2013

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

What will this year bring? Opportunity and promise, investigation and entrigue.... Oh, who knows But New Years always seems to bring the feeling of a fresh start. I remember when I couldn't get use to writing years that start with 20... And now it is already 2013. So, join me in a fresh start. Be what you dream to be, embrace the good in your life and take a step forward in good faith. Of course I speak mostly to myself... But if you are out there enjoy your journey in 2013.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

MREUTER 1/2/2013 7:20PM

Thanks Rosyrow - this will be our year! Report Inappropriate Comment

ROSYROW 1/2/2013 5:55PM

I felt the same way going on to 50, but let it slip by. Now, 55 is coming up and I know I have to do it now. I wish you all the determination I didnt have, and all the support you can get. Lets show the younger people that age is just a number, that we still have a lot of life left in us. Report Inappropriate Comment

Day 13 with Beck

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Day 13 - Overcome Cravings

We all have them, cravings. For me it's salty carbs and chocolate. When by body decides it craves them, I now have a plan for fighting back.

Beck says that overcoming cravings is easy as soon as you decide you are not going to stray from your diet. Cravings will become less intense as you get into the routine of eating the healthy foods in your diet. In order to help you fight cravings, Beck suggests strategies to fight off those cravings. Strategies are two-fold, mindset techniques (what you think) and behavior techniques (what you do).

Five mindset techniques include 1) label it for what it is - a craving 2) stand firm and strength your resistance muscle 3) don't allow yourself a choice 4) visualize what would happen if you give in and 5) read your Advantages Response Card.

Four behavioral techniques include 1) moving away from the food 2) drink a no- or low-cal drink 3) relax (reading, breathing) and 4) distract yourself with something else (a walk).

Giving into cravings will only reinforce them and bring them back stronger. I am stronger than the craving. I will win.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

JAMBABY0 8/1/2012 8:40PM

Giving up craves is hard but possible. Report Inappropriate Comment

Day 11 & 12 with Beck

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Day 11: Differentiate Between Hunger, Desire, and Cravings

How many times have we said, "I'm starving"? I am sure I am as guilty as everyone around me, but I can visualize hearing those words out of my children's mouths as they were growing up. What they really meant to say was either I'm hungry (my stomach feels empty, it's been quite awhile since I ate or I'm want/crave/desire some food (those chocolate cupcakes on the counter look really good). Beck wants us to slow down and actually identify our motivation behind our reaching for food.

Every time I start to closely monitor my food intake, I pay more attention to those feelings in my stomach again, and when it is feeling full or empty. It doesn't take long to get use to the feeling. I know with me, if my stomach is rumbling a little bit around bedtime, if I ignore it and go to bed, I wake up feeling fine. It's the desire to want to consume food that can be more difficult to harness. I can go all day without really even thinking about being hunger, but then between 5-6 p.m. when I am transitioning from work, preparing dinner, I experience what I refer to as my "witching hour". I am hungry, but my desire for snack foods can spiral out of control. I have my own thoughts of how I can deal with this, but look forward to seeing what Beck has to say about it.

Day 12 - Practice Hunger Tolerance
My husband does this all the time. It seems like he has had stressful weeks where he can pack one lunch for the whole week. Beck wants us to practice hunger tolerance to help us control our reaction to hunger. Is hunger painful? If you are hungry, you are not really in a dire emergency.

Making a discomfort scale 0-10 of non-food related experience is a great way to classify hunger on a scale. As you can see, most of my discomfort is not physical discomfort, but related to emotions.

Level 10 - Transient Global Amnesia
Level 8 - Chicken Pox as an adult.
Level 5 - Job interview
Level 3 - Making presentation to peers
Level 0 - Hanging out with family

Beck then asks you to practice feeling hungry by skipping lunch and to track how uncomfortable you are throughout the day. If I had to put hunger on this scale, I would probably put in at about a 4. I can usually function normally and be hungry.

  

Day 9 & Day 10

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Day 9 - Select an Exercise Plan
I walk 6 days a week with my super-healthy-active-amazing parents. They are great role-models for our family. I love my time with them on our walks. We catch up on what is going on with our extended family and friends. (Like my Aunt Judy is coming to stay in Maine for awhile!!)

My biggest struggle around exercise is continuing with my program when school starts up again. As I talked about in Day 8, I hope scheduling the time for exercise will keep me active. My other down fall is the lack of strength training. This became so evident when I began my program yesterday. I am super weak in my upper body. The push-ups and plank that I attempted were very minimal, but as my coach reminded me, it's a starting point to look back on. I restarted a beginners 5K program this week, which I will be doing 3x/week for six weeks. I have completed two days of the first week.

Day 10 - Set a Goal
Beck tells us to set a realistic, short term goal - and encourages it to be 5 pounds. Makes sense - baby steps all the way. She also talks about rewarding ourself as we meet these goals in some non-food related way. I am going to add a SparkGoodie to my own page for each 5 pounds. I was already following the Spark food program when I started reading Beck, so I am glad to report that I have already reached my first 5 pounds and hope to reach the second one in another week. All along this journey I will remember to celebrate the small steps.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SRBSRB26 7/25/2012 9:07PM

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Day 8 with Beck

Monday, July 23, 2012

Day 8 - Week 2 Find time to be Successful
Beck wants us to find time in our week and schedule time to plan out meals, shop for food, and exercise. All my life I have been a list maker and planner. I have always tried to schedule my dinners for the week, planning around activities and commitments. During the summer my exercise routine is set. During the school year I struggle with carving in time to exercise, but with a new teaching job, my after school hours will be somewhat less demanding and I plan to take that time to concentrate on exercise.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

CINDYSDAY 7/24/2012 11:00AM

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