my first red day

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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gingercake
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Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 5:19 am
Location: western U.S.

my first red day

Post by gingercake » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:47 am

And I'm not coping with it well! Really it was a minor derailment at first...I had to get up WAY earlier than usual and basically ended up eating two breakfasts before 9 a.m., but then I let it turn into a "what the f*ck" day. That, coupled with some quality time in the 3-way mirror while shopping at Macy's, has triggered a bunch of diet thinking, planning how I can restrict tomorrow, obsessing over my body, and blah blah blah boringcakes. Now it's bed time and I'm stuffed and I need to just let it go, go to bed, and have a regular day tomorrow.

How do other people cope with red/failure days? I guess like everything it takes practice?

Betty
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Location: London

Post by Betty » Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:42 am

Gingercake,

I find little slip ups to be the hardest thing about No S. I tend to also think: "hey, I've messed up, I guess now I can go whole hog." Yuck.

So what I do, which usually (but not always :oops: ) works is have a "No Binge Failure" tag on my habit cal.

So say a co-worker brings chocolates to my desk and I take one and whoops-failure! What I do is give myself a red day for No S, BUT if I go the rest of the day without any slip ups, I give myself a green on the No Binge Failure calander.

I've actually found that getting a green on the No Binge tag is a LOT harder than just getting a green for a day of perfect no-sing. So when I"m able to get back on track I feel, paradoxically enough, that I have been extremley sucessful.

Good luck with the struggle!

Betty

trytrytry
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Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 6:46 am

Post by trytrytry » Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:53 am

Hi Gingercake,

I actually think Bettys's system is great! I stole the idea after she's shared it on some other thread (thanks Betty!) and find it really helpful. I now use the no binge HabitCal for my Sdays and red days. (It helps me a lot to stay reasonable on Sdays too)

When I had my first slip up after first successful 17 days I also went onto a "I blew it anyway" binge and struggled for two days to get back on track. But I haven't had a red day since and I had less binge Sdays since and it is getting easier.
Try not to beat yourself up for it, try to get back on track as soon as you can - after all it's all about developing a habit, so a red day can be a successful day towards developing your habit when you manage to stick to at least some of the noS rules!

Good luck!

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JillyBean
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Post by JillyBean » Fri Jun 13, 2008 1:10 pm

I think if we've dieted a lot in our lives we tend to try to do everything "perfectly". We call eating off our diets a failure, and so then once we think we've failed, well, "might as well really enjoy myself before I start again..."

The way I look at it is that this is for life. I'm alive, aren't I? Then I guess I didn't fail. It's going to take a lot more than one bad day of eating to kill me. Even thin people eat too much sometimes. They just don't get up and do it again for (___) days in a row. Ease up on yourself. You're doing great!
Jill

The food I eat today is my choice! What price am I willing to pay?

"There are no failures, only feedback." ~~ Robert Allen

kccc
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Post by kccc » Fri Jun 13, 2008 2:55 pm

I listen to the "Strictness" podcast - one of my absolute favorites - particularly the section about "no retribution."

I recommend it highly.

It took me a long while to quit turning small failures into big ones. You're at the first stage: honest recognition.

Sending lots of encouragement for "next steps." :)

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Nichole
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Post by Nichole » Fri Jun 13, 2008 3:03 pm

I have had a ton of red days, but overall, I'm doing so well and maintaining the 3 lbs I initally lost. With No-S it's so easy to pick yourself up and try again. And overall I'm eating so much better than I had been and my habits are so improved. So a red day here and there is no big deal. Just keep going!

Oh and reading people's inspriring stories on here also helps with motivation to keep going and trying again.
"Anyone can cook." ~ Chef Gusteau, Ratatouille

gingercake
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Location: western U.S.

Post by gingercake » Fri Jun 13, 2008 7:12 pm

Thanks all for the encouragements. Today is going fine so far. I even walked to the super pricey organic produce market and got some beautiful produce items and a really wonderful loaf of artisan bread and made my lunch from that. So I'm trying to do the oposite of punishment and just enjoy my food as I should.

(And I agree that the "strictness" podcast is great...makes so much sense.)

wosnes
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Location: Indianapolis, IN, USA

Post by wosnes » Fri Jun 13, 2008 9:06 pm

I remind myself that a) I'm not trying to be perfect and b) I'm not perfect at anything I do -- nor do I want to be.
"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."

CrazyCatLady
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Location: Illinois

Post by CrazyCatLady » Sat Jun 14, 2008 2:05 am

Part of the beauty of No S is that I really learn from my mistakes. With other diets, it seems like there is a benefit in cheating (the flavor of the treats, the feeling of getting away with something), but with No S the benefit comes from avoiding cheating or failures (feeling of accomplishment, knowing you can choose treats on S days).

I think that so long as you learned from the red day, it was a success, even if it is a failure! Remember that everyone is going to have some red days.

Keep up the good work....overall you are doing GREAT!

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Shirls
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Post by Shirls » Sat Jun 14, 2008 2:33 pm

I just love the No Binge Failure idea and I'm going to put it on my HabitCal right away. It makes real sense :D
Don't wait for the storm to be over - learn to dance in the rain.

blueskighs
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Post by blueskighs » Sat Jun 14, 2008 4:30 pm

CrazyCatLady said:
Part of the beauty of No S is that I really learn from my mistakes.
I have to really say this is one of the best parts of NO S for me. Rather than someone else TELLING ME WHAT TO EAT and HOW MUCH I get to use these guidelines to make my own choices and learn from my own mistakes.

Whether its portion size, a particular food I just don't like or doesn't settle well with me, whatever it is, I learn from my mistakes and I can see how over the long run all of this adds up and we learn to feed ourselves well.

Blueskighs
www.nosdiet.blogspot.com Where I blog daily about my No S journey

irish
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Post by irish » Sat Jun 14, 2008 11:03 pm

Betty, I think your nobinge failure chart is a great idea. I have trouble with weekends, and that should help a lot - I'm going tyo set it up right now. Thanks a lot.

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