The Beck Diet Solution. How to think like a thin person.

debnu1

Day 21. Ready to weigh in. I always have trouble with weigh ins. I tend to expect too much and when I don't see the number I want no matter how outrageous it is I tend to feel like giving up. This chapter addresses that problem.

It first talks of how the weekly weigh in is essential to keep you honest and committed as well as build up your confidence. However weighing in can also erode your motivation more than it helps if you have the wrong mindset. The scenario is this: you step on the scale and it shows a higher number than you hoped. You think. I can't believe it this is terrible. You get upset hopeless sad angry and then start yourself on a bad eating day. I don't know how many times I have done this but too many to count. Sometimes daily sometimes weekly you get the picture. I was wondering why I would get hopeless even after losing weight sand I've realized that it is because I always expect more. One half and even two pounds isn't good enough. So instead of the scale being a guage of my inadequacies. It should be a guide like a thermometer or blood pressure cuff as to whether I should keep doing what I am doing or make some changes.
"on any given day, the number on the scale is exactly what it should be, given what you ate, how much exercise you expended in the past few days, the amount of fluid your body is retaining, and other biological influences."

When you stand on the scale. Think of your last weighin number not the number you hope it will be. You say last week I weighed x lbs. Today I should be between a half and two lbs less then repeat the above quote. Celebrate every half lb loss!!
Today we also make a weight loss graph going down in half pound increments so you can see your progress remember it won't be a straight downward line but a jagged slope. Don't expect your weight to go down every week.

Remember your weight is not a reflection of who you are inside!!

debnu1

So I have been attempting to make sure my written work--the response cards are as up to date as the chapter I am on I have not quite caught up but will be there soon.

Today's task is to say oh well to disappointment. You can't stop sabotaging thoughts but if they cone you can tell them oh well. Meaning. I font like this but I'm going to accept it and move on. Oh well decreases the struggle and focuses your attention elsewhere. It seems almost to simple. But it works. I don't want to write my food plan for tomorrow, oh well. I want a cookie, oh well.

SallyCC

This is an interesting thread. I just got the book The 4 Day Win my Martha Beck and I am starting it. This book sounds great. I think I need to get it and go through all the posts here again. Thanks for posting the challenges. So glad I found this thread!

Kimmer2011

Deb, you are so inspirational for posting this and sticking with it! Your honesty with all of us and your determination are really admirable. Hats off to you, and I look forward to reading more of this thread! THANK YOU!

debnu1

Thanks ladies. I knew that i need people to keep me on track so just having the thread and the expectation looming out there from all of you has kept me accountable. I have nor been perfect by any means. I have had a really hard time with planning this week. But the whole idea is to be making progress I don't need to be perfect anyway. As long as I am aware and impooving my self that's what matters. Thanks for following my thread!! I am grateful for your insight and presence to keep me on track!!

debnu1

Today's task is to counter unfairness. I have often thought that it is unfair that I can't eat what I want to all the time or that some people are skinnier than I am with less work, sometimes it seems so unfair that I have to even think about watching what I eat because I should just be the size and shape I want to be. The truth is that life is unfair. We have all been given different circumstances and situations because we have agency. Really it all comes down to choices. In this instance I can choose to think that it being unfair that I can't eat say a piece of chocolate cake. Or I can say yes I would like a piece but oh well I would rather be thinner.  The fairness issue doesn't seem so big when paired with the choice. Staying where I am, On track to diabetes and cancer doesn't sound so great. But being model slim having the energy and flexibility to move however I want to sounds so much better.  The book suggests a response card something to the effect of:  when it seems unfair to me that I can't eat something acknowledge that I am right. Then ask myself which unfairness would I rather have: not being able to eat this or not losing weight?  Then say, "oh, well," and get on with it. 

mamagooskie

I did the tolerate hunger exercize today and..................... SURVIVED!! It wasn't nearly as hard as I was expecting it to be and my discomfort never got above a 2 maybe 3. I just kept telling myself oh well to hunger and that I would be eating soon enough. I sure did enjoy my dinner though!!! I ate it a bit faster than usual though, so much for mindful and slow eating!!

I did finish reading the entire book now and writing up all my cards and let me tell you I sure did use them a lot over the weekend. I went to my mother in laws and her house is the junk food lovers heaven!! cupboards of chips, 15 types of icecream in the freezer, 10-15 different cakes and boxes of cookies around the house and soda galore!!

anyway, I had to read my cards on fairness, and use my craving card. I had to read my why I want to be thin cards, and remove myself from the food as well as tell myself NO CHOICE multiple times.....and I did it. I stuck with my plan and pre-logged food and only ate what I was allowed to. NO unplanned eating for me and you know what when I got home and had my allowed dessert, I was so proud and felt so in control and successful!!!

I have also started planning my camping trip I am going on 12 days from now. I have meal "plans" written up that do have my allowed items as well as my extras that I am allowing myself for the weekend but I am not going overboard like I have in the past.

I think my biggest things I need to work on is eating slowly and mindfully, so for the next 4 weeks I'm tracking how long it takes me to eat every breakfast, lunch and dinner and I am hoping eventually I don't have to think about this and it comes naturally.

I will also continue to use my cards as needed to keep me on track. I found the last 2 chapters of the book very interesting as well, the lowest achievable weight and and lowest maintainable weight struck a chord with me. I want to lose 15 more lbs but I am honestly beginning to think my body is done and I might very soon need to move on to maintence. However I am not giving up yet on weight loss. I am going to practice these techniques and keep eating well and exercizing and re-evaluate my situation in a few months.

debnu1

Mama you are awesome!! I am changing things up--will write later but here is a motivational video for today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MajG1SPoNj0

debnu1

So I have come to the realization that I have not been very vigilant in planning and so I have not had the feeling of unfairness or depravation. I have been eating whatever I please anyway. I am seriously considering going on either the eat clean diet by tosca Reno or the biggest loser eating plan. They are actually quite alike so I may be using both. I am going to be reading more into them this week. I just am needing an actual meal plan to follow as pulling it out if my head only works when I am planning ahead. Which I have not been doing lately. So today I went through and put reminders on my calendar to alert me when it is tine to exercise and all my other daily activities in general. I need that extra reminder. I also got some poster paper today to put my advantages on as well as motivational quotes and reminders. I am getting my environment set up even better.  Time to write up my meals for tomorrow. So more tomorrow. 

debnu1

So I have come to the realization that I have not been very vigilant in planning and so I have not had the feeling of unfairness or depravation. I have been eating whatever I please anyway. I am seriously considering going on either the eat clean diet by tosca Reno or the biggest loser eating plan. They are actually quite alike so I may be using both. I am going to be reading more into them this week. I just am needing an actual meal plan to follow as pulling it out if my head only works when I am planning ahead. Which I have not been doing lately. So today I went through and put reminders on my calendar to alert me when it is tine to exercise and all my other daily activities in general. I need that extra reminder. I also got some poster paper today to put my advantages on as well as motivational quotes and reminders. I am getting my environment set up even better.  Time to write up my meals for tomorrow. So more tomorrow. 

chica0403

debnu you are doing great I just start reading the comunnity message and found your posting, keep going what you are doing and you will see results!! I`m going to order the book , sounds like a good book to read !!

debnu1

Chicka. Thank you. I have really made changes as yesterday with dinner my hubby kept asking me how it was ( he was eating while I was fixing the kids meals) I told him I hadn't tried it yet because I don't eat while standing. I wasn't even tempted to take a bite until I sat down. That is so different. I used to eat every meal practically standing in the kitchen and now I don't even snack while preparing meals! Every little bit helps!

debnu1

Hi all. I have not fallen off the wagon completely. Just really busy with family stuff and planning for a trip. I will post the next day soon. I just have not had time to pull out the book!

KaeChelle

I have not kept up with your posts, but I ordered the workbook on ebay and it should be here any day now. I wonder if I need the actual book too, or will the workbook do?

debnu1

I have never seen the workbook so I can't tell you for sure. I bet you can try and then see if you need the book.

So I am finally back! I have a confession to make: I have lost motivation. Because of this I have realized that I tend to discount the things I should be doing and not paying attention to the things that I want to be doing. I want to be motivated so I'm going to be re- motivating myself with the book taking it slowly and listening to what it actually says. Each task is there for a purpose and I have been glossing over them too quickly, not taking the time to make the response cards and do it correctly. I tried to do everything in a day. It's not feasible. So I am going to start making sure I complete a task before doing the next one. I realized that I've been saying I don't care to too many things. It has become my crutch. I use I don't care and then I don't have to do what I don't want to do. Because if I don't care it doesn't have to be done or taken care of. It's interesting what you learn about yourself.

debnu1

So my plan is to officially take on a task on Sunday and then report about it through the week. Occasionally I will do an additional one depending on how it goes. I want to be sure this is going to stick--so time to really do it right!

I ordered the workbook this weekend, I'll let you know what I think of it.

shapestocome

You are doing great! I agree that you should go back to the tasks that you are not consistently doing and do them longer, until they can be done without thinking so much about them. That is how I did it when I went through it. I know it took me about a week to finally get where I was consistently eating sitting down - seems like such a simple thing but hard habit to break when you don't even think before you throw something in your mouth!!

Keep up the good work --You have inspired me to get the book back out and redo some of the tasks that still have not stuck or that I have been slacking on! I know I haven't been checking in on my hunger lately -- if I feel like I want to eat I do regardless if it is actual hunger!

I will check back to see how you are doing and if you need any support or motivation!

debnu1

Shapes to come, thanks for the encouragement. I am going to make it. I found myself looking for excuses to not sit down today, but I will prevail!! Here is today's post



So here I am again. My plan is to log my progress mainly on Sunday and other days as necessary. I have had a really stressful week and am finally feeling mostly caught up to life. I finally read the book again: Chapter 24 Dealing with Discouragement. This chapter is aptly timed as it addresses all the issues I found myself not dealing with well, only I didn't read the book on the day I had all of them. So now I am going to start up again and address those problem areas. The discouraging thoughts are: I don't want to do this anymore (had that, quit, came back), I'll never be able to keep this up, and It shouldn't be this hard. I had all of those, to the overwhelming point of wanting to shut down and get out. It is perfectly normal to have these thoughts and to become discouraged. The thing is you have a choice. Imagine that--A choice! You can allow the thoughts to overwhelm and discourage you or you can respond proactively and become more motivated and reach your goal. Always remember that you can do what you need to do. The suggestions given are to read your advantages response card, add up the difficult hours--how many hours really is it that difficult? Come to think about it I am only caused discomfort for a few minutes a day, or a few hours a week. Not as severe as it seems. The last suggestion is to focus on today. Looking to the future can definitely cause more stress so if you look at today's issues instead of tomorrow's everything will become much clearer. Just remember as my grandma would say "this too shall pass".

Some things I have done this week. I made a chart to put my meal and exercise plan for the week on. Writing on a regular paper wasn't working so I made up a list that fit my plan. I also realized that I need to plan my exercise in order to do it. I don't do well if I am trying to figure out what to do that morning. I am feeling ready and excited for this new week. I didn't plan any meals this past week and I am sure I will pay for it in the morning when I weigh in. I have decided to do the 100 pushup challenge and the couch to 5k program. I have that on my plan for the week. I am excited to get up to 100 pushups in a row in the next couple of months. I also set up my calendar to send me a reminder when I am supposed to do key things on my schedule, bed time, exercise, etc. It has made a difference in making me aware. I am going to work on reading my response cards more this week and am considering revising my advantages list to make it exactly what I want.

Well we're on the road again.

debnu1

I have had a really hard time with the program lately. I have wanted motivation to come to me and have been waiting to feel that motivational push when in actual fact I am trying to set my life up so that I don't need that motivation. So that everything flows instead of fighting it. I have a hard time as procrastination is the name of the game for me. I now realize that I look at the tasks involved instead of the end goal. The feelings that come from success of the finished goal are much more rewarding and more fulfilling because we accomplished it. That accomplishment overcomes the monotony of the tasks. That is what achieving a long term goal is about. Putting our natural man aside long enough to accomplish that which we truly desire.

So tonight I put together my plan for the week. Food and exercise. I purchased the workbook and plan on basically starting over with it (again) I figure the more I go over the tasks/days the better I will get at them. I can do this!

Tobefitalways

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