Everyday Systems

r.jean

Congrats on continued success with No S! Thank you for this post. I have always believed in Vanilla No S without mods although I have played around at times with some slight mods. I quickly regained my sanity and went back to vanilla. This post comes at a good time for me as I am struggling with the...

r.jean

Tracking No S compliance, Exercise for month of March March 1-S day E-at gym-20 mins weights-48 mins on treadmill March 2-S day E-same March 3-Green E-Red none for no good reason other than laziness. (My set goal is 30 minutes of any exercise no matter how hard or how mild. I am retired. There are f...

r.jean

Great job!

r.jean

I definitely believe in moderating the types of sweets I eat when the weekends come. It is not a hard and fast rule since S days are not S days if you start putting special rules into them. (I am definitely vanilla No S when it comes to the No S lifestyle.) However, super rich sweets can be a trigge...

r.jean

Pot lucks and pizza and other situations with unlimited food will always be a challenge, and each of us must come up with the solution that is right for us. However, I agree with the one plate method even if that plate is pretty full. This keeps me No S compliant. It also allows me to enjoy more at ...

r.jean

Good to see you fighting your way back! It is hard, right?!

r.jean

Feel better! Sick days are S days!

r.jean

Thank you Sonya and Sweetness for your posts. I have been out of town and not checking in much this past week. I have been posting some on the February challenge.

Yes here is to us. I feel like I am slowly regaining my momentum.

r.jean

Try milk rather than tea next time you are extremely hungry between meals. It will help quash the hunger yet it stays away from solid food. Try to learn to tolerate a little hunger and to recognize serious hunger. I used to permasnack in the evenings and at first I needed an occasional glass of milk...

r.jean

My mother was diagnosed with celiac disease back when no one had a clue what it was and few people knew the word gluten. She also suffered with symptoms her entire life and was finally diagnosed as an adult, in her 30's if I recall correctly. It was much harder to manage then because labels did not ...

r.jean

I am starting small with renewed goals: Vanilla No S. Habit Cal tracking. 1-S 2-S 3-Red 4-Red 5-Green 6-Green 7-Red Okay so week one was a blow out. It was the same reason each time; after dinner snacking, mainly sweets. At least I am tracking rather than just ignoring it. 8-S day 9-S day-(Very mode...

r.jean

Good to see you here Nosnacker and jw. I am slowly pulling myself back to better habit compliance. My focus is keeping a Habit Cal in my daily planner and getting back to more regular exercise. I had reds on Monday and Tuesday but green yesterday and so far today. Woo HOO!

r.jean

I have been committed to No S for over 3 years. I have had many red days and like oolala, I have had whole weeks of red days. However, I have never totally abandoned No S. I just get lazy. It was important to me to never quit and restart because that is what I used to do when I started each day with...

r.jean

I am also back to posting after several months away. I also need to get back on track. Luckily, I caught myself before any significant gain in weight, but I am in danger of seriously gaining if I do not get back on track. For me that means simple vanilla no S and a habit cal in my daily planner trac...

r.jean

It looks like you have done well in your first five months of No S. Keep it up!

r.jean

Thanks for the encouragement automated eating and eschano! Automated eating is a good way to describe my recent lapse! I posted fairly long testimonials at 4 months and at a year. If you search No S Journey and me as the author, they should come up. No S has been an unbelievable success for me even ...

r.jean

I have not posted since August 2013. Various good and bad events in my life have rocked my world for close to 6 months. The amazing thing is that I maintained my weight through all of it. I completed year 3 (2013) of No S maintaining the habits that helped me lose 45 lbs in year one. I managed to ma...

r.jean

I have been on No S for over 2 1/2 years, and I lost 45 lbs the first year. Since then I have just maintained. However, I am making a renewed effort for additional weight loss (25 lbs) now because I will be mother of the bride in a January wedding. Does that count?

r.jean

Weekly update. Once again exercise is good with the exception of shovel glove. I ran, walked, played volleyball, etc. However, I only did shovel glove once for 7 minutes. Today starts a new week and I am not giving up. Food was a disaster with a family reunion this weekend. Two days of disordered ea...

r.jean

It feels like intentional sabotage when a loved one pushes food on us! Yet, it is probably more of a desire to give us a treat. I agree that you should not mention No S. From personal experience, I know this can backfire. My beloved bearer of food gifts now doubles efforts on weekends knowing that i...

r.jean

Vacations can be hard, but if you at least stick to 3 meals it helps. You are really doing well.

r.jean

It sounds like you are getting it! Good luck!

r.jean

It sounds like you have discovered the magic of No S for yourself. It is not about losing weight. It is about developing a sane relationship with food. It is about enjoying food. Weight loss or at least weight maintenance is the side effect. Isn't it great?

r.jean

I will join as well. I will weigh in tomorrow and will seek some sort of weight loss this month by making better food choices. I am already pretty compliant with Vanilla No S and with exercise, but I continue to fill my plates with foods that are high calorie and are not always healthy. 8/5: I am go...

r.jean

I ran a 7 mile race last weekend on a whim...at the last minute. It is a local race (but also nationally known) that I have never run because it is always too hot with too many people and too many hills. We had unseasonably cool weather this past week so I signed up. I completed the race in 1:24:31....

r.jean

To each their own! I exercise every day, and I vary the intensity. I am hooked to the feeling you get after pushing yourself beyond what is comfortable. I am a runner but also a walker. On the other hand, I have many friends who are more like you, and they are slim and healthy. Whatever works!

r.jean

I am in a somewhat similar position. I have been doing No S for 2.5 years. I lost 45 lbs the first year and then got lazy and have not lost the remaining 25 lbs that I need to lose. I stick pretty well to the No S rules, but I need to improve my choices of food in order to lose more weight. I also n...

r.jean

Good for you! It is great to see you taking care of yourself while facing the challenges of being a mother of small children.

r.jean

Exercise continues to be good, and I have remembered my shovel glove since the slip up on Saturday. However, I sometimes seem to use the extra exercise as an excuse to overindulge on food. I rarely have a red day, but I eat out more than I should and over fill my plates at times. I have started to w...

r.jean

I also enjoy reading your posts. You are an inspiration!

r.jean

I started running again around age 50, and I am now 57. I started the same way you are starting Broca, and I still do the same. i have learned that pushing too hard leads to injury and burnout. The point is to get out there and do what you can.

r.jean

I see that you are still hanging around, but like me, you are not posting as much. Hope things are going well for you.

r.jean

Wow! Thanks LA Loser. I am going to try the Espresso first. I reserve the good stuff for S days and experiment with healthy stuff occasionally during the week. I generally end up with a smoothie type mixture. It is still a work in progress.

r.jean

I forgot to do shovel glove yesterday. A failure on the second day of my 30 day shovel glove self challenge. Grrrrrr!

r.jean

Welcome. You are right. This is an eating plan for life. You will lose and level off and maybe lose again. However, the best thing about No S is that you build a better way of eating and a better relationship with food.

r.jean

I recently got a Cuisinart ice cream maker with the thought of making healthy yogurt and fruit treats suitable for N days (or of course for any day). It is a great little item. We have tried the full blown rich ice cream, the yogurt, and the modified methods with artificial sweetener. I wish that it...

r.jean

I am continuing to improve on my food choices this month, and exercise is consistent. However, I still need to add some weights. I have a sledgehammer but do not seem to be able to establish the habit. Starting today, I am going to shoveglove 5 minutes a day for 30 days. After that I will transition...

r.jean

I am on board with those who feel that you need to worry less. The key to No S is that it helps you build healthy habits without obsessing. Being aware of what foods are healthy and making good choices as often as I can within the Vanilla No S structure is the key for me. My relationship with food h...

r.jean

This method works for me as well. When I started No S, my goal was 30 minutes of exercise a day...period. This could be done in increments or all at once. I allowed myself one day off a week if I felt I needed it. I have never changed this goal. Currently I exercise every day. I run, walk, play voll...

r.jean

I have not been posting much, but I have continued to lurk and read. I am also continuing the No S lifestyle, and I am trying to improve my food choices. I have some additional motivation to get back on the losing track rather than the maintenance track due to a wedding coming up in a few months. I ...

r.jean

My old standby is a glass of milk if I find myself caving in. I just tell myself that if it is true hunger then the glass of milk will take care of it. I used to eat constantly from supper until bedtime. I was fortunate that I managed to stay pretty strict at the beginning of my No S experience whic...

r.jean

I have been keeping a food log since late May, and as much as I hate it, it is helpful. It is making me accountable. It is making me take a look at everything I consume. I am working on more healthy food choices as a result. I do not see myself keeping it up forever, but it is useful for now. I alre...

r.jean

Wow. Great post. I like your mod. I have always marked weekend days green if I happened to not have any snacks, sweets or seconds. However, I like the idea of a second calendar for one no S or less. It seems like this would help keep you away from the WTH effect. I am also impressed with how you fou...

r.jean

Monday and Tuesday were green but Wednesday was red. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I was up about 3 hours past my bedtime and had a post midnight sandwich and M&Ms. I had eaten supper early and was hungry and stressed. I could have chosen the sandwich and skipped the candy though! Exercise contin...

r.jean

Good article; good post. The reason I have stuck with No S for 2.5 years is well said in your post: "...long-term No S compliance can reduce or remove the unnatural/harmful focus on food as tonic/distraction/coping mechanism, without removing the inherent utility and pleasure of eating..." I am stil...

r.jean

The key for me was to not be afraid to fail and mark a red. It is not the end of the world. When I have hungry days, I try to eat more fulfilling meals and stick with the plan. However, if I fail, it is no longer the end of the world.

r.jean

Horker Stew wrote:Sometimes, I think about how I have eaten at other points in my life and my bad days are really quite good in comparison...

After 2 1/2 years of No S, I am still saying this. My worst day now was nothing in comparision to ongoing daily overeating back then.

r.jean

I ended up with an S day yesterday after all. I had some wine and ate dinner late and made homemade french fries with the meal. These factors contributed to a return for seconds on one of my favorite food items. I do not care that much for french fries unless they are fresh and homemade, but I love ...

r.jean

I know you need to exercise, not sure how much but Im not able to do much at all yet, expect walk , I still have to take it easy.. I agree that you can lose weight without exercising, but exercising sure helps. It not only helps with burning calories but also with providing a sense of well being. T...

r.jean

Starting June 3 (since I just came back from a weekend out of town that was out of compliance with just about any rule there is) My goals: Have some sort of vegetable at every meal. (Tomato juice counts.) Keep a food log. I have been keeping my food log even though I have not been posting every day ...

r.jean

I am feeling good. I have tracked my food intake on my IPAD for a whole week...probably a record for me. :? It was hard to write down my intake on Friday and Saturday. We had a Friday wedding out of town to attend and stayed Friday night in a hotel and did more family visiting on Saturday. I think t...

r.jean

Green all week so far for food and exercise. I always log my exercise. I currently shoot for 15 miles minimum of running each week; 1-2 times a week of volleyball (approx 1.5 hours each time); walking or doing WATP DVD on days off running, and an occasional day off of exercise. I resist logging my f...

r.jean

My summer motivation is the doctor's scale because my physical comes due in June. I also know that the heat bothers me less when I weigh less.

r.jean

Green Monday to Thursday...Red on Friday. Over the top S days. I am not taking an S day for today!

Exercise is good. Did a 5k Saturday. It was hilly, cold and rainy. I was satisfied with my effort. Time 34:35

r.jean

This is a great post. I remember reading it early on in my No S journey. Most people will identify with one part or another.

r.jean

You are describing exactly how I eat when I am "being good." I need protein, and if I do not eat enough of it, I tend to compensate by overeating. I am not a big pasta or rice fan although I do like potatoes. I do not eat a lot of bread. So, my meals tend to be meat and vegetables and fruits with so...

r.jean

My best bet is to weigh occasionally at regular intervals. This was monthly at first and now every 3-6 months. If I think I have gained weight, I tend to avoid the scale. This was a longstanding pattern for me before I lost some weight with NO S. Soooo...I do not think it is a good idea...at least f...

r.jean

I finished out the week okay but then had a pretty indulgent weekend. I have been trying to stay away from too many liquid calories, and I had none. However, I had too many sweets and junk. At this point, I am doing pretty well with the general rules, but food choice is still an issue. I am not weig...

r.jean

I sometimes think that our young adult children can be more time consuming than they were when they were little! My youngest recently decided to go back to school for her masters degree. She is not living with us, but a lot of her belongings have moved in with us for the next 1.5 years. Hope you are...

r.jean

Absolutely!

r.jean

Welcome back!

r.jean

It sounds like you are doing well! Good luck!

You will find that the weight loss slows, but the good habits survive.

r.jean

Old habits resurface at the oddest times. Just when you think you have conquered evening overeating, there it is again. I was never a serious binge eater, but I was a permasnacker in the evening. Last night I came home from an activity and decided that I just HAD to have a snack. I fixed myself some...

r.jean

Reading the book will give you a lot of insight. I actually found the book for a couple of dollars at a bookstore that was closing. I read it that night in my hotel room and started the next day. That was 2 1/2 years ago. I lost 45 lbs the first year and have not changed much since. I want to lose a...

r.jean

Interesting post. I am both a walker and a runner. One thing I notice about running is that it noticeably increases my appetite while walking does not. (I tend to measure distance not time so I am exercising longer on days I walk.) I have always assumed this hunger is because of the intensity you de...

r.jean

You are right Klutzy...I could have called this an S day. However, I have a big circle of family and friends, and there always seems to be a special occasion. Therefore, I limit my Special S days to VERY special occasions. Learning to eat the No S way through some celebrations has been a key thing f...

r.jean

It is interesting that I adopted "the journey is the reward" as my signature quote after receiving a ring with this saying on it. The saying hit home considering where I am in life. However, I recently went to a museum exhibit on the development of computers (in Albuquerque) and saw the saying attri...

r.jean

I agree with wosnes. I was on No S a year before I experimented with any mods. i tried flexing my S days. It did not work very well for me. I do it occasionally for a special occasion but not often. I am also retired.

r.jean

I want to eat right now. It is 5 pm, and I generally eat supper at 6 or 630. I am doing things to keep me busy until it is time to eat. I am paying a couple bills, browsing the no S website, etc. I am also doing laundry. I really do not have to eat. I am not "starving." I am just craving! Have a gla...

r.jean

Hope your cold gets better. I usually feel the need to eat more when I am fighting a cold. I usually just give in to the urge and try to make my choices healthy. If I try to resist, it usually leads to falling off the wagon and overeating.

If necessary, I believe sick days can be S days.

r.jean

Thanks for the welcome back. I have not posted much due to a busy 2 weeks which included an out of town trip last weekend for a family event. May has been green so far for food but with some indulgent meals. Exercise has been good. I have exercised everyday except one which I spent driving and then ...

r.jean

I am in year 3 of no S. Like vmsurbat I have never restarted. I also have had many failures, but there was no need to "restart" because I never felt the need for perfection with this plan as I did with every other "diet" I tried. I enjoyed reading the experiences of others in this topic so here are ...

r.jean

I find that weather changes can affect my appetite. It turned suddenly cold today, and I want to snack. I ate a bigger lunch than I had planned because I was hungry, and I have wanted to eat all afternoon. You have various changes going on with the move back north that it is no wonder your eating ha...

r.jean

I just returned from a trip to New Mexico with husband and friends. I had plans to stick with No S because we were staying in a house and did not have to eat out all the time. WELL that did not work. We ate breakfast at home; we generally had a large mid-afternoon meal out which generally included b...

r.jean

Wow. You are so ambitious on your exercise. I sometimes use my exercise as an excuse to overeat. Other times, I manage a fantastic day or two for both food and exercise but then it is too much. I fall off the wagon and overeat. Either way, finding the right amount to eat with exercise is a challenge...

r.jean

I remember when I started to wear my old jeans. I was so proud. Then my daughters gave me that "really mom" look and took me to buy some new ones. My old jeans were evidently hopelessly out of style.

r.jean

I am just catching up on the forum. Wow you are doing a great job! Good race last week.

r.jean

I have also found that maintaining mild exercise while sick does help. Amazing how the exercise habit takes hold!

r.jean

I am pretty stuck on a routine breakfast.
Two pieces of wheat toast or wheat waffle with spray butter.
Small serving of cottage cheese.
Banana or occasionally a different fruit.
Small glass of tomato juice.

If I a having a hungry day, I might add an egg or some peanut butter on my bread.

r.jean

I also enjoy hearing of your lifestyle. In the Midwest (USA), we have four definite seasons, a lot if weather extremes, and varying amounts of light. However, it is nothing like the extremes you experience!

r.jean

Hehe! I made it on Friday. I realized I was exhausted after a couple of short nights, and I took a power nap. That also took care of the munchies. However, I am not happy with my weekend. If one could fail on a weekend, this would be it. Too much snacking and too many sweets. I demolished a large ba...

r.jean

Monday was green for food and exercise (ran).
Tuesday was an NWS day. Took a day off for exercise too.
Wednesday was green for food and exercise.
Today I am green so far but want to eat now. It is too early for supper. I am trying to hold out.

r.jean

Wow. Good going on the shred. Keep it up!

r.jean

Good to see you sticking to good healthy habits in spite of recent challenges. These are the times that can throw us off track while at the same time being the most crucial times to do healthy things for ourself!

r.jean

It is great to be able to enjoy occasional indulgences without overdoing it and without feeling guilty isn't it ?! It does not have to be all or nothing any more!

r.jean

Beautiful weather today! Finally! I have been logging my S's on S days just to make sure I do not go hog wild. Yesterday I had the Subway cookie with lunch and 5 Oreos after supper. Today was an apple turnover with lunch and a generous supper. Everything I ate would have fit on my plate all at once,...

r.jean

You deserve a pat on the back for working through pain and discomfort in fashioning an exercise program that works for you. I have been limited by injuries on occasion but overall I am very fortunate to not have any chronic issues. I can be such a baby when I do get hurt. It is too easy to just feel...

r.jean

"2013: Slowly regaining control of my life in plate sized increments." I loved your 100 day summary, but this statement is what hit home for me. In year three of No S it is still one meal at a time for me. I am not saying that I do not look ahead. After all I shop for more than one meal when I go to...

r.jean

Thanks everyone for the comments! It is always good to get feedback from others who can relate! For those of you who are interested in running, I recommend an article in the May 2013 issue of Runner's World that I just got in the mail. It is called The Starting Line, and it details five steps to sta...

r.jean

We just got back from a trip last night. Tracking No S compliance was impossible because we ate out most of the time. We did substitute healthy snacks in the hotel room at times in place of a regular meal because eating out 3 times a day is a lot. We did a 10K in Bournemouth England on our trip that...

r.jean

Hi Amy! I also just got home.... from our first visit to England.

I also found that I had to just go with the flow of eating out every meal and eating at odd times and sometimes having a snack in place of a meal. Now that we are back, let's go for finishing out April with no reds.

r.jean

I just got back from vacation, and I am catching up with the posts here. It looks like you are doing well! Your exercise routine is great!

r.jean

Good to see you doing well. My advice is to go easy on yourself and keep it simple. My goal started as 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least 6 days a week, and it has never changed. I obviously do much more exercise than that now, but there are days when all I do is a 30 minute walk or some othe...

r.jean

Too funny gk! I can definitely empathize with the power of sweets after two days of Easter candy plus a slice of cake and some ice cream this weekend!! However, my problem really tends to be foods like meat and cheese and mashed potatoes and gravy. I also love spicy foods. I never want sweets when I...

r.jean

We have a new month starting so maybe we will do better on the reds in April!

r.jean

Hi Amy! You are so right! I did my DVD yesterday and the 10k distance again today, but I am sitting here now wanting to eat. There is so much Easter candy around that it is tempting. Sweets are not usually my biggest weakness but lately I have been craving them. I think three reds is enough for the ...

r.jean

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

r.jean

Good to see you posting Roxie. I have been lazy with posting but have been trying to get back in the habit. I wondered where you were?!

Keep up the good work!

r.jean

Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday were mixed. Exercise was good. I am training for a 10k with little time before the April 7 race. I am concentrating on the distance right now so I ran/walked a 10k on Mon and Wed (today). Monday was cold and icy in spots and snow covered in other spots. I did my DVD on...

r.jean

Thanks Patty and gk for your comments! It is nice to get the encouragement.

Today was a moderate S day with one sweet treat. I had a large ice cream sandwich from a local shoppe.

Exercise was my DVD. It was snowing...again!

Everyday Systems

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Re: Gonna give it another go at it