Time really flies and this is my second anniversary! Or it was yesterday anyways.
I am so happy I stuck to NoS and sat out my impatience. I nearly gave up a couple of times but time does fly and suddenly I find myself in a much better position health and weight wise than 2 years ago!
I didn't lose much more this year. Maybe one or two kilos more. So I'm -12k since I started NoS. This year was very much about maintenance and I go up and down 1-2 kilos seasonally but now I know that's no reason to freak out!
So apart from being healthy NoS has done a world of good to me! I started to take care of myself with the very basics - 3 meals a day regularly. I felt like my body started trusting me in that it won't starve and the weight came off.
This kindness led to me stopping to be so extreme in my perfectionism. If anything ever held me back in life it certainly was perfectionism! I have really come to appreciate my body for the wonderful organism it is and to love myself and subsequently open up to the possibility of romantic relationships, which I before considered myself "too fat for". (Sad as this is to admit - ridiculous!). I'm now in a happy, healthy relationship not only romantically but more importantly with myself! (I was one of those beating-myself-up types). I fully credit NoS for that!
What I found hard:
Plateaus: I had many and long ones! It's hard if the scale moves upward or not at all for some months when you stick to the plan as much as usually (I only have between 80-90% compliance at any time). However, well worth it!
Cravings: Yep, I still have them. It is easier to sit them out but I do have to force myself or find something else to do. I now have phases where I fly through NoS with complete compliance - these I didn't have pre-NoS, just so we're clear this is a complete improvement - and phases where all I want to do is stuff my face during my waking hours. Sometimes the latter phase leads to heavy S days and sometimes to fails but often this can be ignored. These craving times frustrate me as I feel like I shouldn't have them anymore but it is likely they will accompany me the rest of my life and that's ok. It doesn't mean the extra weight has to come along too.
What I find easy:
The fact that I barely ever go to bed overstuffed anymore when I used to have weeks of never feeling normal, just overstuffed.
The fact that I look forward to food now.
The fact that I enjoy cooking and hosting.
The fact that no one knows I'm doing this, really, unless I want them to.
The fact that I can make exceptions for truly special and unique foods or situations (NWS days).
And so on and so on.
What was new this year:
My biggest accomplishment is that I stopped drinking diet soda, which effectively means any soda. I feel so much better and sugar cravings have gone down.
I feel healthier, more energetic, happier, and have much more time to focus on better things in life.
Cooking has become a real hobby that greatly relaxes me! Linda and ironchef - your recipes were very helpful on that!
And I started other everydaysystems: Looking After Myself (LAM) where I try to do something nice for myself every day most days.
and SavingToBuyAMiniYacht where I try not to spend anything two days a week (this one I still struggle with greatly but it led to brilliant savings anyways) - the inspiration comes from automatedeating.
and the newest: DoSomething3x/week (DS3) which is very new so we'll see how I go!
Thank you all so much! Reinhard - I will never be able to express my thanks in all it's glory but I do try to tell many people and make them buy the book
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
and EVERYONE thanks for making this board so very special, with a special thanks to oolala for her wise words at all times!