Grand Totals

Can I just say, this was close! I can't believe I didn't push myself just a little harder, but I guess I've learned not to mess with KaRaeZee!
KaRaeZee-2,804.3
Heroic Hafens-2,747.5
Homebase Hasbeens- 2,540

Good job everyone! I think I'm gonna celebrate by eating some Halloween candy...Money is on the way. Is there a preference for who we give it too?

Saturday

Can you believe we made it folks? I'm sorry if you have been having a hard time seeing the blog. I put you all as administrators, so I hope that helps? I have the blog as public, so you should only have to sign in to post. Whatever. Blogging is not in my future. I have to say today was a great one for the diet after all. Not only did I exercise a bit by shopping with the sisters, but Jordon and I played Wii boxing for quite a while and boy are my arms TIRED! Today is my day off of food because I realized that tomorrow i fast Sunday, so bonus at dinner time! I know I will catch up on my calories with some super nutritious Danish Dessert. I have noticed that it has helped my habits. I now grab bottles of water without thinking about it. I look forward to exercising. And when my baby sleeps well, I pop awake in the morning with a lot more energy than I used to. I hope you've had fun! Can't wait to see the results!

Finally!

I've been trying to login to this so I could leave a message all week and it finally worked!! So I wanted to take the suggestion of the last day of the Beck Diet and go on a shopping spree--but somehow that day got away from me. Though I did enrich my life with and In n Out burger...does that count? Only a few days left and I'm feeling good! I hope everyone else is enduring also :)

Homebase Hasbeens

We have enjoyed being accountable for what we do. I don't know about more energy or any weight loss, but we think about what we are doing. I really try hard to keep snacks out of the house, but Halloween came. I didn't buy way too much this year, so it was okay. Now we are all looking ahead to the holidays! We have really tried to stick to fresh fruit as much as possible and I find that when we have it around and easily accessible (ie: watermelon cut up in the fridge) we do not seem to need junk food so much. Happy for Sunday to come. How are the rest of you doing?

Week 3 results

I am too lazy to keep calculating, so I am just going to give you this weeks outcome, not the overall total.
KaRaeZee is in the lead with 677.5
The happenin' Hafens are last with 640
And The Homebase Hasbeens take the middle with 647.5!

I haven't heard from the Struhs since the end of week one... Hope everyone is doing great! I would love to hear if this has been successful so far. Anyone feeling more energetic? Finding new ways to cook? Having fun exercising? Or maybe you just can't wait to be done and go back to your old habits (Jordon)? Let us know!

Home stretch folks!

Okay, only seven more days left. Yes, we are ending on Kari's birthday (Nov 7th). The Beck book only has a few more things to do, so after that we all get a free 10 points a day! I love free points. Here we go!

Day 1: Deal with a Plateau
Naturally, when you lose weight you are not going to lose weight every week at the same pace. You are going to hit plateaus where your weight will stay the same for a while and then it will continue to go down again (as long as you keep up your hard work.) Don't get discouraged by this! If you hit a longer plateau, you have four options:

1. Continue to do what you are doing and see if you start to lose weight again.
2. Reduce your daily calorie intake by 200 calories (As long as you check with a Dr. and are sure it is reasonable)
3. increase your daily exercise by 15-20 minutes.
4. Call this your goal weight

Day 2: Keep up with exercise
Is there something that stops you from getting consistent exercise? Do you view yourself as a non-exerciser? Tips:

• Focus on how you feel after you finish exercising, not during
• Put exercise in the no choice category
• Meet a friend or a trainer. They will make you more accountable and will probably make the time pass much faster
• Give yourself lots of credit. Come up with non-food rewards for your positive behavior.
• Focus on your progress. Can you walk a minute longer than the day before? Are you able to work out more vigorously?
  
• End your workout with something positive.
  

Day 3: Enrich your life
Have you been putting off doing things until after you lose weight? A new wardrobe, a vacation, join a social group, etc? If you stop putting those positive things off, you can start feeling better about yourself NOW and if you feel better about yourself you will want to take better care of yourself.

That's it! Have 4 free days! Hope everyone is doing well with your new healthy habits!

Busy busy busy

I'm finding I have to be more creative with my diet/exercise plan in order to work it all in with all the holiday fun going on around us! Like walking through the mall to vote, and running up the escalator, we even took the kids to the park and I walked Zulu.....all fun but practical. Eating has been difficult to eat well rounded meals, but I squeeze some veggies and fruit into everything (plus I have the V8 fusion drink with veggies in it). Water has been the hardest thing this week. Going to all these events I can't be running to the bathroom all the time, so I just have to drink what I can.....Anyways, week three is almost done and WHEW! I'm glad we are in the lead, we'll have to see after the rest of this weekend!

Week Two Results!

Half way there! Here are the results as of now!
Homebase Hasbeens-1,232.5
KaRaeZee-1,413.3
Hurricane Hafens- 1,382..5

I haven't heard from the Struhs' yet. But I have to say it looks like the competition is heating up! Good job folks!

Beck week Three!

I highly recommend the The Beck Diet Solution. When I try to short cut the chapters for you, it can get to sound redundent. I hope you are getting something out of my short hand version...anyhow, here it goes!

Day one: Resist food pushers

Do you worry about hurting people's feelings when you turn down an offer of food? If you were a vegetarian would you eat meat just to spare someone's feelings? Or if you were on a diet for medical reasons (Which some of you are)? When someone offers you something unplanned to eat, politely say no thank you. If they insist, explain you are on a diet. No feelings will be hurt.

Day two: Stay in Control when eating out.

• Choose a suitable place to eat (Make sure there are foods available in line with your plan.)

• Go with a friend who will support your diet

• Plan in advance how much you are going to eat.

• Anticipate sabotaging thoughts

• When your food arrives, portion off the food you will eat. Don't be afraid to ask for a doggie bag up front (people did this all the time to me at Olive garden and I never minded.)

• Assess your success when you leave the restaurant.

Day three: Prepare for travel

Vacations tend to include different eating habits. That's ok! Some possible strategies:

• Allow yourself a few extra hundred calories every day

• follow your plan as usual but add minor splurges on a few occasions

• Follow your diet every day but the last day of your trip.

If your eating rules are too strict, you might get fed up and abandon the diet altogether.

Day Four: Eliminate Emotional Eating

Just about everyone fighting with weight issues eats for emotional reasons from time to time. People without a weight problem don't think of eating to feel better. Use mindset techniques to to combat emotional eating.

• Labele how you feel. I am feeling upset, not hungry.

• Stand firm. Tell yourself you are absolutely not going to eat because you are stressed.

• Don't give yourself a choice. You already made the decision, you don't have to make it again.

• Imagine the aftermath of giving in. Is it worth it in the long run?

• Distract yourself.

• Relax.If you need some techniques, I took a stress management course and would be glad to help you through some relaxation techniques. Or just take a deep breath and calm down. Whatever works for you.

Day Five:Solve Problems

1. What kind of thinking error could I be making?

2. What evidence is there that this thought might or might not be completely true?

3. Is there an alternative explanation or another way of viewing this?

4. What is the most realistic outcome of this situation?

5. What is the effect of my believing this negative thought and what could be the effect of changing my thinking?

6. What would I tell my friend if they were having this negative thought?

7. What should I do now?

Day Six: Believe it

Do you think you are the kind of person who just doesn't lose weight? Stop doubting and believe!

Day Seven: Reduce Stress

Everyone experiences stress everyday (mom?).

1. Solve the problem. If you are stressed because you have too many demands or responsibilities, make a priority chart and list all your activities and how high of a priority they are. Thishelps you organize and put things in perspective. Respond to negative thoughts that interfere with problem solving. Ask a more impartial third person to help if needed.

2. Relax. Chronic stress makes your body tense and makes you more prone to accident and illness. Be happy and healthy by letting go of the stress.

3. Change your mindset. Many people are chronically stressed because they allow unreasonable rules to guide their behavior. Do any of these sound familiar?

• I should always do my best

• I should always prevent problems from happening

• I shouldn't rely on others

• I shouldn't let people down

• I shouldn't make others unhappy

Identify the rules you have for yourself. Relax these self-imposed rules and relax your rules for others.

Homebase Hasbeens

Thanks for putting the info all together for me Kort. It helps. I really thought I had until Tuesday at noon, but I think I sent it Monday night. We will do better this week. Yesterday was a better "fitness" day for me because I was home and could cook and do a few of the things I have slacked off on. We don't like being the Schmucks but we haven't really thought of anything clever. I still need to make salmon this week---maybe tomorrow after the wedding. Working around all the extracurricular activities is the hardest part of the PLAN. Please take notice of our team name. We worked on it this morning. Good luck to you all.