I've been staying with my father this weekend, so I don't have my Beck book with me to talk about the actual days. My mother / sister are out of town and my father has pretty serious memory loss and is rather frail, so he can't stay alone.
I did make a dent on the yard work. Credit me. It's a never ending process, but great exercise! I've been on-plan and the weight is coming off oh so slowly. That's a tough one for me, but I'm dealing with it. Credit.
I like this planning / writing down my food plan for the next day. It does make it easier for me to stick to.
Anne - Great on getting your run in. I've come to count on you doing some sort of exercise!
Bill - Sounds like a great sandwich. I have noticed that men's shirts are huge. My father, who is 6 feet tall but very thin, has a difficult time finding shirts to fit because they hang on him.
As for my new job, I'm afraid it is quite time intensive. During a non-production week I'm looking at 40 - 50 hours ( 5 days per week). During production weeks about 80 hours per week (6 and usually 7 days per week). That's theatre for you. People that work in theatre say it is their life. That's because they don't have time for anything else! When I was in grad school working on my MFA in playwriting, I was at school (class) and in the theatre 65 hours a week. Then I was expected to write another 40 hours a week. The thing now is I'm going from working 12 hours a week (teaching college part-time) to this. Yikes.
As for your Paris food order, just get it in early. Mine will be long enough. I see in my future a lot of walking in Paris to work off the bread.
Tera - I'm glad it sounds as if your Mother is doing well. I hope that continues. Don't forget to get some rest yourself.
Margaret - Don't be too hard on yourself for your slip. Perfection is boring. Besides, I have no doubt that you'd cut anyone else some slack, so cut yourself some.
All best,
Beth
Last edited by Greenville Beth; 06-07-2009 at 07:42 PM.
I'm writing to you from the couch.
It's nice here on the couch.
I was out this morning in the rental car. I enjoy a car very much since we don't own one. It's cool here today. And damp. Definitely not June weather.
I am hoping to plant the garden tomorrow. More rain is forecast for the rest of the week so I think tomorrow will be my day to do that.
We made it to Montreal yesterday for the birthday meal with DH's brother. Wow. It was the worst service I think I've ever experienced and the people at the table were really, how can I say this, well they did nothing to participate in conversation at all! Nothing. DH and I were commenting on how we know very little more of the other 6 people there than we did when we were introduced; or rather DH was introduced. I introduced myself and no one asked anything about me or DH. it was weird. Makes me think the art of conversation is dying. Aren't people curious about one another anymore? I tried but all my effort fell flat and I just left it at that. I did hear everything there is to know of a schoolyard game called "Bum's Up": think dodge ball aimed at your butt.
Foodwise DH and I never did get our salad, even though it was painstakingly ordered (the waiter made a big deal about it) and we waited forever for everything so we just let it go. They couldn't get glasses of wine to the table for some reason and two orders were wrong. I (kudos here) got the catch of the day, though this was a steakhouse chain (Le Bifteque -- I would have been happier at the Mr. Steak we drove past which DH said was like a Shopsy's weiner place). Anyway, it did make me think we should zip to Montreal more often. But I always think that when we zip to Montreal. We made it home by 1 am.
Now I am wiped out. I'm making a Dr.'s appt tomorrow. the leg pain isn't a big deal any longer but it's not quite gone and I am due for a checkup, overdue in fact. I think I just have to go and bring my list of minor complaints and have him look under the hood. And I'm going to look into using the pool and the workout room at the community center for our building complex. It's around the corner from me, a 10 min walk or a 2 min bike ride. We dropped by there on Friday to get free flowers to plant (they were all gone) and I found myself longing to swim in the pool. For me though it's never easy to go there. I feel very self conscious and very F-A-T. Lots of kids in there all the time. *sigh* Whatever. Maybe I need a snappy robe to wear as a coverup/towel into the pool area. This way I minimize the amount of time spent exposing my body to the eyes of others. Eventually I'll get over it but I am really sensitive right now. The pool is free ($-wise) for residents (that's me) and the weight room was $100 for the year. It has a small assortment of machines and freeweights and I think one treadmill and one elliptical. Since we are here, and here for a while I guess (I am removing the focus on moving away for now. I simply can't take it emotionally. The health of my body is rapidly rising to priority No. 1 instead. I suppose this is a kudo in itself of some sort.)
Anyway such are my thoughts this evening. Graduation is coming closer thank goodness. I'll be glad to see it here and gone.
And DH said to me yesterday that he had a plan for both of us to lose weight. (I perked up. DH has gained a lot of weight over the past couple of years.) So I said "eat less?" "No!" So he said his plan was that daily we would agree to do any of the following together: bike ride, walk, or wii fit. And if we didn't our penalty was to have s-e-___. He said that would be motivating to him but it doesn't make sense to me. I'd assume we would never do any of the other activities if he had a say in it and that was the "penalty". Maybe I should make the se_ the reward for the other activity? Hmmmm. Now that really would motivate him.
twilit tera I haven't sent you my best wishes for your mom's recovery. Wow. I didn't know she need a liver and that's so fantastic she got one. I can only imagine the stress you have been under with this over all these months. It is understandable that you had some extra unplanned food. remember the "persist in victory" phrase? You've done so well during the obvious danger times... that exactly when persist in victory needs to be summoned forth. Big hugs to you and your family.
wndranneThanks for seeing the glass half full. I'd like to say I have had the Big Click happen but it's not true. That you can see it coming makes me feel it could be. Thank you.
billblueyes Alas my bike still awaits me. i have some menatal block about others seeing me as I see myself. It's really narcissistic to think ANYONE CARES about how I look on a bicycle. Sheesh. I promise tomorrow morning I'll walk it to the gas station, get air in the tires, (I still don't know if it's fit to ride), and if all goes well I will ride it around the nearby park and home. I'll do it as soon as I wake up, before I have time to think my way out of it. And I'll report back. BTW I am surprised at the resizing of men's clothes! I feel your annoyance and share it.
RobinW I hope you had a relaxing weekend. I'm glad all went well with the chiro and the RMT last week.
Nuxmaga Hi! billblueeyes had a great response to things like the bakery you walked by. He once said "that's not about me". I find that works like a charm.
Greenville Beth Hi! You sound as busy as I am. Kudos for planning your food. It's a key strategy.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Drat! Got suckered by a chocolate fountain. Oh Well.
Actually, I did a really good Beck strategy; I skipped the first stage of a three house eating event as an easy way to limit the champagne and appetizers. CREDIT moi. Did good enough for a grand affair at the outside buffet at the second stage by the old trick of filling my plate with salad. CREDIT moi. But then, instead of skipping the house with the desserts as I had planned, I followed the crowd and had dessert. Not the worst, as I had a creme brulee that would fit the notion of being special, since I don't get that often. Then I saw the chocolate fountain and fell for it. Truly mediocre chocolate over wonderful strawberries. Chocolate only good enough for the 4 year old girl who had it all over her face. If I had followed my plan, I'd feel like a hero. The only positive was that I chatted with some old friends I don't see often and met some neat new people.
Spent the weekend getting frantic about getting everything done before my vacation. I'll be away for three weeks from Sunday evening June 14th through Monday July 5th, presumably off-web the whole time as we chase birds and plants and general wilderness stuff. I'll miss you guys and your support. Anne (wndranne) has agreed to start the July thread so life will continue here as usual.
onebyone - Yay for getting to Montreal despite the weirdness of the conversation. I've had that experience where the particular combination of people seemed to keep conversation at bay. Weird.
Kudos to your DH for thinking about exercise for the both of you. LOL at the good male idea of a motivating reward system. Does seem like an opportunity if you can figure out a way to tie his desired reward into his success at getting you on your plan, but, like you, the convolution of it all boggles.
Neat strategy to think of "snappy robe" to allow the pool to be part of you life. Once you break through the initial barrier, 'twould seem a fun option.
Sending positive thoughts for your bike today.
Anne (wndranne) - Congrats on being one stomach virus away from your pre-DS weight. Onward to pre-DD weight. Is that goal or is there a pre-DH weight, LOL?
Kudos for getting in your run even with the chaos of your DS's birthday. I presume both kids remain on a sugar high for the entire weekend keeping your house buzzing.
Beth (Greenville Beth) - WOW, your job sounds really engaging. Hope you're able to find your path between joyfully involved and distant enough to avoid burnout.
Good luck taking care of your father. When I've talked to my FIL with serious fading memory issues, it has always amazed me how clearly he can tell his old stories - no details are lost, the cadence, voice tone, and humor are all right there. But today's stuff is frequently beyond his grasp, even if just explained a few minutes before.
Readers -
Quote:
Eating Guidelines . . . Create a weekly plan.
The Complete Beck Diet for Life, pg 112
Last edited by BillBlueEyes; 06-08-2009 at 08:41 AM.
Reason: Typo
WI: +a couple... not sure what I reported last, but I'm over the 220 mark again.
Pain: 0/3/5
Credits:
This has been a bigger disruption in my plan than I'd thought. I've been pondering on why I went so far off plan and what the best way is to get back on track. I think it starts here. With deciding to be on track, or as close to it as possible (until I'm going to the hospital less, some flexibility will be necessary, but there's a difference between making reasonable substitutions, and eating whatever, whenever).
NO CHOICE.
Posts will be short for a while, as I deal with the upheaval, but at least I'll be checking in.
Oh, and since I missed the question last time, yes, Bill once mom's healed up from surgery, it'll be difficult to keep her out of the pool.
what a weekend!! We had 2 computers hit with some wicked virus...the home pc and my work pc. Dh's pc is really funky and keeps freezing up on him. Its what I am using now. So who knows how long or if I'll even get this post posted.
Dh is working on my pc at the moment reinstalling "everything". The pc Dr. wants me to start using firefox...which I intensely dislike
My stress level was off the charts this weekend. I told dh I needed a 1lb prozac and gallon of wine I managed with 2 bottles of wine, and way too much chocolate and marshamallows. *sigh*
I need better coping mechanisms!
As of this morning, Im back to it....lets hope I can keep my stuff together.
I'll post more later once hubby has everything re-downloaded onto my pc.
Hello all. I was a member of this group a year or so back. Fell out of the habit of reading and posting, and fell off the wagon with weight loss as well.
Joining under a new name to make a fresh start! Looking forward to this weight loss journey with renewed enthusiasm.
Thanks for the encouragement about my bakery incident. That was followed up by a neighbor calling about bringing me freshly made cookies, which I ignored, but then she found me on Facebook, and I gave in and told her to bring them over. I did manage to save some for my husband by sticking them in the freezer. I need to review Beck's food pusher chapter.
I am feeling anxious about tomorrow. I have a committee meeting that I dread, which in the past involves me eating too much junk from the lunch cart, and then when everyone leaves, eating much of the leftovers.
nwamom--welcome back! I just joined, but it's been helpful already.
RobinW--yeah, coping mechanisms are hard. At a very young age I had enough experiences of eating as a way to cope, and that has stuck, even though now I know that ultimately I feel worse.
Twilit Tera--Hope your Mom is doing well. I asked my mother what my stepfather's diagnosis is, but she hasn't responded. All the best with staying on plan--even if it's just starting with one meal.
Bill--Sorry to hear about the chocolate fountain. There seems to be a ratio for me that the more mediocre a dessert is, the more of it I end up eating!
I woke up late and drove over to my friend's house to finally plan the vegetable garden I had planned on planting a few weeks ago. We've had three frosts (very unusual) over those three weeks and everything is delayed 2 weeks (including the local strawberries) so I am actually within the realm of "normal" for gardening starts this year. Anyway, 4 1/2 hours laters I have tom thumb lettuce, cucs, carrots, parsnip, kohlrabi, yellow beans, broad beans, beets, radishes, peas, sunflowers, canteloupe, white patty pan squash, butternut squash, baby red watermelon and the Giant Atlantic Pumpkin (100 - 500lbs in size the packet promises! The pumpkin is "for the boys" as my friend has two sons: 8 and 6 but it's as much for me, age more than 6, and Tim, age more than 8 )Everything is snuggly planted in the earth with an initial watering done. Ah! feels like a job well done. Kudos to me.
So no bike ride since I slept in. There is always tomorrow. I missed calling the Dr too so I have to do both of these things tomorrow.
Nuxmaga Your meeting tomorrow sounds like a challenge. It's good you are planning in advance for it. Make some decisions around what you will do and follow it. Each time you go through it it will be easier as you practice your new strategies... good luck!
nwamomHi and welcome back. Looking forward to your posts as you start again...
RobinW Ugh nothing more disturbing than computers not working right. Sorry you're dealing with that. My HP laptop that I am using right now is actually recalled for a faulty something. To get it fixed I have to send it off somewhere and would be without it for 2 weeks. I haven't done it yet. It's an intermittent problem right now. I hope your computers get straightened out soon.
twilit tera Your instincts are right. Start here, start small, do one small thing consistently. Be gentle with yourself. You are living through extraordinary circumstances. kudos for the swim.
BillBlueEyesWow. A three house eating event. Wow. Good for having a strategy for that. I'd be overwhelmed and seriously looking forward to ALL of the food. Happy to read there was chatting going on at your event. Where are you vacationing...somewhere exotic??
Onebyone, I would say DH has come up with a win/win! He must be a Covey guy. Exercise or sexercise, s'all good!
Welcome back nwamom, but I an going nuts trying to figure out who you are! (or should I say "were"). I think you should start giving us some hints and let us guess. Or let us ask questions. Yeah, that would be cool! Like the old "What's My Line" show. Prolly only BillBE and I are the only ones who can remember that show. So, my one question is: Do you have more than one dawg?
Thoughts to all, especially Tera. Lots on your plate right now.
Wndranne, thanks for the tip about the next Michael Scott book; it reminded me I had abandoned the Alchemist. Have dived back in with glee.
Coaches/Buddies I thought I missed a day, but I guess not. I had a good day at work for once, did some math, got some stuff done.
Eating was on plan. Well, actually it was off plan, since I left work with my afternoon snack still there, and never actually got a snack, but it all worked out. I think I will indulge in a beer tonight as I read Michael Scott.
Run of almost 4 miles this morning. Had to do a walk break when my HR peaked on a hill, but it was good. Tomorrow I bike. Road bike.
Beth Nice work on the yard work, the food plan, and keeping on without your book!
onebyone I'd say your DH's plan is worth a shot, eh? LOL.
Bill It is good to see you giving yourself credit for the events around the chocolate fountain! Also glad we still have a week of your insight before you go primal on us!
My pre-DH weight is 289, so I'm not going there, LOL. My goals for the year, are 180 by June, close but no cigar, and 160 by year's end. Pre-DD was low 170s. I want to see if I can take it a little further to help out my running. I never set a "final" goal weight, because I care way more about all the things on my ARC than the number on the scale, and those are my goals, aspiration, and dreams. The weight is just a tool to help me do those things.
Tera Glad to see you back on track!
RobinW I think you need a heavy bag instead of marshmellows to deal with stress!! Hope your computers get fixed up. I'm lost without mine.
nwamom Welcome back!
Margaret Beware FaceBook. It is killing me these days.
Hi maryblu! I'm taking the new Michael Scott to bed tonight. I haven't read a book in a month.
Hello, All. I so am not into the flow of this job yet. We have a production starting this Thursday, so that means I have to stay late (10 pm) tomorrow night to watch a rehearsal, late (10 pm) Wednesday night for the preview, and late (10 pm) for the opening Thursday and the same Friday and Saturday night. Sunday I have to work from about 1 pm until 6 pm. I'm not sure when I'm going to get my exercise in. I've got to figure that out. I also need to figure out a little "me time," so I can spend time on my Beck book and make sure my food is on plan.
So far, I've been on plan. Credit me.
This is going to be a short note. I hope everyone is doing well.
Diet Coaches/Buddies - Was entertaining my standard thoughts of why I couldn't go to the gym and then why I should do only half a workout when I remembered falling into the chocolate fountain. Felt I had to go. How's that for a thin silver lining to a debacle, LOL. CREDIT moi for doing every d*rn lunge anyway. (Still hate those things.)
Discovered the P mode on my new camera - Program Mode. You easily shift among the shutter speed/aperture combinations for the reading of the light meter. Neat.
maryblu - Good grief, "What's My Line." That was an interesting show, bet that a new version would be a hit. That's one of the places in my life where I learned that a good liar could fool me. How's your garden coming?
onebyone - Looking forward to a picture of your 500 pound "Giant Atlantic Pumpkin." I suggest you start lifting weights real-soon-now since a fork lift costs a wad of money for one use, LOL. Do you harvest your sunflower seeds or just enjoy their beauty.
My vacation starts in Hong Kong; the remainder isn't finalized. I'll report back for sure.
Robin (RobinW) - Ouch for the virus taking down two PC's. Double Ouch for "chocolate and marshmallows" as coping mechanisms. Can only hope it was quality chocolate, since I don't think there's such a thing a quality marshmallows, LOL. Marshmallows have no reason for existing on planet earth much less in your pantry.
This message typed on Firefox, by an enthusiastic user of square software.
Anne (wndranne) - Yay for doing math instead of Power Point at work. Not surprising that you forgot to eat, LOL.
Kudos for running hard enough to peak your heart rate - that's putting out.
OK, got it that pre-DH weight is not a goal, LOL. You certainly look on the path for the goals you've set.
Tera (twilit tera) - Kudos for coming right back here to get your head straight for getting back on plan, even though it's going to be difficult while spending so much time at the hospital (which, for healthy eating, is probably worse than getting stuck at McDonald's, LOL). Is it feasible to bring a cooler with you to be well stocked up on veggies and desirable food?
Wishing your mother the best for healing rapidly and comfortably. Love the thought of her being healed enough to get back in the pool. It just blows my mind that someone else's liver will live happily in her body filtering out the bad stuff. Yay for livers.
Beth (Greenville Beth) - The reality of theater work days is sobering. Yep, I hope you find a way for a little "me time."
Kudos for remaining on plan with that schedule - a good sign for keeping at it.
Margaret (Nuxmaga) - Good luck on your committee meeting today. Kudos for planning for eating from the cart since that allows you to make a right sized selection. Can you foist the leftovers on someone else? Or bring them home to DH?
Yep, "There seems to be a ratio for me that the more mediocre a dessert is, the more of it I end up eating!" That sure fits my history. It continues to embarrass me that my excess poundage was not built from quality food, but from mediocre stuff. I've come to believe those folks around here who insist that a small serving of quality chocolate satisfies them much more than the massive servings of mediocre stuff.
nwamom - Kudos for a "fresh start with renewed enthusiasm." Will you continue with the Beck Diet solution or move alone to Beck Diet for Life?
Hope you give us a hint for your prior name; curious if I was here then, but certainly Robin (RobinW) and Maryblu were since they've been here forever.
Readers -
Quote:
tip: Every time you measure food at home, look at the portion size. Notice how large it looks compared with your palm or fist. This will help you to better portion other away-from-home eating situations. Also notice texture and color. This will help you to more easily spot the gleam of oil or butter on the vegetables served at restaurants or the overabundance of mayonnaise in tuna, seafood, or chicken salad.
Just a hit and run. I'll post more this evening. Anyway, I made my first 5 lb goal today. Woo hoo! I started at 236 and woke up at 231! Next goal: 226. That certainly motivates me to keep on plan and keep exercising.
Credits: calorie counting , water , , shoes , vitamins
100% improvement over the weekend. I think I may have packed my BDS book, but I'll go over old blog posts to renew my determination.
Went to physical therapist today with the Methodist network and was evaluated. That was painful. (He joked that he didn't promise I'd feel better when I left today.) Nice guy. Named Scott.
He said that it looked like multiple problems, some in my hip, some in my lower back. He suggested that I not go in for further chiropractic adjustments since it looked like my back was moving too much not too little and adjustments could make the problem worse. He also thinks that the lift could be feeding into the problem. He did some work on my legs to shift the position of my pelvis, and I'll be danged if he didn't reduce the difference in their lengths!
He said that one of my problems was probably arthritis. The other could be bursitis and when I mentioned it, stress injury or tendinosis. Whether tendinosis is present or not makes no difference to my current course of therapy. I'm to ice it several times a day, continue moving in the pool, and do the exercises he gave me (different ones from the last therapist, which were painful to do). The complication is that the work I need to improve my muscle strength is likely to aggravate my arthritis (hence icing and anti-inflammatories). Continue losing weight. Don't do stuff that hurts. Check back in a week.
I've got mixed feelings about ending my appointments with C. On the one hand, the work she's helped us through has reduced my pain and made me more mobile. On the other, it seems to have leveled out there, and I don't know how much of the pain reduction is due to massage (which we're now doing at home) or adjustments. I figure I'll stop going for a while and see if I feel any different.
Robin: My sympathies for your computers. for finding new ways to cope.
(back) nwamom.
Margaret: Good luck getting control over the food pushing/daily temptations. There's a lot of great stuff in the Beck books for that. I find that the best approach is simple, non-accusing honesty: "Thanks, but that really doesn't fit into my diet plans right now. I'd rather not have those cookies, but I appreciate the thought."
onebyone: for spring planting! Thanks for the encouragement.
maryblu: Lots on my plate? In more ways than one! But I'm feeling much better now. I didn't get to go visit mom yesterday, since I was going to be riding in with my aunt, who seems to have become the next cold victim. I'm hoping to get there tonight after my appointment with C.
Beth: It's only natural to be a little out of sorts when you're adjusting to a new job. Give yourself time. In a month or so, you'll be doing much better, and as you get through each season in your new career you'll understand it better for next year. for hitting your first 5lb goal!!
Bill: for the self-discipline that got you through detested lunges.
Yep. The liver is a remarkable organ. What's really amazing is the thought that half a liver will do the work Mom needs to live. This is a really difficult, painful, icky process, but it's so much better than the alternative. This way she goes through the worst early, then gets better and lives a longer, happier life. The other she'd just keep getting gradually sicker til she stopped. She's no happy camper right now, but at least it's going to improve!
Day 16 - 17
Sunday
Monday
4 1/2 hours worth
)Everything is snuggly planted in the earth with an initial watering done. Ah! feels like a job well done. Kudos to me.
nwamom 
, water 
for finding new ways to cope.
for spring planting! Thanks for the encouragement.
But I'm feeling much better now. I didn't get to go visit mom yesterday, since I was going to be riding in with my aunt, who seems to have become the next cold victim. I'm hoping to get there tonight after my appointment with C.
for hitting your first 5lb goal!!