[RobinW]

Good Morning

Bill~ Im curious, what is textured vegetable protein?? I think I need to google that one BIG Kudos for passing up the morning chocolate!! I was reading that and thinking, oh how nice that would have been with the coffee they probably were serving too! Good going on the pass!! As for the sample suggestions, I wont be much help. I am allergic to nuts, and most of that stuff has nuts in it or the person handing it out doesnt know if there are nuts in it...so I pass. OH Wait!!!! Your allergic to being fat!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha! There ya go! Eating those things will create white globular masses under your skin in very yucky places, therefore you shouldnt eat them Think it'll work?

Anne~ I love the story behind your name! Healing and warm thoughts for your little ones and everyone else home with the cold. Get better soon.

onebyone~ Kudos for getting your exercise in and eating your lunches to plan

davidette~ Big Kudos for getting to a yoga and spin class!! Very cool!

to everyone Ive missed.

Things are going good here, food is op, exercise is about 75% which I am taking as good. Feeling just a bit blah lately....Ive had enough of winter and need the sunshine!

I am in full swing planning. We are putting together a small business expo and networking event for the end of march. BUT!!! I have been fighting with myself over setting an unreasonable goal by then. (because its what I do) Then Ive set myself up for a failure. Let's have your imput.....the event is March 26th......I would love to loose 40lbs by then! HA! Silly, I know but that is how my brain is working. So....how does 20lbs sound? Reasonable?

I need more coffee
Have a great day everyone!

[RobinW]

Bill~ I just finished looking up TVP....and it looks pretty cool. Now what I want to know is what flavours do you buy and how do you eat it? I could only find the veggie stuff. I didnt see any sausage or beef flavoured stuff online. Which I thought would be a great substitute in my nacho soup!! Anyway I love the idea of this stuff, and Im going to go out and see if I can find it locally. Our healthfood stores aren't that great around here.

[AnneWonders]

Coaches/Buddies We're all still sick and tired here. Very stressful work meeting coming up tomorrow, and it's my night to deal with DS. Both DH and I were up last night. I might be functional. I hope. Oh Well.

I was mostly on plan today. We did a pick-up dinner again, and I got a few minutes of stress-free playing with the children instead of trying to slap something together. Yes, there was a plan, but I didn't have the time or energy to execute it. I am going to do a Cheat Sheet tonight to see if I can figure out a way around. Perhaps making good take out choices is good enough, and I should cut myself some slack.

I have to figure out if I'm going to bring food tomorrow or just make the best of the meeting fare. I may bring some healthy snacks and muddle through with lunch as a compromise. I know there will be a big salad there.

Lily Your doc sounds like a piece of work! Hope you get what you need tomorrow, and please demand it if you don't. Geez. I'm so sorry about losing your mother.

davidette I love that "good sore" feeling. Congrats for achieving it.

Bill Good for you on passing up the chocolate and ouch on the samples. What did the Costco person say, not like it's real food anyway. Can you make a grocery store response card about samples and read it before you shop? Maybe visualize how many filthy hands have been on the stuff and how sick you can get??

Jean You do five miles on a track! Wow. Here's hoping you bust out of that comfort zone and into something more interesting! Hope your Thing gets resolved.

RobinW Thank you thank you thank you for suggesting the "allergy" to Bill. I got to peek in here this morning, and then donuts showed up at work. I developed an allergy, claiming they made me break out in fat, and well, they just sort of lost their draw to me. I'd suggest a 5 lb goal for each month, with a stretch goal of 7.5 or 10 (depending on how you lose). That'd get you 10-20 lbs by your expo. That way you can be happy with 10 lbs, but still have a "stretch goal" for more, so you don't slack when you made it.

Off for a minimal amount of planning, absolutely no housekeeping, and then perhaps some sleep.

Anne

[lilyyoung]

thanks anne and kuhljeanie and everybody. DBF is sleeping on the sofa. I was on plan mostly today but had a big glass of milk tonight, which I never do, because I was obsessing about the osteopenia. (2 extra points.) You think I'd do some exercise...well, I hope to make more of a commitment after the doctor's appt. tomorrow. Robin, I think trying to lose 20 lbs by the end of March is too much pressure. A pound or pound and a half a week is a reasonable expectation. Of course, it depends on the diet, and the exercise (and the phase of the moon.) Sending you support in your effort. Trying to resist eating more now since I feel at loose ends...

[landlady6]

HI coaches, I have been reading but don't have much to say..just flying by. I am doing mediocre on my plan. BUT kudos to me for not going to that habitual all or nothing thinking. I am not OFF plan...I am tired and going to bed early. Beck would say excuse...maybe it is-BUT it is better than eating my way through whatever it is. I seriously need to look into getting a light box for the winter. using the wii but not deep tissueish type working out... just keeping my head above for now and trying not to beat myself up about it. Off to read my cards before going to sleep. Goodnight Beckies!

[maryblu]

lol, wndranne,

You are on a roll. The second helpful response/strategy this week!!


"Maybe visualize how many filthy hands have been on the stuff and how sick you can get??"

You did it, you really did. THAT will work for resisting those free grocery samples. I am hereby cured.

And to think I even sucker for the ones they put out under the little plastic cap and let customers put their own grubby paws in there and help themselves. It is a wonder I have lived this long!

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Did well with one-plate at a pot luck last night. CREDIT moi. Also had a (planned) dessert - only slightly larger than planned. Oh Well. Actually, not too bad. It's helpful to be reminded by Heidi (landlady6) that's it's not all or nothing.

Did some calculations: eating one ounce of beef fat puts on 0.85 ounces of body fat; eating one ounce of olive oil puts on 1.15 ounces of body fat. That's pretty direct. It's easy for me to have a visual image of just pasting the stuff on my stomach - ugh!!!


maryblue - So glad that you're "cured" of free-grocery-store-sample-itis, LOL. Just seeing your avatar reminds me that Spring is coming. Thinking about seeds is an antidote to this cold spell.

Heidi (landlady6) - Big Kudos for avoiding the "all or nothing" Sabotaging Thought and for not beating yourself up. My take is that's a super positive step.

onebyone - Waving. Hope you found your way out of the National Gallery.

Robin (RobinW) - Congrats on being engrossed in setting up your small business expo and networking event for March 26 - about ten weeks from now. Re setting a weight loss goal for then: yep, 40 pounds is unrealistic; 20 pounds (2 pounds per week) is physically plausible, but might be a stretch with the potential for emotional setback just when you need to be in contact with your confident self for the event. Perhaps you could let your body handle the weight part and you could set a goal such as,

90% on-plan eating and 90% on-plan exercise for the ten weeks, despite the time crunch of preparing for the event.

Thanks for the "...allergic to being fat!!!!!!!!!!!!" That's a keeper. I bought the plain TVP; I'll let you know how it turns out. I buy into the notion that it's easier to add my own flavoring (say, from Penzeys) than to find a brand whose flavoring matches my expectations.


Jean (kuhljeanie) - Good luck working on the old house as well as getting to run on your old beloved five mile track. Thanks for the reminder that I can choose another place to shop if I want to take an active part in avoiding food samples at Whole Foods. That's a clue to me that I'm not as innocent a victim of those samples as I portray.

Anne (wndranne) - Ouch that tired and sick continues. Good luck remembering that "This, too, shall pass." My memory is that one of the worst parts of young kids was losing the feeling that some unpleasant situation would ever end.

Thanks for the tip to make a Response Card for grocery store samples. Gotta love your "how many filthy hands have been on the stuff." Samples are a way to bring back all the viral benefits of having a kid in nursery school. Don't need that again.


davidette - Spin and yoga, stretch and move. Yay for moving and moving. Just loving reading that your setup of meeting friends is doing just what you wanted for getting you there. Kudos for such a prime Beck like strategy. And I also like your yoga teacher's mantra, "The way you look at things affects the way they look."

Lily (lilyyoung) - My sympathies for losing your mom some four years ago. Understand that it's a big loss. Good luck at your doctor's appointment today. Sending supportive thoughts that you get the kind of warm support that allows you to make the modifications in your diet and/or life that are useful.

I was thinking about "avoid falling." A positive view of that does have potential for finding life changes. For example, there are lists of changes to the living situation for older people to help them avoid falls. One is to minimize throw rugs. Another is to encourage them to have one hand on the newell post when starting up and leaving a set of stairs. There are many, once one gets over the hangup that they're for old people. We have friends who added handrails in the bathroom when they remodeled because "old age is gonna come and we don't want to renovate again."

LOL at your "... and the phase of the moon."


Readers -

"... If they leave this kind of sabotaging thought unchallenged, they are certain to fail in their long-term weight-loss efforts. ... " The Complete Beck Diet for Life, pg 21.

[kuhljeanie]

morning my coaches!

had a flattering thing happen yesterday. a number of people at work have commented on my weight loss (which i LOVE. never understood how it makes some uncomfortable, but different folks, different strokes.) anyway. one of the guys asked if i would be willing to talk to his wife, who is struggling with her weight loss, and who also got a bodybugg on my strong recommendation. she called last night and we spent some time on the phone talking through her program. i hope it helps her - how gratifying to be able to help someone else do this!

and MAN, is it cold today, or what? glad i'm on a treadmill in a nice cozy gym instead of outside. it should be warmer by sunday.

heidi, i agree with bill. mediocrity as an option is really a HUGE step forward if you've spent your life getting tripped up on all-or-nothing thinking! it'll allow you to pick yourself up so much quicker when you fall a little, which is insanely important. i say, KUDOS for mediocrity! also agree with bill on post to robin to focus goals on what's under your control. hear hear. basically, what bill said, ditto. and lily, sounds like you're making the commitment NOW to exercise - you're just not starting the actual exercise until after your appt with your doc, right?

shout out to onebyone! can't imagine how frigid it must be even further north.

off to the gym...need the warmth and the shot of happy brain!

[RobinW]

Ive come here about 7x today to try and post. Here I am again, with cold coffee Oh well!

Just a quickie! I want to thank everyone for their opinions. Bill...letting my body handle the weightloss is such a foreign idea to me!! I dont know if Im ready to give that up yet (if I even ever had control over it) I like the 90% on plan goal tho!

....phases of the moon ...how right you are lily!!

This is why I needed some imput into this. My vision is very distorted from my history and what I truly want. But what I can achieve realistically in that time frame is something else. I like Anne's numbers and I think I can do that.

So my goal.......stay op at least 90% of the time, get down a min of 10lbs.

..........K, I'll be back later tonight email is pinging me!

[angelmomma210]

Just a quickie. Think that the meds are giving me a headache..think that it is just my body trying to get used to it. Also my eyes were really bothering me...found out that it can cause dry eye so got my eye drops out. They are the better ones so that it really helped. Stayed home today because of the headache..did not feel like listening to the students on the bus. Feeling a little better now. Will go back tomorrow.

Love the little reminders about the how many hand have touched it and the fat allergy. LOL . Gonna use those.

[AnneWonders]

Coaches/Buddies I think we are all on the mend. I could really do with one more decent night's sleep. But the work madness is over, and the kids are off to day care tomorrow so I can get some errands and chores done and hopefully relax a bit. Food was on plan today, even with lots of meeting food around.

I made myself a new goal Response Card last night, and took my old one, dated it, and moved it to my Memory Box. I liked that idea a lot. I also did some thinking and made a list of reasons it is OK to deviate from plan. Note that after Tuesday this list does in fact contain train wrecks, literally, LOL. Now I don't have to wonder if I'm making excuses. "Legitimate" reasons are spelled out. I'm sure I'll run into ambiguous situations from time to time, or have to add something new to the list, but now I don't have to wonder, or feel bad about it. I also have a list of what types of changes or substitutions are legitimate and/or preferred.

I'm going to try to run tomorrow. I think with a touch of Sudaphed, I'll be functional.

I sort of hesitate to mention it, but weight is still just falling off, and my clothes are noticeably smaller in the last couple weeks. I know I'm probably at the best place (postpartum, post nursing) to lose weight, and I'm going to ride this wave as long as I can!

Lily I think drinking milk is a normal reaction to your news, and you could add it to your plan. I added more milk to mine when I decided to sneak in some more protein, although I tend to add it in latte form, LOL!

Heidi I don't know what mediocre really means for you, but good enough is good enough. Sounds like you are doing a fine job from here. Make some changes, absorb them, make a few more, and absorb them! Keep posting. Keep reading your RCs!

maryblu Glad my late up-close-and-personal encounters of the germy kind have helped you with the samples, LOL!

Bill You can't think I'm going to let you get away with posting some calculation results without demanding to see your sources, especially if one ounce of olive oil results in 1.15 oz of body fat! Not buying it. Sources please! Besides, this is only true if you don't use it.

Nice job on the potluck BTW.

Jean Woo hoo! Thin and smart! Yes!! Keep warm.

RobinW I think it really does help to have outside eyes on a problem too. The reality check is a good good thing! Condolences on the cold coffee.

Chris Hope your head feels better soon. LOL, I made Response Cards with those things on them too! I flip through them every night before I go to sleep, like I'm studying for an exam or something. Reminds me of my prelims in grad school!

to onebyone, thinkerbell, and other missing/lurking friends!

Anne

[landlady6]

Hi coaches,
Thanks for your words of encouragement-you all are really the best!

maryblu: you have a great way with words-the visual of everyone's grubby paw residual is disgusting!!! We may just put those sample giver outers out of business.... THANKS for the disgusting visual-I definitely benefit from that!

BBE: Did I miss a previous conversation about the beef fat and olive oil calculations? How can it be that eating the beef fat puts less blubber on? I thought that fat was fat was fat????

kuhljeanie: good for you on enjoying the compliments. I am one of those that is uncomfortable with it. Probalby because I have gone up and down so when I hear the good stuff, I read into it that I didn't look "great" before (even though I didn't...) AND it can also be hard for me to not hear the compliments or people noticing after I have maintained for any amount of time since they just get used to seeing me that way. This last weight loss though< i tried to keep my head about me and let it in. I feel better when I lose weight so of course I will look better..whether it is the weight or the sparkle in my eye... way to let in the good stuff!

RobinW: your new goal sounds doable. It leaves room for the "oopsies"... You can do this! (I have to remind myself as much as I remind others...)


Angelmomma: good for you to take time away from work to rest up. It is hard to work with groups of kids when you don't feel well.

wndranne: curious since I am not as far as you in the new book...is the "cheat sheet" concept from Beck or is that your creation? So..part of your plan is that you go off plan? Is it better to state that or to get rid of having to fill out a form if you deviate? We will all deviate at times... just brainstorming and learning..whatever it takes to feel that you have permission..you have motivated me to officially make my "memory box". I have the box, I just need to label it and use it!!! Oh yeah, and create some memories for it!!! Glad you are all on the mend...hope you get a good night's rest tonight!

[BillBlueEyes]

Diet Coaches/Buddies - Did a sub-mediocre gym session. Oh Well. My elbow has been hurting for several weeks and I can't do weights or pull downs or pushups or pullups or anything fun. But I did my despised lunges. CREDIT moi. Now I've got to overcome that standard male resistance to seeing a doctor and find out why this thing doesn't just go away by itself, like all body malfunctions are supposed to do.

RE calculations: OK, need sources for published numbers; will gather later.


maryblue - Waving. Suspecting that you're now frozen in place until Spring.

Heidi (landlady6) - Yay for staying on board. Nope, the fat calculations were out of the blue, and require some justification; so will provide that.

onebyone - Waving. Sticking to my image that you're still happily wandering the National Gallery.

Robin (RobinW) - Kudos for looking past "vision is very distorted from my history" (neat phrase). And Kudos for making a plan. Bon Voyage.

Jean (kuhljeanie) - Now that is a flattering experience - being asked to help someone's wife. Yay for NSVs. Yay for the obvious weight loss that triggered it. And Yay for the "the shot of happy brain," LOL.

Anne (wndranne) - Congrats that the weight "keeps falling off." Having a visual of you riding the waves from the movie Endless Summer. Keep on keeping on. Kudos for tending the mechanics of the program; you are definitely an inspiration.

Chris (angelmomma210) - Ouch for the headache. Yay for good eye drops and Yay for taking care of yourself.

Readers -

"... They may be able to lose some weight, but they won't be able to keep it off. ... " The Complete Beck Diet for Life, pg 21.

[lilyyoung]

I love some of the ideas I've been reading. I had the thought of giving up on my desire to lose weight yesterday. I've been worried that dieting might create bone loss...the doctor was ok but kind of rushed me through my visit. I have an appointment with a physiatrist to get proper exercises. I have to do some blood and urine tests. (He didn't tell me if i should fast beforehand, take the supplements that day, or anything.) He advised 600 mg Calcium and 400 mg vitamin D 2x a day. He didn't think magnesium was important, but I do, from what I've been reading. It's all very confusing. I didn't have a chance to ask about diet, but I've been googling calcium-rich foods. It's not just dairy. I will try to (at least) maintain for now, since I have been gaining instead of losing for a few days. I was up to 160 yesterday and didn't do the scale yet today. I have to remember that my highest weight was 182 some years ago (partially from medications) and that throwing in the towel and gaining everything back is not a good option. And that whether I am losing or maintaining, I will have to use Beck-like strategies for the rest of my life to do either one. Whether I want to call it an eating disorder or just "stinkin thinkin" when I am not "on a diet" I find all kinds of reasons to eat muffins, coffee cake, french fries, chocolate....
I am proud of all of you exercising like mad while i try to convince myself daily that walking to Starbucks to get an extra cup of coffee is exercise!!
Love to all--have a great day--Lily

[davidette]

Wow, yesterday was my first day making a food plan and following it (per new Beck book). I'm used to counting calories as I go along. This was harder than I thought! I kept wanting something different. I'm giving myself a week to practice before actually adding the diet next week. I can see I need it! If I can't follow a plan with my "own" food, how can I ever expect to do so on "diet" food?

On track with the exercise group plan; already sleeping better and waking more refreshed.

Bill I've used the TVP (plain) very successfully in my regular chili recipe, just replaced ground beef with TVP. The meat-eaters did notice, but not until they'd eaten most of it!

Kuhljeanie Thanks for the shot of happy brain mantra; using it as I wince at going to water exercise class this morning. The water is always so cold to me. I'm trying to focus on all those calories I'll burn trying to stay warm.

Going to go pack my gym bag before I chicken out!