Everyday Systems

oolala53

I want to believe this and mostly do, except when health insurance premiums are so affected by people who continue with certain habits while also diagnosed with problems that different habits could change. I know, not a popular viewpoint and certainly a muddled one, I admit. Humans are humans, subje...

oolala53

I posted this on the testimonial thread. Did my quarterly weigh-in. I'm down from BMI 24.4 at my last weigh-in to 23.8. It's a small change in weight, but feels like more. My original thought on No S in 2010 was that I MIGHT get to a size 10, but bought size 8 pants a few weeks ago. And I'm turning ...

oolala53

Did my quarterly weigh-in. I'm down from BMI 24.4 to 23.8. It's a small change in weight, but feels like more. My original thought was that I might get to a size 10, but bought size 8 pants a few weeks ago. And I'm turning 60 in 5 days. Not bad to weigh about what I weighed when I graduated from hig...

oolala53

Late to the party but congrats! (I'm grateful to be a little under 145 at 5'6".) Best of all to hear that eating and weight are not a concern anymore. I know you're pretty busy but it would be great some time to hear about your S-day experiences. We need more sane eaters (and mothers) in our society...

oolala53

Did you mean a printed rim? Or did you mean you would not put food on the rim? Brian Wansink found that people eat less off plates with printed rims and that it even made a difference what was printed on them. But the site on which I first saw that and examples of effective designs has been down for...

oolala53

All the things that bug you bugged me for a LONG time, except that I would rarely forgo healthy food for crap ( I would forgo all eating later because I was still to dang full), but I stuck to N days. That still happens. But most of the rest of it is small potatoes now. Which reminds me: I might hav...

oolala53

I think I finally faced a situation that could be one that derails people. I asked a friend if he wanted to watch Monday night football at my house and when he was almost there, discovered that it is now on ESPN -you can tell how important this is to me, usually- which I, single woman, don't get in ...

oolala53

small meal: 1/2 cup yogurt, a plum, a few nuts medium meal: half a sandwich, crudites big meal: just about anything eaten at a restaurant! or any meal in which the entree or side dish is deep fried. So, for me, a lot of restaurant appetizers are actually a big meal because they are so fatty. I don't...

oolala53

Graham, it seems counterintuitive, but the experience of many former compulsive eaters, who usually have concurrent intense body dissatisfaction, is that they do not eat more in the long run when they work on body acceptance. Just as with freeing the restrictions on No S may inspire overeating at fi...

oolala53

It's amazing and a bit annoying to me that when I am under the wire at work and really have to get something done, I can go a long time without thinking of a snack (3-4 p.m. used to be my witching hour). I"m annoyed because it can be so hard to find those things that are more compelling than food! I...

oolala53

Just to say, one month in is not very long. It takes most people MUCH longer to retrain the appetite, more like a year or more. Too many people start wanting to adjust early on, or give up because it doesn't match the honeymoon phase of a diet, where you're totally inspired and you think you'll neve...

oolala53

Two small meals, one moderate one, dessert.

Two small meals, one moderate one, no S.

One medium meal, one big meal.

One big meal, one small one, one S.

One small meal, two or three snacks. ( Super Bowl day)

Three very small meals, dessert.

One big meal.

Etc.

oolala53

I think you mean you can't tell how much to eat until it's too late. It took me over two years before I was able to moderate S days. I kept waiting for the desire to go away, even though I felt rotten later, but it actully didn't. I would think of a food and go eat it as soon as the full feeling sub...

oolala53

Isn't it amazing what you feel you can "bring to the table" when you're joyful about what happens at the table? The nightmare is over.

oolala53

I am 43 months in. I hope I'm not repeating myself, but a mod I occasionally use is eating only either freggies as salad with a couple of tablespoons of dressing or vegetable soup plus a piece of fruit if I reach a meal time and am not actually hungry. This has happened more as the years have gone o...

oolala53

I put it all on one plate to start, but I sometimes split it up afterwards. I'd actually been eating lunches like that for years before No S, but bingeing afternoon into evening. When I started eating dinner regularly, I almost felt lost. If felt as if, if I was allowed to eat what I wanted, I shoul...

oolala53

Never underestimate the value of a nap.

oolala53

In reply to your cogent post on my thread:

In one study, when Americans were asked what word came to mind when they saw a piece of chocolate cake, they said, "Guilt." When French subjects were asked, they said, "Pleasure."

oolala53

oolala53

Age helps. I felt much better about how I looked at 185 lbs. at age 56 than I did at 145 lbs at age 32. Thank you, wisdom or resignation!

oolala53

For lunch and dinner, I try to have something green and leafy, plus two other veggies of different colors, cooked or raw. And one piece of fruit. This is along with my dense food. If my entree is saucy, I tend to mix bites and use no salad dressing. I do make sure I have an extra fat if the entree i...

oolala53

What is your biggest problem on S days? Huge meals? Permasnacking? All day sweets?

oolala53

Best hijack ever! The part about the security of knowing when I am going to eat is subtle but so important, I think. When I tried IE, I didn't have the patience to wait long enough because it seemed like I might have to wait way too long. With No S, I have actually been able on some occasions to wai...

oolala53

My S days now are quite calm, but I still get a kick out of opening the fridge and taking a bite of something or popping some grapes in my mouth sometimes. Just a little adolescent rebellion. I don't need to do it much anymore. And just the fact that I COULD if I really wanted to makes it even more ...

oolala53

It's interesting that someone posted about Fuhrman's toxic hunger here. On the other board I participate on, there is an older woman who keeps trying to follow him, and just posted about it. It's been more than a year, maybe even two, of her trying. Amazingly, though she has failed most of the time,...

oolala53

Your exercise habit is the missing piece in my vitality puzzle. It bugs me that I have in the back of my mind that I won't get more than passingly active until I retire, but not enough to actually do something about it! Most days of 14 minutes and increasing days of more walking have to be enough fo...

oolala53

I'm not being 100% compliant, but feel rather okay about it. If I get pretty full, it's usually from veggies, though getting used to too much volume can be its own problem. (Competitive eaters train by drinking water to increase the volume of their stomach, not eating a lot. But they don't do it all...

oolala53

I was one of those people who stayed up until midnight. Haven't done it for three years. It was a phase. I outlasted it! Weekends are now one of the most likely times I'll have a 16-hour fast come on. So far, planning for them has mostly whacked me out. But they can easily happen after eating out in...

oolala53

You're actually doing great. Remember, this is not something you get down in a few weeks and it's all over.

Out of curiosity, when do you think you OVEReat? It seems to me if you are getting legitimately hungry after several hours, you are not overeating.

oolala53

Sounds like a decent incentive. And a good amount of time to affect things. Good luck!

oolala53

Or have a latte break mid-morning and eat lunch an hour later.

oolala53

I think I haven't been at BMI 22.5 since I was 11 years old! I hope you don't feel you have to defend yourself to me... I see this as a process of weaning oneself off overeating. There are a lot of ways to slowly cut down and cut out. Sounds like you are on track. It's hard for me to fathom losing t...

oolala53

Also remember that S days were meant to include one, possibly two S events eventually anyway. And not even necessarily every S day. Sometimes. I couldn't believe for the longest time that I could ever have sugar just sometimes, as in not every weekend. But I'm there. I almost can't believe it now be...

oolala53

Is it there yet? Maybe this will help.

oolala53

Yikes! re your work load and feeding! Don't be too hard on yourself if you "fail." I know that sounds so negative, but it's really not. It's no worse than not getting the ball over the net a lot when you're first learning to serve the ball. If you can, try to think ahead what in general you will hav...

oolala53

Be sure what you're really feeling is hunger. I used to get the greatest urges to snack within 3 hours after a meal. I realized I wasn't hungry. I just had an urge to eat more. Habit. Now I prefer the true hungry feeling and am willing to wait for it! (And overeating can be a trigger for eating more...

oolala53

I've used mocha or latte for years. I do try to make my own with stevia, but I've used commercial cocoa mix in coffee at times. I try to limit it to ONLY when I feel hungry and mostly when I have more than 2 hours until the next meal. It never made me want more or different food, so I've considered ...

oolala53

I've had a hectic workweek and ended up not being hungry at all for dinner, and busy enough not to care. I'm thinking I sure like this form of IF better than imposing it. Who knows what will happen in a year? But I started with 3 fasts a day.

oolala53

Good to see you again.

oolala53

Doing well! Sounds especially like you are putting S days to good use.

oolala53

How big are the classes? Could you sit it the back of one of them and quietly eat your meal? Pack a lunch. Given your circumstances, you might split the lunch in two, spread out so that you still have a decent gap between the second half and dinner. Try to arrange it so that you eat at the same time...

oolala53

How is Vanilla No S a rare thing? I think it's pretty common around here.

oolala53

I was involved in several years of Zen practice before NO S and some of the lessons did transfer. Not yet with dealing with clutter and only marginal with my job, but inch by inch. One of my Zen teachers had a recurring problem with environmental pollution (ironically brought on by trying to grow fo...

oolala53

Are you ALLOWING yourself more than two NWS days a month? Because officially, you get two. Anything else is a failure, unless you can't stand the idea of failing! S days are S days whether you eat an S on them or not. They are the days you CAN have an S, if you really want it and it fits in comforta...

oolala53

Hi, girl! So, what is your 8-hour window? Do you actually eat three meals in that time? I am working my way up to something like it one or two days a week, but it whacked me out at first. I binged the first time I tried it. I'm only doing it because I'm not experiencing as much hunger anymore but am...

oolala53

I f you must weigh, do it on Fridays only OR every day for one week and take only the average as your weight that week. Or skip it altogether and use that as incentive to be really strict about your N days. They and your pants will be the only metrics.

oolala53

Your weekend drinking habit sounds fine. You can adjust later if it seems it is interfering with your goals on No S. But later means months later, not days or weeks. Do what seems to naturally reduce your need for more food.

oolala53

You are not ranting. I gently suggest you start weaning yourself off discussions of food (except what and how much you enjoy something you're eating), dissatisfaction with your body, and trying to lose weight with anyone who is not on a similar quest to normalize his/her eating rather than lose weig...

oolala53

For a lot of the time- probably the first year- I did what Giada does, having picked up the habit about 15 years ago. Since I reached my normal BMI range, I weigh for a week at a time at the turn of the seasons, as you can see in my signature line. If weighing can ruin your whole day or make you sta...

oolala53

Sinnie, try hard to remember that the next time the urge to binge comes: you don't want to be that person. Once in awhile, I think, oh, I could buy some cookie dough just for old time's sake. But then the thought comes: what if it starts it all up again? I don't want to be that person. And the most ...

oolala53

Don't want to beat a dead horse, but I've been doing the chewing thing for quite a few years (except when I would binge) and it definitely has made a difference. Taking your time and savoring food is one of the reasons Will Cowper says he thinks the French paradox works, among nine other "rules" he ...

oolala53

Sounds like you got the message, but I'll reinforce it anyway. The odds are against her maintaining, but even if she does, her tactics aren't right for you now, very likely. Sounds like they would trip you up. How are you doing staying on habit? It never sounded attractive at all to me to cut out st...

oolala53

Experimented with waiting until the nutrition break at 10:20 at school before having anything, even coffee. It was a little hard, but felt good to wait until I felt some hunger, which I don't always feel earlier. I ate the fruit and a little cottage cheese I would have had at lunch for that break, s...

oolala53

I'm a high school teacher, too, and the expectations get worse every year. But I was very stressed when I was teaching International Baccalaureate students and it was one of those years that I committed to No S. Honestly, it helped the stress. But my school has lunch at 12:30 pm. I hate those early ...

oolala53

A recommendation from the book "The French Don't Diet Plan" says to plan on seconds. Sounds like it doesn't fit No S, but what it means is that in the beginning when you put a serving on your plate, put a little less than you think you need, as if you could have seconds if you need them. Then eat ve...

oolala53

Keep up with us. I like more variety, but my meals are very similar in their ratios. The French eat pretty much the same breakfast every day, and I'm pretty sure their meals are pretty similar in the courses, if not the content of those courses. Once you get a sense of what the meals are made of, it...

oolala53

I'm on the other side. I would not use any more than my two monthly S days for a vacation, plus weekend days. I usually get plenty to eat at my N day meals, since I'm often eating a bit richer. In fact, I might have only two meals on an N day OR S day.

Whatever you do, have fun and enjoy every bite!

oolala53

Have what you like. Over time you'll figure out what is worth it.

oolala53

Yeh, stay off the diets. But I gently suggest you start allowing yourself to believe that you probably could shave a small amount off the serving of dense food at one meal a day. Then notice your satiety and how long before you get legitimately hungry. (Are you getting hungry for your meals now?) Tr...

oolala53

Honestly, what have you got to lose by giving No S at least 12 weeks to see how you like living this way? At that point, you may have lost some weight, so you'll see it's working, or you won't have, but you probably will be happier about your eating. You may feel at that point that you can institute...

oolala53

Wanting to snack after get=togethers can start as a stress reliever but then can morph into just snacking because you've done it before after events. Food can be paired with anything, all day long! N days just cut through. Eventually, (and for some of us that can be a long eventually), the contrast ...

oolala53

When I can, I make mine with 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup coffee, 2 t. cocoa, and some stevia. I'm not a purist, so I cobble something when I'm out. And a latte will do.

oolala53

It does vary a lot. Given how many people I've seen leave because they got frustrated and come back a few years later because they realize they didn't stick with it long enough, I'd say give it at least a year. Two months for most people is just getting going. I had a big bump my first year and a lo...

oolala53

Thank you, ladies! Those were exactly the words I needed to hear...er, read.

oolala53

Or you can have coffee with creamer of choice or mocha. I've used that many times to get through a morning or even afternoon. That and some diversion can get me through a couple of hours.

oolala53

LOVE Indian food.

oolala53

After my pants win, a little deflation. Sometimes I get tired of feeling like I have to create my own culture to live this life. I'm not actually tempted to leave it by others' input, but I feel like a fish out of water in other ways, so this just adds to it. I went to a birthday dinner with 5 other...

oolala53

I'd have something very light, just for the chance to chew and taste. Maybe half a piece of toast with peanut butter? One egg and an apple? Then go ahead and have lunch, but don't be afraid to leave a bit on your plate. Later in the game, you might skip a breakfast, but it's better not to mess with ...

oolala53

This is a plan I'm still experiencing changes on 44 months in, though it's more subtle now. Enjoy yourself.

oolala53

Had a good two days. Was happy to be able to take advantage of a free lunch provided by a 403b rep at work! Later just added an extra piece of fruit to my lunch to make dinner! Gawd, I love nectarines. Has some time yesterday waiting for my car to be looked at and visited a couple of thrift stores. ...

oolala53

When the impetus for changing S days comes from realizing you are really not enjoying no-holds-barred eating and don't feel any sense of panic at giving it up (as I did, even though I felt terrible on Sundays!) , I think there is a good chance it will be relatively smooth. So happy about your pants,...

oolala53

Sounds like a reasonable weekend plan. Not too restrictive.

oolala53

Rea, you must be Buddha, living in the present as you are...

oolala53

Do you fear eating with family because you are stressed or because they push food on you?

oolala53

It's not bad to learn to come back from fails, either. And your ratio of successes to fails is still pretty darn good!

oolala53

It would have been interesting if they had also tracked cholesterol, resting pulse, triglycerides, or some other marker. I guess they weren't as interested in proving that modest changes, especially in activity, show health benefits than that there is a way to stay the gains.

oolala53

A girl angel!

Hang in there, Sinnie! The great thing is that you can always have a successful day after a failure. Keep telling yourself it's worth it to wait for that meal or wait for the weekend. Uncomfortable sometimes, but worth it, worth it, worth it!

oolala53

Yes, No S was the key for me to all the Intuitive Eating, non-diet based approach books. Permissive structure.

oolala53

Experimented with my eating schedule yesterday and boy, did it backfire. I ended up permasnacking the night away. but it felt kind of good. I thought, if I"m going to eat it, I'm going to enjoy it. Happy to get back to basics today, and ready for the likely urge to repeat the missteps yesterday. Tha...

oolala53

A hippy dippy mini-vacation indeed! I'm whimpering like a puppy here.

Eventually, most S days will be "normal" S days. And many will look like N days.

oolala53

The Fat Fallacy by William Clower Any of the diet books by Judith Beck for the cognitive habits, not the calorie counting and such. Brain Over Binge by Kathryn Hansen Willpower by Roy F. Baumeister The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg I gently suggest you not get too caught up in all this, though. C...

oolala53

A pleasant conundrum.

oolala53

Exciting!

I think many people get help from your musings.

oolala53

Fantastic!

oolala53

Lperl, I had a lot of those. Took me a long time before I was finally just tired of them, but still used a mod. N days were enough to hang on to.

oolala53

I've exercised more consistently on my own this month than in years, even if it hasn't been perfect. So glad for that. We've had a cooler summer, which may have contributed. I hope I don't lose momentum when the heat comes, as I often have.

oolala53

Had a fail this week on leftover marshmallows I thought I had thrown out. When I found them, I didn't throw them out, but put them away. I was hoping I might forget about them again, but it didn't happen. Marshmallows, for god's sake! But I thoroughly enjoyed them toasted! Otherwise, doing fine. I p...

oolala53

All the more reason for us to adhere to No S and be the best representatives we can.

oolala53

Sanity with food was my motivation as well. I can't imagine what else could have gotten me where I am with it, short of a miracle remedy. This will be a great support for your life!

oolala53

Interesting.

I looked at her site. A person could spend a pretty penny there, too.

oolala53

I have used mochas- some days more than one and not nofat- since day 1. (This is day 1,330, btw.) It's a beverage and as with you, it doesn't make me want more and more. Besides, this is forever. It's part of my work ritual, and I don't like my job much, so I keep it for balance. I might be slimmer ...

oolala53

Congrats, Lpearlmom and Tessy! No 50 day club, but you can start a thread! I used to try a 90 day, but it never flew.

oolala53

Hi, HD. If you feel ready for it, consider limiting the dense foods at dinner to no more volume than your two fists. Then fill the rest of the plate with 2/3 raw and cooked veggies and 1/3 fruit. Mix bites of the dense food, which is probably flavored, with veggies so you don't need much more dressi...

oolala53

It's hard to separate the idea of changing your eating habits without their being attached to weight loss in our culture. I just knew I ate way more than I was hungry for and felt too full too much. Secretly, I would have been very surprised if I hadn't lost weight but I steeled myself. It has come ...

oolala53

Tessytwinkle, give it a good long time for S days to calm down. At the same time, no need to push sweets on yourself. You'll eventually find the balance between restraint and simple waiting for maximum enjoyment.

oolala53

Welcome to sanity.

oolala53

Welcome back, Merry!

oolala53

Remember that you can drink beverages between meals, if necessary. The hungrier you are, the more substantial they can be, with milk being the most satiating.

What's the longest break between meals for you?

oolala53

Lpearl, there will be shaky times, if you're normal. And for possibly longer than you think. Just keep going and let the gaps between meals do their work. Dwell on the good experiences!

oolala53

Allowing for a free-for-all on S's on S days is not meant to imply it's supposed to stay like that. If it doesn't come naturally to a person to limit herselfs, she can institute a mod. It's not usually suggested in the first six months, but if you're not doing it out of fear or panic, it sounds like...

Search found 10047 matches