Happy Thanksgiving to the Canadians here and know that I am thankful for everyone who populates this forum.
I had a nice visit with my friends from Ottawa this afternoon. They were visiting her mom who is about an hour away and so we met halfway to exchange artwork. I was showing his work at the local gallery with mine and so he needed his work back so we met. That was the pretext anyway. It was nice seeing them. I miss them both very much. Hopefully we'll be able to do this again. It's good to be on neutral turf - a place new to us and them. *credit* for only having coffee and no treats in spite of the "special occasion" which would have been my excuse before.
Tomorrow we go to his mom's, my MIL and we'll see how I survive the food pusher. DH was a big food pusher this weekend. He bought a tub of jujubes, two large packages of licorice and today a huge oversized 50% off apple pie. He is a diabetic. I can't make him do anything. Can't make him file his taxes. Can't make him stop eating crap that surely is killing him. Can't make him can't make him can't make. I give. Totally. He's got his own resentments agasint me too, so we're in a bad state the two of us with each other. Oh well Coaches. No one is giving up, we will come to some kind of reolution in time.
Checking in before I leave for the week. I'm leaving at 11 p.m. for NYC. I misunderstood my friend when she said she would be arriving at 5:30. I thought a.m. so booked the red eye and I'm too cheap to pay the $200 to change the ticket.
I was able to get some exercise on Friday, a nice walk with a friend. Yesterday and today not too much, about 8000 steps a day just shopping etc. Probably will get some more in at the airport tonight. I wear a Garmin Vivo. Food not on plan, but not horrible and I did log it into MFP.
I will be doing lots of walking in NY and I think we'll see 3 plays. We have tickets for Beautiful and Motown and hope to go to one more. Should be very fun. I have been away far too much this past year though, I think about 11 weeks in all. I have a bad habit when someone asks if I'd like to do something of saying yes it sounds fun before I really think about it. It is fun and my husband is wonderful about it, but I really don't like being away from him that much. I'm looking forward to getting back home and trying to have some routine. I'm going to have to work around the projects that will be going on around our house for the next bit though.
I've read all your posts and as much as I hate to see other people struggling at times it is helpful to know I'm not alone. Sometimes I think I should just forget it and say I'm maintaining, because that in effect is what is happening. It's just that I don't like the fact that I have clothes I'd like to get in to and I'm not crazy about my shape.
I won't have a computer with me, so I'll check in when I return. I hope you all have a great week and that staying on plan somehow is easy as sometimes it is!
Saturday was running around doing errands, and my last stop was near a pizzeria, garlic bread wafting in the air. Smelled so good. Ironically, (1) I had made a pot of soup at home which came out really well, and had been looking forward to it all afternoon and (2) I don’t like pizza that much. The only thing that kept the pizza from high-jacking the home-made meal was realizing the real issue: hunger. I had been busy, skipped lunch and was ravenous. Anything would have been tempting. The old diet cliché about not getting too hungry is so true and I know better than to skip lunch but did it anyway.
Karenrn, have a great trip! 1x1 - nice to meet up with friends but not indulge. Kudos! Yep, spouses will do what they want regardless of your worries, until if/when they decide for themselves. Nationalparker – smiled at your write up. This evening I was rooting around in the pantry after dinner, too, with a craving I couldn’t put my finger on. BBE – dancing in the street, eh? Ceejay – Good news the damage wasn’t worse, that’s great. Happy Thanksgiving! And to all the other Canadians here. Gosfordgirl – yeah, we hear ya about the scale, but you have a good attitude. Gardenerjoy, are things back to normal for you now? Happy Restart!
Monday - Thanksgiving in Canada. Columbus Day in the U.S.
Diet Coaches/Buddies – More time listening to the bands of the Honk Fest. All the performers were having a great time. I joined in the parade and marched along with them - it's an everything-goes type of event. Lots of exercise going from venue to venue, CREDIT moi.
Planned to have lunch of a bratwurst from one of the street vendors. Couldn't get it without a whole plate of beans and other foods. So, I settled for an Italian Sausage sub. Not a great day, but at least I planned it.
onebyone – Neat way to meet up with your Ottawa friends. Good luck using your Beck strategies with your food pushing MIL today.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Happy Green Book Day.
CeeJay - Yay for a planned down day. Glad that the water weight went its merry way.
nationalparker – Jeans that are too big are also a great reminder of what you've accomplished.
Karen (karenrn) - Waving back toward New York City. Hope you get in miles of walking.
Mountain Mamma - Good reminder that allowing ourselves to get hungry can lead to difficulties. Drooling over your pot of homemade soup waiting to be consumed.
Readers -
Quote:
Day 24Deal with Discouragement
Finding Encouragement
To motivate yourself, especially in the face of self-doubt, do the following:
Read your Advantages Response Card more often. It'll probably help to rewrite this card, thinking about each item carefully. Add any new advantages that you hadn't written previously.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 189.
I read the introduction and Chapter 1 of the green book. I've already started making response cards, inspired by some of the introductory material. Credit!
I'm making physical cards even though I considered that too fussy in the past. I'm realizing that for me to attain and maintain a healthy weight requires more fuss than I would like. I even read them this morning -- Credit!
CeeJay and onebyone (and any other Canadians we have around here): Happy Thanksgiving! I'm glad you're here and sharing it with us!
nationalparker: I had to quit wearing clothes that were too big. Among other things, they seemed to give the subconscious message that I didn't really want to lose weight, that I wanted the big clothes to fit.
onebyone: DH and I sometimes have more trouble during holidays than normal. Something about expectations, I guess. Maybe getting through the MIL day will help?
karenrn: have a great time in NYC! Looks like you have fun plans.
Mountain_Mamma: Good for you for recognizing the root of the problem! Yay for yummy fall soup!
BillBlueEyes: The Honk Fest sounds like a blast! Cool that it's proving to be good exercise, too.
gardenerjoy: Absolutely true. I must put in more time and effort into planning my food than I think I should have to. That feeling never goes away. "Oh Well." Congrats on your Cardinals last night.
MountainMomma: You just gave a terrific example of a principal here I have learned in Beck: Time and effort are required for success. If you had not planned that soup, you would have been likely off plan. I must remind myself to always schedule in that effort.
KarenRN: I hear you. I have wonderful opportunities to travel all the time but it is always tough on my eating plan and I become depressed when I am away from home too much. I now try to relegate only one weekend scheduled a month and only two long trips a year (with my DH and DS)
BBE: Your Festival sounds like Sacramento's Jazz Jubilee - with parasols flying and 72 hour revery. It is my mom's favorite.
As for me: Came down the mountain from Tahoe. It was beautiful there - my favorite season is fall. I have two days left in pursuit of an angel week. I have the menu planned and have already resisted several thoughts like "Since I slept so horribly last night, I deserve a treat." Or "Since I am so tired, I need to perk me up." Yeah for strengthening the resistance muscles.I have on my walking clothes for when I take DS to his music lessons.
Well, checking in to say that I'm struggling. AGAIN, darn it. Sometimes it's just the most normal thing to eat smaller portions, and other times, I'm eating equal to what I serve my husband. As in last night's taco salad (no shells, just on top of a big bed of lettuce. I could easily have eaten 1/3 less, but ... kept on going since it was already mixed in with the lettuce and we all know heaven forbid I waste something. I can always take more, and that will be my guiding principle this week. ICATM for short.
Breakfast was OP with smoothie and lunch was fine - on the low side. I decided to cap it off with a 100 cal bag of skinny pop. That and almonds are the only 100 cal bags of stuff I'll buy, since I figure some nutritional info in the almonds ... and the skinny pop is just popcorn, sunflower oil and salt, no other crap (or as the bag says, That's all. Nothing more. Nothing less.) But I digress. I open it up and realize that it's already half opened because it never sealed shut. Hm. Well, I try a piece. Not stale. Not really. Edible. So a few more pieces and pretty soon, I've eaten the bag that I got that was half open (in the larger case of the packages). Then I think, was that dangerous? Just stupid, or actually ok, bc it's just popcorn and why throw out food.
I remember toward the end of my mom's life, she couldn't eat anything - we had a lot of food issues throughout her life (weight - to which my dad said the only exercise you need is to push yourself away from the table, how many times we'd hear that ... and then with actually swallowing food). Now I think she was just shutting down in preparation for passing away. Hindsight. But I felt guilty for being able to eat ... and for wanting to eat, when she couldn't.
Hope to get home in good time after a busy work day and post personals to keep me on track before DH gets home. I feel like I'm in a bit of a down spot and how else to get out of it but with food? Sheesh. We're in for four days of steady rain here. Wishing I could zip some of it to Maryann.
Aim to check in this evening without any snacking - only hot tea as a "break" sign between work hustle and home.
I visited my mom in the morning, bringing her laundry back and just checking in with her for a bit. She looks so worn out. She seemed to walk ok to me, but she didn't want to walk me out to the entrance which she usually does so maybe something is up? She claims to be fine though, which she always claims. I think I need to get her new shoes. Maybe take her to the podiatrist. Tomorrow when I see the occupational therapist I'll ask about that.
And I made it through the early afternoon holiday meal without succumbing to any sugary off plan food. MIL kept it unusually light due to not feeling 100% so I was happy for that. *credit* I announced to MIL that I wasn't having anything with sugar and I hadn't had any sugar for 7 weeks. She asked me if it has made a difference and then eyed my body ie. have I lost any weight. I just shrugged it off and said I wasn't sure but I felt better for not having it. She complained again that she is so thin. 109 lbs now down from 133 last year. She is kind of excited to buy new clothes. You know, it was all OK. It's not my deal. It makes a huge difference though if I am on plan or off plan when I have to deal with eating at her house. On plan is the way to go that's for sure.
So *credit* for putting another holiday behind me.
I did have a reaction though to the day as when I came home I had a larger portion of chili from the pot than I needed. I didn't have seconds and I wasn't stuffed to bursting but I was stuffed and I added cheeses to it that weren't really needed either-just wanted. I finished the chili off and cleaned the pot for tomorrow's cooking. I am planning another crockpot thing to last a few days. *credit* for planning.
That's it. The weatherman says it will feel like 29C tomorrow. I am hoping!!
Happy Indigenous Peoples Day (a/k/a Columbus Day)
From Maryann
Quote:
You just gave a terrific example of a principal here I have learned in Beck: Time and effort are required for success. If you had not planned that soup, you would have been likely off plan. I must remind myself to always schedule in that effort.
Thanks, Maryann but what disturbed me was that despite making it and looking forward to it, the pizza smell almost derailed me. It’s this matter of never letting one’s guard down that is hard. Even when you think you’ve got it nailed something slips by! I like your “strengthening the resistance muscles”
BBE – Guess I’m gonna have to Google Honk Fest.
Nationalparker – don't feel guilty being able to eat. You are probably right about your mom’s difficulties, the body does start to shut down at the end and the lack of eating can be a sign in the elderly, so you should not feel bad. It’s very sad but it’s what happens. Hope all you get from the weather front is rain, looks like a bad one moving through.
Gardenerjoy, so glad someone else found the response cards fussy. Thought I was the only one.
Lexxis - good luck with the new phone. Comparing phone/internet plans is mind-boggling.
1x1 - great way to handle a holiday meal. Congrats!
I was running late last night and had to ring my sister and just ran out of time to post. Today was a good food day but I decided to have a few more healthy carbs just to see the impact. Will see tomorrow. Weight was down today and is 0.8 above ticker. I have decided to handle my ticker differently - I can never keep track of what the reference point is if I say plus 1.2 pounds and minus .5 pounds etc. So I will enter whatever new low happens (I saw 197 about 3 or 4 days ago) and that will be the reference - i.e. it will always be plus whatever or I will be changing the ticker downwards.
BillBE - the Honk Fest sounds fun and exercise - dancing in the street indeed
Gardenerjoy - hope the reset is going well. Credit for deciding that physical cards would word for you
CeeJay - glad that there was minimal damage and that you are happily back on track
Nationalparker - Oh for loose jeans - that would be progress. Sorry you are struggling and feeling down - it will pass
Onebyone - glad you got to see friends and enjoy them without using food to celebrate. Well done with another holiday and 7 (!) weeks of no sugar.
KarenRN - Have a great break in NYC and enjoy all your plans
MountainMamma - Credit for having a nice pot of soup planned to override the pizza demon. Hunger is not good - you remind me to watch it and I am sitting here starving doing this post and it is when I can do serious damage
Maryann - it all takes an inordinate amount of time just to eat healthily - I am constantly amazed. Luck with the sabotaging thoughts between you and your angel
Today:
- 187.8 pounds [+0.8]
- Logged my food
- Under 40g CHO net - not today
- Under 1400 - 1200
- Gym today
Yesterday was a good food day. I used my distraction technique at work to avoid nibbles of toast and instead drink from my ice tea. I used resistance techniques when I was at whole foods doing my shopping to buy exactly what I came for. I did do some searching for a snack and came up with an organic Asian pear which I enjoyed on my drive home.I still weigh myself every morning and my increased diligence is helping the scale to move back down into my comfortable maintenance.credit.
I work today and am focusing this morning on getting some things done at the house before I leave. My sister flies in tomorrow early from Seattle and we head over the hill where she'll have her treatments Thursday and Friday. back over again Saturday to take her to the airport.
I'm short on time this morning, but credit for posting. It's time to make a smoothie and head to work. Take care everyone.
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walked, CREDIT moi, to include a stop at the drugstore for a replacement pair of glasses for reading books. My glasses are variable focus - supposed to be comfortable at any distance. Well, sorta. For reading a book for a duration, I prefer a fixed focus. So, my doctor suggested years ago that I use drugstore glasses for reading and computer screen usage for any duration. I was sort of surprised to learn that the inexpensive versions just wear out. The lens scratches and the hinges get wobbly. Not a problem, given that they cost so little. Perhaps it's the way to teach me why I pay so much for my everyday pair of frames.
Food was only OK - CREDIT moi for that much. I compensated by having a light lunch, but what I'm after is planned food not ad-hoc compensations.
onebyone – Congrats for surviving the MIL test. Hope you have that warm weather today.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Kudos for new Response Cards. Double Kudos for actually reading them.
Debbie (Lexxiss) – An organic Asian pear sounds like a terrific choice of a snack from the huge set of unhealthy choices at Whole Foods.
Cheryl (GosfordGirl) – Yay for a good food day.
maryann - Kudos for recognizing the "I deserve . . . I need" stuff. Love that you use your DS's music lesson to get in your walk.
nationalparker – Great reminder, "ICATM." Ouch for the deadly thought that I well recognize, "and why throw out food."
Mountain Mamma - Yep, "It’s this matter of never letting one’s guard down that is hard." I need to be reminded of that.
Readers -
Quote:
Day 24Deal with Discouragement
Finding Encouragement
To motivate yourself, especially in the face of self-doubt, do the following:
Add up the difficult hours. Many dieters I've counseled have wanted to give up at one point or another. They've come to me and said, "I had such a hard week. I don't know if I want to do this anymore." They they'd tell me about some struggle they went through to stay on their diet.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), pg 189.
Hi Coaches!
well, I can relate to those who are struggling because I fell way off the program over the weekend, ate too much and indulged in that thinking of "well, I've already overdone it, why not keep going". Yikes! I did do some walking on a beach, which probably worked off one oreo anyhow. I'm not happy that I put back on some pounds that took me forever to take off- and only over 3 days! but oh well, back to drawing board. M-in-law was well and we had a nice visit, which is the main thing-shes 91 so who knows how many visits we'll have left like that.
Taking the new meds and so far so good- of course I've been overeating so its hard to tell if its working or not.
Glad to hear from all. So envious of all the traveling some folks are doing! I feel like I travel to see family mostly, or do a kids vacation, which is fine but not really getting away! I should schedule a cheap weekend somewhere by myself. I imagine it will get easier to do as the kids get older.
Onwards and upwards! I am certainly motivated to eat less this week!
I read Chapter 2 of the green book which is just an overview, so I didn't get much from it. But I did make a couple of new response cards in the last 24 hours and I read them all this morning. Credit!
Here's one: When I overeat, I hate how I feel when I go to bed and, even more how I feel when I wake up. I deserve to feel well more than I "deserve" any treat.
In pursuit of an angel for this week, I ate less than 1350 calories yesterday. When I submitted my diary in MFP, a message came up: "If you ate this way for 5 weeks you would weigh 150." Wow. Five weeks. Tantalizing for someone who loses 1 pound a month. Is it possible? Could I do it? Well, I can set 1350 as my new goal in MFP. That would be the first step. The limit seems outrageously low. Yet 1500 calories seemed outrageously low and all I did for the month was maintain. So I am willing to see what happens. Walk is planned. Food is in MFP.
nationalparker and Lexxiss: Funny you both mentioned tea. I opened a new box of mint tea. I am going to make sure I schedule in two cups today. Also, I have an English cuke that is going to be sliced and sprinkled with rice vinegar. I must remember that both of these things are nourishing to my body AND on plan. Why do I crave/ count only things that have more calories? HMMMM self sabotaging?
MountainMomma: Saw a funny cartoon: "When thinking about the Ebola outbreak, I thought non indigenous disease and remembered to wish everybody Happy Columbus Day."
onebyone: Credit for observation that MIL stuff "is not my deal." It is really hard for me to let people be people - unrelated to my beliefs and actions.
GosfordGirl: i basically run my ticker the same way. When I hit a new low, I usually just change it on the first of the month.
BBE: Planned food - the illusive golden fleece, eh? Magical properties and all.
curlypudge: I am a big fan of solitary vacations. A few days and I am ready to be back in the thick of things.
Came to the realization
to it all afternoon and (2) I don’t like pizza that much. The only thing that kept the pizza from high-jacking the home-made meal was realizing the real issue: hunger. I had been busy, skipped lunch and was ravenous. Anything would have been tempting. The old diet cliché about not getting too hungry is so true and I know better than to skip lunch but did it anyway. 
Monday - Thanksgiving in Canada. Columbus Day in the U.S.
. I'm not happy that I put back on some pounds that took me forever to take off- and only over 3 days! but oh well, back to drawing board. M-in-law was well and we had a nice visit, which is the main thing-shes 91 so who knows how many visits we'll have left like that.