Everyday Systems

vmsurbat

Congratulations!

Great to hear that you are experiencing so many different kinds of success along with the accomplished weight loss. Those are what make it easy to be in the "NoS For Life" club.

Here's to another great year!

vmsurbat

That's really interesting, Oolala. What did she say about redefining what it means to be full? I find myself eating until I'm very full to make sure I can make it to my next meal. I'm hoping/assuming that this will lessen as I get more comfortable with No S... Since you are just beginning your NoS ...

vmsurbat

Imogen Morley wrote: without real hunger you never know real satisfaction.

Brilliantly said Imogen!

So I've done No S for a week and a half now. Not perfectly, but getting there.

And well-done, Lyra!

vmsurbat

Woohoo! Celebrating with you!

vmsurbat

Good to hear from you, again, Dave. I definitely think there is something to the "5 Years Older" syndrome, (especially when added to the 50+ years in my case--details in my upcoming anniversary post. :wink: ) And NoS is the PERFECT platform figuring out any needed, sanely sustainable tweaks (not mod...

vmsurbat

Congratulations on your success! I am just where you are, age-wise, and having to recalibrate my thinking on what is *now* a reasonable portion size; this after 5 years of NoSing--the body DOES change with age, so my eating must too. I love your user name, btw: "elegant portions" sounds so much more...

vmsurbat

Welcome back! I can't believe your little guy is off to university! Congrats to you both!

vmsurbat

No help on the tips--my youngest is off to college, and as the youngest of five, that pregnancy is shrouded in mists anyway.

BUT, I do want to say Congratulations!

Here's to a healthy baby and Mama!

vmsurbat

Woohoo! Good for you!

vmsurbat

Hi everyone, However, one thing I thought might work is one piece of fruit with every meal. I don't fancy putting an apple on my plate with say curry and rice, so to end each meal with a piece of fruit is that ok, even if I don't physically put it on the plate? I also think it could be a good psych...

vmsurbat

Way to go! So glad to hear of your continued success!

vmsurbat

Just wanted to say Happy Anniversary!

vmsurbat

Congratulations! Thanks for showing so well how wonderfully NoS fits in with *real* life!

vmsurbat

There is also a website (which came first!) well worth looking at:

http://www.budgetbytes.com/

It is one of the few that I regularly visit each week...

HTH,

vmsurbat

So glad for you! Thanks for posting!

vmsurbat

Yay!!!

vmsurbat

One of the things about No-S is that it's really a lot about self-responsibility and not fooling yourself. The "diet mentality" does have all these silly laws and rules that are kind of meant to trick yourself into things. No-S doesn't work like that. You need to be able to say, "I'm an adult, damm...

vmsurbat

I was more influenced not long before I started No S reading (though I can't find the reference now) that the average sugar consumption in France was only about 15 lbs. a year. I think that stat isn't right, but it sure propelled me at the time. I'm glad now. This particular stat intrigued me, so I...

vmsurbat

oolala53 wrote:
I guess this is off the pizza topic, but I wanted to pontificate.

That's because you do it so well!

I can't tell you how many times I hear "your voice" saying to me: "That is only a thought...." when a sudden urge to sneak eat hits.

vmsurbat

I could give millions of explanations about how I've managed to stay successful in this NOs journey but it all boils down to just sticking to the habits.

Congratulations! And thanks for the great and succinct explanation!

vmsurbat

clarinetgal wrote:I would consider something like a normal-sized bowl of soup, a salad, and a slice of bread an acceptable meal.

I'd have this plus a piece of fruit (or half piece--the size of some fruits are huge!)

vmsurbat

One very interesting aspect of No S that has come to light is that since unlimited seconds and snacks are very much par for the course for everyone, the rest of the world puts less on a plate, I think, so the peer pressure, even if it's imaginary sometimes, to put less on the plate is hard. I am ea...

vmsurbat

I'm on the short side, 5'2", AND middle-aged, AND hypothyroidal, and find NoS to be just what I need. Check the testimonial board for my (and others) successes on our NoS journeys.

Welcome to sane, sensible, satisfying eating!

vmsurbat

snikkio wrote: I just want to go for something that's sustainable without all the madness.

Welcome! You've found the right place.

I find NoS habits(no snacks, sweets, or seconds) to be incredibly sane, sensible, and satisfying; ergo successfully sustainable! Finally, all the right S's!

vmsurbat

Woohoo! Thanks for the update! And congrats to your mom, too!

vmsurbat

Equally 5 (investigator), 6 (loyalist), and 9 (peacemaker) with six points each. Close behind was 2 (helper) at 5 points.

vmsurbat

So glad to hear this update! I hope you are keeping track of your great insights for a post on the testimonial board. Many people are greatly inspired by the long-term realizations that make NoS so doable for the long run....

vmsurbat

Welcome! You are on your way to sane, sensible, satisfying, and most importantly, enjoyable meals!

vmsurbat

Just wanted to chime in and say that I'm glad you found us! How very sweet of you to copy stuff for your mom. Since she has some computer savvy, with an email and all, would she feel comfortable joining the forum? I can remember (pre NoS) feeling so old, so hopeless about my weight (tail end of 40s)...

vmsurbat

Redrockin wrote:It is so wonderful to find this success story from an older, shorter woman like me, thank you! It makes me think I can also be successful.

It *is* possible. And enjoyable! Which is why I can still do this after all these years.

Looking forward to YOUR testimonial,

vmsurbat

I also just use a basic recipe that I love and modify to fit different flavor profiles. I'll give the recipe and an idea of how I vary it. Original recipe is from The Book of Yogurt by Sonia Uvezian. Basic recipe: 2 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar (I put in scant measure if I'm adding a sweet fruit like ba...

vmsurbat

I completely understand the desire and satisfaction in a "this is the end of the meal" finisher. In our family, I've slowly morphed to a fruit and nut tray 90% of the time. The fruit portion is usually a mix of fresh fruit and dried (ie. an orange or two peeled and pulled into little segments plus d...

vmsurbat

i thought gaining weight was the worst thing in the world. it's not. the worst thing for me is trying to do something that makes me miserable and is unsustainable.

Fabulous insight here. So glad you posted because happily maintaining is a goal we all share!

Congrats on your good success!

vmsurbat

Thanks! I am trying not to worry too much about it. I never thought of committing to a certain amount of time. I mean, I figured I'll be doing this forever! :) Does anyone else eat muffins and other typical breakfast foods that could possibly be seen as sweets on N days? I won't touch doughnuts, bu...

vmsurbat

I personally wouldn't (and didn't) put limits on my S days. What I did try to do was give myself arsenal to fight diet head. I read and reread the book, made my own list of mottoes, thoroughly and regularly perused the sticky entitled "NoS Catch Phrase." And I slowly learned to ask myself: "Will thi...

vmsurbat

So very happy for you!

vmsurbat

Welcome! This certainly can be the end of the diet game. Say hello to sane, sensible, satisfying eating. You can do this! Read through the testimonial board and the sticky at the top of this forum entitled "NoS Catch phrase". They will both inspire you and give you an arsenal to fight against diet h...

vmsurbat

Congrats on the new baby! I remember when your first little guy was born!

vmsurbat

Here's another thought.... Before I ever found out about NoS, we had a Friday Family Night routine which involved a yummy dessert along with whatever else we planned. I kept that when starting NoS and just made my S days Friday and Sunday. Since we usually have guests on Sunday, I didn't want to giv...

vmsurbat

I treated myself to a pedometer (Omron HJ-112 Pocket Pedometer, approx. $20 on Amazon) about 4 years ago after noticing that while I praised and claimed walking as my choice of moderate exercise, I didn't actually walk all that much. A pedometer keeps me honest! I highly recommend new users just wea...

vmsurbat

la_loser wrote: Good luck to EVERYONE as we begin 2014. I hope all we all find Strength in Sustaining our No S habits...wouldn't that be Sweet?! (How's that for extra S words?)

Simply Sensational!

vmsurbat

walkerlori wrote:
Our community rocks!

Yes, it does!

vmsurbat

Congratulations! What a wonderful testimony. I agree with all your insights and reasons for continuing on with NoS--it is just so sane, sensible, and satisfying!

Look forward to your two year testimony!

vmsurbat

I am one who found NoS very doable* right from the start. It may have helped that I didn't have a long history of crazy diets/binging/calorie counting. Even though I'd been overweight for years, whenever I got serious about my weight, I'd always opted for "just eating less". Which worked as long as ...

vmsurbat

I haven't done the testimonial page because A) I don't nos all the time, I sometimes s B) I don't know how to load pictures onto the site You might reconsider posting on the testimonial page because: A. No one follows NoS 100% with no slip-ups and many people would find it inspiring to know that th...

vmsurbat

Wonderful news! Hope you post on the testimonial board as well because 6(!) years of NoS is a worthy accomplishment!

vmsurbat

When I found NoS, I was already feeding my family muffins and breads as part of our normal breakfast. I didn't change that at all with following NoS. However, I do feel it is important to note that we eat homemade muffins and breads, following older recipes (my youngest of five is off to college, to...

vmsurbat

Welcome back, KCCC! So sorry to hear about your foot. It is always a bit discouraging to be confronted with obstacles on our quest for good health. I hear you on needing to get back to basics.... Even after five years with NoS success, I still need to regularly reread the book and repeat my mantras:...

vmsurbat

Since my youngest is off to university this next fall, I just treated myself to a used cookbook for two, one a couple of decades old. It arrived this past weekend and I spent of bit of time browsing through it. I'm very happy with it, and being published before the normalizing of increased portions...

vmsurbat

Welcome, Ramona! If you haven't yet, I suggest a thorough reading of the sticky entitled NoS CatchPhrase (or some such title) at the top of this forum. A ready arsenal of mottoes, mantras, and vivid mental pictures helps many of us push through the "this is too hard", "I'm tired already", "who cares...

vmsurbat

Happy Birthday!

vmsurbat

I have been thinking (dare I say overthinking) the failure rates of those trying to make changes to their life habits. Are long-timers able to contribute a few opinions on 'WAYS OF THINKING' that keep them on habit, year after year? From following the threads, it seems: 1. From the start, consider ...

vmsurbat

I posit that the reason it's acceptable is a subtle poverty mentality. So many people here are the children of immigrants who came to the States for economic security. Our attitude toward having excess matches those who fear scarcity. Food is one area people don't feel the value of "saving." I'm in...

vmsurbat

How wonderful! Congratulations on your continuing success.

vmsurbat

Wow, my meals tend to be the same on most S days as they are on N days. The difference is the addition of an S or two. The only time my meals change much is for the major holidays. vmsurbat: I love Kahlua. Try it in hot chocolate sometime. Delicious! Wosnes: That sounds delicious, especially with t...

vmsurbat

Two small meals, one moderate one, dessert. Two small meals, one moderate one, no S. One medium meal, one big meal. One big meal, one small one, one S. One small meal, two or three snacks. ( Super Bowl day) Three very small meals, dessert. One big meal. Etc. While I absolutely concur with Oolala on...

vmsurbat

This same thing happened to me too! Not right away, but after following NoS for awhile, my *body* preferred Nday eating habits, but my *mind* still wanted Sday go-for-broke habits. Thus I ended up with the 11PM Sunday night belly ache (which often snuck up on me--I wouldn't feel too full after Sunda...

vmsurbat

The all day food fest behaviors of S days just dwindle, naturally and adding some boundaries to keep from feeling out of control and yucky on S days to me is a self affirming/nurturing thing. Maybe if you think of it that way, and not like you are imposing rules on yourself you will be more at peac...

vmsurbat

Hi all! Anyway, the wonderful sense of sanity I've felt about food since starting is a benefit that I don't want to give up! I think I've just been too sedentary, and my plates are too large for this to work for me. Going to go out and buy something smaller than a regular dinner plate and keep tryi...

vmsurbat

Congratulations! It is always so interesting to see the differences we all experience with NoS success--I saw immediate (although slow by "diet" standards) results--a slow and steady loss of 2-3 pounds per month. I trust your testimonial will be of great encouragement to those who don't lose right a...

vmsurbat

Treeclimber wrote:
What's HTH?

HTH: Hope that helps

HTH,

vmsurbat

My very first month I lost 6 pounds but I think much of that was water weight, because after that I lost just 2-3 pounds per month for about a year and then just a pound a month. But now, months later, I can say I've lost AND KEPT OFF (the most important part!) more than 55 pounds. :) Slow and stead...

vmsurbat

Congratulations on your good success!!!

vmsurbat

My NoS experience with sweets (desserts): The first year: I had a serving of dessert twice every S day--lunch and dinner. :-) But I was very strict to have no desserts on N days. And by dessert, I mean a recipe made out of the dessert section of a normal cookbook: cake, pie, cobbler, ice cream (stor...

vmsurbat

No S means No Sneaking little Stealth portions of Stuff into my mouth. Well said! Stealth portions are what led to my creeping weight gain in the first place...and are still something I've never conquered. Not that I snack (motto to self: "I am not a snacker."), but when I find myself in a position...

vmsurbat

Tessytwinkle, This: I am crying now as I write this because I really feel I will not be able to even start. was me 5 years ago. Not because I had tried NoS and failed (yet), but because I was finally properly diagnosed with hypothyroidism, on meds for six months, carefully "watching" what I ate, and...

vmsurbat

Woohoo! :D :D :D I wish I had great (new) words of wisdom to share, but at five years, I think it has all been said. Here is last year's testimony with links to previous years: http://www.everydaysystems.com/bb/viewtopic.php?t=8821 So, What did year 5 hold for me? 1. I've maintained my 55+ lbs weig...

vmsurbat

Woohoo!

vmsurbat

Don't forget -- your dizziness can be caused by any number of things other than the change in the way you're eating. Yes. A couple of things that can cause dizziness that might be relevant at this time of year are dehydration and heat exhaustion. This is especially relevant since you are so new to ...

vmsurbat

Welcome, Broca!

Before going the pb sandwich route, you *might* try the glass of milk (full-fat even) before your workout; that will fuel you AND keep to vanilla NoS rules. Just a thought!

vmsurbat

this little joke appeared in my inbox a couple of days ago: The Truth About Nutrition and Diet. Here is the final word on nutrition and diet. It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting medical studies. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than do the Briti...

vmsurbat

Welcome!

Since you are new to NoS, I highly recommend you read the NoS Catchphrase glossary at the top of this forum. It is chockful of NoS wisdom, mantras, mottoes, and more to help keep one on track with NoS when diethead/life/stress interfere.

Once again, welcome!

vmsurbat

Congratulations! Thanks for sharing your story.

vmsurbat

Welcome! I agree that the NoS gives many of us just the right amount of structured coupled with just the right amount of freedom to enjoy food, eating, life.

vmsurbat

This tells me, if it's there I will want it! Next week, I won't shop in advance.

JW, good for you! The reality is that NoS is just as much (more, even) of retraining the mind/thinking patterns/habits as it is about physical meals, the actual food we eat.

vmsurbat

Welcome to NoS sanity!

As a newbie, I found it very helpful to read through the NoS Catchphrase sticky at the top of this forum. It is chockful of pithy statements, mottoes, word pictures, and well worth browsing for continued encouragement, especially when dealing with "diethead"....

vmsurbat

Welcome! Best wishes for continued success. And remember we are here for you, with all the ups and downs of a lifestyle change....

vmsurbat

No S continues to be just the way I eat, embedded firmly into the fabric of my existence. Thanks for chiming in. I think testimonies like yours, after years of practice, are a tremendous encouragement for everyone trying to ingrain new habits. I'm gradually trying to get the rest of the family to i...

vmsurbat

To quote Oolala's wisdom:

I find I cannot act differently unless I think differently.

My oft-repeated mantra: "I am not a snacker."

Short, simple, to the point. Said often enough til I started to believe it and act upon it.

Lo, five NoS years later, I am not a snacker.

HTH,

vmsurbat

I make my own bread. I eat less of it than squishy white bread, rolls or the rolls that come in a tube from the grocery. It's denser and more satisfying. Ha, ha! This is completely the opposite at our house! I make a lot of our bread, too, and we tend to eat MORE of my bread just because it is sooo...

vmsurbat

We just got back from vacation. :D We have good success meal-wise on vacation with the following strategies: 1. I bring some food from home for the first day or two. If we have heating, I like to bring a mexican bean dip and chips. If not, pasta salad works well. If you and your daughter like pb, br...

vmsurbat

So I know I have to find a way to make this work. And I think the key is my mindset. I can't view S days as a free for all if I hope to lose weight. I think you have hit the nail on the head here. I found it very, very helpful to visit the Catch Phrase sticky which is just chock-ful of pithy statem...

vmsurbat

Congratulations!

So glad you chimed in with your experience!

vmsurbat

Congratulations!

For your NoS success and your beautiful baby. I remember when she was born; thank you for sharing her picture!

vmsurbat

Good work! I liked Reinhard's recent post describing NoS: I don't view it (NoS) as a "diet," but as a stand-in for cultural structures which no longer exist in a meaningful way. Like you, I find meals with NoS structures to be sane, sound, and satisfying. Random eating, overeating, mindless eating a...

vmsurbat

DaveMc wrote:Looking forward (even keenly) to your next meal is definitely not an emergency.

And, in fact, can be quite satisfying, even enjoyable, with the right mindset!

vmsurbat

Congratulations, Wosnes! Your experience is quite encouraging because I'm finding the same truth. Last year, I didn't know until my NoS testimonial anniversary date that I had even lost weight (about 3 pounds) because monthly weigh-ins would be up a little, down a little. Turns out the down-a-little...

vmsurbat

Thanks for posting. I think the more we long-termers can post about the realities of success with NoS, in all its shades and variations, the more we encourage each other AND the newbies. Congrats on running those marathons. This is the first year (after several years of being a dedicated, pedometer-...

vmsurbat

Anyway, I think I will just make an effort to observe portions for now and then adjust very slowly. I have a tendency to be severe at first if I make a new commitment ("smaller portions"). This is the right attitude. One of the beauties of NoS is that because you are only dealing with 3 meals a day...

vmsurbat

Welcome back and congratulations on the new baby! :) Several thoughts about your sweet tea question. 1. When you say "sweet tea," how sweet is it? The equivalent of 1 Tablespoon or less per 8 oz glass? (That would be 8T (1/2 cup)sugar per 2 qts tea). I think that is within NoS rules, so you'd be gol...

vmsurbat

Hi! I also voted to stick to Vanilla NoS with no mods. Since NoS is a lifestyle diet--something you'll do for the rest of your life, 10 weeks in is way too soon to be modifying. I think there is a difference between modifying the rules (as in changing them, adding more, certain restrictions) and thi...

vmsurbat

Welcome back!

vmsurbat

I almost always eat sweets at the end of the meal, unless it IS the meal. For example, on a holiday like Thanksgiving, we'll have a later breakfast, Thanksgiving feast in the late afternoon, and then in the evening we will enjoy pies (yes, plural) for our dinner. However, in general, I don't eat muc...

vmsurbat

I am starting to realize that the insane, harmful and dissatisfying eating on the weekends is a drag, yet I feel pulled into it, and am unhappy with it every weekend. Not because of eating too much, or worries about weight, but because it's just plain icky. Yet I have trouble finding a balanced way...

vmsurbat

Like Wosnes, R.jean, and others, I've never considered myself as having stopped NoS even though I've never perfectly followed it. I doubt I've had more than a couple of perfect weeks in the 4+ years I've followed NoS. But, Reinhard just brilliantly summarized the reason on audiomama's testimonial wh...

vmsurbat

I don't view it as a "diet," but as a stand-in for cultural structures which no longer exist in a meaningful way. It's a replacement for (sadly) lost traditions. This is absolutely the best summary of NoS that I've read--it really isn't about the rules (though they are very important). NoS's brilli...

vmsurbat

Congratulations! I really appreciate the "Nike" attitude: Just Do It! How often we complicate matters that can be and should be pretty straightforward--like eating three good meals a day and getting a bit of exercise.

Thanks for sharing.

vmsurbat

Sinnie wrote:I just wanted to update this thread with some very positive news.

I'M PREGNANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations! So very happy for you all.

vmsurbat

No S has been such a brilliant experience for me in so many ways. It is a wonderfully enjoyable way to eat and live, and I never believed that this could be compatible with loosing weight. It has been a really big step for me to trully accept that I dont need much to eat. I think that this has been...

vmsurbat

The word "grazing" has always sounded virtuous to me -- like a light, non-hoggy way of eating, like someone who hardly cares about eating. A big contrast to the fact that grazing allows you to stuff more into your stomach by sneaking it in through small quantities. But cows graze. Big giant cows. A...

Everyday Systems

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Re: Fruit

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Five, count 'em, five years of NoS (and still loving it!)

Since you've started a humorous thread...

Re: Minkymoo's 1 year ish check in

Re: grazing