Everyday Systems

kccc

Scrybil, coming in late on this one... I haven't been reading other threads as much while on vacation (home now). What you describe sounds SO FAMILIAR. The details vary (since I have a nine-year-old instead of a near-adult), but the broad themes are the same. And some of the details (like meditation...

kccc

Oolala, I agree with Scrybil that your analogy is beautiful. I love the appreciative tone of your post - it's a real skill to be able to see and acknowledge progress as it unfolds.

kccc

I LOVED LOVED LOVED Estes Park. I envy your friend, Grammy! We are home again, and as much as I enjoyed Colorado, I'm glad to be back. Our kitties are almost glued to our laps, wanting love. (Friends cared for them, but they missed us.) Got in late last night, and have laundry going this morning. I ...

kccc

Wow, you're doing a great job!

And I think your posts about keeping "the big picture" in mind are very wise.

kccc

You guys are awesome! Thank you ALL so much! The chapter proposal is in, and I am pleased with it. So that's over. We are ALL off-routine, and though the vacation is lovely, it's starting to tell on all of us... I'm ready to be home, and grateful that I'll have two days AT home before returning to w...

kccc

Today is not a day I want to report. All well until dinner, when I over-ate and followed it up with THREE large chocolate chip cookies. Ick. Issues: - I'm on vacation, but have a work deadline looming anyway. Got a spanner thrown in the works at the last minute. Had to deal. - Son has been seriously...

kccc

Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful story!

And VERY best wishes and congrats on your recent marriage.

kccc

The ingredient list on the package (and of course it's in a package) contains more chemicals than recognizable ingredients that you might have in a kitchen.

(This is not limited to diet food - it's a general indicator of "not-real" food, of which diet food is a subset.)

kccc

BA, I don't fit your overall criteria, but I have had a binge history. I find that "real food" as opposed to "highly processed" makes a HUGE difference. That was something I had noticed even before No-S, but No-S makes it easier to manage... even if I choose to have a serving of highly-processed stu...

kccc

Everyone, thanks for visiting my thread! :) Grammy, I did not know your husband was a geologist! My hubby's degree is in geology, but he works in another field (long story)... however, we have an AMAZING rock collection (well, to be accurate, HE does. But I thought it was beautiful enough to make di...

kccc

Congratulations! This is a milestone! I know, it doesn't feel like one. It feels awful. I remember. And periodically, I still remind myself by re-living it - but not so often anymore. :) Your post is great. You are tuning into "how this feels" and thinking about "why am I doing this?" You LIKE N-day...

kccc

Here's what I'm planning to do: --adding moderate exercise daily (on N Days) --cutting out butter from my morning toast & replacing with margarine or something similar --keeping an eye on S days. Just 'observing' for now, that should do it, as I'm not eager to add any modifications yet. --Lots of w...

kccc

I did do my bedtime yoga on Friday. :) That makes me happy. Not a lot in terms of exercise or calorie burning, but a BIG DEAL in terms of compliance. And I slept better. Saturday was busy with events, but not much in terms of walking (6500-ish on the pedometer), and I didn't even get PT in. Can't re...

kccc

No real exercise - driving too much. I'm tired, but only got my PT in this morning. Maybe I'll do some bedtime yoga... Br - 1/2 waffle with PB and jelly instead of syrup; HB egg L - cheese and fruit and crackers - a plate at a lovely place with a stream. D - pizza and figs. An extra piece because I ...

kccc

... and later that same day... :) Went to the grocery, which was a "Whole Foods." I am ready to move here. The closest we have to it is EarthFare, which I love (it's the "favorite place" I often refer to as my treat lunch place - the buffet is always good). Whole Foods is like EarthFare on steroids....

kccc

thanks, Grammy G and Oolala! We are traveling in Colorado - last day in Denver before we go on - and I have intentionally booked all our hotels in a chain that has fridges and microwaves in the rooms. It also offers a "continental" breakfast that is really a small breakfast buffet. But other meals a...

kccc

Thanks everyone, for the vacation wishes. We had a very good time our first day here. :) Br - egg, bacon (2 slices, I think - it was chopped smaller), 1 slice whole wheat toast, 1/2 banana L - BBQ chicken, corn on the cob, pork and beans (which I didn't finish). Museum food - but better than expecte...

kccc

Lunch was a sub - ham on wheat. A bit large, but since we were going across time zones and I knew we were going to be eating very late by local time, I ate it all. And was glad I did. After the plane trip, dinner was about 10:00 on "my" time. I had another grilled shrimp salad (less to my taste than...

kccc

Well, haven't checked in for a few days... we're on vacation. :) The weekend was a bit excessive - but they were s-days. Between some activities that messed with our schedules and the stress of packing (and getting those last "GOT-TO's" done), I didn't eat my normal regular meals, which made a big d...

kccc

I agree that a more substantial lunch is the first thing to try. Particularly, I'd make sure that you had a reasonable serving of protein.

Eating at 5:30 and having tea with your husband is also an option, if you can make it through the evening after that.

Good luck!

kccc

Wow! This is a resurrected oldie. My answer has changed in the details from my 2008 version, but the core is essentially is the same - exercise classes or workouts in the gym on most N-days, 15 minutes of anything if I can't make it. However, I'm now tying to get in more walking, since my job is ver...

kccc

Like everyone else, I have trouble with S days which tend to go wild. However, I don't yet want to tackle S days. I feel N days are not yet that firmly established. So my first question: how long would you give until moving to the next step (following KCCCs NoS diet phases) i.e. tackling S days? I'...

kccc

Well, I had a "face-down Friday" right after completing my 21 days on vanilla. And I've realized that about every three weeks or so I have a Friday Failure at the end of the day. I just want to blow off steam at the end of the week, and it's really hard not to include eating. Going back through my j...

kccc

Just updated my original post for this week. Nichole, good for you for exercising while expecting! I agree that the secret to staying healthy overall is "getting back on the path" when you veer off! Hope everyone has SATISFYING and PLEASANT S-days this weekend! Remember, the goal is ENJOYMENT, not s...

kccc

Pick yourself up, dust off the crumbs, and get back on the wagon!

Finish out the day well. And enjoy your S-day tomorrow! Plan something SPECIAL! What will bring you pleasure?

(And maybe next time, give the birthday girl scented candles or a scarf or something...)

kccc

Enjoy your yoga!

(And yes, sounds as if you've got "bless his/her heart" down pat! It can be used either with genuine kindness or as a criticism-cover-up. Sometimes both together, lol!)

kccc

Thanks for stopping by, Nichole! Actually, I know that "I'm REALLY full but..." feeling, but the one yesterday was more subtle than that. I didn't feel uncomforatably stuffed after, and wouldn't have even if I'd cleaned my plate. However, because I was paying attention, I realized "no longer hungry"...

kccc

Oolala, regarding T-Tapp... I bought the book on impulse when it came out and the author was doing a tour. (It's awful - don't buy it. The exercises are almost impossible to follow from the written descriptions.) Howevever, because I bought the book, I got a good discount on the dvds. So, I bought t...

kccc

Well, there's less than a tablespoon of sugar per serving in the tapioca. I don't put brown sugar on my oatmeal, but I could see putting that much on. It didn't taste sweeter than oatmeal with craisins, or ordinary "fruit at the bottom" yogurt. And the sense of deprivation is gone... I had some, and...

kccc

"Tiny little changes" is right, Butterfly! Reneew, glad you've found a pattern that's working for you with the scale! I've been doing pretty well overall, though the check in here is SUCH a good idea. I totally forgot about intentional mindful eating for a bit - life intervened, and it slipped my mi...

kccc

Paulawylma's hit the nail on the head with options. I particularly like her potluck idea of bringing oodles of something you like that you KNOW won't run out. On the virtual plating... you can also think of it as an opportunity, rather than just a necessity to deal with the circumstances. Do exactly...

kccc

The podcasts are GREAT. I also recommend the "Strictness" podcast, especially for beginners. The "non-retribution" section really spoke to me when I was starting. And if you don't have the book, it's worth buying. Yes, most of the info is on the website, but it's nice to have it all together and por...

kccc

You're right Oolala - this really is not a disaster. Just a minor setback. On further reflection I have realised my tiredness came from deep frustration at work. These feelings sent me reaching for comfort food. This is quite an established pattern - and not just at work. I get fed-up - I eat sweet...

kccc

Yesterday's dinner was great. Out of broccoli, so subbed peas and carrots, and left the beans out of the pasta (there was plenty of chicken). Made tapioca pudding for the guys - they've been requesting it for a week. I decided this morning that there was little enough sugar in it that I could have i...

kccc

Nursing is amazingly good for the baby - the more research you do, the more you'll be convinced of it. Do get help if you need it... I'd read all the books, but my baby hadn't, lol, and we had some problems to start out. But once we were through them, it was smooth sailing. Artisan bread... I have t...

kccc

I am going to miss homemade dough when the baby comes - I probably won't have the time or energy as I'll be nursing. But after a few months, I intend to add it back in. It'll be premade doughs in the meanwhile. Good for you for nursing! :) Have you looked at the Artisan Bread in 5 minutes recipes? ...

kccc

Belated commentary... loved it! I've been doing "14 (well, 15, but that's a detail) minutes of anything" for a while now and find it very useful. I hope when you migrate your website that Shovelglove will be a sub-set of 14 minutes of anything. Another construct that I have generalized from No-S I c...

kccc

Well today was a total failure. Whenever I get discouraged I end up doing worse (vicious circle). This is a good insight. Most people feel that if they punish themselves, they'll lose faster. But it's not true - as counter-intuitive as it seems, if you encourage yourself and refrain from "beating y...

kccc

.. so, along this same line of thinking, is it possible to go the rest of your life without consuming sugar or processed carbs ? i know NO ONE who has done this long term, including myself- i have been sugar free/flour free for as long as 90 days at a time, and then i just HAD to have some chocolat...

kccc

Lunch yesterday ended up being Chinese - my boss invited me out. It was good, if a bit much (big plate, even though I left most of my rice). Dinner was chicken quesadillas, fruit salad. That was it. Oh well. We finally made it to the grocery for fruits and vegetables, so that will get better. Not to...

kccc

Grammy, sounds as if you were better off without that particular book club - though I am amused that they chose that book! I will admit that my book club often chooses things that I don't care for. I consider that it enlarges my horizons. And the payoff when I read something that I didn't expect to ...

kccc

The pattern has to work for your life, not some imaginary life. If your life involves eating at midnight (hard for me to imagine, but okay...), then the rest of your meals will need to work with that. When do you get up? I'm assuming that it's probably not 6AM given the rest of your schedule! :) Whe...

kccc

While the "is it an addiction" discussion is interesting - and quite a good debate topic - in practical terms, I don't think it matters much. That's because I think the No-S approach works either way. It contains and modifies behavior and allows the person to reclaim control - whether it's a physica...

kccc

My thoughts are captured in the sticky on "Phases of No-S," if you haven't read it. The first step is habit formation. And yes, the two steps forward and 1-2 steps back in terms of the scale can be frustrating. However, the establishment of N-day habit will provide a foundation for long-term success...

kccc

Grammy, I have a long commute and eat breakfast at work, so I just pack oatmeal for me. When my family in the mood, I'll make it for them and leave it, but lately I think they've been doing bagels. (I pack my oatmeal the night before - mix rolled oats and milk together, with a dash of cinnamon and w...

kccc

I keep a No-S calendar, an "exercise" calendar (generic), and a "non-idiot" calendar (just for my info - used only on S and red days). Then, other calendars cycle in and out depending on my focus at the time. I did "habits of the month" - instead of New Year's Resolutions - for years before I heard ...

kccc

The inference that because "this one person died, the diet is not valid" demonstrates a lack of understanding of statistics. Statistics do NOT predict individual behavior, only the behavior of a POPULATION - that is, the group as a whole. Statistically, the Mediterranean Diet does result in longer l...

kccc

Yesterday - good on walking and strength work. All No-S compliant for food! Today Br - oatmeal with craisins, applesauce L- leftover pasta with clam sauce (from last night), salad with craisins, which broke my "dried fruit only once a day" rule, but we are OUT of most fruit! I made sure both had sma...

kccc

Hope you had a great time! Sounds like a good decision to me - and kudos for moving out of your comfort zone (that's how you expand it, you know!).

Will look for that report back!

kccc

Quick post since it's late... Got to 11000 on the pedometer today, and had a successful day overall. Did strength PT in addition to walking. Neck is better as a result of attention. All good.

kccc

Sounds like a plan - and some thoughtful problem-solving!

Good luck!

kccc

Your title reminds me of a joke my 9-year-old likes to tell: "If you plan to fail, and you succeed...what have you done?" (That is, did you fail, or did you succeed?) It may sound like semantics, but instead of "anticipating red days" you might "plan ahead for green days." Just pay attention to your...

kccc

Best-laid plans and all that... Was working and missed lunch... had to run to an appointment. So, didn't get lunch until 3PM... which ended up being fine. I got to eat out at my second-favorite place, and to my surprise, actually ate a little less than I normally would there despite the late hour. S...

kccc

Grammy, what a shock that racoon must have been! (And I cruise other people's menus to get ideas as well!) == A "learning experience" with regard to food. I was really, really looking forward to lunch yesterday, but when I got it out... I got distracted and ate it almost mindlessly. Not completely -...

kccc

Mark it and move on! Another great line from a friend is "put your energy into the future." She means, don't waste energy beating yourself up; instead, use that energy to plan for next time, to make needed changes, etc. I find this a really useful idea. And you know what? Stale marshmallows are NOT ...

kccc

While this would be a more sustainable option, it makes me feel like more of a failure because that's not how it's written "in the book" and therefore not tried and true as vanilla No S. It makes it, I guess, less legitimate in my view... 1) A lot of people "phase in" to Vanilla. It's quite common....

kccc

More generally, impact on my own family... minimal. My husband and son still eat desserts, and I know my husband snacks at work. His body, and he's a grownup... I try to encourage without nagging by making the best lunches I can and helping him with exercise time. I do let my son have desserts, but ...

kccc

- and when I refuse she will move from persuasive charm to looking hurt, all of which is quite tough to withstand and makes me look like I am being unnecessarily cussed. Then, the "No Seconds" rule will make her see red because she will not understand why I am not eating more. She does want to see ...

kccc

I'd rather just feel a steady stream of normal (bingeing) and eat sweets when I want to, rather than the anguish of no dessert during the week. Can you re-frame this so it isn't quite so "either-or"? There ARE middle grounds... and "anguish" certainly isn't sustainable. What's the smallest step you...

kccc

What a lovely thread! I will have to think about this - it deserves a thoughtful post. But a quick reaction is that I've been learning moderation. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, which can be crippling in the extreme (hey, if I don't try I can't fail). No-S has helped me learn to set more rea...

kccc

I only got to 2500 on the pedometer yesterday. Which was really frustrating, because I TRIED. I parked further away, went to the "far" restroom at work, walked over for a meeting instead of driving, etc. :( However... my neck feels better for doing yoga instead. Balance, balance, balance. Food yeste...

kccc

Hi Oolala! I haven't washed a pedometer (knock on wood), but did wash a phone one time. Luckily, my contract was already up and I was considering a new one.

Glad to have you stop by. I returned the visit over at your thread.

kccc

I really don't want to tell you how long it took me to get a clue - and I sometimes still need reminding that "satisfied" and "stuffed to illness" are not synonyms! But please take it as encouragement that your body is tellling you it does not like being stuffed. That's genuine progress - your body ...

kccc

Okay, I wasn't going to edit, but I really wanted to add in #4 under phase I, and clean up a bit of redundancy where I meant to move a sentence and copied it. Finally broke down and did those two things. Also, I want to add that this is oversimplified in that the phases are not necessarily linear. I...

kccc

Oh Grammy, so sorry you lost your new pedometer! The one I use has a "tether" that clips to a belt loop or elsewere on the waistband, as sort of a safety catch. More than once, that tether has saved me from losing mine the exact same way! Your salad does sound pretty. Fruits and veggies can be so be...

kccc

Oddly (or perhaps not), my "most satisfying S-days" are those when I have some very-good-stuff-I-like, but NOT too much. If I spend the whole weekend WITHOUT feeling stuffed, I enjoy it more! (I do not want to admit how long it took me to learn this... that is, learn at "body level" as opposed to "h...

kccc

Good Sunday - mostly just meals with desserts. I did start to look for sweets around 10PM, when the "get it while I can" little voice started up its refrain. But I had a few pieces of candy, decided I didn't really want it, didn't want the key lime pie my husband bought... and then I noticed I had o...

kccc

Saturday... got my 10,000 steps. Have been slacking off on PT, and need to watch that. Neck is hurting again. For meals, basically had 3 meals with good desserts for both lunch and dinner. Plate a bit fuller-than-normal at dinner (and I ate several slices of bread served with the meal, which I don't...

kccc

I think that many of us both drop some foods and also ADD some (previously "forbidden" foods in reasonable quantities). For me, the biggest "give up" hasn't been food, it's been over-stressing about my weight. When I found No-S, I was in a cycle of losing through strict dieting, reaching goal, start...

kccc

{{{Bunny}}} I wrote you a reply on the main board. You sound like you are having a hard time right now, on more fronts than just your weight. If I could give you "assignments", it would be things like this: - Make a list every day of "5 good things". They can be little, like noticing a butterfly or ...

kccc

KCCC, those sound like some good ideas. I need to bring in some positivity into my life. It's just like I almost feel like I *deserve* to be punished if I don't control my eating perfectly and gain weight. I feel like a lazy idiot when I do that, so I don't deserve any compassion. Maybe that's weir...

kccc

I think whatever helps you to "mark it and move on" is good. It took me a long time not to turn a failure into a "spectacular failure," as you termed it, and I still regard turning that corner as a HUGE accomplishment! I remember a discussion where we talked about that issue. Someone said "It's like...

kccc

My personal favorites are: 1) Hot herbal teas (like Celestial Seasoning's Red Zinger). That's what I usually drink at work, because they over-air-condition, so hot drinks are good year-round 2) Seltzer water (no added sweetener at all) on the weekends 3) Water with a squeeze of lemon or a sprig of m...

kccc

Weekly update (~reneew, should I be putting this in my initial post up above? I was afraid it wouldn't show up.)

[Moved to my initial post]

kccc

You do such a great job of balancing your life!! When you get to be my age, I am sure you will look back and think :"How in the world did I do all of that!!" You seem to have found the elusive balance time for yourself, time for family, time for work, time for others. You continue to be an inspirat...

kccc

Paula, VERY good point! Rhi - listen to what she said! But to Wosnes - I was surprised by those numbers, enough to calculate my "at home" coffee. I use a half-cup of milk and 1 tsp sugar per cup, which means my 2 20-oz cups work out to about 130-135 calories total (I use 1% milk, which is 100 cals/c...

kccc

Scrybil, "The Glass Castle" is one of the ones I was forgetting. Your description is right on target! (I also agree about Stephanie/Joe, though I gave up on her about book 8.) Have not read "The Help," but it is getting rave reviews. If you haven't read "Eat, Pray, Love," give it a go. That seems to...

kccc

Lessons I am s-l-o-w-l-y learning: I do not have to be in charge of everything. I do not have to be perfect. Well said. Those are lessons I'm also learning (and sometimes revisiting multiple times). I think No-S has actually helped with that journey... the "moderation" mindset carries over, and lea...

kccc

KCCC, I have never had a pedometer that I felt was acurate. I always seem to have too many steps on it after a bit of walking. where do you place yours? (yep, I do the stride thing to regulate it) i just threw three away..one freebee..one cheapie..one $$$one. I think it is me..(':(') You, by the wa...

kccc

What a wonderfully happy post to read!

Good for you!

(And I totally agree about enjoying food again - that's SUCH a plus!)

kccc

Cassie, I wouldn't worry about it - especially if you're only having one. It's like coffee and milk, both of which are completely okay. The "Starbucks" issue really is the specialty drinks - and the temptation to add a scone or something! Look up the calories on the Starbucks site, and I think you'l...

kccc

Yup - there's a big difference between a coffee or even a latte/cappuchino and a double frappahappamochalicious (or whatever) with whipped cream on top!

kccc

Sorry that things are rough for you right now. Going to a more sedentary job is a challenge. (I'm dealing with that right now too - really disrupted my nice eating/exercise balance!) And it's so easy to eat a lot when stressed. Ideas (take what you can use and let the rest go by...) Do some planning...

kccc

Was at a bookstore today and ran across others I'd read that you might like Water for Elephants Blink (non-fiction, but engaging) Elegance of the Hedgehog The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel (first in a series, if you like the rather quirky premis...

kccc

June 3 - NoS * I took an S event today - long story, but I felt it was the best thing to do under the circumstances...it could have been a disaster with me ending up feeling guilty for "blowing" it and eating over the top - but I didn't, so I feel good about the whole day...one day at a time with o...

kccc

Conference Day 2

Br - cereal, banana, milk
L - fajita bar buffet - one plate, half of it salad
D - Out with a friend. Pasta with broccoli and shrimp, bread. Left most of the penne (after eating out the good stuff) because I wanted the bread.

Exercise - 11500 steps!

kccc

Just sending very best wishes for increased health and enjoyment in life.

(I do hope you stay around too - but for reasons I recognize as selfish!)

kccc

Regarding breakfast, my anecdotal experience is that people roughly divide into two categories - those who eat less across the course of the day if they eat breakfast and find that it "sets them up for the day" and those who eat more if they eat breakfast and find that breakfast just wakes up their...

kccc

http://summertomato.com/10-reasons-you- ... -about-it/

kccc

Thanks, Shannon! :) Dinner last night was Panera's "you pick two" - black bean soup and salad, plus bread. It was a lot., even with "half portions".. but I ate "mindfully" and left some of both. Happy about that! And I got 12000 steps yesterday (early morning walking, then just a busy day). Br - Kas...

kccc

I don't know if you've read the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency Series by Alexander McCall Smith, but these are delightful books about a female private investigator in Botswana. They are easy to read and life-affirming, while giving an idea of culture and life in Botswana. Well worth reading if you ha...

kccc

June challenge for me: 1) Twenty-one day Vanilla Re-boot to reclaim some habits that have gotten sloppy. I'm on Day 3... and if I keep it up, I can finish just before vacation! 2) Continue increasing pedometer steps (no specific target, just "more") 3) "Mindful eating" practice daily - not all-meals...

kccc

Welcome back! I always enjoy "seeing" you here.

kccc

Well, if I recall correctly, the usual mistakes are... -Tweaking before habit has had a chance to form (you seem to be doing well) -Tweaking in order to hasten weight loss, and reaching "unsustainability" levels (you're not doing that) -Over-tweaking, so that it gets too complicated/unsustainable AN...

kccc

Okay, I'm on Day Three. Friday included a RED :oops: - late night "I deserve" eating. Sigh. Saturday was an S-day, and so was Sunday. Monday, I got back on track (and neither Sat nor Sunday was awful, thank goodness). On the exercise front, I broke 10,000 steps on Friday, had a "personal best" of 15...

kccc

Nowhere in the rules does it say how MANY meals you should have... only that they're regular. The "big idea" (in my mind) is to make each meal a planned, definite event - and to avoid "perma-snacking" or random eating all day. There is a warning that every eating opportunity is an opportunity for ex...

kccc

I am sorry that you've had such a difficult time - both with your mom and with the weight issues. First... you were wise to try to keep on despite the initial weight gain. It is not uncommon to have a weight gain at first, if you've been adhering to a strict diet beforehand - people often "rebound" ...

kccc

Read the website, with special attention to the podcasts and stickies! This entire site is ALL inspiration!

(And welcome!)

kccc

I agree with Wosnes. Ask yourself some questions: What do you like to eat? How much effort ARE you willing to put in? There are a lot of dinners that are easy that take hardly more effort than what you're already doing - just have to figure out some alternatives. (Example: Frozen tortellini with pes...

kccc

Last night's ped reading was just over 9000.... and I did some end-of-the-day "house circles" (walking around and around within the house) to get to that. But...I'm just under 7000 at the beginning of my workday, and I am only working half-a-day, so I think I can break 10000 today! :) Gym is closed ...

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Re: 21 successful days under my belt! What now?