Everyday Systems

I started No-S at the beginning of 2013. I was planning to post a 6-month check-in, but I was too busy training for a triathlon at the end of July. I've felt successful from the beginning, but now the numbers are really starting to show it.

I started off doing the January challenge, tracking the habit on a paper calendar on my fridge. I actually found it quite simple to stick to the habits, which is what I had hoped when I read the book. No-S just makes sense.

The weight wasn't coming off then, but I felt in control of food. And I loved that. There was no planning snacks for the day. In fact, it made grocery shopping easier, because I could just skip several areas all together. My plates were probably pretty full at the beginning, I drank milk to get me through some days, and I binged on sodas on the weekends. But over time, that has all mellowed out. I get full on less food, and I can hardly stand to drink soda now (and that was a pretty big addiction for me). Now, moderation just feels great.

I started noticing the weight slowly coming off around May. At that time I had started a little bit of training for my tri, and I started a very part-time job that has me on my feet for 10hrs a week. It's all working together with No-S and the weight just keeps coming off. Without No-S, I probably wouldn't have signed up for the tri or taken the part-time physical job. And even if I had, I don't think I'd be this successful without being in control of food.

No-S has made me feel that I could finally do this, and get healthy. It's empowered me to take those other steps towards a healthy lifestyle. I love it, and tell everyone I know that is struggling with weight and diets about it. But to be successful on it, you have to one really hard thing. You have to admit that you are overweight because you choose to eat too much. Reading the book helped me realize that, and gave me a way to change.

For the numbers folks:
I'm a 5'8" woman, and have been slowly creeping up from about 150lbs in 2004, when I switched from a physical full time job to a desk job.

Jan 2013 - at least 204lbs (I didn't look at the scale often back then, but I know I at least saw that number.)

Aug 2013 - 184lbs and dropping every day

Congratulations!

It is always so interesting to see the differences we all experience with NoS success--I saw immediate (although slow by "diet" standards) results--a slow and steady loss of 2-3 pounds per month.

I trust your testimonial will be of great encouragement to those who don't lose right away.

And in either case, just like you, my biggest pleasure was and continues to be the habits of moderation (and thereby, pleasure) I gained with respect to eating.

Congrats again!

congratulations, iamtami! On the triathalon as well as No-S!

The weight wasn't coming off then, but I felt in control of food. And I loved that.

It's great that you were able to seize onto this feeling of being in control to get you past the initial period of not seeing results. In a way, it's more important than the results. And you can't really get results without it.

But to be successful on it, you have to one really hard thing. You have to admit that you are overweight because you choose to eat too much.

That is hard -- and important. Amazing how key humility is to accomplishing anything. If only it weren't so darn unfashionable these days!

Congratulations again, and many thanks for letting us know!

Reinhard

i think you hit the nail on the head:

We need to admit we are overweight because we eat too much, not because of bad foods, not because of our biochemistry, simply because WE EAT TOO MUCH.

What great results! Especially the fact that your habits sound so solid.

Loved this post!
you have lost the amount of weight I want to lose in the time I want to lose it!
Your story is going to make me keep going when the numbers might not budge straight away!

Thank you for posting this!