An introduction & a confession

alisoncooks · Post by **alisoncooks** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 7:59 pm

I've been lurking here a few weeks, so I figure it's time to join the fun.

My intro: I'm Alison, 30 yr old SAHM to 2 girls (4 and 2 yo) and I have about 25 pounds --or 3 pants sizes-- to lose. I have already lost 20 thru just exercise, no dietary change, but I've found that that only goes so far, LOL. I've been stalled out for the past 8 (or so) months. Now to tackle the *real* problem!

My confession: I thought that No S would be a cake walk. After all, I don't snack, I don't eat many sweets, I rarely had seconds....um...or so I told myself.

Apparently I DO do those things and I didn't realize how much I was doing those things until they were on my radar!

I *know* I eat out of boredom (sorry to my 2 angels, but there are moments of cabin-fever as a SAHM) and I tend to be a bit of a binger/emotional (all types) eater. Oh, and I *lurve* to eat out (which doesn't help).

ANYWAY, I'm restarting NoS this week, after an epic fail last week (carbs are NOT my friends, darn bag of cinnamon mini-bagels!)

I also just got a Fitbit, so I'm trying to rack up some steps

(in addition to the workouts I already do). I just wanted to say "Hi" and that I'm excited to give this a go. I'm also really hoping this rubs off on my DH who is about 100# overweight and a big-time snacker/sweets-eater.

good enough · Post by **good enough** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 8:23 pm

Just wanted to say hi and welcome, I'm new too! Also have bingeing / emotional eating tendencies which I am trying to overcome. I think it might take us a while to get our heads round this and I wouldn't say you've had an 'epic fail' - you are still trying aren't you so you can't have failed?

Good luck to you in your journey!

scgal · Post by **scgal** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:12 pm

One of those mini cinnamon bagels with butter makes a great breakfast!!

alisoncooks · Post by **alisoncooks** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:16 pm

scgal wrote:One of those mini cinnamon bagels with butter makes a great breakfast!!

Ah, yes ONE of those. But not 5. Or the whole bag.

And thank you, Tofu Queen, for the welcome! And I agree, it'll take some time to wrap my brain around this...And yes, not a fail....just an EYE-OPENING moment!

wosnes · Post by **wosnes** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 9:41 pm

Doesn't matter whether or not you've failed. What matters is that you began again. Remember this (another piece of wisdom from an unknown source): No one has succeeded in a big way who hasn't failed --usually numerous times.

scgal · Post by **scgal** » Mon Oct 04, 2010 11:39 pm

I've actually learned to incorporate my favorite foods into this plan and I have either a mini bagel or 1/2 a regular sized one for breakfast, with butter, orange juice, and hot tea! Yum!

I use a saucer sized plate for breakfast and a luncheon sized one for my other meals.

I can remember being sick and eating those cinnamon bagels was all I wanted to eat!

Welcome!!

magrat · Post by **magrat** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 2:06 am

Hi! I'm a SAHM to a 3 year old and a 7 month old and I know how easy it is to snack, especially when you spend so much time preparing food for other people and you feel like you never have time to sit down and eat yourself. And my days are so exhausting a dessert can give me that extra bit of energy I need to keep going too. Maybe we can be diet-buddies - on some message boards I use the username sarahcooks, I only have 25 lbs to lose, and I'm also hoping to rub off on DH who has over 100lbs to lose, so it sounds like we have a lot in common!

alisoncooks · Post by **alisoncooks** » Tue Oct 05, 2010 7:34 pm

Thanks for all the comments/feedback

Magrat~ would you be interested in a shared check-in/support thread? We could use it to, well, check in and offer support, LOL.

I frequent an exercise forum (often) and we have several check-in threads for different interests/goals, etc. Perhaps we could have one here for Moms with young children? (or something)...

Let me know if interested!

magrat · Post by **magrat** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:39 am

I think a moms with young children thread would be great! I feel like walking pushing a double stroller with one child and 3 pumpkins and carrying a baby in a sling 5 blocks is better than 10 blocks alone! (That's what I did this evening). Plus - how not to eat the food left on your kids' plate, and how to make oatmeal cookies without trying one are challenges unique to us

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 4:42 pm

Just wanted to point out that one of the beauties of No S is that it gets you to see what you were doing with much greater clarity but without hitting you over the head with it. So many people don't really know what or how much they are eating. Enter the plate. Tada!

I was actually already very aware that I was snacking needlessly or eating emotionally, etc. No S finally gave me the structure to combat it. That and the fear that it would just get worse and worse, as it had. I'm still dealing with S days, but that is getting better, too.

Good luck, Mommies!

Post by **reinhard** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 8:42 pm

Welcome!

After all, I don't snack, I don't eat many sweets, I rarely had seconds....um...or so I told myself. Apparently I DO do those things and I didn't realize how much I was doing those things until they were on my radar!

The main virtue of no-s is precisely in putting these things on your radar. I think the reason these behaviors are such a problem for so many people is that they're so inconspicuous, they don't even notice they're doing them. If they did, they wouldn't do them. Sure it takes some willpower (and habit) but it's mostly just a matter of being aware. 90% of what no-s does is just waking you up.

Reinhard

alisoncooks · Post by **alisoncooks** » Wed Oct 06, 2010 9:45 pm

I've got the check-in up and going. Right now it's a party-of-one, LOL, but magrat, stop on over

levictoria · Post by **levictoria** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 1:07 am

Hi there! I'm new too, and I know what you are talking about. I never realized how much I snacked, seconded and sweeted (I know those aren't words) before doing this. Definite wake up call!

jellybeans01 · Post by **jellybeans01** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 4:32 pm

I was like you in thinking that this diet would be easy, I don't snack and eat emotionally etc. Well, boy was I wrong. Cutting out night eating is so hard, I realize I'm not hungry, it is just a destressing I think. I also realize I eat more than I thought I did. Hope this diet works for you.

marygrace · Post by **marygrace** » Fri Oct 08, 2010 5:06 pm

jellybeans01 wrote:I was like you in thinking that this diet would be easy, I don't snack and eat emotionally etc. Well, boy was I wrong. Cutting out night eating is so hard, I realize I'm not hungry, it is just a destressing I think. I also realize I eat more than I thought I did. Hope this diet works for you.

If you're used to snacking at night (I definitely was--it was the main thing that caused me to weigh more than I wanted to), breaking the habit can definitely be tough at first. Be sure to sit down to a satisfying dinner, and if possible, eat a little later in the evening (I know I'd be much more tempted to snack if I ate at 5 or 530 than at 7 or 730). Sometimes if I'm watching TV and just want something, I'll have herbal tea or some seltzer cut with a little fruit juice. After a while, you just get used to it, and eating after dinner seems strange. I've come to enjoy going to bed with my stomach feeling neutral (or even a little hungry) as opposed to full from snacking.