapped out last night's meal for something faster as I was working, so that leaves me the same option for tonight. Like Maryann, though, I recognize rabbit hole foods (thank you for mentioning those from time to time on here - keeps me aware of them) and so, I think I'm going to skip that - use the ingredients for something else. I bought several colorful bell peppers and will make some stuffed peppers with carrots, onions, some rice and some ground turkey sausage. That will come up lighter/healthier.

OneByOne - thank you for posting as that made me feel less alone with MY I just want to eat, eat, eat day. Nothing high-calorie, but plenty of this and that.

ForMyGirls - I'm sorry to hear that you have such a challenging month ahead of you. Best of luck balancing everything, and remember to still take care of YOU.

Bill - Your Beck note today resonates with me and my kitchen this weekend. So much is calling to me. Hopefully the veggies start calling louder.

AZTricia - Love the new avatar and glad to hear that you found a caring, capable groomer. You rocked your pizza night - many credits there.

SeadWaters - Hope this week is a good one for you - any particular challenges you'll be facing?

GardenerJoy - Yes, CREDITS for meeting your February exercise goal and thank you for putting the idea in my mind for March.

Why do I make this so freaking hard? :?: I was finding success and self-satisfaction in eating smaller portions.

Will get out to shovel snow here soon - and to clean the ice off my car so it'll be easier tomorrow morning. More snow on its way - not a whole bunch so far.

To celebrate a new month and a new moon, I'm going to start tracking a new streak -- days of 80% OP or better.

80%OP or better streak: 1
3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 27 Credit!
WI: +0.75kg, Exercise: +50 50/1500 minutes for March, Food: 80%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

Hello Coaches,

Struggling but staying positive. Today has been 100% on plan. Yay for that. For the next two nights I will be in hotels (in 2 different places) so I will be crazy busy for the next 3 days. I have healthy food packed up and ready to go. Yeesh- what a pain carting it all around. Oh well- just do it!

Goals for the week:
1. No sugar.
2. Out of the 290's by next Sunday. (for the 100th time. :mad:)
3. Get outside every day. Even if just for a few minutes.
4. Continue writing down 3 things I am grateful for every night.

Have a great week everyone!

:grouphug:

Hello this sunny Sunday coaches!

It is nice enough to walk again today and the rain has washed everything nice sparkly. Cool again is exciting too, hope it stays for a while.

So far food OP and 2 of 4 walks with the pup.

ForMyGirls Best of luck with your stressful month, see you in April!

ladym0208 Hurray for good choices at the buffet.

seadwaters Kudos for OP during the day, hope your evening is better!

onebyone Kudos for course corrections and baby carrots!

BillBlueEyes Bummer about all the changes at your gym. Hope you find a good class that will last.

maryann Great job planning for your day out, looking forward to hearing about your day.

nationalparker Bummer about the rising weight. I can NOT eat empty carbs, it messes with my yeast/bacteria balance in my intestines making me crave sugar. Hope you figure out what works for you to stay OP.

gardenerjoy Great choice for a new streak!

CeeJay Kudos for OP and healthy food planned for your trip!

Hi everyone,

I've been MIA for a while--I didn't do any checking in--or card reading--while in FL this past week. I binged pretty much the whole time I was gone. It's amazing to me sometimes that I can eat that much--that I even want to eat so many sweets and so much junk.

I am not looking forward to stepping on the scale tomorrow morning but it's something I have to do as part of getting myself back on track. I know that the trip was more fun at this size than it would have been 50 lbs ago--the smaller weight makes stairs easier--and I took the stairs instead of the elevator pretty much all of the time I wasn't carrying a suitcase.

I'm feeling overwhelmed with things I'm supposed to be doing--and I'm not quite sure how that has happened--I don't generally do stress--but things are really getting to me right now--and I'm going to be juggling a bunch of things for the next few weeks getting ready for our big party.

As hard as it is to get back into it, I'm going to return to planning each day the night before and entering it all into MFP. I also need to find time to read the pink book--re-reading Dr Beck's words really resonates with me and I need to do what works.

And part of back on track has to mean doing real check-ins and keeping up with people--the sense of community really makes a difference.

AZtricia: I love your picture with the pup!

CeeJay: It sounds like you have great goals for this coming week--and started it out with a 100% OP day! Credit!

gardenerjoy: I'll be watching your streak!

nationalparker: :hug: Stress is hard--and we've each got a lifetime of comforting ourselves with food. Can you plan some quick/easy things that would be OP so that it feels easy to make them when you're still stressed from work and your parents' health?

maryann: I'm totally impressed with the Open Leg Rocker! I hope that sitting and eating today went well.

BillBE: You are amazing--absolutely amazing--and an incredible inspiration.

onebyone: Credit for carrots over cookies and ice cream. I hate those want to eat eat eat days--how do we turn them off so they just go away?

seadwaters: 5000 steps on a "all day at the desk" day is still quite a bit of moving! Credit.

ladym0208: Looking forward to getting to know you--big credits for a successful buffet visit!

ForMyGirls: :hug: I hope however it works best for you this month relieves some of the stress.

Lexxiss: Congrats!

FutureFitChick: If you come up with some good responses to that one too many occasional snack items problem, please share...that is such a challenge.

Best to all. I'm going to plan tomorrow right now so it's done!

Good morning coaches,

Yesterday was a good OP day, despite facing the ongoing challenge with our cook. It is quite difficult as it feel like I am being monitored constantly in terms of what I eat, pretty much every meal at the dinner table there is a comment about what I am eating, how much or how little, I'm being told I don't eat or that children eat more than I do. I know that what I am eating is enough as I am using portion control. I find it quite tough as it brings me back to childhood days when I was quite a fussy eater and also when I started to get comments about my weight. I know that there is no harm intended but it really isn't nice having your boundaries crossed repeatedly in this way and over an issue I am already quite sensitive about. Still the only thing I can do is say "oh well" and remember that I can still choose to stay focussed.

My credits for yesterday:

- Staying on plan even though I was being pushed to eat more
- Staying in control of my portions by sharing with someone else
- Having the strength to continually say NO

bethFromDayton Welcome back and I hope you'll get back on track. Good plan for getting yourself back into it.
AZtricia Hope you enjoyed your walk
CeeJay Well done for being 100% OP and also for having all your health food ready to take with you
gardenerjoy Good luck with your new streak
nationalparker I am so sorry to hear about your Dad :hug:
maryann Hope you get that 100% victory...cheering you on!!
BillBlueEyesWell done for trying the new class, Variety is always a good thing

Happy Monday everyone x

Another Monday
 

Hi coaches

I survived another Monday and have been on-plan with food today - had leftover fish for breakfast; thai soup for lunch; and planned beef stroganoff and chips for dinner. I had bought chipping potatoes at the farmers market so planned to have some tonight. I hope I don't overdo it. I have cleaned and done chores not done over the workfest weekend so feel organised. Exercise - walking to and from carpark and at the front of classrooms - so far 11000 steps and will go up when I pace making dinner. I liked to see that I had 15 very active minutes (fitbit has a very generous view of "very active") - I usually only make 3 - 8. This week is nice as I don't have a lecture next week so can try and get one lecture ahead - hopefully! It will be nice to have this w/e with less work - unfortunately the 5 weeks after this are not good. Fingers crossed I stay on plan

I am planning to go to gym on the way home tomorrow and Friday morning for PT (we are doing weekly because he can't make the scheduled day the week after). And I should be able to make it on Sunday because no excuses - don't have to work. Have to plan and pack lunch for tomorrow yet and plan dinner for tomorrow

BillBE - I did notice the 100 streak when you put it up - hugely inspirational so credit. WIll be interesting to see what you plan to track next. Modest eating eludes me - I think my problem is portion size. Even though MFP says all is well I think my portions are too large. Shame your gym is messing with the classes - and just when you started weight lifting 101! I don't tend to do the classes at the moment - focus on the other equipment. Ouch that what you could do isn't what you can do now - you can get there! Younger teachers is just what you want - not!

Onebyone - Huge credit for 51 active minutes - amazing! And huge credit for eating baby carrots instead of giving in to cravings - you are doing so well. Good idea to try 3x1miles rather than all at once. Thinking of your while you think of your late brother - a difficult time

FutureFitChick - ouch for too many snacks - and sympathy for all the stress (and hormones)

Debbie (Lexxiss) - congrats on getting your projects finished. Good luck with catching up on all those

Nationalparker - I am sorry that your life is so complex at the moment. Credit for coming up with ways to negotiate a really busy time in your life and uncertainty about your father's future. Difficult when you reach for/want comfort food - totally get it

Tricia (in AZ) - glad you are getting rain and it is staying cool so you can get more walking in. Hope the crankiness in the family has passed - sometimes it is just like that. And now glad it is sunny so you can walk in the nice sparkly outdoors! You are dedicated doing 4 walks a day. I ignore my fitbit when I tells me to have extra calories - I decide to stick to 1200 to 1500 per day and stick to it - I usually stay under 1300 calories

ForMyGirls - hope you achieve what you want/need to over March and I look forward to more frequent posts in April. Good luck with staying on plan while you are away

LadyM0208 - Ouch for a buffet to deal with. Sounds like you did really well. Credit for knowing when you had had enough and leaving food on the plate. Ouch that your eating is being monitored by well meaning but intrusive colleagues and cooks! Yay for persistence in your plan

Maryann - Great planning for travelling and eating at different venues. Hope you do well with sitting - looking foreward to hearing you were 100% successful at eating sitting down (well maybe 80% would do).

GardenerJoy - nice idea to start new tracking for the new month/moon. Makes me think I should pick a challenge and a reward

CeeJay - really glad you dropped by. Credit for a day of 100% on plan. I can just imagine how difficult it is to pack food for meals when you are away for a few days - that would be so difficult so that is a huge credit that you do it. Just the logistics of doing it are amazing so huge kudos that you try to manage the challenges. Keep it up! 290 by Sunday - and what reward will you have WHEN you make it

Beth(FromDayton) - good to see you back. I have missed you on MFP. I agree that if one doesn't post personals occasionally is it easy to disengage - which for me means I am on my way out. Hope preparations for your next big party go well and don't derail you too much from your goals

Monday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Several opportunities for off-plan snacking were ignored, CREDIT moi, so I'm on my path. Trader Joe's had a FREE sample of an Irish Porter Cheese that I'd never had before. So I began my rare and unusual thinking before I got to my you'll see cheese again for sure thinking. See again won; I walked away from the cheese. I'd love to move away from the Food as Recreation thinking.

Trader Joe's was my second walk of the day, CREDIT moi, mainly to savor the sunshine, but we did need walnuts and dried apricots. I feel deprived if we're out of walnuts. After dinner I remembered that I had zero dollars in my wallet so seized the opportunity to walk to the ATM at the bank and restock.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Tracking "80% OP or better" seems like a sane approach.

CeeJay - Super Kudos for carting food to two different hotels via "Oh well- just do it!"

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Love the thought of fish for breakfast since I'm stuck in breakfast foods for breakfast thinking. Kudos for 11000 steps - that's moving on.

maryann - Hope you DS's piano adjudication went well - so much pressure on the shoulders of our kids. Kudos for staying with your planning even as you struggle with the sitting. [Flexible Kudos for doing the "Open Leg Rocker" Pilate's exercise.]

ladym0208 – Smart thinking to use "oh well" against a persistent cook who also crosses boundaries so easily. It's such a useful insight to recognize that she's bringing up your childhood feelings so that you can remember that you're no longer in that helplessness of childhood.

nationalparker – Sending supportive thoughts as you await news of your father's tests today. Ouch for all the other stresses in your life. Your dish with colorful red peppers sounds like a soothing response.

Beth (bethFromDayton) – Ouch for the stress and Ouch for the divergence into sweet snacks. Kudos for recognizing that "Dr Beck's words really resonate with me" and reaching out for that.

Tricia (AZtricia) - LOL that you're celebrating, "Cool again is exciting too" - I would gladly send you a little cool from here. Yay for walks with the pup.

Readers -

Good Morning
 

Coaches

Moved my ticker down today: 265. That next reward is so very close! Just not today. In the past two weeks my body has metabolized 8lbs! Yay for energy released back into the universe and off my bod! *credit* I am on track to be in Onederland by the new year.

My decluttering efforts are continuing. As my sister arrives this week I need to stay focused to clear the common areas so she has a peaceful spacious place to come to. I do think she is staying in a hotel though but will have to get confirmation of that. If not we have to make room once more in the back bedroom which DH has once more taken over. The BIG credit here though is that the back bedroom can be used for sleeping in. Amazing. I have really done some good work this past year.

Yesterday I managed to do 2 one mile workouts. I think I need to try one two mile and one 1 mile so i get the three miles in. It was tougher for me mentally to do three workouts, which I didn't manage, than it would have been to keep going to mile 2 on one of them. I do feel, intuitively, that 2 workouts a day will be of great benefit--more than just one. I'm going to try that today.

Foodwise tracked and was on-track. *credit* Will plan my food for today as soon as I post.

More to say but that's enough for now. Back later. Have a great start to the week Becksters.

We enjoyed the Academy Awards last night with an appropriate amount of home-made popcorn. DH uses a microwave popcorn popper (like this: http://www.amazon.com/Nordic-Ware-Mi...4UP/ref=sr_1_1) with a tiny amount of oil, just enough to make a tinier amount of salt stick. Sharing a big bowl is satisfying without blowing my calories.

80%OP or better streak: 2
3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 28 Credit!
WI: -0.2kg, Exercise: +50 100/1500 minutes for March, Food: 90%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

Sending calming energies to CeeJay and nationalparker for challenges to be faced. And credit to ladym0208 and bethFromDayton for handling problems, head-on.

Good Morning, Coaches.

Glad to report a 99% sitting down day. A cubic centimeter of cheese was in my mouth before I even remembered. Progress not perfection and I will take it.

To join the "naming" club I am going to call my little challenge: the three s's (Smoothie, Salad and Sitting down.) This is my focus Monday through Friday. I am on a plane to Sunny Sedona (continuing in the S world) to celebrate my gal pals' 50 bdays. It would be nice to have five clean days to launch the trip.

Step class completed and weight at ticker.

Wave to all. This is a long race. As I have said in the past, it is not how many times I slip but how quickly I get back on track.

Hi, Everyone.

Bummed I missed my work deadline. (It was a self-imposed one.) I'm saying "oh, well" and keeping at it though...

Yesterday was a little out of control in the morning, but I managed to get it together for the rest of the day and said "NO CHOICE" to bedtime tummy rumbles.

Back to work! I hope you are all having a fantastic start to your week!

BBE, I had to go back and fid your 100 victory, as I looked past it yesterday. Congratulations!

Happy Monday Coaches!

My day started really stinky, literally! Oldest tried cooking eggs on high and blackend them, then I reached into the grapefruit bag and one had spoiled and "melted" all over the others, getting moldy juice everywhere. Thankfully the weather is nice enough to open all the windows and air out the house. Now eggs are boiled and ds won't be tempted to repeat his quick cook experiment, bread is in the breadmaker, and dinner is thawing...so the day is looking better.

Made fish tacos for lunch since I had more tortillas still and food plan is looking good for today - OP
Walked pup 2x already and I need to do my DVD but am not feeling motivated, maybe in an hour when I'm not still full from lunch. (Update: did my DVD even though I did not want too & stretched my bad shoulder) - exercise OP+

Teddy has a new game, steal my slippers, so I had a bit of extra exercise chasing him today! :running::dizzy:

bethFromDayton If you don't give up, you will reach your goal.! Hope you are able to be OP during the stressful dinner prep. I could not be doing Beck effectively if I had not recently taken a class "Healing Journey" that helped me identify where I was behaving like a victim of my circumstances and not realizing that everything I did was really a choice where I mostly chose to treat myself badly. I am now choosing differently, but it is difficult to break years of self destructive behavior.

ladym0208 Hurray for OP. I'm so sorry about your cook. Have you tried telling them that you adore their cooking, but you are watching what you eat and that their comments are making you uncomfortable? Sometimes people just need to be told to cut it out!

seadwaters Hurray for OP! I've never had fish for breakfast, I guess that is an American thing...pizza, but not fish! Hope your chips go well.

BillBlueEyes Hurray for your continued streak and great snack resistance. Great job your two walks. Thanks for the Day 13 post, I have noticed that to be true! Yeah for reduced cravings (one of my ARC's).

onebyone Kudos for ticker down and your great decluttering efforts! Credit for OP!

gardenerjoy Yum for popcorn, it really is a great snack and high in fiber!

maryann Great job on you 99% it is so hard to form new habits when it means breaking old ones and your persistence is encouraging! Love your new streak :)

FutureFitChick Great job managing with no choice! Kudos for bouncing back when work didn't meet your expectations.

Hi everyone,

OP breakfast, lunch, snack, and exercise. Off plan dinner. I was just so wiped out when I got home from work that I couldn't face cooking. We went out--I didn't choose as well (or as badly as I could have) but I did cut half my potato and entree and put it into a container (DH eats the leftovers). The red wine was definitely not OP.

I just packed up tomorrow's breakfast, lunch, and snack--and have a plan for dinner.

7600 steps today--for me, that's a lot.

Long, long day. Had a five-minute lunch, workload is insane...worked late, home to feed pets, make dinner, and one got sick on our bed ...stripped that and washed sheets off, got them in the laundry, did dishes, dh fell asleep in the living room, and I made the bed up and day is done. Op today. Weary. News from biopsy will take until Friday, they said. My worry does not speed up anything. To be 2 tonight.

Disjointed thoughts. Tomorrow's goal is to get in more water. I will consider it a success to drink more.

Streak=1

Good morning coaches,

My credits for yesterday.....

- I managed to stop myself from stress eating. I don't know if other people experience this but when I get really stressed or upset I can feel that I am on the verge of overeating or a binge. I just get the feeling that if I eat past a certain point I will end up being out of control. Physically I will feel quite tense and my mind will start to tell me that the only way to release it is to eat "just one or a little bit more". Well yesterday for the first time in a while I managed to stop it before it got out of hand. Although I probably ate a little more than usual at lunch I used "oh well' and drew the line.
- We were invited out for dinner yesterday by the NGO we are working with and the portion of food served was MASSIVE. I did a survey of the food before eating made the decision of what I would eat and stuck to it. I ended up leaving well over 3/4 of the food on the plate it was that much.

nationalparker I hope things settle down a bit for you and that you have some good news on Friday

AZtricia Yea I've tried, pretty much at every meal. The concept of health here is quite different though, a majority of people think it's weird that people from Europe and the US watch the amount of fat and sugar that we eat as they don't understand the impact it has on your health. Whilst they are aware of health issues such as diabetes, blood pressure etc they don't have much of an awareness of what you can do to avoid it.

FutureFitChick Sorry you missed you deadline but well done for not letting it derail you and for staying focussed

Happy Tuesday all xx

Tuesday night
 

Coaches

This is a quick check in. I planned food for the day and stayed on plan until dinner when the meat I had planned was too hard to deal with so I had an omelette. I have done over 8,000 steps which is amazing since I hurt my hip badly. Not sure what happened but I took one step into the lift and screamed. My hip had been sore (why I took the lift) and it just went. I will wait till tomorrow to have an X-Ray if it is still severely sore. So I missed gym tonight because I couldn't risk hurting it further (bummer really). Am going to rest up on the lounge and get away from the computer.

I am looking at a different (but similar) diet because I need to inject some life into this diet. Will look at it further over the next few days and let you know

Thanks coaches

Tuesday - Mardi Gras
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walked, CREDIT moi, in bitter cold. An over-scheduled day meant that I had to bring my dinner to my evening meeting. I rerouted my walking path to include a Greek place with fast takeout so dinner was falafel with hummus. Then worked with a group for three and a half hours with snacks on the table that didn't find my sticky little fingers dipping into them. CREDIT moi for ignoring snacks even when decisions were made that weren't my first choice.

The day before when having sardines for lunch, I wondered what to do with the Extra Virgin Olive Oil left in the tin. Decided to mix it with balsamic vinegar to dress my dinner salad. It sounded like a chef's dream - sardine infused EVOO! Maybe my best culinary idea ever. Well, it was just awful. It tasted like old dead fish on my good lettuce. Back to wasting the oil after eating sardines for lunch.


onebyone – Neat to think of your body having metabolized those pounds instead of having lost them. Kudos for clearing your spare bedroom suitably for an overnight guest.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay for popcorn mindfully consumed.

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Ouch for a hip acting up - hope the X-ray goes well today. Good luck thinking about what you need in a diet.

FutureFitChick – Kudos for "saying "oh, well" and keeping at it."

maryann - Yay for a plan to have your mind clear for your trip to Sedona . To my horror, I encountered a See's Candy corner in the furniture store we visited. I trembled, remembering that the few times I've had their candy it was sooooo good that I'd want a whole box. I walked out without any. But it'd help if you'd kindly keep those out west where they belong.

ladym0208 – Ouch for having to face "MASSIVE" servings - Kudos for a sane response.

nationalparker – Ouch for a pet that thinks that stripping sheets is therapy for an insane working day. And Kudos for my positive interpretation of what you meant by facing insane stress with, "I will consider it a success to drink more."

Beth (bethFromDayton) – Kudos for multiple credits on a difficult day: 7600 steps and a dinner halved at the restaurant.

Tricia (AZtricia) - LOL that your pup Teddy is now your exercise trainer by stealing your slippers for a chase. Dogs are smart - they know what we need. Ouch for your DS learning how to burn eggs. Next thing to learn is that 'hard-boiling' eggs in the microwaving saves time but leads to explosion - sometimes just after taking them out of the microwave as you serve them at the table. Not a pretty sight.

Readers -

mental relief=body release?
 

Coaches

At the potters' guild meeting last night (I'm a member) the guest I lined up flew in just to give us a talk and a look at her work. SO GENEROUS. I met her when I was the ceramic tech in my previous town and she has been, it seems, skyrocketing in her new artistic field. Previously she was a biologist. Now she works with clay and WORK she does-10-11 hours a day she says every day and she loves it. Her work is stunning and complicated and she is a detail oriented person and NONE OF IT IS FUNCTIONAL. Ahhhhh* insert breath of fresh air here* She was exactly what I needed to hear. And so the polar opposite of the majority of my potters' guild. I am so happy to have heard someone from "my tribe" speak. I feel renewed to pursue my own work again. Thank you H for speaking at our monthly meeting.

SO, to tie this to my title on this message. I have found that when I am stressed or depressed or very tense the weight on my body just stays there, longer than it should, longer than it makes sense. But when I feel joy, or calm, or happiness the weight seems to leave me when I am not even looking. Whether that's cause my state of mind doesn't care cause I am happy and in the other scenario I am worried or tense so I am fussing over it and therefore paying too much attention--or whether my body actually hangs onto the weight and won't release it - not sure, but I woke up to see 263.9 this morning. That week long dance around 264 ended this morning and I woke up sure of myself for the first time in months and anxious to get to work again. And also to treat myself seriously and my work seriously. So great. *credit for weighing in, tracking my food, checking in here and reading my arc and listening to my positive thinking/hypnosis/meditation recordings. I will be getting that cut, colour, and blowdry within the week! Maybe tomorrow!

Better go. My ride will be here soon. Will check in later.

I'm upping my exercise for a few days to 60 minutes a day in an effort to improve my sleep before the time change this weekend. That sometimes throws me for a loop but if I plan ahead by doing things that I know help my sleep, I can usually make the transition more smoothly.

80%OP or better streak: 3
3Ws (Weigh, Write a food plan, Write a post) streak: 29 Credit!
WI: +0.2kg, Exercise: +60 160/1500 minutes for March, Food: 100%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

maryann: 3Ss sounds super!

AZtricia: good job rescuing your day after a stinky start.

FutureFitChick: good for you for finding a way to keep moving ahead.

bethFromDayton: sounds like good progress -- way to go getting back to it.

nationalparker: I hope you got a good night's sleep after that long day. Good for you for being aware that worry won't help -- reminding myself of that does make a difference, I believe.

ladym0208: Good for you for recognizing the feeling of being on the verge of a binge and stopping it. I still have that. After reading David Kessler's books, I think of it as an old pathway in my brain. I have made new pathways, now, and most of the time they take precedence, but once in a while that old one lights up. Being aware means that I can switch to a new pathway, most of the time.

seadwaters: I hope your hip is better this morning. I've had two memorable hip incidents like you describe. I assume that they were arthritis flare-ups but I didn't get it diagnosed -- I had my knees diagnosed over a decade ago and the diagnosis didn't make much difference. I can only do the first half of RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) for hip pain, but I do that and take Naproxen. So far, that's fixed my hip problems by the next day.

BillBlueEyes: LOL at the sardine oil experiment. I've been getting a new brand of tuna and salmon at Whole Foods that packs the fish in its own oil. The suggestion is to not drain the oil since it's filled with Omega-3s. I made salmon salad yesterday with just a tiny amount of mayo since I kept all the fish oil. It was yummy!

onebyone: so glad that you got a boost from a member of your tribe -- great job bringing her into your life! I love reading your description of what it's like when you let go of tension.

Hi, Everyone.

Bad headache today. Bummer. I'm just trying to not be Wreck-It Ralph with my food today.

PT this morning was tough! I hope it was just a tough workout and that I'm not getting sick, but the headache makes me wonder...

Take care, Everyone!

Hi everyone.

I'm afraid I'm coming down with something so didn't get any extra exercise in today, but did have an OP day, food wise, so I feel good about that. I had several "hunger is not an emergency" conversations with myself--I ended up having my snack much earlier than usual, but then had an additional diet coke rather than an extra snack. Credit for remembering--hunger is not an emergency and that a no-cal liquid can be distracting enough.

I'm going to pack and plan tomorrow now--and probably pack 2 days of lunches, just to keep myself on track.

Take care, all.

Hello Coaches,
Quick check-in to say today has been better than yesterday...no stinky messes!
Food OP, Exercise OP
See you tomorrow.

Good morning Beck buddies,

Yesterday was on OK day. I travelled with another team from the UK to a rural village about 3 hours away from where we are. We were measuring up their houses to supply them with rain water harvesting equipment. It amazes me how humbly people here can live and often without the 'basics' like running water and toilets. What also surprises me is their generosity, we arrived at lunch and they had cooked a full meal for us all; they feel OK with giving so much when they have so little. Later in the evening the same team from the UK invited us al for a meal at the guest house they are staying at, what is nice about being here is that I feel there is more of a sense of community. So my credits for yesterday....

- Stopping myself from over eating at lunch
- We were served about 2 cups of rice with dinner and I asked for an empty plate so that I could share with someone else and avoid the temptation to over eat
- Yesterday was shrove Tuesday (Pancake day!!) I had not planned to eat pancakes but they had prepared them for us at dinner and I decided not to have any as it was not in my plan

Happy Wednesday all xx

Good evening coaches

Well my hip is still awful - I wouldn't worry a lot and would just take analgesics except that my line manager walked around for 1 month on a broken hip! I can accept that going off prednisolone and reducing anti-inflammatories might lead to an acute event like this but just need to check out worst case scenario! At first this morning I thought it was OK but it got worse again. And I did get a diagnosis of osteoporosis and hip fractures go with the territory...I need to check if it is OK to go to PT on Friday

This is really frustrating - it happened last time I was on 3FC - I was doing well and then a whole pile of physical things made it difficult to exercise. I thought I was in the clear now and am really down about it. I am really over physical limitations that lead to pain. Anyway - resilience and problem solving. I need to find out if it is risky and if not just press on! I have been enjoying gym etc. And I need to get fit to retire healthy! My sister is sending me stuff about cruises - and I want to be healthy by next year.

I need to "sweeten up (my) plan" - I will think over the weekend about changes I might make. I am getting bored and need to rethink what I am doing. I am going to think that "adhering to a healthy lifestyle is a joy and a blessing, it's no burden. REALIZE that, because it's a biggie. Tell yourself that even if you don't believe it right now - eventually you will KNOW it." (rokinrobin 26-2-2010) I will set the parameters and decide what I am eating

Credits: Food - planned and OP; no exercise except getting from A to B - 8000 steps; I am planning for tomorrow and the future; Advantage cards read.

I was doing personals but I need to go to bed - I feel bad because I have enjoyed reading and I see that many are doing fly-bys - oh well

Wednesday
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – On plan eating, CREDIT moi, with the single snack being a California Navel Orange in the evening. Dinner, alone, was the left over half of the 'small' Thai meal from last Friday, a green salad, and a bowl of lentil soup (perhaps it was weak Dahl - I don't know the difference). I left a wad of brown rice - separate CREDIT moi since it's still a challenge for me to leave food.

Walking, CREDIT moi, in the continued bitter cold was invigorating. The game is to remember the few places where the sidewalk was never shoveled that is now solid ice so that I don't get trapped. Of course I can walk over the ice but I have to break my brisk pace and I lose imaginary points in the imaginary game. Or worse, the bad guys with vorpal swords might catch up. (Grown ups are not expected to be sympathetic.) Took a second walk later on a made up errand just because.


onebyone – Terrific story of your friend changing careers from biologist to stunning artist. Kudos for reaching out and bringing her to your group.

Joy (gardenerjoy) – You win the Beck plan ahead award for starting Daylight Savings Time switch a week early. [I'll look for that salmon packed in its own oil - cool idea.]

Cheryl (seadwaters) – Important step, "I am getting bored and need to rethink." Kudos for being aware. Love the perspective, "I need to get fit to retire healthy!"

FutureFitChick – Here's a story to make an Indiana academic feel proud enough to cure a headache:ladym0208 – Super Kudos for skipping the pancakes on Shrove Tuesday (not a tradition that came over with the Pilgrims). The generosity of folks who have little always moves me.

Beth (bethFromDayton) – Cheers for "hunger is not an emergency" when that's what you need.

Tricia (AZtricia) - Yay for no stinks and Kudos for OP.

Readers -