Funloven Is A 100 Day Winner!

DAY #41 MOTIVATION IS A CHOICE

As difficult as it is to admit at times, motivation is another choice we are responsible for.

Linda tells us "Our drive and energy originate inside your head". And "You create it through your thoughts, your self-talk, and your attitude."

Brings to my mind a motto I saved from WW a few years back:

WHAT YOUR THINK,
DETERMINES WHAT YOU FEEL,
DETERMINES WHAT YOU DO.

And Linda tells us to "Just Do It"!

That is what I am hoping to do as I head out the door for a 2 day get-away with friends for a stay at one of our many wineries in northern Michigan. I am motivated to stick to my plan. To continue with healthy eating behaviors. And, hopefully to get a walk in each day through the beautiful landscape.

DAY #40 HAVING AN EATING EXPERIENCE

I love an eating experience! I don't have my book right in front of me so this is all "off the cuff" today.

I hope no one finds it redundant, but I agree so much with Gill's email today that I am copying much of it here so I can save it:

"Sometimes we don't want food at all. Instead we simply want to enjoy being around it. Shopping for food, then cooking it and arranging it can bring us great delight..................Dig more deeply into your love of food and eating. Do you ever get caught up in the social aspects of eating, then simply let food blend into the total event?"

I've noticed this more during the C-19 pandemic............ I noticed quite early on that stopping to get the special coffee or snack wasn't worth the risk or hassle of going into the shop/cafe, worrying about sanitizing my hands, using my bank card etc. What I wanted really was the EXPERIENCE of sitting in the cafe, relaxing, listening to the hubbub of conversation around me, smelling the coffee, feeling part of the community, doing something nice for myself etc etc.

I also noticed that once the cafes were open with tables outdoors, that my eyes play an important part in how hungry I am - when I SEE the food, I want it.......... if I don't SEE the food, I'm not even sure I'm hungry! The experience of sitting with a friend to eat at an outdoor table is still a bit less satisfying as we have to be aware of people around us, remember the rules (what we can touch, where we have to collect, where we have to walk etc).

Recently I also noticed that, coming back into town after a hot, sunny walk, an ice-cream seemed attractive - but the hassle of the covid-secure situation made me re-assess. The joy of eating an ice-cream in a relaxed way was not available to me in the way I wanted - keeping away from people, not being able to stroll or sit in the sun without looking out for people - it took away the essential emotional components from that potential experience.

This C-19 certainly has changed my eating experiences! Today I met a friend that I haven't been able to see in months! She is not comfortable going to restaurants yet and so we met in a park. I was a bit disappointed because I really missed dining at our local restaurants and so we have been going once a week to the quieter places we really enjoy. But I want people to respect my comfort zone with this C-19 thing and so I have to be willing to respect other's also.

I placed a favorite lunch via an order-to-go option from a favorite restaurant. We had a lovely visit. I can't wait to do it again! It was an eating experience! ! !

DAY #39 FLAVOR OR TEXTURE

Sweet - Salty
Gooey - Crunchy
Pungent - Spicy

Crunchy & Chewy - Smooth & Creamy

Do I want to chew hard & fast or need something soothing & comforting.

I would describe my tendencies as Sweet & Gooey & Smooth & Creamy. Guess that sounds like I need a lot of comforting and reassurance most of the time.

I do value the occasional crunch at times and since many raw vegetables add that crunch I am working at incorporating it into more meals - carrot & celery sticks, apples, lettuce leaves seem to be my "go to".

Although I eat meat I have to admit it is not my favorite flavor or texture. Too much chewing needed and the flavor is lost too quickly.

I can't say I have ever really given much thought to what my food choices say about my emotional status. I'll have to pay attention as our assignment suggests.

DAY #38 FOOD HAS POWER

Linda starts off by telling us that "eating can become linked to your need to feel stronger or have more power in life".

I don't think I really believe that for myself. Overeating actually makes me feel like I have no power. No willpower for sure! My goal is to take back my power. I am all powerful and in charge of my food (not the other way around).

However, in the next section she talks about food filling the emotional holes in our life so you don't have to face them. I am not concerned about facing any holes in my life. In fact, I am very pro-active when it comes to filling those holes.

But, she mentions reaching for food when you feel insecure. This made me wonder if this is what I feel in social situations when I find myself feeling what I describe as bored. That is when I have the biggest chance of reaching for food mindlessly. Am I really just feeling insecure because I don't know what else to do with myself or what else to say to the other people? I have done some work this year at decreasing my contact with people/situations in which I feel I have nothing in common, no connecting interests. It has been a bit of a relief. A sense of freedom. And the recommendation of Social Distancing due to Covid has been an acceptable excuse for my absence.

Today my meals are planned and I am going to my volunteer job at our Botanical Garden. I am feeling powerful over my food and secure in my abilities!

DAY # 37 I LOVE TO EAT

Do I love to eat or is it something else I love about eating? Without a doubt I love good, quality foods! But loving to eat is rarely the reason I "wolf my food down" as Linda describes it. When I read that I actually got a vision of myself doing just that and it wasn't a pretty thing to see.

I love to eat when there is socialization involved; going out with friends for a meal. Otherwise, the thought passed through my mind that I'm not particularly excited about the task of eating. Yes. At home it feels like an endless task of preparing fuel for my body just because I'm hungry. I no sooner get done with one meal and there is another one to get ready for in the near future.

So for me it is all about that special time with others; whether friends or family. Do I really love to eat even then? Well, the food usually tastes better. It is richer and heavy in calories. Creamy dips and appetizers; usually cream cheese, mayo, or sour cream based. Sauces are frequently involved; velvety white, rich butter, deep brown, gooey cheese.

I'm still working on a motto I wrote some time ago for this lesson: "If you don't love it, don't eat it!" I am also working on flavorful spices & herbs. And recently I have been inspired to add more crunch to my meals.

DAY #36 SLOW DOWN YOUR EATING

This is a skill I really struggle with. Have you ever noticed how many foods don't have any "chew" to them? Or have you ever noticed how after just a few bites, the food in your mouth loses it's flavor? These are just a couple of things that lead me to eat faster. Also, with portion reduction there are times when we just don't have enough food to eat!

I will keep working at slowing down. I did notice my fullness when I was only half done with my breakfast this morning, but I finished just the same to assure that I would not be hungry before lunch. I set my stopwatch and breakfast took 18 minutes and 22 seconds to complete. Reading today's lesson was used as a distraction and always helps me slow down as I stop to read and/or ponder. I can manage 10 minutes for most meals, but many times 20 minutes is a stretch for me.

Lunch today is Pea & Ham soup. Soup can go down pretty quick since it is mostly liquid. I saw some carrot sticks in the frig this morning so maybe I will include them as a side. Carrots are very chewy and so that should help slow me down.

DAY #35 THE EATING PAUSE

This most likely sounds hard to believe, but there are many things I DON'T like about eating along with all of the things that I DO like. I manage to push right past the things I don't like and keep right on eating without a pause!

The signs that Linda tells us about were new to me when I first started these reviews. Now, even though I sometimes push onward & upward, I am more cognizant of the signs and notice when the first pause occurs.

Then it needs to become an entirely different lesson for me - how much have I eaten so far, am I really full, have I eaten enough, put your fork/spoon down, take a drink of water, chew slower, wait.

It's all such a head game! I need to keep working on listening to what my body and brain are trying to tell me when I have that pause and then figure out why I want to keep on eating.

DAY #34 LISTEN ACCURATELY

I don't have very good listening skills! I keep working on them though.

"The Fullness Scale is not the same as the 20-minute signal to your brain, indicating you've reached satiety".

When I read this I thought "Really?". With each review something different seems to stick out to me! One is about your head and the other is about your stomach. So we are to notice what your stomach feels like instead of listening to what our head is telling us!

Linda asks if we still relate feeling stuffed to feeling powerful, nurtured, safe, or happy. i seem to use food as a reward and also as a memory of happy times. I need to remember, the key is -

COMFORTABLE & SATISFIED

DAY # 33 FULLNESS SCALE

This is a difficult lesson for me and one that I need to keep working on.

"To recognize fullness you have to listen to your stomach instead of looking at your plate."

I have gotten much better at recognizing when I am starting to get full, but sabotaging thoughts continue to plague me because sometimes (when I am looking at my plate) I think - "OMG, surely I have not eaten enough to get me through to my next meal!" and so I keep on eating. Other thoughts about wasting food, wasting money, what will other's think if I only eat a dinky little amount. And so I keep on eating.

Another thing that has changed for me over time is that I rarely eat until I am at that +3 Stuffed Miserable Level any more and it usually takes less food to get me to that level. However, t still warrants monitoring because there have been times when I have proven to myself that I can put away a very large amount of food!

DAY #32 THE 5 HOUR RULE

I learned the importance of this rule some time ago! When I let myself go for too long and I'm feeling SOOOOO HUNGRY! that is exactly how I respond - I OVER react and I end up eating way more than I need. However, the question in my mind is "How much do we really need?" because if we don't eat enough to keep our energy tank full of fuel we will end of with other issues.

It can all get to be a very complicated balancing act trying to figure it all out. So I am better off sticking to my 9 - 1 - 6 schedule.

An interesting note - the No S Plan also recommends getting the basic 3 squares a day and making sure that we are full and satisfied at the end of each one so that you don't have the need to snack between meals. No skimping!

There are times in my life when a task falls right at meal time and becomes a dilemma. I don't like it when this happens, but I am learning to prepare by bringing a small snack to hold me over until I can get to my meal. Luckily this doesn't happen very often.

DAY #31 HUNGER SCALE

How do I decide when I'm hungry?

Several factors are coming to mind:

1. Time elapsed - I have much better control over my portion sizes when I eat at regular intervals. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner: 9 - 1 - 6

2. Liquids do fill me up. This is good at times when i WANT to delay eating. However, this also has a down side for me when I DON'T WANT to delay eating. If I drink too much liquid before a meal, then I drown out my hunger signals which leads to unwelcomed eating behaviors.

3. Usually my stomach will tell me when I'm hungry. It gets tight and grumbles at me. I have never experienced the headache and/or shakiness that some have mentioned.

This topic makes me wonder - Just how hungry are we really?! We all live in countries where food is plentiful. I doubt that I have ever experienced Linda's -3 on her hunger scale - Starved, way too hungry.

I happen to be reviewing 2 other books (at a slow pace) along with this review. I recently purchased the No S Diet book. This plan encourages 3 squares a day which coincides with my choice. The Beck lesson that I felt ready to tackle today also has to do with hunger - skip lunch and realize that you will not fade away. You will survive. You can tolerate hunger!

This is all about recognizing my body's signals of hunger and fullness and responding without tipping into the extremes.

DAY #30 POSTPONE EATING

Easier said than done many times! I have sat with snacks/handheld foods right in front of me, resisted, and been absolutely miserable. If bread, chips, or other tempting snack foods are within my reach I have learned to ask them to be moved somewhere that I can't get to them easily.

Like Gill mentioned in her email "I simply cannot stop at one - but I CAN stop at none! ". Isn't that a strange phenomena that we can resist and resist, but once we give ourselves permission and dig in it becomes impossible to stop so many times. Makes you wonder what in the heck our brains are doing to us.

I find the idea of postponing appealing this time. It doesn't mean that I can't ever have any, just that I have to wait - for dinner to arrive for example - and then putting a bit on my plate instead of emptying the basket with that mindless hand-to-mouth syndrome.

Not deprivation. Just a little postponement.

DAY # 29 HANDHELD FOODS

Yup, there's that hand-to-mouth thing that I so frequently mention as a problem for me.

Our lesson mentions appetizers and party snacks as culprits, but Wednesday night I discovered, once again, the downfall of handheld sandwiches! On the one hand there are so many sandwiches that I enjoy, but on the other hand that are some peculiarities to sandwiches that I do not like -

1. The grilled bread is soaked in some kind of fat/grease
2. I don't like to constantly have to pick a sandwich up and then put it back down with each bite
3. They are not good as left overs because the bread gets so soggy once refrigerated

The end result is that I keep eating and eating until it is all gone. Now you would think I could remember this! Maybe this time I will.

I got a chuckle from Gill's email when she mentioned eating one peanut at a time and fighting the urge to chuck the whole handful into her mouth. I laughed because that is exactly what I do so many times. They tell you that in order to get the full flavor of a mixed snack that is exactly what you are supposed to do!

The lesson for me is no warm sandwiches and keep the snacks simple so I can eat one piece at a time.

DAY #28 EATING BECAUSE IT'S THERE

I have absolutely experienced this several times! ! ! On autopilot!
I sometimes call it my Hand-To-Mouth Syndrome!
Other times it is a temptation especially when eating at a restaurant when I see something on the menu that I wasn't planning on.
And still, at other times, it may be because everyone else is eating a particular treat.

This is one of the reasons that I keep snack foods out of my house. I don't want to be tempted JUST BECAUSE THEY'RE THERE!

This is a difficult lesson -

* Let food opportunities pass you by
* Ignore food
* Skip eating food that simply "shows up" in front of you

Remember : FUEL or FLAVOR !

DAY #27 EAT DESERT WHEN IT'S SPECIAL

I thought of June's comment the other day regarding how Linda seems to frequently focus on desert and I got a little chuckle when I read the title of today's topic. Desert! Again! And Gill brought up some good points in her email today regarding the habit and unwelcomed effects that sugar and flour has on many of us.

I work at following the No S Plan. It is a struggle for me. The No sugar, snacks, seconds unless it is an S day is an excellent guideline, but one thing I recognized after a time was that just because it was an S day (Saturday - Sunday) it didn't mean I could have a free-for-all and eat whatever I wanted and/or how much I wanted!

So today's lesson is a good reminder to make sure that when I indulge it is only for something Special. If I get a craving for something sweet on a "regular" S day, I can use Dates or Granola Bars or even a square of Dark Chocolate to satisfy myself and refrain from going Hog Wild!

We have a weekend get-away planned for the end of this month and although I am sooooo looking forward to it, I don't anticipate the need for desert. As a matter of fact, I don't see any events that will have desert until our family's September birthdays.

DAY #26 WHEN FOOD DISAPPOINTS YOU

There have been plenty of times when food has disappointed me, but here are a few that comes to mind right now -

- When I work to make a dinner only to discover it is bland & tasteless
- When I look forward to a special dinner at a restaurant only to discover it did not taste as good as it sounded or looked on the menu
- When I have a craving for that "something" and try one food after another without feeling satisfied

So when this happens WHY do I keep eating! Now that is the big question.

Match What Flavors You Want - cold/hot, sweet/salty, dry/moist, crunchy/creamy

* * * No matter how many bites you take the food you are eating will not magically change into something different!

Let Go Of Old Thinking -

* * * If you think you can't have your favorite foods and deprive yourself, you will only be increasing the power those foods have over you. (from yesterday's lesson)

* * * Get rid of the "Clean You Plate" and/or "Don't Waste It" rules. If the food isn't what you had hoped for, then STOP eating it!

LOVE IT or LEAVE IT!

DAY #25 SMALLER AMOUNTS, LESS OFTEN

I like this concept, but it frequently backfires on me because it means bringing junk food into the house.

My Points of Focus:

1. You don't need to stop eating all of your favorite foods in order to manage your weight.
2. You need to plan them into your program.
3. Avoid feeling deprived.
4. Your in charge.
5. Because you love your favorite foods so much, it's easy to give them a lot of power.
6. When you plan YOU get back to being in charge.

The No S Plan that I claim to follow should make it easy to fulfil these points. However, I have been rather rebellious in recent weeks and I have not been committed to my plan.

It is another new week and another new opportunity to get it right! I am going to plan having some ice cream next weekend.

DAY #24 EAT FOR SATISFACTION

I can relate to this lesson on so many levels!

I enjoy cooking and trying new recipes. I try to keep them as healthy as possible, but in doing so the food ends up tasting as if something is missing at times and there is no satisfaction to be found. At the end of dinner I usually ask DH - What did you thing about that recipe? We evaluate it together. When we decide it was either o.k. or even awful you know there was no satisfaction obtained. The recipe gets tossed. There is nothing worse in my mind right now than eating food that is not satisfying. We already get so little food that I think it is important to only eat those that bring some sense of satisfaction.

BTW, June, I'm with you regarding Linda's food choices for our assignments - why are they always something sweet?! There are plenty of other food groups out there to use.

DAY #22 MULTITASK WITH FOOD

Linda asks us to look for ways to challenge our awareness. Well, I bet none of us would have any trouble finding some distractions. After all, our lives are filled with them!

Something that caught my eye in today's lesson - Stay on constant alert!

I really don't feel ready for this challenge. I couldn't even remember to do all of the steps I was supposed to do for yesterday's lesson! Since I really want to break this habit, like Phyllis, I'm going to repeat the Mindful Eating exercise again. AND again, and again, and again! ! !

DAY #21 EAT WITH AWARENESS

Sounds like this is an area that most of us need to work on . I know I do for sure. I think it may be one of my biggest problems because I'm sure if I paid closer attention I would put a lot less food in my mouth!

We eat out meals at the Kitchen Island. I eat my breakfast and lunch alone, but I do eat dinner with DH and the TV is ALWAYS on so we can listen to the news. I know the news isn't always very note worthy, but dinner time is the only news we choose to get.

Coincidentally, my Beck lesson for today is the same - Slow Down & Be Mindful! So here is my plan:

1. Take small bites and chew slowly.
2. Finish chewing and swallowing each bite before I put more food ON MY FORK.
3. Put my utensils down between every few bites and count to 10.
4. Take sips of water every minute or two.
5. Do not multi-task while eating.(I added that one).

These steps are all easy enough to do when I'm alone or have minimal distractions. I need to get proficient enough at these skills so I can remain mindful when chaos reigns!

DAY #20 HALF-OFF SPECIAL

As it has been noted - it is difficult to do this half-off assignment when the amounts of food we eat are already so controlled with measurements & weight. I can't say that I embrace this idea very often. Mostly because the person I would do the sharing with would be my DH and our food tastes are VERY different!

Yesterday Linda advised us that it wasn't such a great idea to take left-overs home from a restaurant because we end up with two high-cal meals. I see the value in this concept and so I have stopped trying to do this half-off strategy when we dine out.

Like Gill, over the years I have reduced some servings in half - 1 slice of toast instead of 2, half an apple, 1 egg instead of 2, etc.

I have been trying to remember "It is o.k. to have a smaller portion to start with because you can always go back for more if you find you are truly still hungry." and "If you crave seconds, your probably hooked on the taste of the food rather than needing more fuel."!

I will have an opportunity tomorrow night to practice with pizza. I think pizza is as bad as potato chips - You can't have just one! There are plenty of times that DH and I order a large pizza for dinner and we manage to eat the entire thing! ! ! Hunger or Emotions? Tomorrow I will see if I can figure it out.

DAY #19 EAT REASONABLE AMOUNTS

Portion Distortion! Maribeth, that was exactly the thought I was having as I read today's lesson.

Guilty As Charged! It is so easy to inch our portions sizes up little by little even though we know what the correct portions are. Darn! There never seems to be enough bread, rice, mashed potatoes - all that carbby comfort food we all love.

I still weigh and measure sometimes. I have done Linda's portion size test and found that I'm pretty close to the real. But all of this doesn't stop me from eating more - like I did last night.

I made a Macaroni Salad with Shrimp & Peas last night. A new recipe I wanted to try. We RARELY eat this kind of food (hence the cause for the recipe sitting in my "to try" pile for years!) and this showed me exactly why. It was soooooo good! I filled my bowl with a reasonable amount. I remember thinking how small the amount looked. I told myself "It's O.K. Start with this. You can always have more." and I did! I also had another helping of that Strawberry Shortcake I mentioned yesterday.

Things I am giving myself credit for:

I noticed my fullness and realized I had over-eaten.
I was grateful that I had eaten on the light side for breakfast and lunch.
I had DH throw the remaining Angel Food cake in the garbage.
The recipe made a huge amount and so I divided the left over in half and I will be giving one part to our DD instead of trying to eat it all ourselves in order to not waste it (sound familiar?).

Portion Control can be an issue for me with several kinds of snack foods. I think I will always need to weigh or measure them out.

DAY #18 RETRAIN EATING HABITS

This lesson has come at a very opportune time!

June is usually Strawberry season here in Michigan. Well, I couldn't tell you where our strawberries have been because all I have seen at the grocery store are those from California! Earlier this spring I also saw some from Florida, but that was short-lived. One of the greatest teats we have when we go to Florida in March is the fresh strawberries. Michigan has been so cold this spring; maybe that is the problem.

Yesterday I had a mental plan for my meals - left overs. Steak from Father's Day. I was grateful for the potatoes I found in the cupboard because it meant I didn't have to go to the store if I didn't want to. Then I looked in the frig and discovered we also had left over corn-on-the-cob and garlic bread. Yippee! DH can have them instead of potato. But I didn't have any veggies for dinner so I ended up going to the store anyway.

I had also decided that, since the supposed season was quickly closing, I wanted to treat us to Strawberry Shortcake. This treat is almost equivalent to Thanksgiving when you indulge in those special foods only once a year!

So MY dinner was left over steak, sautéed fresh mushrooms, and Strawberry Shortcake. I have to give myself credit for yesterday's lesson as I noted I was getting full and wanted to save room for the strawberries so I did not finish my mushrooms.

Now for the dilemma - I am looking at the left over Angel Food Cake and very sad at the thought of not having any more and wasting it in the garbage.

Linda tells us:

"Remember that your weight and your health are always more important than a left-over piece of pie (Strawberry Shortcake)".

I wonder if I can freeze this kind of cake? (SIGH)

DAY # 17 STOP WASTING FOOD

I can still relate to this lesson. Although I am getting better at it, more times than not I seem to make an excuse to finish the food - It takes so good! There are only a couple bites left! What a waste!

The thing I don't like about this assignment is that -

When we are good we are very , very good! And we have all of our food weighed and measured. I mean, really, who has enough food on their plate that they are willing to give up any?! When I'm in full throttle weight loss mode I am going to eat every darn bite I am allowed to have!

But, don't get me wrong, I do understand the concept behind today's lesson and I will keep working at it.

DAY #16 NURTURING POWER OF FOOD

I have had several days (starting Wednesday evening - Sunday night) where I have experienced EXACTLY what Linda is talking about in this lesson. We have been babysitting our two GKs while DD recovers from surgery and we have had several trying moments with them.

Oh the stress! ! ! Several times I told myself that putting food in my mouth would not make the problems/stress go away, but I succumbed despite my self-talk and tried to eat my feelings to nurture myself.

I am feeling so yukky with post-junk food bloat that I can't imagine doing today's assignment.

My take-away for this lesson:

DO NOT GIVE YOUR EMOTIONAL POWER TO FOOD! Eating more won't improve your emotional state.

DAY #15 FIRST TWO BITES

I think I am more like Gill with this one and better off not even starting for fear of what it will trigger. I can enjoy an entire desert, but I have to admit that although I am enjoying it, I am no longer paying attention to the taste/flavor of it just as Linda tells us.

I even find sharing a desert or sweet with someone to be difficult because I end up eating more than my half!

Here are some ideas for me to try:

1. Plan your treats.
2. Pay attention to those first two bites.
3. Use treats that come in individually wrapped, bite-sized servings.
4. Keep treats out of the house so that if/when you get an urge you must go to a store.
5. When sharing actually cut the serving in half and put your portion on your own plate.

DAY #14 MORNING AFFECTS EVENING

I learned a long time ago to eat breakfast. I guess the observation I made about myself yesterday is holding true according to the App that you mentioned, Gill. Cereal with Milk & Fruit never seems to sustain me for long and I suspected that was due to insufficient protein (although most diets consider the Milk to be the protein fulfillment). On the mornings when I have a Smoothie for breakfast (spinach, fruit, yogurt, water) I also note that, if I don't include a slice of toast, I won't be long before I'm feeling hungry again.

For me thought, it isn't just breakfast. If I don't give myself enough fuel at lunchtime, I find myself in the situation described in today's lesson - "When you don't give your body enough fuel during the early part of the day, by late in the afternoon it starts screaming for food."

There are some days that I experience that afternoon "droop". I have never associated it with lack of food intake. I sometimes wonder if it has more to do with needing a mental break from the stresses of life.

Following the No S Plan requires having no snacks. This can be tough at times and the idea causes a lot of conflict in my mind - snack, no snack, snack, no snack! The important piece for me to remember is this -

IF YOU SNACK, MAKE IT HEALTHY FUEL AND NOT JUST FILLER!

DAY #13 OOPS! I FORGOT TO EAT

Not me! ! ! I never actually forget to eat. However, there are times when eating a meal is hard to fit in such as today.

I have a busy schedule today. After I complete my morning routine, I have a dentist appointment, grocery shopping, laundry, and then around 5 p.m. we will be meeting our DD and family for dinner and a trade-off of kids that will stay with us until this Sunday.

I'm having a hard time figuring out when I'm supposed to fit lunch in there. This is the way it frequently goes for me when I'm super busy like this. I think my best bet will be to pack a snack to eat between the dentist and grocery shopping because I am well aware of the disasterous outcome - feeling starved and grabbing anything easy and most likely unhealthy to eat - if I don't keep myself fueled!

DAY #12 FOOD OR FILLER

I didn't pay as close of attention as I should have yesterday. Despite what I wanted me brain gravitated towards the "I don't care" attitude. Like you mentioned, Gill, from our lesson:

"Even with healthy foods, watch to be sure that your getting quality fuel. Sometimes what starts out as fuel turns into filler".

Mistake #1 - I not only need to go grocery shopping, but I was feeling lazy and didn't seem to want to put a lot of effort into a creative breakfast. I had a bowl of cereal with blueberries and milk. I love this simple breakfast, but using milk as my protein NEVER keeps me full for long.

Mistake #2 - I spent the day helping a friend with her landscape. She always offers a little snack. This time it was a bowl tortilla chips, some slices of cheese, and a banana. Although this seems like it should have been adequate, for some reason I'm thinking it wasn't enough or maybe it was the combination of foods as they are all high carb and I've read that cheese apparently has it's own issues to creating cravings.

Mistake #3 - When I got home I was tired. DH was gone golfing so I was alone which as I have mentioned is a trigger for me for some reason that I have to guard against. I thought I had a plan for keeping myself busy. I showered and then I opted to take Ollie to a new Park I have wanted to explore before I ate dinner.

Mistake #4 - The Park was 35 minutes away. I tried to stay calm and positive, but I could actually feel the negative thoughts stirring in my head. The Park is huge! It has lots of lovely trails, but the map I had wasn't very good and so I struggled to find my way about. Despite all of this I won't delete this Park from my future.

Mistake #5 - Heading home it was way past my dinner time. I was hungry. The Bean soup I had gotten out of the freezer was sounding less and less appealing. Fast Food was sounding more and more appealing. Fast Food, of course, is never healthy IMHO and there was nothing fast about it which was frustrating.

It seemed to continue to be even more downhill from there. My Fuels turned into Fillers. This entire lesson speaks to me. I am feeling discouraged this morning, but I am determined! ! !

AND, that Bean Soup is on the menu for dinner tonight.

DAY #10 APPRECIATE GOOD SUPPORT


I love how your worded it this morning in your email, Gill: "Stop inviting other people to criticize you; stop criticizing yourself; and learn accept compliments. Also, appreciate all the things that are going RIGHT and which support you to be able to make your healthy lifestyle choices."

These are such important key points. Especially the one about not criticizing ourselves which many of us are pretty good at. I also think Gill made another very valid remark: "If we're looking to other people to validate us - we will probably always be disappointed:"

Geez, it is so great to be on a team with so many wise people! I really appreciate all of you.

DAY #9 HERE'S WHAT I WANT

I want people to eat healthy when they are around me.
I want people to not offer me unhealthy foods.
I want people to respect my wishes/requests.

We are returning to "in-person" Garden Club meetings next month. We will be meeting in a Park. We have been requested to bring a lawn chair, our own beverage, and to wear a mask. Our "hostesses" will provide pastries. When I sent my RSVP I asked if bagels might be considered as an offering. I know they aren't all created healthy, but they have got to be more so than sugar-loaded pastries. Time will tell if anyone honors my request.

A friend invited DH & I to their home tomorrow. We had been talking about picnics and how Subway sandwiches are easy to pack for the occasion which prompted her to offer us Subways
for dinner. I said thanks but no thanks and she was good with that. I wanted to eat at home so that I would know exactly what my calorie intake would be.

I guess that telling people what we want/need really isn't all that hard sometimes.

DAY #8 HELP ME, PLEASE - - -

I really don't like asking others for help. The decisions, choices, and work is all up to me. But people aren't mind readers. So we do need to let them know gently and respectfully, but firmly, know what it is we need.

So what do I need?

- Reminders are helpful even when they are blunt (DH told me the other day "You said you were only going to have one").

- Encouragement is always appreciated (You are doing such a great job, Sue!).

- Offering assistance without being asked (What can I do for you to get dinner ready?).

- Asking for and valuing my opinion and goals (Where would you like to go eat tonight that will have some healthy choices for you? ).

What don't I need?

Well, DH's night time snacking and poor food choices are not only frustrating, but also temptations to me. Hard to avoid someone you live with. However, he is getting better about trying to be healthy himself. He is snacking less at night. He followed the Half-Off lesson last night at the restaurant even though I assured him he did not have to do it just because I was doing it. Also, he is better at pouring out individual servings of snacks instead of eating right from the container like I do.

Overall, I think any resistance I have to asking for help is all in my head most likely, because people usually like to be helpful!

DAY #7 I CAN DO IT!

Linda starts out the lesson with a big "WHEW"! and I had to chuckle because there have been plenty of times when I have said that very thing to myself; times when I have been "riding the fence", "sitting on the ledge", "daring fate", getting by "by the skin of my teeth".

I know I can do it! I have done it before and I will do it again!

I AM STRONG !
I AM INVINSIBLE !
NOTHING IS GOING TO STOP ME !

DAY #6 PROTECT YOUR PROGRAM

I have made improvements in this area, but as with many of these lessons, I still have more improvements to make! I need to protect my plan better than I have been doing because -

NO ONE CARES AS MUCH ABOUT MY PLAN AS I DO ! ! !

3 High Risk Situations:

1. Social Gatherings can produce anxiety for me and I still treat many as if they are Special Occasions. To Protect My Plan I need to get back in line with my No S plan. I also need to make a better study of my anxious feelings. My past posts indicate there is a "time" factor (how long I am in a tempting situation).

2. DH is a high risk for me, but I can't get ride of him so I need to toughen my resistance muscles regarding treats & drinks when we are together.

3. When I'm alone can be struggle for some reason. Like tonight when DH is gone golfing. I need to have my dinner planned and I could also plan an outing for myself for distraction.

When I was reading through my posts the idea of a race came to my mind. A race that requires endurance and how athletes build up their endurance little by little until they can go the distance. It is a good visualization for me and I can make it into a mantra:

RESIST & ENDURE WILL MAKE YOUR SUCCESS SURE !

DAY #5 MAGIC NOTEBOOK

I have my magic notebook. It is my Bullet Journal. I write in it every day and although I make a few notes about the 100 DWL lesson it is frequently out of sight, out of mind when I close my book each morning.

Today I made an entry to remind myself to make note of the food thoughts I have; those devilish sabotaging thoughts that I like to ignore when my brain tells me - You Shouldn't Eat That, Sue!

DAY #4 BOUNDARIES NOT DIETS

When I reviewed my past posts I thought to myself after the first couple (2017) that I was making a bunch of excuses for why I couldn't stay within the necessary boundaries. In 2018 I saw that my eating behaviors had improved a bit. Then in 2019 I noted a change in my attitude towards being more positive and accepting of the need for boundaries. However, this doesn't mean that I still find myself "all over the road" and even "in the ditch"! There is something about the word "boundary" that sounds so restrictive to me and I have written about how it makes me feel choked. I may be more accepting today of the restrictions that are necessary for success, but I am still looking for a balance in it all.

Meanwhile, here are the boundaries I posted before. I tweaked a few of them to find that "balance", but basically I think they still are true for me.

Narrow:
- Track, Track, Track
- Stay within 1500 - 1700 calorie range daily
- 30 minute minimum fitness daily
- No exceptions/excuses
- Healthy fats
- Limit alcohol
- Limit carbs

Wide:
- Intuitive Eating
- Snacks allowed
- Happy Hour daily
- Only 10 minute fitness requirement
- Foods with sauces and/or other fattening additions
- Basically everything that is opposite of the Narrow Road!

DAY #3 DO IT ANYWAY

Will we ever get that Niki logo out of our heads! JUST DO IT! ! ! I bet they never imagined the impact it would have on so many people for so long a time. Well, I think I am pretty good at "just doing it". That doesn't mean I'm perfect by any means, but in looking back at my posts I see that I have improved in my commitment to "do it anyway". It particularly shows up in the number of times I have completed our 100 days. There have been a few rounds that I gave up on before we finished.

Maria - I love your statement and I'm going to steal it:

"Our tools and knowledge improve through our continuing commitment to increasing our awareness, choices and responsibility for our actions by hanging in there, maintaining as many essential habits as possible and never completely giving up."

In reviewing my past posts I also came across this by Gill from a couple years ago:

"When you hear your inner voice whining "I don't feel like it........" try telling it, gently, kindly, with love................ "Do it anyway darling, you'll feel better" ."

Last night I wanted a second glass of wine at dinner time (I enjoy my wine!). I didn't feel like going for Ollie's 7 p.m. walk (I have felt so tired the past couple of days). And I had feelings of cravings (who knows what for!).

Since I am committed I stuck to my plan. I skipped the wine. Ollie and I went for our walk. And I went to bed early to ward off those cravings.

This morning I am feeling very pleased with myself. THIS COMMITMENT STUFF IS HARD! But I DID IT! The action I need to take is to remind myself frequently that I AM COMMITTED.

DAY #2 INTERESTED OR COMMITTED

Well, a review of my previous posts dating back to 11/7/17 shows that I am better at being committed, but I still have some work to do. In the past I slipped into the Interest category whenever some fun kind of activity presented itself. It also seemed to occur when I was especially feeling stressed. I don't know if I have truly improved myself or I am improved as a result of the lifestyle changes I have made. No matter which it is, I am grateful for it.

STAYING COMMITTED - (the plan I came up with in 8/9/19 post still applies)

1. No S Plan with B.L.E. guidance
2. Protect my Plan - I need to be more mindful of other's influence on my food choices
3. FUN does not always have to include food. Plan ahead for social events.
4. Cut back on my alcohol intake.

I think the most influential thing I can do is to BE MINDFUL! ! ! I have a tendency to easily lose my focus (must be that A.D.D. aspect of me).

Tonight my dad is coming for dinner. I will be mindful to weigh and measure my food and limit my alcohol to 1 glass of wine with dinner.

DAY #1 I USED TO BE THAT WAY - - -

I looked back through all of my posts for this lesson. My first review was back on 11/6/17. How time flies! I would like to think that I have made some progress since then. Here are the negative behaviors I have worked at changing:

1. I used to beat myself up over giving into temptations during Special Occasions, but now I enjoy the moments and allow myself some indulgences.

2. I used to hate to exercise, but now I look forward to my evening walks with our dog and I can't wait for our Y to reopen so I can get back to my usual fitness routine.

3. I used to eat whatever I want without a thought, but now I pay attention to the nutrition labels.

4. I used to snack at night while watching TV, but now I only snack on occasion. It seems to go in spurts for some reason.

5. I used to graze the food tables constantly at parties and buffets, but now I limit those events (for a couple of reasons other than my eating behaviors).

6. I used to grab whatever food was easily/readily available when I was hungry and too tired or busy to cook, but now I look ahead at my schedule for times when I might struggle and plan for something healthy to be available.

7. I used to want a quick fix diet for my weight problems, but now I know that slow & steady without too much deprivation is the key to long term success.

8. I used to resent the steps that were required in order to loose weight (limited foods, calories, drinks, fun), but now I understand that I have to do the work if I want to be successful.

9. I used to give what I call "lip service" to the 100 DWL lessons by not truly applying them to my daily eating behaviors, but over time I have learned how to incorporate many of them into my life.

10. I used to indulge in too many alcoholic beverages, but I probably still do!

Linda asks us to list any fear and/or negative behaviors and then write new endings to them. My biggest fear is still failure. Time and time again I see how easy it is for me to slip back into my "old behaviors" and consequently I regain. The margins for error feel so narrow in Maintenance. Even the "old timers" here on SP have shown me that this will be a never ending battle. It can feel discouraging.

I USED TO LOOSE FOCUS ON THE DAILY STEPS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN MY WEIGHT LOSS, BUT NOW I AM DETERMINED TO FIND A WAY TO OVERCOME THIS OBSTACLE.

DAY #32 THE 5 HOUR RULE

I think we are all pretty familiar with this one by now and the awful consequences of waiting too long to eat and becoming overly hungry. I usually am up for the day by 7 - 7:30, but as I mentioned yesterday I don't like eating as soon as I wake up. I need to get my eyes opened and my brain working with a cup of coffee, my devotions, and some sparking.

I used to go hours without eating, but now I recognize the importance of not going any longer than 4-5 hours without having some kind of nourishment.

Breakfast - 9 a.m.
Lunch - 1 p.m.
Dinner - ? we will just be boarding our flight so I'm not sure when they will get around to serving food, but I have some healthy trail mixes backed in my carry-on to hold me over.

DAY #31 HUNGER SCALE

I have come to learn the consequences of letting myself get too hungry!

I used to be that way (skipping meals), but now I try to eat 3 meals a day also. If any one of them suffers, it is usually my lunch. Especially if I eat a late breakfast or plan an early dinner or if I am out and about doing errands and forget to bring something healthy for me to eat.

I used to ignore my hunger signals, but now I am more aware and try to respond to them. I'm with Phyllis and I don't like to eat breakfast when I first get up in the morning. The time lapse can vary anywhere from 1 - 2 hours. This morning I read our lesson and realized I was hungry (I had been up one hour) and instead of ignoring it while I did my Team posting I got up and ate breakfast instead. It is now 4 hours later and I am thinking I am hungry again which might be likely, but I am also having these travel anxieties with trouble staying focused. Our dinner is planned and will be earlier than usual so I shouldn't wait too much longer to eat some lunch.

So, instead of using the Hunger Scale, this is how I figure it all out for meal times - Mindfulness! Am I hunger or not? Yes or No? Not fussing about How Hungry I am.

DAY #30 POSTPONE EATING

Yes, indeed, Babs! We do have our Holiday challenges coming up. We have 38 days until Halloween so lets stay strong for now so we can relax a bit and enjoy some indulgences later.

I remember the time I last tried this experiment. I waited and abstained until the last 10 minutes of a party we attended that was buffet style. In that last 10 minutes I was surprised at how much I could eat - well not really surprised

Reading our lesson this time I had a moment as to why is it so hard to stop eating snack foods once I have started -

The answer to the "munch-a-bunch" snack attack of junk food is that IT'S A TRICK! Linda tells us that both the texture and the taste trick our mouths into wanting more.

I don't have an opportunity to try this with food this weekend, but I can Postpone Drinking. Our family is gathering to celebrate my dad's birthday. We will be playing a round or two of Yatzee and having a few beers/drinks. Then we will have pizza, cake, and ice cream. I will postpone having any alcohol.

Also, when additional food options or seconds/refills are offered at restaurants, I have frequently thought that I should just say "Let me think about it a while please", but I never follow through on that thought. This lesson will help me do that.

DAY #29 HANDHELD FOODS

Yes, Maria, this is another difficult lesson for me also. I have come to learn over the years that I usually don't like to hold onto food!

Restaurant sandwiches (I don't eat sandwiches at home) are messy, I can't hold them together, and the sauce/juices drip all over my hands. BBQ Ribs & Chicken I eat with a fork to avoid the stickiness. Corn-On-The-Cob isn't so bad because I don't put butter on it. Fresh fruits I cut up and eat with a fork (except for grapes and little berries). Nuts, chips, crackers, etc. I don't dare have in my house! Does all of this dislike for handheld foods stop me from eating them? NO IT DOES NOT! Sometimes I even get a craving for that Hand-To-Mouth motion. Maybe a kickback to my smoking days?

I don't think I will be doing today's exercise either. Resisting handheld foods is a good enough lesson for me right now.

DAY #28 EATING BECAUSE IT'S THERE

WOW! I have some pretty impressive Team Mates with their awesome Resistance Muscles. I no longer work so there are no longer those temptations. And, for some reason I can't figure out, I am not tempted by the sample offerings at the grocery store. And, with upcoming Halloween, for the past couple years I have had no trouble walking right by all of the candy.

Still - This might be my biggest problem in weight loss:

* I clean my plate BECAUSE IT'S THERE
* I feel like I am the one and only person responsible for not disappointing others so I eat the food they have paid for and worked hard to make BECAUSE IT'S THERE
* At any kind of buffet style setting - party or restaurant - I eat BECAUSE IT'S THERE
* If it is in my home, I eat BECAUSE IT'S THERE so I make sure I don't have "it" in my home.

And once I start it is soooooo hard to stop!

Now if I can only REMEMBER - I DON'T EAT FOOR JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE!

DAY #27 EAT DESSERT WHEN IT'S SPECIAL

I agree with so much with what you have already posted:

June - OMG! Just listed all of those wonderful deserts made my mouth water!

Maria - I am with you about the salt & sugar. They seem to go hand-in-hand for me and once I start I can't seem to stop so it is better to stay away from it all together.

Phyllis - Desert is not a usual part of my daily routine either, but I grew up in a home where it was a daily must and I wonder it this has contributed to my "sweet tooth". Chocolate has slipped into my days way too often lately - one square of 82% cacao after dinner - you know - b/c chocolate has such health benefits - Right?!

Janet - we have a small family also - Myself, DH, DD, SIL, 2 GDs, and my Dad. Those special occasions are limited to birthdays and holidays. I also seem to have the thinking that it is o.k. to have deserts and much of anything else I want when I am on vacation and I would benefit greatly from turning this kind of thinking around.

Birthdays = cake & ice cream
Thanksgiving = pumpkin pie & whip cream
Christmas = eggnog

Tonight DH and I are taking my dad to dinner for his 93rd birthday and I will NOT be having desert, but we are having a family get-together this Sunday to celebrate. He loves all deserts, but especially chocolate, so I will make a chocolate cake for the occasion.

DAY #26 WHEN FOOD DISSAPPOINTS YOU

Well, I sure can relate to "Sally" in today's lesson. This very thing happened to me recently at our GD's birthday celebration and I mentioned it already, but it is a perfect example for this lesson. I had ordered Butter Pecan Ice Cream Pie for the adults. Butter Pecan is my favorite ice cream! I was so disappointed to discover that I didn't think this "pie" tasted all that good for some reason. But just to be sure - DH and I finished off the left overs last night. Yep. Sure enough. It still did not taste all that great, but that didn't stop me from eating all of my piece!

To my credit, however, I had also ordered a Mint Chocolate Chip Pie which is my GD's fave. There were a couple pieces of that pie left over also on Saturday, but I threw them out because this flavor is not my favorite. So I think I'm making some progress in this area.

DAY #25 SMALLER AMOUNTS, LESS OFTEN

My meal planning has fallen by the roadside lately and I can feel the effects - not following my food plan, increased chaos in my brain regarding food choices, giving-in more often to cravings and desires.

I mention this because I'm not sure Smaller Amounts Less Often works well for me either! I think I am better off with a specific plan and that is why I like the No S plan. It takes all of the guess work out of the equation for me. I need to do a better job following my plan this coming week.

Favorite Foods -
1. Deserts - Hot Fudge Chocolate Lava Cake, Hot Fudge Ice Cream Sundae w/ Whipped Cream & Nuts, Bread Pudding

2. Dove Chocolates

3. Wine (or beer or mixed drinks)

4. Spinach Dip & Crackers (or any kind of dips actually)

5. Nacho Supreme

6. Butter (on anything!)

7. Pasta (or some other heavy carb)

This coming week is very busy for me -

Tuesday Coffee w/ Friend - 1 Scone
Thursday Dad's 93rd B.D. - Olive Garden w/ 1 wine
Saturday Irish Festival - 2 Beer
Sunday Dad's Family B.D. Celebration - 1 Lite Beer w/ 2 Pizza squares

Geez, this is a lot of extras ! I may have to rethink some of this plan.

DAY #24 EAT FOR SATISFACTION

I can still relate to Linda's question and example for "What do your really want?" when I search and eat and search and eat looking for just the right thing to satisfy my craving all in an attempt to fulfill some emotional upheaval that I can't seem to identify. Luckily for me this behavior happens less often, but not yesterday!

I realize that I did the Satisfaction Test on Tuesday with chocolate, but I did not eat for satisfaction at all yesterday and it has taken me until today to figure it all out! I gobbled down a Mache Tea Latte that had a beautiful foam design on top and a thick & heavy(a.k.a. filling) Peanut Butter Cookie of some kind without a bit of satisfaction (Sabotaging Thought: this cookie is made by a company that uses all healthy ingredients.) At dinner I kept noticing the fish and green beans felt like they were coated in way too much oil and salt which I did not enjoy (Sabotaging Thought: DH was being so kind to cook dinner for you so don't criticize; just eat it.) Then during TV time I dished up a bowl of pistachios and proceeded to eat mindlessly (Sabotaging Thought: You blew your No S rules AGAIN! so you might as well go for it.)

All emotional eating! I didn't keep eating and searching like Linda's example, but I didn't get much satisfaction from my food that's for sure.

DAY #23 SAVORING

This is what today's lesson said to me: LEARN TO SAVOR SO THAT ONE IS ENOUGH!

Linda must have a real sweet tooth because she always chooses something sweet for us to use in our assignments. However, not everyone has a sweet tooth! There are actually some people, like my DH, who can savor a good steak more than a desert.

I do know what that feeling of savoring is like. I can picture it in my mind. When you take a bite of food that is top quality and say "MMMMMMM". Last night I savored a piece of Dove Dark Chocolate with the last few sips of my wine after dinner. There were several thoughts passing through my mind that led to this indulgence that I won't get into right now, but it turned out to be a good decision.

I savored the rich, smooth, sweet, creaminess of the chocolate and I was satisfied with just one!

Maria, I'm with you on this - "I do not think I will ever stop working on mastering slowing down, being aware and savoring... Practice, progress, not perfection."

Jeanne - I have had plenty of muffins that were well worth savoring. I hope you enjoyed yours!

DAY #22 MULTITASK WITH FOOD

More times then not I eat with distractions and I actually prefer it that way most times. In the morning, during breakfast, I am on my computer reading emails or Spark. Lunch is usually quiet, but I may try to catch up on a bit of reading. With dinner there is always noise in the background as DH likes to have the news on while we eat. Then add the times into the mix when there are other people eating with us and the distractions can multiply exponentially!

I do think this lesson has a point that I need to work on - paying better attention and eating slower. I have been trying to do this by putting my fork down more frequently between bites and making sure I have finished chewing what is in my mouth before I put another bite in. This point clicked in my head yesterday as I overheard DH explain to our GD (he piles his egg on his toast and then takes a bite) "It's just like taking a bite of your egg and then a bite of toast" which means it is all messed up in your mouth at one time. I think we could learn to recognize a lot about the food we eat if we only put one kind of food in our mouth at a time, but this is a better example of yesterday's lesson I think.

For today's lesson about distractions I can use our family gathering yesterday afternoon as an example. 5 adults and 2 kids all gathered around and talking at the same time - the guys in one conversation, DD and me in another conversation, and the 2 GKs putting their 2 cents in everywhere! Chaos! ! ! I had one beer and after I opened my second beer I noticed I hadn't even finished my first one yet! ! ! Now that is what I call being distracted.

To me there is a difference between multitasking and being distracted and just having one other person around would not really effect me one way or another.

DAY #21 EAT WITH AWARENESS

I use to be a fast eater, but now I eat with more awareness! Don't get me wrong. I still eat fast, but I am doing much better at being aware of fullness and flavor. A work in progress.

Yesterday is a good example of awareness for me. My Tuna Melt sandwich was not the best - too runny, not creamy enough for my taste. I love the salty, crunch of Kettle Chips; especially the ones that are folded over or twisted up in some way. I stuck to my half-off special plan and I was aware of my level of fullness.

Even though I was full enough, this restaurant is noted for their deserts and baked goods so , of course there was desert to be had! I shared with DH and he seemed irritated with me that I commented twice about the lack of chocolate sauce on the Hot Fudge Donut w/ Ice Cream. Oh well! His irritation is not my problem! Then I used our 2 Bite lesson as I tasted a small bite of our GD's donut - NOT very good at all IMHO as it was too dry. Then again with our GS's raspberry pie - and again, NOT very good as it too was too dry. When all was said and done I felt very full and could not even imagine the thought of dinner later on.

Today we are having our family here for dinner to celebrate out GD's 7th birthday and there will be an opportunity to use many of the lessons we have already had. There will be lots of distractions and I know my anxieties will be high, but I have a plan. I am already picturing in my head what my dinner plate will look like and how I will enjoy the flavors without over-doing it. I will be Protecting My Plan today!

DAY #20 HALF-OFF SPECIAL

Through our various reviews I have tried this assignment without too much success I must admit. Home of course is not an issue. Restaurants are another whole world of issues!

One problem is that I can't seem to leave half of my food to take home.
One reason for that is that I am not particularly fond of left overs (there is that Waste vs Waist!).
One other reason is that I don't like lugging left over containers around with me.

Secondly is "who would I share with"? I usually dine out with DH and he and I eat very different foods. I can say that if we order sandwiches and they come from Fries we frequently share them, but then not always because I actually prefer the Kettle Chips offered.

Third is the fact that sometimes I just don't want to share. I am especially guilty of this when it comes to desert.

So you can see I have some work I can do in this area! Linda asks us to do this with at least 5 foods. This weekend we have our two grandkids and we have a couple of lunches at restaurants planned so I will have a few opportunities for this assignment.

DAY #19 EAT REASONABLE AMOUNTS

I still weigh and measure a lot of my food, but I have learned over the years what a portion size looks like and doing this exercise in the past has confirmed that my guesstimates are pretty accurate. Even last winter when we were in Florida for 2 weeks at a rental home, I brought my scale and measuring cups!

Well, just because I know what a portion size looks like, doesn't mean I always like the looks of it! Half a bowl of cereal in the morning or an afternoon snack of one little measly ounce of nuts leaves me feeling defeated. I help the cereal out with fruit on top, but there is no help for that little helping of nuts so I just don't even go down that road.

Tonight my dad is coming for dinner. We are having BBQ Ribs. This is a hard one for me. I think a serving size is just 2 ribs! Geez, I enjoy eating twice that and I could even eat more if my conscience would let me. Guess I will strip the meat off the bone and weigh it tonight just to make sure I get every last yummy morsel!

DAY #18 RETRAIN EATING HABITS

Looks like I did part of this assignment yesterday when I came up with all of the old clichés that came to my mind about cleaning up our plates and not being wasteful!

And as I also mentioned, the restaurant trap is the biggest culprit for me now days. I have tried several times to set my intentions about only eating half of what comes on my plate or at the least stopping myself from eating more when I notice I'm full enough. Unfortunately I have not been successful yet, but I will continue to work at getting better at this.

Phyllis I love your idea - when I eat what I don’t really like or what is stale or old just to keep from tossing (and wasting) it, I am really just “waisting” it.

I am better at cleaning out my refrigerator without guilt of old left-overs that I couldn't bring myself to throw out but never got around to eating in a timely manner.

My mantra for this lesson:

DON'T GIVE UP YOUR POWER TO FOOD!

DAY #17 STOP WASTING FOOD

I'm sure many of us hear our mothers tell us to clean our plates (don't leave any food). I believe it has been determined that this approach was caused by growing up during the depression period when food was scarce for many. Other sayings: "There are starving children in this world that would give anything for that food!" or how about "That was so good I could lick my plate clean!" Yes. We have been very conditioned to not waste food.

Although it is true, I have never cared much for the cliché about "You will waste the food one way or another; either in the garbage or on your waist!"

Linda tells us we can prevent having too much food in the first place. When I am at home this is simple because I weigh and measure everything. When I am away from home it is much more difficult. Buffets are a landmine for me which has a load of issues in and of itself. Restaurant food is so expensive it is like throwing money out the window and I do not like left overs. Food someone else has prepared is also a challenge.

I think we would all benefit by concentrating on being more mindful rather than worrying about wasting food. I still have some work in this area - a good challenge for this week!

DAY #16 NURTURING POWER OF FOOD

When you're feeling stressed or sad or lonely, food does seem to make you feel better, but the first 2 bites are the only ones that have any emotional power! Eating more simply won't bring you any additional satisfaction or make you feel any better.

I didn't like this assignment before and I still am not sure that I agree with it. The first 2 bites are indeed delicious, but how do you know if that satisfaction decreases unless you eat the whole thing?!

DH and I have had a very stressful year and my DD reminded me that I needed to put some fun back in my life. So that is what we did this past weekend. There were no "2 bites" about it. I ate and drank to my hearts desire without any thoughts of guilt. Now that the w/e done I hope that it proved to be a healing experience and I am back on track.

Sometimes 2 bites just doesn't cut it (IMHO).

DAY #15 FIRST 2 BITES

Over all I agree with what you all have said and I think Wanda probably described it best for me:

"I don't do this exercise either although I did do it the first time I went through the book. Throwing away food that I enjoy is painful. I would rather plan to indulge and eat the whole thing without guilt."

Like Phyllis I remember each time I did this exercise in the past. The first time was with an Andes Mint. Gulp, it was gone, and I was left craving more! The second time was last February for Valentine's Day. I shared a desert with DH so it was more than 2 bites, but it was the best I could do.

I think this is a good lesson for mindfulness. Last week we ate dinner at my dad's place and it included desert. I ordered the Chocolate Lava Cake. With each bite I kept telling myself "Geez, this is sooo rich. Do I really want to eat this?" I even commented about the richness at the half-way point. But I did not follow my mind. I ate the whole thing even though my brain was telling me to stop.

A few days later I made Creamy Coleslaw as a side dish for dinner. This time I was again mindful of each bite and I thoroughly enjoyed each and every bite so much that I had a second helping that was just as good!

I have also experienced what Gill mentioned when I have eaten something one time only to discover that I did not think it was that great the next time I ate it.

Tonight we are going to a place that makes the best Buffalo Wings in the world (IMHO of course). It will be the perfect opportunity for me to try being mindful with this 2 bite experiment. I am hoping to only eat half the order as they are so high in calories and bring the rest home.

I really want to be successful with the principle of this lesson because I think it is an important key for me !

DAY # 14 MORNING AFFECTS EVENING

As an ex-smoker I went years without eating breakfast! It was always coffee and cigarettes. That sounds awful now! I was actually afraid to eat breakfast because whenever I did it did, indeed, make me more hungry for the rest of the day, just as Linda described, and that is not the way to weight loss. Then I got serious and WW taught me some important lessons - like eating breakfast. I never miss it. I USED TO BE THAT WAY, BUT NOW I EAT BREAKFAST EVERY MORNING. Does that sound familiar to anyone?!

However, I am guilty as charged of saving up some calories on occasion when I know there is going to be a "food event" for me later in the day.

As far as that afternoon slump goes, eating better has not done anything to get rid of it for me. Come 3 p.m. I need a boost which frequently is a little rest with a good book and a cup of coffee with a treat of flavored creamer.

I have learned this lesson well. If I don't eat breakfast I will be starving latter in the day!

DAY #13 OOPS, I FORGOT TO EAT!

You have got to be kidding me! I never FORGET, but there are some days that I miss lunch due to poor planning when I am having a very busy day. Usually I eat breakfast around 8:30 a.m. then I like to eat lunch around 1:00 p.m. and finally we have dinner around 6:00 p.m.

I am not exactly sure how to overcome this dilemma. On a very busy day I may be away from home at "lunch time". I don't plan it this way. I usually intend to get back home in time for lunch. However, there are times when the time gets away from me and I miss that opening.

I know there are plenty of recommendations out there about carrying a piece of fruit of a nutrition bar in your purse on days like this. If I recognized the potential problem, I would do that.

I need to look ahead further on the days I walk out the door for errands so that I can plan better!

DAY #12 FUEL OR FILLER

Some points really stuck out for me in today's lesson:

- Fuel keeps your body running, but filler often gets sent directly to your fat stores.
- Sometimes what starts out as fuel turns into filler by diluting all of the fuel benefits.
- To improve the quality of your fuel look for nutrient dense foods i.e. veggies & fruits
- Never think you can get healthy food at a moments notice: PLAN, PLAN, PLAN!

B - GO LEAN Kashi cereal (fuel)
Banana (fuel)
Milk (fuel)

L - Hummus (fuel)
Carrot Sticks and Sweet Red Pepper Slices (fuel)
Milk (fuel)
Blueberries (fuel)

D - Pork Chop (fuel)
Creamy Coleslaw (fuel)
Milk ( fuel)
Watermelon (fuel)

Even though my food choices we healthy fuel today I see that I was way over on my Protein needs due to all the extra milk I had. My body must have been craving milk because I usually don't drink this much. I know there are people who don't like milk, but I love it!

I also notice that I was way low on my veggie intake by 3 servings. Dinner was all left overs and I ate alone as DH was at a meeting. As I have mentioned before, these nights are frequently charged emotionally for me for some reason. So my goal was to NOT binge eat. I think that stopped me from seeing that I needed to up my veggie intake. I had left over Corn-On-The-Cob that I could have eaten which would have given me one more veggie serving. Oh well! I made a step in the right direction.

DAY #11 TWO PURPOSES OF FOOD

I am so much better now at choosing the healthiest food to fuel my body than I used to be. I'm better because I am more aware of my food choices, I eat 3 meals/day most of the time, and I avoid snacking most of the time.

I am feeling a bit torn about the snacking. I am trying to follow the rules for the No S plan which includes no snack except on S days, but some days I discover at the end of the day that I am feeling hungry. When I look at my food tracker I can see the possible culprit - I have not eaten all of my allotted calories. Then I become torn between having a healthy snack or following the rules. I'm wondering what others who follow the No S handle this?

Last week one of my Intentions was to be mindful of my eating behaviors. I was better than usual at this, but there was a lot of room for improvement. So today's lesson fits right in with my Intention for this week to put my mindfulness down in writing!

9:30 Breakfast - Asparagus & Feta Cheese Omelet w/ Sundried Tomato (1 egg + 2 whites} left me feeling full and satisfied.

Next meal by 1:30 p.m.

DAY #10 APPRECIATE GOOD SUPPORT

My take on this lesson today really isn't weight related.

Yes. I appreciate it when someone notices my weight loss efforts, but there are so many additional ways this can be applied in my life. For example:

1. A friend I really enjoy has made a noticeable effort lately to contact me and plan for us to get together for coffee & walks. This has meant a lot to me because I feel many of my relationships are one sided with me doing all the work/panning. I made sure to let her know how much I noticed and appreciated her efforts.

2. I really stood up to our Garden Club to support a garden dedicated to victims of crime. They finally agreed, but only if I would be in charge of taking care of the garden. I was so worried that the care of this garden would, indeed, be all left up to me, but every time I have put out a "call for help" for weeding, pruning, etc. from my fellow members, they have responded favorably. Today we are meeting to do some perennial dead-heading. I will make sure to let them know how grateful I am to them for helping me.

So, in my book, appreciating good support is a give & take situation.

BTW - I will always take all the compliments that I can get!

DAY #9 HERE'S WHAT I WANT

I feel like my thoughts about yesterday's lesson (Help me, please . . .) were rather scattered. My DH is my closest support and this morning I thought - How can I ask him to help me when he can't even help his own poor eating behaviors?! Guess that just goes to show that it really is -

ALL UP TO ME!

So once again I have mixed feelings about this assignment. I'm going to use some of Gill's answers -

1. If I see myself eating something that's not on my diet plan
- ask myself "do you really want to be eating that?" or "are you really hungry?"

2. When I'm making progress, such as losing weight
- give myself a non-food gift; I said I would by a new workout outfit when I reached my current weight and I haven't done that yet. Time to reward myself!

3. When I'm struggling, or gaining weight
- ask myself what I can do to get going in the right direction again, make sure I keep my daily schedule light and stress-free, and plan some nurturing activities for myself.

4. When I'm making progress I can't see ( such as improving my self-esteem)
- give myself a pat on the back

5. When I've maintained my weight (even though I may still want to lose more)
- tell myself how proud I am of my achievement and trust the process.

DAY #8 HELP ME, PLEASE . . .

I think I have mixed emotions about this.

I view myself as being independent. I like to do the things I am able to do. Some would call that being stubborn! When I need help with tasks around home I don't hesitate to ask DH to help me, but when it comes to weight loss I guess I don't think that is his responsibility. It has got to be me that does the work. What this is boiling down to is that even though I wish someone could stop me from putting unhealthy food in my mouth, I really don't want people to comment on what I am eating.

Most people enjoy a compliment about how good they are looking, what a great cook they are (or whatever skill set you have), how they admire all of the hard work you have been doing to get healthy. I know I appreciate it when I get these compliments. As a matter of fact, when I think about it, I wish I would get more of them! In my life I don't think people around me really notice. I get more kudos from my Spark friends. But maybe it is because here on our team I am more likely to tell you about my successes of the day, week, or month, while in real life I feel like it is bragging. After all, who cares to hear about my weight loss journey?! If they did want to know, I figure they would ask how things are going for me just like my Trainer did at the Y today.

My DD has never had a weight problem. I taught her how to eat healthy even though she doesn't always do so. And she is very dedicated to her fitness program and goes to Boot Camp every morning before work. Her husband, on the other hand, has awful eating habits and is a real couch potato. He is tall and very thin so maybe he thinks there is nothing to worry about. I worry about his influence on my grandkid's eating habits.

DH has a bit of a "beer belly" and he is just a little overweight, but could care less. He is not a picky eater. He will eat whatever I cook. But left to his own devices he will immediately revert back to a boat full of unhealthy choices and he is a big night time snacker. Luckily I do all of the grocery shopping so there is very little unhealthy choices in our house.

As for my "real" friends, I don't think I want to ask them for help. It only upsets me when they talk about wanting to lose weight, but take no action to accomplish that. And I have discovered that when I partner up for fitness the feeling of competition is a hinderance to me rather than helpful. I'm not even sure right now that I like a walking partner

I guess if there was one thing I wanted more it would be for DH to want to be healthy so we could share this experience together. I can only hope and wish! Meanwhile, thank goodness for all of you!

DAY #7 I CAN DO IT



How do I know? I know because -

I have done whatever I have set mind to do and I can do it again and again!

I am totally determined!

I have a Spark family to cheer me on!

The first time I went through this book with you gals I underlined the things that caught my eye in blue ink. The second time it was red ink. This time it is purple ink and I am writing in the margins! Really trying to work through these lessons so they will last me a lifetime.

DAY #6 PROTECT YOUR PROGRAM

I think I am actually getting better at some of this! Friday we had dinner at with friends who are visiting from Florida and this weekend we were out both Saturday and Sunday with a group for most of the day and each day included a restaurant meal. Friday I slipped seriously, but I had PLANNED for Saturday & Sunday and I also learned something about myself -

I lose my determination/willpower when I sit for too long. I prefer to be active and the visiting on Friday lasted for 4 1/2 hours! That is waaaay too long for me to resist!

Our meals on Saturday and Sunday turned out to be rather late in the day - too late IMHO - but there was nothing I could do about it. I had eaten breakfast and, from experience I knew, that if I let those late lunches be my main meal for the day I would be in trouble later that night. On Saturday we ate dinner quite late. On Sunday when DH and I were talking about our meals he commented that just the one meal would be o.k. for him because he could have his bowl of popcorn that night (his bowl is huge, drowning in butter, and dosed in salt!). I PROTECTED MY PLAN! I told him that would not work for me and that I needed to stick to the dinner we had intended on even if it meant eating at 9 p.m. And that is what we did!

High Risk Times for this week when I will need to be on HIGH ALERT:
1. Garden Club Luncheon Meeting ( this has always been a nightmare for me)
2. Tuesday is a VERY busy day for me.
3. Dinner at a restaurant I am not that familiar with.

The Note To Myself this morning in my journal has set my intentions for the week - Mindfulness, Measure & Weigh, No Alcohol.

DAY #5 MAGIC NOTEBOOK

I have tried this so many ways I'm not sure I can even remember them all:

- Like Renee I have used various notebooks and written a couple of things in them and then let it go by the wayside.
- Then I tried using my Bullet Journal and that was probably the most successful so far, but those journals are very expensive for my to pouring all of my thoughts, feelings, etc. into regarding my eating behaviors
- This time I printed out Linda's 100 DWL Journal as a guide, but then I am writing my responses in a different spiral notebook which as it turns out is feeling rather cumbersome to me.

All of this is making me wonder just how many darn notebooks can I have to clutter up my life!

This morning when I logged into SP a member had shown a picture of a page she put together in her Bullet Journal to motivate her weight loss journey. Did any of you see it? I thought it was beautiful! So I am switching plans and I am glad we have not gotten very far. Back to my BuJo I'm going and, as many of us "old timers" do, I'm focusing mostly on the eating challenges and whys of my eating behaviors.

DAY #4 BOUNDARIES, NOT DIETS

I worked this one out in my Journal too! What I discovered about myself is that I'm not sure it is wise for my to think of this in terms of boundaries. Here is why - Linda talks about moving the boundaries closer together and wider apart. There are roads which are narrow and those that are very wide and I discovered I wander ALL OVER THE ROAD when I think in terms of moving my boundaries!

I think I need to think in smaller terms. For me this means focusing on that white center line and following the straight line for as long as I can.

Narrow:
- Track, Track, Track
- Stay within 1500 - 1700 calorie range daily
- 30 minute minimum fitness daily
- No exceptions
- No fats
- No alcohol
- No carbs

Wide:
- Intuitive Eating
- Snacks allowed
- Happy Hour daily
- Only 10 minute fitness requirement
- Foods with sauces and/or other fattening additions
- Basically everything that is opposite of the Narrow Road!

I don't think I like either of these boundaries and so I have been following the No S guidelines for food, lower carb choices, and AT LEAST 10 minutes of fitness daily. For me it is about sustainability and not beating myself up. You all sound like you follow the narrow road better than I do so you will most likely see faster results than I do.

I had a wonderful day today and hit all of my goals, but something went wrong and I fell into the ditch! Still can't figure out how that happened. I must have taken my eyes off the road.

DAY #3 DO IT ANYWAY

When you find yourself thinking: "I don't want to"

I can push myself to get a task done. I know this because that is what I have to do when I find I have procrastinated too long! In the past I have easily put tasks/commitments to myself on the back burner, but this year I have done better at "sticking to my guns". HOWEVER, there is always room for improvement!

I am committed to losing weight so I will:

1. Stick with my plans no matter what
2. Take action whether I feel like doing it or not
3. Know that when I stay motivated, results will follow
4. Take responsibility for my own actions
5. Keep going in spite of challenges and setbacks

I discovered that having a Streak for 10 minutes of fitness was a real motivator for me. So I reset my streak setting this morning and plan to keep a 100% result going! My mantra will be:

NO MATTER WHAT - DO IT ANYWAY!

Today my challenge is my Garden Club's "Member's Garden" Walk. We will be visiting some the gardens of some of our members followed by lunch at a local restaurant. As if another restaurant meal isn't bad enough, in the past member's have had little treats for us to snack on while we wonder through their garden. At first I thought about skipping breakfast because I find these treats to hard to resist, but I rethought my plan. I will have something healthy to eat. I will skip the treats. I will choose a salad for lunch. I have a healthy dinner (Zucchini Boats) planned for dinner. And I will make sure I get at least 10 minutes of walking done tonight!

DAY 2 INTERESTED OR COMMITTED?

Like Renee I always say I am committed. but then circumstances prove otherwise! I been more committed this year than I have been in a long time and the results prove it. I started the year out around 178# and I am down to 163# (this morning). I have been at this weight and even lower once already this year, but lost my commitment focus. Now I am ready to get back to my determined attitude:

NO MATTER WHAT! ! !

What will look like for me?

1. Remember the No S Diet rules.
2. Always protect my plan and not let others sway me from making good, healthy choices.
3. Redefine what "having fun" means to me.
4. Let go of all my old, unhealthy eating and drinking behaviors once and for all.

Tonight is going to be Movie Night for DH & me. We are eating out at one of our local faves and I have saved my calories for the occasion. We already know what we will eat - Southwest Salad w/ Grilled Chicken and Ranch Dressing (diluted with Salsa). It is "half off bottles of wine". I will allow myself 1 glass and have them cap the bottle for taking home. DH will have his movie popcorn (he doesn't know or care what the word "small serving" means), but I am quite content to have nothing but a few sips of his diet soda.

Day 1 I USED TO BE THAT WAY

I steeling one from Phyllis too! And, Donna, I love your acronym for DIET!

* I used to search for a new DIET, or a new quick fix for my weight problem.
Now I accept that there is NO QUICK FIX!

DIET is Dare I Eat That!.

* I used to resent that I couldn't eat, drink, and do whatever I wanted.
Now I know that with some planning I do not have to deprive myself of these things.

* I used to go through the motions and give "lip service" to many of these lessons.
Now I work at incorporating them into my life by evaluating my eating behaviors and coming up with healthier alternatives.

I could go on and on and on! I am a work in progress. Last review I wrote about too much alcohol intake, grazing at parties, taking 2nd and 3rd helpings at buffets, letting fitness slide down the priority scale, not having a food plan for busy days, and using food to nurture and sooth my emotions.

Edited by: FUNLOVEN at: 8/9/2019 (12:28)

Day #36 Slow Down Your Eating

I can surely relate to the need for me to slow down my eating. Sometimes It almost feels like I don't like eating, but I know that can't be true. There are those times though when eating feels more like a taste rather than anything enjoyable.

We are suppose to Listen Accurately and be on the lookout for that Eating Pause. Linda suggests that eating slower might help us with this. I think the whole point is to be more mindful. I did not like the 10 minute time test we took earlier and I have no desire to take 20 minutes to eat. I prefer my dinner food to be warm when I eat it. While breakfast and/or lunch may be "cold" meals, there is hardly enough food during those meals for me to last 20 minutes. So my mantra is MINDFULNESS!

I do like the idea that hunger signal may not always mean we are still hungry for food or that we need much more food then what we have already eaten.

This skill requires practice, practice, practice! Tonight I am having my girlfriends for dinner so I will have a chance to do just that - Practice Makes Perfect!

Day #35 The Eating Pause - Take 2

Yesterday our assignment was to Listen Accurately. I mentioned I had been struggling since the beginning of the month (way too many Red Dot Days!). I attended a Christmas Luncheon for my Garden Club. I did pay attention to how my stomach felt and I did notice when I got the signal that I had probably had enough fuel, but I did not stop eating. Why? Well, I told myself - You only made one pass through the food line and you did not take a sampling of everything being offered; you were very selective in your choices. I had the same kind of thought with my plate of deserts also. By the time dinner rolled around I was so exhausted from the day's errands that I ate mindlessly. This kind of sabotaging thought will not get me to my weight loss goal and neither will eating mindlessly.

I have been very discouraged with myself and had thoughts of quitting this review, but today Linda tells us that if we listen accurately we will notice an "Eating Pause" and this is the exact point where I should feel satisfied and/or comfortable.

I am mustering up my determination and reminding myself:

I HAVE COME THIS FAR IN MY 100 DAYS and I CAN DO ONE MORE DAY!

Day #34 Listen Accurately - Take 2

The Fullness Scale is not the same as the 20-minute signal to my brain? Really? I guess I have learned something new!

However, I think I'm getting some kind of message to my brain when my stomach muscles start to get expanded, too full, and bloated. However, I may just be ignoring the signals if eating is helping me to feel powerful, nurtured, and/or safe.

I need to listen more accurately to my body sensation of fullness instead of what my brain things! I do not like feeling too full and uncomfortable. I want to feel comfortable and satisfied when I am finished eating at a +1 level.

Day #33 Fullness Scale - Take 2

I need to remember this scale:

0 = neutral; not hungry, not full
+1 = satisfied; comfortable, just right
+2 = too full; a little uncomfortable
+3 = stuffed; miserable

I confess that I frequently recognize the signal my stomach gives me about my level of fullness. Then I look at my plate and think to myself "You've hardly eating any of your meal" and then I keep right on eating. I rarely get to the +3 level, but I am familiar with that +2 spot. So it's not as if I'm not aware. I just seem to ignore the signal!

My eating has been "off" ever since the beginning of this month. That is 9 days ago! ! ! Yesterday it was yet another social event - our G.S. 's birthday party. This one was for the family and so we celebrate with our DD's in-laws. We have nothing in common and so it gets a bit boring. Also, the kids start getting noisy and crazy with excitement. The result was that I ate and drank too much and this morning my stomach is not feeling the best.

Today is my Garden Club Christmas Party which includes lots of food. I cannot say that I am looking very forward to it. I'm wondering at what point today my stomach will feel empty enough to want filling?!

Day #32 The 5 Hour Rule

I have learned the importance of not skipping meals and I try to eat within this recommended time allotment. I do not usually snack at night. So my last meal is around 6 p.m. with my breakfast the next morning being around 9 a.m. That is a 15 hour stretch I know, but the thought of food first thing when I wake up just isn't appealing to me at all!

Today was a bit unusual. I was hungry this morning, but DH wanted to fix a nice breakfast for me - bacon & blueberry pancakes. I can't remember the last time I let myself eat pancakes! So breakfast did not happen until 10 a.m. or even a bit later (I forgot to look at the clock). I noticed that I was very hungry. My stomach had been growling for some time. I also noticed when I felt full, but then it happened as DH says "There is enough left for another pancake." "Oh, o.k." I replied. Who was I kidding? Myself! He could have cared less if I left that remaining batter, but I told myself I wanted to be nice since he did this breakfast just for me. I ended up too full after that.

Because breakfast was late, so was lunch. 5 1/2 hours had passed. I was hungry. I knew I could not and should not wait until dinner even though lunch was coming so late. I was at a -1 hunger. So I had a bowl of homemade pea soup. Somehow that didn't completely satisfy me. So I poured out a bowl of Seasoned Oyster Crackers I made the other day for a potluck. I know they are high in cals. , but sometimes my body actually calls for something starchy. After eating only half the bowl, I noticed I had had enough. This is the point at which I could have finished them off, but I didn't and I'm very happy about that - that I was mindful and listened to my tummy's hunger level. One small step for mankind!

We are going out for dinner tonight with friends and I'm not sure when I will get to eat

Day #31 Hunger Scale - Take 2

I can easily ignore my hunger if I am not careful to be mindful especially in the morning. It apparently is recommended that we eat within 1 - 2 hours of waking. I have tried this approach at times and really need to commit to it more consistently, but like some have mentioned - it is my coffee that I want first thing when I reach the kitchen. Then I seem to get distracted on my computer reading emails and Sparking. The time just flies by and before I know it that 1-2 hour window is long gone! So several mornings, after I get up around 7:30, I'm not eating breakfast until 11 a.m. when it is Brunch time!

When I do eat breakfast "on time" I can, once again, get busy, ignore my hunger, and forget about lunch. When that happens I need to have a light snack before dinner or I will find myself in deep trouble at -3!

I have come to enjoy eating three meals a day which is new for me. However, I do not like to have to eat a specific times. I prefer to listen to my body to tell me when I need to eat even though I am not always very good at listening. So here is a lesson with another skill for me to work on.

In the mean time, it is 9:30 p.m. , the TV is on, and DH is waiting for me so we can watch a movie. The smell of his buttered popcorn is really tempting me. Am I hungry? Or is it all in my head? I'm not sure. A combination? I would give myself a -1 so I'm going to play it safe and cut up and apple to munch on.

Day #30 Postpone Eating - Take 2

I easily envisioned myself in the social scene Linda described. It is a party and there will be lots of appetizers and snacks. I enter the room and I IMMEDIATELY scan it for the food! I do not notice anything else except for the food offerings. It is like a magnet that pulls at me! I can't wait to sample all of the offerings! And so it starts. One bite leads to another and then another.

The last time I did this lesson was over a year ago at a Halloween party. I postponed many of the yummy looking offerings until we were on our feet, our cooler packed, and heading to the door to leave. DH stopped along the way to talk to someone and I headed to the food table. I remember being disgusted with myself later. I can shovel a lot of snack food and bite-sized appetizers in within just a few minutes. Today I see that this approach, even though I felt like I consumed a lot, saved me from consuming even more if I had been snacking all night long.

It is sooooo hard to stop once I start. It reminds me of smoking. I have a component of A.D.D. running though my gene pool. The more choices available the more overwhelmed I get until I just plain give into them all!. I am better off to not even start. I can state for a fact that, after all of 20+ years, if I was to smoke a cigarette now it would be the beginning of the end for me. The cigarette and that associated behavior is that addictive for me. I have recently been thinking about the addiction of food.

My head fights the thought of completely having to give up some foods. However, I could do a better job of postponing eating by staying mindful. I have been known to push those baskets of tortilla chips or bowls of nuts to the other end of the table and out of my reach. When dining out I refuse the bread basket offerings.

I can work at being more consistent in postponing my snacking by remembering:

ONCE YOU START YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO STOP. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO RISK THAT?!

Day #29 Handheld Foods - Take 2

I am VERY familiar with the Hand-To-Mouth Syndrome!

At restaurants that serve Mexican cuisine there frequently seems to be the inevitable basket of tortilla chips to munch on while you wait for your ordered food to arrive. At other kinds of restaurants French Fries or Kettle Chips always seem to accompany the sandwich. And I can't even begin to list all of the foods on an Appetizer Buffet table that tempt me!

At home it is not such a problem for me. I don't allow very many treats/junk food in my house. I do have some healthier crackers, a bag of Trail Mix, micro popcorn, tortilla chips, and pistachio nuts (in the shell) in my snack cupboard. I have been known to eat straight from the container so my best plan is to make sure I don't even start there, but measure out a serving size instead.

Last night I decided to have a snack. I measured out a 1/2 cup serving of those pistachio nuts and savored each one as I peeled off the shell!

One handheld item that Linda didn't mention, but I struggle with, is sandwiches/burgers. I can't tell you how many times I have gone to a restaurant with the intention of the Half-Off lesson only to end up eating the entire thing. I really dislike the constant picking up and putting down thing about sandwiches/burgers so I just give up and eat the entire thing.

I need to learn to use my fork & knife more and this is a good lesson for that.

Day #28 Eating Because It's There - Take 2

I am guilty of doing this many times. I can't seem to identify why sometimes I can ignore food and others times I can't.

The grocery store - no problem.
The sample ladies - no problem.
The movie theater - no problem.
An appetizer table - YIKES!
A candy dish of my faves - YIKES!

I really do need to remember:

I DON'T EAT FOOD JUST BECAUSE IT'S THERE!

I EAT FOR TWO REASONS: FUEL & FLAVOR!

Linda tells us to practice this by resisting in different controlled situations so we will be prepared when the real temptations show up in our line of vision!

Day #27 Eat Desert When It's Special - Take 2

I grew up with deserts and they can still be my downfall. I need to watch myself very closely around deserts and I don't dare have them in my house. Just the other night I was at a Holiday Craft Show that served wine and treats. I love those little pretzels that have a piece of chocolate melted on them. Just the right mouth size. The sweet & salt combination is perfect. Sure enough I kept going back for just one more!

I like the idea of saving desert for those "special" occasions. RIGHT SETTING, GREAT PEOPLE, EXCELLENT FOOD = SPECIAL!

And, I could stand to be a bit more specific about what my favorite deserts are. After all, all deserts are not created equally. I would tell you that I am not a big caramel fan. I would also say I love Bread Pudding, thick Cheesecake, and Chocolate Torte! O.K. enough of those "sugar plums" dancing in my head!

Day # 26 When Food Disappoints You - Take 2

I have been in the exact situation that Linda described. I had planned on a food. Looked sooooo forward to eating it. The discovered it didn't taste any good. Her example was a desert cake that tasted dry and crumbly. Who on earth would expect a Triple-Layer Chocolate Cake to taste awful! ! ! At an Asian Buffet we take my dad to I have learned to skip the desert table because I frequently founds myself saying after the fact "Geez, those deserts were awful!".

I understand that food isn't always perfect and that it will never magically change into your dream taste. Also, that is better to stop wasting my calories on foods I don't love. But, how are we suppose to deal with the disappointment? It seems to evolve into a monster all of its own making!

I will try to remember: I YOU DON'T LOVE IT - LEAVE IT! It may be a learning experience about what foods I really do love. I have 3 social events this week that involve food. I will be mindful of the flavors and leave behind what I don't love.

Day #25 Smaller Amounts, Less Often - Take 2

I can't say that I can trust myself with this idea. When I am trying to lose weight the thought of having junk food, desert, or unlimited alcohol are the first things to go. I know the concept of planning a treat in order to not feel deprived, but just the thought of it fills me with guilt.

I had hoped to be able to follow the No S plan. No sweets, snacks, seconds, except on days starting with the letter S and/or special occasions. I still couldn't seem to tame the guilt feelings. Linda is right, though, when she tells us that by planning specific times and amounts for eating the foods you love, you get back to being in charge of your food instead of your food being in charge of you. She says it so well, because I frequently feel like my life is controlled by food when I am trying to lose weight.

I also have trouble with idea of snacks. In my head I think snack time is such a bad habit. But maybe if I plan for it and stay with my calorie allotment I can become more successful at this lesson.

Day #24 Eat For Satisfaction - Take 2

I am all about foods that are flavorful and satisfying and I can say that most of the food I eat fills that need, Linda talks about food that reaches the soul, helping you feel relaxed and fulfilled. It brought to mind a cup of coffee with flavored creamer in the afternoon or a yummy desert - both of which I can go "Ahhhhh" with satisfaction at the first sip or bite.

There are other times when my food is not satisfying - if I eat it too fast and don't pay attention to the flavors, if the recipe is truly lacking that "something", or if there is some other emotional thing going on with me that needs nurturing and/or soothing.

I have had a birthday this week and also been sick all week with a cold. I have tried to be diligent but found that I just didn't have enough energy to fight the battle completely. I needed recognition, appreciation,soothing, and nurturing. Food did some of that, but not as completely as it could have if I had been feeling better and more mindful.

Day # 23 Savoring - Take 2

Linda gives us an exercise to do almost right off the bat. To eat a food slowly in 4-6 small bites and pay attention to the smell, texture, mouth feel, flavors, sensation of swallowing. She tells us that when we eat with this level of awareness, ONE IS USUALLY ENOUGH!

I have been doing better with my awareness while eating, but I'm not sure with this cold I have and my taste buds being off-kilter that it is a good time to be doing a taste test. Never the less, this is what I did yesterday -

Lunch at Mc Donald's. I love their simplest of hamburgers. What I really love about them is all of the extra dill pickle slices I order on it. I have to tell the clerk "extra" for each pickle piece I want. That is a lot of "extra, extra, extra" pickle! I also had their Yogurt Parfait. I gobbles both down in record time. I was hungry, loving the flavors, and maybe a bit stressed due to the furniture shopping we were doing.

We went to see Santa last night with the family and then to dinner. Our S-I-L ordered a Nacho Plate and Fried Dill Pickles. I tried 1 bite of the nachos (using potato slices instead of tortilla chips as a different kind of twist on this dish) and 2 slices of the Fried Pickles. On the way home DH and I shared what we thought of these two recipes. We liked the Potato Nachos, but not the Fried Pickles as they tasted greasy. We go to this restaurant quite a bit with the family because the gks like it, but can't say I would ever order these two dishes that our S-I-L had after getting a taste of them.

I order their BBQ Chicken Quesadillas and did my Half-Off lesson. This is what I order every time I go to this restaurant so obviously I really like the taste. I enjoyed one beer (everyone else had two) and with the tasting I did off of S-I-L's plate I felt very satisfied when we left for home. But later when DH and I were watching TV my stomach was rumbling and thoughts of junk food started floating through my head! OH NO! ! ! I did some serious self-talk and sliced up an apple instead so I am patting myself on the back

Once again, I think that eating SLOWLY so we can pay attention & be aware is the key to many of our lessons!

Day #22 Multitask With Food

Yes, indeed! There have been plenty of times when I have finished eating and asked myself where in the heck all of the food went!

Today's lesson is the opposite of yesterday's lesson. As I mentioned yesterday, when I'm at home my Sparking is my breakfast distraction and the TV Evening News is my dinner distraction. I seem to handle these both o.k., but with dinner I would prefer no TV and I would love soft music is I could ever get around to organizing my Play Lists on my phone.

I think my bigger problem is when I am out of the house. There are many more distractions out there and if we are eating with some friends I find the conversations VERY distracting. We had dinner plans for tonight which I decided to cancel because of my cold (trying not to spread my germs any further then I have to). I am disappointed. I was really looking forward to it and it would have been a perfect opportunity for me to do today's lesson. Now I have no plan for dinner tonight

Tomorrow night I will get another chance. We are meeting our DD & family to see Santa and then we will go to a restaurant for dinner after that. Besides conversation I will have the GKs energy to deal with. I plan on taking the following steps while I am eating:

1. Study my food when it arrives at the table.
2. Take a bite.
3. Chew slowly and savor the flavors.
4. Put my fork down while I am talking (I usually just keep shoveling it is - a horrible habit!).
5. Make a comment about of my food tastes.

I added the last two steps and I am hoping they will really help lock this mindfulness in place.

Hope you feel better soon!

I'm sorry you have a cold. Not much fun, is it?!.

I had ice cream today......and not just half! I think I was aware.......

Day #21 Eat With Awareness - Take 2

I'm getting better at this, but sometimes I think I still have a way to go when it comes to responding to my awareness - like stop shoveling that food in your mouth, Sue!

I didn't feel the need to set a beautiful table for this assignment. We eat at our kitchen island. I do always sit down for each meal now, but I am frequently multitasking with some kind of reading (such as our Lessons ). At dinner the TV is always on behind us as the kitchen and family room "run" into each other. Lately I have been asking DH if we can eat either before or after the 6 p.m. news. That way I am not always swiveling around in my chair to catch what they are saying. I have come to enjoy the peace & quiet of it.

My suspicions were confirmed by bedtime last night. I caught someone's cold! My throat feels scratchy, I'm extra thirsty, and my taste buds are off. This is my excuse for not doing our Half-Off assignment yesterday. DH and I did go out to lunch. I ordered a Reuben Sandwich which came with homemade potato crisps. I ate more than half, but I was thinking about our lessons and left some of the sandwich and some of the chips on my plate. Oh, and I had a couple of beers - nope, I didn't leave any of that behind!

This morning I had no appetite and so I didn't eat until almost noon. I was needing some nurturing so I poured my self 2 servings of cereal in my bowl topped with soy milk. The cereal was soft, the raisins were chewy, and the milk was nice and cool going down my throat. I ate it all and was satisfied with that.

For lunch today I had a serving of left over tuna salad. Where on earth does the mayo disappear to? It tasted dry and I was not satisfied so I found myself hunting for something else to fill that spot. I cut up a juicy apple which tasted good and was cool in my mouth.

I am really embracing our lessons and I think I am make small steps forward in several areas of my responses to food. I will continue to work on my mindfulness and S-L-O-W D-O-W-N my eating so I can continue to appreciate the flavors and recognize when I have had enough.

Day #20 Half-Off Special - Take 2

Linda asks us to eat half as much as we normally would for this lesson. At first I was a bit miffed at this and thought "You've got to be kidding me! I hardly get enough to eat as it is. I won't get enough fuel if I cut my calories in half!". Then I realized I did this exercise last night at dinner.

I made one of DH's favorite - City Chicken. There actually isn't any chicken in it at all! You skewer up bite sized chunks of veal and pork, coat in a seasoned cracker crumb mix, brown in shortening, and then bake. I should have weighed a skewer, but I didn't think of it until now. Each skewer has about 5-6 bites of meat on it. I took only 2 when I easily could eat 4 and have done so in the past. Then I put the ingredients into the SP Recipe Calculator so I could track my dinner. OMG! ! ! 500 calories per skewer. How on earth could that be?! Did I calculate something wrong? But there is no way of telling so it is a good thing I only ate the 2 I had planned on (which put me 50 calories over the top of my range) and got my fitness done for the day.

She says this technique is a good approach at banquet/buffet tables because you can get a little taste of many foods. I have learned that it is better all together for me to stay as far away from this kind of experience as much as possible. I just can't seem to resist. With my A.D.D. tendencies there are just to many choices and I get to overwhelmed by it all and lose my focus. I don't know if I will ever overcome this kind of challenge. Linda tells us -

IF YOU CRAVE SECONDS, YOU'RE PROBABLY HOOKED ON THE TASTE OF THE FOOD RATHER THAN NEEDING MORE FUEL.

This is an important fact for me to remember. The other bit that I find very helpful is about pizza. Our pizzas always come cut into squares instead of pie-shaped slices. I have always struggled with how to compare the two shapes because in my minds eye I see 2 squares = 1 slice, but I'm not confident in this calculation. I wonder if they would be willing to cut the pizza into slices instead of squares the next time I order one.

In the long run, for now, Linda (and Gill) tells us the main purpose of this assignment is to learn to recognize whether it's your body or your head that still wants food and to train your brain (and the people around you) to expect half - and be satisfied with that.

A lesson I surely can benefit from! I think I will ask DH if he wants to go out to lunch so I can experiment with this!

Day #19 Eat Reasonable Amounts - Take 2

I am actually pretty good at this. I have done today's assignment several times even during my "down" periods when I'm not focusing on my goals.

Right now I am weighing and measuring several of the foods I eat. Especially those which are calorie dense like the nuts Maribeth mentions. One little ounce of nuts (a serving size) or Trail Mix looks pathetic it is so small! Pasta, potatoes, or other carbs is another group of foods I need to watch for portion distortion. Now that I think of it, even 3 oz. of meat looks pretty skimpy on my plate!

We have two different designs of dinner plates. One has a wider border than the other. I always use the wide-border one for my food. We learn that our food should not flow over the edges of our plates and this helps me keep it contained. Also, I don't like my food to touch just like a little kid! Hence, the two pass throughs that I did at yesterday's Thanksgiving buffet. I could have gotten it all on one plate if I had wanted to pile it all on top of each other.

At restaurants I need to remember that the portions are frequently much larger than a serving size. Unfortunately, in America bigger seems to equate to better.