S-days as a vital escape valve

florafloraflora · Post by **florafloraflora** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 3:18 pm

I've been No-Sing for three months now, and my habits are solid. I think one key to my sucess, such as it is, is to do my best not to eat anything that I don't find delicious, whether it's an S-day or not. But I've learned that I REALLY rely on S-days as an escape valve. I don't go wild anymore the way I did at first, simply because I don't have the room to overeat that I used to when I was a permasnacker. I can have a small portion of something treat-y and be satisfied with that, and I rarely have more than three meals in an S-day.

But the feeling of controlling what I eat, the idea that, in theory, I can eat exactly what I want, as much of it as I want, when I want it, matters a lot to me. Last weekend I was at a convention, in a hotel with an overpriced restaurant and no other food options nearby. On both Friday and Saturday nights, I missed dinner and had to make do with desserts instead (I had planned for Friday's dessert buffet as an S-event, as this is a once-a-year event with friends--I made "dinner" out of crackers and Brie, then I got one slice of cake and couldn't even finish it). And it left me feeling really unsatisfied. I had trouble sticking to the plan after that over the last week of No-S'ing. I didn't have any actual failures, but I had a harder time and I probably ate more, and less healthily, than I otherwise would.

I'm worried because I'm in the same situation this weekend: staying at a hotel for a wedding, feeling like I don't have much control over what I'll be eating and when. So far I've eaten a modest breakfast and haven't had any snacks, but I'm waiting for the feelings of resentment and deprivation that tend to make me want to pig out on something unhealthy that I may or may not even enjoy, or feel satisfied by.

Does anybody else feel this way about S-days? Any advice or words of wisdom?

cvmom · Post by **cvmom** » Sat Apr 28, 2007 5:08 pm

Florafloraflora (I love your name!)

It can be a bit weird to be out of your comfort zone when you are traveling and at the mercy of other people's schedules. My advice to you is to remember that it is Saturday and tommorrow is Sunday. You are already absolved of any screw ups! These days are a Free Pass. Enjoy them.

Maybe you are worried about wasting them because you are not home and don't have your normal S day creature comforts nearby. Could that be it? Maybe you don't like wedding cake. (I don't like cake at all- but I have a different feeling about ice cream altogether!) If you are waiting for feelings of resentment and deprivation, could this be the reason? I don't know. I wish I could offer you better advice. I do know that some of my meals are just plain "lame" sometimes. But that's okay. It's just a meal.

The other thing is that I kind of like it when I have activites on S days because I don't feel out of control. I know that whatever meal curve balls are thrown at me then I can adapt. I find the N day outings are a lot more complicated because I have to plot and plan and virtual plate. (God forbit I miss a meal! LOL)

I hope this helps...Dru

florafloraflora · Post by **florafloraflora** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 2:21 pm

Thanks, cvmom. In the end it went fine. Lunch at the reception was fabulous, and just enough food. Then I had one piece of really tasty wedding cake (it's a shock, I know, but there is such a thing), and then the newlyweds took us on a nice brisk hike (how adorable is that? they are really fitness-minded nature types). I didn't feel deprived at all. Then for dinner my sweetie and I went out to a steakhouse and split an appetizer, steak, and baked potato, then we each had dessert. It worked perfectly. On Sunday I actually ate a bit more after getting home, but I still didn't gain any weight over the weekend! I love No-S.