Everyday Systems

Kevin

This is a very difficult time of year for disciplined eaters. I will say, however, that it's *much* less difficult after six months of No-S than I thought it would be. I was dreading December, and it really hasn't been awful. So, next year should be a breeze for you. There is probably something biol...

Kevin

Reinhard gave the definitive answer (as usual). I'm one of those that doesn't permit myself much leeway with the diet, because if I do, well, I go completely off track. But cream or milk to soften your coffee, whenever, seems pretty okay. But here's how easy it is to go astray. Without really knowin...

Kevin

Pizza is a very calorically intense food. It's high in everything, but very high in fat. Pasta, when loaded with sauce and cheese is also pretty caloric. Is it the carbs or the calories? Who knows. I mean, a slice of pizza probably has as many calories as you need in a day. Too bad it tastes so darn...

Kevin

I find shovelglove a great exercise, but you're right: it doesn't hit the chest very hard. I do lots and lots of pushups. 500 two days a week in 10 sets of 50, two sets of 75 every other day of the week (one in the morning, one at night). I think if you want that really big chest, barbells is the on...

Kevin

My weekness is snacks. If I give in, I'm a goner. Your mileage may vary.

Kevin

If you're asking, maybe you already know the answer? My sense of No-S is the most important thing to stick to is eating only meals . That's the rule I try to apply even on S days. When I was having a particularly difficult time, I ate four (somewhat smaller) meals a day. I'm off that now, back on th...

Kevin

This is the one No-S exercise (when done the way I do it) that I wouldn't recommend. It makes me deep, down shoulder sore, and that's not a good thing, I don't think. But it does go away. and it does pump up the shoulders.

Kevin

Got it.

I still think the 67 Mustang 289 convertible (red, with a white top) was the most fun car ever made. :0)

Good luck with No-S. It's been a great thing for me.

Kevin

I do it one handed and call it "busting the ice." 50 reps with a 14 pound hammer is brutal.

Kevin

Many of us that are over 40 have never seen The Fast and the Furious... we don't get it: we shake our fists at you kids driving by in your souped up little imports instead of driving sensible, mid-sized sedans... you'd better fill us in on what NOS is. (I'm sort of kidding: I do know what nitrous ox...

Kevin

If you could, I would pass on anything after dinner. I notice that occasionally I go to bed hungry, but I never wake up hungry. It seems like the wrong time of day to be consuming.

Just my take. Good luck, and have fun with those adopted grandkids!

Kevin

In my experience, it's more aerobic and less muscle building. That is, I breath harder, but my arms aren't as sore. I'm guessing this is because I'm not "braking" the hammer on the downstroke.

What's you feel?

Kevin

In a land of plenty, at a time of celebration, it seems almost wierd to eat three meals a day, with no seconds, and no treats. Here is what I tell myself: it's unethical to eat more than my share of the world's food and feast all the time. I need what I need to eat. I don't need more. Occasional cel...

Kevin

I wish you the best, but I wonder out loud about how healthy a week on acidic sugar water could be. Let us know how it's going.

Kevin

I have to second what Deb mentioned. Exercise. The best weight loss exercise, in my humble opinion, is also the easiest. Walk!

Kevin

That's more like Christian Nordic Rangering, right? :0)

Kevin

My wife has that. She's terribly, terribly aware.

Kevin

Rock on!

Kevin

So you're still down one pound... Gotta tell you, unless you are weighing yourself at exactly the same time of day, under exactly the same conditions, you have no idea whether you're up or down. I vary four pounds in a single day , almost every day (I weigh myself a lot). Keep at it. Get the hang of...

Kevin

For some of us, the snacking urge is the hardest to overcome, but you can do it. My long stretch is lunch to dinner because we eat dinner fairly late. It's a tough one, but I've overcome it. You're doing this during the worst possible month - when everyone brings stuff to work, expects others to par...

Kevin

I don't know how you guys manage such implements. I'm sticking with my 14 pounder!

Kevin

Failure is the human condition, and redemption is the human promise. It's always one decision away.

Keep at it! You'll be a happier man for it. I know I am.

Kevin

Welcome. Give it a try. I started in May and have lost about 25 pounds - but that's deceptive because I've put on about 5 pounds in muscle. One good habit encourages another: I exercise fairly vigorously now, too.

Stick around and let us know how it goes.

Kevin

Yet another excellent coach that the Skins let get away while they went for flash. Sigh.

Kevin

I think eating a treat every day is not in keeping with the spirit of No-S. At least, that's my thought.

I'd save them up and eat them on the Sabbath.

Kevin

Hey, I hope I didn't offend FW. I was just being contrary. You know, I do think a day full of food and football is a good one. I do like eating a big meal and watching the tube (sort of a modern day camp fire if you use it right). I like arguing with my brother in law (a - gasp - Dallas fan) and my ...

Kevin

Distance parking is not a bad practice. Look, I'm adventurous and all for the "face the world" attitude. But if there's an inner voice telling you a particular complex is unsafe, listen to it. I have a wife and a daughter and I understand their reluctance to do things I wouldn't think twice about. I...

Kevin

Hi Niruma, and welcome! An eight pound weight loss in one month might be too much to ask for - it seems like most folks hit about a pound a week, maybe a little more to start - but at a pound a week, you'll hit your goal in a year. I'll bet it took a lot longer to gain the extra weight. Anyway, we l...

Kevin

Here is our Thanksgiving Day menu: Turkey Dressing and Gravy Dijon Roasted Red Potatoes Asparagus Amandine Praline Yams My Grandma's Cranberry Conserve Pumpkin Pie Apple Crisp Sparkling Red & White Grape Juice I'm looking forward to tomorrow...the whole family will be here; Mass in the morning...wh...

Kevin

The office snacks - and the pressure inflicted by their profferers - are still a problem for me. Try to be strong. It'll pay off. I try to make a game of it: the righteous indignation snack offerers display if you dare to say "no thank you" is very entertaining. A mild smile when an explanation is d...

Kevin

The pullups are the sticking point. Holy Crap, are they hard. I can only do 7 or 8 right now. It's a hard motion to train for - you can either do the next one, or you can't.

Kevin

I'm aiming for 100. When VG was here, we were going to race to 200, but I doubt I'll ever get there. Well, not when I have so many other goals (25 pullups, 25 dips in a set). I don't really feel like I'm building much muscle mass, but I sure am stronger, and I don't really get tired out doing upper ...

Kevin

I have found it true that if I miss more than a day of exercise, my body hurts more. This is truer as I get older. Unfortunately, the contrapositive (?) is also true, if I exercise more by body hurts more too. :0)

Kevin

Maybe, Deb. I have much more functional strength and I'm happier for it, so that's good enough for me. :0)

Kevin

FW, the amount of weight I gain doing resistance exercise can't be muscle building, it must be additional fluid in the muscles or something. I don't think you can put on three pounds of muscle in three or four days... Well, maybe Mark Maguire or Barry Bonds could... :0)

Kevin

And you will feel better. I understand from others that it can be a bit of a roller coaster until you get the level just right, but then it's smooth sailing. Good luck!

Kevin

I took Friday as an extra S day because we took our yearly Black Friday trip into NYC. Not a great idea, but there it is.

BTW, we saw Spamalot. It was worth every penny of the admission. Very, very funny stuff. Tim Curry as King Arthur and David Hyde Pierce as Sir Robin... too good to be true.

Kevin

For what it's worth, FW, I had stopped exercising for a week or so when I hurt something or another a couple of months back. My weight d-r-o-p-p-e-d until I started resistance training again (it went from 178 to as low as 172... When I started resistance training again, my weight jumped a couple of ...

Kevin

In my (for once, informed) opinion, Impacting a tire is actually a lot easier on your connective tissue than "braking" the hammer. The tire is a very soft impact. It's not like hitting the ground, or splitting wood, it's much softer than that. I wouldn't have a worry in the world about it being hard...

Kevin

And isn't it funny how in America we've come to associate giving thanks with eating far more than we need to the point of discomfort and then crashing on the couch to watch football, parades, or reruns of Heidi in a dark tryptophan-induced haze! Yet more evidence at how we as a country/society roma...

Kevin

I use a light truck tire... it's measured in U.S. measures. I believe it's 16x33. It's the size of tire that you might find on a large U.S. pickup truck. By the way, I've "broken" the side walls on several tires, so you may actually "use them up". I would find a good size tire with a flat tread surf...

Kevin

I forgot all about that one... that was very funny, too.

Thanks for the wish, Deb.

Kevin

I was toying with calling this variant "Tire Iron", to give it a clever, EDS name.

I have done it in my basement, too. It disturbs the peace at home though, so now I stick to outside.

Kevin

The discussion of cereal reminds me of two things... First, when next at the grocery store, see if they carry Kashi cereal. It's an organic/natural food company that's starting to make it into many major supermarkets. It is still somewhat sweet, but it has tons of fiber and is probably a better choi...

Kevin

Don't overanalyze this! Some things, at the macro level, really are simple. You will make micro-level adjustments as you go along, but don't let worry about them keep you from adopting the pattern. It sounds like you are doing many of the right things. Keep it up, you'll get results. It may take a w...

Kevin

It sounds like you are doing well: keep hanging in there! In addition to fruit, can I suggest raw vegetables, too? Buy some baby carrots, plum tomatoes, red/yellow/orange peppers, celery, etc. It'll fill you up better than fruit. We pack our kid's school lunches, and our own, too. It works out bette...

Kevin

This is precisely what I do when there's daylight. I've been doing this on and off for over a year. It's a great variant on straight SG.

Kevin

Holy Crap! Great job!

Kevin

It's been a while, hasn't it... I'm doing pretty well. I'm fine on No-S even though I'm not losing much - in fact I've gained a couple. I'm up to 176. I think it's because I've increased my upper body workouts significantly. I SG every other day, and on the off days I do 300 pushups (4sets of 75), d...

Kevin

I've been thinking of making a pair of "indian clubs" out of PVC pipe with a threaded fitting on one end so I can fill them with water. I'm imagining that a 1-1/2" pipe stepped down to a 3/4" inch handle would only have to be maybe 18" long to weigh five pounds full, and they'd weigh only ounces emp...

Kevin

There are other ways to reward yourself if sweets are the problem: eat seconds, eat (non-sweet) snacks. My S day "treats" tend to be popcorn, a beer, maybe a couple of pretzels, and an extra serving of the entree at dinner. That's plenty. Oh, and gaining muscle puts on weight quickly. But it's good ...

Kevin

Okay, I'm at that point now where I'm hitting a long plateau. I've changed jobs and daylight is getting scarce, so I'm not walking very much. I think that's the biggest contributor to my weight gain over the past couple of weeks. Still, I'm sticking with it. It's really not hard anymore except when ...

Kevin

If you need a small fourth meal in the afternoon, have one. It's okay. Just make it a healthy one, and be disciplined about it.

Kevin

My hammer, I mean. It's 14 pounds.

Kevin

My wife made my lunch this morning (not a usual occurence) and must have figured it was an S day. There was a Snickers in my lunch (I think that's a Mars bar to you Brits - our Mars bars don't have peanuts).

I withstood the onslaught and didn't eat it. I Wanted to. But I didn't.

Kevin

Jan, do you shake it up and down to get those pesky bottom clingers free of the basket? That would add a lot to the motion! I'm fairly strong, and I couldn't do these motions one handed (at least not at the high reps I do most SG motions at). I'm going to stay away from the jokes entirely, although ...

Kevin

I would really, really try to fit in a 20 minute walk. Do it with the boys, if you can, or at lunch. IMHO, walking is the best weight loss exercise that exists.

Kevin

Or freeze it for the next weekend. It's easy to resist food that you'd have to defrost...

Kevin

Have you talked to your doctor about this? These episodes sound a lot like hypoglycemia. The odd thing about low blood glucose is that if you eat carbohydrate to correct it, you feel worse for about 15 minutes. The rapid rise in blood glucose makes you feel shaky and weak, just as if your blood gluc...

Kevin

Hi Annolope. Big Phil, and others, are right in my experience. In five months I've lost 20-25 pounds, but I didn't lose much, if anything, the first week. My weight varies so much from hour to hour - much less day to day - that I've stopped thinking about my weight "today". Unlike others, I do weigh...

Kevin

I hope you heal quickly. Good luck!

Kevin

Tough break, VG (no pun intended).

I'm only up to 75 pushups in a single set. I'll hold upand wait until you're up to it again before I pick up the "race to 100." I've got other things I should be working out anyway.

Kevin

Another insulin taking diabetic on the forum, huh? I'm type I, using an insulin pump. If you want to compare notes sometime, let me know.

Kevin

Very indian-club like, no?

Kevin

I have not weighed myself and I feel like I have gained a few pounds. You probably haven't. And if you have, it won't go on like that for long. It seems to me that at times I maintain a particular weight even though I'm eating fewer calories, but not over the long haul. If you eat like a 100 pound ...

Kevin

My Grandparents have gone back home together for now and are busy carrying on as if everything is totally normal.

there's something beautiful about that.

I'll be thinking about you.

Kevin

On the other hand, the beauty of this "diet" is that you don't have to write down what you eat. Maybe it will be instructive to you - it seems to be so for many here. But if I had to write down what I was eating, I might not even do No S. Do what feels right, but don't feel like you should record. I...

Kevin

My trick to drinking before working is to drink, then immediately start working. If you wait even a few minutes, well, the lazies hit.

Of course, in general, this is probably a terrible idea. Especially at 7:15 a.m., VG.

Kevin

Let us know how it works out, John Henry.

Kevin

We're glad you are well and hope to continue to be so.

Peace.

Kevin

I think the reason most of us like fast food is because it satisfies a physical need - it's a a feast. It's just that for almost all of human history a bonanza like you can get for $3.50 at McDonalds - three times a day - was all but unattainable. We really do, for the most part, have it to easy. Ev...

Kevin

Sure. But there's a computer dweeb in me that needs exercise, too.

Kevin

I guess the keys would have to be about 5" on center, which would make the keyboard 2.5' tall, and about 10' wide (8' without a numeric pad). I can envision this, sort of. I'll have to go rip apart an old keyboard and see how the wiring works... I could do the prototype on 3/4" plywood. I wonder wha...

Kevin

Not too bad, guys. :0)

Kevin

I have lots of great ideas that I never follow through on. At least I think they are great. My wife thinks they are nuts. One of them was a keyboard, in a vertical plane, that stood on a stand, with keys large enough to punch. The shift, cap logs, alt, and ctrl keys would be foot actuated. You'd jab...

Kevin

I'd thought about going to a bike store and getting some handlebar wrap. Let us know how the electrical tape works out.

Kevin

I sometimes have a beer with dinner, but I find that alcohol interferes with weight loss - by interfering with my willpower. For the first three weeks, I'd avoid it. Maybe introduce it once or twice a week after that. Most often, I reserve it for S days. If you are trying to lose weight, I would sug...

Kevin

Can we add a photo section?

Kevin

Happy Birthday, and thanks for the life-changing ideas, Buddy.

You're alright!

Kevin

Jan, look three or four posts up in this thread... :0)

Kevin

Good luck!

Kevin

What could be better than lots of variation in your training? I'm still doing big numbers of pushups every other day - 10 sets of 50, at least. It's not building a lot of muscle, though. I think I need more weight. Lots of endurance built, not much more strength. But I'm certain I could now pull off...

Kevin

Things are going fine. No-S is well engrained.

Starting weight 195-197
Current weight 174 (a pound in the last two weeks).
Initial target weight 175 (hit it in four months... Dang!)
Revised target weight 165.
4.4 months on No S.

Kevin

Before I started Nossing, I would frequently drink a beer, then immediately SG, then maybe drink another beer later. Maybe.

But I found drinking a beer (one beer, not too much alcohol) before SGing lubricated everything nicely.

Kevin

You're worrying too much. If you want to mind your S days a little, go ahead; it might make you feel better. I did for the first two weeks. I had only seconds and allowed myself a beer with dinner. The whole idea here is: don't worry about the small stuff. Eliminate snacking, sweets, and seconds, an...

Kevin

Having said that, I do spend a lot of time in the Short Attention Span Theatre. But that is because of raising the kids. The older they get the better able I am to retain short term memory. I was never a good mult-tasker. That's why I only have two. Did you lose the third and fourth one in some hor...

Kevin

My S days are often as heavy as the ones listed here, with the addition of beer, which I usually don't drink much of during the week (even with meals). The one rule I do try to stick to is not eating anything much after dinner. I don't sleep well on a full stomach anymore. And, like Caroljo says, my...

Kevin

Freakwitch, Merrycat, way to go!

Kevin

I forgot to post last Friday. Things are going well. I saw 174 on the scale (briefly). I find I weigh the least the morning after a day off from exercise. Maybe worked muscle holds more water? Who knows. I'm alternating SG days with pushup days. I'm up to 500 pushups a day, in sets of 50-75. This is...

Kevin

Some days are like that. Reinhard would tell you to slow down, maybe.

SG is hard work, especially since you accelerate and decelerate the hammer. Small increases in "enthusiasm" can lead to large increases in cardio effect.

Kevin

It rocks. Truly.

Unfortunately, even for us compliant diabetics, there are sad stories. But so far, so good for me.

Kevin

I'm wondering about making a light set of indian clubs... any ideas? you could make heavy ones by filling wiffle ball bats with sand, but I can't think of anything that's shaped like that, but smaller. Maybe a set of kids plastic bowling pins?

How thin would the handle have to be, do you think?

Kevin

Thanks, hlidskjalf.

Kevin

Could you post that indian club exercise link again?

Kevin

I have a four pound setting sledge that i use for SG like exercises from time to time. I don't have a pair... I could imagine that you could inflict some major bruises - if not internal damage - if you swung them carelessly. But you don't sound like the careless type. Let us know how they work. I mi...

Kevin

Thanks for the link... let me know how the DVD is.

What did we do before the internet?

Kevin

You're doing great. I had to re-read your post - my first impression is that you were still smoking. Upon re-reading, it seems like you've made both adjustments at the same time... a huge accomplishment. Congratulations! I've been No-Sing and SGing for about five months consistently now. I've lost a...

Kevin

I do like that verb...

When I'm going outside to SG, and my wife asks "where are you going"? I tell her I'm going to "hammer" (which of course is a noun and a verb, proving that all of us word nerds - I count myself as one - are fighting an uphill battle).

Toiling is good, too.

Kevin

The other day I ran in to a woman at work that I hadn't seen for months. We stood in the hallway talking and she kept looking me up and down, up and down (I was sort of tempted to say something like "Hey! My chest doesn't talk... look up here!" You know kind of a role reversal thing. But I refrained...

Kevin

Here's an illustration of what you were eating before. I'm an insulin dependent diabetic using an insulin pump. For every gram of carbohydrate I eat, I infuse a set amount of insulin. I know the amount I infused before No-S and the amount I infuse now. Before No-S, I infused on average 45 units a da...

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