three x twenty-one = minus ten!

Rosemary · Post by **Rosemary** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:38 am

Almost at the end of my tenth week, and on target! And joyful, and wanting to thank all of you who check in here for inspiring me. After my first twenty-one days It was obvious I was losing just a pound a week - not fast enough for me until I realized that dropping a pound each week would mean that by the first week of the New Year I would be at my best, ever, weight. I’m quite ancient now (and my metabolism has slowed accordingly) but back in my forties I went to Weight Watchers and struggled down to 135lbs . I think I maintained it for a couple of weeks!

I’ve read many new “breakthrough” diet plans, and reading the maintenance chapters I would see no way that I could stick with the requirements, but somehow I thought miracles would happen once I lost the excess, and I could resume eating “normally.” Anybody else out there been on that same silly carousel?

I’ve come to realize that the No-S plan is actually the maintenance phase! And it suits me. And for the very first time I’m not struggling with food, or feeling guilty. I realize I haven’t the roadblocks that those in families probably have - I don’t furnish my fridge with temptation, and on the occasions that I have a yen for Tim Horton’s I order a twelve-grain bagel instead of a muffin, add a bit of protein when I get home, and call it one of my plates-du-jour!

Now, like mstevens, I need to work on getting up earlier! But that’s another chapter.

pangelsue · Post by **pangelsue** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:29 am

Welcome and congratulations, Rosemary. I don't know how old ancient is for you but I am 61 and have been staying here even though I too am struggling with a slow metabolism. You are a fresh breath of hope and inspiration for me. Thanks. You have made a difference for me today and I wish you the continued best. It sounds like you have found your rhythym.

czechens · Post by **czechens** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:02 am

At almost 64, I have NO metabolism, so, Rosemary, I am quite encouraged by your approach (consistency, appreciation of small but significant progress). I started the totally sensible NoS lifestyle a couple of months ago, quickly got the numbers on the scale moving left, then got overwhelmed at work, totally lost my discipline, and am now right back where I started. Your success inspires me to get back in the saddle. (Actually, out of the saddle. I badly need to add a fourth S--NO SOFA!)

MerryKat · Post by **MerryKat** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:48 pm

Rosemary thank you for your comment:

"No-S plan is actually the maintenance phase"

If I think like this it makes it much easier, because then I am doing what I will always be doing and not on diet as such.

Rosemary · Post by **Rosemary** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 3:08 am

It's so nice receiving a response! Panglesue you have been one of the folks who's journey I have been following these past ten weeks, and whos experiences have informed my own, and I thank you.

MerryKat and czechens - fellow pilgrims - I'm already past my "threescore years and ten" but still, and always will be, concerned with how I look to myself, and I'm so glad I found Reinhard's Way in time for it to add quality to my quantity!

On the exercise front - if I haven't been out and about any particular day I make a point of indoor ranging. I live in a two story building and am told that five complete circuits of both floors equals one mile and, as that also includes two flights of stairs at each end, I figure that counts for some urban mountaineering too! Not a lot of burning going on, which is probably why I'm not succeeding at a faster pace, but that's O.K.

Post by **reinhard** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:26 pm

Triple congratulations, Rosemary! Slow loss is the best kind. It rations the progress over a longer period of time, which helps keep you motivated, while gradually weaning you from needing a sense of progress, which is important, since (ideally) you're going to be spending most of your life just maintaining.

Reinhard

Rosemary · Post by **Rosemary** » Tue Nov 14, 2006 10:39 pm

I resurected this posting because I wanted to share some more good feelings! Today, as I was returning my empty coffee cup to the kitchen, I paused at the fridge and thought: "...now what shall I have this morning, Fabulous Fruit and Fibre?, Terrific Tortilla?, or Poached egg on Pumpernickel?" The point being I was enjoying thoughts of food instead of either feeling hopeless or guilty!

I'm now into week thirteen and still steadily loosing a pound a week; my checking system being to weigh myself first thing in the morning (I bought a new digital scales during my first week) then use the average of seven days as my actual weight (because some days I can fluctuate by more than a pound up or down). Now as I look back at my chart I see in black and white the inexorable demise of my fat cells!

I think, for me, it was finally being able to stop the evening perma-snacks that brought about this miracle, because it seems that I'm eating more than I used to. This happened without any great effort some time in week two.

I am so gratefull. I just wanted to pass on this lovely feeling.

Rosemary · Post by **Rosemary** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:18 am

I brought my own post back up because I want to retain the feeling of belonging to this valiant group in spite of not doing a daily check-in.

I'm still on this happy road; still on schedule with regard to my original intent - twenty pounds in twenty weeks - and now I'm at what I think is my basic setting. By that I mean that my intake almost balances what I use up, calorie-wise and I'm happy with the way I look, and at my age it's unrealistic to think I'm going to become more energetic than I am right now.

I still have three more weeks to go, and another three pounds to loose (just for fun) and then I'm going to hit the mall and buy some new clothes, that fit!

If I were to offer some advice to newcomers I think it would be this: be gentle with yourselves; tread this new path lightly; "Wear the world like a loose garment." Of course, it's taken me seven decades to learn to take my own advice!

Post by **reinhard** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 11:46 am

Rosemary,

Congratulations on your continued progress and thank you for letting us know!

It's amazing not just how well you've pulled this off, but how realistically you planned.

Best of luck (and fun!) with those last three pounds and looking forward to future resurrections of this thread,

Reinhard

kccc · Post by **kccc** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 5:40 pm

What a really inspiring post.

I did the same "I can lose but not maintain" routine after hitting the mid-life metabolic slowdown at the same time that I had a new baby. (Thus having both pregnancy weight to lose AND no time to exercise!) Managed to get most of it off with WW, but would gradually gain it back. TWICE.

The "slow but sure" route here is better. And I do have a different relationship with food, which I appreciate more and more.

It's so nice to see someone further down the same road - I feel like you're beckoning and saying "this way, come on!"

zoolina · Post by **zoolina** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 8:43 am

It's so great to hear from someone with real sucess!

I think that, for me, with this ultra slow weight loss (about a pound every three weeks!) it's been useful for me to actually chart the weight as well. Some days it's up, some days down, but if you ignore all the ups and downs the line does tend to go down.

Rosemary · Post by **Rosemary** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 4:08 pm

KCCC and Zoolina, it is nice to have traveling companions, isn't it? Reinhard the credit goes to you, of course, for illuminating the path in the first place, and planting the flowers - thank you.

deryck · Post by **deryck** » Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:28 pm

I had the evening permasnack problem. Sweets were not really a problem. I like them, but they were usually in moderation at the weekend.

I would say to myself just one will be OK but, I could never just stop at one though, once I got the first taste I couldn't stop myself having more and more until I was stuffed.

After a few days of opening cupboards looking and having an inner voice telling me 'no snacks' I have managed to stop the craving. I knew it easier not to have any rather than have some, I just found it difficult to make that decision.

Kwag Myers · Post by **Kwag Myers** » Wed Dec 20, 2006 2:06 pm

Rosemary, I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate your post(s). I admire your sense of calm as well as your gratitude. I think you're a beacon of hope for the rest of us who aren't as far along on the journey. Thank you.