Post
by winnie96 » Sun Dec 07, 2008 2:14 am
My experience: I still use the same size plate (not petite), but I have fairly strict vertical limitations, and I fill that same plate with a completely different ratio of food types now. (Formerly, Big Macs & fries, tons of pasta, etc. -- you know how that goes -- plate size is not really the issue).
For me, the major deal about No-S has been that three substantial, satisfying meals per day is the way to go. I am no longer a snacker! The challenge is to find the amount and types of food that carry you from one meal to another so that you are hungry upon arrival, i.e. if I have a hefty oatmeal thing for breakfast, I arrive at lunch ready to eat, but not totally ravenous, and I haven't thought that I needed a "little something" (danger! danger! Will Robbins!) to get me to lunch.
It takes a while to figure out the quantities/proteins/carbs/fibers mix that enables you to do this, but I think it's a pretty interesting process. The key for me was to believe that three meals a day was the way to go, and not give in or give up during the transition period until I found the "right" amount to eat at each meal. For me, that amount is actually quite a bit, so a mini-plate would be counter-productive ... I just made a major change in what I put on that plate.
But that's just me. After three months, I have been able to find a way to manage the three meals deal .. others, of course, may have to eat more frequently for various reasons. Barring medical issues, I would just encourage you to see if you can make three-meals/regular plate filled with good stuff work for you.
And ... I know that counting anything (calories, carbs, points, etc.) is a little controversial, and for good reason. But I still track my WW points, just as a kind of secondary backup. But, interestingly, what I've found is that I can eat many more points than recommended because (a) I'm eating much less processed food, (b) No-S makes me feel so good that I have almost doubled my daily exercise (walking) because I actually want to, and (c) I've gotten out of that trap of thinking that I have to eat every to two hours or I'll die.
Disclaimer: I lost about 60 lbs on WW 5 years ago, and only have another 10 or so to go. So far on No-S (3 months) have lost about 3 lbs, but you know what: if I hadn't lost anything, or even gained a bit, the freedom from food obsession that this way of living offers is worth the world. And I think if you can "get it", you'll eventually arrive at where you should be -- and I don't mean just on the scale.
Oh man, once again, I've gone on and on -- but Starflower, I hope you'll realize that this forum serves multiple purposes: you can get answers or reflections on specific questions, but you can also use it to clarify your own thinking as you respond to posts from others. Keep visiting!