Why did you leave? Why are you back?

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Dec 03, 2016 5:29 am

Welcome [back], Izzy. I guess a fair number of people just have to go through the early"mod" phase to see that there is a lot of wisdom in the basic program, even if they ease into it or take a few tries. Hope to see you in the general discussion or on your own thread.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Dec 11, 2016 8:52 pm

oops, didn't see previous post

Octavia · Post by **Octavia** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 12:24 pm

Hi all, and season's greetings! I left No S after a few months, mainly due to my previous brain-washing from other writers (mainly Gillian Riley, who's anti-diet, anti-rules and anti-caring-about-weight-loss, and Debra Waterhouse who is pro-snacking), but also because I wasn't losing any weight. Looking back, I wasn't losing any weight because I was eating too much at weekends - which I think would have changed had I persisted with No S. I think I was still hoping for some magic way of still being able to eat sweets and snacks freely, and was not facing up to the fact that even in No S, you can't 'be stupid' on S days.

So I just went back to my old permasnacking habits. 😞

Now, I am looking at No S again and wondering if I am strong enough to do it. One big incentive for me is knowing how much more I enjoy my food - both meals and S day treats - when I'm eating moderately. But weight loss is also important to me. I've found that if I follow Gillian Riley's advice and stop caring about weight loss and 'matters of vanity' (my own interpretation of what she says), then my addictive appetite wins the day. After all, commodities such as self-esteem and good health can still be attained (to a point) while overeating, so they don't really provide a firm incentive to stop. However, weight loss is the one thing that cannot be attained while overeating!

So...I seem to be in this permanent argument against the logic of Gillian Riley, and keep going back to her books, only to keep on failing to control my overeating at all! Actually, I have thrown away the paperback copies I have, but not only are they still in my Kindle, THEY ARE IN MY HEAD!🙄

I'm worried that if I try No S again, at the first sign of trouble I will revert to the idea that 'rules don't work!' Or 'snacks are important'. Have any of you regulars ever had these dilemmas? I would love to try again.

All the best!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Dec 24, 2016 9:47 pm

I've read only some of her work. She does a great job of describing all the reasons people overeat. I think I get what she says about where freedom can lead. But combatting modern foods that are SO easy to overeat is tough,and so is the attitude that it's okay to eat at any time. What keeps me with No S is the fact that there are no slim CULTURES (not slim people) who advocate such a free attitude towards eating. They all have HABITS/routines that end up keeping most of their population at normal BMI, UNLESS their habits are being eroded by other influences that erode meal-based eating, not all meals big, quality food, savoring food, etc.

I still experiment with ideas like Riley's on S days. I didn't start like that, though. It's an evolution!

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Dec 25, 2016 6:09 am

Octavia wrote:Hi all, and season's greetings! I left No S after a few months, mainly due to my previous brain-washing from other writers (mainly Gillian Riley, who's anti-diet, anti-rules and anti-caring-about-weight-loss, and Debra Waterhouse who is pro-snacking), but also because I wasn't losing any weight. Looking back, I wasn't losing any weight because I was eating too much at weekends - which I think would have changed had I persisted with No S. I think I was still hoping for some magic way of still being able to eat sweets and snacks freely, and was not facing up to the fact that even in No S, you can't 'be stupid' on S days.

So I just went back to my old permasnacking habits. 😞

Now, I am looking at No S again and wondering if I am strong enough to do it. One big incentive for me is knowing how much more I enjoy my food - both meals and S day treats - when I'm eating moderately. But weight loss is also important to me. I've found that if I follow Gillian Riley's advice and stop caring about weight loss and 'matters of vanity' (my own interpretation of what she says), then my addictive appetite wins the day. After all, commodities such as self-esteem and good health can still be attained (to a point) while overeating, so they don't really provide a firm incentive to stop. However, weight loss is the one thing that cannot be attained while overeating!

So...I seem to be in this permanent argument against the logic of Gillian Riley, and keep going back to her books, only to keep on failing to control my overeating at all! Actually, I have thrown away the paperback copies I have, but not only are they still in my Kindle, THEY ARE IN MY HEAD!🙄

I'm worried that if I try No S again, at the first sign of trouble I will revert to the idea that 'rules don't work!' Or 'snacks are important'. Have any of you regulars ever had these dilemmas? I would love to try again.

All the best!

Welcome back! "snacks are important" sounds kinda like a rule to me (you have to have snacks). "You can't have rules" (loosely rephrased!) also sounds like a rule to me. (Sometimes I play such mind-games to help me out of these types of logical quagmires!).

Ask yourself...do you feel free from food when you permasnack--are you getting the freedom you want? If not, consider the freedom that having a few simple rules can bring to you.

Do you have the No-S book? Try re-reading it several times to help your mind really think through the concepts presented and the way they are backed up with statistics (that's one thing that I keep going back to--how much our culture changed in the last now 40 years--and how that has negatively impacted our health).

Personally, I have enough weight to lose that health will be impacted if I don't decide to do something about it (increased risk for developing high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes etc...). It certainly impacts my energy and my desire to exercise now. And some kind of exercise is necessary for strength, the heart, bone health, etc... The weight I'm carrying does impact my joints, even now.

I think the benefits of No-S far outweigh the constraints of the few rules it imposes!

noni · Post by **noni** » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:47 pm

It's the first time I didn't eat all the skin off the turkey while carving it.
(I think I left this on the wrong post and don't know how to get rid of it)

Octavia · Post by **Octavia** » Fri Dec 30, 2016 7:42 pm

Thanks for the responses! 🙂 Merry, I think I will reread the NoS book. Might even get a paperback copy. Oolala, I know what you mean about Gillian Riley's approaches being good for S days. I do like her idea of Times and Plans, and the basic concept of food addiction. She is definitely a writer of integrity, even though she has proved a stumbling block for me!

Bye for now and Happy New Year to you all!

threewhales · Post by **threewhales** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 2:15 am

I wish I had read this thread the two times before I left No S.
Both times I had too many modifications, the red days would put me in a tail spin and once I started in on sweets, I could not stop. I refused to move my body even 14 min.
I came back because THIS is how I want to live.
OOLALA told me once to just hit 80% compliance. I decided I could do at least that and will just see where No S takes me in a years time, I know what the other diets will do for me in a year, time for a change.
No more diet head for me, but I can see that this will be a struggle..just today, I walked past an Advocare booth at a trade show and had a second where I thought, "I should stop and see what they have for weight loss. Nope, I am on No S and don't need to spend any money on extra stuff." THAT was a freeing moment today!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Dec 31, 2016 3:04 am

I think everyone should have to read this thread before they start and definitely before they modify or leave!

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Mon Jan 02, 2017 6:45 am

oolala53 wrote:I think everyone should have to read this thread before they start and definitely before they modify or leave!

Yes! It's an awesome thread!

Saramelie · Post by **Saramelie** » Wed Jan 04, 2017 4:01 am

Well... I did a strict No-S "diet" back in the days without knowing about the No-S plan. I was part of a group advocating this "no sweets, no snacks, no seconds, no trigger foods" on a permanent basis. It was working really well for me, going from 200+ pounds to 147 pounds (pregnant!). But I went back to sugary treats after 2 years. I forgot. I thought I would be fine. I thought I could do "moderation". Turns out I can't. And I am now standing at 240 pounds..... yeah. I love the No-S diet, but for myself, from my own personal experience, I can't seem to be able to have S-days without derailing (binging) and/or losing my peace of mind. So I am aiming at doing a 365 days/year NoS diet. Not advocating this for everyone, just a personal thing. I just want to get back to a healthy size and a peaceful mind.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jan 05, 2017 1:34 pm

Mods "earned" by true testing, not from "premature optimization" are the ones that seem to stick best.

osoniye · Post by **osoniye** » Thu Jan 05, 2017 4:38 pm

Saramelie wrote:But I went back to sugary treats after 2 years. I forgot.

It seems to be pretty important that if you need to leave something off (like sugar) that it be permanent. Going in and out can really lead to problems (binges, going from "nothing" to "all"). If you want to make it a permanent change and enforce it one day at a time, day after day, I believe leaving added sugar off altogether can be a good idea for some of us!
I wish you the best.

lbb (Liz) · Post by **lbb (Liz)** » Sat Jan 21, 2017 3:11 pm

I almost did not post because I felt shame that I'm coming back after joining a few years ago, dabbling in other things (intuitive eating, Gillian Riley, Geneen Roth, Jillfit, Intermittent Fasting, Macro-counting (IIFYM) (the newest thing out there that drove me crazy!) calorie counting).... coming back for a second, and then abandoning ship again. But I'm throwing away that shame feeling!

I'm not in a [i]terrible[/i] place with food, but have established unfavorable habits that I can't quite shed and really bug me. I can eat the 3 meals/day (good, satisfying, yummy and healthy meals), but then talk myself into a cinnamon bear. Then a handful of cinnamon bears, then a snickers, then bowls of cereal. You get the picture. It goes on...

All to start again the next day.
I'm frustrated because I vacillate between the thoughts
--"you don't have to lose weight, so don't worry about it...a little treat everyday is fine" and
"but I hate how I feel dependent on candy and/or sweets and have no control at night and go to bed feeling sick...this isn't normal.".

So I'm back. I've noticed that I feel a real sense of deprivation if I can't have a little candy after dinner (even if it turns into a LOT). I don't really even savor it, but pound it down handful after handful. I'm pretty sure I'm using it to cope with my hardest time at night...putting kids to bed, doing homework with kids, etc. It does feel like an actual drug, actually.

Just want to say "HI" and sorry that I ever left "NO-S". Will you forgive me?
It just feels right to be here, even if I haven't been following the principles fully yet.
XOXO

kaalii · Post by **kaalii** » Sat Jan 21, 2017 9:48 pm

this is such a valuable thread so not only that we are glad you are back but thank you for sharing your experiences!

Traci0829 · Post by **Traci0829** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 1:49 am

I'm back too, after dabbling around in the strict plans, again. I hope this time I never leave. I'm always encouraged by this forum and the success and food freedom people find here:)

I'm planning to spend time back on the daily check in. Hope see you all there!

LeannaRW · Post by **LeannaRW** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 3:37 am

I'm back! I have probably been away 6 months. I thought I could stay with the No-S program (it is SO sane) on my own without tracking here. However, I found I grew slack with picking and tasting during dinner prep, as well as allowing sugar to creep in on normal days. I see I need to be here to help me stay accountable. I will start February 1st.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Jan 24, 2017 6:47 am

Liz, I could have sworn I welcomed you back and said there was no need for shame! The hucksters and pressure are out there. Even traditional societies are being swayed to eat more manufactured food and more often. And they start experiencing all the problems we do when they do.

You won't be sorry when you break the habit.

Dandelion · Post by **Dandelion** » Thu Feb 09, 2017 4:26 am

9/14/09. I remember it well. I had just read somewhere about NoS and was so convinced, I found this board and jumped in right away.

I never did have great success with it, which made all the bright shiny promises of other plans all the brighter. They did work for a time, and even one of them resulted in weight that has stayed off for two years. But even that one stopped working after a while.

I figure if I'm not going to lose anything, at least I can not lose with less work:)

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Feb 11, 2017 8:13 pm

Exactly. But congrats on beating the odds.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 6:55 pm

Bump. Might do this once a month for those who haven't seen it or need reminders.

TexArk · Post by **TexArk** » Fri Mar 24, 2017 9:56 pm

Yes, please. If you are thinking of leaving, just read through some of this thread. The grass isn't greener; I promise.

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 5:31 am

I have tried No S a few times only for a couple of weeks at a time. I always lose weight. I even lost weight on our holiday we went on following No S eating McDonald's and Chinese takeout a few times and some other heavy meals.

I seem to give up on No S when I start seeing slower results after the initial fast loss I get in the first week because I'm a daily weigher. This time around I have decided to weigh weekly instead and be happy if I maintain or lose a small amount. I'm just in the overweight BMI category but would like to have a healthier BMI and feel better about myself.

I have decided maintaining is better than trying to diet then binge from deprivation and gain all the weight back. Plus I love how sane I feel on No S.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 10:47 am

Welcome back! I gently suggest you consider trying also to put more focus on how much more enjoyable food is and how much better you feel between meals after adjusting again to longer gaps. These inner rewards actually bring some lasting pleasure in exchange for the temporary reward of eating more. If you see that you actually like the experience and keep adjusting to increase those pleasures of eating less, weight loss usually follows, though not always steadily. But it's definitely more fun.

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:03 am

oolala53 wrote:Welcome back! I gently suggest you consider trying also to put more focus on how much more enjoyable food is and how much better you feel between meals after adjusting again to longer gaps. These inner rewards actually bring some lasting pleasure in exchange for the temporary reward of eating more. If you see that you actually like the experience and keep adjusting to increase those pleasures of eating less, weight loss usually follows, though not always steadily. But it's definitely more fun.

Thank you for the tips oolala. This time I feel different and more positive that No S is going to work for me. I've managed to stick to it for a week so far and am feeling positive, as I have felt so relaxed around food this week. I have also enjoyed cooking dinner as I was hungry for my meal.

Being on No S makes me look forward to upcoming events where I will go out for meals rather than dread them because it won't suit my latest diet I'm on. I really think this No S diet is the solution to my binge eating issues. As I mostly binge when I feel restricted or I'm about to start a diet

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 3:25 pm

If you can decide that your relationship with food is even more important than your weight, then it's already "working." The weight loss is NOT the proof. It's only an effect, which is very different. You can't lose or maintain or even live comfortably with a lousy relationship with eating. I'm on another site on which I guarantee you there are women who weigh less than you but talk like they to use a whip and a chair every day to keep the brute in the corner or all hell will break lose. I think No S doesn't just train the brute, it changes it.

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Sat Mar 25, 2017 11:20 pm

That is exactly what I need to focus on, my relationship with food not what the scale says. I'm tempted to throw my scales out as I base my eating around what I weigh. I don't think my partner would be happy if I threw them away so I will just try to stay away from them. Maybe even try weigh at the beginning of each month and that's it.

MaggieMae · Post by **MaggieMae** » Sun Mar 26, 2017 6:24 pm

3square meals, I only weigh at the beginning of each month. It helped me tremendously. My mood and thoughts about food were based on what the scale said each morning/ week. I figured if weight loss is going to be slow on no S there's no reason to check it any more often than that. I would have to think that " normal eaters" don't weigh themselves often.

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 12:26 am

I'm very much the same Maggiemae, my feelings about my weight can either cause my day to be good or bad. It is rather sad when you think about it that we let a silly number dictate our life. I am definitely looking forward to feeling free from food and the scales. I am already feeling so much more calm and I'm only a week in. I feel like something has clicked this time around!

This_is_it · Post by **This_is_it** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 9:10 am

Yes, i totally know the scale issue. I don't weigh myself daily. Not even weekly but i also let the number on the scale dictate how i feel. I don't want that anymore. I lost weight since i started NOS but i still have this number in my head i want to reach. I know it should not matter how much weight i will lose, but still.... So now i'm working on that

. I only started at the beginning of this year and want NOS to become my lifestyle for the rest of my life. So there is (hopefully

) lots of time to work on this.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Mar 27, 2017 5:58 pm

I'm going to post a comment on each of your threads, if that's okay, so this doesn't turn into a scale thread.

But glad you're back.

NoelFigart · Post by **NoelFigart** » Sat Apr 15, 2017 1:04 pm

I left because habits were good and weight loss is mind-bendingly slow. Downward trend, which is great, but oh so slow. There wasn't much to talk about.

I came back because I had a Bad Thing happen in my life and I want to make sure I keep to good habits.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Apr 15, 2017 2:44 pm

Sorry to hear about the bad thing, NF, but glad to see you. I've never thought of you as leaving because I didn't suspect that you had gone and tried something else nor had given up the guidelines. I hope posting will help get you through whatever you need to get through. I know very well how the old urges to eat can reappear in similar stressful circumstances even when it has been very clear for a long time that stress eating never really relieves stress and often compounds it.

We're on your side.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:36 am

NoelFigart wrote:I left because habits were good and weight loss is mind-bendingly slow. Downward trend, which is great, but oh so slow. There wasn't much to talk about.

I came back because I had a Bad Thing happen in my life and I want to make sure I keep to good habits.

I've missed you! I do get there not being a lot to talk about with progress so slow, and find myself checking in weekly or a couple of times a week instead of daily like in the beginning. I hope you'll keep checking in from time to time, and I'm so sorry to hear something bad has happened in your life. (((Hugs))) & praying for you.

merejane · Post by **merejane** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 2:09 pm

I'm one of the people who tried No S, left, and have come back.

My main problem was S days. I would just pretty much binge eat. Which I knew was not the way to go, but I couldn't figure out how to deal with it.

This time around, I am trying to be much more mindful of what I eat on S days. I try to plan my treats in advance, which gives me something specific to look forward to. (For example, I might tell myself that I can have an ice cream cone on Saturday afternoon.) I'm not strict about this, but I do try to limit snacks, etc. to two or three treats spread out over the weekend.

I have only been back for a couple weeks. So far, so good!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Apr 21, 2017 6:01 pm

Sometimes, just remembering how uncomfortable it was and how you just don't want to go down that road again is enough to do things differently this time. It's an inside job!

stra0534 · Post by **stra0534** » Fri May 26, 2017 1:25 pm

I left primarily due to pregnancy. I was worried about going off no s, but my doctor basically ordered the snack to assist with weight gain. I wasn't able to eat enough for each meal, I would get full way too fast. After that, the ravenous-ness of nursing really sent things off-kilter snack-wise. After that time, I bought into the "listen to my body when hungry." Which meant I was eating "free foods" in-between each meal, and gorging on them during meal times. Yeah, no foods are free foods. I came to this realization not from the number on the scale, but the tightness of clothing.

I'm now back on No-S and happily am making my way towards the pre-baby fit of things. My take away from the experience is primarily the ones referenced in this post. It's more about the relationship you have with food vs. the theory, or even the weight. When I was snacking, gorging, I felt so out of control.

The 3x a day no "s" rules are my sanity. After birth is a delicate body-image time for a woman, so I felt like no s helped right the ship. I FEEL better being on it, and that has downstream effects. Mind first, in my opinion.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri May 26, 2017 2:09 pm

Sounds like your pregnancy experience was different from most women's. They seem to have no trouble gaining weight. Glad you found your way through it and back.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Sun May 28, 2017 11:13 pm

I leave because I get lazy and get loose on the (oh so simple) rules. I come back when I feel guilty. Sounds like a very bad cycle, doesn't it?

Sigh.

I will say this -- I love rejoining on a Sunday.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon May 29, 2017 9:03 pm

Auto, it sounds like either the payoff of the meal structure becomes less obvious or you have a harder time keeping that in front of you. Maybe that's what you mean by being lazy. It doesn't sound like a very pleasant cycle, but I think it's pretty common, and often being VERY uncomfortable is what it takes to finally make something stick. BTW, feeling guilty after the fact rarely stops people but wanting to avoid feeling guilty in the future does. Weird logic, but true. When it becomes clearer that the later guilt is more painful than opposing the present laziness, the tide can turn.

We're on your side!

noni · Post by **noni** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 2:28 pm

oolala53 wrote: When it becomes clearer that the later guilt is more painful than opposing the present laziness, the tide can turn.

So true! When I was on innumerable diets when I was younger, and couldn't stick with them, my mother told me, "you love food more than being thinner." But then acid reflux burned up my resolve to keep snacking all day (and No S took care of that), because I wanted the relief more.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jun 01, 2017 5:33 pm

I prefer to say I loved food more than I wanted to face the discomfort of wanting to eat but not eating. I also had a belief that I shouldn't HAVE to suffer at all to eat less. I spent a lot of time on No S eating less but not being thin or getting much thinner, but I was getting something else I wanted even more.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Fri Jun 02, 2017 5:03 am

oolala53 wrote: I also had a belief that I shouldn't HAVE to suffer at all to eat less.

Yes. That's one reason why other diets always failed for me. It's probably why my No-S losses are slower but also why I feel it's so sustainable. I really don't feel I suffer. At best, there is occasional discomfort (want a treat but it's not an S day), and I can tell myself to suck it up for that! I love the freedom from having to think about food all the time.

Traci0829 · Post by **Traci0829** » Fri Jun 02, 2017 9:42 am

I'm glad I still receive thiese updates. It reminds me consistent no s will keep me sane. I'll be back up on the daily check in's for June. Yesterday was a big permasnack... when sick kids, husband out of town and exhaustion hit, I still can have the consistency of no S.

naeman · Post by **naeman** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 2:39 pm

Back again for the umpteenth time it feels like! I left for the same old reason. I got discouraged when my S days were out of control and my weight didn't go down after a month or so. I'm back because other things didn't work, and at least No S gives me 5 days of mental peace. Maybe I can figure out those S days eventually and stop spending so much time and energy worrying about my diet.

noni · Post by **noni** » Mon Jun 19, 2017 3:18 pm

naeman, I like your stats, and how you are taking small steps to achieve your goals. It seems so much more doable that way.

I wish you well this time around on your No S journey!

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Mon Jun 26, 2017 12:23 pm

I'm back again I lost a couple of kilos last time and was fairly happy with where I was at, still wanted to lose more though. But had my birthday and an out of control weekend which rolled out into a 2 month binge where I am ashamed to say I have gained 8 kilos. I then decided to join a diet which hasn't had me lose any weight just continue binging because I can't eat perfect. I have decided enough is enough and I need to get my life back in control. I am currently so angry and down because of my weight. I need the simpleness of No S to help me gain control and stop worrying about calories and get my head out of diet mode.

I have also decided to add a mod this time of one or two sweet treats on my S days otherwise I tend to permasnack and then it turns into binge territory.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Tue Jun 27, 2017 5:39 am

3squaremeals wrote:I'm back again I lost a couple of kilos last time and was fairly happy with where I was at, still wanted to lose more though. But had my birthday and an out of control weekend which rolled out into a 2 month binge where I am ashamed to say I have gained 8 kilos. I then decided to join a diet which hasn't had me lose any weight just continue binging because I can't eat perfect. I have decided enough is enough and I need to get my life back in control. I am currently so angry and down because of my weight. I need the simpleness of No S to help me gain control and stop worrying about calories and get my head out of diet mode.

I have also decided to add a mod this time of one or two sweet treats on my S days otherwise I tend to permasnack and then it turns into binge territory.

Welcome back! A decision to get back into good habits is a good one. Just keep looking ahead and leave the past in the past.

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Wed Jun 28, 2017 1:22 am

Thank you Merry

ceo418 · Post by **ceo418** » Tue Jul 18, 2017 3:42 pm

To be honest, I left because I felt my mind rebelling against the restriction of sweets to certain days of the week. After another brief stint with intuitive eating, I decided that I was happier having boundaries with my eating habits and finally decided to return to No-S. I'm looking forward to 21 days of being on habit, no mods, and seeing where I go from there. I know I may have some wild S-days here and there, but I'm hoping my past experiences will help me keep things calm.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Jul 19, 2017 2:31 am

Actually, wanting to AVOID your past experiences is what will help you keep things calm. In the beginning, it's often a matter of will that later is just your habit.

paminjeans · Post by **paminjeans** » Sat Aug 12, 2017 4:30 pm

My story is probably pretty typical. I did No S successfully after reading about it in Women's World Magazine. I would lose maybe 2/3 lbs a week, gain a lb over the w/e. I was okay with that b/c it was a plan I could live with. BUT then I fell and broke my shoulder ,needed surgery and that was all she wrote as far as not only No s or any other weight loss plan. I remember when I was doing No S before I told my family if I ever go searching for any other plan, this is the only one I need. Somewhere along the way, I forgot about that and have tried other diets and failed miserably. Today my memory was jarred about No S and I am back. I so hope I can stick with this because I have hypoglycemia but am not diabetic. Best wishes to all and I need to get caught up again on the basics b/c I have honestly forgotten much of what I knew. I need to lose about 50 lbs but am taking it 5 lbs at a time to make it not so daunting.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Aug 13, 2017 5:13 am

Welcome back, Pam!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Aug 13, 2017 6:29 am

Welcome home. I hope you can see that what you really need is to get overeating under control. There is no consistent weight loss without that. Here's to your managing your hypoglycemia, too. Not sure if Vanilla is okay for that. Just because No S allows for free rein on S days, it doesn't mean that's good for every condition. Medical conditions trump No S!

But there are plenty of delicious meals to be enjoyed while you heal.

levictoria · Post by **levictoria** » Sat Aug 26, 2017 4:36 pm

I posted about this before, but I just restarted three days ago after doing it about seven years ago for a month and a half.

I gained weight on it before from overeating during meals. 4lbs in 1.5 months. That said, I was self-sabotaging my efforts. It's been quite the road since then, and I've learned a great deal about the whole dieting mentality. It was a matter of user-error then.

The only non-vanilla thing I'm doing right now is also counting calories. I'm not obsessing about it, but given my diet history, I wanted an extra guardrail.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Aug 26, 2017 4:45 pm

Welcome back. Nothing holds a candle to being convinced the options are just not viable. Counting is not forbidden! It's a personal choice. Do whatever helps you build habits of moderation. (You probably see now that a month and a half was not nearly enough time for the program to do its thing for you. Some people take off from day one; some don't. There are no guaranteed time lines. Just the knowledge that similar limits are what keep most slim societies slim.)

levictoria · Post by **levictoria** » Sat Aug 26, 2017 4:48 pm

oolala53 wrote:Welcome back. Nothing holds a candle to being convinced the options are just not viable. Counting is not forbidden! It's a personal choice. Do whatever helps you build habits of moderation. (You probably see now that a month and a half was not nearly enough time for the program to do its thing for you. Some people take off from day one; some don't. There are no guaranteed time lines. Just the knowledge that similar limits are what keep most slim societies slim.)

Thanks for this! I'm saving your response.

SpiritSong · Post by **SpiritSong** » Thu Sep 14, 2017 11:56 pm

Guess who is back now? The OP!

Why am I back again? Because nothing else works, of course. I briefly tried a mediation method last year and faded out. I think I will add the meditations back once I have established the No S habit as it helps deal with the issues of why I gained weight in the first place. Any author that can guess exactly when I started to regain weight (when other people noticed my weight loss and started complimenting me) knows me well enough to be useful.

Otherwise, I wasn't worried too much about my weight. Sure, I don't like the way I look, and it would be nice to walk around without wearing a 60 pound fat suit all day, but whatever. Then my husband got a full work up with the doctor and his health chickens have come home to roost. Some day it will be my turn if I don't get off my butt and address my health.

I am starting tomorrow, which will be super easy because I take my S days on Friday and Sunday.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sat Sep 16, 2017 5:25 am

SpiritSong wrote: I take my S days on Friday and Sunday.

Welcome back! I do Friday/Sunday S days too!

Diligence · Post by **Diligence** » Sun Sep 17, 2017 11:15 pm

Just earlier today, I decided to return to No-S. When I first started No-S, I wasn't seeing improvements in my relationship with food or my desired weight goals. With some health issues, I modified No-S in that I was much more restrictive about what I was eating. Although this didn't result in health improvements, I did lose about 25 lbs. over the course about eight months with this modification (significant difference for me in weight loss vs. vanilla No-S). I thought my relationship with food had also improved a lot.

Eventually, most of my long-standing health issues were resolved with the help of some alternative medicine. Without the health issues as a motivation and with being happy with my weight, I lost my motivation for both the modified No-S and vanilla No-S. Frankly, I don't think I even thought about No-S specifically during this time. I gained a good portion of the weight back and lost a lot of the motivation I once had. I realize that, though I keep telling myself I am going to reinstate health eating habits, I keep finding excuses to not and generally lack motivation and an effective plan.

That said, I remembered No-S today and realized that returning to vanilla No-S is probably my best re-entry into healthier eating habits. I am grateful to have remembered No-S because I've been feeling so down on myself for my lack of self-discipline and motivation. I am not sure whether I will get to the same level of self-discipline I exercised when I had the autoimmune and allergy modifications added onto No-S, but I truly hope that it will help me improve my relationship with food while also helping me shed a good bit of this unwanted weight. I think knowing S-days are there will help me transition, whether I'm able to lose the weight on vanilla No-S or need to further modify it to actually lose. Based on past experience, I may well have to add another "S" -- no starches... such as potatoes and flour -- to actually lose weight, but we'll see. First, I need to live the vanilla way (and start tracking my weight) so I can tell how much vanilla No-S is helping with the attitude, behavior, and weight modifications desired.

Just glancing at the site this evening, I see a number of names from when I was last active on the site, which is a great comfort and encouragement. It's so inspiring to me to see others are still plugging away at it--or are back at it again like me. Because my online time is difficult to predict these days, I thank you, in advance, for welcoming me back and encouraging me to give it another go.

LadyCheshire · Post by **LadyCheshire** » Wed Nov 08, 2017 4:23 pm

I had an oddly specific reason for leaving/quitting - I couldn't figure out a mod to work around a compliance problem I was having.

Long story short, I was prescribed an "as needed" pain medication that would cause the most miserable heartburn ever if not taken with food. Sometimes I would realize I needed to take it before bed, after dinner.

I tried taking it with milk - that didn't suffice to stop the pain.

I tried reminding myself "S is for sick, too" and finding an appropriate food to take the medication with - that was frustrating because it felt like too many sick days.

I tried just not taking the medication and would end up being in too much pain to sleep.

I tried assuming I'd need to take the medication every night and just having it with dinner, which worked...ish...but also felt like I was using it too often, and failed miserably if I was eating somewhere other than home (which happened a lot, this was back in my work + grad school days).

(Now that I'm back, if that situation comes up again, my tentative mod is: a single serving of fruit or starch + glass of milk if needed, considering it part of "taking medicine" rather than a snack, since the medicine is un-takeable without this.)

I'm back because LONG story short, my husband developed some seriously disordered eating patterns and we're all trying to fix it as a household in a way that doesn't make us all crazier, and I remember four-meal No S (breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner) as something that mostly-worked for me when I was recovering from binge eating disorder.

So yeah. Hi.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:00 am

I'm glad the pain situation seems to be over. Many households could use a concerted effort to manage the food-rich culture. This one is one of the least crazy-making, I'd say. But I'm biased.

Keep us apprised as you like!

LadyCheshire · Post by **LadyCheshire** » Thu Nov 09, 2017 2:40 pm

Thanks!

Our lives are kind of crazy-making though in a different way from last time I was here. I'm not juggling work + grad school anymore, and my kids are bigger (they are 12 and 9 now, I think SecondKid was a baby last time I was here). They are both fairly serious dancers - FirstKid went en pointe this year and we're super proud of her. So instead of transporting ME to grad school we're transporting them to dance class at a similar time commitment.

My husband developed some seriously disordered eating secondary to PTSD from childhood abuse and neglect - food insecurity alternating with being literally force-fed foods he didn't like was a big piece of it - and it landed him in hypertensive crisis. NOT FUN.

So right now we're dealing with re-framing his idea of what "enough food" looks like while simultaneously trying to make sure the dancers are consistently fueling themselves sufficiently. FirstKid, in particular, has some struggle with keeping weight ON.

I've also found dietitian-and-social-worker Ellyn Satter's work helpful - though no-s has a somewhat stricter frame around it than her advice I think the underlying ideas are similar enough regarding meals and what she calls "sit-down snacks" and I call a mini meal or afternoon tea. The key in her work is sitting down and eating at predictable, regular, structured times, with less attention paid to what is being eaten than to when, and to "add on" healthier food without removing the base of food that family members are comfortable eating.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 1:12 am

I like Satter but also feel torn. Her emphasis on eating as much as you want looks like it gets used to justify some intense overeating with people admitting that they later felt stuffed, but not taking that as a sign that something was off. She also says to get to meals hungry, and yet says snacks are okay, and I know of anyone over 35 that can pull that off. It's often used as an excuse to eat a box of cookies or other high density/low nutrition food or the like because any attempt to stop would amount to restriction and lead to more eating later. That certainly didn't happen for me, unless you count wild weekends, but I still lost every year. And I loved my N days.

Also, so many people when faced with a serious health issue DO choose better quality food rather than what they've always eaten, cut their portions-NOT eating to fullness, but often redefining what fullness is, often lose weight, though they don't necessarily get thin, and feel better for it. I'm not one for following a diet that legitimately combats a health condition just to lose weight, but people often do lose when health finally gives them the motivation to make such changes and feel like it's a darn fair trade. You'd think it's a good strategy to adopt such plans to avoid health problems, but so many people are inauthentic about that, though they don't want to admit, it, and they get tired of it and quit.

What I remembered was her saying that parents should choose what and when kids eat; kids choose how much from the offered fare. That seemed reasonable to me.

I just read her list of contrasts between trust messages and control messages. Sorry, I just don't trust anymore. I think so many people have gotten used to getting so full and living with the discomfort of overeating feeling it's normal that to recommend that people eat until they're full is risky, especially if they're choosing modern foods prepared outside the home, which are engineered to override the true hunger appestat just to get the consumer to buy more. If 'm restricting my eating, so be it. I often want more even though I know I'll feel bloated and uncomfortable if I eat it. And sometimes I eat it anyway.

I saw a show once that I think was in a series looking at ways to combat diabetes. A nutritionist was talking to an obese woman who lived in an area of high obesity density. The nutritionist asked her if she had ever dieted. No. Did she ever think about what she ate or consider it could be causing her health problems. No. No sign of shame or guilt. But maybe Satter might have had no problem with that, thinking that her size is her size. But Wansink has shown repeatedly that if more is served, more is eaten, and the opposite, with no fuss or even awareness on the part of the eater, i.e., no sense of deprivation having eaten less.

Ok, diatribe and thread hijacking over. Onwards!

Kittson · Post by **Kittson** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:47 pm

Hello! I am back to No S! I did No S for over a year 2015-2016, and then was diagnosed with a health condition. So I did what anyone would do, ha, I followed internet advice and went Keto for a year. The Keto diet did not "fix" me as many are led to believe.

The past few months, I have been recovering from under eating and I think my appetite/cravings have leveled off. I am back to No S because it is normal eating. I like the structure of it and it allowed me to live my life to it's fullest while I was following it. I felt peace with food and finally got out of my head enough the first go-round to pursue creative hobbies that had been tossed to the side.

My goal is to get 21 on habit in a row. I know I can do this, I've done it before. I look forward to a week from now when the food peace sets in. I remember that happening quickly last time. I am currently a healthy weight for my height (although I haven't weighed myself for over a month) and would like to stay in my current clothing size if my body would be so kind to allow me that.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 12:55 pm

Welcome home, Kittson.

(I'm trying to imagine sticking to keto or consistently under eating for a year.)

Kittson · Post by **Kittson** » Mon Nov 13, 2017 2:29 pm

Thanks for the welcome back oolala53! I don't recommend Keto or under eating.

Coming back to No S feels like the kindest thing I can do for myself.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Fri Nov 17, 2017 2:25 pm

Well, come to think of it, I did "undereat" compared to what I was used to compulsively eating before No S. But it wasn't by plunging down to low levels.

3squaremeals · Post by **3squaremeals** » Fri Dec 01, 2017 11:32 am

I'm back for what feels like the 100th time. But this time I feel like it will be for good. I'm done with shake diets and binging and repeating the cycle while getting fatter. I'm on day 4 and feeling great and much happier!

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Sat Dec 02, 2017 11:32 am

Welcome back. Plan for success. Get rid of the things you don't want to eat. Have plenty of the things on hand that you do want to eat. Trust the clock to tell you when to eat and live life to the fullest all the other times. ðŸ˜‰ Glad to hear you're doing well.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Dec 04, 2017 5:09 am

Being reminded how undoable your options are can be a great catalyst to sticking with No S.

JJW · Post by **JJW** » Mon Dec 04, 2017 10:55 pm

Have attempted No S several times in the past, but never made it past a day or two. It seems I always talk myself out of it to try a more drastic plan. The latest was IF which just ultimately seemed to lead to my eating being even more out of control. Iâ€™ve never posted here before, but I love reading the boards. So encouraging! I am posting here now because I feel that I am really ready to embrace this sane and sensible plan. Moderation has become ever more appealing. I donâ€™t even want to weigh myself, just really focus on getting these habits in place and let that be enough!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Dec 05, 2017 5:01 am

May this be THE time you get it going. It can still take a bit of time to get consistent green weeks. Just keep trying!

simmstone · Post by **simmstone** » Wed Dec 06, 2017 5:52 pm

Great thread.

I have been on and off No S for the last several years... for the last couple of years, lapses have not meant that I 'leave' No S... just that I 'don't follow' it. I've been a lapsed No S-er since August of this year.

The Good:
- I know that the greatest level of restriction I can ever hope to handle is No S, at this point. I'm not tempted to follow other diet plans and haven't tried any
- My weight is higher than I want, but has stabilized, even when not following No S guidelines.
- My binge eating episodes have greatly diminished, overall, when not following No S

The Bad
- I can never seem to stick to it. Binge eating on weekends seems to disillusion, then derail me
- I want to (according to me) and need to (according to my doctor) weigh less
- I tend to binge more often, overall, when following No S, rather than when I eat freely. If I slip up during the week, I have never managed to be able to consistently avoid turning slip ups into binges.

I am returning to No S (again) because:
- I still believe in its core principals. This is not a trivial point. I want to align myself with a way of eating that I feel good about for reasons that don't include weight loss.
- I want to be a moderate eater. I need to be a moderate eater.
- I like having firm but reasonable guidelines around food consumption.

Personal Reality Checks:
- I suppose I've held onto a false idea that No S would eventually help me eliminate my fixation with food, but I can probably only reasonably expect that it might help lessen it, a bit, at best. And that could take a while. Years, maybe.
- I need to constantly remind myself about what No S can give me (a path to moderation/food sanity) and what it can't (pretty much everything else) and focus on the desirability of what it can provide me.

Things I plan to do different this time:
- Weigh only once per month
- Set my personal metric for 80% compliance for any given month and be happy with anything over this (i.e. avoid my inherent tendency toward perfectionism)
- Reduce episodes of Binge eating on weekdays when I fail the No S guidelines

So, in short, I'm returning to No S (again). Here goes... may the 12th time be the charm

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:23 pm

We hope so, too!

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Thu Dec 07, 2017 8:48 am

I'm still here, too, just very rarely feel like I have something worthwhile to post. Had a rough time from May - November, my father was battling stage 4 lung cancer and so I was flying back and forth between Belgium and Texas.
Needless to say, international travel, jet lag, accompanying my parents to chemo, etc...not conducive to good habits, although I always did my best to maintain my foundation of three one-plate meals per day, whatever else was going on outside of those meals.

I've been trying to regroup since returning home after his funeral early November. It's hard to get used to the idea of him not being there any more. But I'm finally feeling a bit back to normal and going to finish out the year as best I can and filling out my Habitcal every day.

Hope this finds everyone else ending the year on a good note!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Dec 07, 2017 12:25 pm

Sorry for your loss, Amy.

Nice to hear from you, though. Warmest wishes for your using the Habitcal.

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Thu Dec 07, 2017 1:26 pm

Hi Amy,
It's good to hear from you although I'm sorry for your loss. I'm glad you were able to hang onto a three-plate habit throughout such a stressful and busy time.

Best of luck to you and hope to see you around the board a bit more.

milliem · Post by **milliem** » Fri Dec 08, 2017 4:05 pm

Hello everyone! I've followed NoS a few times over the past three or four years, with some success, but never got control of my S days and although I lost some weight, I never got into a 'healthy' weight for me.

I tried calorie counting and had good success with this in terms of losing weight, getting to my goal weight at one point. However over time the weight has crept back on due to times I've slipped from calorie counting, particularly if I've been on holiday, ill or out of my routine for some reason.

I'm now back near my starting weight although fortunately not higher - I went from a UK size 16/18 down to a UK12, and now my UK14 clothes are getting awfully tight on me and I don't fit into some new ones I want to buy

So I'm back! At probably the worst time of year for new habits haha but every N day counts right?

I do see NoS as a sustainable way of eating without the constant focus that calorie counting needs, and hopefully I can give myself more time to get the N days down and the S days sensible.

Also one of the main reasons I return is the community to be honest! I like the support, the accountability of the daily check in and the habit cal.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sat Dec 09, 2017 5:36 am

Amy, I'm so sorry for your loss.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sat Dec 09, 2017 5:37 am

milliem wrote: So I'm back! At probably the worst time of year for new habits haha but every N day counts right?

No time like the present they say! I started at this time of year 2 years ago, so I think it's great!

Amy3010 · Post by **Amy3010** » Sat Dec 09, 2017 6:59 am

Thanks!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 3:34 am

I admit I didn't really commit until 12/26 (of 2009). But since you can have generous plates of the savory foods of the season any day (and ask to be able to take home offerings that look especially good), it's definitely doable with a minimum of pain even now. And you'll enjoy your food more!

If you like, we can communicate about wild S days on your check-in thread. Mine went on for two years! I don't recommend it.

milliem · Post by **milliem** » Sun Dec 10, 2017 1:59 pm

oolala53 wrote:I admit I didn't really commit until 12/26 (of 2009). But since you can have generous plates of the savory foods of the season any day (and ask to be able to take home offerings that look especially good), it's definitely doable with a minimum of pain even now. And you'll enjoy your food more!

If you like, we can communicate about wild S days on your check-in thread. Mine went of for two years!

I'm happy to designate some of the festive days as NWS - Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year's Day all fall on week days this year. I'll have to find the largest plate possible for the rest of the festive season

ZippaDee · Post by **ZippaDee** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 2:56 pm

My short answers:

Why did you leave? I basically fell off the wagon. Habits not ingrained enough. I fell back into my old ways. This way of eating is simple, but not easy. Lost focus of my intentions. My leaving back in 2011 was not intentional.

Why are you back? To stop the insanity. I want a healthy, sane relationship with food.

My history and long answer:
First off let me say that I am a 52 year old happily married mother of 4 children...ages 24, 20, 15, 14. I live a happy, fulfilling and extremely blessed life and my weight does not define who I am as a person. It is something though that has been an issue in my head for many years! This has received way too much focus for me over the years!! I want to fix that. When I look back at the big picture of my weight and diet history it looks like this.

Growing up and early years: healthy weight, active, runner.

Ages 28 to 45: My weight issues did not start until the age of 28 or so, which was when our first child was born and I began staying home full time. All of my children are adopted, so it was not pregnancy weight that was the issue, but staying home around food all day that was the issue. When my weight started creeping up I joined WW in 1993 and lost the weight becoming a lifetime member of ww. I lost 15 pounds to achieve that goal.
The rest of these years were spent either gaining weight, losing weight via ww, or thinking that I should be doing ww. At one point I lost 60 pounds with ww. I gained that back.

Ages 45 to 52(present) I found and joined this board and began reading about this sensible way of eating in 2008 when I was 43. Finally, in 2010, at the age of 45, I made my first real attempt at the NoS diet. It was wonderful. I LOVED this new way of eating and lost 25 pounds in about 6 months time, but because my habits were not ingrained enough I slipped back into old habits just like I did with ww. I have gone back and forth and back and forth between ww, nos, and thinking about which one of these I should do since 2010. During this time my weight mostly hasn't changed too much. I did lose 30 pounds the first 6 months of 2016 and gained it back the second 6 months of 2016.

If someone else were to tell me that they were living like this I would tell them that it is just CRAZINESS!!! I know that it IS! It is easy to see and know, but not as easy to stop the insanity!! I deserve to rest my mind and treat myself with more respect than this constant turmoil and yo-yo ing. Goodness sakes. I think 24 years is enough don't you?

In 2017, I started the year fully committed to NoS. Within ONE month I had rejoined ww. During this past year I have never fully committed to either way of eating. I have spent most of the year debating which one I should do and eating whatever I want, whenever I want. So, my weight is about the same as it was when I started the year.

I KNOW that there is absolutely NO WAY that I can count, weigh, measure and carry a tracker with me everywhere for the rest of my life. That is just not sensible and I am a sensible person. So, as much as I like the glitz and glamour, the fancy apps and the people I am done with ww. I am here for the sensibility of it!!

So, for me.....Why am I back? It boils down to a version of what Oolala says.....No S is hard, but Weight Watchers is harder!! AND, I don't want the how to occupy so much of my thoughts and time. Enough is enough!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Dec 30, 2017 10:58 pm

There's nothing like knowing your options (counting, eliminating, overeating for another 2-3 DECADES) are even worse to give a body the willingness to surrender to the least of the evils. Good news is this is one of the most pleasant evils you can find!

Welcome home.

automatedeating · Post by **automatedeating** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 3:11 am

Welcome back, ZippaDee!! I remember you and can't believe it's been so long since you were posting!

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Sun Dec 31, 2017 4:53 am

ZippaDee wrote: So, for me.....Why am I back? It boils down to a version of what Oolala says.....No S is hard, but Weight Watchers is harder!! AND, I don't want the how to occupy so much of my thoughts and time. Enough is enough!

Welcome back! Yup--this is it exactly. I never did WW, but did other methods of counting or eliminating foods etc... No S isn't glitzy but it's long-term sustainable, which is what I love about it!

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Jan 02, 2018 10:44 pm

Who's starting the 2018 team challenge thread? I don't think it should be me. I bogart the site enough. Or did I miss it? My eyes aren't what they used to be...

navin · Post by **navin** » Fri Jan 05, 2018 3:52 am

I have a tale to tell. It is sad, sweet, cautionary, and hopefully encouraging.

I found No-S by accident way back in the early days.. before there was a book, cool magnets, and the like. I was probably in my mid to late 20's. A friend of a friend of a friend was somehow acquainted with Reinhard and told a group of us about this No S stuff. I was skeptical at first, but could stand to lose some weight, so I decided, what the heck.

And it worked. It was tough at first, especially sweets and buffets. You should have seen how massive some of my plates were at Chinese buffets when I first started this, but gradually even that got under control.

It was more than just weight. My overall life became better. I ran more, and even did a few mini-triathlons. I got better at hockey. My blood pressure, cholesterol, all that were great. I never became super skinny - even at what I believe to be my healthy, natural weight, I'm a tad chubby. I found this out by going a bit below that weight - and it was not pretty (iron problems, fatigue, etc.).

I stayed with it for years, and it became second nature. It was just how I lived.

But then something happened. My Mom got sick. Cancer, as it turned out. At first, she functioned relatively well, got good treatment, and we thought she would eventually beat this thing. But she didn't. The time came where she had to be admitted to the hospital for the last time. It took a while to sink in, but I knew it was the beginning of the end.

I started to neglect healthy eating. Part of it was being in and out of the hospital so often. Part of it was I didn't care that much. I did stick with hockey, which was a blessing.

After she passed, the good eating habits did not just magically return. Well, seconds and snacks were easy to get under control, but not sweets. Those are my comfort foods, and had been quite prolific in the hospital and the hospice (lots of kind folks bringing in tasty things like cookies.)

At first, I barely noticed the weight coming back. But just as slowly as it came off, it did come back. And brought some friends. And the snowball slowly got bigger - I gave up triathlons, then running, then basketball, then the gym.. though I did stick with hockey at least.

And so here I am now. Over 40. Obese. Knees ache. Difficult to run without my entire body hurting. Much slower on the ice. Blood pressure up. Triglycerides up. Raiding any and all office candy and sweets I could find on a daily basis. It feels like rock bottom.

But now, I remember something important. If I did it once, I can do it again. And perhaps this time I can apply some lessons learned.

So I officially re-committed myself to this way of life for 2018. So far, 1 S day and 3 N days in the book. I can do this. I am not pining for some unreasonable goal, but merely to live the healthy lifestyle I had back in my 30's.

My life situation is very different now, though, which adds some challenges, but also opportunities.

I'm happily married and got a couple of stepchildren in the process. This means I no longer have complete control over the food that's in my household. So I have to be more careful to avoid the sweets. Fortunately, the kids can be quite ravenous and rarely leave me anything anyway.

I'm also in the middle of remodeling what will be our forever family home. And of course, now I'm a parent. That makes finding dedicated time to exercise more difficult. And since the kitchen is part of this remodel, it will be difficult to cook proper meals at least for some time.

But I know the kitchen will eventually be finished. And all of us enjoy cooking, so we'll be able to make good family meals. My wife supports my No-S endeavor, which is also helpful.

Difficult times like what happened with my Mom happen. It's inevitable that I'll go through something like that again. I have to remember that, although it's trite, to take care of myself. Maybe times like those need to be handled similar to long vacations - stick with No-S but have a little extra tolerance for screw-ups. Sometimes friends will bring cookies, and I appreciate those friends. It doesn't give me a license to fall completely off the wagon.

I don't have too many mods with it - I pretty much do No-S straight up. I do have one exception to the snack rule - if I have a hockey game at an odd time, I may have small, protein snack before hand. If I try to eat a full meal too soon before the game, it's miserable. But if I've waited too long since the last meal, I don't have as much energy. The other mod, which isn't really a mod at all, is that I'm slowly migrating towards a DASH-style diet. I was diagnosed with hypertension a year ago, so reducing sodium and increasing good, fiber rich foods will be a good thing for me.

So that's my story. Thanks for reading.

gingerpie · Post by **gingerpie** » Fri Jan 05, 2018 12:37 pm

Hi Navin, welcome back and thanks for your story. Life is certainly full of changes. I often wish that I had held onto many of the good habits that I was raised with . . . but so it is. At least we know what we can get back to. Best of luck to you on your return journey.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Jan 06, 2018 1:56 am

First, sorry about your mom. I can't imagine what it would have been like to lose my mom so young.

It's great that you know of something as sane as No S. It sounds like you never dieted, and that is to your benefit. I think you're also lucky not to expect you're going to get very thin. There's definitely some luck involved in that (though I've taken some flack for saying that). If you were eating reasonably and exercising that much and not thin, it sounds like your body didn't like the idea of being thinner. Not really necessary to force it, IMHO.

Congrats on your marriage and inherited family! Remember that with No S, just a reasonable plate of any non-sweet food is compliant. And who could stop you from filling part of it with some raw veggies, if salad is not de rigeur? You could make it a pickle, if it needs to be manly.

Don't want to inundate you, but have you seen the 2018 year challenge?

In any case, welcome and nice to meet you.

FarmerHal · Post by **FarmerHal** » Mon Jan 22, 2018 3:30 am

Iâ€™ve known about NoS since December 2006... I was very compliant, as I had a buddy, I think her name was Jennifer, and we both supported each other. I went from 245 to 206.

Many military moves and just bad habits, and giving up because Iâ€™ve ALWAYS been FAT, been on diets since the 2nd grade.

Although now I see it in my daughter, which makes me sad, she can be very food obscessed, especially sugar. My son is not like that at all.

Laziness.
Attraction to some other diet thatâ€™s better. Low carb is one. I donâ€™t last long on it, as I canâ€™t stand making different meals for family and then myself.

I am tired. So tired of being in the 200s. My ankles and feet ache, everything hurts. Always with ate too much bellyaches, especially at bedtime. Or ate the wrong thing (really need to listen to my body).

Need to get past emotional eating. Mindless eating. Permasnacking.

Need to set a good example for my kids.

Itâ€™s hard with a husband who is VERY SLIM and can eat anything.

Any time I visit the doctor I get a lecture and â€œyour symptoms are caused by being overweight...â€. (Many of which are NOT true, but Iâ€™m sure can be aggravated by the extra weight.
Many of my friends are on low carb or whole 30 diets, or making diet bets to lose weight. Ay yi yi. No thank you.
Need to get over food. Even S day sweets arentâ€™ that great. I even turned down birthday cake yesterday, as it never is as tasty as I imagine!
I hope I Stick around a while. Sigh.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Jan 27, 2018 8:16 pm

I believe the incentive of being sick of physical discomforts is a much better motivator than weight loss for appearance. And if you do have health conditions, well, that is what "diets" are for. In your case, just these modifications to your eating will be a big step, Your doctor will probably be flabbergasted that you actually did something because it really isn't the norm. When a nurse practitioner saw that I was down from a high, she went excitedly to the doctor and he came in to see the wonder of it.

You absolutely CAN cut the ties to emotional eating. It's a habit, and admittedly more uncomfortable to tolerate the symptoms of (at least for me) than run-of-the-mill hunger, but doable! Eyes on the prize! (That, too, is a habit that grows with practice, and thankfully, has payoffs down the line that make it easier along with just the plain old prefrontal cortex new neural pathways).

You will almost NEVER regret any S you didn't eat on an N day. Find out!

And welcome home.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sat Jan 27, 2018 11:19 pm

https://everydaysystems.com/bb/posting. ... ly&t=11665

bigshoe · Post by **bigshoe** » Mon Jan 29, 2018 5:16 pm

I am back again after a bit of a hiatus which gave me opportunity to try every diet under the sun to varying degrees of success. Sometimes I would engage in multiple protocols in a single week flipping from low carb in the morning to every other day eating in the afternoon because of a carb binge. Well thatâ€™s ok I just wonâ€™t eat tomorrow. Then tomorrow I would scheme up some other plan to allow me to eat too much.
I think I left this plan in the past for a few different reasons. One is thereâ€™s not enough minutea. No blogs, no lists of forbidden foods, no pubmed breakdowns. I had been so into paleo and low carb I was confused not to have an enemy. Just myself and gluttony. Second, I struggle a bit with alcohol moderation and truly unable to stay with the glass ceiling program. I would try and falter. So I would completely abstain and be good to myself for the duration and allow myself to eat the comfort foods and ice cream that satisfies the ethanol need. Then I would go back to drinking. So it would be a week of crap food and all I wanted to end the week with drinking again.
Things are much better now as I post this except the pants are tight and I have fallen of the exercise train. But heading in the right direction with habitual. It is a lifetime decision. I have to think this time next year do I want to have lost and gained another yo-yo 30 lbs like last year? Or maybe Slightly lighter yet sane. I aim for sanity and hope for a side effect of fat loss.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Jan 31, 2018 6:57 pm

bigshoe wrote: I had been so into paleo and low carb I was confused not to have an enemy. Just myself and gluttony.

Talk about laugh out loud.

If that really sinks in, especially when the body's homeostasis bias and the reward value of food makes you doubt it, I predict a testimonial next January.

Marina · Post by **Marina** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 1:28 pm

I've decided to come back today. I had only been here for a few months the other time i tried to do No-S so i'm still a newbie.

2017 endend up being a pretty terrible year for me health wise and i was in a lot a pain for a lor of time due to cronic migraines, a back injury and shoulder bursitis+cervicalgia. I also had some family issues and it was all tough. In December things started to get better but i had to do a lot of lifestyle changes to be able to control the pain, specially the migraines.

Just before Christmas my doctor told me i was pre-diabetic. This had been discussed a few months earlier but the doctor wasn't clear and i was confused, so in december it was made clear that the probability of my developing diabetes was really high. I've been on Metformin since. Also i had to cut all my sugar intake.

Now i'm slowly trying to adjust to this new life in which sleep, stress, food, noises, smells and many other things influence me so much and have to be managed in a disciplined way in order for me to avoid pain. Its hard and i feel weak and limited at times but it beats being in pain most of the time and wanting to die from it. (Sorry, just venting).

Now on to the good stuff: i've been sugar-free for the last 10 days and have felt only a little pain and tiredness, so my life is starting to feel enjoyable again! I've been doing 3-4 meals a day depending on my routine and will eat fruit if i feel i might be getting hypoglycemic but other than that i'm not snacking.

No-S was so great when i first started it! I feel a bit sad that i can't do Vanilla and i questioned myself whether what i am doing now is actually No-S, though, but i supose it can be considered Non-vanilla No-S?

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:11 pm

Are you kidding? Of course you can consider yourself a No S-er while following any guidelines you've been given. Illness is a perfect reason to cut particular foods from your diet. In fact, healing illness is what a specialized diet is designed for, not weight loss. No one should never insist on Vanilla as a matter of principle when his/her health is at stake. I didn't know until recently that people with diabetes die more from strokes or heart attacks than the other complications of the disease. I don't not only want not to die of either of those; I don't want to have to survive one, if possible! I hope you won't have to, either.

No S is just about being systematic and streamlining the process. Being able to adjust the 3-4 meals according to your routine and adding the fruit can certainly qualify.

I'm sorry it's such painful conditions that have forced this on you, but at least you are finding some relief. That alone may give you an incentive that other people don't have and which can make it harder for them. Having an iron stomach and being able to abuse myself without many other negative repercussions allowed me to go on for several decades before I got sick of it enough to change before things got even worse.

Welcome home!I l look forward to updates on your thread, if you choose to record it here.

Merry · Post by **Merry** » Wed Feb 21, 2018 6:29 am

Absolutely agreeing with Oolala here, and welcome back Marina!

I don't know if you have the No-S book, but Reinhard specifically says that dr. recommendations are fully sanctioned (as if you need them to be!) Keep following his guidelines. It sounds like you are making positive and healthy changes.

Everyday Systems

Why did you leave? Why are you back?

Why did you leave? Why are you back?

I'm pre-diabetic now