I'm unaccountably sad that Tony Curtis died. I realize a few years ago that I get sad when someone my mother liked dies, since she's not here to get sad over it. A suitable way to honor my mother, I think.

WI: +0.35kg, Exercise: +75 1725/1800 minutes for September, Food: 80%op, Read my Advantages and Responses: yes

BillBlueEyes: I forgot to say yesterday what I did with my bread that came with the soup and salad. I took a nibble, decided it wasn't worth a starch exchange and left both it and the croutons on my plate.
I liked the Step Diet, too, because it was different than the way I approached it and, yet, seemed very workable. It's something I can tell people when they say "I can't cook all day like you do to lose weight." I think that, ultimately, most people who lose weight and keep it off change both how much they eat and what they eat. I started with changing what I eat (which may be why I'm still struggling with acceptance for the amount), but it seems just as valid to start with how much a person eats. I suspect most people would eventually reach the conclusion that a big salad from home is more satisfying than 3/4 of a Big Mac.

Beverlyjoy: Thanks so much for reminding me of my favorite Rolling Stones lyric. I've been singing it (and dancing to it) all morning and I feel ever so much better! That is always such a comforting thought to me.
Glad you're finally making progress toward your surgery. Does it seem like your less worried about the surgery now that you've gone through all this over the summer? It seems like it to me. Not that it's a silver lining that was worth all of the trouble, but it's something.
Sorry about your son's diagnosis but glad that he now has new knowledge which will give him a way to approach making things better.

Shepherdess: hope you're feeling more energetic today. Good job with the resistance when it's extra hard because DH isn't there.

madrikh: yay for all of your credits! And for realizing the one-day jump is just a number on the scale.

maryann: glad your symptoms have waned and wishing you more energy today, too, along with Shepherdess.

seadwaters: good job continuing to check in during your busy time. I think that's key. Probably more important than keeping up with the daily weigh-ins, because this will be what gets you back on track when things get less busy.

McKt: Good job staying OP on a hectic day! And putting in the effort that it took to do it.

RobinW: credit for typing out loud -- one of the most useful aspects of posting here for me!

Good Morning, I am feeling much better today. Yesterday was another marathon day. I look at the typos in my last message and smile. I had finished the first draft and before I could edit was called away and knew I wouldn't be back to the keyboard. I had to decide whether to send it messy and flawed or not send it at all. Credit! Best choice. It is better to tell the messy truth rather than keep a silent "seemingly flawless" aloneness. Carbs become my only friends in a lonely silence.
beverlyjoy: when you wrote "magic wand" it hit me between the eyes. A great deal of my energy everyday is spent looking through my satchel purse for that wand that will fix everyone I love.
McKT: the dirty little truth for me is that sometimes all I have is OP car eating. I have to let it go and minimize the number of times it occurs. I have a husband in harvest, an 8 yr with music lessons, and a very intense job. I put all my time into WHAT I eat, not necess. where I eat.
Robin: talking to people is such a time blackhole. I know it is important to connect but it does set me off track.
BBE: traffic story. Two years graduate school traveling the two most crowded freeways in the world - the 405 and the 110 to UCLA. It scarred me for life. I had to leave SoCaL and marry a farmer in NoCal who farms 2000 acres so that I only had to compete with three cars and a tractor for road space.
gardernerjoy:I understand about the impact of celebrity news. I am middle age now, the downside of the hill and there are fewer and fewer people in my life who knew me "when". How precious the memories we share become! I still have my folks but DH has lost both. He is still reaching for the phone to call his dad about checking the rice or his mom, who was a nurse, to ask about DS's fever. Hand on the receiver, he will tear up.

Hello everyone. Thanks once again for all the encouraging posts. Even "mistakes" and recoveries are heartening to me.

Well, here I go...
Credits:
-ate OP yesterday, except for 1 cookie
-stopped after my off-plan eating and got back on track (better a 200 calorie mistake than a 2000 calorie!)
-exercise
-spent time on the phone that I didn't really have, with a friend in need
-planning each day's schedule, food and exercise
-found a used Beck Workbook for my DD, in perfect condition
-put the Beck green book on reserve at the library, so I can move beyond my plan of planning ahead and portion control.
-WI: 161.8

I am making a list of Moosewood recipes to try Thanks for the suggestions.

Question: I am struggling with writing down what I eat IMMEDIATELY after eating. Does anyone have practical ideas for doing this? Right now, I am using the Beck workbook, but it isn't convenient for me to carry it with me everywhere.

Peace,
Marci

I’m saying “Oh well” to yesterday and moving on. I tried to fix tired yesterday afternoon by snacking. It didn’t work. Luckily I woke up this AM with more energy, after a night of insomnia, no less. Go figure. I had a meeting in town this AM and headed out for a run afterwards. I was a little sluggish at first, but wound up running faster than my goal pace. And somehow, a good, hard run left me with energy to face the rest of my day.

Madrikh, ouch for IBS flare up and feeling grouchy about it. Great job remembering that the scale’s number is just a number. It changes inexplicably from day to day, but over time, it is good info.

Maryann, yay for getting over your illness. Ouch for the lingering tiredness. Great job paying attention even while sick and for getting right back to the rigid planning now that you’re on the mend.

RE writing down food: maybe you could carry around a smaller notebook where you can quickly jot down what you eat. You can either re-record it in the workbook, or just use it as a more easily transportable journal.

Seadwaters, waving back. Yay for defeating the computer beast. The inner workings of a computer are a complete mystery to me. For all I know, if I remove the outer casing, I’ll find fairies and gnomes hard at work. Sending supportive thoughts to reinforce that resistance muscle!

Beverlyjoy, I love the image of you twirling in the kitchen with your flouncy skirts! Kudos for doing so many twirl-worthy things. Glad your skin is healed. Hugs while you deal with your son’s newly diagnosed condition. I hope there is some relief in finding a name for it.

McKt, great job doing eating so well on a hectic day and for taking the few minutes to whip up a healthy dinner instead of heading through the drive through.

RobinW, thanks for sharing, “I’m worthy and deserving.” It’s interesting the challenges that come with success. We don’t often think about that. The 20 min is a great idea. It’s a good way to test whether it is actual fatigue or just the brain trying to weasel out of exercise.

BillBE, ouch for rush hour traffic. Kudos for facing it so you can take care of your health. Yay for looking forward to the gym. It’s well in-line with your daily quote. Hope you’re still singing the same tune during lunges.

Gardenerjoy, hugs while mourning Tony Curtis for your mother. Talk of the Nation had a nice tribute to Tony Curtis: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5.

Morning Coaches
I am posting early to get back on track. I have read my advantages list and my response list; I am planning for the day; writing a shopping list for the weekend shop; making lists of tasks to do for the for the next 4 days to be organised for work (work at home today and then a 'holiday' weekend). Have had an on-plan healthy breakfast.

Lots of marking to do this weekend, plus project work, plus other things. Good that it is a long weekend to have the time to do it all.

BeverlyJoy - Yay for healing skin, Yay for many twirls (that makes me smile), and credit for consecutive days on plan. It is great news to hear you will be seeing the orthopod and hope the meeting goes well. Getting a diagnosis can be a large part of the battle so I am pleased for your son.

McKt - huge credit for going home and making food to go - the sort of effort I am not so good with. Good ground rules are useful aren't they. Will need to review mine

RobinW - Good to see you back. It is difficult to be stuck without food and be very hungry. I don't carry food in the car but when I am being nomadic in my travelling office/car I do take a lunch box with on-plan food (when I plan and get organised that is). That and I try to remember that hunger is not an emergency - and that is not easy

BillBE - Ouch for traffic - I stay at work most nights till 6.30 to avoid it before the 1 hour drive home - peak hour to my place starts 4 pm. And gym doesn't happen - you make me think that I need to rethink my work habits. Leaving early doesn't help - peak hour starts at 5am and settles by 7.30 am! Anyway - thinking with my fingers here.

GardenerJoy - Good advice - to keep checking in even if off track. I am planning to be on track today. I don't like to think too far into the future because the thought of having to monitor everything I eat for ever is very daunting so your earlier post struck a cord. It is a good discussion to read.

maryann - Glad you are feeling better - carbs do seem to call when things are bad. Ouch for tired but credit for knowing that carbs won't fix it

Marci (madrikh) - I tend to be near a computer all day so log food in CalorieKing - and it tracks calories as well. If I didn't do that I would photocopy the pages from the Beck book and carry them with me. When I don't track I get into strife (often unfortunately)

Shepherdess - Yay for moving on - and for more energy despite all the things that suggest the opposite should be true - go figure. I will have to remember that exercise does make me energetic given that I avoid it when I am home late and tired

Have a good day Beckies

_________
Cheryl

Hi,

re: writing down what I've eaten:
When at home I use a computer spreadsheet to make my plan. I highlight in blue the line items I have consumed as the day goes along. I list the calories and nutrition of the servings, so then I can total them up at the bottom to get a full picture.
When I'm not at home I use an app called "Nutrition Menu" on my iPhone.

I think doing this helps me to know I'll have enough food during the day before I start, then later I know I ate the right amount. It has multiple benefits.

The Beck life really works for me - I like all the steps.

Woodland

Quick hi and expression of gratitude for all my Beck buddies/coaches. It is so reassuring to check in and see everyone just chugging along, doing their Beck best. Special thanks as always to BillBE for keeping us all clucking along.

I get a bit bonkers in the fall..take days off on the spur of the moment, or even an afternoon off, "due to weather". My boss just accepts the email and says "enjoy". Believe me, I have. Unusual fall color this year..early, for one thing, and all at once for another. The usual order is: Green Ash, then Sugar Maple and Basswood, but Basswoods don't even count, as they turn a s***-brindle brown and then just *pffftttttttttt. then Birch, and after the Maples have dropped and faded, then the Quaking Aspen and my favorite tree, the Red Oak, turn on. This year, it has happened all at once. Weird, but lovely.. At least the Tamarack are restraining themselves and will turn last of all.

Looking forward to a camping/canoeing weekend and the bounty of fall..my apples, raspberries, and DBF's cucumbers, tomatoes, squash..Hobo Dinners over the campfires were never so good as kids.

Hello Beck friends

It has been a long day with healthy eating. I am tired and remembering that food doesn't fix that. I think I'll lock up and head to bed early.
*credits*
-took my own snack to the movie, ate my portion then closed the bag
-pitched some spaghetti my Sis left on the cutting board instead of eating it
-decided against dessert just because
-will go to bed a little hungry instead of starting a munchfest
-I recognize I'll feel fine in the morning.

Take care everyone!

Here I am at the end of my day. Feeling grateful it’s just about over and giving myself credit for putting forth effort. The single most important change I am working on is BALANCE. To lose the ALL or NOTHING mentality is a huge struggle for me. Funny, because it does not serve me well, yet I cling to it like it is my only option for making choices.


I had another time crunch day and had to make a decision to either exercise or go to my meditation group this evening. When I was pondering the decision I kept thinking I had to do a long workout or it wouldn’t count … any way I finally reasoned with myself and recognized that I did not exercise yesterday and that exercise should be part of the decision. And it did not have to be a full hour at the gym to count as exercise. I ended up with a relaxing walk in which I could take a nice break, actually took the time to stop and smell the flowers. I was able to find the balance in the decision but I took some serious efforts. Now I am off to do my Beck Workbook.


RobinW - Thank you for such wonderful “food for thought” Worthy and Deserving!


BBE – Thank you for your post yesterday – Need to find a way to exercise during hectic days. I remembered what you wrote and it played a key part in my decision to MAKE exercise happen today! Credit to both….


Beverly joy – Yay for mostly great days and all the healthy choices. I am sending twirls your way for your son to feel better and a great Dr appt for you!


Gardnerjoy – Hugs to you! I too was deeply sadden by the news of Tony Curtis. I think it is a very sweet honor to your Mom.


Maryann – Yay for feeling better. Beware, carbs only pretend to be your friend, they are insincere and they will nail you in the backside without hesitation, leaving you to only want more and more of them.


Shepherdess – Onward and upward – tomorrow is a whole new day! Kudos for the good hard run, sounds like the day ended on a good note….


Seadwaters – Yippee for planning and reorganizing – sometimes it’s just what we need to jump back on track.

Madrikh - One cookie and time spent with a friend in need. That’s a pretty successful day! When I got on the scale this morning I was up 1.5 pounds, ugh for no apparent reason as I have been on track 100%, I guess it was just one of those days for me as well. I too struggle with writing the food down so I am getting into the habit of writing it before I eat it. Then there are no new decisions to make. I find I can stick to it about 95% of the time (I am practicing better rather than perfect) . I actually write out my entire meals for 2 or 3 days. Make sure I have the food prepared, print the list and keep handy at all times.
Here's to a fantastic Friday to all!

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Beck Diet For Life/Solution – October 2010 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach

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

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