Sorry to be MIA. I will try to get together and chat with you tonight or tomorrow.

Later! Gina

Hey BeckChicks,

Yesterday was Day 7 for me, Arranging the Environment (what Dr. Phil would call "creating the No-Fail Environment"). I thought I had been doing that all along but the past weekend's carb-fueled binge convinced me that I need to really play down the carbs in my diet in order to succeed in cutting calories. So my plan is to use up the rest of the fruit, fresh corn, etc. that I bought over the weekend, and just not buy any more until after I've gotten a good start on the diet next week. DH and DS would be happy to eat nothing but hamburgers and pizza the rest of their lives, so they won't miss the stuff. I will be giving up my Atkins caramel nut bars too because they are also a trigger.

I did read my cards twice and ate sitting down 75% of the time. I had about 2100 calories worth of food (including a small dish of ice cream) but I also worked out for an hour. I gave myself credit for not gaining any weight, for eating slowly and sitting down when I did, and for not waking with a stomach ache this morning by not overeating last night.

Today and tomorrow's charges-- making time and energy for diet and exercise then picking a plan--I've already been doing this so I will just concentrate on perfecting Days 1-7. I'm a fan of the Firm, and I've devised a rotation for myself of Firm videos interspersed with cardio from Prevention and Gilad. I've been doing that since May 20 and have it sketched out until August 1 on my calendar along with the days of week and times of day to do it. I got great results from a program like that before and I'm glad to be doing it again.

I hope the rest of you are doing well. What are you giving yourself credit for today?

L

hello Beck followers,

I have started the book last week would like to join your group. Right now I am very positive about the book and have doing the the different tasks.
The personal card about why I want to loss weight has been a help when tempted.
I am really working on being ok with being hungry. Now that is work.

I have over 150Lbs to lose. I was going to have the baratric surgery, but my bone density was too low, so was turned down. That was rather disappointing.

I am hopeful and very positive about her approach. The issue for me has been maintaining the weight loss,-there have been many diets and always the re-gaining and back to the old ways.


Sharing successes and getting help with failures seems like a great idea.

Best of luck to all
coastalsue

Hi, Sue, and welcome! I'm on Day 21 of the book, and I can already tell that this is going to end the yo-yo cycle of loss/gain in my life. Good for you for starting and staying with it! We're all here for each other's successes and slip-ups, so feel free to share whatever you like.

Gina, I've been kind of absent, too - so busy!

I have to go to a potluck tonight... I sing in the church choir at the church my husband is the organist at, and we're having our end-of-season potluck. It is not my church (I am Jewish!), but I like the people there and so I'm looking forward to the opportunity to hang out with them - but in the past I've really pigged out at potlucks, so I'm a little nervous. I mean, how am I supposed to plan for something like that? I don't know what's going to be there! I guess maybe I'll stick to salads? I made a potato/onion/mushroom/swiss kugel (hah, Jewish food at a church social!) and I will be eating NONE of that!

How's everyone else doing?

Good Morning Suz and Welcome Sue!

Yesterday was a really good day. I read the cards, sat down to eat most of the time, ate slowly and did my workout in the morning. I am concentrating on getting the first several days down pat because I already have the exercise part in place. I realized today I have two more reasons to want to lose the weight:

I want my old body back! (It was never perfect but it was better than this one.)

I want to stop being a slave to food.

What are some of your reasons?

L

Oooh, good topic, Liannie... and not wanting to be a slave to food is one of my reasons, too, so I'm right with you on that one.

Of course I want to lose weight for probably a lot of the same reasons we all have: feel better, better health, cuter clothes, etc. However, one of the more odd reasons I want to lose weight is that I want to be able to have pictures taken again. For the past year and a half or so, I've really avoided having anyone photograph me - and at my wedding (it'll be a year ago on Sunday, that year went fast!), when I weighed 188 and DID have my pictures taken, I sat there and just stared at myself in my gown and wondered what happened to the sexy body I once had. I sat for hours and scrutinized and remembered when I was slimmer and pretty. It was a sad, awful feeling... knowing I looked like that on my wedding day.

I finally allowed myself to be photographed again a few weeks ago when my husband and I were in Bermuda, and it was nice to look at those pictures and see a difference from last year - and when I get to my goal weight, I want to have professional portraits taken with my husband.

In fact, when I get to my goal weight, I'm going to post pics in the "Goal" forum of me in my wedding dress - before, and after. My husband told me to put in on the other day, just for laughs, and I'm swimming in it!

Welcome coastalsue! This book is definite change-your-thinking book and I believe as long as you try you will succeed on some level. No more yoyo!

My reasons are similiar as well. Fell better about myself, wear nicer clothes, etc. One big thing is I just want to feel NORMAL. Normal size, normal clothes, normal eating, etc.

I have a question. You guys may hate me for this, but I'm just not hungry. I guess I always ate because I wanted food, not because I was hungry all the time. I make myself eat breakfast because I know I should. I'm not hungry at lunch time, usually end up eating at 1 or so because it's getting late. Husband gets home at 5:30 and we have dinner. Also not hungry from late lunch. What gives? I also try the "only eat until your comfortable" thing so I've been ending up not finishing my meals either. I've actually been coming up low on calories lately. In fact the last time we went to El Pollo Loco I got macaroni instead of potatoes so I wouldn't be under 1200 calories. I mean I'm not complaining, this is much better than being hungry all the time, I just don't get it!

Stacy - of course I don't hate you.

What day are you on?

Hi Everyone,

thanks for the welcome.

I am on day 8 and continue doing the daily tasks. I already was monitoring my food, so I continue to eat between 1500-1700 cal a day.

Stacy, enjoy not being hungry. Right now I am tired of it, but am learning that no problem in life is truly solved by eating some high carb foods. In the past I sure tried to deal with things that way.

Suz, understand the temptation of potlucks. Even my thin husband eats like crazy when there is an abundance of food. At our last family gathering I held the baby until everyone else was finished. Luckly only salad and chicken were left. Plus my daughter-in-law loved getting the break.

Lianne- one of biggest reasons for my losing weight is to reduce the pain of arthritis. I have carried to much weight for sooo long that my knees and hips are pissed. Walking thur any hugh box store is exhausting for me. Of course I have many more reasons like the potential for other health issues, wanting more fun clothing, fitting in those tiny airliner seats, self esteem, ect.

Right now the major source of exercise in fact any movement is swimming-doing about 30-45 minutes 5 times a week.

Best wishes to everyone and make sure you give your self credit for the hard work .
sue

Wow, Stacy. Not hungry--that's great. A lot of people say they lose their hunger/craving for food when they cut/eliminate carbs. Have you done any of that? The macaroni you ate leads me to think you're not low carbing. Also, there is that myth (?) about the stomach shrinking. Or are you on a medication that might be causing it? That happens sometimes too, especially with decongestants. I wish my hunger would go away too!

Today went pretty good. I worked a 12 hour shift and it was really busy so I ate both meals at my desk while working. We went out to pick up lunch at a deli and I did so well! I got a ham and swiss sandwich but skipped the sides that were available (cole slaw, pasta salad, potato salad). I ate slowly and savored as much as possible while still working. Then for dinner I didn't eat everything I brought so I actually showed some restraint. And on the way home...no drive-through food! This is a real weakness of mine when I'm tired. I'm so glad I didn't succumb. YAY ME!



Wow, this self-credit thing almost seems wrong. But it feels so good!

Nope, not limiting carbs. Just calorie counting and less junk. I still have cereal, whole wheat bread, pasta, small desserts, etc. I have been sick the last few days and taking nyquil/dayquil, but it's been since I started the beck program and really pay attention to whether or not my stomach is actually hungry. I've finished day 10 several days ago but I've taken a few days off of new material since getting sick. Just working on my other stuff and trying to get better.

Good job today lianne and great job on the consistent exercise coastalsue! Swimming is great for you, I wish I was better at it, I'm barely past a doggy paddle.

I'm just checking in to let you all know I am still around. Yesterday was Day 16 for me. I misunderstood and started my diet (Fat Smash) a day early, so today is Day 4 and I am very happy with this eating plan. Of course, I am sure it helps that there is so much wonderful, fresh produce in the stores right now. I also think the 2 weeks of "mind prep" really helped me. I am taking a break because of fatigue and will continue to eat following FS, but not do any Beck until tomorrow. This is about listening to my body and resting today. I think I over-exercised yesterday, and my running/walking group meets tomorrow at 6am, so I am being kind to myself (what a concept).

I think Gina asked what were the hardest day. So far Days 4 (giving yourself credit) and 5 (eating slowly and mindfully) have been the most difficult for me. The credit is getting easier, but I have to keep reminding myself about the slow ad mindful part. I do notice that I get more satisfaction when I do eat that way.

I love the fact that I am not concentrating on my end-goal, but 5 pound increments. It makes it much more palatable and seem doable.

My question for all of you: Are you taking these lessons to other parts of your life or just concentrating on the food and exercise? It has naturally progressed to an overall self-improvement exercise for me.

I have a great coach in addition to all you - we are also walking buddies. We are talking about starting a community meeting 1x a week.

Suz - thanks for taking over the LJ stuff. hope everyone is doing well. Even though I don't post too often, I am watching. Have a great weekend and stay true to yourselves.

Hello all,

Yesterday was a bad bad day. It started with me getting a speeding ticket through the mail. I was photographed going too fast in a work zone. I don't do this on purpose, just sometimes my foot gets heavy and I scale back when I notice. There are SO MANY work zones in the summer,and I have a 50 mile drive each way to work and back. Anyway, enough pleading my case. I'm guilty. It's a mandatory court appearance and something like a $500 fine. Then I got to work and 3 people had called off sick so the rest of us had to run around like our hair was on fire (I work in a very large clinic that takes public aid and has appointments plus a lot of walk-in sick kids, etc.). None of us got to take a lunch break so we ordered pizza which, of course, we had to eat quickly and standing up (actually bites taken while walking down the hall).

I was so frazzled and stressed about everything that I didn't even look at the book. I ate candy to console myself in the car on the way home and then had a barbecue sandwich and fries for dinner that I picked up at a fast food place. I knew I was eating for comfort and I knew it was wrong but I did it anyway. I knew I was not strengthening my resistance muscles but I was too weak to care. I didn't do ANYTHING the book said. I was just so upset. I was even too upset to come here and post.

Today is a new day, and I'm ready to start over again. I congratulate myself for having done 2 perfect days before the slip-up happened. I give myself credit for getting right back on track this morning. I am on Day 11 and ready to learn to distinguish hunger from craving. You know, with that long daily drive, I wonder if the book is on audio. I could really reinforce these lessons if I could listen to it in the car. Hmm....

I'm going to go over to Amazon to check that out. I'll be back later. You ladies keep on keepin on. We gain strength from each other. I'm really glad you're all out there.

Hi everyone,
Do you mind if I join your group? I am on day 5 of the diet and can tell I'm starting to need some support. However, I am more encouraged so far than I ever have been on a diet. I agree with Sue that reading my card is most helpful to me right now (especially when I remember I have that 10 year high school reunion coming up in Feb!)

A little about me--I have always been overweight, but mostly not more than about 20 lbs or so. After giving birth over a year ago, my weight has stalled at a higher number than it ever was pre-pregnancy (170), and it doesn't seem to want to budge. I think I was 150 when I got pregnant, and I'd like to weigh less than that, of course, although just getting into that size would be fantastic right now.

I was excited to find this thread, and I really hope this diet solution is it for me!

Best wishes to all of you!

Hello!

Where is everybody?

I did okay today. I was supposed to work on overcoming cravings but didn't get a chance to read this morning due to an emergency at work and a bunch of personal stuff that got in the way.

I decided to do the South Beach diet as my primary diet because I have realized how addictive and out of control I am around carbs. I once quit sugar and starches for 7 weeks and I never felt freer. I guess that's a way to overcome cravings.

I hope you're all still out there. What are some of your ways to stop cravings dead in their tracks?