Diet Coaches - Celebrating Today:Thank you Diet Coaches for your wise insights, for sharing of your journeys, and for your kind responses to me. You provide inspiration to go forward and stability to prevent slipping.

Thank you Dr. Beck for publishing; even though my loss was completed before you published in May 07, the strategies of the Beck Diet Solution give me confidence that it's possible to keep it off.

If any of the previous posters in the Beck threads are passing by or any Readers feel so inclined, please post a wave to collect your slice of organic death-by-chocolate virtual anniversary cake, 0 calories, LOL.


Sue (CoastalSue) - Ouch for your diversion. Big Kudos for working it out and keeping your perspective. Hoping that swimming weather arrives for you to allow you that support.

Heidi (hbuchwald) - Happy Birthday !!!! Kudos for purchasing the good chocolate. And Kudos for your fun plan for your birthday dinner. Thanks for taking on Program-day 14 in the midst of report cards - should we look forward to A- and C+ type of discussion, LOL.

Jean (kuhljeanie) - Congrats for reaching the 170’s. I find it very useful how you compare losing the accumulations and losing weight. I hope you continue to pursue this in your posts. And thanks for elevating a frequent whine of maintenance into a benefit, via "It's perfectly possible to lose and maintain loss and still be the same person, working on the same issues!"

Mez (mezmerize) - Kudos for working through your meds and exercises and taking care of yourself. Congrats on the recent 2 pounds. Sending support as you wrestle with the thoughts of impending wonderland.

onebyone – Sending warm support as you navigate through your rebellion. And thanks for this really neat perspective – I’d never thought of this and will also take comfort in it: amy (gahundy) – Great Advantages Response Card, thanks for sharing. It's nice to see "health" at the top as it is in my own, as well as your speicifically amy's "more comfy on back of dh motorcycle."

Readers – “… Cognitive Therapy helps you identify your sabotaging thinking and effectively respond to it, so you feel better and can behave in helpful ways.” Beck, pg 21.

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Completed Beck Program-day 42. You’ve met your goal. Congratulations!

congrats to billie!! that is amazing i know you will be able to continue this maintenance well past five years. i also liked what was said about maintenance begining with the loss of the first pound. That may be the perspective i need to keep my chin up!

happy happy birthday to heidi!! you have a great plan for today, i know you can do this!

today i am on task #2: pick two diet plans. i have checked out a book from the library that details and compares about 75 different plans. i will read this today and hopefully before i go to bed tonight i will have chosen two plans. take that back, not "hopefully" but "before i go to bed..."
i will come back and post my choices as soon as i make them. i am also interested in how everybody's day is going, so i will definetly be back to "visit" with everyone.
have a great day!!amy

ok boys and girls, i have completed task 2: pick two diet plans
the one i am going to start with is called "the good mood diet". it helps you choose foods that help you feel well instead of sick. i picked this diet b/c i feel like i am always complaining about something, i never feel well, i am also exhauasted. i really hope this plan is the one. i swear, finding "the one" was easier when i meant husband, not diet. i had no idea just how many good diets there really are. i started out picking about 6 and narrowed it down to 2.
ok so plan b diet is the "fat is not your fate" diet. it takes into account your personality as well as genetics to help you eat right and to avoid "trigger" foods. it also seems liekit will work well for me. honestly the 'good mood diet" was chosen as diet plan A b/c my library has it and i don't have to rush out and buy yet another book. i think with all the books and videos i own i could start my own weightloss clinic i know that as long as i follow beck then it really doesn't matter which one i choose, IT WILL WORK!.
well that's about all for now, since no one has come back and posted since my last post this morning i am assuming everyone is having a busy day, but will be in shortly or first thing tomorrow...amy

gahundy - I've not heard of that plan sound very interesting.

As for me today I did Walk Slim 4 fast miles. While I wasn't able to do all the moves I did jog and some light forward kicking. I was so happy I finished the 4 miles.

BillBlueEyes -- Congratulations on your one year maintaining at your goal weight -- and two and a half years on this path. It's really a great acheivement and an inspiration. And thank you so much for making your celebration cake organic...otherwise, I might have had to pass on it

Mez -- it's great that you were able to do so much exercise.

Day 24 for me. Looking at it's not fair....I don't so much think it's unfair that I can't have sweets or high fat foods right now, even when other people are eating them. I want to lose weight, and in order to do that I have to eat fewer calories than my body would need to maintain.

What I do feel is unfair is that I've never been able to eat sweets like a thin person...at least not for any sustained period of time or with any consistency. I think a thin person can have one serving, enjoy it, and move on. One serving just leaves me wanting more and usually having more. Right now, I'm not eating any sugar-sweetened sweets. I may try a planned bite or two ocassionally for special occasions, and I may choose not to. I don't know if I'll be able to sucessfully introduce them in the future and eat them like a thin person, even with the Beck tools. And that feels unfair.

So, what's the response?

1. Being healthy and thinner is more important to me than eating sweets.
2. Yea, life is unfair, and everyone has their challenges. Sweets are one of mine.
3. Give myself credit for not eating sweets now.
4. Who knows what the future may bring. Maybe I'll be able to eat sweets as part of planned eating in the future. Trust myself and involve my diet coach in deciding when and how to give it a try.

Hi Everyone...

I am just starting the Beck Program... I'm on day 4 and was
thrilled to find this group. I'm new to 3FC as well. I'm not
sure how you guys organize this thread so I hope I'm not
being inappropriate just jumping in.

You look like a fun group with some real success and I need
to be around some winning weight loss. I want this to be
my year. I know all about diets and that is why Beck really
appeals to me. I don't know how to STAY on the diet.

Cognitive therapy worked wonders for my brother for
another issue, so I'm hopeful I can learn from you fellow
strugglers, how to help myself to finally drop these
pounds from my life.

BTW, I'm Ellen from NJ. <smile>

Hi, all, just dropped in for a minute, and am glad I did...

Congratulations, dear BillBE. You rock!

Welcome, Ellen! I am scarce around here these days, but a big, big fan of Beck, so I hope you stay with us and feel good about your choice.

Barpos, as far as the unfairness of not being able to eat sweets-- I have had that sabotaging thought about not being able to eat everything I want the way thin people seem to be able to do. Don't know if you have read the introduction of Beck, but boy, did she lay that out in black and white...thin people DO "watch what they eat"...and girl, do they ever. If you read the maintainers thread, it will really drive that home for you.

Here's another thought that may help. (and I need to keep this in mind when it comes to wine, too, believe me) Sugar and all those refined carbs that break down in our bodies into simple sugars cause our skin to wrinkle..big time

"When blood sugar goes up rapidly, sugar can attach itself to collagen in a process called "glycation," making the skin stiff and inflexible. Losing this elastic resilience of young skin will give you deep wrinkles and make you look old."

This from no less an expert than Dr. Perricone, author of The Perricone Promise, another one of my favorite gurus..not for everyone, mind you, but I love him!

My point is: that glycation process happens to everyone....skinny people, too. Not fair to anyone, because the one taste that all animals love, regardless of species, is sweet. We all love it, but alas, there is more to consider with sweets and refined carbs than our waistlines. Tis sad, but unfair to all. And I was just wishing for some of my favorite licorice pastels..*sigh

Hello Coaches

Day 20 is just about over for me. I am having a bit of trouble figuring out the details of my food plan. I follow Weight Watchers points and I am allowed a certain # of points per day and then I have a weekly allowance of points for the week that can be used for unexpected, unplanned food. This is in direct conflict with Beck and her NO CHOICE and plan everything and do not eat off plan notions. My WW plan allows me to "eat off plan" by giving me extra points to take to cover what I eat, but Beck tells me to stay strictly to my foodplan. So what's happened the last few days is I have had an extra snack at night or during the day and while it is off Beck's plan it is still on my food plan. I dutifully write it down immediately but I am starting to feel bad for doing it at all... but it's not breaking the rules of my WW plan so should I feel bad? What's right? Should I never eat any of those extra points during the week that WW allows me to have? Not sure what to do on this topic. One of the reasons I chose WW is just for these weekly points to cover unforeseen events, and to have a few extras sometime.

kuhljeanie I was in the grocery store on Friday and we had a huge rush because our big storm was coming the next day. I half asked myself why I was there as I know I have lots of food in the house. I totally relate to getting rid of clutter. My house is a mess and has always been that way. I have tried off and on to get rid of things. It's always up there on the to do list. Someday soon I want to tick it off my list as done.

gahundy Good going on completing your task to pick two diet plans. And I am with you that Beck will be the key that makes it all work in the long term. Kudos to you!

mezmerize Wow you did the 4mi workout?! That's a serious workout. Congrats. You must be feeling pretty good today...

coastalsue I find it so hard to stay focused and determined when I feel sick and then the family stuff? Very tough. Good that you've re-focused and it's true, the old solutions just do not work anymore. Good thing we have a plan and some friends to help us figure things out.

hbuchwald Hope you enjoyed your day today!

BillBlueEyes What an accomplishment! A year maintaining.
I hope someday I'll be able to say that too. And that you came here after you'd lost your weight and you've stuck around and I am glad to have your perspective. It reminds me that this journey rewally doesn't end when the scale reads x number. We still have our heads to deal with too. And I didn't know about the 5 years at maintenance weight is considered successful and a predictor that you'll keep the weight off. When you think about that it really is a long term program that you need to live with. Congratulations on being 1/2 way there. That's really something.

barbpos I'm not at day 24 yet but the notion that "this is not fair" is something I have felt forever it seems. I will have alot to say about it in a few days when I am on that day. I haven't written out many formal responses to the days that have challenged me (mostly 18 and 19 so far). I just wanted to "run away" and get through the day already without looking back, like I'd really mess up and all my weightloss will be "taken away from me". Even now I am surprised that at night I step on the scale and I am not 260 or above. I keep waiting for the scale to rise. it hasn't this week, and there's no reason it should. Hmmm. I don't trust that this is working do I? Guess I need your help coaches on this one.

SeaChild I am here trying Beck because cognitive therapy helped me a lot with other issues too. And yep, you do just jump right in. Welcome!

maryblu Ah aging. Yes, we all do get older no matter what size we are. I didn't know how sugar was involved in that process. And your comment about maintainers really working at maintaining is eye opening too. I've just never been in that boat and I hope that the skills I learn here will serve me when I do get there.

Have a good evening folks.

Hello there friends,

Thanks for the birthday wishes. DD has a little sore throat and had a slight fever yesterday so I didn’t know if we would go out for dinner tonight or not. She was JAZZED to go when I picked her up today. The pizza place was not open tonight so I went to the carrot cake place and had bruschetta and a wedge salad and my carrot cake. I looked forward to eating that carrot cake all day today..it was very good but I ate all of it and really didn’t need to. I am fighting feeling badly about that. I allotted it in my plan, ate it all but had that old mindset of feeling like I should have eaten more slowly or saved half of the piece for tomorrow. They I would have had two days of the yumminess to look forward to. Oh well. It is behind me now (pardon the pun). I really think that I need to practice the exercise of putting too much on my plate so that I can throw some of my food away. Anyway, it was a good day overall. Kudos to me for following my plan, enjoying my food and not totally beating myself up for eating more food than my body said that it needed.


BillBlueEyes:
BIG CONGRATS on your hard work, determination and for always putting everything you’ve got into your posts. I am so glad that you feel that you benefit from this group as well since you contribute so much. I am going to consider myself on maintenance. It is so true-we are all maintaining what we have lost even if we have not hit the ultimate weight loss goal yet-genious!

Mesmerize: good work on the working out and on doing the moves that felt okay and skipping the ones that didn’t. Glad that you are feeling better (it sounds like!).

Amy: Interesting sounding book-what is the title? Are most of the diets ones we have heard of? WW? Atkins, etc.. ? You sound solid in your choices for diets.

Barpos: I hear you on the eating sweets issue! Great responses to that sort of thinking.

Ellen: Welcome to the group! It is just great that you jump in and share what you want. I hope you love the Beck way as much as we do here!

Maryblu: HI! Thanks for reminding us that thin people watch what they eat too. I am going to lurk on the maintainer’s thread to drive it home.

Onebyone: Interesting dilemma to be in with WW and Beck rules. I would say that if the extra points are working for you each week –go for it. It may be just the way that you can allow yourself that indulgence without going overboard. Sue talked about allotting extra calories for unplanned eating each day to not feel deprived. A great strategy!

This is the day before the eating plan officially is started. Beck reminds us of the reasons to plan what we eat ahead of time:
1. You think about how you will acquire your food (shopping, preparing, etc..) ahead of time
2. Remember what you are supposed to eat so that you don't have to problem solve on the fly
3. Helps avoid spontaneous eating
4. tolerate hunger for short periods and overcome cravings
5. Make decisions about eating before encountering triggers

"Once I accept the fact that I have to write a food plan every evening for the next day, dieting will be easier. (Beck page 139)

Timely note: Beck refers to page 23 in in the workbook about modifying your diet plan. She encourages people to make sure to include foods that you know you will feel deprived of if you leave them out. She states that she includes some junk food in her diet everyday and adjusts the portions of her meals to accomodate for that, making sure that she isn't compromising too many nutrients. She makes it an evening snack so she isn't making that decision on the fly when she is faced with something tempting. It really does up her credibility since she is living this stuff herself too isn't it?

Hello All,

tried to get in earlier but this site was down in my area for some reason.

BillBlueEyes-Hugh congrads for your well earned and maintained success!! Thanks for hanging in here and supporting us "still learning the ropes" folks. You are inspirational. Can you send before and after pics? Your cake tasted great!

Heidi-Hope you are celebrating your birthday and all of your successes in life. Much joy today. back to the getting rid of things and lbs-my kids keep saying I look better and so does the house. i guess both are a lot less full of stuff.

Welcome SeaChild-just jump in and start posting what is important to you. What ever is your struggle or success There is a common audience here to support you. Folks here understand the work it takes for these changes but we all believe diet alone is not enough. Some real changes are possible with the Beck stratagies.

OnebyOne-About your using the extra ww points and using the Back food plan. Can you include snacks as part of the food plan and then if checking in you are not hunger-forgo the snack that day. I think the ultimate goal of Beck is to master implusve eating. Prehaps a set time for the snack, a set amount of options of what to have for a snack-I think Beck's goal is for us to stop mindless/implusive eating-you are staying within the cal count and recording it. Beck wants us to learn to stop eating implusively gobbling on the go-cookies at work, candy dish on desks, kid's left overs on plates, eating directly from the peanut butter jar-ect. You may be hunger and need that extra snack-just plan for it.-no guilt.

Gahundy-haven't heard of your diets-as you use them let us know more-post those advantage cards about-you got some good ideas on them and they work.

Barbpos-Oh that @#$#* sweet love. I actually have very slowly lost alot of taste for sweets-It still is best if I have none in the house and never can have ice cream at home -just have to save that stuff for an outing. -after 2 yrs I had some popcorn in the movies-it was great. I also used to eat any thing sweet-now only the best-no more cheap candy-but super dark chocolate the over price stuff is it now. I did like you mentioned- I went "cold turkey" on sweets for a number of months-now have small sections of super dark chocolate during the week. Like Maryblu mentioned the stuff ain't healthy for us either. It is a pain but it is Oh Well- Your four response statements were the best and said it all.

mezmerize-thanks for the postive thoughts-What great graphics you can add to your postings! Admire your commitment to exercising.

I went swimming yesterday and today feel a bit worse with a sore throat-but heck I am getting a great tan while using the outdoor pool-too bad it is rather cold and windy. I finally got brave and got on the scales after the trip and food temper tantrum- I did not gain extra weight-yes!!! I give swimming and internalizing some of Beck's concepts credit for keeping me in some check even when off program. Next food hurtle will be St. Patty's stuff and visiting friends. PS some of the paper work which I was so upset for losing-DH had removed and attached to with other papers. umm-another point for stop being so self critical!!-One more afternoon of work and taxes whould be ready. Then it is getting time to do something creative-One of the lines from Babette's Feast is- One is never poor if one is an artist.

take care
sue

Ellen (SeaChild)

Welcome to the Beck Diet Solution Discussion Group, Support Group, Diet Coach Group.

And, in honor of your first post on 3FatChicks,

Yes, you are most welcome to jump right in. Figure out your own style of posting - there isn't a right way or wrong way here.

By the by, how did you find us?

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Completed Beck Program-day 42. You’ve met your goal. Congratulations

Diet Coaches - Thank you for all the kind congratulations. With that 2.5 year milestone behind me, the next thing on my TO DO List is a day of maintenance. So, I'm on it.

Appropriate to today's topic of planning what we eat ahead of time (thanks heidi), I faced a "lunch provided" meeting yesterday. Gritted my teeth to make do with best choices available. And, VOILA, an amazing array of food appeared: Huge salad of baby greens with walnuts, dried cranberries, and feta cheese with balsamic vinaigrette on the side; roasted veggie sandwiches; big bowl of cut fruits; and a table of large (500ish calorie) cookies, yummy looking cakes, and tempting pies. Easy choices, I have no trouble ignoring a whole table of yummy desserts and the stuff I chose was more on plan than my packed lunch. Nice send off for the second half of my journey.


Sue (CoastalSue) - Yeah for back to swimming, Ouch that the throat lingers. Your St. Patty's day comment reminded me that when I discussed having our traditional corned beef dinner for St. Patrick's day, I was looking forward to the wonderful overcooked cabbage and carrots rather than my old style longing for how much corned beef I could down. Good luck with your guests.

MaryBlu - Ouch for your wrinkled observations. Forever, now, when I look in the mirror, I'll see my history of excess chocolate bars, LOL. Does quality chocolate leave better looking wrinkles?

Heidi (hbuchwald) - What a great birthday dinner with a "JAZZED DD." I do know that feeling of second guessing a planned treat. I've had good success with a planned single bite and with a planned zero bites. But, I've not had any examples of taking a treat and stopping half way. Methinks I'll have to accept that as an unfairness from my past life of over eating.

Mez (mezmerize) - Kudos for finishing the 4 miles. Sending warm wishes for your continued healing.

barbpos – Organic Kudos for continued progress on your Beck plan. I like your 4 Helpful Responses to feeling unfair, particularly, "4. Who knows what the future may bring. Maybe I'll be able to eat sweets as part of planned eating in the future." Think I'll steal that for myself.

onebyone – Glad that you're gonna wrestle this to the ground until you've got it right for yourself. I've come to accept that I have a written plan with a built in overhead that allows me to eat a bounded amount of unexpected food; that makes me still on Beck. However, I share with you that I continue to worry that any sample from Whole Foods is the first bite of a 50 pound weight gain. I read my Believe It Response Card a bunch. Sending warm support that you find peace for yourself over this.

amy (gahundy) – Kudos for picking your two diets - sounds like you've made choices that strongly appeal to you. Methinks you're right on with, "i know that as long as i follow beck then it really doesn't matter which one i choose, IT WILL WORK!"

Ellen (SeaChild) - Kudos for marching forward to Program-day 4. It's great that you already trust CBT. You capture why Beck appeals to me with, "I know all about diets and that is why Beck really appeals to me. I don't know how to STAY on the diet."

Readers – “Cognitive Therapy teaches people how to solve problems, and dieters can have lots of problems. …” Beck, pg 21.

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Completed Beck Program-day 42. You’ve met your goal. Congratulations!

Barbpos – I was very proud and I felt wonderful afterwards. I had to slow my walking pace down and didn’t hit the jogging in place as hard as usually but I did work up a nice sweat. I feel I was able to do more because I prepared myself mentally for it. Plus I wasn’t dazed and tired from the meds. I told myself that I can do this and if I feel my pain level going over a 4 I would quit. I also have one huge thing hanging over my head now. To get below 200 and I’m determined to get there. I’ve lost these same 40 lbs 3 times. I will not let that happen a 4th! Kudos on tackling your sugar. My down fall is pasta I love the stuff and will eat lots. So for now I don’t make it.


SeaChild – Welcome!


OnebyOne – I’m doing WW and this my take on it. Since WW is working for me I feel that Beck works with every plan and I truly know when I’m am not following my WW plan. The Beck Book is written to help me follow my plan so I don’t feel guilty for doing something that is working for me. I Tailor Beck to to fit my plan and I see no need to change it or feel guilty. I hope I haven’t offended anyone.


hbuchwald – WTG staying on plan! I hope DD feel better soon.


coastalsue – KUDOS for not gaining weight! Those graphic are under advanced then you'll smile with dancing carrot click more and there are lots.


BillBlueEyes - YUM-O!!!


As for me I feel wonderful today. I maked some sweet potatos fries I seen on a post yesterday they were wonderful. You bake them with a bit Olive Oil and seasoning to your taste. Plus had some chicken breast that needed to be cooked. Son and DH didn't try the sweet potatos but I figured they wouldn't so only made 1. ( good thing because I would had a hard time sharing)