Everyday Systems

What I'm about to talk about may have already been mentioned, but in case it hasn't, or for the benefit of those who haven't considered it...

I've been thinking a bit about the diet Reinhard has created and I think it's really ideal for me in a lot of different ways. The simplicity, the philosophy, and the freedom. But I thought maybe there was one thing missing from it, for me personally.

You see, an idea that resonates with me in a big way is counterbalances and leveraging. Not in a physical sense, but in an attitudinal way. And I use these concepts in a lot of my own personal "everyday systems."

For example, here's one that I'll call "Art for Art's Sake." And the idea is this: A lot of my emotional and financial well-being comes from me putting time into some creative endeavors, but I can be incredibly unmotivated to do these things and I'd be happy to watch some tv or see a movie or whatever. So in a day that I should spend writing, say, I might actually only spend 90 minutes working and 10 hours procrastinating. So now I barter with myself. If there's an hour-long show I want to watch, I make myself work for an hour before I let myself watch it. If there's a two-hour movie I'd like to see, I have to put in two-hours of work on whatever project is most pressing. Or at the very least I have to sit in front of that project and think about it for two hours even if I can't decide exactly what I need to do with it. Now my ration of entertainment to work is closer to 50:50 rather than the 90:10 that it used to be. You could, of course, do this with any two things that consume time, one of which you enjoy and one of which you're not motivated to do. If you like to work on cars but you feel you don't spend enough time with your children then make it a rule that instead of spending 4 hours a night in the garage, you can only spend as long in there as you spend with your children earlier in the evening.

Anyway, that's the type of thing I'm talking about when I talk about leveraging and counterbalances.

One of the balances in the No S diet that works great for me is that any hunger pains or desires I'm faced with during the week can be balanced against my knowledge that I'll be able to indulge in whatever I want once the weekend rolls around.

But that brings me to the counterbalance that was missing for me in the No S diet. And that is that it's not difficult to over-indulge on an S-day. How do I keep myself from over-indulging? I could create some rules in regards to S-days. But if you go that way, then you're ruining the counterbalance that gets you through the week (that you're free to do what you want on the weekend). And as far as I'm concerned, the fewer rules that exist, the better.

So here’s what I’ve come up with and I think it’s going to work well for me and may work well for others too. It’s a very simple idea:

Weigh yourself only once a week, and that one time should be on Saturday morning.

The idea, you see, is that you’ve just spent 5 days curbing your impulses, walking, swinging your sledgehammer and that Saturday morning, right before two days of indulgence, you look at the scale and see progress.

Now, there's still no rule saying you can't eat whatever the hell you want all weekend, but if I see that I've lost X number of pounds, my first thought isn't going to be, "Let's shove my face with anything I can get my hands on." My thought is going to be, "This is great. Let's preserve as much of this loss as we can. So I'll only indulge in things that I really want."

That's all. It's just a simple idea that works for me and it may work for others as well, if you're mind works like mine does.

Dear Spiral!
I love your idea about bartering with yourself... You have created your own everyday system! I'm glad it works for you and I plan on using it as well... I'll let you know how it goes..
However, I think it's really important to not put any restrictions on S days, and I don't think it would be helpful to base S day choices on weight loss/progress....
Don't get me wrong, I really agree with your idea that you shouldn't necessarily "undo" your good work during the week with a free-for-all, out of control binge.... But I don't believe that S days are really supposed to work that way.... We all know that if we decide to eat a bucket of KFC and polish that off with a gallon of double mocha fudge, that we won't be doing ourselves any great favors.... Do what you wish, but I think the freedom of choice shouldn't be tampered with regarding S days....
Most people, if they really care about themselves, will, hopefully, practice a modicum of common sense and restraint automatically...
Believe in yourself and just remember all your good work during the week.
Hopefully that alone will help you to have a decent S weekend.... If you get on the scale and don't lose weight, one week, or maybe for a month, why beat yourself up if you really know you tried... Just keep trying and stay away from self punishments based on weight loss... Focus on developing your new habits, as, obviously, you already have!
Before NoS, it was common for me to go nuts eating double and even triple portions, sweets weren't my main problem, just overeating....
I'd go to a buffet and have three full plates of everything, and then blammo, I'd be up 4 or 5 lbs within a day or two.... Now, after being with NoS since last Sept, the absolute most I can ever expect to go up, even on a bad week, is maybe one or 2 pounds, and then it usually drops off very fast too... This is usually around the time of my period, and it's temporary... I went down from about a 40 or 41 inch waist to a 37 since I joined... If it takes a little longer, it's still worth it since NoS is a mainstay for my SANITY!
Anyway, having an S day, doesn't mean to be foolish or oblivious....
Enjoy your treats and make them something you really are looking forward to, not just with, as you put it "Let's shove my face with anything I can get my hands on..."
Your S choice is and should be and informed and conscious choice, not a binge, but I still feel it should not be contingent on your progress in terms of pounds.... I would suggest making a mental plan before the weekend rolls around and just stick to your planned treat!
You will do GREAT!!!!!!!
Love,
Deb

Deb, I agree that there should be no rules placed on S-days. I don't think I made myself clear, my S-day choices are in no way incumbent on how much weight I lost during the week. I just use weighing myself on Saturday as positive reinforcement to balance my natural gluttony. For me, weighing myself and seeing the progress I made (whether that week or overall) will just be a Saturday reminder of what I'm working towards so the indulgences I'm making over the weekend are ones that I'm really excited about. Not just eating a lot for the sake of eating a lot, you know?

Cool!
Deb

Great idea, spiral. I actually do my weight check on Tuesday morning since knowing that it's coming up kind of keeps me in line on the weekend ... I don't want to "undo" all my hard work from the week. I suppose different people have different motivators, and your concept can be adjusted accordingly.

Fellows, there may be something to the day we weigh. I weighed myself Sunday, thought, gee, this is the magic diet I've been looking for, LOL,and proceeded to enjoy the day, thereby losing the ground I'd gained or lost on Friday. Maybe if I make MOnday my weigh day, i'll stay in check for the weekend.

Here is the solution for those of you who need the encouragement of good numbers and the looming discipline of potentially bad ones: weigh Saturday Morning *and* Monday morning. There's balance for you! Disclaimer: I don't weigh myself regularly and don't have any particular issues with this, though if I did, I probably would. Great thread, spiralstares. Thanks for starting it up.

Reinhard you are a pisser!!!!
Love,
Deb

That's interesting - I have normally "Counted" weigh-ins on Saturday morning (and used them to curtail weekend endulgences) and again on Monday to assess the damage. (And I am slowly considering starting this program.)

Note to others, especially if you are using the shovelglove - don't just weigh, measure. Men especially. Muscle can cause an increase in weight, and loss of fat will balance it and you'll get null numbers (i.e. slow or no actual weightloss). Men tend to put on muscle faster than women because of higher testosterone levels. So do note measurements as well as weight.

Fawn

I have been following the Leptin Diet and like this better. The only thing I think may be disastrous for me, is on week ends and special days not adhering to the 3 meals. If I attach my sweets and less than stellar choices to a meal, as opposed to snacking, I think that would keep me from going bezerk. I like the idea of staying within the 3 meal confine, but just bringing in the cheesecake and Krispy Kremes for dessert.

Am I asking for trouble tweaking this? I know the No S Diet police won't come to my door, but I just wonder if this falls in the category of overthinking it, or if it is a question of knowing myself and what I need to tweak for success.

I'm so glad I found this place!

peetie

Being more severe with yourself than required is rarely a bad thing, unless it makes you resent the plan.

Frankly, on most S days I eat only a little more than I would on non-S days. Maybe an extra helping of something, or a beer after dinner. You don't have to go nuts. In fact, for the first three weeks, I'd look at every little concession on an S day as a huge treat and try hard not to go nuts.

You'll be suprised how little extra you'll really want.

Oh, and have reasonable goals. You might lose a lot the first two weeks, but if you can keep up a half pound or a pound a week of weight loss, you're doing great.

I really love your idea that on s days you just add a little more to the 3 meal plan. I think I am going to encorporate this into my plan and see how it works for me.

Once of my first Sday was a spent at a friends house playing a game for about 4-5 hours. We loaded up on sugar and snacks all day. Even though I probably ate about half of what I have in the past, it was all junk and I spent the better part of the next few days feeling physically sick because of it. My resolution? don't got Ape S**t on Sdays

Its been almost a month now and I've found my cravings are a lot less and amazingly I eat a lot less. I've fallen into automatic portion control where I take half of my large dinner meal (that still fits on a plate with no vertical stacking) for my lunch the next day. I don't feel deprived at all. I still have my slips up with a piece of candy here or an ice cream there during non s days, but it doesn't send me into a gorging frenzy. That's amazing progress for me.

Thanks for the encouragement! Years ago I tried The Fats Goldberg plan, and he advocated watching your diet for 6 days and then having whatever you want on the second (and then allowing two spaced days down the line). Well, I went bananas on the days off, so that is why I thought if I kept things within the confines of the 3 meals, that would make the difference for me.

Thanks for the encouragement, Murphysraven and Kevin.

peetie

[oops, I made this post in the wrong thread]

Fawn, I'll answer your question in the other thread ("No S Diet - My Thoughts").

In what way is it more of a matter of physics than chemistry?

I don't know about the low-carb thing either. I lost quite a bit of weight on it, kept it off for years and didn't gain anything back until I started stuffing high-carb crap in my face again, and even then I had to do it for over a year. Only the weariness of having eaten like "a freak" for seven years and the psychological inability to put myself again in the state I need to be in to eat like "a freak" keeps me from returning to it.

So, please 'splain the "physics" concept.

Fawn