Welcome to the discussion group, support group, diet coach group, diet buddy group relating to the two books by Dr. Judith S. Beck:and the first bookThe Beck Diet Solution is a psychological program, not a food plan. It provides a step-by-step program to learn specific techniques to stay on our diet, lose weight, and maintain our weight loss for life. The program is based on Dr. Beck's clinical research in Cognitive Therapy (CT).

The Complete Beck Diet for Life expands the earlier work and includes a food plan with suggested menus. From the cover:This is a place to discuss the Beck strategies and our daily efforts, to receive and provide support, and, for some of us, is where we serve as on-line diet buddy (coach) to each other.

If you’ve arrived from a search engine, you’ve landed at the site of 3 Fat Chicks (3FC), a remarkable place for those interested in a healthy life style, including mindful eating, exercise, and weight loss. More about the site, including how to register so that you can post, can be found here.

The books are available on Amazon through the 3FC store by clicking their names above; buying through 3FC helps to cover the costs of running this site.

You can find the list of previous (or more current) monthly Beck threads here on 3 Fat Chicks via:

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

Diet Coaches/Buddies – Exercise was the walk to a concert last night, CREDIT moi. DW had checked the hourly temperature chart in advance so that we knew we wouldn't even need jackets when leaving the theater. Walking in the city in the evening when warm is magic.

Eating was good enough, CREDIT moi. I resisted some additional snacking just due to being busy.


nationalparker – Ouch for home maintenance chores with their cleaning up. The old "limited time only" trick sucks me in also. It's neat that you "THOROUGHLY enjoy" your three bagels a year - fits right in with Dr. Beck's quote today.

Beth (bethFromDayton) – Yay for your June dumbbell challenge. Do you do this at home?

IBelieveInMe2 – Bummer to miss your first session with the new personal trainer. Shuddering at the thought of kids out of school all hyped up - maybe that'll help with your own exercise.

sparks17 – Lovely thought of Tony Bennett singing Fly Me to the Moon. This dessert with concerts is a challenge. DW and I used to split a luscious brownie during intermission at the opera. Then they started selling cellophane-wrapped factory made ones so I was able to quit. Kudos for wrestling mindfully with the issue.

Readers -

Good morning! I am having a late start and wondering if I should change my plan. Eat a bigger breakfast in an hour, have a small lunch at around 1-2 and then dinner as usual. But...I am quite hungry and I wonder if I will just plain eat too much for breakfast once I get started. I need to replan and give myself a calorie limit, I guess. I could do 600 for breakfast, 400 for a snacky lunch and 600 for dinner and still have room for a snack this evening...

Before I go plan -

Nationalparker - gotta love a handy husband!

Ibelieveinme - Oh, I am so looking forward to you meeting with the personal trainer. It is going to be awesome!!!

Beth - hope you are having great weather for the graduation - congratulations!

Bill - Sounds like you had a lovely evening! You are obviously feeling better

Good Morning, Coaches.

Welcome June 1st with my new ticker number. This is very exciting for me. I think of all the changes I have made in the last three years and I am astounded. In August 2010, I made a decision I wouldn't go into my fiftieth year fighting the same old demons. It has been very painful in many ways. I am still so afraid, so often. I have let go of a job, a few friends and a world view—my need for redemption because I was not enough. I think using food as a narcotic kept me stagnant. As long as I progress in peace with food, I can do anything or maybe it is the other way around. As long as I practice being enough, I have peace with food. In either case, thanks everyone for your help.

BBE: Great quote about indulgences. I plan a cupcake today after DS recital. He is playing the "Humoresque" on the violin.

Sparks17: Credit for the plan. When I get off schedule, I have to stop my panic and say, I am more important than the chaos around me (one of my advantage cards.)

Diet Coaches/Buddies – At dinner with friends, I served my own plate. I chose well, CREDIT moi, and avoided several dishes that were 'white' - without even knowing what they were, LOL. Big excitement was a huge furniture store that included a trapeze school. It was fun to realize that I could actually take a swing if I had wanted. I watched some ten year old girls takes swings and even transfer to the strong man on the other trapeze - just WOW! It helped me to remember that I'm neither as lithe or limber as ten year olds.

Walking, CREDIT moi, was an assigned last minute dash to the supermarket to buy cilantro. I spent considerable time examining bunches of flat parsley trying to convert them. They remained parsley. Finally, despite being male, I asked another shopper if any were cilantro. "No, they're flat parsley which is more tasty and looks better than curly parsley," she replied helpfully. So I went to the case of organic herbs and picked up a $3.69 clamshell marked 'Organic Cilantro.' My next career might just be selling herbs in clamshells to get rich quick.


maryann - Congrats on your new sticker number. Seriously interesting thought, "I think using food as a narcotic kept me stagnant" - gonna go off and ponder that one.

sparks17 – Yay for planning and Yay for re-planning as required. I was startled when I realized that three meals of 600 calories each, plus snacks, was the basis of a reasonable diet - particularly since there are so many 'snacks' greater than 600 calories. (Thought of you when I heard Fly Me to the Moon in an ad yesterday.)

Readers -

Hey everyone - quiet this weekend. Just want to tell you all a big THANKS! This forum-as-coach has been so helpful. Knowing that I will have to post here is that extra pressure to be sensible and honest.

Yesterday was funny. I tacked my planned snack on directly after breakfast - and I felt great. Later lunch, later dinner, ate what I had planned, ignored the donuts that my kids love and was in control all day. Credit! It was quite muggy and hot so I did not go out to walk till after 8, and it was so beautiful then! Walking "in the cool of the evening"...what is that from??? Anyway, it was cool and lovely and twilight when I got back home, humming bits from Days of Future Passed under my breath and feeling about 16 years old (high school boyfriend introduced me to the Moody Blues).

Today is a mystery, so I need 2 plans - one if I go out and one if I stay home. Let's see what my husband decides!

Bill - cilantro is very important business! Parsley is NOTHING like it

maryann - I hear you. Food is handy for filling in the gaps in life , isn't it?

And someone, mommyhoneybear maybe, recommended The Power of Habit? I just finished it yesterday and I did find it fit in well with Beck. I am considering buying it so I can highlight the best parts.

OK. Off to make some decisions and start my day!

Hi Coaches!

Sorry to have been MIA here for a few days....it's been difficult to fit computer time in with all the other events/chores/etc. I have a date w/DH to head to the pool in 5 minutes. It will be our last soak before returning either tonight or very early tomorrow morning.

I have been very mindful with my food and have weighed AND contacted my SBD/Beck diet buddy daily with my written food plan. credit.

BBE, I just pulled out my receipt.... 1 bunch cilantro/ .34...They were 3/$1.00. I am thinking they did not charge me the organic price...Cilantro is very popular here with our Latino population. I often confuse it with flat leaf parsley...a common mistake.

I've got to get going....
Thanks for being here everyone!

Happy Sunday! I was MIA yesterday from here. We went to see Tomas Kubinek last night - it was absolutely hysterical. We got a deal on the tickets and just said what the heck, let's have a laughter-filled date night and we sure did. I'd not heard of him before, but if you ever run across a show, it's worth catching. My review of the day, not NYTimes level, but ... from the heart, ha! (Actually, The New York Times called him "Absolutely expert" and I thought that was lacking )

Food needs to be reined in. Clear and simple. I find myself looking at food thinking, Oh, that looks superb as a decadent treat instead of as fuel. I spent time yesterday afternoon preparing white wine parmesan risotto. Clearly, I didn't need to do that. We were running out of vegges for sides and I thought, oh, i have this wine, and parm, and the arborio rice ... Instead of, Oh, I need to get to the market NOW. So that's on the errand list for today.

Dh goes in to work tonight, switching from days to nights with just one day off. Hard for him to be awake all night without a transition period, I think. Well, not just awake but safe and productive awake. Will check in tonight here and am committed to posting that I had a great eating day and stayed on plan. Now to create today's plan.

Hello coaches,
Whew! I am beat! I did the water aerobics/racquetball combo and then walked "the hill" in my neighborhood. The hill is a mile long and steep and we walked 3/4 of it without stopping! I was so happy that I didn't get out of breath and that I felt good doing it. I went slowly and paced myself...credit moi! I ate within plan and sat down while eating....(I wrote that last night and forget to get back to finish)...

Good Morning, Coaches.

Great Day. DS won lots of kudos at the recital. I have to admit starting to cry because he is so beautiful to watch and to hear. Later a picnic in the park with all of us lying under a tree using each other as pillows. I'll take this life over any other imagined.

Thought of Sparks17 because my plan went awry when the cupcake i had planned was unattainable. The place was closed. Slight spiral into "I can eat anything because I tried to plan and i was foiled. Right?" Not too much damage and restarted my day at 5:00 pm.

Today is planned and yoga completed. I am making a menu for the month. Glad to read NationalParker's refusal to get veggies. It is a good lesson for me. I am on a strict budget this month and when that happens I don't go to the store thereby sacrificing what is fresh. Not a good plan.

BBE: I make a mean cilantro and chickpea sausage stew.

Hello all, especially busy Lexxiss Enjoy the pool.

BillBlueEyes: Thank you for always providing the link to the new month! It is very helpful. CREDIT for resisting additional snacking, even if only due to being busy.

Home from the lake after letting my daughter have a friend with us all weekend for her 14th birthday celebration. Drove up and back Saturday night to attend my niece's/Goddaughter's graduation party. (An hour and 15 minute drive one way.) The girls had a blast together! Had their photo drawn together by an artist at the party. So adorable! Lots of giggles coming from the back seat of my van on the way to and from the party! Love that sound! My daughter enjoyed staring at all of the cute (older) boys (friends of my niece) at the party! LOL! She is boy crazy! My kids have finals this week and then they are out of school early on Thursday. Studying hard right now..... I hope! At least all is quiet right now. I resumed my 15+ minute walks Saturday with a 20-minute walk around the lake neighborhood with one of our dogs (Lucy, the puppy) and a 20-minute ride on our recumbent cycle there. Still need to get that in today..... and I WILL..... come **** or high water!!! Eating has been off plan, so I need to buckle down this week and get myself back on some type of schedule. I have not been holding myself accountable with calories lately and I know I've been way over the past couple days. As always, the weekends are much more difficult than during the week. I also need to come up with a plan for the summer to keep both me and my daughter MOVING and in-check with food intake.

sparks17: Thank you for helping to psyche me up for the personal trainer!!! I am anxiously and cautiously optimistic about this new venture! I know it is much needed and will be great for my health ~ both physically and mentally!

Gotta run right now. Will check in later!

The kitchen is closed. Credits for me on a day when I'm disgusted and negative on myself are that I actually logged food into MFPal (yes, was over by a solid amount), and that I counted the chicken I prepped early for DH's dinner tonight and ATE AT 4 p.m. as my dinner. It came out delish and I gave in to eating it and not waiting until my regular dinner time. Ate carrots and a serving of risotto a bit later but in all honesty, I didn't need the risotto. Well, NO ONE needs risotto, but I mean I was satisfied after the carrots. Yet I kept going. Remove earlier credit.

Wanted to snack this evening, so got out of the house to do some marketing. I'm in a funk right now and not sure WHY. Ordered a lot of the pavers to be delivered for the wall I'm building. As it turns out, that will have to wait until late June to REALLY dig into it as we'll be gone for 10 days home to Florida for fun/work. I need to find clothes that fit for the work part. And I think nothing will fit. So instead of getting in there and trying them on, I sit out here and think of how fat I'm getting.

Beth - Sending major kudos to you for your weight loss that just keeps chugging along with hard work on your end. I remember it was close to 20 pounds and now you're close to 40. You are rocking it!

Bill - Good posting today - it reinforces the plan of ours to add in more healthy, nutritious food and edge out the less-healthy options. I'm trying to use up most of what we have before the trip, with just getting SOME things fresh.

Maryann - LOVE that your thinking mirrors mine at times; makes me feel less alone here. (my planned snack isn't available. Free pass for something else.)

IBelieveInMe2 - Sounds like a well-spent, memory-in-the-making weekend! I love joyful laughter and think that's one of our blessings as hearing folks.

Lexxiss - Your time there is sounding wonderful; and what a great accomplishment to be following program while away. That is so difficult for me. I will channel your success this next week!

Sparks - Thanks for bringing up the Power of Habit. I forgot about that and will put it on hold at the library or on my kindle. LOVE that my library has such a varied ebook collection.

Rosebud - Great active weekend for you! What a feeling to not be out of breath when challenging your body!

Lizagna - Are you still around and I'm totally missing the days you check in? Hope you're doing GREAT and look forward to hearing your voice on here. Well, seeing your words

Coaches

So, I can hardly believe 6months have passed and we are halfway through the year. I feel like I have been super un-productive. Wow.

This week that cold got me and it's still got me. My upstairs neighbour always knocks on my door to see how well I am, offering to make me some Syrian cold remedy thing--which I gather revolves around lemons. I've been too sick to say yes. I really just want her good-hearted self to leave me suffer in peace. Tomorrow night is the final potters' guild meeting for the current year. That means potluck. Whatever I bring it's always a dud. I asked DH's mom what to bring and she suggested coleslaw. Dullsville, but I bet it would be ok. I'm not sure I'll stay for the dinner, but I do need to be at the meeting for a couple of announcements.

My food has been weird cause I have been in a fog. I am trying and keep righting myself when I drift in the wrong direction. I think I am doing damage though. By this you can see I have not weighed in since Thursday. Tomorrow I will.

BTW I was seasrching for potluck recipes on food.com and came across this: http://www.food.com/food-holidays/rocky-road-day-0602 I cannot believe it is a special food holiday every single day of the year!

Have a good night.

Hi all,

Today was mostly an OP day. Like most weekends, I didn't enter it all into MFP the night before, but I ate my "goto" lunch (skipped breakfast) and ate one of my 'regular' dinners. Then I tucked in an ice cream treat at the end, which put me over calories--not badly but over.

I did Day 2 of the 30 day dumbbell challenge today. I do it with 8 lbs weights in my office--I even dragged DH's weight bench up here to make it easier to do some of the exercises, rather than using a chair or getting an exercise ball. Lizagna is doing it with me. Credit to both of us!

I did my meal plans for the next 3 weeks and the grocery list for tomorrow's grocery trip. It's a concrete way in which Beck has changed my habits--I now consider the Monday evening grocery run to just "be"--I don't think about whether I want to go to the store--I just do it. (DH and DD the younger think this is a great improvement.) Credit for new habit!

The reason I did several weeks is that I went through the freezers to find out what was there, so that pushed me to schedule more food! It's also because I'll be out of town the next 5 weekends. (3 individual weekends, and then a week's vacation).

I need to come up with a strategy, one weekend at a time. This coming weekend will be the hardest--it's one of my "party weekends" which I know will have tons of food. In fact, I have to make some of the sweets this coming week. I need to decide how I'm going to limit myself, recognizing that "totally on plan" is not going to happen. I need to make a plan that will keep me "mostly" OP--I can't just go crazy--which I've done at the last two events like this. I know DH, DD, and several friends will support me--I just need to figure out what I'm going to commit myself to and be determined to do that.

onebyone: I hope you're feeling better soon. Some periods, just getting through them is the best we can do. You've had a lot going on.

nationalparker: Thanks for reminding me how far I've come. It's so easy to look at it the other way (how far to go) and that's nowhere near as helpful. Hugs for clothes...I hope you've found a wardrobe you can take that works for you.

IBelieveInMe2: Be sure to tell us how the personal trainer appointment goes now that you're feeling better! I'm encouraged by your 15 minute daily walk--and I'm hoping to start mine again tomorrow, if my foot doesn't object.

maryann: It sounds as if the recital and picnic were a perfect family weekend. It's encouraging to hear "back on plan at 5:00 pm"--to remind myself that "off plan" can be a SHORT duration!

Rosebug170: Credit for the hill! It sounds as if you're realling getting a lot of good exercise in.

Lexiss: Credit for pool and weighing and keeping up with your buddy on your written plan. Lots of credits, there!

sparks17: The forum as coach really does help, doesn't it? I know that I would have stayed derailed multiple times if I hadn't this group to come back to--to confess--and to get encouragement to get back OP. It's strong enough that the encouragement is there even before anyone posts back to me--it's strong enough to feel. Congrats on a great food day.

BillBE: I always feel overwhelmed by buying cilantro. I don't really care for it, but BFF cooks with it a lot, and I am the designated grocery-goer. (And I buy whatever she tells me to) (How come white food is generally not-so-good-for-us but good-tasting?)

Take care, all.

I got in my 15+ minute walk tonight by walking 2 of our dogs. My foot didn't hold out for the 3rd dog, so DH walked with him. So happy to be back OP with exercise!!! Now, if I could only get my food straightened out.....