Bill: I would have a hard time with those too. For me, if I allow one I might as well allow the whole bag. Have you had any?? Maybe ask your wife to hide them until the trick or treaters come??

Sue: I think you are right with letting loose for 3 days with your company and then getting right back on track. Try not to let yourself go to crazy. If you are making meals for everyone then make sure to have some veggies for you to fill up on. Try to make atleast one meal healthy--breakfast maybe?? For me, that would make me feel like i still have some control.

Beach Patrol: keep exercising!

I am doing pretty good. I have been using my journal and planning. I am going to do that for a while as I go through the Beck days. I think those are two of the hardest for me so I am starting them now.

Gina

Howdy Beck Buddies,

I have just finished at 11 hr day of work and meetings with only 2 10 minute breaks for lunch and dinner. Ate only the stuff I packed-one of blessisng of my rural isolated area is that there is not fast food place for at least an hr and half drive. If fact after about 7:30 the only thing open is a coouple of bars.

I have not recorded anything, but still not mindless eating is a good thing. Gina thanks for the support, but I Really need to stop this overeating with company. It is such a long drive to our place that most family and friends come from out of the area and spend a couple of days with us- we often have company thus I often over eat. I am having such a slow rate of loss due to this. I diet successful for about 20 days a month and "party" 10 days a month. It is kill me at the scales.

plz give me any ideas for deal with this.

Bill sound you are right on target with the exercises. I'll up next week on the exercises. Hubby's birthday- will have company all weekend.

until manana
sue

• Two years ago, I prepaid a 3 year membership at the Ballys Gym within walking distance of my house along with a dozen personal trainer sessions.
• Using workout plan created by my personal trainer
• Gym workouts mostly 3x/week
• Walking most days, always wearing a pedometer, with 10K steps/day goal. Recording daily in Excel: 12749 steps/day last year, on track this year.
• Using stairs at work
• Using stairs at home more

Even though I was a couch potato who’d never been to a gym before, I prepaid for 3 years hoping take advantage of my frugal nature that couldn't stand to see that investment wasted. Subsequently, I’ve read several convincing reasons why that was a really bad idea: might prefer setting up a “home gym” instead, might want to switch to a different gym, it might go out of business. Oh Well.

My initial enthusiasm for gym workouts is fading. I need to make some changes to be sure to keep on track. Maybe take one of the back and abs classes, even though they are at inconvenient times for me. Maybe schedule a trainer session to change things up.

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Completed Beck Program-day 9. 33 to go. Keep going!

Gina - It's great to see you start on the two hardest part first. That's so much better than putting off the hardest part, as I've often done.

That's a good idea to ask DW to hide the Halloween candy. She did put it out of sight - her sight, but right next to the dried fruit I put on my granola in the morning. Will still have to think of what to do while serving the trick-or-treaters. Gotta avoid the old routine: one for you, one for me.


Sue - Congratulations for staying on plan during such a grueling day - 11 hours!!! WOW

Sounds hard to simultaneously put tempting food out of sight and to keep it readily available for visitors. Maybe you can concentrate on always having available some food that's on your plan. It might be easier to choose between two foods rather than choose between eat and don't eat. Would be better to slightly overeat planned food than to overeat offplan food. But that's a tough situation. You'll really have to read and re-read your Advantages Response Card to keep on track during those long visits.

Just thinking what Dr. Beck would suggest. She might recommend that have you create some Response Cards just for house guest time. Perhaps:

I wish you well with those situations.


Beach Patrol - Hope your walking continue to go well. Do you have a favorite place to walk?

Great advice for Sue, Bill. Sometimes I do really well at the meal and then start mindlessly eating if the food is left on the table. So, Sue, can you clear the table right away?? Resistance only lasts so long.

Bill, I like to exercise at home but work harder at the gym. I use to go to the gym every day and I think it was a good thing for my boys because they went also. Now none of us go. That isn't the point. You have to figure out what works for you and the key is on a CONSISTANT basis.

I have a cold and don't feel great. I will keep checking in.

Gina

Hi Beck followers! I am restarting Day 1 today as I really need to tackle my head games to get in control.

This is a tip I am doing that I thought I'd pass on...I am scheduling my list of Advantages to Losing Weight to be emailed to myself every morning. That way, when I go to check my email when I get to work it will be there, ready for me to read.

Has anyone attending any of the Beck seminars? There are several in my state at the end of Nov and I am going to sign up for one. I know it will be very informative and helpful.

Hello everyone,

Welcome amilue-where are the beck things- I am a northern cal gal. I can reach the San Francisco bay area in about 3-4 hrs. Let me know how find out their schedule. thanks.

Another long and rather emotional day-tomorrow I have off, no work but dh birthday, and company coming over night and out to live music in the evening.

Thanks for the meal advice-I really work at very healthy and limited amount meals-it is the all the extra wine, snacks and sweets that others bring. They can not really understand or respect that I could be addicted to stuff. I know that they would never push alcohol to an alcoholic yet food for a food addict isn't serious, They attitudes seems to be that food addicts are just weak and they can diet tomorrow. They can bring a package of crackers and only eat 4 of them Why can't sue. Plus I know that I get somewhat nervous having company for a couple of days and often tend to overeat to calm my self. I am planning to work on being tuned in to feeling tense, breath deeply for a bit and Not Eat just because of feeling tense. The more I can check for hunger prior to eating the better. While I love all the friends and family functions this is the area which I need the most focus to change my eating habits. Just DH and myself -the environment is very food free, the meals are healthy, high veggies and low cal.-It is the entertaining that is now my down fall.

Bill BlueEye- very impressed with your exercising- why is your interest in the gym fading? it is the time of day? the sameness of the workout? I did the gym but had a problem with pain and had to switch to swimming. I love the social aspect of the gym but it does take more time than doing it at home. I truly love how I feel swmimming but it takes to much time! 25 minutes each way, 50-60 minutes in the pool, then showering, changing ect. Plus I go to an out door pool- the scenery is great, but it is so cold when it rainy and wind blowing. What is your favorite type of movement? Before the arthritis in the knees I loved biking- the different terrain, the cooling wind while riding. Like hiking, walking, canoeing? It sounds like you are missing the fun aspect of exercising. Hope you can supplement the gym with activities you really enjoy? Possibly have a structured appointment time may help you to keep you appointment with the gym- Good luck- such a great pattern don't let it go.

gina I hope you feel better soon.

Howdy Beach Patrol.

sue

Current goal: remain at this weight for a full year – six months to go.

• Original goal two years ago was to lose 15 pounds in 16 weeks.
• When my body got there in 8 weeks, I upgraded the goal to 52 pounds in 52 weeks.
• When my body got there in 26 weeks, I didn’t set a new goal; just watched and waited.
• Since six months ago, weight hasn’t changed. So, I’m calling this my maintainable weight.


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Completed Beck Program-day 10. 32 to go. Keep going!

Gina - Boy, does that resonate with me. Food on the table is a big problem for me. One thing I really like about Beck is that she's teaching me that it's OK to use a strategy to avoid overeating, rather than my thought that I must have the will power alone.

amilou - Bon voyage on restarting your Beck journey. It's great for me to know others are also beginners. Tackling head games seems to be what Cognitive Therapy is all about - or at least side stepping head games. Like hearing such a creative idea as a plan for reading the Advantages daily.

Sue - Beck workshops are listed on her site, including one in Concord CA, Nov 28 2007.
http://www.beckdietsolution.com/Libr...F4453803}&SP=2

Good luck with your plan to distinguish hunger from tension, that sounds like a classic Beck strategy.

Not clear why I'm in a rut with exercising. I think it's because I'm no longer progressing in the plan I'm using. Last night I talked to a friend who's a real gym nut. She says the body gets used to routine, you gotta keep changing your plan every few months. That's what I'll try next. You may be right that I need to add some recreational exercise also.

I am working to at least show up and do a limited set. That does help me to avoid the giving up syndrome, my worst fear.

Beach Patrol - Howdy

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Completed Beck Program-day 10. 32 to go. Keep going!

Hello everyone,

That is the Big goal-to maintain the weight loss. That is a hugh one since "they" always say the 98% of dieters regain all the weight back. Even tho I slowed down for the last 6 weeks of not losing more I am so glad I have not gained it back!

thanks for the Beck Info- there is 2 conferences in the Bay area-I am thinking about asking my husband to come also. A bit expensive but if it changes out health habits it will be cheap. He has lost about 15 lbs as I have changed our menu to more veggies and less fat and he would like to keep it off.

Are you from the Boston area? Family have visited there and said it was a great town for walking about. Hope you have fun weekend and get some enjoyable activities. I am so slowed by artrihtis-part a family thing=both of my siblings use carts and I used a walker when standing for long time-i.e a museum or going over a number of blocks. anyway I want a electric cart so we can go for walks and my DH can really walk quickly and I can keep up.

What is up with the rest of you folks?

sue

• Read the chapter; committed to monitor and record hunger for the next 3 days (Saturday, Sunday, Monday). This will cover a food festival, a potluck lunch, and, a normal workday.
• Made the three charts in my eating journal ready to complete.
• The chart on page 118 only covers the 3 meals, but the text says to include snacks, so I added my 3 planned snacks.
• An encouraging quote: • Currently, I stop eating when I've cleaned my plate. That means that my only time to choose food volume is when I serve myself (or am served, like at a restaurant). I'm looking for a way to consider stopping before the plate is clear. I'm not yet ready for the full Intuitive Eating "Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're satisfied." But, I'd like to incorporate the "stop when satisfied" to avoid over eating at restaurants or any time my plate contains more than needed for "satisfied."

Seems a little wimpy to declare program-day 11 Completed with merely a commitment to do the task, but that's what Beck says to do. Oh Well.

Sabotaging Thought: It’s gimmicky to have to move the serving dishes off the table and to position myself out of site of the food at a buffet to avoid overeating. I shouldn’t experience unnecessary desire to eat or should have the willpower to overcome it.

Helpful Response: There’s plenty of time in one of my future reincarnations to be a fully evolved person. For this round, using strategies to avoid problems is quite satisfactory.

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Completed Beck Program-day 11. 31 to go. Keep going!

Gina – Hope your head cold has passed by now and you have an active weekend ahead.

Sue – I did better at the gym yesterday. It was helpful mentioning it here and getting your response.

Hard to ignore that often stated "98% of dieters regain all the weight back" I admire the posters on 3FC who have a year, two, even three of maintenance. Hoping that will rub off by hanging around. Also hoping the tools of The Beck Diet Solution help me to maintain. Currently, I still suffer from the notion that when I'm fixed, then I won't have to think of monitoring my food and exercise any more. Beck is helping me to change my thinking; I'm not broken, so won't get fixed. I can, however, learn some strategies that work in my life so that eating mindfully is a natural part of my daily life. That notion has worked for me right from the beginning of my journey when I substituted gym and walking after work for the crackers and cheese I had been eating before dinner.

Uggh to arthritis – glad that you’re keeping up with your gardening anyway, but understand that it can slow down the walking.

I’ve only been in the Boston area for about 40 years, but now see it as my home. It is a wonderful place to walk about. We walked to the Thai restaurant the other night, walk to my gym, walk to specialty food stores, movie theaters, live theatre. Can take the subway plus walking into Boston for opera.

Today I’m headed to the Boston Vegetarian Food Festival. I’m only at the Vegi-curious stage, using this fair to taste many, many vegetarian and vegan products. Last year I discovered that vegan cheese is pretty good and that a bunch of the textured soy meat substitutes were better than I had expected. I ate so man samples last year that I counted it as morning snack and lunch. Here's their link:http://www.bostonveg.org/foodfest/

Beach Patrol – Howdy. Hope your weekend has something great planned.

Lurkers (both Beckers and Beck-curious) – Do drop in to say hello, and have a nice weekend.

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Completed Beck Program-day 11. 31 to go. Keep going!

Hi guys,
best wishes to all-I know that i stated I would post at least daily-this a kind of a cheat because this is all I can do-super busy but thinking of you folks
sue

• Beck suggests choosing a work day to skip lunch – eating nothing from breakfast until dinner. I’ve already committed to note and record hunger on Monday, so I choose Tuesday, with Wednesday as the backup day if Tuesday doesn’t work out. Again, it feels a bit wimpy to credit completion of program-day 12 by writing down a date to act. Again, Oh Well.

• It’s an exciting thought for me that hunger isn’t an emergency. Just read a story about John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was standing on a glacier at dusk with his dog Stickeen, pondering what he’d do if trapped overnight. He thought he’d find a flat spot and just stomp his feet all night to keep warm. Then he’d only be hungry. Being warm was an emergency; being hungry was an inconvenience. That’s a really good thought for me, since I’ve been acting like hunger was EMERGENCY ONE.

• The other exciting thought was being reminded that hunger passes when I'm active. I remember, from long ago, having too much fun skiing to stop for lunch. I can remember being hungry for a while, then not being hungry after that. Hunger really is just a feeling; it’s not like involuntary gasping for breath when carbon dioxide builds up in my lungs – that’s an emergency.

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Completed Beck Program-day 12. 30 to go. Keep going!

Hi Sue - glad that 3FC stays on your mind even when super busy.

Hi Everybody - what's up?

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Completed Beck Program-day 12. 30 to go. Keep going!