The 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:
With The Complete Beck Diet for Life you'll discover the 5 stages of successful dieting and maintenance. You'll learn how to motivate yourself, give yourself credit for every change you make, create time and energy for dieting, and handle hunger and cravings. Dr. Beck eases you into changing one step at a time. You'll master one task before moving on to the next. And you'll learn techniques to deal with challenging situations, such as sticking with ou plan at celebrations and dealing with "food pushers." With Dr. Beck's skills, you'll achieve a lifetime of healthful eating and lifelong motivation.
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:
Sunday - Henry Ford introduces the Model T car, costing $825 (1908)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Happy to report that neither of us have been hit with the COVID-19 vaccine groggies. The spots on the arm for both vaccines have been more tender than I remember from previous shots - a minor response. Nice to have avoided the only negative that I know for getting it.
I spent a few hours reading the booklets that came with our heating system. I want to have it fresh in my mind before the plumber comes for a "two to three hour" visit. I suspect that he plans to replace all the water/anti-freeze in all the baseboard heating units. That should be able to be done totally from the basement. He'll also replace an over-priced tube of calcium carbonate used as a "condensate neutralizer" that raises the condensate leaving the system from an acidic pH of 3 before it eats the sewer pipes of the house. Love that a few cheap rocks are required by code to protect the city sewers from acid.
Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was stuffed bell peppers that we haven't had in ages - has just fallen off the rotation. They're such fun to eat. With so much bell pepper it feels like it must be healthy, LOL. DW served a tiny biscuit thing with Irish butter that she'd picked up from her jaunt to a native plant sale. It was about the size of a U.S. quarter, an inch tall, thick in texture. Toasted it then smeared with the Irish butter. Just divine. Have no idea what culture it's from or when it's to be eaten. Nor do I know why "Irish butter" tastes so good. I need a culinary consultant. (That was easy, mother google told me that Irish butter has even more fat to give it even better taste.)
onebyone - Good news that you continue to be productive with your ceramics and with your walking, both.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - First time I've ever heard of dancing as part of colonoscopy prep. Have you posted a video on YouTube? Thanks for the reminder to take stretching breaks from being deeply involved in some sitting task.
Erika (eusebius) – Delightful vignette with your DD; every little step counts. Kudos for eating at someone else's house.
Silverbirch - Your BLT with DD's pickle juice sounds yummy - sorry it didn't sit well. Thanks for the recap; I'd gotten Northern House and Southern House confused. I do have to remind myself that Wales is bigger than it looks on a globe.
maryann – Oh my goodness, the sixties have returned: "part of me was screaming "FREEDOM!!!!!!" " Do hope your trip to Israel is only postponed. I need to keep my globe handy to keep up with your travel plans.
curlyjax - Lovely Beck-like approach, "TODAY is a new day." Congrats for a good evaluation from your primary care physician.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8Stage 5 - The Motivation-for-Life Plan
If you are like most dieters, you may find it difficult to believe that your motivation could ever flag - but at some point it will, even if you practice all of your skills consistently. It's just human nature to be accustomed to the status quo.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 186.
I started feeling more shingrix side effects as the day went on but was able to function. Felt very hungry so i indulged in pizza for dinner and some other comfort foods. I did get some eggs boiled for protein snacks and prepped oatmeal in the insta pot so I have 8 little containers ready for my breakfasts. Excitement was evidence of DD finding mouse activity in her room-unclear how recent it was. This involved some disinfecting and resulted in her sleeping in my room for one night and me sleeping in DS's bedroom as the disinfectant smell was strong. As I sit in his bed I realize we had stripped the wallpaper off years ago and never painted it and there is thus yet another room that would have to be refreshed in order for me to ultimately sell, ugh. How will I get all this done? you can hire painters but I don't like leaving strangers in the house with me gone, and I can't take off tons of time from work either.
I don't have to move but the yard and snow issues are feeling too much for me, and I just don't want to manage it all anymore.
I feel very vulnerable and physically limited with my hip hurting and i'm tired of being in pain but I'm a little nervous about getting surgery again, there's always a risk of infection etc. I'm not sure if PT is helping with pain-its strengthening the hip at least. And the current intensive mothering is another stressor and is going to last for a bit.
Thanks for letting me vent. Some days I just feel like its all too much.
Happy October! Like eusebius, we're starting the month with unseasonably warm temperatures. I'm about to take a walk before it gets too hot!
Groceries today. I'll have a salad tonight. That should put everything in place for me to aim for an Ideal Food Day tomorrow.
Exercise: 45, 1575/1500 minutes for September
silverbirch: I think the US is moving toward the poo test, too. DH used that a couple of times. Once we're diagnosed with diverticulosis, though, that's no longer considered appropriate. I was diagnosed with my first colonoscopy. DH was diagnosed with one of the imaging things he did for the prostate cancer. So, now, we're both on the colonoscopy regime, although DH is resistant. Maybe in a few months.
Yesterday was right OP. Food was just enough. I filled in gaps in my backpacking equipment. It has been awhile since I have done an overnight. At the gym, I hiked on the climbing machine for 65 mins. TodayI want to do 1.5 hours. I swam and did the cold plunge several times. It was so relaxing I went to sleep at 7:30 last night.
Today is my 36th sober birthday. I am so grateful for my life. I can't believe at 23 I was willing to thrown it all away because of all the pain I was in. Miracles upon miracles in my little life. I had a free movie credit to use up by tomorrow. I am off to watch Blue beetle which is the latest Marvel movie. Then DH and I are going to go get more melons. Life is good.
I’m still focusing on the lunch problem and the two short walks.
We had lunch with two old friends of mine from way back who happen to be on holiday in the area. I hardly ever eat out so I’m out of practice. We went to a nice restaurant on the beach. Do I eat something much bigger than usual or do I eat something small? I decided to eat something much bigger than usual as I’m very tired and I need something to keep me going up and down over the sand dunes and along the beach all afternoon. So I had three courses (almost unknown for me). Whitebait (I’d forgotten this is fried and battered) so not a great choice but I’ll remember next time. Some kind of squash, halloumi, green leaves and pomegranate arils plus balsamic vineger - this was almost the same as I had the other day when I had my eyes tested in the city so I’m obviously very fashionable! A very good choice and better than the trad Sunday lunch which I would not have been able to fit in at all. Finally, trifle. I made the classic mistake of having any pudding at all. They are always a huge disappointment. You must have heard me say that before. It would be nice not to be in the position of saying it again. But all this food really helped with the afternoon. Oh, and camomile tea.
We had a slightly strenuous walk after lunch. Given that I’m shattered, I did very well. Sand dunes are challenging at the best of times and these really deliver. Then we decided not to ford the river but walked the long way round to the other beach. Back again and the tide was going out so we did ford the river. I took my shoes and socks off. And back through the dunes and across the moor. So only one walk but definitely good enough (didn’t take my pedometer).
onebyone, thanks very much for the Oz recommendation. I’ll listen to some of the Conversations this week.
eusebius, glad you met up with your DD, however briefly.
Bill, I’d add that Irish butter (like Kerrygold) is probably made from milk from cows that graze outside most of the year.
curlyjax, excellent work making sure you’ve got hard boiled eggs for protein. I would copy you but we don’t seem to have any eggs. Thanks for the reminder: I’ll put them on the list for tomorrow.
gardenerjoy, that’s a shame about having to have colonoscopies. Glad you’re out of that now and can get on with things.
I slept in today after my frantic.day yesterday. Possibly I also slept longer because another lymph node is fighting something. Different location which is both good and bad. I dont know. I feel like I dont know much.
Tomorrow is a stressful show set up until 12:30 pm max. Then getting ready for my 3 Sunnybrook doctor appintments starting at 2:45 to 4pm
DH can accompany me. I feel its good to have him at my side in case I get emotionally overwhelmed by something that may be said or done. I may not hear everything that is being said to me. Hopefully DH will.
Food has been dismal. I haven't been so far off the path in years. I thank you all for.posting.about.your food plans and choices and day to day eating
It reminds me of where I want.to.go. As usual.there is never a perfect.time.to.restart. there is only now.
Must sleep
I'll check in tomorrow night.
silverbirch This episode called Scorpions on Conversations podcast. Its a few years old but the back-and-forth between.the host and guest is really . delightful and.the information is amazing.
Also I have loved every interview.with the Tasmanian author Richard Flanagan. Click his name. That episode is a favorite.
Monday - Jacques Cartier 1st visits the Iroquois Hochelaga, later Montreal (1535)
Diet Coaches/Buddies – Eating was on plan with no daytime snacks, CREDIT moi. Dinner was dahl with pita chips. Crispy pita chips go well with mushy dahl. Thought of a baguette, again. Takes very little for me to think of a baguette. DW insists that the baguette we bought several times from a little shop in Paris was better than any other in that city. We, obviously, didn't try every Boulangerie in Paris, although we tried, LOL.
We continue to be pleased that we've had no response to the vaccines for COVID-19 and for flu. Naturally it makes me think that our vaccines were duds and that we're really not protected. I think Dr. Beck has a chapter on negative projections, LOL.
Visit with the (3 yo) DFGD got canceled; she was playing with the youngest kid of a family they're close to and DS just couldn't bring himself to interrupt that. They were eating raw veggies from their garden while wearing Disney princess costumes; he sent pictures. My contribution was to bring the little table with two little chairs back down to the basement. We juggle things around a bit for her visit and have to unjuggle after she's gone. The minor good news is that I didn't get into the snacks set out for them. I have to jump through hoops to convince myself that eating the grapes meant for the 3 yo can be justified. We've stopped setting out the dark chocolate covered almonds because she only eats off the chocolate and hands the well-licked almond to our DIL. And none of the adults need the almond biscotti that we all gobble when I put them out. It's amazing that food not set out for guests is not eaten by either guests or hosts. Might write a book with that piece of wisdom.
onebyone - Best wishes for your trip to Sunnybrook today. My take is that it's super smart to have your DH on your visit to take notes that you can read later just to be sure that you heard it all correctly. Gotta love the notion that we're listening to a Tasmanian author way over here on this side of the globe.
Joy (gardenerjoy) - Glad that you're getting back to salad which I assume includes your beloved cabbage - a challenge to the low-fiber diet.
Erika (eusebius) – I take it that a "fried brain" is from being super busy. But sounds like good busy. Keep the faith.
Silverbirch - Your lunch sounds exquisite. Halloumi cheese is new to me. I wish pomegranate arils were more prevalent around here; I love them. Walking in sand dunes is some serious muscle workout.
maryann – Happy 36th sober birthday - with many more to follow. Thanks for always reminding me to appreciate what I have.
curlyjax - Congrats for finding a way to juggle sleeping arrangements in response to one (assumed) mouse. You're juggling a bunch of large-scale thoughts about your next steps in life. I share your desire not to leave contractors in the house unattended.
Readers -
Quote:
Chapter 8Stage 5 - The Motivation-for-Life Plan
Dieters' motivation usually decreases when the rate at which they are losing weight has slowed or when they are in maintenance.
Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., The Complete Beck Diet for Life (Green book), Pg 186.
I saw another drop today on the scale. I feel quite healthy, but exhausted and am looking forward to our reading week next week. I give myself a week off from private students during that week as well, so catching up on sleep can happen as well as some work.
It’s at noon but they usually leave it up for at least a week afterwards. (You can see the new top I impulse-bought yesterday for the occasion, lol!)
BillBlueEyes - Thanks a lot, now I want Irish butter, lol. Nice that your vaccine had no ill effects. I think it’s too early in the morning and I haven’t had enough coffee to quite follow the condensate neutralizer bit but I’m sure it’s a good thing lol! Kudos for not getting into the DGD snacks.
curlyjax - sending hugs; I do relate to everything feeling like too much, and I hope especially that you will feel less pain soon.
gardenerjoy - well done on setting yourself up for an Ideal Food Day!
maryann - kudos for an awesome food and exercise day! I am inspired by your practice of gratitude.
silverbirch - sounds like a lovely day out with lots of great exercise, despite the pudding!
onebyone - hoping that your show setup goes smoothly and that your appointments at Sunnybrook are positive and illuminating.
Productive day of the rest of the groceries, adjusting the tires of one car, checking out a nice used clothes place that is open very brief times (got a skirt, 2 shirts and 2 longish light sweaters all for 25 bucks) and cleaning the bathroom. Decided to bring coleslaw instead of cornbread to a gathering at BFF as it sounded like there would be plenty of other carbs. I overindulged in smores but it was the only time this season i've had them. Caught up with a friend who has been incommunicado for a year with her new boyfriend. Felt a bit jealous and sad again of how many friends and the easiness of their adult kids relationships they all have (5 there in total other than me). Came home and got into argument with DD which was not a good way to end the evening. i got too angry but god is she stubborn.
Sleep deprived but I am determined to stay on program today.
A little short on time today but credit for figuring out how to cancel my apple care subscription for an aging computer.
Great Weekend. Went to hold a new great neice and read to her two brothers. Her Name is Maizy. 4 months old. They will be our new neighbors if the century home goes through - now 30 days away. DH is his normal quietly stressed self since harvest of the walnuts starts today. Still we had a nice walk through the century home. The former owners are really clearing it out now and the light is starting to come in. Very exciting. I ordered an old copy of Bungalow Bathrooms. I have decided that all three bathrooms will be redone in white subway tile on the walls and 1 inch hexagon tiles on the floor with a sporadic black tile. Hopefully I'l; get a William Morris reproduction tiles as a border.
I lost track of what I prepared and what I didn't, so I won't have an Ideal Food Day today, but close. Aiming for tomorrow.
For the second day in a row, I took a morning walk to beat the heat. We should get more seasonal temperatures late this week and I'll come up with a new plan, then.
Exercise: 35, 35/1700 minutes for October
maryann: That's great to take stock and discover that life is good. I also find alternating cold and hot incredibly relaxing, but I don't have a place to do that around here. I love how digging into a planning project works so well to distract from food.
silverbirch: I enjoyed hearing about your Sunday. We have rivers around here, but no sand dunes or beaches.
onebyone: Thinking of you on your busy day, today. I think it's best for most adults to have a companion at our doctor's appointments. These days, we at least get a written report to see on the patient portal so I use that to refresh my memory. Sometimes the notes have things that they should have said, but didn't, so that can be useful, too.
BillBlueEyes: Sorry you missed your time with DFGD, but eating raw veggies as Disney princesses must be a hard opportunity to let go.
eusebius: Yay for a drop on the scale and a more restful week, next week.
curlyjax: Coleslaw is a great choice for a potluck. I sometimes find those short on veggies and feel very glad that I contributed to the fiber at the party (as BBE pointed out, raw cabbage is a great source!).
When I got up this morning I found that I’d tweaked my back! I think it's my current early warning system. Too many sand dunes after how ever many weeks of tearing around the countryside. So the gymn was off. Better safe than sorry. I’ve been working on 20-30 minutes of moving around interspersed with the same of reading and keeping warm and I’m feeling a bit better. Got to keep the blood flowing to the injured area.
Lunch - I had no idea so I decided to have soup (defrosted from the freezer). But I know that soup alone doesn’t hack it so I went for the tried and tested “soup and sandwich” option. Kerala chicken soup + cheese sandwich isn’t a particularly good combo but I’m still working on this. Then I had a pudding! I never have a pudding at lunchtime except when I’m out. Yesterday obviously led me into bad ways. Anyway, a small bowl of mango (reduced to a very low price and needing to be eaten soon) and yoghourt seemed to make sense. Once again, when sleep is clearly needed, my body told me to eat a lot. I conked out almost immediately.
No real walking today. Just down to the car and back with cardboard boxes for moving. I might go out again in a moment except that it’s pouring with rain and that doesn’t mix well with cardboard.
One more thing. My friends sent a picture they took at lunch yesterday. Strangely, it doesn’t reflect how I see myself at all …
onebyone, good luck at the Sunnybrook today. It’s a really good idea to take your DH. Beaming good vibes your way. (And brilliant to have particular Conversations recommendations - thanks.)
Bill,
Quote:
It's amazing that food not set out for guests is not eaten by either guests or hosts.
Something to learn and inwardly digest! Thanks.
eusebius, excellent that reading week is coming up very soon! Not very long now.
curlyjax, good going at the used clothes place. I love it when things like that happen. choice to take coleslaw!
maryann, William Morris sounds a good choice if it’s an American-style Arts and Crafts house. Everything’s moving along pretty quickly, isn’t it?
gardenerjoy, thanks for being a cabbage advocate! I love it too and am looking forward to having more Savoy cabbage in the winter. Also cavolo nero. And purple sprouting brassica. Anything really. Good point about the scarcity of veg at potlucks and how coleslaw can fill the gap so well.
Lots of late night reporting from me lately. Oh well.
The events of today
- met friend at my studio and packed her vehicle with my show set up furniture and my show stock
- drove north to the maker space to pick up 6 small.boxes of pottery fresh from yesterday's kiln
-drove back south to retrieve my car. I drove to show site while friend followed
-set up show furniture at the site
-fended off negative energy neighbour several times
-left after furniture was up leaving everything else for Wednesday
- had lunch at home
-drove to Sunnybrook
- did my walk on hospital grounds
-saw drs
results today=
my wound is infected again. arrangements made for community nurse to drop by daily to properly clean wound. i was given a mesh cap that will not stay.on my head even with several barrettes. Any ideas for me on that? i have straight fine hair. things slide off
also had an antibiotic pad put over wound and a gauze.. Didn't have that before. cap is to keep it all in place.
so surgeon wont operate until i am healed. he wants to operate asap. i will need thigh skin graft! omg.
also pet scan and cat scan and lymphnode biopsy and probably a year of some kind of pill to kill cancer
all a lot and will take time
its all ok. I definitely need to clean up my body and try to get ready for surgery once more.
took the day off tomorrow but teach in the evening.
Concert day is here and I think it should go quite well. Food and exercise continue to be on plan. This week’s batch featured roasted butternut squash in a tahini marinade, which I had over pasta and vegan alfredo sauce with peas last night. YUM. 7 points. Batching is always worth it. I’m looking forward to a nice bean soup for lunch that also has the squash in it. 0 points plus 3 for the quinoa it’s served over.
curlyjax - I feel you on the kid relationship thing. Believe me, you’re not alone!
maryann - yay for a 4 month old niece to hold! William Morris patterns are so gorgeous. Your house is going to be spectacular!
gardenerjoy - you are doing great with food and exercise, kudos!
silverbirch - oh man I hope your back is feeling better today. Mango and yogurt sounds like a good pudding option especially compared to some of the decadent stuff you could have had instead! LOL at “learn and inwardly digest” … I recognize my BCP!
onebyone - late night reporting is still reporting! What an eventful day. Re: mesh cap - could it be held in place with some other kind of hat or a baseball cap or something? Stuff falls off my head too so I’m not much help. Or possibly a terrycloth headband? Glad you have the day off today!
BillBlueEyes - waving and amazed at myself that I am up early enough to post before you lol!
Beck Diet For Life/Solution – October 2023 – Support, Discussion, Buddy/Coach
Sunday - Henry Ford introduces the Model T car, costing $825 (1908)
(And brilliant to have particular Conversations recommendations - thanks.)
choice to take coleslaw!