Good morning coaches,

Thanksgiving dinner was excellent if I do say so myself. Even with only four items and then pie for dessert, we all enjoyed it. I did the same as Bill with only one plate, no seconds, and a piece of pie. And the pie did go home with Coleen except one piece which dh requested. I feel more hopeful this morning that I can follow a plan for most of the days between now and Christmas. I will not gain weight over the holidays which I used to do every year. And I mean gain weight, like 10 pounds or more. It didn't help that I baked dozens and dozens of cookies and made buttery cashew brittle. I don't do that anymore and I've already let Coleen know that as lovely as her Christmas goodies are, I don't want any because I can't leave them alone.

Molly the dog settled in within an hour or so and she is no trouble at all. She wanted her bed at the foot of our bed since that's what she is used to at her house. Now she's sleeping next to me on the floor.

No big plans for today except get some healthy food in the house. I let the fridge get pretty low before Thanksgiving. This afternoon we have the Apple Cup football game which is the University of Washington (go Dawgs!) against Washington State University. We'll be watching that for sure. No Black Friday shopping for me.

Bill What joy to have your little DGD there for holidays. I remember 25 years ago when my niece was born. I recently found a video that my Dad had taken at holidays and most of it was of Lisa. She was such a joy especially because she was a surprise. My brother had to have a second vasectomy after she was born.

Nationalparker I have been learning those same lessons about not needing all the favorites. The dinner is still delicious and the guilt so diminished.

GardenerJoy The cranberry applesauce sounds wonderful and I bet it's pretty too.

Onebyone Glad you had a day when you didn't have to meet anyone. So what are you going to do with the hair do? Lately I've let mine get pretty long. First it was cause it was easier to pull it in a pony tail for the Camino. Now I have just decided I like it better that way. Nice thing about hair is it can be changed easily.

Waving to Maryann!

Well everybody have a great day and let's remember that the holidays are really only a couple of days. If we stay on track the days in between we'll be much happier come New Year's. Day.

Phone Checkin

Credit two long bluff hikes on the Pacific Ocean. Couldn't have been more beautiful. One hike was up a steep mountain side. It was a good challenge. There will be some weight ramifications when I get home but for now, I call it a win. Five hour drive home. Happy holidays everyone.

Hello, coaches! It seemed like a recuperation day here but I didn't do any of the hard work from yesterday on the meal prep ... but still took advantage of a slower day. DH and DB went to the gym to lift, and was buoyed by my brother feeling strong enough to lift a bit. He acknowledged that it wouldn't be much, but just to keep from sliding back so much. Then this afternoon DH and I took a long walk, good to get out in the wonderful warm (80 degree) weather.

Meals so far today have been as OP as we can, so that feels good. Tonight we're going to have Thai and I'll get my favorite one that I will eat 1/3 or so (1/2 if ravenous) and go from there. It's a day of everything on my plan - healthy fats, carbs, protein, veggies and fruit - so it will match up well. Have enjoyed the MUCH more flavorful fruit here - berries and pineapple are popping in my mouth. Ours at home has been mediocre, but thankful they're still available much of the year.

DH is here for several more days. Nice to have relaxing time before DB's procedure on Monday. There will be several hours, so I'm planning to walk along the river downtown to pass the time and hope for the best for him. DH was going to stay here but then decided he, too, would like to walk along the river.

Saturday - Norbert Wiener born (1894, Columbia, Missouri)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Black Friday was spent recovering from Thanksgiving. The supermarket parking lot was half-empty; the shelves at the front of the store that display 'specials' were bare, presumably from Thanksgiving material removed. In addition to food, my job was to buy six boxes of tissues since DW and I continue to sniffle our way through the season.

Did more work installing the bathroom under-sink cabinet. The fun part was installing the door handles. DW had bought the jig that slips over the corner of the door to make the holes perfectly to drill for the screws that hold the handles. That was so easy. Without the jig it'd be a pain. Dinner was a repeat: turkey, stuffing, leftover salad, roasted Brussels sprouts (new). Lunch was a turkey sandwich. I love the first two meals the day after Thanksgiving.


maryann - Yep, Kudos indeed for "two long bluff hikes on the Pacific Ocean" - my second favorite ocean.

nationalparker – Yay for "berries and pineapple" - there are serious food benefits in Florida. Kudos for a long walk with your DH in the warm weather.

Karen (karenrn) - Congrats to your Huskies for a decisive win in the Apple Cup. Kudos for sending food home with Coleen.

Readers -

Good Morning, Coaches.

Back home and the scale says there is much work to be done. I disregarded the urgent feeling the number produced. STOP EATING NOW, the feeling said. What is the saying? Keep calm and plan on, I have been here before. I have proven I can eat sensibly and lose the excess. Today's plan is to fill the house with the healthy food I will need. Before that, I will take DS to wreath building - a boyscout fundraiser.

Step by step is the key today. Having kept my eyes wide open over the past few years, I have come to realize that my feelings of inadequacy (not enoughness) always follows an interaction with my family. Today I will have to manually override that feeling. I will have say many times today things like: I am enough; I do enough; I am kind enough; I am loving enough; Everything will be ok; I do not have to eat to avoid these feelings.

I also must give myself huge credit for not diving into the drama of the family. I did not gossip about the family with DB or Dad. Even more proof of my recovery is the fact that DB and Dad did not try to speak to me about anybody else. Huge credits for continuing with my plan of creating individual relationships with each family member ( eight of us in all.) I also practiced gratitude by thanking DB for living with Dad and helping him through the knee surgery. Although there is a common thought that DS is a parasite living on Dad, I am grateful to not have to be down there at all. Living with Dad would be a nightmare for me so my thanks was genuine.

Credit to all of you for weathering Thanksgiving like champs. I am happy to return to healthy eating before December. I would hate to wait until January like so many others. A lot of damage can be done in a month.

Good morning coaches,

Food over calories a bit yesterday, but at least mostly good choices. I did share dh's pie with him which I was not planning on, but it's gone now. This morning I went out for a 90 minute hike. I would have gone longer, but it was very windy and I'm not crazy about hiking in the wind. Later today I'm seeing a movie with a friend, so a really pleasant day. Dh and I are trying to alternate our time away, so we're here with Molly the dog. I guess we had better get used to that.

Maryann Good job with the family visit and your recent hikes. I am right there with you on the step by step and healthy eating. I'm to the point where I wish I had a personal chef and maybe a jailor or somebody who wouldn't let me have anything I shouldn't be having.

Bill I also went to the grocery store and even Costco yesterday and was amazed how few people were there. I guess they were all at the mall or home shopping online.

Nationalparker A walk along the river sounds great and so nice to have dh with you. Yes, at least you can enjoy the nice warm weather while you're there.

Have a great day everybody!

We enjoyed a wonderful Thai dinner last night and then I had an additional treat of a bowl of "pie" ... not much sugar/butter, so it's kind of crunchy apples with cinnamon; she was putting so much in/out of the oven, they didn't cook to soft, but taste good. Right back on track today, though meals are MUCH later than we have at home, all across the board. Late brunch, then lunch finished a few minutes ago, and dinner will be around 8, I figure. Made DH and myself large salads filled with veggies and topped with some leftover turkey, gala apple and some pomegranate with balsamic. Very tasty and filling. Dinner may be vegan tacos made with lentils in lettuce cups.

This is turning into a test of how I'd do on maintenance because I don't have all my tools here to support what I need to do, but enough. I'm challenged by walking the line between DB wanting to buy all my food and me wanting specific stuff now and then, things that they wouldn't be likely to make. I want to make sure I'm not rolling through their food, but also know he wants to get most of that stuff since I bought the flight only a few days out, so it was about the cost of two round trip tickets for us.

I wrote up a post earlier and lost it, so this might be shorter and I'll come back and add personals.

Bill - Good reminder - I'm putting roasted Brussels sprouts on my meal listing for next weekend. I'm aiming to not go into the weekend after I get home without a plan. Already make an appt. to get my rotors checked as DH drove my car while I was gone and said they're pulsing. Credits for continuing on with your projects through the holiday weekend!

Maryann - Great job on your trip - successes at every corner, it sounds like. It's so hard to come back from a trip and be where we want to be on the scale - even just a bit dehydrated causes the bump and who wants to drink so much on a car trip?

Karen - Wow, I'd love to have you petsit my crew! DH and I don't even alternate who goes out when we have our own dog :)

Where to start?
 

Hello --

I am delighted to find this thread, as I am starting to use the Beck plan, and would love to the accountability and chance to support others.

If this group is still open, could I get some advice on the best way to join in?

Many thanks.

Sunday - Hubble Space discovers hydrogen atmosphere on planet Osiris (2001)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – The under-sink cabinet is firmly attached to the wall with four long screws. One could dance on it and it wouldn't move. Yay for finding the studs in advance and measuring carefully. Yay for battery powered drills that can also drive screws. CREDIT moi for doing what I had to do.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi, since I was too busy to think about snacking. Dinner was the leftover pizza from before Thanksgiving. It was good to have a non-turkey meal. In the olden days, one pizza would not have made two meals for DW and I since I'd have had three slices. At least.


maryann - Super Kudos for a non-negative interaction with your family, with hats off to your DS and DH for supporting you. Really like the mantra, "I am enough."

nationalparker – LOL at bowl of "pie" - great way to avoid the crust which I didn't realize until a few years ago was built upon a major ingredient that made it taste so good. Shifting of meal times can be a challenge.

Karen (karenrn) - Always Kudos for "mostly good choices" - a good start for any day.

Readers -

Will be back on here later with a regular post but wanted to say Welcome to BeHereNow! You and Bill were nearly on here at the same time! We look forward to you joining us here and learning more of what challenges you and what solutions you can share with us all. A very supportive group here, and we welcome new "coaches"!

Good morning coaches,

Food within calories yesterday, yahoo and credit. Of course having a hike to add some exercise calories is what makes all the difference in the world. Today I won't have any exercise calories to speak of. I'm leaving shortly for my greeter duty at the trailhead from 10 to 12. At least it keeps me busy, thinking of exercise and seeing lots of mostly fit people. I was planning to do the decorating when I get home, but think I'll wait until the bathroom is finished, which should be very soon. I'd better do some thorough dusting and vacuuming after that prior to setting out the decorations. Dh did put up the tree yesterday and the wreath is on the door. I need to pick up a bow for the wreath though.

We saw the movie "Allied" yesterday. We both liked it although it was pretty darn sad. Coleen had just received a phone call that her Dad (94 and in New Brunswick) was in the hospital, so that didn't help the sad part. Boy I know the feeling of older parents with health issues. Always waiting for the other shoe to drop and then they are gone and we miss them.

Bill Congrats for completing yet another project. You seem to be darn handy. It helps to be too busy to snack, doesn't it.

Beherenow Welcome! We are a fairly small group currently. As you will see we post when we can and add personals to others when we can. For me the most important thing is to post thereby preventing going completely off the rails. I do need to get back to the book, review, and put things into practice again.

Nationalparker I hope you and dh are having a nice warm Florida day today. It's cloudy here and we expect rain tonight and then a cooler, but clear week after Monday. I don't mind the cooler, it means hiking any time of the day is good. We took Molly home last night before our early bed time. Her Momma was getting home late, but was happy to have her home to greet her.

Well, I'd better be sure I have everything I need when I head out the door. Hopefully it will be busy at the trailhead so the time passes quickly. Have a great Sunday everybody!

Good Morning!

It snowed a tad this morning...just enough to get things wet. I had a few things to do outside but think I will wait. I need to leave soon to take mom to the grocery store, anyway. I did go through the fridge this morning and freeze some stuff. Also made some sauteed mushrooms for Kirk. I think everything inside is "current" now. LOL I despise wasting food. I set some turkey and spaghetti squash aside for my dinner. Think my hubby is having pizza.

It's hard to believe another month is passing by. What is really hard to believe is that I'm still working out in my yard! Yesterday, hubby and I completed yet another large bed right in front of the house. Same routine….dig out old dirt (about 10 inches), dump in the street (gotta love it!) and haul in new bagged soil for replacement. There is only one bed now that hasn't been 100% replaced. I don't know if we will get to it or not. I'm getting tired yet still aware that this opportunity will not come again. Once the road is finished any soil I want to remove will have to leave by car.

I am maintaining my weight. I still weigh every day, with few exceptions. Food choices have remained pretty good with a break for the holiday. I still made better choices. This morning I froze all leftovers and cleaned the fridge out. Maintaining my "environment", As Dr Beck says, is very important to me.

Life in general….extremely busy and unpredictable. I just practice acceptance and try to be as organized and flexible as possible. That really helps. I did have an issue with a rental on Friday but otherwise it's been pretty quiet from the tenants. :crossed: Being super attentive to my mom right now is #1. I'm going in a few minutes to take her grocery shopping. It would be far easier for me to take her list but getting her out is important to me. So I will continue to find moments to focus on me, continue to work a food plan and I will drop in here when I can.

BeHereNow, welcome! There is always room for someone else. This is a great group of like minded folk here. Join in as you wish! There are no "rules". I used to be an every day poster (highly recommended) but life circumstances put me to a weekly poster yet still a daily follower. Beck has certainly been helpful for me to stay focused during extended stressful times.

Nationalparker, kudos for finding ways to incorporate your food plan into your current circumstances. I think of you often!

BBE, nice job on the cabinet! Kudos for eating OP, too!

Karen, glad to hear the bathroom is finishing. I cant remember when you come to pick up Otis. I've been following his videos.

Maryann, kudos to you for not diving into the drama of the family, and especially practicing gratitude with your brother. I, too, am happy to return to healthy eating before December. I agree, lots of damage can be done in a month.

OK, I need to get to the business of picking up my mom. Fortunately, the road crew took an extended weekend so I am parked in front of my house and just need to move cones to pick up my mom.

Good Morning, Coaches.

Welcome BeHereNow!

There is a lot of peace here to be found with food. No rules. Just people sharing the truth about what is going on in their search for sanity with food.

Getting all the food prepped yesterday for the new food structure I am planning felt like a full time job. But the kitchen is mostly stocked. I am letting go the several trips to the store. I once prided myself on only going once every couple of weeks. Pride goes before the fall. This plan is new and doing anything for the first times means nothing will be efficient. (Like several trips to the hardware store, right BBE?) So I ate the new breakfast. I have most of the menu for the week planned. Today, I will be required to cook three things to make the week easier. Therefore, the boys get a simple lunch of leftovers and a big salad for dinner. They should eat more greens anyway.

I am still waking up with the blues/anxiety. Extra food will not help. I had a long talk with DH about health. He has been rocked by a peer who had a heart attack with bypass. DH has been making great gains by going to the gym and eating whatever I put in front of him but still he carries an extra 35 pounds on him. Well, first things first. I need to adjust what I eat before I suggest changes for him. We have a growing boy in the house and it is difficult to not serve them the same size portions.

KarenRn: The food cop would be great until I became rebellious like I did with my parents. Then I would eat despite all of them.
Nationalparker: You are doing so well. This is just a moment in time. Soon you will be home with all your tools about you. Keep up the good work.

Well, after doing well on plan, today we strayed after a healthy on plan dinner - another slice of apple pie that a daughter-in-law brought for the dinner. It was cut into about 10 pieces, so the servings were not too ample, but delicious. Frustrated that it goes down oh, so easily. SIL make a healthy turkey pot pie with spelt/brown rice flour biscuits to top it. That worked perfectly into our food plan and was kind of her to buy that flour and make the accommodation.

SIL asked if my DH and I would pick up a Christmas tree tomorrow and get it in the plant stand for DB. I think it's super early but obviously they're not all sitting in water here, so ... we'll do and it's one thing less for them to tackle. We're fine to pick one up but I just don't want it to drop all needles early :)

I think I'm going to come up with a food plan for the next 10 days or so after I return home, to make the marketing and prep a lot quicker for us. The first thing that went on there (well, in addition to that dang tuna on Thursday after I get home), is black bean chili stuffed sweet potatoes, with the sweet spuds baked in the oven, not the microwave. BOY, did that set them apart in taste. (Thanks, Ina Garten, for explaining that IS the way to bake them...)

better care
 

Coaches

I've about hit the wall in terms of stress management. Thankfully the big deal items currently on my list are about to be faced and put into the rearview mirror this week. Unfortunately I have eaten my way through them and tried to cope with food. It's a reflection of my current non-existent support systems.

DH spends all weekend playing video games and wanting to just be left alone. He has headphones on and it is silent here. I talk a lot to the cat, who loves to talk to me, but I feel sad and lonely and I think "if DH wants to come out nad talk to me he will, so, therefore he wants to be left alone" and really I need to amuse myself.

That's one stressful thing as I am a talker and dreamer and a thrower-of-ideas-arounder but I don't have a like-minded soul to do that with. In general, I put this stuff into my art but this weekend I was super stressed with the demands of the guild fall sale (I think I sold quite a bit as when I packed my work up tonight I had one whole box that was empty and another was only half full!) and I have been unable to make new work for the upcoming solo restaurant show which requires me to drop my work off to Johnny at 1pm on Wednesday. I was looking for 12 pieces. I have 3 complete, 3 in the works, 4 planned and would like to add two large (12x24 and 16x20) to the to do list tomorrow. I have time to get to them still, but inbetween then and now I have to ravel downtown to teach the first of ten art classes to physically and mentally challenged individuals. i am STRESSED OUT about this, which is normal as so many aspects of this are new to me, and it would be abnormal not to be stressed.

But all of these things together...this is what happened. I woke up early and left to go buy coffee and bread for breakfast. i recorded a message for my friend to email to him and thne went into the store. I bought stuff, put it into a box, and then went back to the car and was amazed by the canada geese marching in a line down the road in front of the car. I got home and... no groceries. I felt a deep and frantic panic take hold of me. I thought OMG you are losing your mind. I cannot recall where I left the grocery box or what I did with it. I did drive back and checked the area where I was parked and the grocery store checkout and no box of groceries anywhere. Someone scored some free food. I cannot remember for the life of me what I did I was so distracted. I cried and felt fear that the alzheimer's was coming for me too. Early adult onset alz. And then I thought OMG how can I possibly take the trqin go downtown and teach? How can I do that?

Catastrophizing. I recognize it. Anxiety. Yes. Panic. yep. I am in overload. And I need to dial it down and I will. Time to take better care cause I can't continue this level for much longer. I was considering swimming again and I think I need to do that. I need something that is just sheer pleasure.

Did not weigh this weekend. Did not try much either. I will do that in the morning. The kitchen is now closed.