Trying again with a few changes...

[susieb]

HI,
Well I have been trying and failing miserably since april to adopt this way of eating and have found that although I have failed I have learned what I need to do to get these principles right for ME> May not be right for anyone else, but I am going to log in daily and get as many greens as I can in my habitcal!!
Here we are:
1/ I need to avoid eating first thing. It triggers me to eat all day. Meal number one should be mid morning or even later.
2/ On days where I exercise (run) I need a fruit snack which I need to allow myself without thinking that I have somehow "failed".
3/ On some days, I need something sweet. It's the way I have always been, so rather than snack I will allow myself to have a meal that is somewhat sweet, such as a low fat muffin for breakfast. That will stop me from hitting the chocs!
4/ One treat per S day only- because I have been going mad and undoing all my good work!
That's it. Fingers crossed- I'm really going to go for it!
SusieB

[~reneew]

You go girl!!!

[StrawberryRoan]

Sounds like a plan to me...

I am also a person who, if I start eating early, eat all day long.

If I wait until about ten, then I am fine until about two, then eat my third meal about six/seven.

Maybe for a sweet, the ten calorie jello with a glob of Cool whip, 25 calories or so total. Or the sugarfree pudding cups, or yogurt - throw a little topping on yogurt and it becomes ice cream... honest...

I say find something that works for YOU because if it doesn't work, what good does it do?

Good luck,

SR

[~reneew]

I also eat more all day long if I make myself have an early breakfast. I usually eat my first meal around 11:00 (brunch) and I end up having 2 meals most days. If I eat early, it's like opening up those flood gates. We all do what works. 2 meals isn't going against No S either, so you don't even have to count it as a mod. Good luck!

[vmsurbat]

HI,
3/ On some days, I need something sweet. It's the way I have always been, so rather than snack I will allow myself to have a meal that is somewhat sweet, such as a low fat muffin for breakfast. That will stop me from hitting the chocs!
SusieB

We live overseas without many "convenience" foods, so I make most of our breakfasts. (Cold cereal is the Sunday treat!).

We regularly have homemade muffins, scones, and pancakes for breakfast. I've never been one to drown my pancakes and french toast in syrup; a little of the real stuff goes a long way. I also will use a small bit of butter and/or jam on toast or pancakes.

My biggest advice is to watch "serving" size. I routinely make muffins (all varieties) following the recipes in my trusty red-and-white Better Homes and Garden Cookbook. The recipe makes a "normal" batch of 12 muffins; a similar recipe in a recent Fine Cooking magazine (same amount of flour, more sugar in FC recipe) makes "only" 8-10 muffins. Almost like a cupcake. A muffin made according to the recipe in my Better Homes and Garden cookbook has a mere 150 calories. That is not much more than a decent size piece of toast. And a muffin, glass of juice or piece of fruit, milk or maybe an egg, plus coffee makes for a light but very satisfying breakfast.

My other caution in case you are buying your muffins is to find out if the lowfat muffin is high in sugar. Many lowfat products have more sugar than similar "normal" products to add more flavor satisfaction.

I know some consider muffins and pancakes S-day foods. Since I knew I would be keeping them as part of our regular weekday breakfast foods, I've been able to enjoy them as a successful NoSer by watching my portion. Pre-NoS, I would eat two or even three muffins with a cup of coffee. Now I eat the better balanced meal outlined above.

HTH,

[amelie]

Interesting topic. I think this was my problem on S Days, when initially they really did go wild. I'd start eating as soon as I got up and would permasnack or worse binge, all day, because after all it was allowed, right? My S days are much better now and I think it's because I wait to eat that first meal, and of course it tastes much better because I'm hungrier.

I've never had this problem with N days. I eat breakfast at 7, lunch at noon, and dinner around 6:30. I've learned how much is enough (took awhile) so I'm not ravenous between meals.

I really love this plan.

[vmelo]

To the OP, I hear you with not being able to get going with No-S. I don't know why because it's the simplest plan in the world, but I can't seem to stick with it.

However, with regard to your post, what I found so interesting while reading it was the similarity of your mods with a plan I was on in my twenties (about 15 years ago). When I was about 25, I wanted to lose some weight, but I couldn't afford Weight Watchers or a gym membership or really anything that disrupted my schedule. So, I decided I would eat three meals a day of reasonable portion size and only allow myself fruit snacks in-between meals. I also decided that I would not eat sweets except if I had them as a meal---e.g., a muffin for breakfast.

Well, using that homemade plan, I got down to the lowest weight of my entire adult life. The only exercise I got was from doing some lame Jane Fonda isometric moves and an occasional 20-minute jog.

I maintained my weight for more than a year, but I eventually regained, and now that I know about No-S, I realize that the reason I regained is that I RARELY allowed myself ANY sweet treats (outside of a meal treat), so one day I just went hog wild and it was all downhill from there. Even a breakfast muffin is not a substitute for a piece of chocolate cake after dinner.

So, that's my long way of saying that the plan that you're describing reminds me of my old plan, except for the inclusion of a couple of weekend treats. That No-S exception makes such a plan do-able. (Now, if I could only get myself to even do my old plan!). Good luck to you, and let us know how it goes.

[susieb]

Thanks all- the comments have been really very helpful and also reassuring!
So far, so good today- but it is only 6pm
I'll log in later on the daily check in. Good luck to all of you as well. This bulletin board is really great isn't it? Helps me to have a virtual team of likeminded people!
Best
SusieB