Everyday Systems

Okay, this took years, but you might as well benefit:

No Seconds was the "S" that was the hardest, okay, impossiblest, for me. I've been pretty much No S for several years now and it has been a fantastic way to clear my mind of food clutter by focusing decisions down to three per day. (Fourth S? No "Stupid thinking about what you're going to eat or shouldn't eat in the next hour diet")

However, one of the "s"es gave me problems. I often struggled with seconds at dinner. I always knew I didn't eat mindfully, though I tried. Anyway, long story short, I got into meditation, and a couple months later finally sat down to a mindful eating meditation, and now I am enjoying my one plate (not just slowing down, but actually enjoying) and I am not nearly as interested in seconds. It's made me aware of what feelings, thoughts, memories, habits all drive me to hurry up. Eating fast and with my mind elsewhere has caused me to "miss" enjoying the meal I thought I was enjoying so much. So bonus -- in a way it's like I'm eating more. Really.

I would like to encourage everyone on here to stick with it. If you simply must go on some other diet, pair it with No S.

finallyfull wrote: If you simply must go on some other diet, pair it with No S.

Great advice!!
I'm glad things are going well for you!

No seconds is the hardest for me too.

I get up from the table as soon as I am finished eating and I have a coffee to finish every meal.

I find some meals (roast vegetables) harder than others, so I try to have them on s days.

I'm glad you found your strategy. I am still battling on

finallyfull wrote:

Okay, this took years, but you might as well benefit:

No Seconds was the "S" that was the hardest, okay, impossiblest, for me. I've been pretty much No S for several years now and it has been a fantastic way to clear my mind of food clutter by focusing decisions down to three per day. (Fourth S? No "Stupid thinking about what you're going to eat or shouldn't eat in the next hour diet")

However, one of the "s"es gave me problems. I often struggled with seconds at dinner. I always knew I didn't eat mindfully, though I tried. Anyway, long story short, I got into meditation, and a couple months later finally sat down to a mindful eating meditation, and now I am enjoying my one plate (not just slowing down, but actually enjoying) and I am not nearly as interested in seconds. It's made me aware of what feelings, thoughts, memories, habits all drive me to hurry up. Eating fast and with my mind elsewhere has caused me to "miss" enjoying the meal I thought I was enjoying so much. So bonus -- in a way it's like I'm eating more. Really.

I would like to encourage everyone on here to stick with it. If you simply must go on some other diet, pair it with No S.

I love this! I've already combined No S with my lifelong vegetarian/vegan eating, and just this past week I started being mindful during meals. It comes in the "shape" of chewing every bite thoroughly and stopping when full. This slows me down, and I relish the flavor and mouth feel of every bite. My biggest plus is that the between meal appetite surges are pretty much gone. I get feeling hungry by right before meal time, and stay feeling full all the way through. LOVE it!

Taking time for meals is another practice of slim cultures. If there's one thing that doesn't work in staying moderate, it's "grabbing" food.

Better late than never.

I just finished my first week, and this is the one I gave myself some room on-- it has been challenge enough to cut out snacking. I'm a nurse in a school setting where I work with diabetic kids, which has made me very aware of how insulin has to be regulated to match food. I've always thought that part of the reason French people are slim is that they eat (or ate, when I was on exchange there) three meals at regular times, so their bodies knew when and how much insulin to release. They didn't have insulin floating around looking for something to do

Starting my second week-- I'm going to focus on preparing the plate before I sit down with it.

I do find myself looking for other people to eat my meals with me. If I have to eat alone (which I never minded before) I'm a little disappointed The social aspect helps me slow down and enjoy.

Perfectly appropriate to ease your way into the S's.

The French have a lot of slim habits, and not snacking (for adults) is one of them. The more I learn about the insulin issue, the more it gives me the willies to see so many people at risk being told to eat often or thinking themselves that not eating will automatically lead them to eat more later. They have never been able to experience the difference after the adaptation has become more solid. However, reducing calories overall can have beneficial effects, too. I think it's just trickier to reduce them when eating often if you're not willing to track because your body won't do it for you.

And I've seen some of the anti-diet, anti-body-shaming community glorify the practice of eating pretty much all day long of whatever their body "wants." I, too, am anti-diet, anti-body shaming, but the case for eating reduced calories overall and at fewer events is just too great.