Welcome to the discussion group, support group, Diet Coach group, Diet Buddy group relating to the two books by Dr. Judith S. Beck:

The Complete Beck Diet for Life
and the first book
The Beck DIET solution: train your brain to think like a thin person.

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:
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:

List of Monthly Beck Threads for Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Another word for the day. The leader of our class reported that he'd gotten up a bit discombobulated. Just asking for the smart-a s s response, "Do you usually get up combobulated?" thinking that to be a word never spoken before. Wrong. This led to my later discovery that's there's a whole world of back-formation words. I feel ept, gruntled, and ruth for discovering this list of Funny Back-Formations and Cranberry Morphemes. Another way to be sure that I'll never be invited to a party again.

Supermarket trip was good boring. Am getting closer to buying pumpkins for our front porch, but didn't just yet.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner was chicken tenders grilled on our back porch with asparagus, sweet potatoes, and my green salad whose only garden component was some of our continuing to arrive cherry tomatoes. I was mayed that our conversation was ane and astrous.


onebyone - You set me off to remember the distinction between the Mimeograph and the Ditto machines. Can't believe that I'll tell my DGDs that we used to sniff our homework assignments, LOL. I vote for Quinoa - love that stuff.

Joy (gardenerjoy) - The world needs more of your DB hot tub sessions to address such issues as how to manage with a government shutdown. Congrats for that draw at chess.

maryann – Waving back toward the air space somewhere out there. I share your shudder at biking through Soweto to gape at the poverty. Good news that you'll be available to support your DH.

curlyjax – Signed taxes is a big win. Do like the positive thought, "Today is a new day-onwards."

Readers -

I got tempted into the work lunch which wasn't even that good but filling, and then some hard candies. Work was quite busy with too much sitting down, but I went to my workout afterwards. I was a bit pissed when I walked in there, thinking about the recent fight with DD, but managed to work off my anger and stress and felt much happier when I left. Going for a walk is great, but somehow this strength training really wrings me out and leaves me feeling good mentally and physically which I don't always get from a walk. I calmly said my piece to DD and we made up. It's so hard to get out of these old interactive patterns and certain things do set me off quickly.
Goodness, its October! The year is zipping along.
Maryann-That's great that you can change your trip. Wise decision for many reasons to skip the bike trip.
Onebyone-I remember those overhead projectors too! I really like quinoa and it cooks very quickly. Ferro is another one if I have the name right.
Bill-thanks for the link, I remember those purple ditto sheets too. Love back-formations info, a new one to me.

Diet Coaches/Buddies - To my surprise, the newly renovated house that I believe to have gone on the market as over priced a few weeks ago is now shown as "Pending" on its webpage. Pending is the third stage of the buying process that realtors use: Under Contract, Contingent, Pending. Under Contract means that the written offer has been accepted. Contingent means that contingencies remain open (such as inspection). Pending means, "All contingencies have been met or waived, and the transaction is in its final phase before closing." It was new to me that pending is used for that last stage waiting for the closing. That doesn't tell me how much is going to be paid; that'll become public after the closing.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner was omelettes, yams, and sauteed spinach along with my green salad. Conversation was discussing that a friend, a super independent friend, had moved into a senior living situation and is quite happy. She misses her old friends and private house with its own garden and the nearby public lands, but is accepting that this is the next stage of her life. I like hearing the stories of folks happily moving forward since the negative stories abound.


curlyjax – Yay for using a gym to release anger and stress. I agree that "It's so hard to get out of these old interactive patterns."

Readers -

Very busy day at work. I took a new client to see the food pantry which was good for me to see too, to describe to others. I'm taking on a new to me situation which is good but nerve wracking as it directly affects another person and I don't want to mess things up, but I fortunately have my colleague to help me think things through. Home for a quick snuggle for DD who is still feeling blue, then therapy session on zoom, then taking DD to an ice cream stand where I did not indulge, credit me. Home to make zucchini boats -carved out zucchini filled with cooked zucchini guts, onion and garlic, mixed with cottage cheese, quinoa and spices, then baked. It came out quite well and I ate too much but that's better than ice cream.
Today I need to get blood work done before work- I'm curious to see how i'm doing with my A1c etc.
Cool looking bird hybrid for all you bird lovers:
https://www.accuweather.com/en/weath...t-blue/1821389
Bill-yes, its definitely better to make the decision oneself that it's the next stage, rather than being forced to. Houses do get snapped up quick these days.

Good Morning, Coaches from California.

I had a serendipitous travel adventure that turn my previous multi day return into 2 non stops flights within an hour of each other: Johannesburg to Atlanta, Atlanta to Sacramento. All of this unbelievably in under 20 hours of flight time. I tahnk the travel spirits.

A big Credit is I am only 1 pound up from when I left. That pound might fall off after the flight food salt leaves my system.

I am experiencing big time jet lag and droopy emotions. My plan is being gentle with myself. Small actions step by step with plenty of downtime: make a to do list, unpack, yoga, food in MFP, and then off to a meeting tonite to accept my 38 year sobriety chip. Today is a freebie. I shouldn't have been home until late tonite.

curly: This was my favorite bird in Africa; https://wildambience.com/wildlife-so...easted-roller/
BBE: omlettes were the mainstay of my trip. You just can't beat them.

Blood work done quickly. The nurse was my vintage and we talked supportive sneakers. I got the results in my gateway later in the day; some good, some not so good. My vitamin D is the lowest its been in awhile which is odd as I take supplements. I'll see my doc next week to discuss the results.
Work was nonstop as it has been, including leading an exercise class. I ate OP and was a bit hungry when I went to the gym. My colleague joined me to try it out and she did really like it. A good session as usual although a lot on core and I tend to feel a bit nauseous with that for some reason. I was famished afterwards and ordered pizza which DD had requested, and ate all my 4 pieces but nothing else at least. Home to chill out and watch Sister Act on Netflix, and oldie but a goodie-I love the singing in it.
Woo its really cold, I turned on the heat for a minute to warm the house up, but then its going back off. Looks like another beautiful fall day.
Maryann- what an amazing bird! Glad you are home safe and sound with a good plan for re-entry.

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Attended the muscial Hamilton at Boston's Citizens Bank Opera House. Lived up to all its hype. We'd both done our homework listening to it on our computers during the week before. Followed it well despite having no super-titles since it's sung in English. What a life Alexander Hamilton lived. Was enough to make me want to read a little history.

One great moment came when the entire audience roared approval during a phrase in the song between Hamilton (St. Croix) and Lafayette (France), Yorktown (The World Turned Upside Down): Ample walking, CREDIT moi, to and from the subway. Boston was lively despite being a Thursday night.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Avoiding evening snack was easy at the performance despite being surrounded by folks in their seats with drinks and snacks. Not my thing; it reduces a live performance to a movie theater.


maryann – Congrats on 38 years. Do hope you become a travel agent so I can hire you for my next trip. That Lilac-breasted Roller looks like a young child's painting.

curlyjax – I could go for zucchini boats. Love the picture of the hybrid Jay in Texas.

Readers -

Good Morning, Coaches.

I woke up again early to a rare thunder and lightening storm. Never went back to sleep.

Food yesterday was less than planned. I was still a little nauseous from whatever and ended up replaced dinner with a protein drink. The scale was back to ticker which means I officially gained 0 pounds on vacation. Ta-da. No exercise but I did putter to get a few things accomplished. Today is sleep doctor appt for DH. I have packed his meals for the day. I made yogurt last night for the week, roasted riced cauliflower, and bo0ught packaged ceasar salads with extra chicken bites to throw on top. The loss for the day was half of the Air Fried Shrimp because I forgot to put it in the frig for today. Drat!!!!!

BBE: My only gripe against Hamilton was how it portrayed Jefferson. I guess ever drama has to have a foil.
Curly: Fun running an exercise class.

Today's adventure is time with the four great-niblings while their parents close on their new house. My plan is to teach the kiddos their new address.

We're half-hoping to be invited out to the new house, but understand that they may have different priorities for the day.

That makes food-planning and exercise-planning difficult. I'll do at least half of my day's exercise this morning. I'll commit to eating a salad when I get home -- whether it's at 3pm (my usual salad time) or 9pm.

Exercise: 60, 140/1800 minutes for October

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Spent the day recovering from attending Hamilton - trying to separate the history from the theater. Just looked at Amazon. There are a dozen books about Alexander Hamilton as well as a dozen books about the musical Hamilton. Taking history seriously could take some time.

Fun trip to the brick-and-mortar library because I had a list from DW. Decided to wander through the alphabetized fiction section. Such a good time running my fingers over books that I knew and ones that I didn't. Got the two books that DW wanted most and picked up two that I'd put on hold at least a month ago. My reading stack is so happy.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Afternoon snack has crept in for no apparent benefit. Dinner was turkey burgers grilled on the back deck. I didn't add layers of tomatoes, onion, lettuce, and pickles so that I could experience the taste of just burger and bun. Quite tasty. Also didn't have to fight its attempt to dribble down my front, LOL. We had competing books to talk about even on top of Hamilton. I am grateful that we both can still read


Joy (gardenerjoy) - Congrats to your niece and nephew for closing on their new house. I'd forgotten how important it is to teach kids their own address.

maryann – Ta-da indeed for an extensive vacation with no weight gain. Your comment about how Jefferson was portrayed in Hamilton reminds me how challenging it would be to teach the controversies of American history to teens who are just learning the basic facts.

curlyjax – I do like that current medical practice provides raw test results on-line right away. Good luck finding your own compromise between covering up to prevent skin cancer and exposing the skin to capture vitamin D.

Readers -

Another busy work day including spending an hour on my feet doing stuff which is always good. Afterwards I went for my annual skin check with good results; she's keeping an eye on something tiny on the side of my foot that I can't see and will have to use my phone to take a photo to look at it once a month. I did indulge in a fabulous chicken parm and a few meatballs from an Italian restaurant to bring home for dinner; I ate some but there is a lot left. I'm not impressed with the meatballs, there's obviously a lot of breading in there, but the sauce is good anyhow. I was a nice mom and drove DD to the t stop which is about an hour round trip in rush hour, called my BIL to chat as its been awhile, then collapsed to watch a silly movie and have dinner. I woke up to hear DD coming home at 2:30 am-the plan was to stay the night at DS but he drove her home instead. So I won't have to pick her up today but i'm not happy about them being on the road that late safety wise.
Today i'm doing my workout class at 10 with my colleague coming too. It will be fun to have her there. Then its the usual dump run, figuring out groceries etc. I'm deliberately making this a no plans weekend as I feel I need to catch my breath and get caught up on financial admln, thinking about the upcoming trip to Aruba etc. And really do some better food planning. I've been doing well with avoiding the sweets in October but need to start working on less carbs and more veggies.
Wave to all!

Yesterday's exercise included a walk to the nearest playground (about a mile away) and back. It's great when I can get exercise while keeping the kids busy and out of the way.

Today is moving day. We're due at 10am to entertain children while the parents plus three hired men and a U-Haul take things from the old house to the new. We'll start off at the old house. I'm hoping, at some point, we'll end up at the new one, but we'll see.

I'm eating a salad at 8:30 in the morning because I don't know if I'll get another chance. I'm also packing chicken salad sandwiches for us to be sure we get a little protein and whole grains.

Exercise: 70, 210/1800 minutes for October

BillBlueEyes: Lin-Manuel Miranda was inspired by the Ron Chernow biography of Hamilton. DH read that book and recommends it, even though it is both thick and dense.

Good Morning, Coaches.

The sleep rhythms are slowly improving as is the cold I picked up. No Matter What: I will have a salad today and take a walk. Joy has inspired me.

The exciting news is my upcoming trip to Spain in two weeks. Originally it was just going to be to Madrid. Now I have an opportunity to meet up with DS's girlfriend in Barcelona. She is an absolute sweetheart and I wnt to get to know her better. She is teaching English for the year in a Catholic School for girls. I think it means a lot to DS for use to get to know each other. Happy to do it. Somehow I have misplaced all my travel plans for the trip with my focus on South Africa.

I am now officially 180 pounds. The scale goes down gain and I am 1 pound from being in the 70s as was my goal for 2025. I will be very focused now.

BBE: I will never know the joy of discussing books with my mate. DH is a fervent NON READER. ( undiagnosed reading disability.) But I can name several tractors and their functions.
Curly: Excellent for keeping up with the exercise.

Diet Coaches/Buddies - A strange event: When I picked up , Robert Macfarlane's latest, at the library, I found a mailing in the book that looked like junk mail that I could just discard. Then noticed that it was written using the Cyrillic alphabet. Saw a long number similar to a social security number. Finally noticed that it was mailed from the Czech Republic. Perhaps this wasn't junk mail. The only part I could read was the name and address - and that happened to be a few blocks from my house.

So I walked, CREDIT moi, with letter in hand with an anonymous note stating where I had found it to the apartment building. Fortuitously, the front door was unlocked and the foyer had an open bin for each apartment in addition to the locked mail boxes. Problem solved. Easiest good Samaritan of the day ever.

Eating was on plan, CREDIT moi. Dinner was pork chops, mustard greens, baked winter veggies, and my green salad. I had visited an Open House for a condo in a grand house that had been divided into six condos back in the 1970's. It was only 795 square feet dominated by the living room. Most magnificent living room I've ever seen. The woodwork was meticulous, included a carved wooden ceiling. The realtors, with no real customers in sight, had regaled me with tales of who'd lived in the area, had made a fortune, divorced her husband, founded a beloved local business, and slithered back to England. All tales to repeat. Great FREE entertainment.


Joy (gardenerjoy) - That's a healthy walk to a playground for four kids. Good news: a used copy of by Ron Chernow is less than $10. Bad news: it's 818 pages long. My Congrats to your DH for plowing through. I need the Classic Comic Book version.

maryann – Absolutely amazing that your DS wants you to meet his girl friend. Looking forward to pictures from Spain. Is the Franco era completely gone?

curlyjax – Touching story that your DS drove your DD all the way home in the pre-dawn hours. I remember when being out and about at 2:30 AM was part of life.

Readers -