Everyday Systems

oolala53

Girl, you can take the burden off: you're slim and you are eating happily. You have what millions of women dream of. Enjoy and write your novel, paint your pictures (or your dining room), dance your jig, run your foundation or just relax (your mind- not your eating; your eating is already relaxed) a...

oolala53

Had a pretty perfect food day. Was pleasantly and contentedly hungry for dinner for a few hours. This after being extremely upset and overwhelmed with the near-impossibility of my job. I had fantasies of shoving huge chunks of fudge into my mouth. One little piece wouldn't have been enough. It would...

oolala53

38 years of compulsive overeating here. And so much of what finally worked was stuff I had heard long ago. When the student is ready, the real teacher appears.

Congrats on your weight loss, but even more for the fact that it probably means you are actually implementing the habits.

oolala53

You think everyone else eats normally? This has been discussed on the board other places, but it's hard to find, so I'll repeat. Researchers have found that it is the NORM for those attempting to diet or change eating habits to way overeat as soon as they have slipped even a little bit. It's called ...

oolala53

Thanks for the lovely words! Looking back at my post, I was surprised I sounded as hard-nosed as I did. I made it seem you just decide not to fail and it shall be so. Ha! Learning to regard failures as opportunities to learn, not mourn, is also extremely beneficial! I think most of us here would say...

oolala53

In my opinion, it's a victory that you didn't turn your small fail into "crashing the car."
and kudos on the exercise.

oolala53

Instant sweet potatoes from 1963? I didn't even know we ever had them. And I can't believe it took Coke nearly 20 years to come out with Diet Coke after Diet Pepsi arrived. Can't remember if it said anything about Tab. I had a Tab last summer. I think it might have been a really old leftover and not...

oolala53

Love your menus.

oolala53

I've been on Spark for longer than here but I haven't used the food trackers much since I started No S. Even with the convenience, it's time consuming and I think puts the focus in the wrong place. It makes me want to either beat my calorie count or see what I can get away with. Both backfire eventu...

oolala53

Actually, I knew that, ironchef. I was just trying to draw attention to it. I am keenly aware of the fear that S days are way out of control and ruining everything. In three years, I've just seen many more people regret modifying too soon than waiting too long to do it. We very likely lose people to...

oolala53

We'll miss you, but the goal is to be free, no?

oolala53

How are you doing? Regarding your last question, you are never actually required to have S's on an S day. Thus, as time goes on, you may have many official S days that look exactly like N days. The difference is that they are not required to. The option is there. Many, many long term No S-ers do not...

oolala53

Not sure how much you think you have to lose, but not focusing on weight loss EVERY WEEK is certainly good, I'd say. I would have given up LONG ago as I went months at times with no change and even regained for awhile. Maybe something would have speeded things up but I'll never know now. I'm convinc...

oolala53

For those of you offering mods, how long compliant in your No S-ing before you implemented them?

oolala53

It's been 35 years since I worked in a restaurant but we got a 30- minute meal break in an 8-hour shift. And I worked late, too. It does work a number on your life. Can you get milk at work? Good quality protein powders on sale at a health food store in my city go for about a dollar, maybe a little ...

oolala53

Regarding the water, my opinion is no. Another reason I love Reinhard: he's not a water pusher. I got no details on this. Telling yourself you can have just one sweet on an N day is the "crack" talking. Just accept this for the next 6 months. Or year. In fact, all random eating on N days is a ruse. ...

oolala53

Oh, yeah, it was frozen. Not a purist here. A woman on another board took her own little entree to her MIL's for a dinner at which the woman had made an English beef dish. She gets all kinds of kudos from the other people forthings like that. She is terrified of gaining weight even after seven years...

oolala53

I have GOT to get some sweet potatoes baked.

oolala53

Yay! You are building your bank of successes.

oolala53

Hi, Luv, sorry it's such a burden. I was a binge eater of varying intensity for about 38 years. I was not at my highest weight when I started earnestly on No S nearly three years ago (at age 56), but I was getting back up to it. I clung to No S through many months of difficulties, esp. with S days. ...

oolala53

Wait a darn minute. Didn't you just join a couple of weeks ago? The common advice is not to mess with S day mods until you've had 3-6 MONTHS of N day compliance. Are you actually hungry or do you just have urges to eat? In either case, the remedy is the same : steely resolve to have regular N day me...

oolala53

Oh, there's a difference between my go-tos and my favorite. My go-tos are a shortening thumbprint cookie with a dollop of chocolate, or a specialty line of Jello puddings. Yes, they are pretty darn good. My favorite is chocolate mousse cake but it's hard to finagle for the social situations I'm in a...

oolala53

Headache or no headache, that's a long time to go without eating and is not what No S is about. Though certainly not ideal, I agree that you might take a meal replacement shake or powder with you. There must be an opportunity to drink something. Try to have it in stages and "chew" the liquid. I woul...

oolala53

Heddi, I did stock up (actually there were only 4 packages left) and had the same lunch except for a half an apple instead of grapes. Still scrumptious.

oolala53

Username, this is absolutely doable. Have you written down your reasons to want to learn permanent moderation? I read mine every day for months in the beginning and still do periodically now.

oolala53

Might be a little too early to worry much. Although you might spend some time reminding yourself how you felt after giving in for future reference. I think learning to resist when it's hard is part of the repetoire of skills. Strong urges are likely to come on and off for a long time. There might be...

oolala53

Sounds funnily delicious.

oolala53

TX, milliem. I actually do give myself credit because I am in such a much better place than I was three years or even one year ago. Then again, I'm approaching 60 so it seems I ought to be acquiring some damn wisdom along with the crepey skin, for Pete's sake. Had a scrumptious lunch which was-- God...

oolala53

My, my, I have gone a long time not posting here. I'm not exactly where I wanted to be by this time this year. I was hoping I was on the three-year schedule and not the five-year one. (The maintenance timelines show that the relapse likelihood goes down anywhere from 2-5 years, but 5 years is the go...

oolala53

Already messed up, but it was not crashing the car. Got a good day in mind.

oolala53

Yes, for slimming, low tension. High rpms. Fast! Ride the plains in Spain...

oolala53

Good plan. Keep the tension low! And post a pic one of these days...

oolala53

Oh, yes, Pilates, Lotte Berk method (probably her Basic Essentials video), Callanetics, Chicometrics (lower body stuff on the last two), barre workouts: all these are supposed to develop a dancer's leg. Don't know how big your local library is. Nice to check them out beforehand. But I have used and ...

oolala53

Welcome to your and your new baby boy Lincoln! It sounds like you are doing well since you are declaring goals for the December challenge. I certainly have no excuse now!

oolala53

I was such a sweets binger before No S. Years before, I had tried to go days without sweets or even cutting down to ONLY 500 calories' worth of chocolate a day but with no success. Now I prefer my days without them. And three days off seems to be a short-term turning point. No matter what, just keep...

oolala53

BTW, my understanding is that if you want to build bulk, heavy resistance is the way to go. If your thighs are already bulky, a bike set on low resistance and peddling at high rpms is one of the best things to do, as well as floor work without weights.

oolala53

Vanilla with possibly two extra NWS days. Minimum 10 minutes exercise on weekdays. I might post more often as I tend to forget if the thread doesn't move up. I've also made a partner commitment on another site and that has already made a difference! I've been successful in eating on all but one day....

oolala53

I like that you decided just to save up the little chocolate pieces for the weekend. That was going to be my suggestion. If this is your first year and you are thinking you are going to feel too deprived, consider allowing yourself one or two more NWS days besides the normal two you can take (Christ...

oolala53

Tami Lee Webb has some good videos for legs. So does The Firm.

oolala53

Stick to a way to eat that will sustain you through marriage and kids. Five days a week of urban ranger or something similar, 14 minutes of something vigorous, and No S is a fine plan. Even if you don't lose a lot (but I have a feeling you will look terrific after a year of compliance), you will fee...

oolala53

When I think back on it, it was amazing how much meat was available in even the third world countries I visited back in the '70's. You'd think vegetarian foods would have been the norm with meat as a garnish, but they weren't, at least not in restaurants. India had the most vegetarian variety, but e...

oolala53

This is definitely noteworthy, especially since the stats are that people either maintain or gain in the same amount of time. You're down a very respectable 17%! Research shows you are probably getting the biggest health bang for your buck just with your better eating and moderate exercise It's grea...

oolala53

Hi, Alice! I think you posted this on Spark, too, no? Have fun figuring this out.

oolala53

I think having such a sane, kind founder contributes.

oolala53

I don't live my life around health scares but when I read that cola sodas are highly correlated with osteoporosis in women, (and my mom suffered a hip fracture at age 79), I was able to reduce a 2-can a day habit to a few a year. For some reason, non-colas don't have the same effect. This was before...

oolala53

I never had those reactions on N days and I was a big sugar eater, so I don't think it's related to not eating sugar. I did find out on some yucky S days why pregnant women eat soda crackers. They really did reduce the semi-nauseous feelings, but if you used them for such a purpose, I would call tha...

oolala53

Hope you made it through the evening. Can you believe you will reach a day on which you will be surprised to remember that you used to night-eat? It will happen.

oolala53

No S has definitely been key to greatly reducing a 38-year bingeing habit. I love, love, love my N days. Never thought I could go days without sweets. Now I prefer it. I just like other food more!

oolala53

What lovely news! Congrats on your new lives- being engaged and No S.

oolala53

Have not kept to my mod completely, but it has helped me feel much more comfortable more of the time on S days.

Had a fail last evening, but it was small.

Got exercise in the last two days.

oolala53

It is usually a mix of motivation and strategy. Not enough of the right motivation and the wrong (quick fix) strategy are more common than not. Most people who eventually lose weight and keep it off say there was a moment when they really really really got that they didn't want to live either fat or...

oolala53

Think of a drink as something you can make without a blender, something that is basically water-based. A blender is basically "chewing" solid food for you. Thus a smoothie is a perfectly acceptable meal, but not a beverage per se. If you couldn't drink it a hundred years ago, it probably isn't a bev...

oolala53

So what did people do when they didn't have formal meals? Those villagers in the Bruegal paintings don't look especially svelte. I think there must have been some snacking outside of breakfast and "dinner." I've posted this before but I know when I was in trail hiking in Nepal in the late 70's, the ...

oolala53

It doesn't say don't exercise; it says do functional exercise. I'd say Shovelglove (or the like for 14 mintues) and Urban Ranger qualify.

oolala53

Yeah, we do have a few terms it's convenient to know. Ask away!

oolala53

I live alone and have a lot of meals alone, so my November mod is working well for me: sweets and snacks on S days only in company. I attended two events, one each day this weekend, so I had the cookies available at the events as snacks, as they were offered with tea at a break. It worked out well. ...

oolala53

This one really is NOT a diet, but a true lifestyle, as so many others claim dishonestly. Weight loss is just a side effect.

oolala53

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nati ... s/1677425/

oolala53

If you've been filling your time with eating or worrying about eating, it can be daunting to find other preoccupations. Don't give up. It's definitely worth the learning curve.

oolala53

I can tell the difference and if someone is not losing weight while sticking to the rules, it could be worthwhile. If you are never getting hungry, it's likely you are eating more dense foods than you need to on your plate and it could be part of the incentive to add more lighter foods and less dens...

oolala53

No S has helped me tremendously with decreasing bingeing (after 38 years and lots of mostly anti-diet reading). Bingeing was the main reason I started the plan. I knew the bingeing would likely keep getting worse and I needed an eating plan I considered fair to counteract it. Eating what I want exce...

oolala53

My mod for November has been to eat sweets or snacks on S days only in the company of others. Otherwise, Vanilla. So far, so good. If I make a list of the days, I just forget to come back and record. I hope I'll remember or someone else will reply just to bump the thread up and send out an email ale...

oolala53

Do you ever get legitimately hungry? Not just an urge to eat, but real, stomach-empty hungry?

oolala53

I think that's one of the reasons it's usually a mistake to eat standing up. I find I want to eat faster if I'm standing.

I'd say savoring food has been an essential part of No S.

oolala53

The longer I go, the more anti-scale I am. Focus on habits and satiety! Commit to not overeating. Make that your mantra and damn the scales. Why should a scale determine whether you are eating sanely, not overeating, and getting regular moderate exercise? If you are doing those things, you are doing...

oolala53

Very nice to hear of your success with sane eating!

oolala53

All your obstacles are classic. I'd bet 99% of long term loser/maintainers faced the same issues at one time. I know many of us have. Realize that any disgust or promises you make to yourself after you've overeaten are likely worthless. They are just part of the pattern now and probably actually rei...

oolala53

Welcome! Did you start a daily thread?

oolala53

I have many of the same criticisms as others. I think I have one to add. I found I just didn't get hungry often enough. If I waited until I was hungry, and eating what I wanted, I was getting hungry only once or twice a day. But just because I wasnt hungry didn't mean I didn't long for the experienc...

oolala53

Glad to meet you and looking forward to the long haul.

oolala53

How long have you been at it? The common advice is not to mess with S days before you've had about 6 months of mostly compliant N weeks. I (a binger) went even longer. I'm torn about wht to recommend about this. If bingeing is your issue, that may warrant more limited S days sooner. I'll never know ...

oolala53

I've been at it for 34 months and my S days are finally winding down. I do have to use some thought about it, sometimes reminding myself how overly full I will feel if I keep eating, even though I may want to. But S's appeal less, too. I'm having way less than I used to and can even envision having ...

oolala53

I LOVE my hunger and now and wish I could eat little enough that I felt it more often! And it's not just about losing weight. It just feels better to get hungry. But I've been at it awhile.

oolala53

Are you keeping track on habitcal? It's a good idea to make a list of the most motivating reasons you have to lose weight. I have some cosmetic ones, but they really aren't the most motivating for me. Mine have to do with how tired I was of the habit, the fear of it getting even worse, and protectin...

oolala53

I have never lived in a house with a dishwasher.

oolala53

I was just referring to the ones who are really heavy. Didn't mean to imply that they are all like that, but it is true that the average is high for Europe. But I bet the ones who are at, say, BMI 30 and above already eat pretty often. I could be wrong, though. Maybe they just eat huge meals. That w...

oolala53

It doesn't sound like true hunger is your issue. It also sounds like you are doing what you need. You are not really hungry. You just ate a good meal (right?) so you don't need food. If this was your previous habit, you just have to wait it out for the days or weeks it takes to get used to not eatin...

oolala53

I am going to disagree about asking yourself if you really want to eat something. That can mean different things to different people. And once you start eating refined foods, your neurochemicals can fool you. I do agree that you should go ahead and have nice, full meals including portions of things ...

oolala53

Wish I felt like I was in control of that. Even if I go to bed earlier, it doesn't guarantee I'll sleep through the night. But it's a nice idea.

oolala53

Thanks for being honest that your servings may have been quite big. No S can't fool your body. If you still eat more than your body burns, you will gain. Just to let you know, I probably eat only 5-7 portions (the traditional ones: 1/2 cup rice, for example) of starches a day, not counting fruit (1-...

oolala53

Hope it doesn't discourage you to know I am still tweaking and refining after 33 months (some little bit of meal choices on N days and some reducing overeating on S days). But N days are pretty routine. And my weight came off in fits and starts over 28 months. But I can't see myself going back to sn...

oolala53

It's hard to imagine that heavy Russians weren't already eating 4-6 times a day. Too bad they didn't look at what the French do. Just say "nyet" to snacks and big portions. I wonder if sweets were ever their thing. Hey, they don't even have to go as far as France for good habits. Here are the BMI's ...

oolala53

Nearly three years in and I still wouldn't try baking unless there were witnesses. Good job!

oolala53

I don't get coffee out that often, but I often carry a cocoa mix packet with me and sneak that in when I do. Cheaper and usually better, IMHO.

oolala53

I'm surprised it didn't say something about distinguishing between plain hunger and just an urge to eat. I'm very aware of the difference now and I can still feel the urges at times when I would be surprised to feel real hunger, such as a couple of hours after lunch, when the students leave school a...

oolala53

For my money, No S is much more like no program than one of the traditional programs that are usually being referred to, so I feel great about it as a moderate living plan. I still choose how far apart my meals are and what I eat at them, besides sweets. If people want to restrict themselves more, t...

oolala53

I want to add that for me taking away the forbiddenness of food did not remove the compulsion to eat it. I gave myself permission and I overate them for years, to the tune of whole pans of brownies (if they even got baked) and half gallons of ice cream, etc. over and over and over. That does work fo...

oolala53

I'm going to preface what I say with this: everything you describe about yourself is only true up to now. So what you haven't been able to do so far is not proof of what you can do at a later time. You aren't willing to give it six more months? Do you really have much of a choice? Actually I believe...

oolala53

No S is just pretty much what the majority of people used, so I don't think it hurts to use it at all. The article wasn't making any recommendations besides drawing your own conclusions from the fact that the majority of people who maintained a weight loss used basic guidelines that didn't involve c...

oolala53

I also want to say, and I hope this won't sound snotty, but look for the experience of those who have six months or more in and who have actually used the mod for several months. My impression of successful mods are that they were adjustments people made after they lived Vanilla and saw that they wo...

oolala53

This morning I was lying in bed thinking, "What sweet would be worth it to eat for breakfast?" Can you believe that today it actually makes me slightly sad to realize that none would? Or at least not at this moment. I used to start S days with waffles and syrup, but I did a lot of later eating-becau...

oolala53

I never used such a mod (though I definitely had fails on Wednesdays and other days) and can't imagine now a reason I'd choose it, but you might check the mods thread at the top of this board.

oolala53

I don't know about all fields but we're certanily here for you for No S. Welcome!

oolala53

I've been using sugar-free or stevia-sweetened mocha on No S for years. I might be thinner if I didn't, but I enjoy it too much at this point to find out. Enjoy your latte (as long as it's not more than a cup or two a day). If you decide to drop it months down the line, so be it.

oolala53

I agree with eating three meals. Go slowly and experiment after a week or so with ligthening up the meals that are close together, so breakfast and lunch might be almost token meals. I went through a period of time of just adding protein powder to my coffee to make a kind of breakfast of it because ...

oolala53

I want to say again that I think it's too early to worry about it. Adding the pressure of curing everything in a month or two I believe interrupts the process. However, do gently and with curiosity, not condemnation, really register the crappy feelings you get from overeating and the light and livel...

oolala53

Emma, welcome back and stick with it. I believe you will get tired of eating too much on weekends, though it may take longer than you want. What kind of meals are you eating on N days? I recommend making them rather sumptuous though without sweets for several weeks. Try to let the weight loss go for...

oolala53

And what will you do if you have gained weight (most likely water weight) from eating carbs? Is it worth giving up the enjoyment of those foods to force your body to release any extra water it might be retaining? Might you give yourself more time to see what happens over time? Can you be happy eatin...

oolala53

They didn't go into too much detail, though I would imagine people wouldn't cut out all desserts permanently. I think they look at 10% because on average that amount has been shown to provide the most health benefits for the amount of effort. People definitely do not have to lose enough weight to pu...

oolala53

Just reading the intro of the book The Truth about Addiction and Recovery, published in 1991, that an American Health magazine survey found that for those who had lost at least 10% of their weight and maintained for 3 or more years, 42% had cut out snacks and desserts, and 37% had cut down overall e...

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