Everyday Systems

emmay

Day 5: Success

emmay

Day 2: Success
Days 3 & 4: S Days

emmay

Thanks
Day 1 was a success.

Starting weight 67.5kg (about 149lb)

emmay

A new start. It has been a while.

emmay

Mine is not quite a success story (yet). But it is still a testimonial for how well the No S diet works if you stick to it. I'm female, age 36, height 167cm. A year ago I started the No S diet. I weighed 66kg and my weight was climbing. I was an emotional eater and I snacked almost continually. Any ...

emmay

I have experienced something similar. After many successful months on No S I started overeating to the point of discomfort at some meals, particularly dinner. I'm not sure exactly why. Maybe my emotional overeating, previously in the form of repeated snacking/sweets, was redirected towards concentra...

emmay

September 2013 1 S DAY 2 S 3 I 4 C 5 K 6 ! Sick all week. I think I had one or two green days because I lost my appetite but didn't keep track. 7 S DAY 8 S DAY 9 SUCCESS Walk B: Bircher muesli. L: cheese and ham roll, orange. D: Chicken and veg curry with rice, berries and almonds. 10 SUCCESS Walk ...

emmay

Well... I was just getting back to regular exercise and N days when I came down with a week long flu. Feeling better now and ready to restart. So my aim for today is gentle exercise and 3 plates.

emmay

Wow! I have really gotten off track with both No S and exercise. I let winter be an excuse not to go out for my morning walk/run and somehow I stopped doing my other exercise too. I decided I was sick of using HabitCal and didn't need it anymore.... Result: getting plump and puffy and unfit. Solutio...

emmay

Almost all my meals include a starchy carbohydrate, along with a source protein and fat and fibrous vegetables or fruit. It's how most meals in traditional cuisines are structured. There is nothing wrong with eating rice, potatoes, pasta, bread, oats, legumes etc as long as they are balanced with ot...

emmay

Wonderful! Thank you.

emmay

As LA-Loser pointed out, you can have whatever breakfast foods you enjoy, as long as they aren's sweets like muffins or donuts. If you are looking for tasty breakfast ideas, one of my favourites at the moment is a bowl with plain, full cream greek yoghurt topped with toasted muesli(granola), nuts an...

emmay

One Plate When I started No S, I didn't worry too much about the no seconds/one plate rule. At that time, I didn't have a problem with overeating at meals. My issue was snacks and sweets between meals. I also thought the one plate rule was impractical for some types of meals. But, after many succes...

emmay

I took two weeks of vacation S days :D . I was ready for a break and enjoyed myself very much. I think No S is most important for me when I am in my usual work routine as it prevents boredom and stress induced eating. While on family vacation, I had too much fun to be bothered with eating for the wr...

emmay

Taking a break from the challenge for now. I might join back up after vacation.

emmay

Great post Oolala. I agree with focusing on vitalty and tuning in to your hunger rather than focusng on weight loss. I've been contemplating possible weekend mods. Not for weight loss necessarily, but to feel better about my eating habits. Overeating and frequent sweets is not behavour I can feel pr...

emmay

June 2013

No S score 94.7% Bronze medal!
Walking/running 76.2%
Other exercise/14 minutes of anything 70.0%

Weight stable: 60.5kg/133.4lb
Better No S compliance than last month but not so great with the exercise.

emmay

June log. Copied from the June challenge thread. 1 :) Yoga. 2 :) Run/walk. 3 :D Family birthday Yoga, walk. B: toast, scrambled eggs, apple, walnuts. L: salad, tuna, avocado, orange. D: Crumbed chicken, vegetables. Birthday cake with ice cream. Lollies(candy) and snacks in the afternoon. 4 :mrgreen:...

emmay

Great results! Well done.

emmay

Jayhawk28 and saracahterine, your posts ring true for me too. Early last year, I was following the primal blueprint and reading Marks daily apple regularly. Then stress hit, both from the low carb dieting and other life stress. I started bingeing, first on primal allowed foods, then on anything. For...

emmay

Hi Christine.
I wish you luck with finding what works for you.
For between meal hunger you could try adjusting your meals to make them more satisfying, e.g. add good fats like avocado, nuts, olive oil. Also, a milky tea or coffee can tide you over for another hour or so.

emmay

One third of the way through!
This challenge is helping with my motivation. I'm more likely to choose to keep a day green when I have public accountability.

emmay

What an inspiration! Thank you for posting your story Ruff.
Mountain runs sound like fun, as do beach runs. Sounds like you live in a great location.

emmay

May 2013 No S score 69.6% (seven red days) Walking/running 93.1% Bronze medal! Other exercise/14 minutes of anything 87.5% Weight stable: 60.6kg/133.6lb Not so great with No S compliance in the last two weeks but I'm happy with my exercise progress. I headed out for a walk/run almost every day and ...

emmay

Emma's June 2013 challenge . My goals: strict vanilla No S, exercise six days per week. 1 :) Yoga. 2 :) Run/walk. 3 :D Family birthday Yoga, walk. B: toast, scrambled eggs, apple, walnuts. L: salad, tuna, avocado, orange. D: Crumbed chicken, vegetables. Birthday cake with ice cream. Lollies(candy) ...

emmay

Hi Sinnie,
I remember feeling just the way you describe, craving bread, repulsed by fresh vegetables. For a while, I only wanted white bread and cheese sandwiches and chocolate ice cream

A multi vitamin might be a good idea until you get your taste for vegetables back.

emmay

I need to get strict about the 'no seconds/one plate' rule. I tend to be flexible about it and then decide after the fact whether the meal was a failure or success. If I feel that I have overeaten, I give myself a fail. If not, I call it a success, even if I have technically had seconds. This way of...

emmay

I second that audiomama!

emmay

Great thread!
I recently signed up to a calorie tracking website because I thought it would be useful to see how many calories I'm eating. After reading all the comments here, I am not going to start. Much more useful to pay attention to my appetite to tell me of I am eating the right amount.

emmay

Don't worry Maryashley, we all do it sometimes (at least I do, usually on Sunday). It is an opportunity to listen to your body and learn for next time.

emmay

Thanks No BS. I noticed in your daily checkin that you sometimes skip breakfast or just have a piece of fruit. I like your flexible approach. Listening to your appetite and honoring your body's need for a break is healthy. I was forcing the fasting and starting to think of it as a way to get skinny....

emmay

I'm giving up on Intermittent fasting for now. I started after learning about it's potential health benefits but it has lead to thoughts of fast weight loss, restriction and control that go beyond what is moderate and healthy.

Vanilla No S, three meals a day is just right for me

emmay

"looming muffin top"

Finallyfull, I laughed at that image! That's what I get too, or used to get, pre-No S.

emmay

Aprilsparrow, have you started taking photos yet? I decided to go ahead with photographing my food for a week. I've had lots of questions from my family about it and tonight, I'm eating at a friend's house so not sure about the etiquette there. It has prevented some unnecessary nibbling today, as I ...

emmay

Congratulations!!! I fell pregnant for the first time while I was following No S back in 2006. As soon as it happened, I didn't care about diet/weight anymore so I disappeared from the boards for a few years (had a different user name then). The nausea I experienced in the early months seemed to be ...

emmay

Great results Minkymoo! Thanks for sharing. I love seeing new success stories here. It is very motivating.

emmay

Thanks No BS This month I am going to track here as I go: May 2013 1 :mrgreen: Exercise: dawn walk/run and 10 pushups. Fasted until lunch (tuna, boiled eggs, fresh veg and a mandarin). Delicious dinner at a Japanese restaurant; I didn't strictly stick to one plate but I didn't overeat so I'll call i...

emmay

I've thought about doing that too, but my idea was to record just one typical week in photagraphs.
Every meal for a whole year would be a big commitment!
I was thinking of putting the pictures on Flickr if I do ever get around to it. Does anyone still use Flickr now that we have Pinterest?

emmay

April 2013 No S score 70.7% (five red days, three non-weekend S days) Resistance exercise 37% (a lot of sick days) Walking 75.3% Despite the low compliance, weight is down a little to 60.7kg/ 133.5lb I plan on 100% compliance in May and some intermittent fasting too. Here's hoping I don't get sick ...

emmay

Back on track this week. Being too sick to exercise really threw me for a week or so but now I am feeling better, doing my exercise and being strict with No S. It was raining this morning so, instead of a walk, I did a short cardio workout and 20 minutes of yoga using an ipad app. Over the weekend I...

emmay

Not doing too well this week. I got sick last week which caused me to skip my exercise and feel a bit miserable. I'm mostly better now but I haven't gotten back to my regular exercise routine and my eating is messed up too. I've had a few red days in a row and it feels like a deliberate failure. Not...

emmay

My favourite breakfast is two eggs, fried or scrambled, with one piece of toast. This helps me feel level, without the blood sugar crash and burn that I get when I have a cereal/oatmeal breakfast. I sometimes add a piece of fruit and some nuts, or some bacon and fried tomato on weekends. My backup b...

emmay

All sounds like good advice mastermesh. I can't help but laugh though, at the image of someone struggling for 10 minutes to get their wallet open

emmay

After overeating on two weekends in a row, strategies for the coming weekend are on my mind. I'm contemplating the meaning of "sometimes on days starting with S". It certainly doesn't mean all the time on days starting with S . And it also doesn't mean on every day starting with S . I want my weeken...

emmay

Great testimonial NoSRocks! Thank you.

emmay

A fail on Friday as it was a crazy, busy day with no time for propper meals.
I ate too much on the weekend too. Had that uncomfortable full feeling Sunday evening.

Thank goodness for Monday.

emmay

After getting a couple of green days under my belt this week, that extra Easter weight has gone. I think it was mostly bloating. The worst thing about my eating last weekend was how I felt about my behaviour. I was sneaking chocolate throuought the day on Friday and that is just not how I want to ac...

emmay

I agree No BS. I love the fresh Habitcal month! And I love that No S gives me the framework to find my own equilibrium with food.

emmay

You're not the only one

Let's look at it as an opportunity to practice getting back on the horse.

emmay

March 2013 No S score 89.5% (two red days, two non-weekend S days) Resistance exercise 77.3% (five red days) Walking 92.3% (two red days) Compliance is up but weight is up by 1kg to 61.5kg/ 135lb Too many big full plates and too much Easter eating. And my exercise, while compliant, has been shorter...

emmay

Thanks Eeyore. My March summary might be slightly less encouraging as I've had a small gain in weight. Possibly all attributable to Easter chocolate and hot cross buns :oops: But also, I have been filling my plate(and tummy) more in the last couple of weeks. My aim was to eat bigger meals to help wi...

emmay

Thanks No BS. I was on a roll, but Easter interrupted it. I had a fail on Thursday night, then an all day chocolate fest on Friday.

Saturday and Sunday I was much more sensible.

emmay

Thanks Over43. Monday was all green for No S and exercise and a green already for walking today. Beautiful sunrise this morning. Walking/running at sunrise is a habit I want to keep up.

emmay

What an amazing and inspiring check in thread! Thank you No BS.

emmay

Thanks No BS. I had a good weekend, some indulgences but no crazy eating. Ready for more green this week.

emmay

I had a good week. Five green days. I ate out on Wednesday night and had a large meal. It was one plate but I did overeat somewhat. It didn't feel great at the time but I think the feed-up helped me stay compliant on Thursday and Friday.
Exercise could have been better.

emmay

We made our family dinner time earlier too, between 5:30 and 6:00. But that only works if everyone can be home on time. Otherwise, you could stick to non-starchy veges at the earlier dinner, you can never have too many of those. For a while, several years ago, I was making two dinners. One earlier f...

emmay

After failing the 21 day challenge at day 15, I looked back at my habitcal and found that I have only had five green days in a row twice in the last five months! :oops: Every other week, I've had either a non-weekend s day or a fail. I don't think it is a huge problem as I have still been losing wei...

emmay

I've still got a week to go. I'm finding the 21 day challenge a good extra incentive to stay strict.

emmay

It depends how my weekend went. If I overdid it, I am relieved when N days resume. I always have a bit of trouble on Mondays, making the change from eating whatever I want to stopping myself and saying no to snacks and sweets. It's like flipping a switch from permitted to not-permitted. It does make...

emmay

They just installed a junk food vending machine at my work :x Thank goodness i have No S to defend me! I asked my boss why he allowed it and he said people are going to buy the stuff elsewhere anyway, our social club may as well make some money from it. I think it is one thing if people decide to ta...

emmay

February 2013

No S score 66.6% (six red days)
Resistance exercise 71.4% (six red days)
Walking 84.0% (four red days)

I've been doing pretty well with the exercise.
Weight is down a little to 60.4kg/ 133lb

emmay

I'll join. I've had lots of reds in the last week. I got the flu and found myself comfort eating. February 21: Day 1 February 22: Day 2 The 21 day challenge has inspired me. Two greens after nearly a week of reds! February 23: Day 3 February 24: Day 4 February 25: Day 5 Yay! February 26: Day 6 A fam...

emmay

Hi Jibaholic, Welcome. I love a good pizza or bagel with cream cheese too. I think instead of outlawing them, maybe come up with a few healthier alternatives for your breakfast and lunch defaults. Your go-to breakfast could be whatever healthy, satisfying meal you have planned but you could still de...

emmay

I came down with a flu last week and I have been off track ever since. Lots of red on the habitcal. Time to get green!

emmay

Thanks for those quotes wosnes. They make me regret some of the mediocre food I have eaten this weekend. Now I need to think of something great to make for dinner.

emmay

Thanks Over43. I was surprised to lose weight over the holidays. I think the No S habits carried over even though I gave myself S days. Then when I first tried to go back to N days, the S day habits carried over for a week or so

emmay

January 2013

No S score 34.7%
14 minutes 40.9%
Walking 70.9%

I struggled at getting back to No S after the holidays but I got right back into walking and some running.
Weight is down around 1kg for the month to 61kg. A total of 5kg down since I started in October.

emmay

December 2012

No S score 68.3%
14 minutes 11.5%
Walking 38.1%

Low scores because I gave myself S days for half the month!
Weight down about 1kg/2lb

emmay

I second the Beck Diet Solution. One of the techniques from the book is to say to yourself 'NO CHOICE'. As in, 'I am following the No S diet, eating at this time is not an option, eating sweets is not an option, NO CHOICE!'

emmay

Thanks for the tips, everyone. Great question Andylandy!
It is often nice to have a little something to finish a meal. A little bowl or ramekin on the plate, to section off a serve of fruit, nuts, cheese is a wonderful idea.

emmay

Thank you!
'The process is the result' is an amazing idea.

emmay

Vmsurbat, I sometimes do the same thing, a plate of sliced fruit to share after dinner, but I considered it a mod. Do you virtual plate it? There seems to be some flexibilty in the interpretation of no seconds. Some people follow a strict one plate rule, while others eat more than one course, as lon...

emmay

Today, I am ready for a new start after the holidays. I'm reading the Beck Diet Solution. It is a book that uses cognitive therapy techniques to help you follow the diet of your choice. Primarily by teaching you how to counter sabotaging thoughts. Thank you to the no-s member who mentioned it on the...

emmay

I'm glad to read this. I need to get back on the horse after a vacation.
I have a voice that tells me I can manage my own eating without rules. But I know that, without no s, bad habits creep up on me.

emmay

I did fairly well with not being an idiot during my vacation. I came home feeling like I had put on a little weight but the scales showed a small loss. It is hard getting back on track after the freedom I allowed myself. Especially since that freedom didn't result in weight gain. Hard to convince my...

emmay

I've just marked the next three weeks as S days on Habitcal

I'm away for the holidays and the only rule I plan to follow is 'don't be an idiot'

emmay

Wow! What an interesting article.
Thanks BrightAngel

emmay

You are good enough McQueen. Good enough to eat nutritious and delicious food, good enough to wear nice clothes, good enough to enjoy regular, moderate exercise, good enough to love yourself and your body, no matter what you weigh, good enough to enjoy time to yourself and with loved ones. Put aside...

emmay

Hi Tessytwinkle, welcome.
I'm a little nervous about Christmas eating too, but if you go off track, every day is a chance to get back on track. The podcast about S day strategies is good.

emmay

You work nine hours without a break?! Surely there are laws against that! If you can't possible have a solid meal at dinner time, maybe you could have a liquid meal replacement on work days. Or maybe you could fit in a half dinner just before your shift then half when you finish.

emmay

I have some good weekends and some crazy ones. For me, the problem is sugar. If I keep sweets minimal and preferably with meals then I can keep in control. My best weekends have involved non-sugar snacks like cheese, crackers and fruit, and small sweets following my meals. It I have a high sugar sna...

emmay

2 X 21 days! Excellent.

emmay

Thanks eschano, I know it is a lot. I don't expect to have the same results in december but hopefully I can maintain, both habits and weight.

emmay

November 2012

No S score 85.7%
14 minutes 81.8%
Walking 63.6%

Weight 62.7kg/138lb. A loss of 3.3kg/7lb over the month.

My No S fails were all minor. I had one wild weekend and three sensible weekends.
Overall, I'm feeling very positive about my eating and exercise.

emmay

Well done! That's so great

emmay

Tonight was lamb curry with basmati rice, cucumber riata and tomato salad. For a simple lamb curry: sautÃ© onions in ghee or butter/olive oil, add whole spices, e.g. a cinnamon quill, pepper corns, star anise, cardamom pods, dried chillies, coriander seeds and cloves. Fry for 2 minutes, add diced la...

emmay

Not sure about tonight but last night was make-your-own sushi. Cook and season a batch of sushi rice. Place on the table with quartered nori sheets and a selection of fillings, e.g. chicken strips, omelette strips, tuna, tofu, julienned carrots, cucumbers, snow peas, capsicum (peppers), avocado, was...

emmay

Thanks Ironchef,
It is so encouraging to read your testimonial.

emmay

Another fail. Seconds at dinner again. Need to just put more on my plate in the first place. I haven't let any of my fails turn into the what-the-hell effect so still feeling pretty good about my habits.

emmay

Friday was a fail. I had seconds at dinner. I should have put extra food on my plate to start with as I knew I was extra hungry. I'm doing well with eating to 70% or 80% full most of the time. It feels good to be satisfied but not too full. But I think I need to eat to 90-100% full once every day or...

emmay

I don't know. Is there such a thing as sugar withdrawal? In the first few weeks I experienced strong hunger for an hour or two before meals, starting around the time I was used to having morning and afternoon tea. Sometimes the hunger was accompanied by slight diziness and crankyness. This has dimin...

emmay

Thanks for the information Kimbo and wosnes.
I love how No S has me eating in a more traditional way. So many cultures seem to have three meals and no snacking as the traditional eating pattern. I can think of France, Italy and Japan off the top of my head.

emmay

I've been reading this thread with interest because the mod sounds appealing. It would be great to eliminate S day overeating and have the option of a daily treat. The problem I can see is that, for me, having only one sweet would take as much discipline and control as having none. Maybe even more d...

emmay

Congratulations!

emmay

Welcome Waterlilly.
I was the same, pre no s. I think most of my snacks were due to boredom, anxiety, procrastination, loneliness etc. When I had to face those issues/feelings, instead of distracting myself with eating, I found they were actually quite manageable and passed quickly.

emmay

I'm glad the concrete metaphor was appreciated. After I posted it I had an awkward moment when I thought I might be the only person who could see an interesting relationship between concrete and dieting.

emmay

Concrete is solid and strong but it is inflexible, so concrete structures always develop cracks. That is why we put in control joints. Control joints are cut into the concrete at regular intervals so that, when the cracks form, they follow the joints in neat, regular lines instead of a random patter...

emmay

Congratulations on both the baby and the weight loss.

emmay

First, and hopefully last, Fail for this month. I had desert of fruit and yoghurt with honey. Without the honey I probably wouldn't consider it a fail. It is early to add a mod but I've decided to allow myself to have fresh fruit as desert with lunch or dinner without including it on my one plate. I...

Everyday Systems

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Emma's check in

Emma's one year check in.

Vending Machine

A civil engineering metaphor and Mireille Guiliano