Everyday Systems

So far since joining NoS in May 2017, have gone from 151 to 135 lbs, and down 26 lbs from my all time high. 2022 saw a drop from 142 to 135, which I have been maintaining for 4 months.

More importantly, I rarely overeat now and my moderate eating habits have become much more solid. I am still tempted sometimes to eat when I don't need food, but I am much less likely to give in. And on the rare occasions I do, I just move on.

To do this has taken patience, persistence and practice, practice, practice as well as the support and accountability I get by reporting here.

One thing I have found that helps is that if I am getting hungrier than usual, or even just tempted to eat between meals is to promise myself that I can eat as much as I feel like I need to at the next meal. And sometimes for the next few meals after that. That is the opposite of what I used to do which was to try to counter food cravings and overeating by eating less and undereating. Which just perpetuated the cycle.

Sounds like you have managed to develop some strong good habits.

Congratulations

Jx

Thx Soprano

Well done on having the persistence and patience to keep at it, as well as giving yourself the time to figure out strategies that work for you when you hit a rough patch. It is very inspiring!

My strategies have come from the work of other people, such as science communicator Stephan Guyenet who explains the brain systems that keep us wanting to eat in his book The Hungry Brain. I have also found formerly obese scientist Dr Amanda Sainsbury-Sallis's book The Don't Go Hungry Diet useful.

But the ability to sit through the discomfort of food withdrawal and cravings I got here, especially from Oolala.

Congratulations, LadyBird! And thank you for sharing here.

Thanks also for sharing those titles (and appreciating what a great and consistent support Oolala has been here for so many years now!)

Reinhard

Thank you for all the great comments here along with the update from LadyBIrd. So appreciated!

Congratulation, ladybird, and thank you for posting this progress update. It is very encouraging and helpful to hear how you've approached No S so successfully.

Congratulations Ladybird!

( I am venturing out of the check-ins for the first time in ages)

Your story is very inspiring, and I like your strategy about eating more at the next meal. Simple and brilliant. I struggle with the same thing with undereating even when I feel hungry, and I am definitely going to try applying that strategy.

Thanks Pink. I am convinced that one of the reasons I binged for so long was because I tried to counteract the food cravings by eating less.

Yes, I know what you mean. Deprivation and just not getting enough food, period can cause binging in my experience.

I agree with you both I also think mindless eating, cravings and bingeing occurs when our bodies are not getting enough of a certain macro or nutrient...

Jx