Hello, I'm Back...AGAIN...for Good

[losingforgood]

Hello everyone. I've been away for a couple of years after the first time around. I think the first time, I was in such diet confusion, I wasn't ready for No S, even though it seemed like the most sane way to eat. I've been weight training for a few years now, and have talked to different people (personal trainers and people who just love to weight train), and have received so much conflicting advice on diet and nutrition. Now, I do the weight training because it corrected alot of physical problems I was having after an injury. At least, that's how I started. Now I just love the activity. I do my own program that I developed for myself, that allows me to progress safely and at my own body's pace. That said, the one thing that all trainers have said, is that no matter what exercise you do, losing the fat so that people can SEE the results of your hard work, is at least 80% dependant on diet. Sounds simple enough, until you find that every "expert" has their own idea of what that diet should look like, and it usually requires so much time and energy spent in finding the right foods, preparing them, eating all day long, carrying around coolers and gallon-sized water jugs, spending half of one of your days off just cooking up planned meals, tracking your food, etc, etc, etc...and do I do high fat, low carb? High carb, low fat? High protein? Just count my calories? Go pure organic? Only one pre-planned splurge meal a week? What if a friend invites you over for dinner and he/she doesn't follow your diet and you already have your cheat meal planned? The list goes on and on....Oh, and NET calories...meaning, in short, the calories you burned during exercise that you're actually encouraged to eat back, in ADDITION to your recommended calorie level. I found myself jumping from one way of eating to another, and nothing was working. When I found No S, I was still in the mind set that particularly since I'm weight training, I need to eat every 2-3 hours. I was actually putting ON weight and feeling bloated and physically uncomfortable. Yet, I was finding it very difficult to refrain from snacking or reaching for seconds on my N days. So, I gave up entirely on trying to figure out the right way of eating for me. I just ate what I wanted when I wanted, and didn't eat when I didn't want to. Then came a snow storm just under a month ago, that left my area in a state of emergency and I was cooped up for a weekend. Something clicked for me that weekend. It was time to re-visit No S. I'm so glad that I did! Not only have I lost 7 lbs in 3 1/2 weeks (that's icing on the S cake LOL), but it's been a relief not obsessing over food every second of the day! I do NOT do the one plate. I do the one HELPING of each food in each meal. I like my soups and I like my salads and I like my salads in a bowl. Some meals, a soup or salad is enough. Some meals, the soup or salad is a side dish along with the main dish. The more active days, I allow myself 4 meals if needed. I do allow my S day to start Friday night, because my social eating can happen on a Friday night. Those are the only mods I allow myself. I don't feel like I'm in diet prison at all. I DO have to resist temptation at times, but it's not the struggle it once was. I find, too, that the more well-balanced my meals are, including the healthy fats, the more satisfied I am, and the less I crave the snacks and sweets. Anyway, I'm starting to ramble. I just want to say, it feels good to finally be on this side of dieting sanity! Thank you Reinhard, for creating a system that guides people back to simplicity!
Disclaimer: I do understand that I'm gaining weight in muscle, but there should still be a downward trend in weight if I'm losing fat...not to mention, clothes should feel looser.

[LoriLifts]

I remember you!
Welcome back!
I like lifting heavy things too....

[losingforgood]

Thank you Walkerlori. I remember you too! I hope all is well with you

[Merry]

Welcome back! It sounds like you're off to a great start! LOVE the simplicity of NoS!

[oolala53]

If a certain bodyfat can't be maintained with a sane, livable, moderate diet, IMHO, it can't be necessary or desirable. Welcome to your livable body!

[vmsurbat]

Welcome back! Yay to NoS sanity!

[clarinetgal]

Welcome back! I like to exercise and lift weights, also, so I can understand some of the issues you wrote about. Hooray for sane eating.

[reinhard]

Welcome back, losingforgood! I remember you very fondly.

Sounds like you're off to an excellent restart.

Reinhard

[losingforgood]

Thanks everone. I'm so happy to be back! Shout out to my weight training buddies as well . Reinhard, you are so kind and enouraging.