Separate Problems

[NoelFigart]

I was re-reading Reinhard's book this morning when I ran across something that struck me, especially in light of a lot of discussion we see on this board.

Well, we're at the last chapter of the book already, and I've barely mentioned several topics that make up the bulk of most other diet books: nutrition, specific kinds of foods, and--above all--recipes. Why have I neglected these? Not because they aren't interesting or important, but because they are separate issues.

Sometimes there's a discussion about taking a habit at a time. Work on No-S until it's solid, THEN worry about exercise, THEN worry about some other habit you want to address.

I think this concept probably needs to apply to nutrition habits as well. Now I was a big believer in real food long before I ever heard of No-S. So when I started No-S I was only working on one habit, not two. I did NOT attempt to do No-S and try to eat uber-healthy all at once.

In fact, just like the gentle pressure on your eyes will reduce portions, I think that there will be a similar gentle pressure to start making your nutritional choices count in other ways, but I'm not sure that in starting No-S one should change ALL of one's food choices at once (barring snacks and sweets, mind).

Just a thought...

(BTW, if you're new to the diet and haven't read the book, go get a copy. The information won't be completely new to you, but it discusses things a lot more clearly that you're likely to get on the message board! Don't worry. It's a quick, entertaining read as well.)

[Over43]

I need to go back through and re-read this section. I loaned my book to someone at work so it will have to wait.

This idea is touched on toward the beginning of the book, and a bit humorously when the authors state: "You have no business worrying about anti-oxidants if you are 50 pounds over weight."

This idea of tackling one issue at a time is profound inour current culture as we are told everything needs to be fixed at once...

[coffee]

I haven't read the book yet, but I totally agree.

I need to start exercising. But I'm not doing that yet, because I'm working on No S. In the future, I will introduce exercise -- but if I do it now, I might fail at both.
I am embarrassed by the amount that I rely on processed vegan 'fake meat' products, now that I am tracking my food in my daily check in. I'm lazy, and they are easy. Eventually, I want to cut them down (I'm not worried about soy, so I don't care about the amount of soy in my diet, just the very processed stuff) -- but I need to get No S down first, so I'm not working on that yet.
Chips (fries) are my weakness. I should consider cutting them down. But I'm actually making oven chips as I type, and I'm not worried about it, because at least they're for my lunch and I haven't eaten since breakfast, and right now that's a win!

Though -- my nutrition DOES improve automatically on No S, because I tend to put together healthy meals (previous problems of processed foods and chips aside) -- I eat a lot of veg in my meals, and they're usually pretty macro nutrient balanced. My snacks are generally sugary, or fatty, or lacking in any kind of colour, or very processed. So, when more of my diet is meals and less is snack, I eat healthier automatically. YMMV, of course, but I wouldn't be surprised if other people notice a similar effect.