Everyday Systems

Starla

Perhaps you say it somewhere, but I'm curious what your starting weight was and your height. If that's being too nosey, I apologize! Not nosey at all. My starting weight was 241 and I am 5'3" tall. Thanks everyone for your very kind comments! Today is my 13-month anniversary of starting No S. I los...

Starla

Shannah, I just read through the last page of your thread with great interest. I like the way you analyze a problem and identify possible solutions. I think that's a process that will serve you well, and not just with No S. What a great way to approach anything! I have no rules for S days, but they ...

Starla

mimi, you are doing SO well! I'm very happy for you; it looks as if you're in a groove!

Starla

Congratulations on the maintenance and on your pregnancy!

I remember how inspirational your first testimonial was. I'm so happy to hear that things are going well.

Thanks for posting the pictures - you're absolutely beautiful.

Starla

Best wishes for a happy birthday and a wonderful year ahead!

Starla

Cassie, I am feeling a lot of the same things you are. I've had only one failure this past month, but my plates have been a lot fuller and my S days a little wilder. In my case it's because I just bought a house and moved, and it was impossible (for me) to eat well during that process. I'm sure I've...

Starla

mimi, I'm so happy for you! As you know, you were one of the posters who truly helped me at the beginning - and this while you were dealing with some pretty serious problems of your own. I will never forget your kindness to a newbie. I am thrilled if I can help you get back on track. You KNOW you ca...

Starla

Here's another vote for the truth. This can be a positive; she will know that you're saving her treat for a Special Day. You may also want to consider writing her a thank you note describing exactly how much you enjoyed what she made for you. That would be something she could save and read over and ...

Starla

Renee, thank you SO much for your kind comments; you almost brought tears to my eyes. I am absolutely thrilled that my experiences may be helpful to you!

Starla

Today is my one-year anniversary of starting No S. I hope this testimonial helps someone, especially someone who is where I was a year ago. This is going to be long; sorry! Just the Facts, Maâ€™am I started on September 7, 2009, weighing 241 pounds and wearing size 20/22. Today I weigh 175.8, and my...

Starla

Today is my one-year anniversary of No S! I lost 0.2 pounds last month, for a total of 65.2 pounds. I'm OK with that small loss; last month's weight loss was excessive, and I expected this. I've also fallen behind in exercise, and am walking on weekends, but not much else. I'm very stressed out; my ...

Starla

KCCC, I had no idea this was going on in your life. I am so sorry; I've been there too (with my father). It IS a roller coaster; I found that I would handle the big things and then fall apart over something minor. It's such a blessing to have family support at times like these, and I'm glad you're g...

Starla

I've found NoS to give me the right amount of structure to safely LEARN what I need/want, giving myself full credit as a human being to figure this out for myself. Eating is so basic. We CAN eat and eat well--for taste, for health, for pleasure. May you find peace with eating, I love, love, LOVE th...

Starla

Hey, Laura, I just popped in to say congratulations! You are in a groove; long may it last!

Starla

I'm chiming in to strongly agree that you should be having lunches you enjoy, not "diet" lunches. I always tell people the only foods I've given up on No S are the foods I don't like. Good luck with this! I think it's great that your reaction to a problem is to try to figure out how to solve the pro...

Starla

If you're asking "Can I lose weight eating unlimited amounts of anything I want?" my answer is "No." I think you have to limit something - either what you're eating or how much you're eating. It's much easier for me to limit how much I'm eating and still enjoy a wide variety of delicous, nourishing ...

Starla

Welcome! I didn't even realize how twisted and unhealthy my thinking had become until I'd been on No S for a while. I've been doing it for almost a year now, and the mental rewards are just as enjoyable as the physical. I enjoy seeing newcomers have the same experience!

Starla

Happy Birthday! As always, I got quite a kick out of both your posts; your posts make me laugh on a regular basis. I find that my birthdays are usually celebrated on more than one day (work, friends and family), and I feel free to take an S day for any of those celebratory days not falling on a Satu...

Starla

Thanks so much, Laura and Grammy!

I have an accepted offer on a house I love!

Starla

Today is my 11 month anniversary of No S. I lost 11.4 pounds this past month, for a total of 65 pounds. 11.4 pounds at this stage is bizarre to me, and I'm not sure what's going on. I know part of it is that my weight at my 10-month check-in was artifically high, but it does feel as if the weight is...

Starla

I boiled the beets and put them in a salad with pineapple. By the time I was done preparing them, it looked as if I'd slaughtered a pig in my kitchen! I believe one of my first posts in my check-in thread says "No more beets!"

Starla

I have my own treadmill, and I'm very happy to have it. I DO find that it works best as part of an exercise program that includes other things. What I like about having my own treadmill: 1) I had to start out very slowly - five minutes, and I would have been too embarrassed to do that at a gym. 2) I...

Starla

I love kohlrabi in salads. It has a nice crispness and slight sweetness that really enhances a salad. I, too, first had it because it came in my CSA box. Because of the CSA, I've tried kohlrabi, fresh fennel, fresh leeks, beets, spring turnips and celeriac for the first time these past couple years....

Starla

Yes! I've been doing No S for ten and a half months, but I still look forward to Saturdays. My Saturday treat is almost always chocolate-covered almonds, and it's embarrassing to admit how many Saturdays find me up at 6:30 blissfully indulging.

Starla

Mom hung the laundry outside on a clothesline. I remember my Mom teaching me to do the laundry with a wringer washer! I'd like to know the weight of all the wet clothes I lifted and put through the wringer - made easier, of course, by the adrenaline rushing through my system at the thought of what ...

Starla

That is an excellent article - thanks for posting it! And thanks for the link, BrightAngel; I'd like to read more of what this woman has to say.

Starla

I'm vertically challenged, but I think my horizontal endowment has enabled me to be successful on Vanilla No-S.

Starla

I'm like ThomsonsPier too - I plate food until it looks like a reasonable meal, and then I eat the whole thing (although I'd stop if I was full before the end; this doesn't happen). This is definitely a skill you learn by experimenting over time. When I started No S I ate a bagel with cream cheese s...

Starla

Thanks for posting this - it was interesting. I think John Goodman was very honest in this interview, and I like the last sentence. That's a healthy attitude, and I hope it helps him maintain his new body. Good for him!

Starla

oolala, I just stopped by to thank you! I went for my walk this morning, and, thanks to your suggestions on Grammy's thread, I was accompanied by Frank Lloyd Wright and George Washington. The General and I dumped Frank after a while and continued our walk alone. He thought I was very fat, and when I...

Starla

Buy now! New clothes that fit will make you look better and feel better. As sheepish said, you don't have to replace every item in your wardrobe. If your wardrobe changes seasonally, don't worry about losing more weight - you can replace winter clothes in that smaller size, and then buy smaller summ...

Starla

Grammy, read your signature! STAT! No need to be negative, especially when you're headed for a break in routine. You had a failure; mark it and move on. You've very eloquently shown that you know what you need and what works for you, so relax and trust yourself to get back to that. You can do this!!!!

Starla

Happy Birthday, Shannah! I'm glad you were able to enjoy it, and happy that you gave yourself an S day for it. I think your philosphy of eating in a way that is healthy and enjoyable, and leaving the weight to your body, is just so.....sane. I think ideally that's where No S is supposed to lead. Con...

Starla

Today is my 10-month anniversary of No S. I lost 2.2 pounds this past month, for a total of 53.6. The bad news is that this morning I was actually UP 2.5 pounds from earlier in the month, I think mostly the after-effects of a very celebratory weekend. The good news is that exercise is going well. I'...

Starla

I had my worst S day in a long time yesterday. I ate: 6:15- Bowl of Kix cereal with skim milk and a banana. 8:30- Marzipan-filled croissant 12:30 - 5:00 - six half-pieces of chocolate loaf cake and about ten fried chicken wings. 6:30 - about a cup of mac and cheese. The thing is, even as I was eatin...

Starla

I felt beautiful, healthy, and whole ... but most important I had learned to take care of myself.

This sentence almost makes me cry. Congratulations!!!!! Not just for the weight loss but for the way you have been able to turn your entire life around. Your testimonial is absolutely beautiful.

Starla

This was hilarious! And kinda sad. Thanks for posting it.

Starla

After months of struggling with this, I've finally found a routine that has been working for me for the past couple months. The rules are: 1) I can take up to two exempt days per week (usually take only 1); 2) I take a walk outside on weekend mornings (50 minutes at a good pace); 3) On days when I c...

Starla

Still smooth sailing here. I just finished a marzipan-filled croissant, my Sunday treat this week. It's glazed with toasted almonds on top, and absolutely delicious. I should do commercials for almond growers. At this point I find No S to require absolutely no effort. I still have to consciously wor...

Starla

Feel free to totally blow off everything I say, because my experience has been very different from yours. From the very beginning I relied on the statement "You cannot fail on S days!" That doesn't mean I didn't eat a lot on S days; it just means I didn't worry about it. I read your posts and the po...

Starla

Congratulations! I can just barely tell it's the same person, and I totally agree with idon'tknow - you look like you lost about 10 years with the 90 pounds! What a wonderful tribute to No S.

Starla

However, I still have that awful feeling of disappointment and misery because I wasted so many weeks, undid some of my good work, and let myself down. You are SO hard on yourself! You don't deserve that! You didn't waste those weeks at all - you learned a new way to approach eating, and you learned...

Starla

One phrase that has helped me through 9+ months of No S is "rest of your life." I am very aware that any changes I am making have to be things I can maintain forever. Only you can tell if "no sweets" is something you can live with forever. If it is, abstinence may work for you. But I know from my ow...

Starla

Hi, Laura - I've been wondering about you; I'm glad to see you're still here. It's too bad things have been rough lately, but you KNOW you can do this! You already have! Remember, consistency is more important than perfection. I know you'll be able to work yourself back into the habits that made you...

Starla

This IS a great topic! I've learned lots on No S, but two things stand out: 1) Good things come to she who STARTS! If I want to achieve something, the most important thing is that I start. I may do things wrong, I may start in the wrong place, I may need to change things later, but in the end all th...

Starla

^^I did not restrict S days at the beginning, and I found it paid off. Things moderated eventually, because that was how I WANTED to eat. I never have binge S days any more, although I do occasionally have ones where I overeat. From the beginning, I just haven't worried about S days and trusted that...

Starla

Today is my 9-month anniversary of No S. I lost 4.6 pounds last month, for a total of 51.4 pounds. I am so happy about this, especially with a weigh-in on a Monday morning after two S days. When I looked in the mirror this weekend, it hit me that I am getting my face back - there is now apparent bon...

Starla

Slim Fast Peanut Butter Granola Bars! I used to eat those things all the time, but I haven't had one since I started No S. I've noticed my decreased grocery bill too, and I think part of it is because I no longer buy much prepared food, whether it comes from the deli or the frozen section. I think I...

Starla

Welcome, rhi! When I first began No S, I found it very helpful to read the testimonials section and also the daily check-ins. I chose the check-in threads with multiple pages - I figured those were the people who had learned how to stay with No S. The sticky thread of No S catch phrases contains a l...

Starla

Welcome back, Grammy!

You can do it! As a very wise woman says: "If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think another negative thought."

Sending all sorts of positive energy and positive thoughts your way.

Starla

Exercise is going very well for me right now. I find the 30-minute, higher intensity on the treadmill workout is much more appealing, and it still feels like a good workout. On nice weekend mornings I sometimes walk outside, and I did this morning. It's beautiful, but I forgot there's a marathon her...

Starla

Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

That is very, very impressive. I totally agree with you - part of what makes No S so doable is being able to have food you enjoy at every meal. So when that's not happening? And you still stayed on plan? That's commitment!

Starla

Raising my hand on the Diet Coke addiction. I'm drinking one right now! Seriously, I've found it easier to give up chocolate (on weekdays) than Diet Coke. I'm all or nothing with this stuff - if I allow myself one a day, it's a sure bet (as I've proven over and over) that in a month I'll be downing ...

Starla

No S IS habit to me, and I looked back at my check-in thread to see when I first posted something that indicated it was becoming routine. I began on September 7, 2009, and on October 13, 2009, I posted: "I don't count my days any more because this seems like the natural way to eat..." So I think in ...

Starla

As of today, Sunday, May 23, 2010, I have lost exactly 50 pounds on No S. I feel like typing that two or three more times! Before I hit The Plateau, my usual pattern was to drop a few pounds, then gain one or two back and get back to the prior low over the next week or two. So I won't be surprised i...

Starla

Welcome, Kim! You are being way too hard on yourself! First of all, as Nay said, you can eat burgers and fries on No S. You should unwrap them, put them on a plate, and see how much you'e actually eating, but you DON'T have to tell yourself you will never eat them again. Secondly, telling yourself y...

Starla

Brilliant! I think if someone could read only one post on this board, this should be the post. I believe I'm in Phase III right now, although if my plateau continues I may be pushed into Phase IV. I totally agree with your descriptions of the process, and appreciate your analyis of possible problems...

Starla

This is all part of the learning process; as the others said, you need to learn how much is the right amount. I, however, would tend to err on the side of "too little." To me hunger before meals is a good thing - it's what used to tell us it's time to eat. I try to eat meals that will leave me hungr...

Starla

I believe the focus will be on Geneen Roth's new book. Haven't read it, but she advocates a kind of an intuitive eating approach along with determining and coping with the emotional causes of overeating. I realize Intuitive Eating has worked for many, but it was a disaster for me. Still, I know Gen...

Starla

uhoh, I just read this in Reinhard's podcast on S Days For the rest of you, before I discuss S-days in themselves, I'd just like to emphasize that you should not worry about S-days AT ALL until you've got your N-days down. If you can't go a month without having more than 1 or two botched N-days, th...

Starla

Well, this study is flawed in many ways. To properly study the question they would have: 1) Divided the women into three groups at the start of the study; 2) Ensured that there were no significant differences in the composition of the three groups; and 3) Controlled the food intake of the three grou...

Starla

Today is my 8-month anniversary of starting No S. I had no failures this past month, and I lost 0.2 pounds, for a total of 46.8 pounds. This is the happiest 0.2 pounds has ever made me! As I talked about on the main page, I hit a major plateau. I knew I was overreating (within the constraints of No ...

Starla

It doesn't matter how much advertising there is, how unhealthy-but-appealing food-like products are on the market, or how big the serving on the plate is. An individual is the only one who has control over what goes into their body (unless they're being force-fed on a regular basis, in which case t...

Starla

Congratulations, Bookman Old Style! This is a wonderful accomplishment, and I love the chart. I am on a plateau right now, and it is so reassuring to see one in the middle of your chart (roughly the beginning of November - beginning of January), and then see additional weight loss. Was that due to t...

Starla

I agree that HabitCal is a big help at the beginning, and so is the daily check-in thread. I checked in practically every day at first, listing what I was eating and how I was doing. It makes you accountable to yourself, and it will be very helpful in the future when you need some inspiration and ca...

Starla

I started doing No S on September 7, 2009, and it's been smooth sailing so far. At the 7-month mark I had lost 46.6 pounds. Then came April. I do a lot of income tax preparation, and my birthday is April 15th, so I'm used to a pattern of stress eating followed by the birthday blowout. I did eat more...

Starla

Graham, you have my sympathy. I can't imagine doing this without support from friends and family. First of all, in case you didn't know this - if you are eating a hearty soup, you can add a hunk of bread and call it a meal. If it's a light soup, eat the rest of your meal on a salad plate. Now let me...

Starla

I looked back at my Habitcal, and I've taken these non-weekend S days since starting on September 7, 2009: Thanksgiving Christmas Eve Christmas New Year's Day Sick Day Vacation (3 extra S days sandwiched around a weekend) My birthday. For me a NWS day has to be a special day that I would enjoy less ...

Starla

wosnes wrote: No one (except possibly me) found them in a book or a magazine.

OK; this made me laugh. I'm frequently amazed by all the helpful and interesting articles you link to, and I usually wonder "How did she find that?" I enjoy your research.

Starla

I did eliminate a specific food - Craisins. I take a salad for lunch every day, and I enjoyed a few Craisins (probably about a tablespoon) in my salad every day. But someone here posted a link to foods that have surprisingly high sugar content, and Craisins were on the list. I decided I didn't want ...

Starla

Welcome, Royce!

It sounds like things are going well your first day; it's pretty incredible that you've already learned things about your eating habits. There's a lot of good information here and plenty of people to help when you have questions.

Starla

Thanks so much for posting the link to this very insightful writing. It was sad to see the death of this girl's innocence, but I didn't feel like crying because there was so much obvious strength and intelligence behind the writing. I saw that she wrote this in 2005; I would love to see what she'd w...

Starla

Welcome, Graham! I suspect you'll hear from lots of people who've experienced some of the same things you are worried about. I had the same reaction when I first heard about No S - this just makes so much sense . I tried it, and, seven and a half months later, I'm still doing it. I'm another emotion...

Starla

Breakfast was hard for me when I started too; I was so hungry by lunch I had a headache. I knew I had to find something that worked or there would be no way I'd stick to No S. My N-day breakfasts never vary. I eat a bagel with peanut butter and an apple. Can you get peanut butter in Germany? I'm not...

Starla

I'm getting sloppy. I have no more failures, but I can tell my plates are getting bigger, my S-days are getting wilder, and my meals are getting less nutritious. I think it's time for me to do more frequent check-ins for a while. I think tax season and a birthday gave me excuses, and with that over ...

Starla

I'm another one who thinks there may be something addictive about sugar. I used to volunteer with an agency in which we were assigned clients. My client at one point had to enter a drug treatment program, and, in a show of solidarity, I decided to give up chocolate while he was in treatment. It was ...

Starla

I often think a book could be written about the mental effect of No S. Posters talk about "diet head," and I never before realized how dieting made me obsessed with food. Losing the diet head may be the absolute best thing about No S. I'm glad you're experiencing the calmness!

Starla

You are not powerless, Shannah ! Have you ever read a post from Grammy G ? Her signature is: "If you realized how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think another negative thought." Telling yourself that you're powerless over bread means you've lost a battle you don't even need to fight! I'...

Starla

Welcome, Divahat ! You're describing the way I felt when I started No S. And after seven months I still feel the same. The physical effects of No S are wonderful, but it's the mental change that makes me believe I can do No S for the rest of my life. So, I'm saying this because you just may not have...

Starla

Hi, connorcream -

I noticed in your signature on the main page that you had reached your goal, and I just stopped by to say congratulations! I wish you smooth sailing to 145!

Starla

Shannah, thank you for your kind comments on my thread. You asked about vacation, and I thought it made more sense to answer you here. I think taking all S days on vacation worked well for me for a few reasons: 1) My normal S days aren't a big problem. If your S days aren't a catastrophe on weekends...

Starla

Today is my 7-month anniversary of starting No S. I lost 4.2 pounds this past month, for a total of 46.6 pounds. I'm pretty happy with this past month's loss, especially considering that the month included a short vacation of five straight S days, Easter, and a family celebration. One thing it didn'...

Starla

Welcome, Croaker! I agree with wosnes; you can eat your late-night snacks on S days. This diet is supposed to be a life-long change; it will be very hard to stick to it if you're feeling deprived even on S days. The other thing to remember is that No S is about forming new habits. Especially when yo...

Starla

One shrimp. That's what I failed for on Friday. I had breaded shrimp for supper and plated my meal. There were five shrimp left over, and after eating my meal I ate another shrimp. At first I told myself that shrimp could have fit on my plate, so it wasn't a failure. But then I realized all five shr...

Starla

I took a vacation in March and had to make the same decision. I decided to make it all S days for a few reasons: 1) My S days aren't usually terrible, so I wasn't afraid of binging for a week straight; 2) When you travel you're not always in control of when and where you eat; and 3) I didn't want fo...

Starla

Emily, what a wonderful, inspirational post - Congratulations! You really should post in the Testimonials section.

Even better than the weight loss is the joy that radiates from every word you wrote (and your icons!)

Starla

...but also I realize now: If you have to ask, you have your answer: not hungry. How did we let ourselves get tricked by fake complexity? I have to admit when I saw the title of your post, my thought was "If you have to ask, you're not." But I've only realized this since starting No S, and I, too, ...

Starla

I agree with wosnes , I wouldn't have counted toast as a failure. No S isn't about no sugar or no HFCS. I think it works precisely because it's limited to a few very simple rules. You don't have to examine labels for sugar content. Is cinnamon raisin toast a sweet? If not, it's OK on N days. If YOU ...

Starla

No S is still going great. My decision to take all S days during vacation worked. I came home on a Tuesday; by Saturday I was back to my pre-vacation weight. A week later, I'm down two more pounds. I had a bad S day yesterday and ended up eating jelly beans for supper. I don't even like jelly beans,...

Starla

Congrats, Laura! You are doing great. I laughed at your story about buying things you don't need so it doesn't look like you're just buying sweets. I can't tell you how many times I've done that, but not since starting No S. I don't feel guilty about the treats I eat, which is an accomplishment all ...

Starla

^^ marygrace , I agree that the mental change of No S may be its biggest reward. As for the original topic, I'm not sure that No S is a particulary hard sell. I think it's useless to talk to someone about any diet until they're ready to hear it. In my own case, my mother told me about No S, but only...

Starla

Becky, your post made me so sad for you, but I think each of the responses above mine have some really important points. As clarinetgal said, mark it and move on. How do you think that got to be a catch phrase around here? It's because almost everyone fails sometimes. I completely agree with Too sol...

Starla

I'm so sorry for your loss, but very impressed with how you handled it.

I believe that No S is "won" in small victories like the one you've described. You had a choice to make, and every possible justification for going back to your old way of eating. You chose No S. That's wonderful.

Starla

Welcome! I've been doing No-S for about six and a half months and have found everything you're saying to be true, except I found it quite difficult at the beginning. Believe me, it gets easier! And it works! I'm in Wisconsin too; do you process claims for WPS? My sister-in-law did that so she could ...

Starla

I like the ideas in the list very much; what kills me, though, is the way they use "counting calories" as a synonym for dieting, as if there's no other way to do it. It makes No S seem revolutionary!

Starla

After six months, my S days have naturally evolved into "one treat" days, and on Sundays I too go to a local bakery and pick out a treat. On Saturdays I always have chocolate-covered almonds as my treat. My N days have stayed pretty much the same since I started No S; it's the S days that have strai...

Starla

Congratulatons, Dandelion! I'll certainly miss my No S soulmate, but I'm thrilled that you have so internalized the system. I'm very thankful that we started this together and were there to cheer each other on.

Have a wonderful life!

Starla

I'm back from vacation, and it's time to evaluate my decision to make the trip all S days. I think it went pretty well. I ate too much, but not catastrophically. I've learned on No-S that I'm much better off if I stick to things I really enjoy, and that belief was reinforced. It was good to just enj...

Starla

Like Spudd, my S days can be much less structured than N days. I've been doing No S for just over six months, and for the most part my S days have evolved into "one treat" versions of S days. I wrote down what I had this past weekend in my check-in thread: Saturday: 7:30 - about 7 ounces of chocolat...

Starla

I love NoelFigart's response. Your success or failure as a human being is not determined by what you put in your mouth. I really don't think there's a moral component to gaining or losing weight. There's a thread pinned to the top of the board called "No S Catch Phrases," and the second entry is: " ...

Everyday Systems

Search found 398 matches

One Year - 65.2 Pounds!

Re: 60 lbs lost ... & Overcame BED ... Thank You :)

Re: I Failed, But Getting Better

I am stuck on the mother of all plateaus

Re: am I hungry or not?