Everyday Systems

When I first discovered No S the other day in an internet search, my immediate question was how to put wet foods- Salad, Soup, Sereal, juiSe & caloric drinks on one plate. Also, salad is a lo cal volumne food, so why should it only take up only a fraction of the plate when a whole plate of lettuce is a good for you filler. The sites were down so I couldn't ask and was left to solve it myself. I therefore started to put separate cups or bowls on my one plate, as in vertical stacking.

That works for separating types, and makes you ESTIMATE a plate's worth (which isn't a bad thing either), but also makes me feel like I'm getting off the No S track already. Am I?

That then led me to remember an old Overeaters Anonymous suggestion of "3-0-1": "3 moderate meals, with nothing in between, 1 day at a time" which is really what we're doing or aiming for as our food plan. It's all sort of mind game limits that we're trying to impose on ourselves, and there's nothing like throw in the towel, mental diet confusion to invite me to binge. But if I make up all the rules, then I can change and break them just as freely, and soon I'll be back to fighting it all alone again. I bet if Reinhard didn't follow up his great simple plan by inviting others to join him, he may not still be doing it either, or at least as well.

One other point, I find that it's mainly the No Snacks that curtails most of my overeating. That is the most difficult. That was how I got through everything, except slimness. Now I feel like I can claim "fasting" between meals! It sure feels like it anyway, and I've always wanted to fast for spiritual reasons.

Could you fellow No S ers give me some feedback on these points, especially how you work combining all foods on one plate, or do you?
Thanks so much.
PS
I am adding to this post that I really appreciate the people who have taken the time to answer my apparently dumb question. You were all helpful! Thanks again.

I'm new here too, just joined and was reading your questions. Here's my feedback, for what it's worth..

Soup and salad, with maybe a roll on the side? This seems like what would be considered a "normal" meal to me. Adding a green salad to any meal, how could that possibly be a bad thing? I don't think you need to worry that you are making things up as you go along. Obsession is NOT what this program is supposed to be about (is it?)

The snacking is the big thing, IMO. In reading the No S introduction, there's mention of other cultures that just don't have snacking included in their lifestyles. Those cultures are "normal", our culture of food, food, and more food, is not. It sounds as if you are a seasoned dieter, know how you feel because I'm one too. I really believe that if we can get working on establishing this WOE as a habit, we can have success together!
Here's to good luck to both of us!

I count soups and salads as part of the meal. If they're on an extra plate or in an extra bowl, so be it.

Unless you use tons of dressing (and croutons, cheese and so on), salad is a healthy, nutritious, low calorie addition to a meal. I prefer it on an extra plate. In addition, eating a salad before or with my meal may prevent me from eating more of the higher calorie stuff.

Broth-based vegetable or vegetable/bean soups are a good, low-calorie nutritious addition, too.

I started the No-S just reading the "14-word" description, and totally missed the one-plate rule to start. So, I would take what I thought was a reasonable portion for a meal (maybe a little on the high side, at first, to allay my panic over "this is it") and just not take seconds.

I lost weight doing that. Just cutting out the snacks was a HUGE step forward.

When I did read the one-plate rule, I implemented it in a "virtual" way - I do have a good sense of portion size from prior experience with WW.

Think about what makes sense for you. I hardly use dressing on my salad, and when I do, it's a naturally low-fat kind (Annie's low-fat gingerly vinagrette is my fave). So, it's okay to me if a salad overflows my virtual plate a little. Not so for other things.

One trick I learned is to mentally divide up your plate: 1/2 veggies/fruits (not the starchy ones), 1/4 lean protein, 1/4 complex carbs. So, I do that most days.... but that's not No-S, that's other stuff that I know works for me.

Find what works for you, and just be honest with yourself.

I found that for me over thinking No S was what led to my downfall. I would obsess about everything so much that I ended up making it unnecessarily complicated.

I have now started (again) and this time all I am focusing on is the 3 rules and for me the No Sweets (sugar) has to stay in place for the weekends (I have Type 2 Diabetes) - but I have found lots of substitutes for treats over the weekends.

It took my brain a while to adjust to the ease of No S, but it is so much better than having to evaluate each and every item on your plate.

Keep it simple and stick to 3 meals a day, follow the 3 rules and you will see results.