I'm curious how many people out there limit their S's in a conscious way on S days. Now, I know that the strived-for ideal is to have habit be so strong that I start forgetting that it's an S day and just carry over my N day habits. Oh, I'd love to get to that point...
but the truth is, almost 8 weeks into No-Sing, I still kind of live for S days (only two more days till I can have a peice of chocolate, only one more day and I can eat a mid morning snack...etc). And though I only sometimes consider my indulgences on S days "idiotic," they really do come close in the sense that they reflect my unhealthy relationship with food, and sugary foods in particular.
Anyway, I'm considering having my S days be 2-S days or something like that, a bit more ridged than a free-for-all. But then again, I think that there's something important about being natural two days a week, and hopefully seeing that slowly come more in line with a healthy style of eating than it has been in the past.
What do yáll think?
What do you do on S days?
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
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Kwag Myers
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:49 am
- Location: OKC
Well, this is only my second set of S-days, and I've already discovered they are far more difficult than I wanted them to be. Even though I said my mantra on these days was, "Don't be an Idiot!" I have not heeded it. Both weekends I have used my S days as official permission to stuff my face with all manner of junk that only ends up making me feel awful physically AND emotionally.
From what I've read of other people's experiences, they might have started out the No-S lifestyle similarly--going wild on their first hard earned S days. Then they eventually learn that over indulgence isn't all it's cracked up to be...and they settle down. But I have to tell you--I'm scared because I have been an out of control, compulsive eater since I was a little kid which means in over 40 YEARS I have not learned that lesson. It's like a switch in my rational brain gets flipped, and I become totally irrational to the point of being self destructive. I don't enjoy it while I'm doing it, but even more I abhor how I feel about myself after I've done it.
I can see how this philosophy is so great in theory--how you have built in days (not weeks or months or years...but days) to loosen up on the restrictions, so this strengthens your resolve to stay firm on the N days. However, in reality, I'm struggling. I'll even admit after I ate so much junk last night, I went to bed feeling like a beached whale and questioning whether this approach is going to work for me after all. I so much want to end my lifelong struggle with hating myself and using food to avoid feeling what I don't want to feel and not dealing with what seems too difficult. Heavy sigh.
I'm not giving up on No S or myself--I don't see any better option, ya know? I think I will have to tweak the S days so they'll still have enough structure because that provides the framework for my emotional security and sanity. It's not a good deal for me to eat constantly on the S days because I go w-a-y overboard and then (as a bulimic) have to really fight the urge to stick my finger down my throat which comes with its own set of problems. I guess what I'd like to have happen is to be able to eat a reasonable yet delectable treat...and then be satisfied knowing I'll be able to have another treat in my future.
From what I've read of other people's experiences, they might have started out the No-S lifestyle similarly--going wild on their first hard earned S days. Then they eventually learn that over indulgence isn't all it's cracked up to be...and they settle down. But I have to tell you--I'm scared because I have been an out of control, compulsive eater since I was a little kid which means in over 40 YEARS I have not learned that lesson. It's like a switch in my rational brain gets flipped, and I become totally irrational to the point of being self destructive. I don't enjoy it while I'm doing it, but even more I abhor how I feel about myself after I've done it.
I can see how this philosophy is so great in theory--how you have built in days (not weeks or months or years...but days) to loosen up on the restrictions, so this strengthens your resolve to stay firm on the N days. However, in reality, I'm struggling. I'll even admit after I ate so much junk last night, I went to bed feeling like a beached whale and questioning whether this approach is going to work for me after all. I so much want to end my lifelong struggle with hating myself and using food to avoid feeling what I don't want to feel and not dealing with what seems too difficult. Heavy sigh.
I'm not giving up on No S or myself--I don't see any better option, ya know? I think I will have to tweak the S days so they'll still have enough structure because that provides the framework for my emotional security and sanity. It's not a good deal for me to eat constantly on the S days because I go w-a-y overboard and then (as a bulimic) have to really fight the urge to stick my finger down my throat which comes with its own set of problems. I guess what I'd like to have happen is to be able to eat a reasonable yet delectable treat...and then be satisfied knowing I'll be able to have another treat in my future.
"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time." --James Taylor
My S days are fairly restrained:
Saturday:
2 pieces of toast with butter and marmalade.
Light lunch, which may just be a sweet bun, a piece of cake or soup and bread.
Evening:
A standard plateful of food
A sweet
+ some alcohol, half a bottle of wine, pre and post dinner drinks
Sunday:
Porridge with golden syrup
Lunch as Saturday
Evening as Saturday, but no alcohol.
An Nday is:
Cereal
Lunch:
Fruit, generally 4 satsumas and and apple
Evening:
A plateful of whatever is going.
So Sdays are pretty much like Ndays, but with some alcohol and sweets and generally no snacks. The sweets tend to be a special homemade something that I will look forward to. Saturday was an apricot pastry and today a tiramisu. Usually the thought of spoiling my appetite is enough to stop me snacking during the day.
Last night I did have some nuts later in the evening, before I would have probably eaten the whole tub. This time I managed to stop myself after 1/2 of them were eaten. I could have compulsively eat the lot, but I am glad that I didn't. I could still taste them the following morning so maybe i have learn't a lesson.
At the moment it is easy to keep my appetite in check. I have read that once you start burning fat you don't feel as hungry. That appears to be the case with me as I must be in that mode more or less permanently as I am losing 2.5 pounds a week.
Saturday:
2 pieces of toast with butter and marmalade.
Light lunch, which may just be a sweet bun, a piece of cake or soup and bread.
Evening:
A standard plateful of food
A sweet
+ some alcohol, half a bottle of wine, pre and post dinner drinks
Sunday:
Porridge with golden syrup
Lunch as Saturday
Evening as Saturday, but no alcohol.
An Nday is:
Cereal
Lunch:
Fruit, generally 4 satsumas and and apple
Evening:
A plateful of whatever is going.
So Sdays are pretty much like Ndays, but with some alcohol and sweets and generally no snacks. The sweets tend to be a special homemade something that I will look forward to. Saturday was an apricot pastry and today a tiramisu. Usually the thought of spoiling my appetite is enough to stop me snacking during the day.
Last night I did have some nuts later in the evening, before I would have probably eaten the whole tub. This time I managed to stop myself after 1/2 of them were eaten. I could have compulsively eat the lot, but I am glad that I didn't. I could still taste them the following morning so maybe i have learn't a lesson.
At the moment it is easy to keep my appetite in check. I have read that once you start burning fat you don't feel as hungry. That appears to be the case with me as I must be in that mode more or less permanently as I am losing 2.5 pounds a week.
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Jammin' Jan
- Posts: 2002
- Joined: Thu May 05, 2005 2:55 pm
- Location: The Village
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silverfish
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 12:17 am
- Location: Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Contact:
I go all out and be an idiot. For me, that was always the point, rather than trying to get N-day habits to carry over. I'd often feel ill at the end of the weekend, but never guilty.
Physical discomfort can be a much more effective teacher than guilt!
18 months on I am more dignified on weekends, but I rarely try to deliberately limit what I eat. I have a lower tolerance for sugar now, and an appreciation for quality. I eat less (usually) because I know I am likely to end up with a sick headache or general misery, but I spend more money on what I do eat.
If I stay in the city, the S days probably seem fairly moderate, but when I visit my parents (every other weekend) Saturday usually starts with bacon, waffles and maple syrup, and progresses from there through morning tea, cheese-heavy lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, dessert, supper and general snacking throughout the day.
For all that, I'm a lot happier than I used to be with my relationship with food, I'm healthier and I get more compliments on my legs than I used to
I've also gone from a BMI of 35 to 26.8 - only 5kg away from my 'ideal' weight range, according to the scientists.
So I wouldn't fret too much - S days are good for you
Physical discomfort can be a much more effective teacher than guilt!
18 months on I am more dignified on weekends, but I rarely try to deliberately limit what I eat. I have a lower tolerance for sugar now, and an appreciation for quality. I eat less (usually) because I know I am likely to end up with a sick headache or general misery, but I spend more money on what I do eat.
If I stay in the city, the S days probably seem fairly moderate, but when I visit my parents (every other weekend) Saturday usually starts with bacon, waffles and maple syrup, and progresses from there through morning tea, cheese-heavy lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, dessert, supper and general snacking throughout the day.
For all that, I'm a lot happier than I used to be with my relationship with food, I'm healthier and I get more compliments on my legs than I used to
I've also gone from a BMI of 35 to 26.8 - only 5kg away from my 'ideal' weight range, according to the scientists.
So I wouldn't fret too much - S days are good for you
I started to respond to this several times and stopped. I realized that I don't really have a plan for "S" days except to be sensible. There have been a few weekend "S" days that were exactly like "N" days -- I didn't do a thing differently than "normal." It wasn't a plan; it was just the way it happened. There have also been a few "S" days that I did it all -- had seconds, snacked and had sweets (usually snacked on sweets). But there haven't been any days when I was truly an idiot and a glutton and miserable from having eaten so much.
"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do. Not that the nature of the thing itself has changed but our power to do it is increased." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
"You are what you eat -- so don't be Fast, Easy, Cheap or Fake."
I'm usually an idiot. Or pretty close. 
Not always, and I do think that it's getting better over time. Right now, I'm just being gentle with myself over it.
I see "babysteps" forward. I'm not an idiot on ALL S days, and my idiocy doesn't approach previous levels. When I am a complete idiot, I am happy and relieved when it's an N day again. It's not hard to move back into N day mode.
And while I'm losing weight slowly, I AM losing. (I'm about 5 lbs from my personal goal, but within healthy BMI range.)
Most importantly to me, my relationship with food is improving. I look forward to N day meals with pleasure. And even when I'm an idiot on S days, I'm not a guilt-ridden, miserable idiot.
Not always, and I do think that it's getting better over time. Right now, I'm just being gentle with myself over it.
I see "babysteps" forward. I'm not an idiot on ALL S days, and my idiocy doesn't approach previous levels. When I am a complete idiot, I am happy and relieved when it's an N day again. It's not hard to move back into N day mode.
And while I'm losing weight slowly, I AM losing. (I'm about 5 lbs from my personal goal, but within healthy BMI range.)
Most importantly to me, my relationship with food is improving. I look forward to N day meals with pleasure. And even when I'm an idiot on S days, I'm not a guilt-ridden, miserable idiot.
I'm with silverfish... I think there is a lot more worry about excessive S-days than is warranted.
Most people who agonize about S days have trouble getting the N days right -- that is what you should focus on. If you can't get the N days right, there is no way you're going to manage extra strict S days.
If you have that down perfect, and have given it a reasonable amount of time to take effect, and are still unsatisfied, then maybe worry about S days. I suspect that very few people will have to. If this is you, the "one s an s day" structure might be worth considering, but be careful about bringing it on too soon. Extra rules bring extra risk.
The one thing I do recommend up front is to actively reward yourself on S-days by getting something extra nice. This is the opposite of an extra restriction, and yet it will probably wind up making you eat less.
Best wishes, whatever you decide,
Reinhard
Most people who agonize about S days have trouble getting the N days right -- that is what you should focus on. If you can't get the N days right, there is no way you're going to manage extra strict S days.
If you have that down perfect, and have given it a reasonable amount of time to take effect, and are still unsatisfied, then maybe worry about S days. I suspect that very few people will have to. If this is you, the "one s an s day" structure might be worth considering, but be careful about bringing it on too soon. Extra rules bring extra risk.
The one thing I do recommend up front is to actively reward yourself on S-days by getting something extra nice. This is the opposite of an extra restriction, and yet it will probably wind up making you eat less.
Best wishes, whatever you decide,
Reinhard
My understanding is that you learn that lesson in this system, by having "normal"/No-S'y eating habits the majority of the time, and then re-trying the binge method. And that it takes timeKwag Myers wrote: From what I've read of other people's experiences, they might have started out the No-S lifestyle similarly--going wild on their first hard earned S days. Then they eventually learn that over indulgence isn't all it's cracked up to be...and they settle down. But I have to tell you--I'm scared because I have been an out of control, compulsive eater since I was a little kid which means in over 40 YEARS I have not learned that lesson.
My S-Days are way, way less horrifying now than they were when I started (May 06) and I know others have said similar things. Give it a boatload of time. Cut yourself some slack, and then take seconds of that slack without any guilt
Nulla palma sine pulvere.
'No garland of victory without first the dust of the arena.'
Sometimesians, unite!
'No garland of victory without first the dust of the arena.'
Sometimesians, unite!
Usually for me, it's a 1-1/2 " square piece of dark chocolate on Saturday, or maybe an oreo , and then a small piece of desert on Sunday.
If I goof up--like yesterday--I went to a family memorial service and ---argh! -- Pot luck.
So, I had a small brownie and a very small piece of my mom's custard pie for desert, and then no more sweets for the rest of the evening.
It was a little more than usual, but I don't beat myself up, cause it's rare.
, and then a small piece of desert on Sunday.If I goof up--like yesterday--I went to a family memorial service and ---argh! -- Pot luck.
So, I had a small brownie and a very small piece of my mom's custard pie for desert, and then no more sweets for the rest of the evening. It was a little more than usual, but I don't beat myself up, cause it's rare.
Cheryl
Starting weight--200 (gah!)
Currently--185
Goal weight--135, or wherever I end up
Starting weight--200 (gah!)
Currently--185
Goal weight--135, or wherever I end up
I don't place any limits on my S days. That's the deal and I feel ok with that. However, a pattern has emerged that I eat just a little off from N days on one of the days and more junk the other. But still not as much or as bad as I was before. I commonly still have some fruit or vegetable, which I never used to and usually 2 real meals in addition to some snacks and a breakfast of sweet stuff (like cookies or coffeecake with coffee). Not by any rules, it just seems to be happening that way.
Julie
Julie
MY FIRST S DAY
:)I prepared for this special weekend by having a special dessert from a famous bakery and woke up excited to have the treat for breakfast with coffee and my favorite music and enjoyed it as the snow falls here in Minnesota. This made the no s week worth it. What a reward and what is even better, no guilt. My husband and I can't quit smiling. Again thank you.
"There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us." Ralph Waldo Emerson
Like many others, I ate everything that wasn't nailed down on S days at first. I was relieved on Mondays to put it behind me... and I still slowly lost pounds. Now I am more restrained, not because I want to lose faster, but because after almost a year, I don't feel as if I am losing out if I don't eat every treat in sight. The snacks will still be around next week too.
What I like best about S days is that I think, "I can if I want to!" That's a nice feeling. Sometimes I eat lots of snacks, sometimes not... but if I want to, I can. I don't want to mess with a system that works.
-Monica-
What I like best about S days is that I think, "I can if I want to!" That's a nice feeling. Sometimes I eat lots of snacks, sometimes not... but if I want to, I can. I don't want to mess with a system that works.
-Monica-