Well here goes, after some time lurking and thinking yeah this system is great, this is the one, this is what I have been looking for and this will solve all my problems, I have taken the plunge and become an official member.
So I did a week of NO S and can honestly say I thoroughly enjoyed my food, I felt so much more positive in general and was very happy with myself and for the first time in as long as I can possibly remember I ate without guilt and stopped criticising and picking fault with my body.
So why have a I fallen off the wagon and why cant I get back on???? I want to follow this plan, I want this to be the way I eat forever and ever but I cant seem to get myself back to that happy place in my head ïŒ why do I keep putting all these imaginary hurdles and what ifs in the way???
Any help, guidance, advice for getting me back on board and on my way to a healthy relationship with food and my body would be so appreciated xxx
New and in need of help
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
Re: New and in need of help
Why a person gets motivated to do something and then loses that motivation is beyond my understanding. The same thing happens to me.
What seems to help me was the following:
- purchase the No S Diet book. It is well written and provided the need kick to stay on this way of eating.
- Use Habit Cal for tracking your success days. I started adding in calendars for other habits I wanted to change.
- Listen to the Podcasts - he makes good points.
- Exercise - the shovelglove seems do-able, but I have an exercise class I go to and don't need to do that one.
- Urban Ranger - start walking.
This is a multi-faceted approach to changing your habits that helped me.
What seems to help me was the following:
- purchase the No S Diet book. It is well written and provided the need kick to stay on this way of eating.
- Use Habit Cal for tracking your success days. I started adding in calendars for other habits I wanted to change.
- Listen to the Podcasts - he makes good points.
- Exercise - the shovelglove seems do-able, but I have an exercise class I go to and don't need to do that one.
- Urban Ranger - start walking.
This is a multi-faceted approach to changing your habits that helped me.
When I started I had relatively large (for me!) evening meals, because the evening was my danger area, and I felt I was less likely to give in and snack if I had eaten a decent sized meal earlier in the evening. I also sometimes had some milk if I felt hungry - a cup of hot milk, or hot milk in decaff coffee, etc. It wasn't a great way to eat in terms of calories, but I was looking at trying to establish the long-term habit and it definitely helped. It meant I could have something satisfying without feeling I was going off the plan. When I felt I had the habit established, I reduced the portion sizes.
I don't know if you drink, but I find I have to be very careful with alcohol. I'm limiting alcohol to S days at the moment. I don't drink much, but there's the calories in the wine, and the fact that it makes me want to snack!
I liked to have quite strict times for eating. I find it easier to hold out if I know when my next meal will be, and I think you also get used to getting hungry at expected times. (Unfortunately, I'm not managing to do this at the moment!).
Good luck!
I don't know if you drink, but I find I have to be very careful with alcohol. I'm limiting alcohol to S days at the moment. I don't drink much, but there's the calories in the wine, and the fact that it makes me want to snack!
I liked to have quite strict times for eating. I find it easier to hold out if I know when my next meal will be, and I think you also get used to getting hungry at expected times. (Unfortunately, I'm not managing to do this at the moment!).
Good luck!
My advice would be to keep really simple: get back on board now, with your next meal. Then do that again with the next meal, and so on. If you slip up, get right back on board at the next meal and do that as many times as it takes. Don't spend too much energy wondering why you don't feel as excited and happy as you did that first week - good feelings and easy times will ebb and flow over the years, and can't always be explained. Enjoy the easy times when they come, work through the hard times when they come.
Try to set up some simple defaults and habits that make No S the EASIEST option. Basic stuff like not having sweets or snack foods in your house except on S days. Preparing parts or all of your meals in advance, so they are there and ready to eat when it is time. Stuff like that, so that when you are tired or your motivation is low, you'll just follow the path of least resistance.
Old habits won't give up all at once - they've had years to get ingrained in us. But eventually, new habits will take hold.
I read a great quote the other day, that really spoke to my No S experience. It said:
"Better to cultivate discipline than to rely on motivation. Motivation is fleeting and it's easy to rely on because it requires no concentrated effort to get. Motivation comes to you, and you don't have to chase after it.
Discipline is reliable. The question isn't how to keep you motivated. It's how to train yourself to work without it."
Try to set up some simple defaults and habits that make No S the EASIEST option. Basic stuff like not having sweets or snack foods in your house except on S days. Preparing parts or all of your meals in advance, so they are there and ready to eat when it is time. Stuff like that, so that when you are tired or your motivation is low, you'll just follow the path of least resistance.
Old habits won't give up all at once - they've had years to get ingrained in us. But eventually, new habits will take hold.
I read a great quote the other day, that really spoke to my No S experience. It said:
"Better to cultivate discipline than to rely on motivation. Motivation is fleeting and it's easy to rely on because it requires no concentrated effort to get. Motivation comes to you, and you don't have to chase after it.
Discipline is reliable. The question isn't how to keep you motivated. It's how to train yourself to work without it."
Great quote!ironchef wrote: "Better to cultivate discipline than to rely on motivation. Motivation is fleeting and it's easy to rely on because it requires no concentrated effort to get. Motivation comes to you, and you don't have to chase after it.
Discipline is reliable. The question isn't how to keep you motivated. It's how to train yourself to work without it."
It's actually typical for changes to happen in a nonlinear fashion. Just keep going!
Great advice re: motivation vs. discipline.
Here's a tactic I've used. In your mind, keep maximizing the benefits you've felt and vow to minimize (again, in your mind) the pleasure you get from the non-plan eating. It's been shown that overeaters often magnify how much pleasure they will get from the extra food and minimize the effect. Do the opposite purposely for awhile. I've actually written down the benefits and still sometimes reread them.
It's when we are feeling the urges that we have to step up. It's easy to be determined when we've had our fill.
A little mantra I often use when needed: just walk away! It can be literal or virtual.
Great advice re: motivation vs. discipline.
Here's a tactic I've used. In your mind, keep maximizing the benefits you've felt and vow to minimize (again, in your mind) the pleasure you get from the non-plan eating. It's been shown that overeaters often magnify how much pleasure they will get from the extra food and minimize the effect. Do the opposite purposely for awhile. I've actually written down the benefits and still sometimes reread them.
It's when we are feeling the urges that we have to step up. It's easy to be determined when we've had our fill.
A little mantra I often use when needed: just walk away! It can be literal or virtual.
Count plates, not calories. 11 years "during"
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23
There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)
Age 69
BMI Jan/10-30.8
1/12-26.8 3/13-24.9 +/- 8-lb. 3 yrs
9/17 22.8 (flux) 3/18 22.2
2 yrs flux 6/20 22
1/21-23
There is no S better than Vanilla No S (mods now as a senior citizen)