Everyday Systems

ironchef

Gingerpie really sorry to hear about your mother. I've been involved in a lot of elder care in my family and it can be really gut wrenching. Sometimes there isn't a perfect answer. Good on you for the running. I started out running 60 sec, walking 60 sec, and ended up training for a marathon. Anythi...

ironchef

Yep, I love honey and my Dad keeps bees!

ironchef

So, Saturday: breakfast same as N day, but with tspn honey on my porridge lunch same as N day, but honey on my sandwich afternoon tea one and a half of the coconut muffins I baked. Dinner: PB and honey on toast, soup. Hmmm, not nearly as wild as I had thought. Although perhaps the act of writing it ...

ironchef

I understand about the sheer number of photos - I never counted, but believe there must have been over 1000 when I started (not counting my mother's collection). It took me about 2 years of slowly chipping away at the sort/label/scan/album process to get where I am now.

ironchef

Thanks Linda and Imogen :) I was pleased there wasn't any "what the hell" after the one bite of chocolate. And it was very nice (a fancy kind given to a lady at work). I don't normally have much in the house, but now and again when pressed at work I'll take some "for later" to avoid giving offence. ...

ironchef

I've trained for half and full marathons, but didn't calorie count at that time so can't comment on that side of things. No S is all about moderation, and perhaps marathon training is not particularly moderate. However, I can say I made it work. For mid-week runs I timed my run to have a meal straig...

ironchef

I agree that stopping stuff on the way in is key. A while back I started a "one in-two out" rule for clothes. It really stops you getting that new skirt if you know you'll have to let two go. I've recently brought it back to "one in-one out", now that I've got minimal clothing. Pictures - do you mea...

ironchef

2 more files full of papers gone today while my son was napping, plus ANOTHER pizza stone. Seriously, what were they all doing up on top of the kitchen cupboards...procreating?? My husband is going out tonight, so after my son goes to bed I want to set a timer and do 15 minutes in our study. Probabl...

ironchef

Late fail yesterday - had a small square of chocolate after dinner with my husband. The reason it was in the house was that someone at my work was handing it out and I took some "for later" intending it for the weekend. Now I won't have it at the weekend - ah well, at least it was only this single p...

ironchef

For my sort pile, I just got 2 new pairs of shoes, so I'm going to use the shoeboxes for smaller items, and the large bag they came with for larger items. This way, it will help keep the sort pile small and manageable, so I won't keep adding to the pile before I get through the prior pile! Sounds l...

ironchef

Interesting topic - I'm a few years away from this still, but my son has a fascination with "how things work" so I expect some questions from him before too long. On those who say their 12 year old "knows nothing", going by my own childhood, they probably have already got a fair bit of misinformatio...

ironchef

Nice work aspencer! It's amazing how sweets "pushing" can be deflected by a simple "oof, I'm so full already". In our heads, refusing dessert can seem really tough, but often the reality is a lot easier that we fear. Also, isn't it cool how enjoyable a planned treat (like that cupcake) can be? Pre-N...

ironchef

Planning first sounds good - you mean like taking an inventory? I can imagine writing a list, then sitting down with that list and picking out stuff (e.g. we can keep one small and one large baby bath, or loan them out, or just keep the smallest one). That's certainly easier than pulling the physica...

ironchef

Great to hear from you, sounds like you're in a really good place. Very excited about the course - sounds like a good fit for you with your creativity (judging from your gorgeous photography!). Absolutely keep posting if you feel like it - there is such a range here (from bite counting to intuitive ...

ironchef

Yeah, a lot of people say that clutter is "delayed decisions", so you should sort as you go, but I just love the instant gratification of a clear area. Hmm, still pondering a clutter area. I'm at the stage where smaller stuff (like my clothes) is already culled - for example I've reached my goal of ...

ironchef

eschano wrote:And it seems the fast weight loss was just water or so.

Eh, I wouldn't pay too much attention to a weigh in the day after a heavy S weekend.

Sounds like a full week!

I'm glad you like your new hair style - I remember how annoyed you were with the last one

ironchef

For the "low hanging fruit" stuff, I took tiny areas one at a time (e.g. one drawer, one shelf in a small cupboard, etc). I set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes, then I took a BEFORE photo. Took everything out and put it into my "clutter" box, cleaned the drawer, then only put back what I wanted to keep ...

ironchef

Thanks Dandelion, I'll check it out. Due to my limited energy / willpower, I don't think I'll start until September. So far this week all GREEN for No S. Avoided 2 kinds of home baked cookies (peanut butter ones and maple syrup ones) at work yesterday - took some home for my husband. Doing exercise ...

ironchef

Congrats on your efforts so far, and the weight loss! I'm not tempted by chips, but I am by other snacky foods. My approach is keep them out of sight (in the cupboards, above eye height) or better out of house. You mentioned that the evening snacking is tied up with spending time with your husband /...

ironchef

Welcome! Look forward to reading your posts. I cook everything from scratch as well. You'll get used to it. If I actually need to taste for seasoning, I get a teaspoon and take a small taste. Anything else is just snacking. I've come to love the feeling of cooking a great meal and coming to the tabl...

ironchef

Sounds like you're in a really good place, lovely to hear.

ironchef

I've decided to just track eating and exercise for August, but my challenge this month is: no exercise S days! My thinking is that doing 14 minutes of something every day, rather than 5 days, will help make it automatic. Anyway, that's the plan!

ironchef

All good reasons, CG

We're all pulling for you!

ironchef

Hey aspencer27, I've been trying to get a declutter/deep clean system worked out for a long time, so I'm interested in how things work for you. Part of my problem is that I've been working on this for a long time, so I've picked off a lot of the "low hanging fruit" like bedroom drawers and junk cupb...

ironchef

Thanks for updating, and well done for getting things back in hand. Remember that No S doesn't specify number of meals - most people assume 3, but it isn't written that way. If 4 (with one of them being very small) suits you for now, I wouldn't worry too much. Is there a way to change your schedule ...

ironchef

Enjoy the rest of your weekend tessy, and here's to a better week!

ironchef

Dandelion, I think you are right that tiny steps in the right direction is the way to go. For August I've decided I'm not going to add any more systems, but just focus on getting exercise compliance as high as No S eating compliance. I've written 3 routines (2 different strength, 1 stretch) and I'm ...

ironchef

Great to hear! Keep up the good work

ironchef

Go auto! More reading, and continuing the downward trend. Nice work :) Edited to add: Thanks to your example, and the YNAB tip, we've gotten all "responsible" and reviewed our budget and mortgage situation. As a result, we're going to move loans and save 0.7% on interest, plus about $200 a year on f...

ironchef

Interesting article, thanks for sharing. While I'm not sure I would categorise the emotion as fear, I definitely have felt that discomfort when I have those experiences where I would previously have turned to food. It can sometimes take me a moment to shake myself and remember that I can't eat my wa...

ironchef

There's no rules about meal times. In my head, it is 3 plates, timing is personal. I know some people find it easier when they first start out to keep regular times to "train" hunger to turn up at meals. I've got 3 days a week working and 4 days at home with a toddler, so my schedules on those days ...

ironchef

Well done gingerpie! So, it turns out the public accountability paid off already. I'm pretty sure yesterday would have been a fail if I didn't know I'd have to 'fess-up. I'm glad it's helpful to you. I find this as well. Just knowing that I'm going to report here sometimes makes the difference betwe...

ironchef

Hang in there eschano! A lot of my fails last month were around timing - ending up with 9 or 10 yours between meals. Stuff like that makes it really hard.

Get rolling on some No S greens again, then worry about shaking your other systems into line.

ironchef

Thanks eschano. Yeah, these were biscuits she brought back to Australia from a recent trip to Belgrade, so they were in limited supply! Pondering what to do about the 14 minutes thing, I've gone back to my old Personal Training stuff and I'm thinking of writing some programs for myself as if I was m...

ironchef

I'm in. Last month I improved my No S eating from pretty patchy to only 1 red, so just gotta keep on trucking. 14 minutes exercising has still not gone that well, I had 3 reds, and will try to improve on that. I'm thinking of introducing just one more challenge for August, probably to do with keepin...

ironchef

Thanks eschano and CG - 2 years seems to have flown! Red today for the first time all month (!), I went to a friend's house in the afternoon and she made me a coffee and put on the saucer a little coffee biscuit which is a speciality from her home country. I took a small bite and shared it with my s...

ironchef

You're off to a good start, good luck on day 2!

ironchef

Ah, makes sense. Yes, a day without ever feeling hungry for a meal is not much fun - I've definitely had plenty of weekends like that.

I hope this week continues well, and your weekend plan is satisfying!

ironchef

Ok, so 2 meals with no limit on size, versus two limited meals on S days.

What is it about 3 meals on S days that doesn't work? Is it that you sleep in, and push breakfast too close to lunch?

ironchef

Seconding everything gingerpie wrote in her lovely post!

Cheese sandwiches are awesome by the wya and I have them for lunch most days.

ironchef

Great job resisting that chocolate! I know how hard it is when someone literally puts something on your desk and says "this is yours". Nice work on the strength workout too :) Weekend idea: I either need to have two meals with unlimited sweets but ONLY after breakfast/lunch, or three meals with port...

ironchef

It also might be the difference between being really busy and jazzed by what I was learning and being home with the kids, doing the normal day-to-day stuff. There's just more time to overthink, to crave, to cave. Perhaps re-frame this as an opportunity? Getting through a tricky patch, especially in...

ironchef

Wow, that sounds lovely! I sometimes find the same thing in hot Summer weather - just don't really feel like a bunch of food.

ironchef

fufifnily seems to be spamming on the daily check in and general discussion pages.

ironchef

The basics: Female Age 35 2 years on habit Height 172cm (5'8") Frame Small (wrist < 9cm) â€œDuringâ€ weight July 2014 â€“ 60.5kg (133 pounds), BMI 20 Click here for last yearâ€™s testimonial The bit where I blather on: 2 years in Iâ€™m up 1kg (2 pounds) from my lowest â€œduringâ€ weight (when I was...

ironchef

I think both the podcast and these posts are good insights, but remember this is your very first every S day! Relax, enjoy. Not saying don't do your "sitting" mod, but just that you've got plenty of time to fine tune if you find you need to. You don't need to fix everything about your eating in one ...

ironchef

eschano wrote:Back to my pre-holiday weight in June! Yay!

Well done! That seems to have taken no time at all!

ironchef

hey auto, I know you are bummed, but I really hope you do write a testimonial, and mention all your other awesome systems, your exercise consistency and you finances and so on. Also, if you were previously gaining a sneaky, gradual 5 pounds year, then by halting gain and then losing 8 pounds you hav...

ironchef

Go auto! It is interesting that you've been piling your plates high - I realised I've been doing the same, and for no real reason. I do still get that twinge of anxiety when I put together a smaller plate at dinner, but then I find it is fine. I'm not sure how many times I'm going to have to learn t...

ironchef

Great to read how quickly you've gotten back on track, and how quickly that spurious kilo has disappeared. To me that's one of the great beauties of No S - you're only ever a meal away from green

ironchef

Go Curious, you'll get there!

By the way, my June habitcal looked more like a Christmas tree with all the red and yellow, so that's part of why I'm excited this month.

ironchef

That is great news on the medication and exercise fronts - well done! Changing a lot of habits at once is extra hard, so it's not surprising that it might take a while for compliance on all aspects to come together. I'm really sorry about your friend, and I hope today isn't too hard. For a long time...

ironchef

Firstly, hugs to you, and good on you for starting fresh now, not tomorrow. r.jean had a great point. 2 red days are just 2 red days. In April I had I think 7 of them. I know it doesn't feel like it at the time, but it doesn't say anything about who we are. We're not bad people, or failures, and we ...

ironchef

Well done on keeping it to a couple of bites, and not blowing it out of proportion. After a while you'll get to the zone of automatically turning down sweets.

Keep up the good work!

ironchef

Hang in there Deb! The short term rollercoaster is tough, but it's the long view that matters.

Here's to a great week this week.

ironchef

Absolutely! Go for it.

I got rid of all dairy protein (casein) for a while to help with my son's skin condition while I was nursing. It fit in with No S just fine, in fact keeping to just 3 eating events a day made it easier to manage.

ironchef

I'm also 5'8" and just over 60kg, although I am a woman (not sure what the differences in metabolism would be). I maintain on No S on three plates a day. Anyway, if your preference is to eat until you are full at each of 3 meals, I don't see that being a problem. In fact, I'm pretty sure there is at...

ironchef

Thanks Linda, as my husband would say, you're an absolute gem.

ironchef

I hope you get some quality sleep, and get in a better rhythm soon. Everyone has moments when they can't get in touch with feelings of gratitude / optimism about their life, however privileged. We can only lead our own lives as best we can. I used to keep a gratitude journal and each day I wrote dow...

ironchef

A green month so far for No S, really pleased.

2 fails so far for 14 minutes exercising.

Time to end the month strong!

ironchef

Deleting my response.
I'm really sorry I made you feel picked apart.

ironchef

Welcome back auto! Firstly, credit where credit is due, well done on your holiday! If I'm reading correctly you actually lost a pound while on vacation - go you! Pre-No S, how likely is it that you would have ended a 10 day holiday a pound lighter? It's easy to be frustrated and look quickly to the ...

ironchef

A good weekend, with birthday cake and a little square of "dessert" pizza (apple and sour cream) at the party on Saturday night. Sunday I was just at home, so apart from cooking eggs for breakfast, a normal day. Didn't really feel the need for sweets (having had plenty on Sat night) and managed to a...

ironchef

Welcome!
I hope you really enjoy the freedom to only count meals

ironchef

Tessy, I'm pleased to read that you are edging that time back later every day, baby steps will still get you there!
Best wishes for a happy weekend

ironchef

Thanks Tessy. It's a 40th for a very dear friend I don't get to see much of lately, so I'm very excited! Just want to caveat for anyone considering tweaks: keep in mind when reading this that I've been No Sing relatively successfully for 2 years. I would not recommend trying tweaks until basic vanil...

ironchef

Thanks eschano, CG, I am really glad to find this minor tweak much easier that I expected. All Green No S week, 1 red for 14 mins. Had a heavier eating day Fri, but still green. Saturday - no treats yet, but I'm going to a birthday party this evening so will probably have some cake if there is some.

ironchef

Aww, bless! I just love it

There is no escaping with the observant eyes of a child on you.

We've been teaching our son to be gentle with the dog. When I wiped his chin the other day:
"Stop it Mummy! Be gentle!"
Yup, I got told

ironchef

Hey Linda! Sounds like you've had a busy time with all your socialising! That 204 could just be the extra salt in the Vietnamese food, I wouldn't get too focussed on it. I don't know about suffering, but I do think slow, steady steps towards moderation are needed for most of us. It can be easy to be...

ironchef

Thanks Merry and Linda! Green so far this week for No S. Red on Wednesday for exercise - spent my son's lunch naptime working with a mortgage broker on our current situation and working on our taxes. Double yay :( I did take my son for a long walk and play in the afternoon, but that's not the same t...

ironchef

Sorry to hear things have been so tough. Glad you are back and taking steps in the right direction.

ironchef

I have to find a way to "hold" things differently. When you find the key to this, I'll pass it on to my husband! He found teaching very hard and seemed to be always walking the line between caring enough to stay motivated versus caring too much resulting in anxiety and sadness. In the end I'd say h...

ironchef

Thanks for the link, some interesting ideas there. I am leaving my experiment as "put more veg on the plate, leave some white space" for now, as one of my big No S motivators is feeling like I'm not "on a diet". Also, it is worth measuring your frame size rather than guessing. I fit into the smalles...

ironchef

How does everyone deal with the angel/devil voices on your shoulders? What could I have done (well, obviously I know what I should have done) to have had this situation turn out differently? I recognise that my willpower / motivation / resistance waxes and wanes. Some weeks I don't even consider sn...

ironchef

Tessy, well done on sticking to No S between breakfast and lunch! For the other stuff, I think oolala is spot on and I don't really have much to add to her excellent advice. Personal story time (warning - long!): In 2010 I worked an incredibly stressful job and had one of the hardest years of my lif...

ironchef

A success finally!! Good work! Though today is an S day, my brother is not here. So I think I will try keeping this day as N. I support this approach. For me non-weekend S days are really meant to allow for the special events in our lives, so we can feel "normal" at special events and not like we'r...

ironchef

Experiment going well so far, GREEN Mon and Tues. Last night I had a later dinner, and I was alone (my husband was out for dinner). This is usually when I would load up the cheese toasties, thinking "hey, it fits on the plate!". Instead I got a mini-serve of pasta with mushroom and tomato, a banana ...

ironchef

You can do it Tessy! This is an opportunity to practice oolala's advice: be tough on yourself BEFORE the behaviour. Don't wait until afterwards and then use energy unproductively to beat yourself up. Channel your energy into resolve and away from guilt. Take that small step towards changing what you...

ironchef

I'm a mother of a toddler at home 4 days, working 3. My son often wants to "give mummy some", especially if he really likes a food, or, like you experienced, wants to see me eat some and say "yum" before he takes a bite. In these cases, I have a bit, keep him happy and forget about it. I do not do t...

ironchef

However, the novelty of being able to eat whatever I want is beginning to wear off and the thought of upping the quality is appealing. So, maybe that is what is I should focus on, without making an actual mod out of it. Interesting, this is exactly what I've recently decided. I'm currently doing my...

ironchef

Wow, 7 months with only one red day, that's fantastic! Well done. I'm in the same boat as you, I have the smallest frame size for my height. I started No S at the middle of the BMI "healthy weight range" for my height (I'm sure you're aware of the issues with applying BMI to individuals, rather than...

ironchef

Thank you both. If this experiment doesn't fit or unbalances me in any way, I know I'll always be able to fall back on just 3 plates and still have green days. That's what makes me feel safe. The interesting thing for me is that 2 years in this experiment is not about weighing less. I truly am chasi...

ironchef

aww *blushing* I don't know about brilliant, I guess I feel like I've learned so much in the past two years of effort (and from reading posts from experienced campaigners like oolala and vmsurbat) that I want to pass on tips. My experiment this week with slightly lighter plates went really well - I ...

ironchef

Congratulations dear eschano! It's a been an honour to share this journey with you (I joined within the same month) and a delight to see the increasingly joyous tone of your posts. I think you have done something really incredible in changing your thoughts and attitude so substantially.

ironchef

My pleasure Tessy - I've always had a lot of support and helpful advice on these boards, so I'm pleased to have a chance to give something small back. Sounds like a tough day, but I'm glad you could be there for your friend and honour your loved one together. And good on you for avoiding comforting ...

ironchef

Thanks eschano. I'm not reducing much, just trying to make a conscious effort to cover 1/3 or more of the plate with fruit and veg. If I'm eating something heavier, without much veg, I'm trying to serve into a slightly smaller bowl, or leave some white on the plate. But, if I don't do this, I'm not ...

ironchef

Hooray! I knew you could do this! Really happy to read these posts :) Well done Tessy! I'm pretty sure there are a few posters who had a 4th optional "mini meal" for a while during their hardest gap, until they didn't need it anymore. Well done for choosing something that doesn't trigger you to bing...

ironchef

Awesome! That's great.

I've actually recently realised that my meals have become slightly too heavy and I'm NOT getting hungry between meals. I'm going to cut back very marginally, for exactly this reason - I like being hungry now and again, and getting to the table keen as mustard

ironchef

I'm 1/2 way through Thursday and all green so far this week. Cycling Mon, Tues, dancing and swimming Wed, cycling Thurs. This morning a work colleague put on morning tea. I didn't eat my usual oats, and decided to make it my breakfast meal, so I took a small plate of savouries as my breakfast. Yummy...

ironchef

Today complete disaster. I often don't know why I keep posting when I am so unable to keep to the noS rules. Hopeless. Still I will trying to be accountable for a while longer this is my default position now. I know it can work and it makes sense. Hey, sorry you feel so awful, but you are NOT hopel...

ironchef

Here is my question: considering my stress level, lack of sleep, trying to juggle family, job, other responsibilities, do you have any specific pointers for someone in my situation? I really want this to work. I feel like it's not just for me this time, but for my family. They need me to be at my h...

ironchef

Ah, I get it. When working from home it would be easy to blur the lines, so I think you are taking a good approach. "Fence around the law" is my approach as well.

ironchef

AI did only take 3 meals but at lunch I was soo hungry that I only picked part of the lunch. Then realized that I only took half my lunch and was still hungry. Do I understand you correctly that you were so busy or distracted that you accidentally only ate 1/2 the lunch you had packed and planned, ...

ironchef

Note to self - be kinder and turn down the stress volume x Agree wholeheartedly! Check out eschano's LAM (Looking After Myself) category. She tracks it like a No S or glass ceiling habit. A while back she (and a few other posters) made a long list of ways to care for yourself, without food. It's on...

ironchef

Basically have the child (or in this case, you) be outside or have the windows open all the time, and then trust their internal clock about when to sleep and when mealtimes are; don't try to force the child into the new schedule by manipulating their sleeping and eating patterns. While I agree with...

ironchef

Dear All, I'm sure this has been addressed in another post, but what do you all do during Jet lag? I'm 9 hours off schedule and only sleeping 4 hours a day.... Am hungry at all the wrong moments.... Any good advice out there? Although I haven't been jet lagged since I started No S, I have been jet ...

ironchef

Congrats Dave! Love reading these long term testimonials, very encouraging!

ironchef

I'm glad you've had such a good run, and that this was relatively easy for you :) I gave up drinking all types of soda a few years ago when pregnant with my son, and just never really took it up again. It's strange that something that once felt so compelling can now feel like such a non-issue. Plus ...

ironchef

CuriousAT wrote:I have another success to report! Oooh yea! The eating itself wasn't as healthy as it could be but I stuck to the 3 meals, no snacks, and no sweets.

Nice work!

3 plates is the goal

I'd suggest saving the nutrition fine tuning until after you have at least a few green months under your belt.

ironchef

Welcome! Sounds like you've hit on a great combination. I'm with you, I prefer to Shovelglove "for real" around my house and garden. http://www.halls.md/body-mass-index/bmi.htm There are other pages to this site, one of which gives "ideal" weights according to one's peers' opinions. I highly recomme...

Everyday Systems

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Re: * AUGUST 2014 CHALLENGE *

Ironchef Testimonial - 2 Years on No S

Re: First Fail

Re: Rock Bottom: Am I Ready?

Re: Jet Lag and No S?