Thank you, thank you, Coastal Sue, for reminding me about Mindless Eating: I definitely need to read it! It may be the final bit of wisdom, insight I need. You Staying Young has been very enlightening; Beck is the tool to make it all a habit.

BillBlueEyes, I can't imagine this thread without you. You ARE going to stay with us, aren't you??

We are picking up new wisdom from new friends; I know this thread will remain vital to us all.

Merry Christmas, and great joy for the holidays..

Okay, I love the tattoo "do not feed"...lol.... whatever it takes huh?

I hear you Sue-trying to get to the bottom of WHY I eat is important. I do believe that Beck touches on this with the types of thinking and some of the problem solving but a lot is left to us to figure it out. I really do tend to go that way about most things-I do NOT like being told what to do, especially without knowing WHY. Before doing this program, I had read Overcoming Overeating and had resolved to "never diet again"... I wanted to live in the real world with food and learn how to eat in moderation. That is still my goal and I call what I am doing now "Intentional eating" with that end in mind. The truth is that, if I want to lose weight, I need to pay close attention to what I am eating and do the tough love on myself of "no choice" or "no binging" or whatever it is... We want this to be for a lifetime and it is difficult since many of us are trying to break some really strong habits/tendancies. I love the idea of eating to "not hungry anymore" instead of "full". I am going to pay attention to that tomorrow.

I thought that I was being so sneaky and writing the website that I record everything on in my previous post... it is "spark" and then "people" with no spaces and then dot com. Take it or leave it.

I took what Billblueyes said about keeping this group in mind when thinking about overeating and it helped! I went to a festivus party (did anyone else watch Seinfeld years ago?) and did just great. I allotted 200 calories to food at the party and ate my great lunch and great dinner before and after the party. I drank lots of water and socialized a lot and had a fine time.

It's December 23rd - Happy Festivus everybody. [Should you not be familiar with the "Holiday for the rest of us" as made popular by Seinfeld Wikipedia can help.]

Ate on plan; have to brag that I've kept to plan for 5 restaurant/party situations in 5 days. Walked. Did some Christmas shopping. CREDIT moi.


Sue (CoastalSue) - Thanks for the encouraging words. But not to worry, I'm here for the duration; my goal is to made 5 years in maintenance to meet the statistic that those who maintain for 5 years tend to keep the weight off permanently. I might follow your lead into Mindless Eating sometime next year after I've absorbed The Beck Diet Solution. It would be great to overcome my lifelong obsession with food - and then to overcome my newly found obsession with books about food and eating. LOL, I have this negative image of myself in an assisted living facility at the age of 90 reading books about overcoming my obsession with food and how to get a rock hard six pack.

Have a great Christmas with all your cooking and gatherings: "Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler Mindfully"


MaryBlu - "We are picking up new wisdom from new friends" Indeed we are. I'm looking forward to the people just starting the book to initiate posts about the early chapters - and take us through the whole book again.


Heidi (hbuchwald) - Kudos for your planned eating at your Festivus Party (and thanks for reminding me to celebrate it). What a textbook demonstration of how to do it. I like your phrase "Intentional eating". I might steal that to use sometimes instead of Mindful Eating which invokes, for me, the thought of being more enlightened in Buddhism than I would claim to be.


Readers - Reminder: There are two days until Christmas; today is the day to send eleven pipers piping as well as yesterday’s gifts.


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Good morning everyone. I do hope you all have a wonderful holiday and that you feel good about yourself. There are so many positive things we have all done this year. Let us remember those things.
I am extremely busy and that is making me crazy ( or should I say crazier).
Happy holidays to all.
Thanks for all you do. I appreciate each of you.
Take Care
Ann

I'm here... thanks for checking up on me.

I'm struggling though. It's been difficult this past week and a half, I see 8 extra pounds on the scale and want to cry because I did that to myself. I went on a binge and now it's extremely difficult to get back on track. I'm disappointed in myself, but what can I do except try to move forward.

I'll probably be MIA for a while, it doesn't make sense to me to keep trying to do this right now, since I'm having such a difficult time with my basic weight loss attempts (following the WW Core plan) let alone adding something like Beck into the mix. I keep reading and rereading the days I've already completed, hoping something will click with me, but it's just not happening. It's so amazing how I had such an excellent week one week and the next week I'm tumbling into an abyss and don't know how to pull myself out of it and regain control.

I'm also leaving for Paris on Thursday and have so much I need to do before then, it's another reason things aren't going as well for me as I would have hoped. I'm almost afraid to go only come back to deal with whatever weight is on the scale after 6 days of French bread, wines and cheeses. It's funny that the women I'm going with are excited about all these new foods. But I know in the back of my mind while I'm there I'll just be thinking about what the scale's gonna say when I get back. (just an FYI - Paris, and France in particular aren't very accommodating when it comes to meals prepared a certain way or vegetarian lifestyles, etc.) I'm afraid I wont be able to get back on track.

But I WILL be back early January, come **** or high water, PRAYING for more focus. I want so badly to get to my goal weight in 6 months, it's just that right now I just can't seem to get it together.

In the meantime, I'm no longer binge eating, although I struggle daily with making good food choices, I'm still working out, and will be from now until the day I leave, and I am still watching what I do eat and will do my best to follow my eating plan from now until I leave. I'll still be here off and on until then lurking and checking on you guys from the shadows so to speak. I hope to be back in full force in January. I do feel that the book helped me, and I do want to see it through to the end, but unfortunately I let those fabulous sabotaging thoughts derail me, and I'm just having a hard time getting back on track.

Happy Holidays everyone, I'll see you soon...

FIVE days of successful mindful/intentional eating in a row during the holidays and out at parties and restaurants? Triple CREDIT from me! Mindful and intentional are both great ways to refer to our eating....

Cammie-My heart is going out to you. I am so glad that you are posting about what a hard time you are having right now. I say this because I can see this happening to me-if I gain a few pounds, binge a bit, feel out of control, etc.. it is SO hard to come back. I want to be able to post that stuff if/when that happens to me. I have gone up and down with my weight in a big way (weigh?) more than once. It is REALLY scary to be on an eating plan and doing well and then have some kind of tough period that results in gaining some weight and/or feeling that loss of control. I don't have an answer for you and realize that you are not asking for answers. I do hope that you can truly give yourself credit for exercising, for checking in here and for any other things you may be doing to be gentle with yourself. Have a wonderful trip to Paris!

Off to get some stuff done. Til next time, Heidi

Hi Cammie,

Hope you get this message before disappearing.

Sorry you're having a rough time right now; it happens. Beck insists that the process will have its ups and downs and that the strategies are available for the rough times as well as the smooth. Please at least take my favorite Response Card to Paris with you:You've still got all of Cammie available to keep you sane enough that you don't have to carry a guilt trip. I am confident that you can find a path for yourself that is somewhere between losing weight and losing control. And it will include JOY for being in Paris.

I wish you well.

P.S. There are still four days until Thursday. Consider at least peeking at the thread to remind yourself that you're one of us here - just one of us having a rough spot.


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Ate on plan, including curried veggies over basmati rice that I made for the potluck lunch yesterday. That's only a big deal because I'm just learning to cook and am still a bit slow doing some of the preparation steps. For example, it seems to take forever to dice two onions, cut the yard long beans to size, cut the cauliflower into attractive small pieces, and figure out that I can substitute a couple of plum tomatoes for the canned tomatoes that I needed. You experienced cooks forget how much you know.

Still have some shopping to do for stocking stuffers; a trip to Trader Joe's and to Whole Foods will do the trick for the small things I need. Gonna be wrapping some IOU's today.


CammieCam - Waving as you prepare for your trip to Paris and everything else at once.


Heidi (hbuchwald) - Thanks for the "triple CREDIT." That feeling of "being out of control" is the one that I'd like to gain confidence that I can avoid. What are your thoughts on how to avoid that?


Sue (CoastalSue) - Waving even though you're not on the computer today.


MaryBlu, tofulover, SuchAtwin, Ann (Newlifestyle) - Waving, hoping that you pass by.


Readers - Reminder: Tomorrow is Christmas; today is the day to send twelve drummers drumming as well as yesterday’s gifts.


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Hi everyone,

Happy Holidays!!

Oh I could not resist reading the posting and say HI and add my two cents to the forum.

Cammie-Boy, I do understand the flood of emotions with a quick huge gain. I spend 4 days of Christmas celebration with one of our kids-I returned with a 9 lb gain. It has taken me 7 days to lose 7 lbs of the gain. this has been such a common pattern in my weight loss that my current attitude is sort OH Well, that is how my body reacts and back to food plan. I sure know that I did not eat 9x3500 cal =31,500 in 4 days. It is often holding extra water in my body and just mysterious factors I don't understand-but it has always come back off when i go back on my food plan.

Having never been to Europe, I envy your chance to see such a historical place-enjoy and you will make the changes in your eating pattern at home and you will loss those few remaining lbs. I have heard Paris is a great place to do alot of walking-enjoy the sights! You have got the skills-you have lost lots of weight already and you will get to your goal!!

BillBlueEyes- great that you a enjoying learning to cook. Yep, those dicing of Veggie is time consuming! It is a daily task around here. I figure I spend between 15-45 minutes in dicing a day. Often I want to get some premade dish or soup but only by making my own do I truly know both the cals and freshness of the ingredients in something. Someone suggested to get a food processor for about a $100.00. I may treat my self to one, but sometimes I find the clean up of the blades and bowls and where to place another large item in the kitchen difficult. P S Really glad you will still be posting here!

If fact my next task today is to make a low cal blue cheese dip and large selection of raw veggie for snacks then off on 1 1/2 hr drive to some relatives-We will have low cal dinner-fresh crab. I loved that meal in that it takes a long time to crack and get the crab meat and we sit around the table so long and talk. My goal is 2 glasses of wine (already got my sparkling water to bring along ) and NOT to eat french bread and butter.

Good wishes to all- there is much good about this time of year-to celebrate, remember, rejoyce, to do-but to modify food habits is one of the very toughest for me I am eating a bit unhealthy right now-a variety of treats but here is the big change for me very little portions of high cal foods- but boring Jan is close approaching and there will be less of me during 2008.

sue

Hi there everyone,
I hopped on the scale and am down 2 lbs! Yahooo... I don't want it to be all about that number but it does feel good to see it go down after working so hard.

I really fight "all or nothing" type thinking. So...in the past, if I fell off the wagon (binged or gained some weight), it was the end of dieting for me. For me, the loss of control is that feeling of giving up on even trying anymore. One of the best things that I do for myself now is to remember that all the little things that I DO to take care of myself are worthy of credit and are good for me int he long run. So if I eat a few cookies or gain a few pounds, it is not the end but just a bump in the road and the fact that I am drinking water, exercising, crediting myself, etc... is still there. It is MUCh easier to think about this with my current frame of mind but I really need to solidify that into my head for when I need it (and it is early in the day!).

Sue-your low cal bleu cheese dip sounds delish! Maybe you could share the recipe if you have a few moments sometime! Good luck at your crab dinner tonight!

BillBlueEyes-I am so glad that you plan to stay here on this forum. You contribute so much and add a lot of personality to the discussions! Your cooking endeavors are admirable. I really hate the chopping/prepping part of cooking and yes, it does take soo long to do. I can enjoy cooking when I am on a break but in the midst of working fulltime and being a mom, it is not my first choice. I am having fun collecting recipes and trying to have at least one thing in the fridge to have for meals during the week. I took a "15 minute Meals" cooking class recently and it was all super healthy food. I am using several of her tips (ex: keep a bag of spinach in the fridge-it is so easy to throw spinach into stuff and get all those nutrients). I also really admire those people who can say, I have mushrooms, ground turkey and a bag of spinach so I can make xyz.... I need recipes!!! It does NOT come naturally to me.

Merry Christmas everyone...I am looking forward to a special time with my 5 yr old daughter who is SO excited for Santa to come. This is a fun age for all this stuff. My dad will be here and my brother and nephew fly in tomorrow from Minneapolis. I will really enjoy being with all of them. Enjoy the holidays and thanks for all the inspiration you provide by sharing what is happening with you on this forum!

Merry Christmas to all-- meaning, at least, good will to all my new friends. I have not posted as of late because, like Cammie, I have not been eating mindfully and did not feel like I had anything to contribute. Since reading your post, Cammie, I realize that just noting our place with honesty helps to keep us from sinking further into the abyss. The holidays are such interesting times and offer us another opportunity to observe ourselves with as much candor and forgiveness as we can muster. Right now I sort of see myself as a rebellious teenager walking around with a skateboard which I really do not know how to use. As I journey along I see easy spots where I can plop it down and take a short exciting cruise that ends in either a feeling of jubliation or disappointment depending on the amount of balance I can exert. I credit myself with keeping my board with me and trying it out as I see the opportunities. Cammiecam, whatever your trip to Paris brings to you, like Bill, I hope it brings you JOY. I just returned myself from a quick trip to Arkansas. My twin brother sent his plane to pick up all his siblings in three cities to join he and his wife in Little Rock for the night and then got us all back home yesterday in time for our own families Christmases. I started out the fun by throwing up on the plane. We moved on to more delight as someone who had too much to drink told another one that they were drunk and that someone (me) told the other one to f--- themselves and goodnight. By the next morning there were apologies all around and plans for next year were discussed. I observe that I can forgive others, they can forgive me, and we can all start over at any given moment. Isn't it a wonderful life!!!
I am stating publicly to you all that the 26th of Dec. I will dedicate a full day to the Beck challenges. My husband will be leaving for more hunting and only my son and I will be here to consume the leftovers of our Christmas Day feast. I will report on how I dealt with the demons. My plan is to isolate the bad stuff in my son's minifridge upstairs. Anyway, again, Merry Christmas to Billblueeyes, CoastalSue, Maryblu, Cammiecam, Ann, Heidi, and everyone and anyone I forgot. Later.

Merry Christmas - Happy Holidays

May your time be spent joyfully. May your eating be delicious and intentional. May your exercise be warming and embracing.


Sue (CoastalSue) - Your fresh crab dinner sounds delish - enjoy all that appetite satisfying shell cracking. I salute your closing sentiment, "... and there will be less of me during 2008."


SuchAtwin - What a blitz of family !!! And what acceptance, "Isn't it a wonderful life!!!" LOL at your image of a rebellious teenage on a skateboard. I sure do benefit from your candor.


CammieCam - Two days before Paris. May your hectic preparations include time to give yourself credit for being able to understand and accept yourself.


Heidi (hbuchwald) - It's so useful for me to hear how you are able to focus on the important stuff and to avoid "...the loss of control ... that feeling of giving up on even trying anymore". Thinking of your wide eyed 5 year old daughter this morning, WOW.


Readers - A gentle reminder that shipping is not FREE. Kindly remit shipping charges for: 12 drummers, partridges, and trees; 22 pipers and doves; 30 lords and hens; 36 ladies and birds; 40 maids and rings; and 42 swans and geese. Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated. If you have already attended to this matter, please disregard this and future dunning notices.


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Hi everyone,
I'm still reading the book (am on Day 5) but I'd like to try this, especially since it works on the thinking/behaving connection with food and that's exactly what I need. I'm a binge eater and though I thought I had it under control a few years ago, the last year and a half have been so stressful and unstable that it brought me back to the diet/binge cycle. I know I need to change the way I think about food to change my behavior.

I have found the book helpful in some ways so far, especially the advice to praise yourself. I've been doing that and I think it helped me avoid a binge today.

I do have to say that I'm not all that fond of Dr. Beck's "think like a thin person" attitude. There are some places where she talks about how people who have a tendency to gain weight can't do certain things that thin people can do which makes gaining weight sound like a defect. So many of the thin people I know have worse habits than I do (not to mention that if there was a national disaster where we would be without food for a while, those of us who gain weight easily would be in a much better position than those who don't )

Anyway, other than that, I like the book and am trying to do what it says. Of course one thing is to find a diet coach. I am not one of those who feels comfortable working one-on-one with someone about my weight but I do feel comfortable posting on a thread like this and getting feedback from people and hearing about others' successes and failures. I find that very helpful!

Tam

to the Beck thread, Tammay,

I just logged in to check the board before our Christmas dinner and see that you just posted. Glad you're here.

I do hope that you talk more about giving yourself praise, because I need that one myself. I have the Sabotaging Thought that it's a bit wimpy to praise myself and that if I were just stronger I wouldn't need that. Of course, "if I were just" is a good standard negative thought that I'm capable of using to prevent moving forward on any subject, LOL.

Glad that you're working out your relationship to Dr. Beck's style. Other's have mentioned that they had to do that.

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Merry Christmas new friends,
SuchaTwin: Welcome back and I also love your skateboarding analogy! I feel like a skateboarder too...I am trying to build up more balance to stay on that board for longer periods of time...trying to think of something in the area of the Beck book being like elbow and knee pads and helmets for us for when we fall, we are able to get back up and go more easily. I am glad you shared especially when you feel like you have been in a challenging place. You have already contributed a lot today!

BillBlueyes: the check is in the mail...if it isn't there, keep waiting for that check! You are too funny.

CoastalSue: Thanks for bringing up the Mindful Eating book... I looked it up and took the little survey and am now diligently putting my spoon and fork (one utinsel at a time!) down in between bites to focus on my food, continuing to plan what I eat the day before and eat my veggies before my other food! I love that site and will most likely end up buying the book. I love books!

I did well on my eating today and had a wonderful day with my daughter and my dad (and my dog!). I did a lot of running around here-not formal exercise but the best I could do for today. We leave for our big ski trip tomorrow and we apparently have no internet access. I get the shakes just thinking about it! I am hoping to piggyback onto someone else's wifi or find an internet cafe. But I will plan on not being here for a week but will be back when I return. Have a wonderful New Year! I look forward to good things for all of us in 2008.