Wednesday - National School Nurses Day
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Double Boring. The good news is that I'm not overeating. I did have to take a trip to Costco and assigned some FREE samples to my afternoon snack. Unnecessary, but a good compromise since disappearing didn't appear to be an option. There was the appeal of buying a gallon of cough syrup, LOL.

I saw some shirts in my size and wondered why anyone would want to buy clothes. Summer shorts are displayed in huge stacks as if summer was coming. Looking forward to some mental adjustment.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Kudos for not getting snookered into thinking you know cause and effect of correlated data. [DW has flat leaf parsley inching upward under grow lights upstairs; she fell for the pot of four plants because she couldn't turn it down for $2.]

CeeJay - Kudos for determination to avoid "yo-yo eating life." Avoiding a spree of over-eating is a worthy goal.

Debbie (Lexxiss) – Waving toward a warm pool where you're soaking. Kudos for continuing to eat mindfully while around food at work.

Cheryl (GosfordGirl) – Congrats for working out a retirement plan that works for you. Hats off for having the courage to put your home on the market before you've finalized every notion about where you'll spend your retirement days.

nationalparker – Yay for a neighborhood of pleasing sounds. Ouch for critters in your pots.

Tricia (AZtricia) - Yep, it's a shocker to learn how few calories we burn with exercise - even less as the pounds drop off. That is one colorful veggie tray.

6crowsgold - This visual makes my day, "a grumpy, overweight Chihuahua at the back of the pack." Hope you come to feeling better.

millie56 - Kudos for bursting forward by making your Advantages Response Card. Are there any you'd like to share on the forum? Love the clarity, "this is a new beginning."

Readers -

Thank you for the welcomes, Tricia, GosfordGirl, BillBE, GardenerJoy, and National Parker! And welcome, Wannabe and Millie!

I'm not sure how I found Beck's book and the forum--possibly a google search led me to the forum first and *then* I learned about the book. I was probably searching under "naturally thin people." My eating has been so out-of-whack the last few years that I've lost all sense of what's normal.

GardenerJoy, we live so near each other! (I'm in St. Louis.)

I've been trying to take GosfordGirl's advice and just read a lot to try to get a sense of everyone. I think it will still take some time to get the names down, but it has been good to read about people's progress and challenges.

In the meantime it's been helpful to me to read my advantages and values card 2X a day (I actually have it in my notes app on my cell so I can read it any time basically) and a NO CHOICE card. I was skipping ahead with that one and I am going to do the whole plan, but it was such a good idea I had to do it immediately. I always struggle with this because I am good at following rules if they're firm, but I would make eating rules in my head and then "revise" or modify them in the moment. Spending a lot of time thinking about them and then explicitly writing them down to read 2x a day has been helpful *so* far. I have actually used them three times already to rule out (or cut short, once I noticed I was doing it) certain behaviors.

My NO CHOICE card says:
I don't take thirds, ever.
I never take seconds at home. I can always eat more at the next meal.
I don't eat desserts when I'm alone--only along with others who are also having dessert.
When I'm alone I never read or watch t.v. while I'm eating.
I never eat in my bedroom.

I'm curious what other people have decided isn't a choice they have to make anymore?

Had some problems yesterday and food was involved. But the logging (I can't seem to use the word 'diarizing' that Dr. Yoni invented) helped. In the end, the calories weren't more than a normal big day and I didn't spend a lot of thought energy on judging -- more on being kind to myself and devising strategies to make things work better in the future.

WI: NA kg, Exercise: +45 260/1500 minutes for May, Food: 70% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

freely: My most powerful NO CHOICE is not eating in the car. I also don't eat in front of the TV when I'm alone (although reading works for me -- especially when I read diet books!)

Good Afternoon!

OP so far today. Yesterday I felt lousy and did not record the entire days' intake, pretty sure I was within my Calorie Line, but really unhappy that I didn't log the whole day. Slippery slope for me! Recording every molecule today!


Welcome mille56 and WannaBeHealthy!

freely: To answer your two questions, I go over my ARC in the morning while I'm getting ready in the bathroom. This allows me to get a visual reminder of the spare tire I'm trying to deflate. Then again around late afternoon as I head into prime snacking time and pre-dinner, to get a grip if I need to.

My No Choice List includes:

1) NO candy from the FOUR jars at work. Ever.

I'm still developing my rules, but that one is solid. Thanks for reminding me that I should commit to a few more!

AZtricia: I need a veggie platter like yours for movie night!!!

millie56: I actually did have my diet starting before the first two weeks were over....I'm not sure what others here have done, but for me it was an emergency in that I had to begin to "Do Something" immediately.

I'll post again later, my break at work is over--best to all!

Busy day at work, but figured I'd pop on with a short note regarding my "NO choice" ... I tend to use that for situations, vs. an all-time rule. What works for me is when I'm tempted I use it to quell the temptation and stop the mental debate of, "well, if I had that, I'd have to skip X, Y, and Z, ... I haven't had that in ages ... it looks good, etc." No choice in those situations just ends it.

Lunch is light today - thought I could race home for a pet visit and move them around so different ones have different window views (I have one cat who must be kept apart from other two cats, but can be with the dog.) Yes, four pets. :) Luckily it's so busy, I won't have time to think of what I could be snacking on.

Mallards have been morning and evening visitors to my ground birdfeeder. They're wiping me out and getting a bit pudgy, but I love to see how trusting the female is, while the male is quacking his warnings to her. Drive home today involves getting more birdseed. Shocked that our pooch just sat on the porch this morning, watching them vs. barking her fool head off. Zen dog?

Love all the support I am getting here - My advantages include not getting out of breath so easy and my hip pain lessening plus I'll like myself more. Credit ME I did not eat standing up yesterday. New habit - I kinda read ahead as I am still uncertain about which diets to commit to. Done Weight Watchers many times without much success and don't want something radical and restrictive. Going to get the Volumetric book from the library and look at it. I want to do the prep work instead of jumping into a diet and then crashing and burning a couple of weeks or days later. So some research and self-reflection is necessary. Also I promised my DH that I wouldn't "diet" this year so this will be a lifestyle change rather than a quick fix diet. I want to get healthy, feel better and fit in my clothes (my fat clothes are tight right now). I hadn't read about the NO Choice List but hope it is coming up soon that is one I need to develop. Have my advantages in my journal and a 3X5 card so read them before I get out of the car to go to work and before I go home in the evening. May need to read them again before watching tv with my husband in the evenings. Today is square dancing and NO eating while standing which means I leave the cookies and treats alone because they are not allowed in the room where we dance and that is the only room that has chairs!!
It will take me awhile to get everyone's names and start giving encouragement to others but I am so glad I am a part of this group.

Off to take boys to swim and run a zillion errands. Packed dinner to eat on the run (instead of pizza like the boys will have). Today I've been hungry. Looking back (like Diet Fix recommends) it is either the exercise yesterday or the low calories from being sick. It does seem like every time I do more than walk the dog that I am extra hungry the next day...something to watch.

From Beck FB today:
Wednesday Sabotage: Nothing I do will make a difference.

Response: That’s not true! EVERYTHING I do makes a difference. Every time I overcome a craving, make a plan and stick to it, resist the urge to eat for emotional reasons, etc., I make it easier and more likely I’ll be able to do it again the next time. I need to remember that losing weight is not one big change I make, rather it’s the sum total of all the small changes.

Will update the post with personals when I get home if I get a chance.

Quick check in with my coaches:

Credit today for:
-eating healthy and on plan
-logging food
-reading response and advantage cards
-packing lunch for tomorrow and planning a healthy dinner
-doing arm/shoulder weights
-checking in here

Have a great day tomorrow everyone!

:grouphug:

Coaches

Credits for today:
Logged food before I ate it and then checked it
Went to gym and worked with PT
Walked dogs and have made 8000 steps - won't make 10K today
Listened to motivation recording today and slept to the weight loss hypnotherapy last night
Made a healthy dinner that will cover a few days

My healthy dinner could be a challenge. I made chicken stock today so I am making Mexican Chicken Lime Soup (which seems quite easy) - but it has a whole can of chipotle chilli in adobe sauce. I have a feeling it might be way too hot for my taste so might add the can slowly and see what I can tolerate, but a bit of chilli to warm up the body and increase the metabolism might be good. I do like Mexican - my first job in 1969 was in the office of a group of restaurants/bars - run by an American businessman and the bars staffed by ex green berets. I wondered why they were all so tall and strong (long story about how years later I learned they were green berets in a different life). It was in Kings Cross (gasp) and it was targeted at US boys on R'n'R from the Vietnam war who were looking for a little slice of home. I got a taste for good Mexican that I can't really satisfy most places. It was an interesting time all round really.

BillBE - Yay for school nurses. Hope you are gradually improving

Freely - I might steal some of your NO CHOICE items - I should take the "Never read or watch t.v. while I am eating" but I don't have a dining table in my little studio and I sit at the desk all day. Will think about a compromise

CeeJay - great list of credits and credit for an on plan day

Waving to all the rest of you - take care

Thursday - World Red Cross Day and World Red Crescent Day
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Triple Boring as I add bored with declaring myself bored to the list. I did a short walk, CREDIT moi, at an anaerobic pace. I did chat with two different neighbors who were happily outside in the sun. Thanks to all who've offered me kind thoughts for overcoming this coughing.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. DW served half a small muffin with dinner: carrot cake with green tea icing bought from a young boy selling it on the street like kids used to sell lemonade. She bought it because a neighbor said it wasn't sweet. It wasn't. Have no idea what the "green tea" connection was to the small dab of green sweetness on top. Kids are sophisticated marketers these days, I guess.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – I need to be reminded about "being kind to myself."

CeeJay - Neat to have your lunch packed the night before. Sounds like a good day.

Cheryl (GosfordGirl) – LOL at "green berets in a different life." Seems smart to add that can of chipotle chilli a tad at a time.

nationalparker – LMAO at your "Zen dog?" not barking at the Mallards. You're kind to tolerate them at your bird feeder - they're big.

Tricia (AZtricia) - Interesting that extra exercise shows up as extra hunger. Smart to be aware.

6crowsgold - Terrific No Choice item: "1) NO candy from the FOUR jars at work. Ever." - I shudder at the thought of seeing jars of candy every day.

freely - I also have a NO CHOICE about desserts for myself with the exception that I allow myself one bite of DW's if she's game. Her first choice would be for me to split a dessert with her so she isn't stuck with the calories of most of the rest. Kudos for incorporating the reading of your card into your daily life.

millie56 - Smart to be thinking of lifestyle change rather than diet. That worked for me with the benefit that I had no transition to make to go to maintenance. Love the reasoning that solves the snacking at square dancing.

Readers -

Just getting started...
 

Hello,

I hope I am posting in the right place...

I just started reading the Beck diet book. I am working on my lists so far.

Thanks

I got my new FitBit One yesterday. I forgot how motivating it was to wear a pedometer. I won't sit and wait at my computer now--I'll walk to the end of the hall and back. I'm enjoying that it has an altimeter so it can count how many floors I climbed. It says 19, which is more than I actually did, but it's also probably counting the number of times I climbed the hills in our yard, so I'll take that.

WI: NA kg, Exercise: +60 320/1500 minutes for May, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

GosfordGirl: I use half of one chipotle pepper in our chili and that makes 5 or 6 servings. A whole can would render any dish inedible, I think. I dump the rest of the can of peppers in a plastic container and keep them in the fridge -- they keep for several months that way.

Welcome, Lorrie77, you're definitely in the right place!

Hi Coaches!

Welcome Lorrie77!

I'm once again on the run, trying to find a moment for a quick check in. Food goes good and I'm finishing my smoothie before heading to the pool. My major NO CHOICE is I NEVER leave home without breakfast, which is always my green smoothie, which I feel is the anchor of my food program.

Mom is with us so I need to head out and get her to the car. She loves soaking at the hot springs.

Take care everyone!

Interesting discussion about our no choice items. I think my entire diet strategy could be described as no choice. Monday through Friday I eat three plates of food a day. And no dessert even if it fits on the plate. The limit is the plate itself rather than a calorie limit. (I don’t trust myself to keep up calorie counting over the long haul so I’m looking for a way around it.) Snack? No choice. Seconds? No choice. Dessert? No choice. Liquid calories? No choice. (That one is my biggest sacrifice because I love sweet creamy coffee). These no choices take care of a bunch of other no choices, so I don’t have to think about it. Like, I don’t eat standing up because who wants to eat off a dinner plate without sitting down. It’s inconvenient. I don’t nibble in the kitchen or eat in the car because it’s not on my plate. On the weekends, against Beck (and Diet Fix) advice, I don’t follow these rules. The only rule on the weekend is literally don’t be an idiot.

After a slow warm up period, I started grooving on the Diet Fix today. I was contemplating how I am going to have a big mocha this weekend and the thought whispered through…could you be happy with the medium or even the small? Well, yes, I probably could. I will find out. And the best part is that it’s the weekend so I can have another if it turns out I’m not happy.

OP today. Ran 5K with a new personal best of 34 minutes, which is better than an 11 minute mile. (Yay!)

Warm welcome to Lorrie!

Credit weighed in today. This is my birthday week I have eaten cake, ice cream, Chinese food, pizza and I maintained my weight from 2 weeks ago. Not on an eating plan yet but I didn't GAIN any weight - yeah me!!!

Also as planned I stayed far away from the snack table at square dance only able to dance 3 of the 4 tips due to hip pain and shortest of breath but I was there are did as much as I could.

Slow eating is going to be a challenge for me when I was in the army we had to eat fast or get yelled at so I started eating fast and never reversed that habit. So putting my fork down between bites will be a new behavior. I LOVE that Beck gives us new behaviors to focus on instead of just what not to or to eat.

Looked at the Volumetric forum and so this morning had organic oats cereal with a cup of skim milk and for lunch soup with an added can of green beans making beef ramano for dinner but will cook the pasta on the side and measure it before it goes on my plate and then weigh the meat/veggie mixture and then NO seconds.

Next chapter is Diet Buddy/Coach but guess what I already have you guys and I am so THANKFUL for that.


Welcome Lorrie so glad you have joined us.