Everyday Systems

kccc

I do think sugar/refined carbs are addictive to some people. I used to feel that I had to go on regular "sugar fasts" to break the cycle... I'd be fine, then my consumption would gradually rise until I felt I was eating addictively again, and I'd repeat. (Don't need sugar fasts with No-S. And don't ...

kccc

Yesterday ended up being a bit of a failure. I was going to the conference exhibit before heading home, to let traffic clear a bit. Saw a major dessert put out outside, and remembered this was a reception. Great, I thought, I'll eat here and save time on the road. So I took a couple of canapes from ...

kccc

Two large cups of cafe au lait each morning, on my drive in. I guess 16 oz. each. About two "pots" of herbal tea during the day, maybe three. (Made in a teensy coffeemaker... I'd say about 24 oz per pot. So 48-72 oz.) A glass of water at dinner (8 oz). Maybe a glass of wine after (4 oz). A good bit,...

kccc

Noel, I agree that "play" is a good strategy. Or anything where I can meet multiple goals, like relationship-building, etc. And this is a good time of year to look for strategies. Mostly, if I just get it on the radar, it helps. I got in a good walk on Saturday, but it took a bit more planning than ...

kccc

You know, Reinhard, I think you should shoot for a magazine like "Psychology Today" for a story... the loss of "diet head" ranks is as important as the weight loss for a lot of people here.

I can't help you with before-after pics, but could write a great testamonial about peace of mind.

kccc

Starla wrote:

Starla, that is PRICELESS!

kccc

S-day. So far, not excessive. I just looked at Noel's thread, where she posted a trend line of her weight that shows it slowly going down. She talked about how slow and steady was better than crash diets that would fail in the long run, and I agree with her. There's just one problem for me. If I dre...

kccc

Kathleen wrote:I like your chart!

Me too. It's made me think (though I'll use my own thread for musings, so not to clog yours).

And I think you're very wise to recognize that slow and steady beats fast and lapsing... that is emotionally hard to acknowledge (at least for me, in many places in my life).

kccc

Rain! It rained! Just enough to wash the pollen out of the air (we had record highs these last few days). I am so glad. Son is back in school. :) Life is good. Friday Exercise - strength class and PT Br - 2 small slices focaccia, slice of cheese, dried apricota L - Panera again - soup and salad and ...

kccc

Back at work. Hubby is home with son. I'm still a little ill, but have to be in a training session... oh well. The time off helped a lot. Have done well with No-S at home. How interesting that the N-day habits kick right in on Monday at this point, even when the circumstances from S-days are the sam...

kccc

Friday was a Failure . Did fine until the evening, then broke out the Easter candy early. Easter weekend was pretty over-the-top. Oh well. It's Monday now. Br - 1/2 bagel w/cream cheese, juice L - plate at my favorite deli... 1/2 veg, grilled chicken thigh, polenta D (planned) - chicken, potato, sal...

kccc

What are you eating at mealtimes?

Many of us have found that the "mix" as well as the quantity of food had to be adapted in order to hold us until the next meal. So, give us a normal menu and we'll make suggestions based on that.

kccc

Welcome back!

kccc

Dinner was 15-bean soup (pulled out of the freezer), focaccia and fruit. I love having home-made food in the freezer.

kccc

Good one, Thalia!

kccc

Wednesday Exercise: PT/strength in the AM, about a 3-4 mile walk in the afternoon to pick up my car from the mechanic. Glorious! Br - leftover Spanikopita, banana L - sushi and salad from my favorite place D - cabbage, chorizo and beans; focaccia; dried apricots The cabbage was a new recipe - okay, ...

kccc

I said 30, but it's usually between 30 minutes and an hour. This is a bit discouraging, but nothing I didn't already know. The research in "Younger Next Year" says much the same, except it focuses on quality of life more than mere weight maintenance. (There's a version for men and for women, similar...

kccc

Thanks for the challenges, ~reneew. Hope your break from them is refreshing and gets you where you want to go!

I haven't done as well as I would like on this challenge, but I have done better than I think I would have without it. So, thank you for this specific one, as well as the series.

kccc

Got everything done last night, despite being on the road late due to an accident snarling traffic. I did my PT as we were setting up for the dvd (it doesn't take that long, but if I don't remember until the very end of the day, it feels overwhelming). That helped. But I had a little extra time last...

kccc

Packing up the night before is a good idea, and putting together several outfits for the week is also a nice plan. I'd be lost if I didn't prepare for the next day the night before. I already do pack the night before - to the point that I feel like I'm going on a trip every evening as I load up! Gy...

kccc

Hi mimi! Thanks for the ideas. I am also a morning person, but it depends on when you start "morning" - right now I get up at 5:45, and I can't bear the thought of getting up earlier. (I drive to the gym, exercise and dress, then go on to work.) However, I realized that when I pack up the night befo...

kccc

I am not going to even look at this one. I bought Easter candy last weekend. My rule of thumb is that, for holiday food, we focus on stuff we can't get other times of the year. Forget pastel-wrapped (or red-and-green wrapped at Christmas) Snickers or M&M's... We ask everyone what their favorites are...

kccc

It is just silly, isn't it? If you are going to eat something that is an indulgence by definition, have the good-tasting version and be done with it. As long as indulgences are a minor portion of your overall intake, you're good. The trouble is that when people make a "light" version, they get into ...

kccc

a woman from church gave us these big yummy homemade muffins...and come Monday I ate it...and just blew the whole week. One of the most useful ideas for me is "fail fast - and get over it faster." You didn't blow the whole week. Maybe you blew a day. With practice, you'll only blow that one item......

kccc

Welcome back! Am very glad to see you, and happy to hear that your hubby will be home soon. Hope the upcoming move goes well.

Am VERY glad to hear that you have found some solutions that are having a positive effect your health and spirits. That is wonderful!

kccc

Saturday was a conference. Started at 8:30 AM with contenintal breakfast and ended with a fancy dinner (with music that was too loud) that concluded at 10:30 PM. Though it was an exceptionally good conference overall, I was ready to crawl in a hole and pull it in after me by the end. Sunday was catc...

kccc

Great to see you back, mimi, and to hear the PT has helped to this point! (And hi, Strawberry!)

Isn't this glorious weather to start "rangering" in again?

kccc

I didn't know about No-S when I was pregnant, but I was very invested in "doing everything right" due to prior miscarriages. Nutrition-wise, that ended up looking a LOT like No-S plus healthy snacks at relatively predictable intervals. Like Nicole, I really, really needed to eat snacks - otherwise I...

kccc

Welcome to the club. :) After many years here, I honestly believe the people who acknowledge a failure and come back are the ones who eventually show the greatest success. Everyone has given you good advice. If you read Noel's twice, it will save me a lot of typing. ;) Be gentle with yourself. You a...

kccc

Thursday was good - not going back to remember details, but all fine, including exercise. Friday - Exercise: PT, took a walk (short, but nice to get outdoors) Br - egg, toast L - salad, homemade bread with bean spread, 4 dried apricots D - leftover chicken/broccoli casserole from last night, salad, ...

kccc

Good point, Reinhard.

I'd also like to see a line graph of the changes (it may be there - I didn't go to the full article)... would be interesting to see how much of that increase happened in the last 50 years.

kccc

I've done WW, and it worked for me at the time, but I brought some prior experience to it. (Warning - long. And those of you who have been here a while have heard it before.) My initial weight loss (just after college) was a straight low-calorie diet with basic exercise. A friend who was even heavie...

kccc

So, that makes me laugh everytime I catch myself actually in "I have failed, so I must continue to fail" thinking, and sort of breaks me out of it. (I warned you this was silly. But hey, whatever works, right?) I thought under the Everyday Systems philosophy, humor in changing a behavior was suppos...

kccc

Glad to know it's technically allowed, then. A bit of calories from fruit juice doesn't bother me too much, really. One of the beauties - and challenges - of No-S is that there's very little that falls under "technically allowed." Each person has to decide for him/herself what constitutes a sweet, ...

kccc

Noel, thanks for the encouragement. One very silly but helpful thing... I loved the orginal Star Wars, but hated the trilogy that described how Darth Vader came to be. Never even saw the Revenge of the Sith, but I read (somewhere, online, now gone) an extraordinarly funny plot summary written in moc...

kccc

Yesterday ended up being RED . :( I had an extra slice of pizza at dinner. Then, because I'd blown it already, I had another. ("I have failed, so I must continue to fail..." Doh.) Then I pulled out of that ridiculous mindset, and quit eating. Which was good, because when that pizza hit bottom, I was...

kccc

I just checked the web site of my favorite bakery. They might have eclairs today. I have to pass it on my way to the grocery. I'm on my way! By the way, I not only found that recipe at Food Network, I saw the show (several years ago) when Gale Gand make them. They didn't look that difficult. My onl...

kccc

Glad to hear you're hanging in there.

Do check in as your time and energy allow... whenever you need some encouragement, I know you can find it here.

kccc

Dinner was pasta with meat sauce (a rarity in our house), salad, and strawberries. Today: Exercise was PT/strength plus 25 minutes on the Elliptical (and a few laps of the track to cool off) Br - oatmeal, craisins, nuts L - LO pasta, salad, a carrot and dried apricots D - will be pizza and fruit. It...

kccc

I wake at 6:00, drink 2 coffees (really cafe au lait, so it's a serving of milk too) on the way to work. I eat breakfast at my desk at 8:30, after I exercise. Lunch is 12 -12:30 ish Dinner is 6:30 - 7:00 The 4pm snack was hardest for me to drop too. Edited to say: I actually wake a little before 6 a...

kccc

I drink various zinger teas all day at work, after I meet my coffee glass-ceiling. Really good stuff!

kccc

Made it through Sunday relatively well. A last-minute handful of cookies near bedtime, but I've done much, much worse. For the most part, my "S's" this weekend were desserts after meals, which I enjoyed but weren't TOO excessive. Today Exercise- Yoga class plus PT (regular) Br - oatmeal w/craisins L...

kccc

That was me... or, rather, I told the original funny story from which it came (a parent heading off a small child's request for stuff in stores - "oh, honey, that's just for decoration" - rather than deal with a tantrum). I have started regarding most "food-like edible subtances" as "just for decora...

kccc

Forgot Friday... Exercise - PT and strength class (modified) Br - oatmeal L - went out to Longhorn's - chicken/portobello mushrooms with seasonal veggies and two slices of bread. I left a bit. D - tuna melts, peaches Saturday A good S-day... see post on "quality vs. quantity." Minimal exercise, but ...

kccc

wosnes wrote:Funny you should mention eclairs -- they're definitely one of my favorite treats and fall right in with other comfort foods from my childhood.

They were actually my second choice - the bakery was out of Napoleons this morning. But they were a pretty awesome second choice.

kccc

3) When I get bored I want to eat. I found it very strange, after that ginormous lunch, NOT to snack throughout the afternoon. It felt like there was an emptyness there where the snack should be. It was kind of tough, actually, not to give in to the impulse to snack. I wonder if the impulse will al...

kccc

Dandelion, I'll miss you, but I'm delighted that you've done so well. Congratulations on your progress! Do check in periodically.

kccc

Today, for an S-day treat, my son and I went to our local family-owned bakery and bought eclairs. I used to not go to this bakery much. They're good, but quite expensive (or so I thought). I mean, sure, it was hand-made and all, but that much for an eclair? But I began to justify it because it's no ...

kccc

No, I think the real reason the obesity rates are so high among the poor is not due to the cost of veggies, but to lack of education, convenience (it's must faster to grab a burger, usually, than to cook something from scratch) and the same unfortunate tendency everyone has to overeat and gobble la...

kccc

I'm not a SAHM, and my child was older when I began No-S... but I remember the days of being unable to eat, etc. Plus, I had real trouble with "No-S@home" for a while. So, I'm drawing on those experiences to offer suggestions. Use what you can, and toss the rest. :) 1) Always eat at the table, and m...

kccc

Boring is good when it means everything is going well.

kccc

*wince* While I'm totally behind the idea that marketing something low in fat but high in sugar as totally healthy isn't accurate, I have a BIG problem with part of the message. Mrs. Obama implies that they somehow have the power to make a kid ask for something and that makes a parent BUY it. Come ...

kccc

I have that reaction to fast food (burgers especially) too. Even though it's a gazillion calories, it's not "enough" - just unsatisfying.

Hang in there! Remember you can have milk, which helps.

kccc

Thursday

Br - oatmeal, craisins, nuts
L - bean soup, bread, carrot, dried apricots
D - sausage, couscous, peas/carrots, bread, peaches

Exercise - PT strength and "power" walking (not enough time, but high energy).

kccc

Excellent list - very sane. (And some, like #1, apply to more than eating.)

kccc

Trytrytry, just checking back...Hope things are improving for you. I was struck by Kwidener7's comment - very perceptive. i know that when I went through a really stressful time and wasn't sleeping as a result, seeing a counselor helped tremendously. She helped me focus on what I could do, and cope ...

kccc

Wednesday Only exercise was extended PT (strength, plus about 10 minutes on the exercise bike) Br - 1/2 bagel, pb, banana (big bagel) L- baked potato soup, roll, and 1/2 pimento cheese sandwich (more on that below) D - bean soup with ham (mine, in the crockpot), homemade bread Overall, a bit light o...

kccc

When I haven't had a well-rounded meal that leaves me feeling satisfied. As long as I've taken the time to sit down and enjoy something delicious, I'm good til the next meal. But if it's something I didn't really like, or ate on the run, or for some reason wasn't very filling (maybe the meal had a ...

kccc

Welcome back, Noel. Missed you, and wondered where you'd gotten to.

kccc

Wow, my thread was almost at the bottom of the page! Been gone a week, on Spring Break, which I treated as a vacation. Lots of routines went away (not only traveling, but still had a paper to write despite the break, so didn't manage the usual exercise). Meditation really took a hit. But I'm back, a...

kccc

If you were asking about "sugar-free" dessert-like products, I'd recommend that you stop, because they're still "sweets" and have a lot of associated mental triggers. However, while diet drinks aren't the best, I think they're an "advanced worry" - that is, not something to be too concerned about at...

kccc

(((trytrytry))) You sound so overwhelmed. I wish I could send you some strength and serenity. (Not that I have a lot lately, but my heart goes out to you.) I don't know that what I have to offer will help, but I'll try... First, be gentle with yourself. You really, truly are dealing with a lot. Give...

kccc

Just start again. But... Make it as easy for yourself as you can. Plan nice meals... include some favorite non-sweet things you love at mealtimes. Find other (non-food) treats that address the emotional side. Celebrate your accomplishments - even partial successes. If there's something you want, rem...

kccc

Grilled cheese and fruit last night. I really wanted dessert, but had wine again. Today B - egg in a hole L - tuna melt, fruit. Three thin mint cookies and two Dove minis for dessert. D - TBD. We're cleaning out the fridge before a trip, so it will either be leftovers or a pantry meal. Have some sal...

kccc

Welcome! :) This is such a sane way to live. I came here just as I was starting re-gain weight yet AGAIN... so, I didn't really lose a lot of weight on it, because at that point I needed maintenance. However, just being able to step off the lose-gain-panic cycle has been invaluable to me. And there ...

kccc

I am not vegan, but enjoyed the cookbook "Vegan with a Vengance" because the author refused to include ANY fake meat products. (More and more, I have trouble finding cookbooks I like b/c there are too many that just combine food-products and call that cooking. I've been thrilled to discover Mark Bit...

kccc

I had my wine last night, but also happened to pick up an issue of Yoga Journal on my bedside. On the front: "Wired and Tired?" It had my name on it. The poses were simple and restful, the routine short. But I did 15 minutes, which is my minimum-to-count, and felt MUCH better. :) Today Exercise - 15...

kccc

Thursday...

No exercise due to an early meeting.

Br - bagel and fruit
L - salad, veggies, and 1/2 ham sandwich
D - leftover pasta with meat sauce, broccoli, salad, and bread

I think I deserve a glass of wine too. Rough work day.

kccc

Even some of us who generally find No-S relatively easy at this point didn't at first. It takes time to build new habits - and break old ones. I found breaking the snacking habit really hard. I had to phase it in, much like weaning a baby - dropping the easiest ones first, then limiting the one "har...

kccc

A red for yesterday... some pumpkin bread left on the counter called my name after lunch. (Lunch was particularly unsatisfying.) It's red, but not a dark red. I did not allow it to derail the rest of the day. So there. Still... I'm having more reds than I like. Part of that is (TMI alert) that menop...

kccc

I really like the "tips" for avoiding the deadly sin of "not doing it." My favorite: If you fail, donâ€™t beat yourself up â€“ do it the next day. Letâ€™s be clear: missing one day wonâ€™t kill your habit. Feeling discouraged about missing one day, and then missing the next and the next, is what wil...

kccc

Getting back on track, despite derailments... Monday dinner was not fish - hubby had to leave, and I fixed Tower of Tortilla for me and ds. Fish will be tonight. Exercise: Pilates (15 min) and PT (strength) Br - cheese toast on sourdough, dried apricots L TBD D - fish with pesto, veg, potatoes Home ...

kccc

Wonderful post at Zen-habits about the "one deadly sin" of habit-change:

http://zenhabits.net/2010/02/deadly-sin/

Very applicable to No-S.

kccc

Thursday was Mexican. I did okay on chips, but my plate was really too big. Friday I de-railed. No exercise. Too much food - an actual red for the first time in a while. Stayed up too late. No meditation. Saturday and Sunday I was a train wreck. No exercise/meditation... just abandoned all my routin...

kccc

In, though I track on my Daily thread. Had a 2-day conference at the end of February which completely derailed me for some reason, on multiple fronts. The derailment lasted through last weekend. But it's a new month, and I'm getting back on track. In addition to the usual No-S and exercise, I'd like...

kccc

Lunch yesterday was wonderful. I like the Japanese Calamari Salad, though it's just spicy enough that I was glad to have bread with it. Dinner was good too - I cooked up the mushrooms and had it as a side for the grown-ups to add to their pasta-with-clam sauce. The grownups loved it. The kids didn't...

kccc

Part of it is uncovering WHY you're doing that. I found that, after a hard day, I needed some relaxation and was using eating to procrastinate on evening chores in order to get it. A mis-guided attempt at self-nurture (which a lot of over-eating falls into, imho). The pattern has changed. My family ...

kccc

More on topic.... I just like Michael Pollen's work (which isn't really a diet book) and several cookbook authors who use "real" food. Mark Bittmann's Express is my newest fave (thanks to Wosnes). But I've done a lot of diets in the past, so I know calorie counts, etc., rather intuitively after all ...

kccc

This is a little off-topic, but interesting about the the way French children are fed at school Wosnes, I am now terrified. We are hosting a 10-year-old French child for two weeks in May, and while I'm a decent cook, I wouldn't say I was I was a gourmet cook. And we do eat fast. And my own child's ...

kccc

The purpose of the one-plate rule (in addition to portion control) is to alert you to exactly how much you're eating. If it's all in front of you at once and you SEE it, there's less room for self-deception. And.. you can "virtual plate" -- that is, leave something on the plate to account for someth...

kccc

So sorry you're having a stressful time. And am impressed that you're aware that "food is not the answer (because hunger is not the problem)" and are avoiding the trap of self-medicating with food. That's an awesome step.

Hope whatever is going on in your life calms down, and you feel better.

kccc

Hi, LA! It is SOOOO nice to see you... but I totally understand about not really having time. So, whenever you're here, I'm glad to see you. And don't worry about catching up on threads - just read what you have time for. (I try to treat the internet like a river that I dip in and out of... ) But if...

kccc

Exercise - elliptical 25 minutes and PT/strength

Br - oatmeal w/craisins and nuts, banana
L - Butternut squash soup, crackers, salad, applesauce
D - Honey dijon shrimp with rice and veg (quesadillas and fruit salad yesterday).

It's 4:00 and I'm hungry. But that's okay... I know it won't last.

kccc

Weekend was okay. Did stick to my "non-permasnacking" goal, but ate enough at meals and included enough treats to not feel deprived. Sunday evening was a bit over-the-top (and I was sorry), but that's better than the whole weekend. Not sure why weekends are rebounding on me... maybe general life str...

kccc

Jammin' Jan wrote:Recipe: Creamed Something over Whatever

1 can Cream of Something Soup
1 can tuna/chicken/beef/whatever else you can think of
1 can vegetables, drained and rinsed

Mix and heat. Serve over the starch of your choice (toast, mashed potatoes, noodles, rice)

Sounds like a "Clara" recipe!

kccc

Great recipe, Dandelion. I have put steel-cut oats on the grocery list. (I usually buy rolled, b/c cooking steel-cut takes more time than I have. But I could do this on a weekend.) The recipe also made me want to go on a roasting/freezing binge when the pumpkins are next in season. :) I usually just...

kccc

I'd consider it a snack. Too sweet/substantial. However, a home-made one that was mostly juice/fruit could be part of a meal - like soup is. Some people have smoothies and toast or something like that for breakfast. No-S works by cutting obvious excess. A post-workout smoothie would fall into that c...

kccc

BA is right - you can "layer" No-S with any meal-plan. I am generally wary of extreme low-carb diets, though I think leaning toward complex carbs is a very good strategy. However, I don't know enough about PCOS to make good recommendations for you on that. However, from your posts, I think you *alre...

kccc

I agree that you should check on the coffee amounts, especially with your medical issues. In addition, if hunger is that much of a problem, take a look at the following: - What are you eating for meals? Is is enough? - Are they healthy/balanced, with some carbs/protein/fat/fiber/veg? By 4 weeks, I w...

kccc

Sounds like a busy-enough day without the ice cream! I've never made ice cream. Something to do this summer (I don't have an ice-cream maker, but would consider getting one. Though I don't care for ice cream until the temperature is above 80... unlike my family.) Would also like to try yogurt, but r...

kccc

Hang in there! Ten days is not very long... Were you maintaining at your current weight before, or gaining? If the latter, no change in weight is actually progress! Also, the scale is only one data point, and it's not always a great one. Look at other metrics... For example, if you haven't taken mea...

kccc

Yesterday's dinner got derailed because hubby called to say he wouldn't be home. I didn't feel like bothering with making pizza for one, so had a "hodgepodge" dinner of leftovers-that-needed to be used (last slice pumpernickel and 1/2 tin of sardines) and grocery-treats (avocodo-vegetable rolls and ...

kccc

If it makes you feel better, I have never in my life seen a stale brownie. Lol! I have a lot of food-storage issues that I never had before No-S. Like, how do you store cookies? I had no idea, because they used to get eaten right off the cooling rack!!! (Except, I wouldn't allow myself to make them...

kccc

You mentioned 2 carbs on a plate reminded me. I've been baking bread lately - and it's good :). I do have to wonder if all this extra bread could be the reason I've stalled the last few weeks. I filled in my habitcal for three months with success as the default. Now the only way I would need to do ...

kccc

Yesterday was as planned. :) Veg was peas and carrots. Exercise - T-Tapp Basic Plus, PT Br - cheese toast, two small slices on homemade pumpernickel (trying to use it up) L - leftover bbq chicken, potato salad, green salad, and focaccia. Hm.. should probably have had another veg in there, and one le...

kccc

The weekend got over the top really fast. Ugghh... But. Monday I was back on track, despite working from home. Sometimes it's hard to put the brakes on a downhill run when the context doesn't change, so that was good. Monday Exercise - Yoga and PT/strength Br - oatmeal, cranberries, nuts L - salad, ...

kccc

My flu at the beginning of the month derailed me from my meditation intention. (Doing okay on No-S basics... except for a few over-the-top S days.) I'm going to start again at Lent. I know meditation isn't "giving up something for Lent" (which is how most traditions that I know of practice Lent), bu...

kccc

Our church held a "chocolate communion" (j/k) during the coffee hour after service. I ate too much, followed by a big lunch. Ugggggghhhh. My body does not appreciate this level of indulgence, and wants me to know it. I'm getting the message loud and clear. My only consolation is that I used to overi...

kccc

Or do I have to tweak, thereby reducing my chances of sticking to it? I guess one option would be to tweak (or do something like calorie counting, which has worked for me in the past, but which is a real chore) for a while, and then go back to the vanilla no-S to maintainâ€¦ Any thoughts? There's a...

kccc

Hi Mimi! Thanks for coming by - I always enjoy a comment on my thread. I think you're general approach to No-S is really wise. Snow started coming down last night. For us in Georgia, it's a Big Deal. We don't get it often, and don't have any infrastructure for dealing. On the other hand, it's very f...

Everyday Systems

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Re: One successful day down!

Quality vs. quantity... (S-day musing)

On habits

Uhhhhh... Valentine's....

Re: Anyone else still just maintaining after half a year?