3 years in - it's way more than just weight loss!

(New!) Read (or post) about people who have stuck with No-S for 10 or more months, lost 10 or more pounds, or 10 or more percent for their starting weight. Periodic updates strongly encouraged -- you can think of it as "Yearly Check In."

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Imogen Morley
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Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2010 1:11 pm

3 years in - it's way more than just weight loss!

Post by Imogen Morley » Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:07 pm

I started in March 2010. I had been on the chubby side almost all my life, mostly because of my emotional overeating. In high school I was overweight, carrying 165 lbs/75 kg on my small, 5'1''/155 cm frame. When I finished school and started my studies, my emotional problems disappeared as I was no longer bullied, and so did my excess weight. Without ANY conscious effort (I kid you not!) I went down to quite reasonable, though still too chubby for my taste 125 lbs/57 kg... and then I regained some weight (~13 lbs/6 kg) when my emotional overeating came back with a vengeance. At the end of my toxic relationship I decided it's high time to commit to something, and I chose No S to get back my sanity. Of course, I was expecting some weight loss, but one of the reasons I found (and still find) No S so appealing is the fact that it allowed me to focus on something more than food or body hate.
I was white-knuckling it for the first month or two. My S days were WILD, and never really calmed down, although I'm working on it. In summer 2012 I added regular exercise, and I still make sure that I move at a moderate pace for about an hour every day - 30 min walk to and from work, plus running errands/purposeful walking/yoga/Leslie Sansone 2 mile workout. In spite of my numerous and sometimes quite spectacular fails and binge episodes the general trend was downward, and so here are the results:

2010 (starting): 138/63
2011: 125/57
2012: 118/54
2013: 110/50
Total so far: 28 lbs/13 kg down

But the most important thing about No S:
I've started believing in myself, in my ability to do things that are hard but necessary. I've learned that I have much more strength and willpower than I ever expected, that I just have to fake it till I become it, that after the first stage of gritting my teeth and clenching my fists difficult things become second nature. The power of habit is enormous. I firmly believe that the discipline I learned on No S has helped me become a better version of myself. The timid, awkward, plump girl that I was morphed into a self-assured, outgoing young woman. I'm happier, more productive, better organized, way less shy, and - yeah, why not say that too? - prettier. I'm more patient now, less impulsive. The success I've had on No S spilled onto other areas of my life. Sometimes people who have known me for years ask what happened, have I fallen in love? Actually, yes - I've fallen in love with myself. And with No S, too. Even in times of stress I'm able to keep it up (although it's harder then), and I am sure I'll be eating this way for the rest of my life.
And one funny thing: my weight loss is the most noticeable when I browse the pictures from my yearly spring travels across Europe - I get slimmer and slimmer with each passing year. Maybe I'll post some examples when I figure out how to replace my head with a smiley or something...
No S is not a diet or meal plan or "way of eating". To me, it's an all-encompassing self-improvement system. I hope it will help you as much as it helped me.
Last edited by Imogen Morley on Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Eileen7316
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Location: Florida

Post by Eileen7316 » Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:32 pm

What a spectacular testimonial! I'm so happy for you!!!
Eileen

saracatherine
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Post by saracatherine » Thu Aug 01, 2013 5:10 pm

LOVE this, thank you!

vmsurbat
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Location: Montenegro

Post by vmsurbat » Thu Aug 01, 2013 8:09 pm

Congratulations on your good success!!! :D
Vicki in MNE
7! Yrs. with Vanilla NoS, down 55+lb, happily maintaining and still loving it!

finallyfull
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Post by finallyfull » Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:02 am

Beautiful! What a great story. Thank you for sharing it!

You are an inspiration!!

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NoSRocks
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Post by NoSRocks » Fri Aug 02, 2013 3:54 am

MANY CONGRATULATIONS, IMOGEN! :) :)
No S-er since December 2009
Streamlined S Days: 6/25/12
SW: 170 /CW: 127
Weight loss to date: 43 lbs

Tessytwinkle
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Post by Tessytwinkle » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:39 am

This is such brilliant progress. You are such an inspiration to me. I love the thought of you falling in love with yourself, and know so well what you mean. I think I probably do not love myself at all and are far harder on me than on anyone else. I have a long way to go but you have greatly encouraged me. WELL DONE :D

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reinhard
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Post by reinhard » Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:15 pm

Imogen,

What a great testimonial, on so many counts -- raw numbers, "years on habit," no-s habits spilling into other spheres, the serenity and self-knowledge you've attained, and the wonderful way you have of formulating it ("I just have to fake it till I become it.")

Congratulations and thank you for posting this here!

Reinhard

Cynthya
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Joined: Wed Dec 14, 2011 2:11 pm
Location: Pennsylvania

Post by Cynthya » Fri Aug 02, 2013 1:58 pm

It's really amazing what a transformation takes place when you apply discipline to any area of your life. We live in such an "anything goes" age, to our detriment, I think. Congratulations and blessings on your journey, Imogene!

Hippy Dippy
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Joined: Tue Jul 02, 2013 8:46 pm
Location: Denver, CO

Thank you, Imogen!

Post by Hippy Dippy » Fri Aug 02, 2013 4:06 pm

What a wonderful announcement!
I'm a newbie, and your sentence about "white knuckling it" for the first month or two resonated with me.

Thanks for letting us know your success. It really does serve to help the rest of us out there who also want to lose the weight.

I'm on day 33--the point where the "new diet hope" is flagging and the old fear of "what if I don't lose weight?!!" starts to show up.

As my brother says: constant persistence! So, I know it's one day at a time and forward momentum.

Congrats on your success!!! You Go, Girl!

Hippy Dippy!
Moderation in all things...including moderation
Start: 205.4. Current 202.2 (-3.2 lbs)

weagl860
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Post by weagl860 » Sat Aug 03, 2013 12:20 pm

Very inspiring! Thank you for sharing!

GraceW
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Post by GraceW » Mon Aug 05, 2013 1:36 am

You are about the same size/weight as me (I'm currently at the same weight as your starting weight), so this is particularly inspiring because it shows me what I can look forward to. Thank you for sharing!

eschano
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Post by eschano » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:00 pm

Just beautiful!
eschano - Vanilla rocks!

July 2012- January 2016
Started again January 2021

jw
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Post by jw » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:34 pm

This is an awe-inspiring story, Imogen! Thank you for putting your metamorphosis into words for us!
"The second you overcomplicate it is the second it becomes the thing for which it is a corrective." -- El Fug

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