Hello Coaches/Buddies! I have completed Days 1 and 2 very thoroughly in the Beck (pink) book, and have peeked ahead and already forced myself to sit down for my meals (Day 3). I have spent a lot of time investigating diet plans and I chose:
#1 plan: DietWatch.com ("seeing yourself succeed") ~ They offer 4 meal plans and I am going with the "No Restrictions" plan to start (meaning no food restrictions). If this one isn't doable, I will try their Low(er) Carb plan.
#2/Back-up plan: Beck Diet for Life (green book)
#3 Back-up (just want to be extra prepared
): calorie counting and portion control, using My Fitness Pal.
I am trying hard to adhere to Beck's advice not to begin a plan until after 2 weeks of preparation. I am so anxious to jump right in and get started on this new way of life!
I have been brainstorming and searching the internet for weight loss resources, and today I made a list of 17 tools/resources that I have at my disposal to use with ANY diet plan. I was thinking that maybe I had information overload, but laying them out on paper stopped my mind from spinning with information, and now I can put all of the info on the backburner and refer to it when I am struggling.
Beverlyjoy: Thank you for sharing your experiences and insights about planning, weighing, and measuring. Although it scares me for some reason, I now realize the benefit of planning and understand that it will be critical for my success long-term. Much credit to you for making your day a healthy and productive one!
maryann: Hello! Nice to meet you!
Good for you for NOT giving in to the all-or-nothing thinking when you had a slip on the refined sugar and for NOT eating the ice cream in the cafeteria! Recognizing and avoiding all-or-nothing thinking is a constant battle for me, so I really applaud you for stopping it dead in its tracks.
bethFromDayton: "Day 4 on plan".......... WOOHOO!!!!!
Major CREDIT to you for donating all 6 boxes of Girl Scout cookies!!! I would have been soooooo tempted to at least keep one. Thank you for the reinforcement on the importance of planning. Journaling has helped me so much with emotional issues. It was a lifeline at one point in my life and remains a very valuable tool for me. I gain so many insights while journaling.
gardenerjoy: I hope you hit your trifecta of OP eating, exercising, and writing! Good luck!
BillBlueEyes: Good for you for eating OP and making it a full effort exercise day! I am tempted to be jealous, but instead I will use it for motivation and inspiration on my own journey! I can do it, too!!!
nationalparker: It sounds to me like you ARE working your resistance muscle well and staying
strong-willed in regard to that last cookie! I can just sense the temptation that you must have felt. I hope someone else got the extra calories and not you!
That is a good tip about having extra measuring cups to keep with cereal and other food to make measuring easy and more convenient. I think I am going to need to bite the bullet and buy a food scale, too. I am just afraid that I won't follow through and use it, because it sounds so tedious to me.
Lexxiss: Sorry that your post wouldn't take. That is so frustrating! But it sounds like you are doing well, so that is the main thing.
Tazzy: Good luck with WW online! That is great that you signed up and refuse to let your weight go back up to 180 again. I also considered WW. I know I would benefit emotionally from the meetings, but I don't like answering to someone either. That got really old for me during my Jenny Craig days, and I became somewhat rebellious, which of course was self-destructive. It is good that you recognize that you need the structure back in your life. Huge credit for planning ahead on the Chili's meal. Finally........ PUPPIES!!! Please tell me all about your puppies! I absolutely love dogs!!! We had 3, but just had to put our Golden Retriever down last Saturday.
I am just treasuring every minute with the other 2 for now, but we are quickly getting "puppy fever" again.
Newlifestyle: Hopefully you saw the post I wrote to you earlier today. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Can't wait to move on to Day 3 (and maybe 4) tomorrow! I am ON MY WAY!!!