My day isn't going according to plan -- and the plan wasn't that likely to be productive to start with. I'm mildly frustrated. That can be problematic for me. It doesn't rise to the level that I'm prompted to work through my emotions but it does rise to the level where I might eat over them if I'm not attentive.

To deal with all of that, I wrote an easy, slightly generous food plan. I'm determined to follow it.

Credits:

• posted twenty-one days in a row

Weigh-in: NA kgs, Exercise: +25, 740/1200 minutes for August

All going well here. I have a proper haircut again (Bill, my avatar hair is for high days and holidays as it takes ages to get right). Mum and I are rationalising things - flannelette undersheets, plastic bags, things like that. I removed a Stanley knife with blade in position from a cutlery drawer - how come none of us have ever seen it there or been injured? It must have been there since at least 2008 and probably earlier. I've deadheaded the geraniums.

Food not too bad. Exercise - walking with heavy shopping. My hip complained but I was stuck fairly motionless on trains yesterday so that could have jammed me up.

Hope all is going well. See you tomorrow.

Hi everyone!

Today was an OP day for me--food and exercise. I ate exactly what I intended to. My weekly weigh in at the doctor's office was down 3.2 lbs. I've lost 30% of my body weight this year. DD didn't feel like going to the library tonight so I walked by myself--dropped one book off, picked up one for me, and 2 holds for her. It's interesting how my walk has become something I enjoy rather than something I force myself to do. I even enjoyed the walk at the gym yesterday although being outside is way better.

I'm trying two new low carb recipes this week. We're not eating out much, which is good, so I want to keep some variety in our diets!

A NSV: I took tucks in the waistband of my capris today--I think i'm going to do the other white ones I have tomorrow and then I'll have to change the thread to do others. I didn't even take big enough tucks, but at least they're no longer sliding off.

silverbirch: It's amazing how things accumulate--even utility knives with their blades out.

joy: I hope your day improved and that your new food plan worked out.

penny: I often buy pre-cut stuff, too--if it saves time and keeps me cooking rather than going out, I consider it a win.

BillBlueEyes: I love hearing about your birds. 4 lbs would make me jump for joy. I hope it does<n't> stick around, whichever way the negative should go!

G'night, all!

--Beth
http://health.bweiss.com/cardimages/...in%20reach.JPG

Wednesday - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers grace Life cover (1938, Great Depression)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Walk, CREDIT moi, with a stop at a mini-library that allowed me to return home with a thin book of pictures of Edward R. Tufte's interpretation of the QED diagrams of Richard Feynman. A perfect book of only 16 pages. Since I've never understood Feynman diagrams, maybe the guy who introduced me to that great chart of Napoleon's march into Russia and back in 1812 will help. I spotted a package on the front porch of a neighbor who is gone for a week and asked me watch for packages; it's now in my foyer. I feel like a hero protecting against package thieves who are active in this area.

Eating was on plan including a splendid dinner on the patio of swordfish, grilled asparagus, and green salad. Summer dinners are just heaven. Today's quote reminds me that when I resist snacks for a few weeks, it becomes easier because I cease thinking about them all the time.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – I do admire that you constantly work your food plan seeking a fit for your schedule.

silverbirch – Ouch for the reminder that being motionless just isn't good for our bodies. Congrats for disarming that Stanley knife after 10+ years.

Beth (bethturnaround) – Congrats for the NSV of taking tucks in your capris. Neat that you took off for a walk to the library even without your DD's company.

Penny. – Neat to participate in the offerings of your little free library, since I'm obviously also a fan. Sometimes paying for the convenience is what works to get veggies into our eating plan.

Readers -

Good Morning, Coaches.

I have finally had enough sleep to get up early enough to post. I am very grateful.

School has been a rougher start then anticipated. I have had med issues that include tremors in my hands and mouth. My back has been out and I have still battled the digestive issues ( whether I eat dairy or not.) But I finally have been given some relief. Drs took me off some meds and it helped with tremors and sleep. PT helped with back and I am back on a diet of whole foods.

I think the students have sensed my distraction and vulnerability and they have been acting up. I have not handled it very well. Teaching has always been the easiest thing I have done but now I am a different person facing different circumstances. Life on life's terms is my new motto.

How is this related to food? Beneath my compulsive behaviors are insecurities. I feel vulnerable when people "see" me struggle and that leads me to "cover up." Thankfully, I have been able to stay OP through Beck skills and other CBT things. This morning, I did Day 15 of Headspace meditation. I planned and OP food day and exercise will be a walk.

In my meditation, there was a neat thought. My life is a blue sky. Negative thoughts and acts may darken it for a moment but there remains a blue sky underneath waiting for me.

Nice to see that I can see a drop on the scale from eating according to a plan that I considered easy and generous. That makes me extra grateful that I made the plan and stated, here, that I intended to follow it.

Credits:

• posted twenty-two days in a row
• realized I was a bit behind on my exercise minutes for August and stepped it up

Weigh-in: -0.25 kgs, Exercise: +45, 785/1200 minutes for August

Hello, everyone!

Yesterday was on plan. I switched out my usual egg on toast breakfast with a two egg omlet so I could have some of the chile verde on it. I felt I missed the toast but then ended up with a much lower carb day and another smidge down in weight (unexpected!). I repeated the breakfast today, though I still miss the crunch of that toast.

Air quaulity index has been bad again and I've been using it as an excuse to not exercise. :(

Maryann, what a terrible start to the school year! I'm glad the tremble has been resolved, and major credit to you for still working the alternative stress relievers.

Gardenerjoy, yay for a good day! I can feel your happiness through your post.

Beth, definite credit deserved for taking the walk even without your daughter. I have struggled with only wanting to do an activity if someone goes with me. Now that I have mostly older kids, I need to get used to being on my own for activities. Haha!

Bill, little libraries are so great. There have been a time or two that I stuck my head in one and shuddered at the titles and quickly closed it up. :lol:

Silverbirch, the proper haircut must feel so good!

Good evening coaches,

I'm settled in to the motel in Carson City, NV. It was a long drive, but I did fine until I got here. Once I arrived I realized I am pretty darned tired. It was 737 miles and took nearly 11 1/2 hours. I only stopped for gas and bathroom stops. I ate in the car, but it was planned food. Two protein bars, a little sliced turkey lunch meat, one apple and some cut up veggies. I did go to Chipotle and got a chicken bowl for dinner. I had them cut back on rice and beans. I was thinking I was getting a salad . . . dumb me. It was enough and it was warm which is what I wanted.

It is smokey here, but not bad. It's just that I can smell the smoke and we haven't had any of that. I'm planning to hike in the morning, but I'm going to figure anything is better than nothing and not push myself too much since I'm alone. I will check the air quality in the morning too.

I've read all your posts and may respond in the morning . . I'm beat. Think I'd better get a shower before I just don't have the energy to do it. Today was the longest drive of the whole trip and tomorrow is only about half the distance. Yahoo!

Hi everyone!

I'd intended to try a new recipe for dinner tonight but the grocery store was out of almond flour. There was plenty of dinner without that additional dish :-). I did a better job of serving myself the right size portion but I think I need to do the 'leave food' exercise a few times to get myself to where I put my fork down and stop--even if there are bites left.

I was working on something at my desk and had intended to skip my walk tonight. Then I realized that I have after work things tomorrow and won't have the opportunity to walk, so I walked to the library to pick up an on-hold book that had come in--got there just 2 minutes before closing. I enjoyed the walk. It's funny how I used to push myself to walk 20 minutes and now the 20 minute each way walk to the library is easy.

Have a good night, all!

--Beth
http://health.bweiss.com/cardimages/...ver%20time.JPG

Good morning coaches,

Well that was a short night. I did fall asleep early, but I was awake by 2:00 or 2:30 a.m. and I think that's it for the night. Here I have this huge bed, it isn't hot, there is no husband snoring or dog crowding me and I am awake. Oh well, I guess that was enough. I don't plan to leave the room until about 6 a.m. It will take me 45 minutes or so to get to the trailhead and it is pretty cool out, for me anyway. I will need to put water in my Camelbak and get some food sorted out to take in my daypack. I'll let you know how it goes.

Beth You are doing so well with your walking and your cards are great.

Penny Smidge by smidge your weight is heading in the right direction. Good job!

GardenerJoy Glad you're seeing a drop in your weight too!

Maryann I hope the med changes are the start of sleeping well often. What a difficult start to the year. I hope it is just a memory very soon. I will be thinking about you as I attempt Mt. Rose today. The first challenge will be finding the trailhead and then feeling brave to do the hike by myself. I hope there are some others on the trail. I hike alone frequently at home, but that is known territory. I am only going to go as far as I feel comfortable. I just hope that is at least a little ways. I have so been looking forward to being able to exercise outdoors in the cooler temps. Honestly the air quality is fine at least from what the computer says.

Bill Can you believe the boldness of the package thieves? Unbelievable! Glad you were able to help your neighbor.

You all have a great day . . .

Thursday - 1st one-way streets open (1617, City of London)
 

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Exercise was chase the (2 yr 11 mo) DGD day. She spotted an awful book, Patsy the kittycat, on my stack of books to donate, "Will you read this to me?" just before her nap. Her grandmom did. "Can I take it to bed with me?" She has NEVER asked to take a book to bed before. It's a pathetic Golden Tell-A-Tale Book from 1986 with dreadful pictures of each farm animal visited by the kittycat. [Good grief! The site's auto-censor twice inserted 'kitty' for the word that was acceptable back in 1986 but now carries both sexual and political baggage.] I'd read a review saying it was a favorite childhood book. By accident, I bought two - one each from two different sellers when I was in a buying orgy of kids' books. Ouch. Thus one was on the donate stack. Now we're stuck. The good news was watching her handling markers. She now can remove the caps, stick them on the bottom, and then replace them tightly with a click by pushing against the table. Congrats to her parents and daycare folk who walked her through all that. Her most fun moment was stomping every puddle in sight when walking in the rain. No puddle can escape her piercing eyes.

Food was on plan, CREDIT moi, with dinner on the (now dry) patio. Our green salad was bought lettuce - we're done with garden lettuce. Our backyard plum tomatoes topped it off. We get these small, yellow guys until late. They're helpful for those of us in denial about the season.


Joy (gardenerjoy) – Yay that your scale sees that you're following your plan.

maryann – Love the visual, "My life is a blue sky." Wish you well getting past the rough start at school.

Karen (karenrn) – That's one looong drive. Kudos for making it without unplanned snacks from the rest stops. As they say, "What happens in Carson City, stays in Carson City." Have a fun hike this morning greeting the rising sun.

Beth (bethturnaround) – Yay for breaking your resistance and making the walk to the library.

Penny. – Ouch for the bad air quality index. Congrats for each smidge noticed by your scale.

Readers -

Good Morning, Coaches.

Back and neck are starting to heal and the tremors have stopped. I am grateful. I'm am reframing my work experience as a lesson on life. I have a lot to learn about people pleasing and ego. I have chosen an anthem that I will sing to myself during the day - "Day by Day." I can do anything for one day that would appall me if I had to do it for a lifetime. I am also going to start making a gratitude list. Although there are things wrong, there are many things right.

Credits:
Eating a diet of whole foods.
Counting veggies and fruits in a day.
Looking my best with flattering clothes and a new haircut
prayer and meditation
weighing in

Weight is at ticker. I will walk sometime today.

KarenRN: Wow! Enjoy Mt. Rose. I know there will be people on it. It is still summer. Glad the smoke is not too bad.
Beth: I love walking for a purpose whether to go to the store or on a tour. It is so much more enjoyable than strictly for exercise. BBE seems to be the master of this kind of walking.
Penny: Great job being willing to change up your food plan. I often find if I eat less it doesn't make that big of difference except on the scale. Watching my cross country running son eat has helped me tremendously. He eats very little and runs. If he can do it surely I can.

Karen, I guess I missed that you were taking a solo vacation to do some solo hiking. I am loving that so much! Enjoy your hike, and I look forward to reading how it went.

Maryann, I like your list of positives and your day by day mantra. You've got this!

Beth, kudos for using your two feet asxa mode of transportation!

Bill, kudos for the on plan day. The Golden book sounds familiar.


I had a good day and another smidge down in weight today, for a total of 2.4 pounds in the last four days. I looked at my (digital) graph and see a pattern of 6-10 day plateaus followed by a few days of micro-losses. I'll take it! 15.8 total pounds lost.

Today is kind of busy *and* I need to get the next batch of food made. Timing is never perfect for finishing one dish and having the next dish's meat defrosted. Pork chops are next.

An early morning meeting threw me off my game. Credit for posting, even if it's late (23 days in a row). Credit for not eating over the weirdness of the day. I never wrote a plan, but I ate as if I did.

Good Evening, Coaches.

I am at "back to school" nite waiting for someone to show up. I thought I would try posting in the evening. Credit for closing the kitchen early with the action of brushing my teeth. This was a good decision rather than waiting until I get home. No exercise today except walking around campus.

I only got in 4 servings of fruits and veggies. Oh Well. I will try harder tomorrow.

Credits
making it through a good teaching day with only five hours of sleep
being the most patient person I can be with some troubled kids
enjoying the cute 4th graders I have now started teaching. They are an energy plus rather than a negative.
prayer and meditation

Wave to all.