Today's task is to have your food plan written the day before and monitor your food as you eat it. You're supposed to check off the items you ate and write down any unplanned items, circling them for emphasis. This is supposed to happen right after you've eaten, since it is not unusual for people to under report the food they eat. It's easy to forget the bites of your child's food, samples, etc.
This was an easy task for me today and I didn't have any problems. I ended up substituting two items but they were minimal and the calories/nutrients were the same anyway. I think I'm supposed to continue to do this though and I'm not sure for how long...?
Also, it still amazes me how much easier it is to stop eating when I'm satisfied if I'm eating ETL nutrient-rich food. I'm also finding I am getting fuller faster on what seems like not much food.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Monday, June 14, 2010
Did I just jinx myself?
I wrote that optimistic post last week and then proceeded to have a very bad week where I fell short on my goals.
I think it's time for me to start writing about my progress with Beck. I was trying not to move past a day unless I had mastered the skill for the day, but I find that I'm procrastinating. And, although the first week in June went well, last week was anything but. I knew what I needed to do but was having a hard time staying motivated. I was rebelling and not doing a very good job of keeping myself motivated and talking back to the negative thoughts. I need to get back on track.
Day 14 is about writing down your food plan for the day. I am doing this using a handy iPhone app called Lose It. I like it because I can easily enter meals from the previous day. Since I eat a lot of the same things days in a row, this makes entering food fast. The only thing I don't like about the app (so far) is the lack of options when entering in food. I can look up black beans for example, but the measurements are in 1/4 cup increments. I would prefer they offered the ability to enter in other units, such as ounces or grams. My Net Diary has that feature but I'm so attached to the "previous meals" option that it hasn't been enough to get me to switch over.
I wrote my food plan for today and tomorrow out. It's pretty easy doing ETL. Breakfast? Green smoothie. Lunch? Salad with beans +/- fruit. Dinner? Salad +/- cooked vegetables +/- fruit/sorbet
I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible now.
I think it's time for me to start writing about my progress with Beck. I was trying not to move past a day unless I had mastered the skill for the day, but I find that I'm procrastinating. And, although the first week in June went well, last week was anything but. I knew what I needed to do but was having a hard time staying motivated. I was rebelling and not doing a very good job of keeping myself motivated and talking back to the negative thoughts. I need to get back on track.
Day 14 is about writing down your food plan for the day. I am doing this using a handy iPhone app called Lose It. I like it because I can easily enter meals from the previous day. Since I eat a lot of the same things days in a row, this makes entering food fast. The only thing I don't like about the app (so far) is the lack of options when entering in food. I can look up black beans for example, but the measurements are in 1/4 cup increments. I would prefer they offered the ability to enter in other units, such as ounces or grams. My Net Diary has that feature but I'm so attached to the "previous meals" option that it hasn't been enough to get me to switch over.
I wrote my food plan for today and tomorrow out. It's pretty easy doing ETL. Breakfast? Green smoothie. Lunch? Salad with beans +/- fruit. Dinner? Salad +/- cooked vegetables +/- fruit/sorbet
I'm trying to keep things as simple as possible now.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Oh, and a weigh in
I weighed in this morning at 118.4 lbs. I'm not sure that I quite believe it and am going to continue weighing daily to see if the number sticks around.
Unfortunately, the body fat number is still quite high.
Unfortunately, the body fat number is still quite high.
Something is working
I haven't been posting regularly but am surprisingly doing very well. So well that I'm getting nervous.
After a big holiday weekend filled with social events and two nights of bingeing, I decided on June 1st I was going to kick this awful habit once and for all. That's my #1 goal for the month of June.
It's June 7th and I'm 7 days into being binge-free. I haven't made it past 10 days in a very, VERY long time.
I am still working through the Beck book, but am taking it at a much slower pace. Sometimes I don't have the time to read the next day's assignment and I also want to feel that I've mastered the concepts of the current day before moving on. I am probably at day 13. But a very successful Day 13. I am reading my ARC 2x/day, giving myself credit, and trying to talk back to those negative thoughts as much as possible. I am working on mastering distinguishing between the desire to eat and truly being hungry and using the behavioral techniques to combat cravings.
I think it's working.
After a big holiday weekend filled with social events and two nights of bingeing, I decided on June 1st I was going to kick this awful habit once and for all. That's my #1 goal for the month of June.
It's June 7th and I'm 7 days into being binge-free. I haven't made it past 10 days in a very, VERY long time.
I am still working through the Beck book, but am taking it at a much slower pace. Sometimes I don't have the time to read the next day's assignment and I also want to feel that I've mastered the concepts of the current day before moving on. I am probably at day 13. But a very successful Day 13. I am reading my ARC 2x/day, giving myself credit, and trying to talk back to those negative thoughts as much as possible. I am working on mastering distinguishing between the desire to eat and truly being hungry and using the behavioral techniques to combat cravings.
I think it's working.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
On track
I had a slight slip up on Sunday and Monday night but I didn't let it derail me and I'm back on track. I felt bloated and "off" today from the high intake of salt.
Still doing Beck, although I haven't been detailing the steps here. I've been through these initial steps before so I didn't want to repeat my thoughts. I'll probably start soon though, just as a form of reinforcement.
The coach sent out an interesting email yesterday and then reiterated some of the points today after the workout. It was essentially about how (triathletes) look for answers in the wrong places. They look for external things that they can change easily: a different coach, different bike fit, lighter bike, new gadgets ... but those things are only 10% or less of the equation. It's what we do everyday that really counts. It's putting in the quality workouts, eating a proper diet, getting enough sleep and keeping our stress levels down. That's what will really produce results.
His talk resonated with me because I know I've been there before. I neglect the daily things (especially sleep!) and think about how getting a new bike will make me faster. But I really need to put the time into myself first.
Still doing Beck, although I haven't been detailing the steps here. I've been through these initial steps before so I didn't want to repeat my thoughts. I'll probably start soon though, just as a form of reinforcement.
The coach sent out an interesting email yesterday and then reiterated some of the points today after the workout. It was essentially about how (triathletes) look for answers in the wrong places. They look for external things that they can change easily: a different coach, different bike fit, lighter bike, new gadgets ... but those things are only 10% or less of the equation. It's what we do everyday that really counts. It's putting in the quality workouts, eating a proper diet, getting enough sleep and keeping our stress levels down. That's what will really produce results.
His talk resonated with me because I know I've been there before. I neglect the daily things (especially sleep!) and think about how getting a new bike will make me faster. But I really need to put the time into myself first.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Just Say No
Five days into Beck and I'm already feeling better. I'm using it in conjunction with ETL and so far, I've been able to talk back to those negative thoughts. Yesterday I did a club race which is always fun but they also always have TONS of food afterward. Not just any food either... it's loads of gourmet pizzas, pasta dishes, and salads from yummy local restaurant. Usually one of the members brings some homemade desserts as well. I can usually resist store-bought desserts (I'm a food snob, ok?) but homemade dessert? It's tough to resist temptation when it is sitting right in front of you.
But I did the race, packed up, and left immediately so I wouldn't be tempted to eat anything. Luckily I wasn't very hungry anyway and I just made myself a healthy dinner when I got home. Today I went to the usual bagel shop with some swim buddies and also managed not to have any bagels. At lunch time today, I skipped the usual pizza (my company always goes out for pizza -- on the company dollar -- on Fridays) AND resisted an invite from coworkers to join them at a nearby sandwich shop.
And then at 5 pm, when I started feeling genuinely hungry, I resisted eating and buying junk food while at the market, even though it meant making dinner at 7:30 and eating at 8 pm.
I am on a roll!
And I'm also giving myself Credit a la Beck. :)
But I did the race, packed up, and left immediately so I wouldn't be tempted to eat anything. Luckily I wasn't very hungry anyway and I just made myself a healthy dinner when I got home. Today I went to the usual bagel shop with some swim buddies and also managed not to have any bagels. At lunch time today, I skipped the usual pizza (my company always goes out for pizza -- on the company dollar -- on Fridays) AND resisted an invite from coworkers to join them at a nearby sandwich shop.
And then at 5 pm, when I started feeling genuinely hungry, I resisted eating and buying junk food while at the market, even though it meant making dinner at 7:30 and eating at 8 pm.
I am on a roll!
And I'm also giving myself Credit a la Beck. :)
green smoothie: 2 oranges, 1/4 lemon, 1 T flax, 8 oz bok choy
salad: romaine, baby carrots, 1/2 cup black beans, cucumber, green velvet dressing + 1 banana
salad: broccoli, napa cabbage, carrots, sweet pea dressing + fava beans (SO good!) + 1 cup cherries
run: 0:45, weights: 0:45
Thursday, May 20, 2010
I need HELP.
I keep sabotaging myself. I do a couple of days well and then blow it. When I blow it, it becomes a few days of "blowing it" before I can get back on track. I'm so tired of doing the same thing over and over again. Although I understand it a lot better, I haven't actually solved the problem. I have to get tough. I have to work through my issues.
I've decided to go back to Beck. I was in therapy years ago and cognitive therapy helped get me through the tough situation I was dealing with back then. I believe it can help me now. I tried the Beck plan a couple of years ago when I first read the book but didn't follow through. This time, I am going to DO the exercises, whether I want to or not. I am going to talk back to my sabotaging thoughts.
I've decided to go back to Beck. I was in therapy years ago and cognitive therapy helped get me through the tough situation I was dealing with back then. I believe it can help me now. I tried the Beck plan a couple of years ago when I first read the book but didn't follow through. This time, I am going to DO the exercises, whether I want to or not. I am going to talk back to my sabotaging thoughts.
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