What do you like to eat on S days?

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Tue Jun 12, 2012 10:52 pm

What type of things do you normally do differently on S days? the reason i ask is i am just starting out and i have been in the diet mentality for so long that i don't even know what to treat myself with anymore without going into extreme gluttony and excess. i just started on 6-7-12 and although my first saturday S day was great, my sunday was moderately bad (gluttonous) and then it carried over into monday too. i am thinking the better i get at this the more i can really enjoy the S days but for right now just trying to figure out how to reward myself. i dont' even know what i "should" eat because i am so used to counting calories and protein and making something a "good" choice due to diet mentality. i think the best way to handle it is to still have three meals but have what i really want to eat even if it's something that might be sweet and just not overdo it...

JayEll · Post by **JayEll** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 11:04 am

On one S day a couple weeks ago, I ate the three meals as usual, but we went for ice cream in the afternoon. That was great! And I had real ice cream, not lowfat sugarfree.

Popcorn in the evening is a good snack that I like.

I try to choose one thing that's going to be a sweet, a snack, and a second, rather than just pull out all the stops.

noni · Post by **noni** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 12:28 pm

Sometimes I get a hankering for a favorite candy bar. I'll buy one and set it aside for the next S-day. I have learned that buying a multi-pack of them to savor only on S-days doesn't work for me.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 1:01 pm

yeah i am thinking like 1 or 2 things that i have really wanted. the problem is that it is so hard for me to think of what i really want! i guess i need to work on that. my goal is to not let S days turn into a free for all and really just focus on what i want to reward myself for a good week.

Krissyjames · Post by **Krissyjames** » Wed Jun 13, 2012 5:28 pm

candy bar

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:33 am

Try not to pressure yourself to figure out the absolute best choice for your S's. I think that was one of my mistakes. I realize I was still expecting so much of food. Assume you will get lots of opportunities over a period of time to have many wonderful experiences with S's and just have good meals and a little something extra and fun, if it really appeals.

ginmarie · Post by **ginmarie** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 5:42 am

My favorite treats on weekends are my dh's oatmeal raisin cookies, a hot chocolate, a cremosa, a Coke, a Klondike Bar or a Magnum Bar. Of course not all on the same weekend LOL.

r.jean · Post by **r.jean** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 11:04 am

Learning to sometimes eat treats and then be able to pull back into a normal routine is hard. That is why many of us lived a life of what the heck moments and just kept eating. No S teaches moderation and helps develop a healthy relationship with food. However, it takes time.

I also try to always stick to the three meal structure. I do not usually plan my S Day treats; they just happen. I relax and give into temptation if and when it happens. However, it took me awhile to get to this point! I had some wild S days at first!

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 1:59 pm

ok so here is my dilemma. i am going to cheesecake factory for sunday brunch and i want to eat well but not pig out. i looked at their menu and it's overwhelming. i dont' want to try to overplan S days but I want to have a little bit of restraint and just wanted some guidance.

noni · Post by **noni** » Thu Jun 14, 2012 2:12 pm

MJ, When I go to a restaurant, I'm usually hungry and end up eating too much bread, tempted by the appetizer, etc...Then when the entree arrives, it doesn't look as good as when I first ordered it, because I'm almost full. But whatever I do, I love to take home leftovers that can last me one or two lunches.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 1:24 pm

i think i will just go there, get what i want, eat until i am satisfied and really practice enjoying what i'm eating, not just scarfing it down because it's an S day. really take my time. notice when i'm full. i think that's a good start! and above all else don't worry about "well i'm not getting enough treats and i have to go all week without them" because that seems to be the mindset at times. i need to change the way I look at things. realize that S days are about relaxing and that's it. not stuffing myself or getting all the treats i can.

Imogen Morley · Post by **Imogen Morley** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:38 pm

I have a list of S-worthy desserts (as sweets are the only S I indulge in), all of them homemade. Grabbing an ice cream bar or a box of cookies from a shelf in a corner store makes mindless overeating way too easy for me, and so I try to make/bake my own treats.
I had a lightbulb moment the other day, reading "The How of Happiness", a wonderful and science-based self-help book I can't keep recommending enough. The author describes the process of savoring as one of the key predictors of happiness. If you don't have access to the book itself, this article is also helpful: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/maria-lin ... 84933.html. I've realized how much happier I am when I indulge in self-made desserts: the anticipation, the hunt for the perfect recipe, daydreaming, then the whole process of baking, taking photos of the finished product, then, finally, the taste... I cut the cake in small pieces, so I can enjoy "just enough" portions after my meals, take tiny bites, eat mindfully etc. It prolongs the pleasure and makes S days much, much more satisfying.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 6:57 pm

i like that idea of baking my own stuff but i think i would run into the problem of eating too much of it, especially if it was still hanging around on N days. Like if i baked a cake i'd probably eat it all or there woudl be some still there monday and then guess what? so i'm still working on that. for right now, the best thing for me is to buy a candy bar or a brownie in a single serving that way i can't overdo it. maybe some day i will get to a place where i can bake something and not over do it. i'm hoping at some point i will be there.

Priscilla · Post by **Priscilla** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:25 pm

This is my first S day (Friday is my only day off, my day to relax and play).

it was most helpful to read Blueksigh's (sp?) blog that she did for the first 9 months of her NoSing.

In one of her last posts, she talked about how important it was at first to just go with the S day in the spirit of freedom, and that discernment would happen over time.

That sounded wise, so I began with a breakfast out, and learned that potatoes and toast in the same meal is way too much.

I ate ice cream later on, but not a lot.

Now I'm having a glass of wine and popcorn.

It's not a binge, and I'm beginning the learning journey. I'm not sure what tomorrow will bring, but I will look forward to getting back to N days on Sunday.

I'm going to a convention which requires air travel and hotels without mini-fridges etc. for over a week. This starts Monday. But I feel confident that I can keep to 3 plates a day, with no S's. We'll see how I fare.

I love this plan!

Priscilla · Post by **Priscilla** » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:26 pm

Sorry for the formatting issues. Not sure why it came out that way.

Imogen Morley · Post by **Imogen Morley** » Sat Jun 16, 2012 6:02 pm

oolala53 wrote:Try not to pressure yourself to figure out the absolute best choice for your S's. I think that was one of my mistakes. I realize I was still expecting so much of food.

I love this. Rationally, I know that very few desserts live up to my expectations and they almost never provide bliss I imagine they would. Emotionally, however, I am too attached to my treats.

MJ7910 · Post by **MJ7910** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 2:15 am

Very true. Really this is just food, how could it live up to our expectations of it? It doesn't save the world. It just gives us momentary, fleeting, joy. We should enjoy our treats but realize they aren't anymore lasting than a few moments.

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 9:21 am

MJ7910 wrote:ok so here is my dilemma. i am going to cheesecake factory for sunday brunch and i want to eat well but not pig out. i looked at their menu and it's overwhelming. i dont' want to try to overplan S days but I want to have a little bit of restraint and just wanted some guidance.

My daughter worked at The Cheesecake Factory for 10 years and I'm very familiar with their menu! I can almost tell you the history of the company as well as my daughter can! Unless you're sharing with several people, don't plan on appetizer, salad, main dish and dessert! Not only is the menu huge, so are the portions.

If I were going for brunch, I'd stick with the brunch (or eggs and omelets) part of the menu. The portions aren't as big as many of the other dishes, and the food is just as good. My favorites are the waffles, Lemon Ricotta Pancakes or Eggs Benedict. For dessert, I'd either have strawberry shortcake, plain cheesecake with strawberries, or vanilla bean cheesecake. I don't like the fancier cheesecakes. To me, they're cheesecake overkill. I don't like fancy desserts.

I bake nearly every weekend. I will say that I rarely bake cakes or pies, they're just not favorites. But cookies and brownies are favorites. There are several ways to deal with the "extras." One is to give the extras immediately to family, friends, neighbors or coworkers. The other is to divide them in serving sized portions and freeze them. I put them into sandwich bags and freeze them in a bag or container that I can't see through. After a while, you have a little variety for the S days!

There are two books that are helpful, too: Small Batch Baking and Small Batch Baking for Chocolate Lovers. From reading the first book, I figured out how to adapt two of my favorite cookie recipes to yield about a dozen cookies.

In addition, Taste of Home magazine used to have a sister magazine, Cooking for Two. If you search "cooking for 2" at their site, it comes up with nearly 3,000 recipes for two, 499 of which are desserts. Two of my favorites are apple crisp and lemon pudding cake.

Imogen Morley · Post by **Imogen Morley** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 12:59 pm

This site is also a godsend if you don't want to have too much leftovers tempting you on N days: http://www.dessertfortwo.com/tag/small-batch-baking/

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 6:36 pm

But what about the dough or batter not even making it to the oven? Was this ever your practice? Maybe I'll be able to bake someday, but I stick to increasing my repertoire of veggies and grains these days. And my new forays will be into dressings and sauces. I still love the ones I buy but I'd like more variety for less money. (Not the right topic, but here I am.)

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Sun Jun 17, 2012 7:52 pm

oolala53 wrote:But what about the dough or batter not even making it to the oven? Was this ever your practice? Maybe I'll be able to bake someday, but I stick to increasing my repertoire of veggies and grains these days. And my new forays will be into dressings and sauces. I still love the ones I buy but I'd like more variety for less money. (Not the right topic, but here I am.)

Not only will you get more variety for less money, you'll get a better quality product! I'm not sure what kind of sauces you want to make, but of those I've made, some may be time-consuming, but none are difficult. Generally, those that require you to stand at the stove are also made fairly quickly (bechamel, for instance). I find myself getting frustrated with recipes (and those who develop them) that rely on purchased products. Many of them can be made in less time than it takes you to walk to your car to go to the store -- with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry or refrigerator.

I only have one of these books, but the others are on my short list of books to buy:

Homemade Pantry Serious Eats posted five of her recipes this week, plus she has a blog: Eating from the Ground Up

Make the Bread, Buy the Butter Also a blog: The Tipsy Baker To be honest, I'm not fond of her blog and I'm not sure if many or any of the recipes from the book are there. I've read a little of the book and she's made me want to make both peanut and almond butters.

Put 'Em Up Lots of good recipes for preserving foods.

My apologies for hijacking the thread.