1-Year No S / Shovelglove Testimonial

[Diego]

Introduction

Male | 36 y/o

I started the No S Diet and Shovelglove one year ago, circa Halloween 2021. I’ve stuck to each habit – 5 days “on”, 2 days “off” – with rare missed/skipped days for one full year.

No S Diet

10-2021 – 165 lbs.
10-2022 – 160 lbs.

It took me four months to lose “just” five pounds, but – at 6’2” – my BMI was already “normal” when I began. (I didn’t start the No S Diet to become thinner-- only healthier.)

Plateau:

I haven’t lost weight in the past eight months, but – as a thin guy – I don’t want to!

Tweak:

1. My weekly “S Days” are Wednesday and Saturday. I’ve never tried to make things work any other way; I’ve assumed that I wouldn’t be able to stick to “eating healthy” five days in a row.

Shovelglove

10-2021 – 2 sets of 7 reps (all movements) with an 8-lb hammer
10-2022 – 2 sets of 9 reps (all movements) with a 12-lb hammer

It took me three months to “upgrade” to 2 sets of 9 reps with a 10-lb hammer, then another two months after that to “upgrade” further to 2 sets of 9 reps with a 12-lb hammer.

Plateau:

I haven’t gained any real strength in the past seven months. (Just maintaining!)

Tweaks:

1. My weekly “S Days” are Wednesday and Saturday. I’ve never tried to make things work any other way; I’ve assumed that I wouldn’t be able to stick to “working out” five days in a row.

2a. I do all this outside-- by force! (Small apartment.) Contending with the elements sucks.

2b. Seeing as I’m outside, I don’t wrap the sledgehammer. (At risk of hitting only myself!)

3. I do two sets of nine reps for each movement, rather than two sets of seven.

4. I finish each set with 18 squats, holding the sledgehammer against my back.

Conclusion

I’m in the best shape of my life-- or damn close to it!

"No S" is incredibly simple, and I recommend it often.

[Amy3010]

Wow, Diego, it is great to hear about your success and consistency - it sounds like you have really made No-S work for you! Thanks for sharing!

[Soprano]

Congratulations on your success, consistency is key

Jx

[ladybird30]

Congratulations Diego. Your 'small' weight loss certainly much better than the weight gain so many of us experience in our thirties. And as you say, from your height and weight you are already thin. Keep up the good work.

[reinhard]

Diego,

Congratulations on your no s / shovelglove success and thank you for sharing!

I always love hearing the details on how people make these things work for them (outdoors, different S-days).

So good you clearly have the "maintenance is more important than progress" mindset.

Reinhard

[Diego]

2-Year Check-In

Male | 37 y/o

No S Diet

10-2022 – 160 lbs.
10-2023 - 162 lbs.

No real changes to the habit; no real changes to the results! What seems to make "No S" easiest for me is to take WED and SAT as my "S" Days.

Shovelglove

10-2022 – 2 sets of 9 reps (all movements) with a 12-lb hammer
10-2023 - [ditto]

No real changes to the habit; no real changes to the results! I now finish each set with 22 squats, holding the sledgehammer against my back.

Conclusion

Consistency is key! I think the only real "difficulty" I've had with "No S" and/or Shovelglove over these past two years arose earlier this very week, when I came down with a case of COVID; even then, I simply claimed two extra S-for-"Sick" Days. Pivoted right back to an N Day yesterday

[Amy3010]

Thanks for letting us know how you're getting on - well done! The sign that a habit is truly ingrained is when something throws you off of it temporarily, like getting sick, and then you get right back into it afterwards.

[Diego]

3-Year Check-In

Male | 38 y/o

No S Diet

10-2023 – 162 lbs.
10-2024 - 162 lbs.

No changes to the habit; no changes to the results! I'll probably always stick to WED and SAT as my "S" Days.

Shovelglove

10-2023 – 2 sets of 9 reps (all movements) with a 12-lb hammer
10-2024 - 2 sets of 10 reps (all movements) with a 12-lb hammer

I used to incorporate squats into my routine, but I now just do one more rep of every movement each cycle.

Conclusion

There's no doubt that "No S" and Shovelglove have helped to keep me healthy and fit over the past three years! I'd recommend either -- or both -- to just about anyone. At the same time, I've begun to wonder if I'd be happier "downshifting" to something like 4 "N" Days and 3 "S" Days per week.

Both habits are so ingrained in me that they honestly feel like religious practices most of the time. It could be kind -- or it could simply be lazy? -- to give myself permission to relax somewhat. (I've clearly demonstrated that I can follow both habits; there's nothing left to prove in that regard!)

[reinhard]

So glad to see this check-in, Diego!

I agree with you about them feeling like "religious practices." This is a good thing! Whatever your take on religion, religion gets habits.

I find there are so many holidays and such (NWS days) that it would be too much to add another regular S day.

As things stand, according to my lifelog tracking, over the course of the last few years, only 59% of my days are N days. Which makes me a little surprised that that's all it takes (and reluctant to take even less!).

Reinhard

[Diego]

Thanks for the reply, Reinhard-- and thanks for the genuinely intriguing piece of data about your track record of 59% "N" Days!

On average, I personally take just one "NWS" Day each month-- and incur roughly one "F" (for "failure") Day every other month.

If I were to switch to 4 "N" Days and 3 "S" Days each week, that would work out to 57% "N" days-- just a skosh behind your 59%!

And -- in that case -- I wouldn't even take "NWS" Days anymore, since I'd just shift an "S" Day here/there to cover each holiday.

[reinhard]

The math sounds promising! Good luck and looking forward to hearing how it goes.

Just remember the Mr. Micawber principle:

"Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty-pound ought and six, result misery"

(not that 59->57% is the critical "two shillings" in your case, but it could be!)

Reinhard