Everyday Systems

Dawn

You know I have always had this feeling in the back of mind that there is that golden ticket out there for me. You know when you just know something and don't know why? That's how I feel about this. I think this is that golden ticket for some of us. It just feels right. I think the thing is that onc...

Dawn

That's without dieting!!! And you have proved that you don't have to be perfect all the time to get there. This tells me that I will get there too. I saw my Dr. today and without going into too much detail I told her I am eating better and exercise more consistantly and at my next visit next year I ...

Dawn

Lisa, Even if you are the correct one in the debate on carb calories being worse than other calories, does the lower carb lifestyle work for you? Can you incorporate it into the No-S plan and really stick to it? You know, several people do incorporate other plans or parts of plans into No-S and it r...

Dawn

NoelFigart - I guess you are right. I went and checked out a site or two and the range for my height is even greater than yours - 43 pounds! I guess maybe it's Hollywood that is messing with my mind. The average actress I see in magazines talking about her weight seems to be around 5'3" 115 pounds. ...

Dawn

Hey Jill, just being nosy and seeing how others are doing. I agree with what you said about the diet industry messing with our minds. I used to think that only applied to the weak minded, which of course I am not :shock: Or so I thought. I am reading Mindless Eating by Brian Wansick and it is shocki...

Dawn

First of all you look great, thin, and that's with horizontal stripes no less!! I couldn't see any flaws. You look very proportionate. Those BMI and height/weight charts are crazy. We are not one size fits all. I learned that the hard way in the Victoria Secrets underwear department. :oops: I don't ...

Dawn

When I have questions like that I usually remind myself what the goal is. The goal is to be able to SEE what we are eating, which is easy when its only 3 plates. Once you get the habit down of not eating outside of those three plates, you can focus more on what is actually on those plates. If you ar...

Dawn

Jaymiz, The urge to make exceptions will go away sooner if you are stricter with No-S. I just tell myself that I will eat a little more at my next meal or include something that fits on the plate but is a wee bit more decadent than I would normally eat - kind of a little reward for not getting into ...

Dawn

Do you want to do it fast or do you want to do it right? Can't have it both ways honey. What you are doing is pulling back your calorie intake as low as you can to lose weight, but so low that you can't continue to eat like this FOREVER. It's a delicate balance and it took me nearly 3 months to find...

Dawn

Check out the post "a lil discouraged" it was posted 5-5-08 (I think).

You'll find there are more just like you!!!

Dawn

Friday evening I start to feel excited about the weekend but never to the point where I have felt like cheating. Not about to let a perfect week go to heck when S days are only a few hours away!!! Other than that no particular day is consistently troublesome. Soooo happy to have control over this as...

Dawn

You are preachin to the choir sister! I was feeling like the only one who didn't work herself up to a plateau but started right out the gate on one. What gives huh?? Frustrating with a capital F. I bet the following go through you mind all the time: I am eating tons less than I was, so how can I not...

Dawn

Blueskighs, Yeah, maybe they'll hear, but probably not. I tried to tell a few people but once they heard the amount of time it would probably take to even start to lose, their eyes started to glaze over and I just changed the subject. Most people I know are only into quick fixes, anything else and y...

Dawn

Isn't it fun feeling smarter than everyone!!! Yeah, that's right, I said it! But I won't say it again. Smugness isn't pretty is it? But we can sing, dance and shake our tambourines all day, but it won't mean anything to these nay Sayers until one day it occurs them that you look great, and have for ...

Dawn

ONLY?? What the heck do you mean you've ONLY lost 3 pounds in 29 days??? That's great, so much better than ONLY. :D I agree the stability is great and such a new thing to me too. I used to be in awe of my husband when years ago every time he got on the scale it read 183. Always exactly 183. My weigh...

Dawn

Jesseco, I think if we are all honest we'd admit that when we came to No-S we were hoping it was some super easy miracle plan. Of course it's not, but since it has had positive impact right away, we have decided that it's still worth the effort. I have only lost a few pounds in my 3 months on board ...

Dawn

Trying to figure how many calories you are over eating, or might me over eating will drive you crazy. What was really getting to me when I first started but still wasn't losing weight was the HUGE difference between what I was doing before and what I was now doing. I would think of all the many, man...

Dawn

First things first. This plan is the same as any other weight loss plan in that the way you lose is calories spent vs. calories consumed. The No-S only gives you guidelines that make this hard task something manageable. I think you need to consider the fact that you have been eating too many calorie...

Dawn

It takes time! Time for the correct mind set to get totally stuck into your head. Right now it's in your head but kinda loosely. Or at least it's still loose enough that home made ice cream can knock it out of whack. It's finally occurring to me that all the foods that I love and crave and need to k...

Dawn

It just takes time. Obviously moderation is a problem for us isn't it? I have been doing this for nearly 3 months and I've noticed lately that I can actually tell myself: "You have actually had some nice treats already so if you don't eat this now you can wait until next weekend, the weeks are so ea...

Dawn

No S isn't magic. But if I sat with a Weight Watcher I bet we are eating the same amount of "points" or calories. Probably more on S days, and most likely losing weight slower than they are but when they give up because counting points and going to meetings is comsuming thier lives, we will still be...

Dawn

Ya know I think that calling it a failure when you only have a "drink", isn't a good idea. Having that hot drink only is 100% better than what you were doing and I think you should allow yourself to call it a successful day. I think after you rack up several successful days and then weeks of just th...

Dawn

Jesseco, OK, you've put a good month in and made a lot of positive changes, now it's time to step back and adjust the most obvious things, then wait and see how that works, if still no loss after another month or so then you can see what else you can EASILY work on. That's what I am doing and it's f...

Dawn

I can do ya one better - I was frantic after meal time! Especially dinner, 16 hours until breakfast!!! Yikes, I thought I'd die - I didn't. All I can tell you is that is does get easier. When will it get easier? It's different for everyone. I found it helpful to eat meals as late as possible and sti...

Dawn

Rilee, Yeah I know what you mean about doing the math and the amount of calories we should be eating seeming kinda high. All I know that is when I was on Jenny Craig, I was averaging 1400 cal per day and I lost an average of 2 pounds per week. I was also exercising to a point that I couldn't keep up...

Dawn

I totally understand the danger of making this too complicated or too restrictive, but when you don't have that much to lose I think you may find it necessary to do a bit more than others in order to see weight loss. I am hoping that my tweaking got things rolling and that I won't find it necessary ...

Dawn

In the beginning I used have a sugar free hot cocoa in the evening when the munchie monster just wouldn't listen to reason. After I was into the no-s for a while and was feeling stronger I was able to give the cocoa all together. I still have tough nights, but nothing that I can't handle. I never di...

Dawn

Sandy, My thinking before S-ing on S days really only started recently so I don't have it down to a science and I don't think I really want to do that necessarily. Although I said I made changes across the board, I have felt that my crazy S days were the main thing holding back the weight loss. My e...

Dawn

Kinda hard to influence people when so many of them have seen us on umpteen million "diets" over the years. I think it's going to take a substantial amount of weight loss and then a substanial amount of time on maintenance before anyone will really take us seriously. Besides most of my serial dietin...

Dawn

The word tweaking has freaked me out from the beginning. But I needed to do something due to the fact that 11 weeks into this I hadn't lost anything - nothing, zip, zilch, nadda! So after reading all sorts of comments on tweaking etc and thinking about it for a few weeks, I decided to make super sma...

Dawn

SWEETS!!!!!! Every night after my DD's are nice and tucked into bed, I have always had my sweet treats!! Kind of like a relaxing, end of day ritual. It is such a part of me that it is very hard letting go. I know, without doubt, this is THE habit that has kept the 15 pounds on me that need to GO. I...

Dawn

Once you read the book you will see what seems like a reasonable idea actually masks a larger problem. I thought I was so smart about a lot in regards to dieting, after all I've been doing it for 30 years. After reading the book I realized I wasn't so smart, which would explain why after 30 years of...

Dawn

Very interesting. Maybe that's why my weight used to fluctate up to 3 pounds per day. Just one more reason to ditch the scales and rely on clothes. Although certain times of the month can affect how my jeans fit, it is still a better option to the scale.

Dawn

It makes you wonder how we could have been wired so incorrectly to believe that hunger was bad. I can't believe that I am enjoying my meals twice as much as I used to and I am eating half of what I used to eat!

Dawn

Body Flex - OMG!!! I totally forgot about that. I added to the post about the Silliest Diet you ever been on, but I bet we could also add the craziest equipment or techniques we have tried. I remember having these blue plastic pants that you wear while exercising and they were attached to the vacuum...

Dawn

Wosnes - yes I am pre-planning only really special treats. Long gone are the days of eating stale cookies from a box, or the 1/2 eaten Pop Tart that one of the kids left behind. The first time I noticed it I was eating coconut creme pie and I asked the family if they thought it was a little flat and...

Dawn

You are not alone. That is my one and only problem at this point, but due to the fact that I only have 17 pounds to lose, my S days are killing me. I have not gained, but I have not lost anything in the nearly 3 months that I have been doing this. This week I have kicked up my exercise and this week...

Dawn

I've done WW a few times and did well, but I found I became more obessed about food, calories, fat grams etc. than ever before. My absolute favorite part of this plan is that I can think of food in a healthy and fun way. I love to eat and cook and entertain and now I can do these things guilt free. ...

Dawn

By Thursday my fantasies about George Clooney turn into fantasies about cheese cake and chocolate chip cookies (or maybe George serving them to me, mmmmm :lol: ). I find myself really anticipating a nice treat for my S days. But when I finally get what I have been jonesing for, it isn't nearly as sa...

Dawn

I used to have this a lot when on Weight Watchers so I know it's super low in calories - maybe 100 per cup. Cauliflower Soup Ingredients 16oz Frozen Cauliflower 1 lg onion chopped (frozen are even easier) 6 cups chicken broth (I make my broth with granulated bouillon, it is more flavorful than canne...

Dawn

Well, first of all know that the AM sweets are a habit and you can break it. But since there a lot more "sweet" breakfast items than any other meal, I would say you and I are not alone in our enjoyment of a sweet for breakfast. As for the snacks you are finding too easy to grab. I hear you there too...

Dawn

Remember this is not a magic formula, it's the same for all weight loss plans - calories in vs. calories spent. If for instance, you traded your 300 calories a day drinks for 300 calories a day apples, you won't see any difference. So if you aren't losing at all you have to step back and look at the...

Dawn

I can't drink milk and water will just not cut it when it's 9PM and I am hungry, which is still about once a week. So I have a cup of decaf coffee with 2 tbs of Vanilla Carmel Coffeemate. It's only 70 calories and very satisifying, and since it's hot it takes a little while to drink. Considering wha...

Dawn

I've done well this week not thinking too much about the upcoming weekend, which is great since my S days were really hanging over my head like a black cloud - hate guilt!!!! Last weekend went so well that it does give me hope that I can contain my S days. I plan to do exactly what I did last weeken...

Dawn

This is the perfect occasion for a lower case S day. Basically like an N day, with just one and only one S involved.

Dawn

You got it! And to complicate it in anyway would kill it for me and this plan would die like all the other plans I've been on over the years. I think a lot of people said it best when they talk about the baggage we bring with us from our past and that's what complicates it for a lot of us. I think i...

Dawn

I would highly recommend making your own soups, and other lunch items if at all possible. I just know even as much as I love to cook and eat homemade foods, it isn't always easy when you are on the go and have to leave early in the AM to get to work. So I am just saying it's a lot better to pack a f...

Dawn

I'm like your Dad, I need to lose 15-20 pounds and I have been doing this for 2 months and have not lost anything yet - so why am I giving advice? Well, what I have learned in the last 2 months is more than I have learned in the past 32 years of dieting (started first diet at age 12). I really did b...

Dawn

If you are not big on cooking from scratch, or taking a lot of time to prepare your lunch, then you need to focus on the many, many quick and healthy choices available out there. Here is a little list of foods I keep handy and can toss together for lunch or dinner, in or to take with me. Lean cuisin...

Dawn

MJN, I am not sure about this word "moderation" you use. I will have to look it up in the dictionary

Dawn

Summer, it might be helpful if you tell us about how much weight you need lose, how much exercise you get and your age. That way people with similar experiences can reply to you. Athough everyone is different, you are going to get a better idea of what to expect if you chat with those who where in t...

Dawn

Finally the S days that I have been trying to achieve! I ate my 3 meals, easily kept them light for the most part. I did have 2 slices of pizza on Saturday night, but I never have pizza on N days and 2 slices is at least only half of what I used to eat. I had coconut cream pie Sat and Sun night and ...

Dawn

MJN, sounds like you should do great. Just a matter of really sticking to it and in no time it will be a habit. I did good with my S days this weekend. Funny thing is I still feel guilty today. I think I am so used to not having treats that I am having trouble giving myself permission to do so. I fe...

Dawn

MJN, I did learn from WW and now know a lot of great foods that are high in fiber and low in calories, and I continue to eat a lot of those foods to this day. Just remember the stricter you adhere to this plan the sooner that autopilot button inside you gets flipped to the on position. As for the Do...

Dawn

Hi MJN. I love to check in on the newbies, being that I am an old timer of a whole 2 months now :lol: I see my old self in your comments and how far I have come in just these 2 months. Makes me look forward to what down the road is going to be like. I agree about not wanting this to feel too much li...

Dawn

Maybe it is all in our heads. We have been so conditioned since teenagers to think that sweet cravings are normal and TV makes it seem funny and acceptable to polish off a 1/2 gallon of Ben and Jerry's topped off with a pound of chocolate chip cookie dough. (Great, now I've done it, now I am getting...

Dawn

Me too. And the more overboard I go on the weekend, the hard Mondays are for me. I think it must be psychological. If we are fine the other N days, then there is no real reason for Mondays to be so hard. I just drink more water and remind myself that a little hunger is so much better than that full ...

Dawn

The late night munchie attack was my one and only problem on N days. So in the beginning I would have a cup of sugar free hot cocoa most evenings around 3 hours after dinner. I was "starving" and the hot cocoa saved me from getting into trouble. But as the weeks went on I decided to give up the coco...

Dawn

Truly sorry for you and your family. At times like this our eating, our weight and all the other reasons we "diet" seem so insignificant. But you are right about finding comfort in the No-S. I too find comfort in routine, it helps keep you grounded and calm. I would never in a million years compare ...

Dawn

Still doing great on N days. But after a failed attempt last weekend to get S days under control, I think I finally have a plan in place. What is the minimum that I can do to still make S days satisfying? Can I do my 3 meals and 1 or 2 treats each S day? Is not allowing mindless munching (even a sma...

Dawn

3aday, your story is very inspiring. I have been doing this for 2 months and I have to say that the N day habits aren't so much following me to S days. I am working on tightening up my S days not in order to speed up weight loss but to actually see some weight loss. I have not lost anything since st...

Dawn

KCCC, I agree it may take a while to get some new and improved S day habits nailed down, but we have to put forth that extra effort. I think that my new way of thinking about food may be helpful in not feeling deprived if I do impose some restrictions on S days. That probably wasn't the case in the ...

Dawn

KCCC, my N days are perfect and I mean perfect, and it is so easy it's almost scary, but not really since I did come on board the No-S diet with a lot of good habits, it's just those bad ones that were holding me down seem to have followed me and are around still and happily living on S days. I real...

Dawn

Well here I am the one who started this whole challenge and I did NOT do well this weekend. Then on top of that I considered Monday an S day since the whole family had the day off together - super rare. So 3 bad S days in a row! I have read all the posts and plan to spend the next few days thinking ...

Dawn

You know, Reinhard made no bones about the fact the weight did not melt off just from the good habits of No S. He was also walking about 90 minutes a day and doing 15 minutes a day of Shovelglove. That 8 hours of exercise a week he was getting hadda have something of a positive effect on the weight...

Dawn

I have been doing this for about 1 month longer than you and I have not lost anything - maybe 1 pound. So I totally get your frustration. I too have had thoughts of doing something else to get the weight off and then using the No-S as a maintance plan. Especially since I have maintained my 167ish si...

Dawn

Food isn't the enemy, we are! Practically every enjoyable thing has a down side. 7 weeks into this I am really seeing the down side to thinking about food disappear (the guilt, the negotiating etc). I find it wasn't that I thought of food, but how I thought of it. It's like in the old days when girl...

Dawn

I just feel like my S days are the only thing I really need to get a handle on. So making a conscience effort to improve them is what I have in mind. I think if a group of us get together on this it might be helpful. So doing "better" may mean different things to different people. I am not entirely ...

Dawn

Yes, Reinhard I have seen a lot on this subject too. And I am hoping to take it to the next level and help myself and others push themselves just a bit more. I think a lot of the ideas I have heard about are great and can work, it's just that maybe a little motivation is needed. I know I do better i...

Dawn

Reading the boards I can see I am not the only one who is not happy with my S days. I've got the N days down, the exercise is going great, but my S days are killing the weight loss portion of this plan. So here is what I propose: An S day challenge. It's not about being perfect in any way, it's abou...

Dawn

I'll tell you what sad is. Sad is that we are how old? And it took us how long to finally realize that all the denial and head games have done nothing but keep us overweight and crazy? Now that's sad. I'd love to jump on the scale tomorrow and see a 20 pound loss, but I know that getting my head tog...

Dawn

True character isn't about being perfect, it's more about what you do about a screw up. You gotta know that you are doing sooooo much better than before, even with a few screw ups tossed into the mix. I want you to know that I get that it's easier to get on a good roll and keep going, than it is to ...

Dawn

Allie, The first thing you have to do is to get any expectations of weight loss out of your mind. You just started and are no where near the weight loss stage of this. This is not a get thin quick scheme and you may not see any results for a long time - scary huh? I don't mean to scare you but that ...

Dawn

The simple fact here is that if you don't change your mind set, this will not work and you get to go back to diet #28, gee maybe it will work this time - NOT! The sooner you ditch that fad diet mentality the better you will feel, not that that is the total answer to actual weight loss, but it is the...

Dawn

Although I have not checked in for nearly 2 weeks, it's pretty much the same story. N days are awesome, the exercise is happening, and my S days are not where I want them. One of the best parts of this is not feeling guilty all the time. I hate feeling guilty. But come Monday morning I find I do fee...

Dawn

Thanks for all of your support and for confirming that I am doing the right things and that I just need to keep doing them and eventually I will start getting slimmer. And I will take Bonnie's advice and not rely on the scale for now at least. I have a friend who never weighs herself, she just relie...

Dawn

Chiqitabanana, Thanks for the encouragment. I KNOW I am doing the right things to get me where I need to be and getting rid of the mentality that it has to happen tomorrow is one of the biggest hurdles I have had to face. My fear when I started this plan was that I would be able to maintain my weigh...

Dawn

First let me make it clear, I am not ditching the No S, but I am getting more than a little annoyed that the scale has not moved in the 5 weeks that I have been No S-ing. This is where I would typically go nuts and eat myself blind, or do the opposite and go on some crazy starvation plan, telling my...

Dawn

more than happy to do anything that introduces this great way of life to everyone!

Dawn

Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!! Best wishes for an easy pregnancy and a healthy baby at the end of this rainbow!

Dawn

Whatever works for the long term! I am glad the other person found it effortless, but I would be happy with 85 percent of the time it being a no brainer, then with all my great results I would have enough resolve to get through that lousy 15 percent of the time. I quit smoking nearly 20 years ago an...

Dawn

Mary, love your suggestion. I have been scanning the board and always like the variety of ideas that people come up with to combat odd ball situations, or just modifications that are necessary to some of us. Something you didn't address and I would like to, is that I hate to make a spectacle of myse...

Dawn

Wosnes's hunger test is definatley something to keep as part of the No-S plan. No one ever got fat from having a light and healthy snack in between their resonable meals. The idea of using our common sense is just too scary somethings. That is one of the things I am looking forward to getting in tou...

Dawn

Havenâ€™t checked in this week yet. Recap: Weekend was not good. It was hard because I had company all weekend and so the goodies where out and in front of me. I was in the kitchen the entire weekend. This weekend should be easier. My husband and I are finally going out to dinner to celebrate my bir...

Dawn

I am eating healthier on this plan than I ever did while being pregnant. Of course you need to talk to your doctor about weight gain and what is the safest way not to have much if any. You need to focus on eating healthy and I really think you can incorporate a good pregnancy diet with the no-S plan...

Dawn

OK, made it 21 days without a slip up. I don't know if I am 100% in the groove since I feel I still spend too much time thinking about all of it. I really want to wake up and not have my weight and food be the first thing on my mind, but talk about a habit that I have had forever! But I do love the ...

Dawn

I have 3 boys, a 16 year old and 13 year old twins. They are eating all the time. I work from home too, which means I have access to food all day. I also make a lot from scratch, which is all the more delicious - damn my amazing cooking skills! I am new too and have only been doing this for 3 weeks,...

Dawn

Today is day 21! I have had absolutley no problems at all, especially with N days, they are cut and dry and with my eating 5 meals a day, I feel like I get to eat when ever I am genuinely hungry and knowing that I can treat myself on the weekend helps keep me in line. Now I need to start making some...

Dawn

I think anything that leads to trouble should be considered an S day only treat. Weight Watchers refers to them as trigger foods and they are different for all of us. If I get stuck having to have fast food during the week - and it does happen once in a blue moon for me - I get a salad or whatever i...

Dawn

Hi Sally! I am a newbie too. I am trying to follow the plan as closely as possible but have found that it still works if you make adjustments. I think the idea of putting all your food on one plate is super helpful if are the type to over eat at meals. That is not my problem, mine is the S's, not th...

Dawn

I have lost count of how many diets I have been on that died a nasty death at 9PM at night. Do great all day and then in one fell swoop I can undo 23 1/2 hours of greatness. I have only been doing this since 2-8-08, but I have been having a sugar free (25 cal) hot cocoa at 8pm every night and althou...

Dawn

Success all the way, so far. Made it through my birthday weekend just fine. Over did it on Sunday though. I think Sundays will be my tricky day. All week has been fine. I am mostly eating 5 small meals. Knowing I can have S's on the weekend keeps me going. Saturdays I notice is a transition day sinc...

Dawn

Yes, overdoing it on the weekends and no exercise means no weight loss. That was my fear when I started this. I could see how the no s works, but I KNEW I would go over board on the weekends and the exercise was something that I needed to get going on too. So I thought this sounds like a perfect mai...

Dawn

It's no wonder that 3 meals don't work for a lot of us. Remember what you used to each day? How many times you ate? If you were like me, it was one long meal from morning until night. This is a huge change for me. We need to listen to our bodies. If we can't focus, have a headache or our tummy is gr...

Dawn

Day 13 - success!!!! went out to dinner with a friend for B-day (which is actually tomorrow), I did good all day and told myself it could be an S day if when at the restaraunt I decided to have some of the chips and salsa or share a dessert with someone. But luckily the chips were just not that good...

Dawn

Sucess - no issues, but dinner was super yummy (damn my awesome cooking skills!), but I did not have seconds!

Dawn

I am brand new to this so anyone can feel free to correct me if I am wrong but I think the main goal at first is to stick to the no-s thing and once that is a true habit then you can make adjustments so that you being to lose weight. We just have to remember this isn't some miracle eat all you want ...

Dawn

Yesterday had failure written all over it, but I did not fail!! Sucess!! Worked all day on a stupid school project and was exhausted. So around 7PM when I usually have trouble staying out of trouble, I was really feeling like I deserved something special as a reward, something comforting. But I remi...

Dawn

E-333, I joined 3 days after you and I too am having trouble with the realization that this will take time. I am really trying to look at this as a way to reset my brain and make it work like a thin person's brain works, and while this is happening I will be losing weight and once my mind set is on ...

Dawn

So far so good. Of course my first weekend of getting serious about the no s would have to be TOM for me. I got lucky this was one of those TOM's where I have very little appetite and no cravings, this happens about 2 times a year, so good timing huh? So the weekend was pretty good. The only problem...

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