The Beck Diet Solution is a psychological program, not a food plan. It provides a step-by-step program to learn specific techniques to stay on our diet, lose weight, and maintain our weight loss for life. The program is based on Dr. Beck's clinical research in Cognitive Therapy (CT).
The Complete Beck Diet for Life expands the earlier work and includes a food plan with suggested menus. From the cover:
With The Complete Beck Diet for Life you'll discover the 5 stages of successful dieting and maintenance. You'll learn how to motivate yourself, give yourself credit for every change you make, create time and energy for dieting, and handle hunger and cravings. Dr. Beck eases you into changing one step at a time. You'll master one task before moving on to the next. And you'll learn techniques to deal with challenging situations, such as sticking with ou plan at celebrations and dealing with "food pushers." With Dr. Beck's skills, you'll achieve a lifetime of healthful eating and lifelong motivation.
This is a place to discuss the Beck strategies and our daily efforts, to receive and provide support, and, for some of us, is where we serve as on-line diet buddy (coach) to each other.
If you’ve arrived from a search engine, you've landed at the site of 3 Fat Chicks (3FC), a remarkable place for those interested in a healthy life style, including mindful eating, exercise, and weight loss. More about the site, including how to register so that you can post, can be found here.
The books are available on Amazon through the 3FC store by clicking their names above; buying through 3FC helps to cover the costs of running this site.
You can find the list of previous (or more current) monthly Beck threads here on 3 Fat Chicks via:
Diet Coaches/Buddies - A half-hour quick walk became a one-hour walk, CREDIT moi. Needed to visit an ATM to get cash for my empty wallet. Got out the front door only to discover that it'd started to rain. Busy'd myself inside for thirty minutes until it stopped. Walked to the ATM where three attempts with card, password, and selection of which type of bills I wanted went in before the machine rudely announced "Transaction not possible." Done. Hard choice. There was another ATM an additional half-hour away. The sky was iffy. I could walk home to get my car. Decided to walk. The second ATM in the lobby of a branch office gave me the $20s I needed. Bonus: in a curbside library walking home I nabbed
in pristine condition. It's been made obsolete by the several apps that show the night sky as seen from one's location, time, date, and direction the iPhone is pointing. I've got one. But this old time book guy likes the feel of the pages.
Spent the evening consoling DW who had paid to hear a choral performance on Zoom. She waited and waited for the performance to replace the Choral's Welcome Screen, only knowing that it wasn't just her by reading the comments from folks around the country saying they, too, only saw the Welcome Screen. After an hour, the IT person posted a screen saying that, after discussing the failure with the Directors, everyone would get an email about what would happen. I hope they let folks watch it later; they're too small to give refunds to everyone.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was pork chops, refried beans, and green salad. All conversations centered around the last minute tasks getting the yard ready for the garden-club visitors (hopefully) coming today to DW's garden.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Good news that you're making helpful contacts during a difficult family situation. Neat image, "corralling the bored children,"
maryann – My admiration for buckling down to replant your succulent planter. A five gallon bucket of stones is quite a lift.
curlyjax - Fun thought to look at houses for one that appeals for your own paint job.
Readers -
Quote:
day 1Record the Advantages of Losing Weight
Make Your Advantages Card
Or write or type the reason on a piece of paper. Do whatever works for you.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 58.
Didn't get as much done as I wanted yesterday but oh well. I did a financial thing I've been meaning to do, and then picked up some paint samples at a hardware store. I told my neighbors I was considering painting the house purple and there was silence from them I meant a dark greyish purple or a light lavender, not a really bright one. Later in the day BFF and I used AI to look at my house in certain colors which was pretty cool. I'm torn because a barn red could look good, but I associate red with things like anger and blood so- The house has been blue and then greenish, so I do want something different but not annoying. If its too "feminine" a color I feel like people will know there's a single woman living there.
I brought over the brie and bread for BFF and that was pretty much dinner, along with some pretzel thins. Not the best but at least I didn't have any sugar.
Today is hitting up a few grocery stores, and I'm thinking I could fit a walk in on the way there, as I haven't been getting in exercise. I want to tire myself out today.
I slept in so the day is off to a late start but I also feel good which is worth it.
Maryann-great job sticking to it and making the project look how you wanted.
Bill-yay for errands that promote exercise.
Yesterday’s activities included a buffet lunch served by church ladies. I accidentally discovered my best approach to buffets. Ask DH to handle my plate! I saw that my niece-in-law was attempting to fill plates for four children at once and offered to help. She gave me control of the youngest child (turned 3 yesterday!) and her plate, so I gave DH my plate.
While I helped a three-year-old make decisions, DH had the difficult job of figuring out what I wanted. He chose salads and a small serving of potatoes and a small piece of fried chicken. Perfect!
Dessert was DBiL’s favorite – cherry pie. I remembered that we disagreed on favorite desserts so I could choose to honor his memory by not eating cherry pie.
We end this busy weekend with a birthday party. The youngest child turned three yesterday and the second youngest will turn five next week. Our contribution is books (as usual) and a drum for the five-year-old (we got permission from the parents for this gift!).
My food and exercise plans are to get the exercise and healthy foods in before we go to the party. At the party, I’ll focus on children and a nephew that we don’t see often, instead of food.
Yesterday was a full day of rest. I watch a triple feature of Jason Stratham action thriller movies with the thinnest of plot lines. They were all produced by Sylvestre Stallone. They were truly UPF - ultra processed filmmaking. Nonethe less they turned my mind to neutral and my body heal.
I woke up not sore and well rested. Three cheers. Today we check out the Riverhouse to see some finished cabinets. Then off to Mom to do a few tasks for her so she will be more comfortable in this heat then off to return a couple of sconces. afterwards maybe to a studio grill to each lunch and watch a movie. A nice date afternoon.
Monday - American Indian Citizenship Day (1924, Indian Citizenship Act, by Congress)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - The (5 yo) DGD with DS and DIL showed up. Exercise was playing a rouge baseball using a plastic toy bat and an underinflated beach ball. The 'game' allowed anyone to hit the ball which couldn't travel very far or hurt many plants. The major action was to fall on the ground giggling. I'd saved the 6'x2'x6" box from my purchase of a luggage area shade for my Bolt EV. Challenged the DGD to fit inside. Easy peasy, with great joy that only she could do that. Got the full two minutes of exploration with that before she went on to the next activity. I later cut it into squares small enough for our recycling bin. So much cardboard wasted.
DW's garden tour went well - even better than her hopes. A dozen folks came by; they carefully noted all the plants; and ended up as a group at the patio table nibbling the snacks just enjoying each other. A few happily grabbed the sprigs of tarragon she offered in a vase from her morning trimming. When one needs tarragon, it's a precious gift. When one's own tarragon plant is producing, it's a waste product.
Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. I got into the mixed nuts put out for the garden guests and then DS. It's easier for me to avoid nuts if they're out of sight. Dinner was a purchased-frozen lasagna - an easy fix for a busy day. Splitting the tray made for a large dinner; eating only a quarter each would have felt deprived.
Joy (gardenerjoy) – Two magnificent strategies: asking DH to choose your food while you helped a 3 yo; and choosing to honor you DBiL be NOT eating cherry pie.
maryann – Glad you had a lighter day after all the work you've been doing.
curlyjax - Such fun to ponder the new color for your house. I vote purple; there's enough of the other colors. A pleasant grayish purple, not these. (For your amuse, that's a list of 25 purples that your neighbors were thinking of. My favorite in #22, Lumpy, short for Heffridge Trumpler Brompet Heffalump IV, from Winnie the Pooh series.)
Readers -
Quote:
day 1Record the Advantages of Losing Weight
Make Your Advantages Card
Do whatever works for you. Just remember that you'll need to carry this list with you because you'll need to read it at various times during the day.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 58.
Productive day with lots of movement, yay. I did go for a 25 minute walk in between going to 3 grocery stores, each with its own specialty item I can't get at the other ones and am stocked up on some dry goods for a bit. Dinner was roasted broccoli, salmon and microwave corn on the cob, yum, and I did not get into the dessert I bought for DD, credit moi. Rotisserie chicken was deconstructed, all dishes done as well as some laundry. I finally opened the new vacuum and tried it out on my bedroom and DD's. I also tried assembling a vertical shoe rack and finally gave up; I think i'll just donate it somewhere as it was cheap. And finally looked at some more house colors; I'm now contemplating a light blue, which is what my bedroom is and I find it very peaceful.
Bloating continues-I'm going to give it until the end of the week and then call my doc for further exploration if it doesn't stop. It does keep me from overeating but its not worth that!
Gardenerjoy-sounds like excellent eating strategies indeed!
Maryann-yay for a well deserved rest day.Our minds do indeed need rest as well.
Bill-oh those colors! I think you're right, that's what my neighbors were thinking. Grayish purple is still in the mix. Yay for a cardboard box that serves as a brief toy.
Fun day yesterday: DH and I helped Mom with her honeydew list. Bought some better fans at a light store for the River house porch that currently doesn't exist. The nwe fans means I'll lose about $130 on returning others but that is often the price of moving forward. I bought a beautiful verdigris five foot tall planter that will go in the rose garden at the home consignment center. Then I had a wonderful hour in the half price book store and bought three books on interior design. Fascinating. Food was food, my favorite option.
I am up early to finish the rock path way and weed.
BBE and Curly: You two sounded like you had great days as well.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Started the day with a phone call to gas company in response to a threatening letter to cut off our gas if I continued to fail to make an appointment to have our gas meter inspected. We've received this threat twice before over the last year even though we'd been inspected. In both cases, the bored lady on the phone carefully explained that there was a discrepancy between the inspectors who have a record of coming out and the data base that sends that notice. "Just ignore it," she counseled to the man whose gas was going to be cut off ending hot showers and heat while she sat in her warm office. This time I was prepared to make another appointment - less work for me. Got the message, "You can wait for five minutes or we'll call you back at this number." Trustingly, I chose to be called back. Didn't happen. Today's goal: to call and wait on the line. Til h*ll freezes over if required.
Found a small scratch on my precious new car. Minor problem. The major problem is that there are a zillion offers of magic sticks that will make small scratches disappear. And dozens of not-magic applications, some of which claim to be the exact GM color of my car. Learned that there a dozens of "blue". This minor problem might become my summer project.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Peanut butter and pecans on whole wheat bread crusts for lunch as usual. Can't imagine life without peanut butter. Breakfast has included peaches for the last week; they're getting close to their summer best. Evening snack included a few cherries. The bountiful season begins.
maryann – That succulent planter is HUMONGOUS. Looks great. Admire you more for replanting it now that I see how big it is. Congrats for being able to take a loss when returning some fans in order to make progress going forward.
curlyjax - Celebrate that we still have specialty stores - that bring life to neighborhoods. My local bland supermarket has a "Foreign Foods" section that makes genuine British, Spanish, and French products looks as bland as the rest of the store.
Readers -
Quote:
day 1Record the Advantages of Losing Weight
Make Your Advantages Card
Check out the front and back of the card Carol, a dieter I counseled, made:
Quote:
Advantage Response Card . . .
1. I'll look so much better.
2. I won't be so self-conscious all the time.
3. I'll be able to wear clothes I like.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 58.
Busy day in the am and then it dragged a bit. I was able to get some exercise in by moving some equipment around, and then later in the day I went for a short walk with DD. For dinner for the next few days, I made air fried chicken tenders with parmesan cheese in the breading, so tasty. Checked out the flowers and plants- the hostas I replanted from my friend are doing well, but some of the flowers I haven't yet planted not so much. I probably bit off more than I could chew, but all the sales happened within two weeks and then it was so rainy out for days. Ah well, its the first year of this so its all an experiment. The combination of enough sleep with not eating sugar is giving me more energy I think, which I am loving.
DD has been a wad of anxiety as today she's back to work after being out awhile. I will patiently send her off to work tonight and then have the evening to myself!
Maryann-Wow!! Those are so impressive! I love the succulent planter especially.
Bill-So frustrating the gas company can't get its act together.
Yesterday was more gardening. I start off early again. I was exhausted yesterday but am really making some progress. my other projects are suffering so I will take tomorrow off.
Sugar is out of control. I declare today free of UPF sugar. Maintenance is not healthy if it includes 1,000 calories of sugar.
Wednesday - Columbia Records releases Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the USA" (1984)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Waited on the phone line for "The next available representative" at the gas company. With little effort, I booked a date for an inspection of my gas meter. An easier solution than convincing them that it will be a redundant inspection just to get their database synchronized. DW reminded me that the washing machine and dish washer also require hot water. We don't live a primitive life, it won't just be loss of hot showers.
Trip to the supermarket had no mounds of seasonal candy to avoid; this is the easy season. Different tomatoes are available each week. I picked a package of plum-sized tomatoes that looked more like small red peppers. Was delighted that, one more time, I learned something new in my Field Guide to the Night Sky - even though the book is 35 years old. An identifiable shape within a constellation is called an asterism. For example, The Big Dipper is an asterism in the constellation Ursa Major. Great new word to make myself a bore at some party. The guide solemnly listed Pluto as one of the nine planets - a tad out of date since Pluto was demoted to "dwarf planet" in 2006. It correctly states that there are exactly 88 recognized constellations since that was nailed down in the 1920's. Prior to that declaration, every shepherd on the planet was free to name their own constellations.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was chicken grilled on the back deck but eaten inside; it's still not warm enough to sit comfortably on the patio in the evening - the opposite of maryann facing temps too hot to sit outside. Dinner conversation was diverted by one of us telling what astronomical information wasn't known in 1990 even though that doesn't seem that long ago - in astronomical time, LOL.
maryann – You have certainly earned being exhausted with all the gardening you're doing.
curlyjax - Yay for Hostas that thrive anywhere, anytime, under any conditions. Neat step forward that your DD is back to work.
Readers -
Quote:
day 1Record the Advantages of Losing Weight
Make Your Advantages Card
Check out the front and back of the card Carol, a dieter I counseled, made:
Quote:
Advantage Response Card . . .
4. I'll feel in control.
5. I'll be able to move around better
6. I won't feel embarrassed at the swimming pool.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 58.
I passed up fresh baked cookies at work, credit me. Got into a giggle fit with my colleague which is always fun. Talked about my bloating issue and got some other ideas on OTC meds to try. A side effect is I'm eating less anyhow. At home I helped send off an anxious DD to work, then went outside to do yardwork. I've been wanting to get the various weeds or plants around the perimeters of the yard and the house, so I happily hacked away at that. Heavy work, my arms were shaking at one point, thus counted as functional exercise. The other thing I keep putting off is dealing with the poison ivy on a tree and the side of the house-I may tackle that this weekend. I listened to a book on tape while cleaning up and finally putting away some laundry, and went to bed tired. DD is at work tonight as well and its going to be hot, so i'll tackle some indoor stuff instead. I definitely am more productive with a deadline and a set amount of time to work in.
Maryann -It's hard to balance all the projects out.
Bill-your book sounds so interesting. I didn't know the constellations were named in the 20s. We're in for a few rough days of weather, with heat and then storms.
I am getting stronger. I am almost able to lift a 5 gallon bucket filled with small black and white pebbles. This is nearly 70 pounds. I did a total of 13 buckets yesterday in two trips to the rock yard. In between I did a TRX class. I was on fire because the weather was cooler. I also added ingenious pavers to my two rows of bricks. https://www.lowes.com/pd/Belgard-Qua...E&gclsrc=aw.ds. I think I will use these in a gray to reinforce railraod ties that are rotting. But that is for another day.
I am only doing inside work today. I might hit the climbing stairs and the hot and cold rooms at the club.
I continue to struggle with sugar although no UPF sugar.
Curly: I swear by setting a clock and starting a small project. I almost always do more. BBE: Summer is my favorite season since fruit is so available. The cherries right now are delish.
Thursday-Bananas become popular in the US at the Centennial Exposition (1876, Philly)
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Picked up the (9 yo) DGD who immediately ran out onto the grass field, then paused because no other kids were about. Drove home hearing stories of her 5K run this weekend with Girls on the Run - an organization that encourages young girls to be joyful. A section of downtown Boston was blocked from cars as well as the Boston Common and Boston Garden. What a lovely idea.
Made an appointment for a COVID booster shot in a few weeks. I'm a believer. Have no desire to experiment to see if I can get away without it.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was Pasta Primavira - a favorite cold dish for summer - taken on the patio. Our version doesn't include the cream sauce but rather a vinaigrette. The evening was calm, warm enough to be in Polo's, with the garden looking good. DW demonstrated that the iPhone app, Merlin, can work while we're just sitting there. It heard our local Northern Cardinal each time it called; if paying attention, we could too. It also heard the Chimney Swifts flying far overhead; we neither saw nor heard them but know them to be a common summer bird. Stunning to watch in real time.
maryann – Ambitious work hauling those pavers about. I got sucked down the rabbit hole looking at all the options for pavers at Lowes.
curlyjax- "Eating less" is a good result however convoluted the path to get there.
Readers -
Quote:
day 1Record the Advantages of Losing Weight
Make Your Advantages Card
Check out the front and back of the card Carol, a dieter I counseled, made:
Quote:
Advantage Response Card . . .
7. I'll feel more confident.
8. I'll be happier when I look in the mirror.
9. My doctor won't bug me.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Beck Diet Solution (Pink book), Pg 58.
Beck Diet For Life/Solution – June 2025 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach
Sunday - Morgan Freeman born (1937, Memphis, TN)
I meant a dark greyish purple or a light lavender, not a really bright one. Later in the day BFF and I used AI to look at my house in certain colors which was pretty cool. I'm torn because a barn red could look good, but I associate red with things like anger and blood so- The house has been blue and then greenish, so I do want something different but not annoying. If its too "feminine" a color I feel like people will know there's a single woman living there. 
