Excess/treats

pangelsue · Post by **pangelsue** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 1:15 pm

S days. They are wonderful but for some of us here they are so counterproductive to forming good habits. I admire the people who write on this board that their idea of a wonderful S day was an ice cream cone or their favorite candy bar or some of them say, they didn't really crave anything so they skipped the treats altogether and then they blithely move on to Monday, complete and fullfilled. But I am not one of those people unfortunately. If I move out of habit, I go nuts. Every weekend, I gain the pound I lost during the week. On these boards, I have often compared myself to a spoiled little kid where food is concerned. The parent in me who should have created good habits all my life, has been giving in to the little kid who WANTS something and whines until she gets it. On No S, that little kid behaves during the week and the responsible adult is in charge. On the weekends, it's like mom stepped out to talk to a neighbor and the kid goes crazy and jumps on the furniture and writes on the walls. So I am asking successful people who actually lost weight on this plan to tell me what kind of structure do you impose on S days? Do you keep it to just one treat? What do you do if invited over to someone's house? Do you eat appetizers, salad, bread, main dish and dessert? Do you virtually plate all of the above? Help me out here, that spoiled little kid needs structure on the weekends if I am ever to really be successful.

VanillaGorilla · Post by **VanillaGorilla** » Sun Oct 22, 2006 7:20 pm

I think a lot of it is in the mindset. If you are going through the week and just looking forward to the weekend (Or whenever your S day is) so you can treat yourself, then you're already setting yourself up for "failure" in a way. Sometimes the best thing to do is not overthink the S day and just let what happens happen.
If you have no reason to have an S day, then why have one? What I am trying to say is...Perhaps it's best not to focus on an S day as an S day. Just focus on it as another day.
When I binge (and yes, sometimes to excess unfortunately), it does tend to be on the weekends because that is when most of my "social life" takes place. But if I am not doing something "social", who says I HAVE to have an S day? Why not just eat as I have all week long like it's just another day?

If there is a "flaw" in the No S plan, and I DO NOT mean this as disrespectful in any way towards Reinhard or the system, it's in the interpretation each individual gives it. It's not neccesarily the system as much as it is the person using it. I think some of us (myself included sometimes) tend to translate an S day as a "Getting through the week so I can pig out" day.

You have to remind yourself that if you are thinking like that, then you are to a large degree engaging in self-sabotage. Perhaps a minor shift in thinking is what some of us need. Don't live for the S day as much as just take one if it comes. If you have no reason to order a pizza and go to town on it, why not just eat as you do the rest of the week? Sane portions, decent foods and none or maybe only a small portion of seconds.

My apologies if this make no sense or sounds condescending, as that is certainly not my intention. I'm trying to translate to print what I could probably convey in an actual verbal discussion easier.

pangelsue · Post by **pangelsue** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:06 am

I love your reply and you are absolutely right. I have yet to reach the point where I think of this as being a lifestyle with the occasional splurge. I think I need to review the things I say to myself about the plan. It is food for thought and I very much appreciate your taking the time to share your interpretation of things with me. It has changed my viewpoint somewhat and now I just need to think it through and translate it into action.

VanillaGorilla · Post by **VanillaGorilla** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:21 pm

I'm very glad if my reply was of some help. I think you hit the nail perfectly on the head when you adressed it as a lifestyle as opposed to a diet. That's the kind of thinking I was alluding to.
Believe me when I say I am no saint all the time as far as strict adherance to any kind of dietary plan or lifestyle. Plenty of times I have sat around and thought about how I was going to eat and drink everything in sight come the weekend just because it was a "cheat" or "S" day.
During the week is rarely a problem for me because I am working and on my set schedule. The weekends are when I deviate from plan if I am going to. That's why I try not to think about it too much. If I go to my girlfriend's and we decide we want a pizza, we just get it and I eat what I feel like eating.
Other times I just cook up some chicken or throw a salad together and eat like I would on a "N" day, but without really calling it a "N" day, if that makes any sense. I try not to overanalyze it and just think of it as another day.

Anyhow, apologies for sounding like I am beating a dead horse. Keep us posted on how things are going, as always.

MerryKat · Post by **MerryKat** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 1:41 pm

Pangelsue
If I am out at a function - a real S day and a function - I will have a little of everything (easier when there are lots of people around and you don't want to look like an oink!)and that way really enjoy my s day.

However, on normal s days I schedule a treat in - usually in the evening after dinner. This really helps me to enjoy the treat I have and not go off the deep-end. I also allow treats with meals - pretzels / crisps / peanuts with my lunchtime sandwich, dinners which are a little more fatty or indugent than during the week.

I find this helps.

pangelsue · Post by **pangelsue** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:29 am

Also good advice. I actually thought of doing something like that this weekend and then didn't. I really wanted a caramel apple. I bought a nice one and ate it while unpacking groceries. It was gone before I knew it and I hadn't really savored and enjoyed it. Also, later that day, when we had company over, we had a chocolate chip pumpkin bread for dessert. I don't really care that much for chocolate and pumpkin together and I was full so I could have just said "I'm too full" and passed on the bread but I ate it because it was there. With your idea, I could plan a nice treat and look forward to it all day. Then take a special time at night to really enjoy it. I think I just need a change of attitude like VanillaGorilla suggested and make most of my eating on S days more like No S days. I really enjoy sweets so I don't think I will ever get to the point where I let a weekend pass by without a sweet treat but planning better (as you suggested) and limiting the treat to one really enjoyable one that I take the time to savor is a way to scale down the S days. Thanks guys.

Sandy · Post by **Sandy** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:41 pm

Hi, doing NOS for 10 months I ate all the junk I wanted on Sunday (small treat on Saturday night). I lost consistently (20 lbs) and felt fantastic even though I kicked myself every Monday morning because I had overdosed on sugar the night before. Well, I decided I could do better and left NOS, sad to say I gained back the 20 lbs in the past 6 months and feel horrible.

During the 10 months I did NOS, I was free from the constant “thinking” about food. I had more energy and I sincerely looked forward to weekends and holidays. I would still try and stay in the 3-meal frame, but one of those meals might have been blueberry pancakes, butter and syrup. I was not denied a thing and I was in control.

I have rededicated myself as of yesterday. Don’t over think this plan. Eat what you want on S days and eat healthier during the week and it will work out. I could kick myself for thinking I could do better. Even if you lose 1 pound a week – what is wrong with that.

gratefuldeb67 · Post by **gratefuldeb67** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 4:58 pm

Go Sandy go!!!!
And Sue, you will find what works for you my Sister~

Great to see you here Sandy and a total "Ditto" to what you just wrote there!!!

Have a great week both of you!
Peace and Love,

Deb

pangelsue · Post by **pangelsue** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 2:51 am

Thanks everyone for the love and concern. I have more soul searching to do I guess. I would love to have lost a pound a week or even a pound a month. I have lost nothing in the last 6 months. Exercise is physically challanging for me so I do as much as I can. I am just getting discouraged. The only thing I can think of is to put more controls on the S days and you have all give me great ideas on how to do that. Thanks,

Eskh · Post by **Eskh** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 10:48 am

The real problem is not eating what you like but eating compulsively. Regardinng this, "S days" are a chance to "learn how to eat".

Allways ask to mysef:
Was it Worth it? Did you enjoy it?
if the answer is YES there's no problem. I enjoyed it and I deserved it. If the answer is NO I just relax, and think about it as a lesson not a failure.

It's helping...

pangelsue · Post by **pangelsue** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 11:24 am

Awesome reply. All of these replies were great. I have been writing down tips in my journal and the ones you wrote were just added to my notebook. Thanks so much.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Wed Oct 25, 2006 1:21 pm

I think part of the secret is to remember that "Mom" is in control even on S days. With a couple of exceptions, "Mom" wouldn't let the kids go wild every weekend or every S day. The difference between S days and Nos days is that there are more options. It's not license to go wild. Also, you don't have to have a treat just because it's an S day.

This past weekend I had no treats, seconds or snacks. It wasn't part of a plan and I didn't even realize it until Tuesday! Or, maybe my "treats" were in a different area of life than eating. I did do some things that I normally don't and bought myself some things just because I liked them. Maybe the part of me that wants to be pampered was pampered by something other than food.

I think this mindset is something that is typically American, and I think it has a lot to do with the fact that we've been raised to believe that pleasure is bad, but food is something pleaurable that we can enjoy. At least until we start having problems with weight and health and so on.