Been there, done that? Heading to maintenance with Beck.

I have been there, and I have done weight loss failures too many times to count. Apparently, I never learned. I truly believe I have learned now. Someone asked me yesterday about maintenance. MAINTENANCE? Oh, boy. I was so focused on this journey and being successful, and knowing that I was heading into a new life that I really never thought about maintenance.

I have heard here many times, people discussing the "Beck book". Because I want to always have control over food as I do now, I bought it for my Kindle. I started reading it last night, in between a mystery novel I was finishing.

Right at the beginning of this book, Beck has some quotes from her successful graduates:

* I can control my eating if I plan in advance what I need to do and if I practice what I need to say over and over to myself.

* When I'm tempted to eat something I shouldn't, I need to pull out my list that contains all the reasons I want to lose weight.

* Just because I am hungry doesn't necessarily mean that I should eat.

* Cravings always go away, and there are things I can do to make them go away faster. I won't give into them.

* Eating a reasonable breakfast and lunch is important so I won't overeat at night.

Just reading these quotes made me understand that this was a different kind of weight loss book, just like Spark is a different kind of weight loss program. Beck is trying to change your outlook forever, just like Spark is.

As we all know, and I have mentioned many times, this is not a diet. If you think of this as a diet, you will not succeed. You have got to change the way you look at food. I know I have and have become a pain-in-the-neck, rattling off calories, and reading all the nutrition boxes on everything...just ask my daughter.

My Daughter's BF made a pizza last night after work. I had just made my awesome burritos and said, why don't you have a burrito? Her boyfriend said "they are too healthy". I laughed out loud. So, after he had cooked the pizza in the oven, the box was left on the counter (I will pick it all up in the morning, OK?...ummmm, OK???..still there) and I had to look at the nutrition box. 1 pizza, 1700 calories. He pretty much ate the whole thing. I had to just shake my head.

Oh, I have a cool addendum to that...this morning, my Daughter was in the kitchen making coffee and I came in to get my water bottle. I asked her how the pizza was, and if the Timberwolves won. Yes, they won!! No, she didn't eat ANY of that "stupid" pizza. She had a burrito!! "And, Mom, they are great!!" YIPPEE!!!

So, back to Beck. I am going to read this, do all the mental exercises, and be really prepared to go to maintenance. I have joined Kriszta's maintenance club (thanks, Kriszta), and will be reading it for information on how others did this. This means you, Steve.

Someone just asked me "what Beck book?" This one:
The Beck Diet Solution...train your brain to think like a thin person.
Judith S. Beck Ph.D.

I intend on succeeding on maintenance just as I have succeeded on Spark.

Thanks to all of you for the support that has inspired me every single day.

Spark on.