I misread yesterday's scale reading because I was so sure I'd gained when, in fact, I lost. Ha! Oh well, it put me on a great path yesterday and I intend to stick with this one.
Credit for measuring and counting. Credit for noticing this sabotaging thought in the grocery store: "I hate that there are so many things in this store that I can't eat." I think that thought has been causing me no end of grief the last few months. Here's a better one: "I love my healthy way of eating and that I'm no longer fooled by the food industry to believe that I need to eat their new junk-food offerings."
WI: -0.45 kg, Exercise: +45 390/1400 minutes for August, Food: 100% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
onebyone: one of my original motivations was "Living an extraordinary life is a subversive act." Which essentially was the same thing as "I'll show them" with more sophisticated words. The War of Art has been so helpful to me for recognizing my resistance and then taking some action about it.
nationalparker and BillBlueEyes: The Hundred-Foot Journey is on my list after reading a review by a blogger who liked it. Food, France, and Helen Mirren. Can't wait!
I just came across this quote from The War of Art by Steven Pressfield that I wrote on a card so I'd find it and read it now and then:
Quote:
When we drug ourselves to blot out our soul's call, we are being good Americans and exemplary consumers. We're doing exactly what TV commercials and pop materialist culture have been brainwashing us to do from birth. Instead of applying self-knowledge, self-discipline, delayed gratification, and hard work, we simply consume a product. p. 26
Okay day so far - ate more because I started out with something light for lunch and kept on looking instead of just adding fruit to it and calling it a lunch.
I had two servings of last night's dinner leftover, that will be dinner either tonight or lunches tomorrow... I have been thawing a turkey and actually FORGOT about when I can cook it because I was planning on Wednesday and forgot we're heading out for anniversary dinner then. Hm. Errands were on the schedule for tomorrow night, but I might have to shift things around so we have a nice dinner with it. Used to thaw in the sink and it just THAWED and no one got sick. Now they say don't do that and it's on the bottom shelf of fridge and I forgot about it (well, forgot I'd need to cook it) ... sheesh.
KarenRN - Love your hiking vignette as well. We went to Glacier the summer before last and it's a favorite of mine, so loved sharing it with DH. Tetons were to be this summer, but family issues caused a delay. I enjoy camping and hope my bones hold out for a long time to be able to stay comfortable when sleeping - DH bought a lot of fancier gear than I had I want to get our money's worth out of it. I have to look up "Get On Up" because that's not ringing a bell with me. Thanks for sharing!
Hope to post later, even if it's back-to-back posts, to say I didn't snack before DH got home. mission!
I am doing better today. OP so far and done eating for the day. Now all I have to do is go to bed. That is surely something I can do. I haven't been able to exercise for the last week because I hurt my back. Before that I was moving and so exercise has not been consistent and I feel like I am losing ground. Tomorrow I will do *something* even if it is only a token effort to hold open the slot exercise is supposed to occupy in my life.
I am posting to post*credit* and to say I did not have a plan for today. I did have a major creative breakthrough but I am wondering if it is "cheating" Perfectionist self says Yes. Self that says Leonardo would have taken advantage of any and all tools available to him makes me say No, not cheating. Perfectionist self is very strict: think school teacher with wooden ruler ready to rap your knuckles.
I am also thinking of Robin Williams who died today. Imagine, he doesn't get to go to bed tonight. So weird this dying business. Reaching out to all of us here and wishing us all a good night.
Food was easy today, a kefir, protein and veggie smoothy breakfast, soup for lunch and dinner will be lamb chops with leftover roast veggies. It is weird to add olive oil to a smoothy to keep the calories up and increase the fat to substitute for the carbs. I am not hungry so don't have to practice resistance and distraction. I am enjoying reading the science and clinical application in the book I referenced - let's hope I stay engaged. What I am eating is satisfying me. But I know that mouth hunger and mind hunger and cravings are just around the corner. I am enjoying this uncomplicated period. I am also enjoying the loss of water weight at the moment which will stop soon and settle down into real "weight" (fat) loss hopefully.
Today I learned a dog training method that doesn't use food reward to get the desired behaviour. My dogs are food obsessed and when I ask them to do something they look at my hands to see if I have a treat and if not shrug and say 'whatever'. Now I have to work with my girls each day to civilise them and improve some of their behaviours. Food reward is powerful
Today:
- 196 pounds [down 1.2]
- Logged my food
- Under 50g CHO as desired
- Under 1500
- Still no gym because asthma and adjusting to carb depletion. No walking either
Vale Robin Williams - so special and so gone from us
ForMyGirls - Credit for thinking about a workable exercise regimen. Great list of credits
BillBE - " First time ever that my morning coffee required binoculars and birding guide." Now that sounds like heaven to a birder.
To whoever first mentioned "The Hundred Foot Journey" - I am indebted. I just looked at the trailor and love Helen Mirren (doing anything) and will look forward to it. Not sure it is released here yet. I don't ever go to the movies (wait for them to be released as DVDs or on Foxtel) but I think I would for this one
Debbie (Lexxiss) - I too recognise that there are some things for which resistance does not work avoidance is the only response. Maybe one day when my Beck skills are perfected
KarenRN - I use MFP and love it - except for the times that there is no way to parse the meal to be able to enter it as recognisable food entities. You do some serious aerobics so Credit you.
Gardenerjoy - Love your War of Art quote - thanks for sharing
Nationalparker - I too do not understand why frozen poultry has gotten more toxic and requires special defrost procedures. Everyone used to chuck them on the back porch in the sun to defrost on Sunday during church for Sunday lunch (I know because our doberman dog used to steal several each week and create neighbourhood mayhem). This is why we have an immune system - to deal with it!
Flnu - glad you feel you are doing better - ouch for sore back. I miss Tricia too! Where are you?
Tricia - You are needed here please
Onebyone - glad you had a breakthrough. Sleep tight and be pleased you are on the way to another creation
Feeling a bit bushed tonight so won't do personals (but lovely to read all your posts).
Day 10 - setting s realistic goal. I think i got this this time around in a way i just didn't before. Last time I read it as "have a big goal and then set some little ones along the way" which leads to "good on me for losing 3kg, but there's still a very ling way to go". But this time what i read is "just set a little goal and don't worry about the big picture". So - my goal is 3kg loss. I will wait to set it more precisely (and to amend ticker etc) until i have the official first weigh in.
I did an experiment with a different exercise schedule today. Was chatting to a friend about the fact that i find it hard on the days that i work from home that there is only about 3 minutes between the end of my work day and when i pick y kids up and that I find my head is still at work and I'm not engaging as Mum when i am with them. The idea that came out of it was to do my exercise just before i pick them up, rather than in the morning - so I tried it today and it was good. At the moment too it is nicer to walk in the middle of the day than in the morning when it is cold.
Overate at dinner tonight. Oh well! Good that i noticed.
Credits: reading ARC and book; walking; doing lots of incidental exercise
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Spent the day doing tasks on my to-do list, CREDIT moi for being a responsible human being. Did, however, take time off to walk, CREDIT moi, to the library to pick up two books they were holding for me. A newish book of 25 car trips around New England also followed me home. I'm a sucker for someone telling me that it's fun to drive to Cape Cod, LOL.
Adirondacks Vignette 3: We stopped at an EMS store in Lake Placid, NY where we found a book of hiking trails with good birding. Finding a parking place in Lake Placid is an accomplishment; it's a tourist mecca. Many of you will remember Lake Placid from the 1936 Olympics (and some of the younger folks from the 1980 Olympics as well). As we walked out some serious rain started. We ducked into the nearest store just as hail came bounding from the skies. We watched huge quantities of small hail bouncing off our car and Thule carrier, wondering if any paint could survive such treatment. Feeling the need to acknowledge taking up space in the store, we bought something. Unfortunately, the store sold fudge. OK, one small piece. Dark chocolate is good for me, right? It had sea salt which is also good for me, right? Self-delusion while on vacation is normal, right? The closest thing to good news is that we ate it in slivers, the last on the Mass Pike driving home.
onebyone – When wondering whether to be hard on yourself for 'shortcuts,' remember that Picasso used common house paints, according to the New York Times. Imitating Picasso isn't bad.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Thanks for, "I love my healthy way of eating and that I'm no longer fooled by the food industry to believe that I need to eat their new junk-food offerings." It so bugs me that I'm drawn to yet-another-flavor of some junk food item just because it's new.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – Kudos for so clearing identifying the results of buying treats. I do know that situation: if cookies appear in this house, they're headed toward my mouth.
Cheryl (GosfordGirl) – LOL at dogs that only behave for food treats - what a reflection on our attitude about food.
nationalparker – Can't explain why I'm still alive after a lifetime of eating turkey thawed in the kitchen sink. Maybe bacteria weren't as smart in the good-ole-days, LOL.
flnu - Ouch for your hurting back, with Kudos for recognizing that you can hold open the 'slot' with a small effort.
Karen (karenrn) - Years ago, DW and I backpacked up into the Grand Tetons, climbing a full vertical mile. The reservation system had just started, so we walked with a BIG permission slip blowing from our packs. Despite the need for reservations, we didn't see another person up there. Lovely, lovely, lovely.
Readers -
Quote:
day 20Get Back on Track
what are you thinking?
. . .
Sabotaging Thought: This is too hard. I can't do it. I'll never be able to stop myself from eating like this. I may as well give up. Helpful Response: Okay, so I made a mistake. This was inevitable. It's unreasonable to expect myself to be perfect every single time. I'm not a failure. I an learn something from this experience to help me the next time.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 169.
Credit for logging, even though it was late and I didn't feel like it.
Sad for my city. Sad for Robin Williams. Not going to eat over any of it.
WI: -0.1 kg, Exercise: +35 425/1400 minutes for August, Food: 90% op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes
nationalparker and GosfordGirl: Poultry is more toxic, now, because of the way its raised and processed. The bad stuff gets spread all over because of the mass and mechanical way of dealing with it. I assume that chickens bought at the Farmers Market don't need the same care, but I don't take too many risks with it.
Did everyone get the word a few months ago that rinsing poultry is no longer recommended? The chicken gets cooked. Rinsing can cause germs to splash all around parts of the kitchen that don't get cooked. Here's a news story about that: http://www.rodalenews.com/rinsing-poultry
Went to the studio this morning with all good intentions then found myself in a deep funk as the radio was on and it was full of Robin Williams stuff. *sigh* Since I am working with very sharp cutting tools I don't use them unless my inner self is sure I can safely handle them and I just didn't feel it today so I did a different chore, also print related and then did some planning for a gift for my friend that I want to make and then I came home intending to do the dishes but instead made dinner from scratch. AND while I was cutting the veggies for it I went *slice* right through my longest fingernail on the side of it missing my finger completely and I thought SO GLAD I wasn't using the cutting tools today. Today I would have had an injury. *credit* for listening to the still small voice within.
I've made a few decisions in regards to my food plan and so I feel as though I am finally moving forward. *credit* for small steps taken.
BTW I was watching Jimmy Fallon the other night and he had Helen Mirren on discussing the 100 Mile Journey movie (is that the right title?). She said it's a perfect date night film and guaranteed to get you, shall we say, amourous? Thought I'd pass that along.
Diet Coaches/Buddies – More chores done, CREDIT moi, including hauling the remaining camping gear from the kitchen to the attic and basement so that DW could prepare dinner for friends. I have a box labeled 'Camping Gear' that's full of stuff from years ago that I'll never use, e.g. a dozen bars of little soaps from hotels over the years. Kept dallying returning the box to the attic in order to sort it all out. Alas, returned it to be sorted another day.
Adirondacks vignette 4: Was annoyed when I woke up at 1am bathed in a BRIGHT light believing some thoughtless camper had left a Coleman lantern on. Turned out to be moonshine, casting spooky shadows and imitating the sun. When I woke at 4:30am, the view through the screen vent of the tent was of Orion's Belt. I forget sometimes that my favorite winter constellation is visible in early summer mornings.
onebyone – Yep, Kudos indeed "for listening to the still small voice within."
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Always a powerful thought, "Not going to eat over any of it."
ForMyGirls - Neat to sort out having achievable goals that bring you joy. Kudos for juggling your exercise schedule to one that'll work for you.
flnu - A "pretty good day" is a winner.
Readers -
Quote:
day 20Get Back on Track
. . . . . . Once I regard my slips as just
mistakes and decide to recommit to my plan . . . . immediately, dieting will be easier.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 170.
Last edited by BillBlueEyes; 08-14-2014 at 05:11 AM.
Reason: Condensing "that'll I'll"
Still plugging away at being on plan - 3 days so far. The odd bit of eating at the sink but not bad.
Thanks for reminding me Gardenerjoy that industial farming of chickens has caused all sorts of problems. Yes we had the "don't rinse poultry" discussions in the media over here to
BillBE - I am enjoying your stories from the field
Flnu - credit for 90% OP - hopefully the resentment will melt away soon. Thank you for the encouragement.
Onebyone - yikes if you hadn't listened and trusted your instincts. Thanks for the heads up about The 100 Foot Journey - one might need to rethink options
Have a good day coaches
Today:
- 196.8 pounds [up .8]
- Logged my food
- Under 50g CHO as desired
- Under 1500
- Trying gym tomorrow morning
Day 11 today - monitoring hunger to learn to tell the difference between hunger, desire to eat and cravings. Amazing how second time around I notice stuff I missed the first time around. Last time I think I grasped that there is a difference between the first and last - ie: hunger and cravings but I skipped over the "desire to eat". I only managed to do the monitoring on one meal today - but even in that I noticed that there was a desire to eat, which was qualitatively different from being hungry and the "the choc chips are calling me" experience. I think "desire to eat" might trip me up a lot so good to have noticed. Today's experience got me to thinking too that I think my portion control has gotten really out of whack in the last few months - I really wasn't hungry much today. This two week preparation is so darn good!
Credits - doing my ARC and reading; taking the time to do the monitoring when I did; setting a reminder to do it again in a couple of days to make up for the meals I missed; not eating the yoghurt I had the desire to eat at the end of lunch; walking to pick kids up from a playdate
Joy - thanks for the intel on chickens! Raw chicken brings turns me totally OCD - not sure if it is reassuring or concerning to know there might be validly to my crazy behaviour.
Didn't post yesterday, but had a good day. Food OP and did my weights workout with trainer. I have been getting some help from her to get me started on a weights routine. While hiking is the exercise I most prefer, it just isn't doable in the heat at this time of year. I think I'm almost in the habit of going to the Y. I have always said I don't like to go to the gym, but I'm finding that really isn't true. I like to see all the people there and some of the classes look really fun. I haven't participated in them because so far I am getting the weights routine under my belt and then do cardio on my own the other days.
I was able to spend a couple of hours reading the book yesterday. It seems there is so much to do. Today I have time also and will work on getting more of my cards written. I'm trying to be extra diligent during this week. We are going to MN on Friday thru Wednesday and will be staying with friends. I won't have too much control over food choices, but I will certainly have choice about how many bites go in my mouth.
"Get on Up" is a movie about the life of James Brown. I love almost all kinds of music, so enjoyed the movie. James Brown's childhood was very sad, but I guess that contributed to his blues.
Do you still backpack, Bill? I haven't in the last couple of years. Last year 3 friends and I hiked the Tour du Mont Blanc but we just had day packs and stayed in the auberges (?) along the way. Hiking with just a day back was a dream compared to backpacking.
Yesterday I did the calculation for the calories that the Beck Book says I should be eating. Do the rest of you follow this as a guideline? It seems kind of high although it is probably what I eat on the days I get quite a bit of exercise.
I appreciate reading what each of you posts to help me get in the swing of this.
I want to get our money's worth out of it. I have to look up "Get On Up" because that's not ringing a bell with me. Thanks for sharing! 
Vale Robin Williams
You are needed here please
Tuesday - RIP Robin Williams
