Clear Boundaries

No Snacks, no sweets, no seconds. Except on Days that start with S. Too simple for you? Simple is why it works. Look here for questions, introductions, support, success stories.

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blueskighs
Posts: 1787
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:11 am
Location: California

Clear Boundaries

Post by blueskighs » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:28 pm

I just wanted to share a really positive I experience I had this past Thursday morning as a result of the No S Diet.

I was up early and had gone to the gym. I needed to go by the UPS store on the way home to copy some papers for my evening class. When I got to the UPS store they were not open yet :cry: I couldn't believe it!

But rather then "filling time" with a honey stoked tea and muffin at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf across the parking lot ... I did some necessary grocery shopping and sat in my car and made an important phone call.

How was this different? Because of the very CLEAR BOUNDARIES of the No S Diet ... I had already eaten breakfast ... so foody and sweet drinky things were simpy not an option. It made it really easy to say No ... not the RIGHT TIME for the bean ... let's focus on something else.

I like that. The Clear Boundaries of the No S Diet are a blessing!

stevecooper
Posts: 124
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2006 2:56 pm

Post by stevecooper » Sat Mar 29, 2008 6:44 pm

nicely done, that noser!

(can we please, please make 'noser' the official word for a practitioner of the no-s diet? ;) )

cvmom
Posts: 639
Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 1:03 am
Location: California

Post by cvmom » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:10 am

Well done Blueski!!!!

Thanks for sharing your epiphany.

Isn't it wonderful that you don't have to fall into that trap? (I consider it a trap, because I had such a muffin/cookie/coffee habit.) Also, think of the money you save doing No S!

The Clear Boundaries of No S on a consistent basis are what add up to changes both physical and mental.

Yeah for You!!!

Jesseco
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:49 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by Jesseco » Sun Mar 30, 2008 2:02 pm

And if I don't allow myself to get so caught up on this website now (I'd better do Luddite), I will have more time to do housework and other things I keep procrastinating about, thanks to the diet's clear boundaries!

3aday
Posts: 452
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2005 2:04 am

Post by 3aday » Sun Mar 30, 2008 3:14 pm

I am so proud of you!
It is amazing how this lifestyle is when you just make a commitment that eating between meals or after dinner is not an option.
I started No S and it took me months and months to even get on track.
I started in 2006 and I did not create any boundaries at all. My posts back then are embarrassing!
Then, I became obsessed with diets again. I did everything. I started eating a vegetarian diet, then a vegan diet, then back to a low carb diet, then only organic eating, then trying to eat when you are hungry and stopping when you are full and you know what happenned? I didn't lose weight and was eating all the time and I was back to focusing on food, weight, and diets.
Finally, one day, I said to myself...eating in between meals is not an option. You can train your hunger. You really can.
My manifesto: Eating more than one plate of food is not an option. Soda and juice during the week is not an option. Dessert Monday through Friday....not an option.
I started eating 3 adult meals a day and that's it. I didn't use little plates, I didn't count my bites (which I have done), I didn't eat a fistful of food. I ate a normal size plate of food.
After I did the first month, there was no willpower involved. Just habit.
I have peace with food. I have peace with my body being able to heal itself slowly. I have also incorporated the power of habit into other areas of my life.
Please realize, this works. Don't be discouraged if you don't lose weight right away. If you have been on diets for years or decades...it can take a long time to start losing but once you start, it will be gradual and consistent.
Developing the habit of eating 3 meals a day without snacking does great things for your mind, your self esteem, and your confidence. It is truly amazing. The day will come when you start having to buy smaller clothes and your body will adjust to the weight it wants to be.
I posted this because it is my wish that you go full force in the beginning.
Don't waste months and months like I did and put extra unnecessary rules like I did (weighing, measuring, focusing on what I could and couldn't eat).
You deserve much more than dieting insanity and madness and your body and state of mind will thank you for it.
Also, for a few months I had some unbelievable S days. But, the habits you develop during your N days really do carry over to your S days.
Now, I stick to 3 meals on the weekend and usually my S days consist of dessert or some caffeinated sugary goodness in cup.
I try to compare this to quitting smoking. I tried 8 million gazillion times to quit. I tried everything, but when I quit cold turkey the option to take a puff was gone.
It was painful and hard, but I survived. The first week was the hardest (like No S). But, overtime, you resolve gets stronger and you don't smoke.
You can do this. Have faith in your ability to create habits and don't rely on your emotions.
I pray that someone reads this post and they stop spending time on trying to figure out why they eat emotionally and just develop the habit of eating 3 meals a day. You will have more time living and finding your purpose and your life will thank you for it.
I think of all my fellow No Ser's and I send you positive thoughts and blessings your way. YOU CAN DO THIS!
:D

swimfit
Posts: 35
Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2008 10:26 pm

Post by swimfit » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:35 pm

well spoken 3aday! thank you for posting this, it is what I needed to hear!

blueskighs
Posts: 1787
Joined: Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:11 am
Location: California

Post by blueskighs » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:09 pm

Steve cooper THANK you for your support!

Jesseco isn't it lovely the way the discipline spreads out into the other areas of our lives?

3aday thank you for you post! Boy I am just off a round of working on my emotional eating issues and gained 15 pounds in 4 months doing so :lol: hohoheeheehaha!!!! I guess there is this cycle of doing nothing about my eating no rhyme or reason pretty much just a lot of eating, gaining weight, feeling depressed etc., working on my emotional eating, then getting food restrictive losing weight getting bored , then back to eating whatever and whenever ... CRAZY

I think it is already clear to me that following No S with very strong boundaries will do incredible things for your self-esteem, your peace of mind and your ability to actually ENJOY EATING.

All of those things sound really HEALTHY to me. I had a great S day yesterday. My DH is amazed that I wasn't crazy binging or insane and I enjoyed my planned treats greatly.

Are planned treats the something as proactive treats?

But it is really clear for me it is the ease and simplicity of creating the habits.

Now I have been someone who has modified every single "diet" weight loss health program to fit my needs. Personally I don't feel any need to modify NO S, there is already so much flexibility involved.

I had been vegan 22 months for many reasons and just in the past few weeks before NO S had added organic yogurt and real free range eggs back in my diet. NO S allows me to maintain my vegetarian lifestyle which works for me on many levels. I don't need to change any rules.

I have known for years that when I eat 3 adult meals a day and no snacks I ALWAYS lose weight. DESPITE that self-knowledge I have several times throughout the past 10 years been seduced by the mini-meal eating multiple times a day approach. I HAVE ALWAYS GAINED WEIGHT DOING THIS ... and the truth is as Reinhard points out in his book, there are probably not one of us reading his book or on this website who has ever suffered anything like REAL HUNGER....

It feels good to ignore the hunger and just get refocused on whatever I need or want to be doing. This is easy when I know that I am going to get a really nice adult meal in not too long ... and in the end even six or seven hours isn't too long!!!!!!!!!

I was my thinnest ever when I was eating three meals a day! It is not fancy. It is not sexy. But Reinhard has put the psychology the motivation the common sense the structure the whole concept in such an accessible way that I am just grateful and with his support, my copy of the NO S diet book on my night table, I can just nod and smile at all the mult-mealers. Maybe that really works for some peopel but I have really tried and I ALWAYS gain weight, whether it's 4, 5, 6 ... whatever.

Whoo!!!!!!!!My second S day this weekend is going just as well as the first! YOO HOO!

Jesseco
Posts: 91
Joined: Sat Mar 22, 2008 7:49 pm
Location: East Coast

Post by Jesseco » Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:29 pm

What a helpful thread this is! 3aday, I have printed your reply to reread often. Thank you!

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