Everyday Systems

It is a year - but is it a No S testimonial? If you read these testimonials to be encouraged, this probably won't help much. As one point on the graph, I thought it worthwhile to give a truthful account (so far as my flaws permit)

I don't do vanilla No S, I tried that for a month without any productive outcome and lost patience. I don't have a big frame, I didn't, on paper, have a big problem - but I've had one heart-attack so I think I am certainly entitled to have a strong desire to lose my excess waist fat, to feel that to be an urgent matter.

At the end of April 2010 I was 166lbs with a 40 1/2" waist (5'7 1/2" tall, 59 years old, BMI 26.1, Waist/height ratio 60.4%). A month of No S gave me the irritation of restrictive rules without any notable improvement in my waist or weight, and no sense that things would improve in the longer term.

So I added intermittent fasting. I began to lose weight, not a smooth path, but mostly effective, until the winter came. I began to experience increasing ill health - a spate of minor maladies persuading me to cut back on the fasting. That plus Christmas did for much of my weight-loss, and efforts to get back on track in the new year have been very uneven.

My current regime isn't comfy or easy, and I'm not as light as I want to be. I now weigh 157lbs, waist 39 1/4"(BMI 24.3, Waist/Height Ratio 58.1%) but it's an effort, not a comfy life. Life could be worse - I see people on the street much fatter than I am - but that's not my issue. My goal was a waist 50% of my height. I haven't achieved that and don't know if I can. When I stop fasting, when I try to just stick to No S, my weight climbs. I am not willing to let that happen, to just let myself slide into bypass territory.

So there is my No-S (with mods) story, make of it what you will. I may revisit this to edit it. I won't change the facts. I felt it a sort of duty to write something, even though it may not be as pleasing or helpful as what others have written here. I think it important to record No S experiences even if they aren't all "successes".

Graham -- I just wanted to say that I appreciate your candor. I've read your posts over the last year and I know that this journey has been a near constant struggle and that you are not where you want to be. Even still, it is obvious that you have made strides -- moving out of the overweight BMI & into the normal one, numbers lower than last year -- in a positive direction. I sincerely hope that you find the answers, results and especially peace that you are seeking. Thanks for sharing your story. All the best!

Graham -- thank you for posting this and sorry it's taken me so long to respond (darn day job plus kids schools wrapping up and a slew of birthdays).

I am absolutely interested in hearing about not-completely successful experiences with no-s (and even failures) here. For one thing, as someone coming to the site for the first time, I'd sure as hell be suspicious if I didn't see anything but thumping hallelujas. And it's just useful information. Unaltered No-s isn't going to work for everyone. I wish it would, but I've warned that it doesn't. And here's an instance. Brace yourself.

That being said, your experience, though difficult, certainly was, to an important degree, a success. Yes, you've had to add the fasting, but the base of operations is still no-s. I think that IS encouraging to others who may be struggling with no-s and wondering whether to throw the baby out with the bathwater or, as you have, build on the habits they've established instead.

Reinhard

Reinhard, i couldn't have put it better myself.

Many thanks for your post, Graham. It is interesting and not to mention, very helpful to hear all perspectives and experiences on the No S Plan.
I, too, haven't been as successful on No S this second time around - HOWEVER this has in part been my mind over matter and deviating onto other diets in my impatient quest to lose weight and the peace of mind this Plan gives me after complying for just a few days, is second to none. I am hoping that I can find my feet again and stick to this for the long term since it is the only plan I have been able to stick to - or keep coming back to and have been doing so for almost 2 years.

Thanks again, Graham for your honest and helpful post.

PS: I also wanted to add I am sorry to hear of your health challenges this past year and hope you will be 100% soon!