Everyday Systems

I have a question I know that honey is a natural sweetner. IS it bad to have on NOS days?

I recall the website saying that sugar in coffee and oatmeal were examples of things that would not count as sweets. Therefore surely sweetening with honey would not count. He said if there is a question in your mind, it probably didn't count as sweets. Now, if you're sitting in front of the tube with with a jar of honey like Winny the Pooh, that is another story. (BTW - have not spelled Pooh's name in decades. Hope I got it right.)

Honey is supposed to be one of the "perfect" foods, is it not?
mimi

The rule is "no sweets," not "no refined cane sugar." Put enough honey in something and it's a sweet. Ditto "all natural organic cane juice" and whatever the "wellness" industry will come up with next.

But just as you can have foods that contain "some sugar" during the week, you can have foods that contain "some honey." So by all means, replace the teaspoon of sugar in your tea with honey, if you want. But don't start adding honey on top of that.

Reinhard

I sometimes eat a teaspoon of honey (or jam) on toast, and I think that's OK. But if you're using a ton of honey as a substitute for a ton of sugar, say in a drink or in a cake, that would be an S.

I tend to think that No-S is all about training a really, really stupid part of the brain. This is the bit of your brain that talks like this;

"Me like sweeties. Me like LARD. Cake GOOD. Want MOOORE."

The idea, then, is to get this poor reprobate of a brain to accept that for five days out of the week, certain foods and certain eating patterns DO NOT HAPPEN... No, Mungo. Mungo no get cake today.

It's a poor and stupid part of the brain. Don't confuse it by thinking like a nutritionist. Think like a dog trainer. If you were a dog trainer, you wouldn't try to get the dog to associate honey with one behavior and sugar with another; you'd lump them together. Same for artificial sweetener; Mungo just doesn't understand the difference.

I'm with you, Steve. My "mungo" likes it when I start trying to be logical about food. Mungo starts going "MMMMMMMMMMMM, honey good." Thanks for the image. I too have often thought the trick here is to start treating that Mungo part of my brain like a puppy who needs training before he can be a tolerable house companion. My appetite needs to learn to sit, stay, wait etc. before it gets rewarded with a walk and a small treat. If I am not the alpha dog, things can and do get ugly. I have been viciously attacted and mauled by Mungo on many S days. LOL. I love the Mungo image and will carry it with me.

Steve: I think you are right on with this (and very funny!). My brain DEFINITELY used to talk like that. Now it is much calmer and quieter more of the time. It leaves me alone. It's sort of a big relief in some ways.

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the funny and right-on-target post. Guess we all have a little Mungo inside our heads!

Reinhard should put your post in his book. Think I'll tell him.

Thanks for the kind words, guys. Freud called it 'the Id', but I prefer Mungo.

I like the idea that, instead of considering yourself to be a single rational entity, there's something more like a mob or council of voices; sometimes, singling them out can help clarify a situation.

I may have more to post on this idea later; will let it circulate in my head first...

Well, at least I now have an excuse for talking to myself. We're all just having a conversation inside my head, Mungo and me and the others.

Steve, I do that - and sometimes write out conversations between the parts of my brain. It is surprising how well it helps me work through things.

My cast of characters are:

Emotional Self - the internal little kid, creative, impulsive, and easily frightened, hurt, or angered. Doesn't always make good decisions. But her feelings are what they are, and it's better to acknowledge them

Voice of Reason - the rational, reasonable part. Most conversations are between her and ES.

The Internal Critic - officially banished, but likes to sneak back around. VOR can usually get rid of him once he's spotted.

Physical body - usually quiet, but strongly influences environment

Heee! My own innter Mungo, like many children, is an absolute little trial lawyer when he wants something, rationalizing and nitpicking with the best of them. That's what's so great about No-S: when Mungo starts up, I don't even engage him, I just say "Not today, Mungo" and keep right on going.

And here I thought I was the only one that called that part of my brain "Mungo."
You know, he's the same one that screws things up in response to simple requests like "Raise your right hand. Your other right hand, please."
I agree with Steve. I have to lump sugar and honey and other sweeteners into the sweets category. It isn't that hard for me. I don't drink coffee or tea, so I don't add sweeteners to my drinks, but I must admit to missing lemonade at lunchtime.

When I get sick of plain water I add the juice of a lemon or lime and drink it unsweetened. I don't sweeten my tea either, I only put a little milk in it sometimes. But then I never said I wasn't a freak.