encouragement

lilguysmama · Post by **lilguysmama** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 11:45 pm

Ok, I haven't been doing very good with my no s diet. I want and plan on starting in the morning again. I need as much encouragement that i can get. I do have a really hard time, with having a toddler at home that i usually give him an afternoon snack. And lately I have only been drinking soda.
Any encouragement would be appreciated. Thanks.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:07 am

You can do this!

This site is FULL of inspiration. Refer to the podcasts, read testimonials, stickies, etc. Something will "speak" to you.

You've identified one problem... An afternoon snack for a toddler is reasonable, but you don't need one too. Can you think of something "legal" that you can have at the same time? Maybe seltzer or milk or hot tea?

Best wishes!

sophiasapientia · Post by **sophiasapientia** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 1:10 am

Hi Lilguysmama -- Welcome back!

It can be tough when our kiddo(s) are snacking, especially when we are home with them all day. It helped me to have a gameplan when I stopped snacking. I'd often sit down with a drink -- cup of tea or coffee, water, whatever -- when my DD was snacking. Eventually it got to the point where, in word and in practice, snacking is/was just not something I do. I thought: "I'm not a little kid. I don't need a snack." I find that being strict in this regard really helps to develop the habit and help it to take root.

As for diet soda, I've struggled with that one as well. Recently I've been making unsweetened ice tea and drinking that in lieu of diet soda. I sometimes will have it when I'm out but I don't drink it at home.

Anyway, you can so do this!!!!!!

DaveMc · Post by **DaveMc** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 11:58 am

I'm happy to offer generic encouragement ("Go! Go! Yay, you!"), but we might be able to provide more specifically helpful comments if you could tell us a bit more about what you're finding difficult. Is snacking at the same time as your toddler the main problem, or are there other things that are difficult?

If snacking with your child is the main problem, maybe consider making that snack into an official "mini-meal", at first. I always think that the main thing to get under control, first, is *random* eating, so if you make that snack into a planned event, at least you won't be just eating whenever the whim strikes you. Later, you may find that the planned eating of three meals will be enough, and you might be able to drop the snack at that point. One nice thing about NoS is that you can approach it as gradually as you like.

And yes, you can do this! Hang in there ...

lilguysmama · Post by **lilguysmama** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:41 am

I didn't realize I could add another mini meal to my day. I may have to do that for a while, eat some fruit (which I love so does my boy). I have signs of low blood sugar (runs on my mama's side) so maybe it would be better to get that snack in the afternoon.

I have trouble snacking a lot through out the day. Which isn't the best thing to do. Guess you could say that I'm a grazer.

Snacking is my week spot. I can go without sweets, no seconds isn't a problem and I could change to diet soda if I have to have a soda (which I cut way down on),.

Thanks everyone for you encouragement. Any other help or hints on being successful with this would be appreciated.

lilguysmama · Post by **lilguysmama** » Tue Jul 20, 2010 2:42 am

I didn't realize I could add another mini meal to my day. I may have to do that for a while, eat some fruit (which I love so does my boy). I have signs of low blood sugar (runs on my mama's side) so maybe it would be better to get that snack in the afternoon.

I have trouble snacking a lot through out the day. Which isn't the best thing to do. Guess you could say that I'm a grazer.

Snacking is my week spot. I can go without sweets, no seconds isn't a problem and I could change to diet soda if I have to have a soda (which I cut way down on),.

Thanks everyone for you encouragement. Any other help or hints on being successful with this would be appreciated.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Jul 21, 2010 12:10 am

Be sure you have good meals. Have at least one portion of something you consider really delicious at each meal, and make sure you slow down, chew more than you usually would, pay attention to the changing texture and flavor as you do, and really acknowledge that you have had a meal when you are done. I find that having something like a biscuit with butter, or half a tortilla with about an ounce of cheese as part of my meal can make be feel as if I'm living it up. Plus, for about an hour or even two after a meal, I check in with my stomach and see that I am content. That is what helps me not to snack.

Ditto on having tea or coffee. Or even water with lemon.

July2010 · Post by **July2010** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:59 pm

My son is 6 and he snacks all through the day. Anyhow, I just tell myself no. It's that simple. I know I can only have my 3 meals a day and I fix his snack and walk away after and go do something else and just wait for my next meal. And I know the weekend isn't too far away and focus on what I plan to have on the weekday, than what I want right now. Gives you something to look forward to. If you haven't read the No S diet book I recommend you do. And don't be afraid to write in it make it your own. That is what's helped me alot.

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 7:58 pm

lilguysmama wrote: Snacking is my week spot. I can go without sweets, no seconds isn't a problem and I could change to diet soda if I have to have a soda (which I cut way down on),.

Thanks everyone for you encouragement. Any other help or hints on being successful with this would be appreciated.

There are two approaches to cutting snacking... which I would describe as "cold turkey" and "weaning."

In the cold turkey approach, you just hold out until your body adjusts.

In the weaning approach, you look at what you're doing now, and focus on cutting "the easy snacks" first - like weaning a baby. Maybe you don't mind giving up morning snacks, but the afternoon one feels critical. So, drop the morning one first. Once that's solidly in place, attack the PM one. Perhaps start by limiting the PM one to a set menu of options, and then only if you NEED it... gradually phase it out too.

In both approaches, pay attention to what you're eating at meals, and how well that sustains you. And I recommend the "strictness" podcast to help you focus on habit.

Good luck!

July2010 · Post by **July2010** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 8:16 pm

For me I went cold turkey. Just decided to start one morning and once I got through the first day, I knew I could do it. Had I did the gradual way I may of never given up snacking. But, that's what worked for me. Everyone if different.