Last Post about the Beck Diet Solution

Luckily Dr. Beck says that it is ok to take more than one day before you start the next task. I've done fairly well at not eating while standing, but it's not easy. It's most difficult when I'm preparing food or visiting with friends. But I can see why it's important to avoid this, those calories consumed while standing are not acknowledged and won't satisfy your hunger.

I've also been working on the following task which is to give myself credit and acknowledging any eating (not eating) accomplishments. The flip side of giving yourself credit is to not be hard on yourself when you aren't perfect.

Last night I went out to dinner with my best friend who has a toddler that is the same age as mine. I didn't choose the healthiest meal - I ordered balsamic chicken (a lightly breaded chicken breast with a balsalmic cream sauce) with mashed potatoes and vegetables. The chicken wasn't the healthiest choice, but I was happy that I didn't order an appetizer, didn't finish all the potatoes and abstained from eating dessert. The manager even offered us a free dessert since my friend's chicken wasn't thoroughly cooked.

Next task: Eat mindfully and slowly
Another tip I learned from the Geneen Roth principles is to eat slowly. Eating slowly and mindfully is the next task in the Beck Diet Series. It takes twenty minutes for your brain to get the message that you are full. So you can be physically full and continue eating way more than necessary. You also want to enjoy your food, concentrate on the tastes and textures. The slower you eat, the less you eat. I know this works, but will take lots of practice for it to become a habit.