Everyday Systems

Good morning everyone! I discovered the No S Diet while doing some internet surfing over the weekend. It is such a great concept! A little about me: I am 28, 5' 3" and have about 10 pounds to lose. I have never had to diet, but I usually gain and lose the same 5-10 pounds each year. I typically go thru periods where I eat a lot and then without trying I cut back and the weight comes off. But this year I have been eating way too many sweets and weight more that I ever have, 139. I would love to get back into the high 120's so I can fit into my clothes again!

I have always worked out, so that isn't the problem. I have been reading tons of diet books and just can't seem to stick with anything. This way of eating seem the least like a diet because you can still eat what you enjoy. I never realized how much snacking that I do. I know that most of it is due to me being bored at work, so I wonder into the kitchen and eat a cracker here, some peanuts there. The extra calories really add up! Have any of you had this problem and how did you overcome it? Thanks for any suggestions!

I was SO used to snacking that I wasn't sure I could handle the no snacks - they were part of my routine. (Well, the official ones were... then there was the grazing... eating to procrastinate... etc.)

I cut snacking the same way I weaned my child - gradually, starting with the less-needed "feedings." For me, mornings were not much of an issue, so I established that quickly. Afternoons were harder, so I began with "limited choice" snacks - if I wasn't hungry for an apple or carrot, I wasn't really hungry! Then it was a limited snack "if I needed it," and eventually they went away completely.

I did find I needed more protein at meals to make it through, and initially I needed bigger meals. Don't worry about that while you're "building habit" - your meals will naturally adjust to a reasonable amount in time. Focus on the basic rules to start, and try to set yourself up for success on those.

Best wishes! It really does get a LOT easier over time.

Tori:

you're bored -> get busy.
you snack in the kitchen -> don't go into the kitchen between meals. Have a water bottle on your desk so you don't need to go in the kitchen to drink.

When I started NoS I could not stand getting within sight of a vending machine - I knew I'd buy a sweet if I did. I also escaped to the ladies' whenever a colleague brought croissants or cake to work.
It's much easier to avoid temptation than to overcome it. So avoid it until your habits are strong enough to withstand temptation.

You have been given some great advice, you can do this! What I do is chew on ice chips at nite, i feel like i am snacking Good Luck

Thanks for the great tips! I am going to try shifting my eating times to see if that helps. Avoiding the kitchen and staying busy at work are also things that should help. Thanks again!

Not for everyone but... I went Cold Turkey. No sweets, No seconds, No snacks except on days that begin with "S".

I started on a Tuesday and just knew that I would not make it through the week. I was a permagrazer. I bought into the 6 small meals a day so I kept a drawer full of various snacks and I ate all day.

Cold Turkey No S'ing gave my stomach enough of a rest to let my brain determine when I was hungary.

The first day I signed on to the "21 DAY" club. At the end of my first 21 Days I had developed some pretty good beginning new eating habits.

I feel better, I sleep better and my cravings have gone away.!

Ditto Jessie's Daughter,

I also went cold turkey on snacks and seconds 74 days ago ... woowoo...
anyway I am 5'3" and have gone from 134.6 to 126.3 in that time period ... I THOROUGHLY enjoy my S days with proactive sweets and am RIGOROUS about my N days,

Blueskighs

blueskighs wrote:Ditto Jessie's Daughter,

I also went cold turkey on snacks and seconds 74 days ago ... woowoo...
anyway I am 5'3" and have gone from 134.6 to 126.3 in that time period ... I THOROUGHLY enjoy my S days with proactive sweets and am RIGOROUS about my N days,

Blueskighs

I need to get more strict like you..... Which is why I'm considering today a fresh start. . I started by changing up what I buy for breakfast and lunch - - boredom is no diet's friend. Hopefully that will get me back on track

t0r1 wrote: I have never had to diet, but I usually gain and lose the same 5-10 pounds each year. I typically go thru periods where I eat a lot and then without trying I cut back and the weight comes off.

Hi and welcome

I think I was similar, with a fluctuation of about 5lbs each year. Generally, gaining a few in the winter, then losing a few in the summer, without much effort, just a natural result of eating lighter in the summer and getting out and about more (mostly walking), I'd been like that for several years and maintained a healthy range. However, about a year ago something changed which I attribute to two things:

Last year we had the coldest, rainiest summer we've had in years - i.e. eating more filling foods and staying indoors!

For some insane reason, I gave in to the diet advice that snacking is good, keeps your metabolism up, causes you to eat less at meals and blah blah blah - just doing that for a few months was enough to do some damage, and undoing the snack habit is much more difficult than starting it! I've actually found that if I snack, I'll eat exactly the same amount at meal times (and want seconds!) anyway.

However, the structure of No S got me out of the snack habit within a couple of weeks. Coffee or tea with soya milk between meals helps a lot, and having some apples (or other light fruit / vegetable) for "snack attack emergencies" is a good safety net in the begining

Bonnie - My boyfriend and I have been socializing less this year since I have basically given up drinking. I think that has definitely contributed to the weight gain this time around since I am home more to eat! I was hoping that giving up beer would help me to lose weight, but that didn't happen since I replaced it with sweets!

Has the No S helped you get those 5 lbs. off?

For some insane reason, I gave in to the diet advice that snacking is good, keeps your metabolism up, causes you to eat less at meals and blah blah blah - just doing that for a few months was enough to do some damage, and undoing the snack habit is much more difficult than starting it! I've actually found that if I snack, I'll eat exactly the same amount at meal times (and want seconds!) anyway.

Bonnie,
that is pretty much my experience too ... last december I joined a gym and weigth about 123.4 I was going to get in my best shape ever I decided to do the mini-meals/snacking thing to boost my metabolism ... by march I was at 134.6 and definitely NOT in my best shape ever
HOPEFULLY I have learned my lesson for my body and am done snacking!

I need to get more strict like you..... Which is why I'm considering today a fresh start.

Nichole,
I think being strict has worked like Reinhard said in that being strict may be hard in the beginning but actually becomes much easier in the long run!


Blueskighs

t0r1 wrote: Has the No S helped you get those 5 lbs. off?

Almost, I don't bother to weigh myself much, but I feel that I'm almost at my goal weight and think I just need to up the exercise a bit to be good for summer holidays

Blueskighs wrote: HOPEFULLY I have learned my lesson for my body and am done snacking!

Me too! It's funny how the weight can creep up without one noticing, I was in a dance show last year and had a wake up call when the costume I had been measured for a few months prior to the show barely fit me (and it had been loose to start with!)