Everyday Systems

r.jean

I do not think there is any way to avoid sag other than slow loss and exercise. You may lose 2 lbs. or more a week at first, but one pound a week is probably best as time goes on. You will feel so much better after the first few months that you will not care how slowly it comes off. Slow is better t...

r.jean

Keeping one S day on the weekend is a good plan, and this week was the first time I had two during the week. This was because of my birthday so I am contemplating just taking a third S day if I need it. After all, before I started floating the days, I would have had an extra S day for a special day ...

r.jean

I traveled with someone who had weight loss surgery, and it was very frustrating. She was still a large person even though she had kept off some of the weight. She wanted to eat every couple of hours, and she was constantly eating sweets. On top of that she always wanted to share which derailed my e...

r.jean

Thanks Deb!

Green day.
WATP 2 m. Half mile dog walk.
No alcohol.

I still cannot run due to a sore Achilles...frustrating!

r.jean

I have been floating my S days too with mixed results. In March I ended up with 7 S days, and none were wild. (There were 9 weekend days in March.) This month I am more challenged. I used up my 2 S days earlier in the week and then I am feeling tempted later in the week. Part of the difference is th...

r.jean

Thanks Deb, Amy, gk, and Thtrchc! I had a great birthday and one of the most indulgent S days in a long time. I do not own a motorcycle, and my husband's bike is too big. However, my dad has one that mostly sits in the garage that he has offered to let me practice on. I am not sure if I will ever go...

r.jean

Aren't we all too funny!

At least we are laughing about it and realizing how silly we are. We are what we are, and it helps to know that we are not alone.

r.jean

I hate clothes buying too, especially jeans. I have found the best way to shop is to take one of my 20 something daughters along. They keep the clothes coming for me to try on and keep me away from stuff that they say is too "old" for me. Yet they also know not to pick out things that are too "young...

r.jean

I had to smile when I read your post. I went to the doctor today also, and as I got ready I recalled a funny conversation with you about weighing at the doctor's office and what we do to keep the number as low as possible. I always ask for an early appt. I used to wait to eat or drink until after th...

r.jean

Thanks gk!
Today is an S day (my birthday). I definitely plan to splurge. I exercised (WATP 2 m.) and got my annual physical out of the way and the rest of the day is pure decadence! Woohoo!

r.jean

I love Leslie Sansone's walking away the pounds (WATP). She has a number of different ones. I like the ones using weights not bands, and I favor the older DVDs. I most often do WATP 2 mile using 3 lb weights the whole time and adding arm movements so that my arms are always moving. (She uses 2 lb we...

r.jean

It sounds like you get it. Just follow the rules. Learning to be moderate is the key. Being too restrictive can back fire on you.

For me exercise is a huge factor as well. I am 56 and the exercise has helped me tone and build muscle as I lose.

Good luck!

r.jean

This weekend I went to a motorcycle safety class that involved 20 hours of instruction in about 48 hrs. It started Friday night in a classroom session. Saturday and Sunday involved about 5.5 hrs. (each day) with our butts on motorcycles. Then lunch, then more classroom. I now will have a motorcycle ...

r.jean

Thanks Tobiasmom! Good to see you back working it too! This is going to be an extremely busy weekend. Yesterday was green, but I ate a big lunch at 1 pm and then did not get home to eat supper until after 9. Supper was a quick sandwich and chips. (Oh no! Chips again!) I am feeling sore so I took a d...

r.jean

Today was an S day, but it did not feel like an S day. One of my coworkers makes a luscious homemade cake for everyone's birthday in her unit. My birthday is next week, but she will be gone so she brought it today. I had a huge piece and loved every bite and then went back to being green the rest of...

r.jean

Green day. Ate out again for lunch so more food than usual.
Green for exercise- WATP 2 m and short walk in pm.
One drink.

r.jean

Two days?! That is a long time. I usually do not even make it through a day of tracking. I cannot even maintain a simple food log. I have not tried for a long time. Love No S!

r.jean

Aging parents...so hard....hang in there.

r.jean

Thank you Deb! As I read it again, I realize all over again how much more I enjoy food these days. Today was a green day. Once again it was not a perfect day with fast food for lunch and 3 beers this evening. However it was green! Exercise was good...4.5 miles with 4 miles as a timed walk/run.

r.jean

"I didn't feel good last weekend when I overate....." This may seem like a small and logical statement, but it is an important sign of progress. I used to overeat all the time regardless of how I felt afterwards. With No S, I am more aware of how I feel after eating too much or after eating certain ...

r.jean

You are so right Thtrchic! I just enjoy food now without guilt!

Green day today, but big lunch out to celebrate with a coworker. Exercise was also green-WATP 2 m. One beer.

r.jean

While I rarely have red days, I often have N days where I eat more than I really need to. These days would be a C for me or perhaps Green with qualifiers. My point was that I cannot have those days every day or I would probably gain. I need to have more B's than C's. In my posts I often qualify both...

r.jean

Good point Oolala. I have to be at least a B level most of the time on my food choices or I will gain. Maintenance is okay, but gaining is not. Saturday was a green day, but I ate carry out for supper so the plate was full. Exercise was good; 6.5 miles total. I timed 6 miles and then did a cool down...

r.jean

Good to see you back again!

r.jean

You are both so right! Pre No S my fast food meals would have been much more indulgent...maybe a super-sized meal with fries and something sweet to top it off! I am off to try my first run in almost 2 weeks. I am hoping my hamstring strain is sufficiently healed. I plan on doing a lot of walking and...

r.jean

Green day..not the best but green. Lunch was the 2/$3.33 McDonald's fish. Hmmm. Green for exercise. 2.5 m. 3 beers.

r.jean

Here's to you!!!
You have stated the benefits of No S very well.
Weight loss or no weight loss, the key is the improved sanity and an improved relationship with food.
Way to go!

r.jean

Doing 9000 steps does not sound like a day off exercise. It sounds like you are an exercise addict now! That is a good thing. My lighter days feel like a day off too but really are not by my old standards.

r.jean

There are some people posting who have lost large amounts of weight but not many over 100 lbs. If it helps at all I lost 45 lbs in the first year, and I want to lose a total of 70. I am 3 months in to year 2 and have been maintaining but not losing. This is really okay because I feel pretty good and...

r.jean

Thanks for the encouragement! Work is pretty stressful these days, and there is no end in sight. I have worked in an intense high stress field my entire career, and I have developed decent coping skills. However, when you add poor upper management and insufficient funding to the normal stress, it be...

r.jean

I experienced similar, gradual changes. You describe it well.

r.jean

Totally wiped out. Green for exercise (2.5 m), but took a yellow day for food. Exceeded glass ceiling for alcohol.

r.jean

Good to see you are still around. HOWEVER.you need to become part of the daily crowd again. See you soon!

r.jean

You are doing so great with your increased exercise and continued moderation in eating. Happy Birthday!

r.jean

It sounds like your diet soda addiction has as much to do about caffeine as it does about diet soda. I drink only decaf diet sodas like 7 up or root beer. I tried to give them up entirely but decided it was not worth it because I only have 1 or 2 a day (decaffeinated). I do drink 2 cups of coffee in...

r.jean

Too funny! I have always disliked people helping themselves to food on my plate, but it is especially annoying when you are practicing portion control. I have changed a lot in my relationship with food, but I do not think I will ever quite get over my dislike of people deciding to share my food... e...

r.jean

Green day. Had Mexican food for lunch but brought almost half home and ate it for supper, only added a fruit.
Green for exercise too: 3 m.; weights
One beer

r.jean

Vanilla No S refers to sticking to the basic rules with no modifications. No snacks, no sweets, no seconds except sometimes on days starting with S. I am a strong believer in Vanilla No S. I lost 45 lbs my first year doing Vanilla No S. I recently started allowing myself one small modification. I so...

r.jean

"Nobody in my household has even noticed that I am dieting." This is the beauty of No S. You can make it work anywhere any time without much fuss. And if you have a Special day now and then when you want to step outside the rules, it is allowed! I am 56 and also a runner. I had pretty much slowed do...

r.jean

I love this idea. Thanks!

r.jean

Green for diet and exercise (4.5 m). No alcohol.

r.jean

Somebody wrote once that No S is the diet that starts with maintenance. You may not be losing weight yet, but you are learning about yourself and your habits. By sticking with the basic rules, you will eventually figure it out. It is true that you can stick to the No S rules and still gain weight if...

r.jean

Measuring is a good idea. I have tried it, but like all other forms of tracking, it always falls by the wayside. The only tracking I have maintained is the habit cal and monthly weigh ins. However, I do know how my clothes feel, and the increased fitness shows in the comfort and look of my clothes e...

r.jean

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I am amazed at the 45 lb loss the first year. I could be discouraged over the zero loss so far this year, but at least I am not gaining it back. I also have noticed muscles in my legs that I have not seen in a long time. Today was an S Day. Sweets were the only...

r.jean

It is the first of the month again and time to total up and review the past month. The good thing is that I lost the 2 lbs. that I gained the month before. I expected to lose a little more, but after that big supper last night I was happy with the scale. So I am 3 months into year 2, and I am EXACTL...

r.jean

Today was technically a green day although supper was a full, large plate of pizza. However, no snacks, no seconds, no sweets and the other 2 meals were reasonable.
Green for exercise and started running again. 2 mile run; 4.5 miles of walking
No alcohol.

r.jean

I started 12/20/10 and like you, my first S day was Christmas as well. This worked out well because I plowed through some tough times while under the novelty of something new. Starting the second year was different. It was like I was celebrating both Christmas and one year of successful no S, and I ...

r.jean

Thanks all! I had a green day today. As part of supper, I ate some baked Special K cracker chips with my salsa, and it was not bad. They were lower in calories and fat and salt. The salsa I use is pretty healthy so maybe I have found a solution to my chips craving. Exercise was green but I did the m...

r.jean

Green day. No eating out and no chips.
Green for exercise, 4.5 m walking
No alcohol

r.jean

LOL gk! I do happen to be one of those people who do not eat "that cardboard." I think it is both the crunch and the salt I like about chips. I like thick, salty, substantial chips like kettle cooked or corn chips or sometimes sun chips. I have tried many substitutes, but there is no comparison food...

r.jean

Green day but I am not thrilled with my food choices. I ate out at lunch (Mexican) and ate red meat and more darn chips for supper. I do not know why I am craving chips so much lately. Exercise was green too but no running. I need to take some time off to nurse a muscle I strained that is not gettin...

r.jean

A good dose of protein with every meal.

r.jean

After dinner was the hardest time for me too when I started. So I ate supper later than usual and went to bed early. That also meant it was easier to get up for exercise in the morning.

If I was really hungry, I had a glass of milk.

r.jean

Diet head warning!

r.jean

Thanks gk! It is great to enjoy food without obsessed being obsessed with food. Now all I have to do is make better food choices at meals to continue to slowly lose. I took a NWS day today (Monday) just because.... I had to work yesterday (Sunday), and I put in some long hours and got very little sl...

r.jean

Green day. My Sundays have been green all month without really trying. However, I ate chips again today (as part of meals) after buying a bag of sun chips as an extra for yesterday's cookout. Green day for exercise: 4 m run; 2 m walking No alcohol. I was sick one Sunday and one weekend was a deliber...

r.jean

Today was almost a green day, but it was still pretty indulgent. Breakfast and lunch were normal although I had a few sun chips at lunch. Supper was grilling out for family. I filled my plate full of yummy food, but only ate about 1/2 or 2/3's of the plate. I also did not eat dessert. The S part cam...

r.jean

Green day, but supper was indulgent. Gyro and a few fries, fruit, and 2 beers.
Exercise was fine. WATP 2 m. Half mile walk.

r.jean

I use large dinner plates to allow for salads and vegetables that take a lot of room, but I do not always fill my plates. I rarely stack.

r.jean

I have one floating day off each week for exercise but rarely use it. My minimum is half an hour, and after walking dogs, I do not have to add much to get to half an hour. However, I do usually have one or two days of lighter exercise, and that works. I have also toyed with the idea of keeping Satur...

r.jean

I totally agree! I hate writing down everything I eat and tracking my food and feeling discouraged when my food choices are not the best. The habit cal and the posting help me make small notes to myself that tell me how I am doing without impeding my life and without obsessing about it. I am not a l...

r.jean

Thanks for stopping by Deb and gk. Hope you stick around. No S is not an easy thing! I recently learned that even after more than a year of pretty good compliance, it is still pretty easy to get off track. I am back on track now, and daily check in helps. It keeps me honest. Green day today. Went ou...

r.jean

So does that mean 5 S events for the week? For example a snack one day and a dessert another day, etc? Hmmm. Tell us how it works out.

r.jean

Just an observation... A lot of people on this board who seem to be stuck at the same weight have less to lose. When you start out at 70 lbs overweight, you are more likely to lose than when you start out 20-25 lbs overweight. Now that I have gotten down to the last 25 lbs, I wonder how I will do. I...

r.jean

Green day. Feeling kind of sore and tired and hoping this is not another virus coming on. My son brought over some fresh corn chips and salsa and of course I made them part of my supper. OoPs!
Exercise green too. WATP 2 m and half mile with dog.
No alcohol.

r.jean

So happy for you!

r.jean

Walking or running is the best! No equipment, no minimum, enjoying the outdoors. What could be easier!

r.jean

Oh that finish and get rid of it and start new tomorrow! I used to do that constantly. I agree on the sweets. I do not plan for them, but I allow them on S days if they happen my way and sound good at the time. Same for snacks.

r.jean

Welcome back and best of luck!
Permasnacking in the evening was a habit for me too.
I never thought I would beat it, but the novelty of starting something new got me through at first.
Now 3 meals is a habit, but I still have to remind myself.

r.jean

Green day. Finally ate the last few chips with my supper and told my husband that I do not want them in the house any more! I am the one who bought them this time, but he buys them sometimes too. I hope he hides them if he buys them again or buys the kind I do not like. I am pretty picky about my ch...

r.jean

Green day for food but had chips again with supper. Those 2 bags of chips I bought awhile ago are finally almost gone. Next time I will make sure I do not get something my husband does not like! Exercise was crazy. I did WATP 2 m. with the plan that Tuesday is a running day. Then I realized that I h...

r.jean

I think today was a green day but not on purpose. I ate out for breakfast but brought about half my food home. I ate that for lunch with a little added to it. I then grilled for supper. Nothing came up during the day to tempt me into an S event. I thought about a bedtime snack but was not really hun...

r.jean

Weird day but about right for an S day. We did a 5K this morning which pushed my breakfast back to almost lunch. I ate a few bites of cottage cheese before running but that was it. I had a piece of cake around 130 pm and later went out to dinner. The entree was of reasonable size but I had 2 (green)...

r.jean

Cheering for you! Some of my past echoes yours. I did not use specific diets, but almost every day I got up with the goal to improve my eating habits and lose weight. I sometimes made it a few days but usually gave up before the end of the day. I was an evening permasnacker and a chocolate hound. I ...

r.jean

Another green day today but still could make better choices. Had chips with my supper and 2 beers before supper (and I do not drink the light stuff!)
Green for exercise: WATP 2 m.

r.jean

Great job!

r.jean

Woop-woop!

What a good hubby!

r.jean

Green day but still some bad choices. Chips with lunch and fried chicken strips at dinner. The rest was reasonably healthy.
Exercise was mild at 2 miles of walking.
No alcohol.

r.jean

Green day today but some poor food choices, waffle fries with lunch and chips with supper. Green for exercise today, but I was initially very discouraged. I was on call last night and did not get much sleep which did not allow time for a morning run. It was 78 degrees after work, and I set off for 4...

r.jean

However, if sheer numbers motivate you, I lost 45 lbs my first year by plodding along losing small amounts and not gaining anything back. I have not lost yet this year and briefly went up a couple pounds, but I am back at 45 lbs lost. I am sure I will have a loss this month. The habits have to be th...

r.jean

Sunday ended up green even though it was an S day. We went out for Thai, and it was all on one plate and no dessert. Two drinks as well. Monday was more of a challenge. NWS day declared. I had little or no choice in menu selection. Breakfast was fruit and muffins. At least I dodged the donuts. Lunch...

r.jean

Green day so far with usual breakfast and small lunch. Headed out of town and expecting big supper and alcohol. I am leaving my computer here but keeping track.

Good exercise day: Ran 3 m; Walked 2.5 m.

See you in a couple days.

r.jean

No S is not a diet per se. It is a lifestyle change. It is changing your belief system. Nothing will ever work for you until you challenge your belief system. Don't quit now. You have a cheering squad here to push you along.

r.jean

Routine S day. Just finished my 3rd reasonable meal, but had chips for lunch and seconds on fruit for supper. This is early for me for supper so an evening snack may happen.
Good exercise day: run 4 m; walk 1.5 m.
No alcohol.

PS: Evening snack of toast with margarine.

r.jean

Green day. Good breakfast and lunch, but supper was not great with an oversize serving of chips with my tuna sandwich.
Green for exercise too. WATP 2 m.; Walked half a mile.
No alcohol.

r.jean

At this rate, you will lose 44.2 lbs in a year. I lost 45 lbs. in my first year, and I feel fantastic!

r.jean

Hmmmm. It is hard to say what to try. I have been at a standstill for a couple months. This is fine, but I would like it to start to slowly go down again. When I started being honest with myself, I knew what the problem areas were. One was too many calories from alcohol. I was not generally drinking...

r.jean

It seems like your exercise has gradually increased so maybe you need to eat a little more. (Great job on the exercise BTW.). As I increase exercise, I get really hungry. To keep myself from being so hungry I try to add some healthy protein. I can add nuts to top just about anything. I seriously ove...

r.jean

The patience took some time. Once No S becomes a habit rather than a chore, it will come. You will do better and you will do worse, but as you start to see a pattern of success, you will gain patience. The lost pounds add up and you finally realize that slow loss that is maintained will get you ther...

r.jean

For what it is worth, the eat when I am hungry mod would be a dangerous one for me personally. I definitely tend to overeat if I wait too long to eat. I am better with the three meal structure 7 days a week with some treats on the weekends. I am actually more likely to just eat some more indulgent m...

r.jean

So true Thtrchic! It is about accountability...to myself. I got on the scale today, and the two pound gain from my 3/1 weigh-in is gone. Good deal! My official weigh-in is still the first of the month, but I needed that check in. I am marking today green, but I overpacked my plate at a potluck lunch...

r.jean

Snacks and sweets are equally problematic! As Reinhard says in his book...you need to build a fence around the rules and just decide to follow them.

r.jean

I love the fact that you have kept your old thread and are continuing your journey rather than "starting over." Great attitude! There were periods of time in the past when I pretty much started over every day and then gave up halfway through the day. With No S, I have adopted a lifestyle, and like y...

r.jean

Green day. Three very reasonable meals.
Exercise was good; 3 m. Run. 2 m. Walk.
No alcohol.

These daily posts are boring, but they serve a purpose. Daily posting means I must also post the slip ups. This may deter me from having those slip ups.

r.jean

Green day but ate out for lunch, and it was a generous lunch.
Exercise was green too: 3 m. Run. 1 m. Walk.
No alcohol.

r.jean

I am glad you are back! It sounds like you maintained some of your good habits during the time you were gone. That is great, especially the swimming. I have been pretty casual about the rules of No S the last 2 months as well, and I posted my first gain in Feb which was month 14 of No S for me. I en...

r.jean

Monday: Back on my feet but still tired. For some reason cannot sleep even though I am tired.
Green day all around
Ate well.
3 m. run; 1 m. walk
No alcohol

r.jean

I like this idea and have started using it. It brought to mind the saying that "confession is good for the soul." I agree that there is some shame and embarrassment in confessing your failures which brings on a need to minimize those failures. I have already figured out that I do better when I am po...

r.jean

Saturday was green due to illness. I ate less the whole day than I usually eat for breakfast. I know Sat was an S day, but when I have an S day that just happens to end up green, I mark it green. Took a sick day for exercise. Feeling better today and will try to at least walk today. Sunday PM: I man...

r.jean

Posting does help for some reason. I am not sure why but I do better when I post my failures. Reinhard's new podcast offers a reasonable and interesting explanation.

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