I am new to this site/No S Plan. I have just read about it and would like to give it a try. Will be starting after next weekend, as we are going to be visiting family for a wedding (I know that's not a good time to start!).
Anyway, my question is about the meals. I am 36, 5'4", about 143 pounds. Don't know if that has any bearing on my question, but what do most people eat as meals? For example, at breakfast are you eating eggs, bacon, toast... etc. Do you still have french fries and mashed potatoes for lunch/dinner? Just trying to get an idea of what has worked/hasn't worked for others.
Thanks in advance for any tips/advice.
Question about the meals
Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating
Welcome to No S!
Oh, my--I'm 5'4" and I would so love to be able to say I'm at 143 and need to lose. If I'd had No S when I was your age, I wouldn't be needing to lose LOTS of pounds now. You are making a great decision to get smart now and take control of your life!
The best thing about this "diet" or more appropriately, lifestyle, is there really are no rules about specific foods to eat or not. . .it may be that after you have been doing it a while, you'll want to make some better choices about food items but the first and most important guideline is to simply get your HABITS ingrained as you follow the basic 14 word premise:
No Snacks
No Sweets (anything you'd consider a dessert item) (it's not No Sugar, as in you CAN still have a little jelly on your toast or sugar in your coffee, juice, etc.)
No Seconds
Except Sometimes on Days that Start with S!
Often just cutting out the between meal stuff and taking that extra roll or helping of mashed potatoes (yes-I love them too) and refusing dessert during the week on N days (Non-S days), you will find yourself making some good progress. It will be SLOW though, so don't jump on the scales three days later to see if you've dropped some.
Once you've been able to stay on habit for at least a few weeks, you might want to move to a lighter but filling breakfast or use a smaller plate than what most of us have for dinner plates--filling half with fruits/veggies, 1/4 with protein and 1/4 with complex carbs. . .but Reinhard is adamant that only AFTER you can get a grip on the simple straight (what we call Vanilla No S) plan, should you try to limit yourself in other ways.
That's the beauty of this diet--you don't HAVE to micromanage your food or yourself. Most of us have the "diet" mentality ingrained in us that we think we must count/measure, etc. if it's going to work. That is what sends us off the wagon on other plans. This is a sustainable plan that will work in the long-term and that you can do anywhere, anyplace without having to THINK about planning special things.
About the S days, (Sat/Sun or other SPECIAL days)--the big thing to remember here is to, in Reinhard's words, "don't be an IDIOT." Just because you COULD have 4 pieces of cake AND ice cream AND seconds, doesn't mean you should. That's why the word SOMETIMES is in there!
Actually the wedding weekend might be a great time to begin, because it will be S days so you can have what you want legally, but perhaps will be able to limit yourself to only one dessert per meal and a few other snacks/seconds without feeling miserable. Then you come back and boom, you've already begun!
Certainly, the variety of foods/how they're cooked etc. is important to a healthy lifestyle. And you will, later on, be able to concentrate on that more carefully. But the amount of whatever we put into our stomachs is the very first issue to deal with--and the cutting out snacks and seconds is huge (in relation to our hugeness!)
Check out the podcasts--lots of relatively short comments from Reinhard that will answer a lot of questions. Also read old posts when you can to get a feel for ways you can tweak choices later--I rarely see a question asked that I haven't already seen an answer for. . . somewhere! The search option works well!
So . . . don't think too much (for now) about WHAT to eat. Get used to following the No S's until it doesn't even occur to you to eat a snack or have seconds or dessert. . .THEN you can consider more options.
The best thing about this "diet" or more appropriately, lifestyle, is there really are no rules about specific foods to eat or not. . .it may be that after you have been doing it a while, you'll want to make some better choices about food items but the first and most important guideline is to simply get your HABITS ingrained as you follow the basic 14 word premise:
No Snacks
No Sweets (anything you'd consider a dessert item) (it's not No Sugar, as in you CAN still have a little jelly on your toast or sugar in your coffee, juice, etc.)
No Seconds
Except Sometimes on Days that Start with S!
Often just cutting out the between meal stuff and taking that extra roll or helping of mashed potatoes (yes-I love them too) and refusing dessert during the week on N days (Non-S days), you will find yourself making some good progress. It will be SLOW though, so don't jump on the scales three days later to see if you've dropped some.
Once you've been able to stay on habit for at least a few weeks, you might want to move to a lighter but filling breakfast or use a smaller plate than what most of us have for dinner plates--filling half with fruits/veggies, 1/4 with protein and 1/4 with complex carbs. . .but Reinhard is adamant that only AFTER you can get a grip on the simple straight (what we call Vanilla No S) plan, should you try to limit yourself in other ways.
That's the beauty of this diet--you don't HAVE to micromanage your food or yourself. Most of us have the "diet" mentality ingrained in us that we think we must count/measure, etc. if it's going to work. That is what sends us off the wagon on other plans. This is a sustainable plan that will work in the long-term and that you can do anywhere, anyplace without having to THINK about planning special things.
About the S days, (Sat/Sun or other SPECIAL days)--the big thing to remember here is to, in Reinhard's words, "don't be an IDIOT." Just because you COULD have 4 pieces of cake AND ice cream AND seconds, doesn't mean you should. That's why the word SOMETIMES is in there!
Actually the wedding weekend might be a great time to begin, because it will be S days so you can have what you want legally, but perhaps will be able to limit yourself to only one dessert per meal and a few other snacks/seconds without feeling miserable. Then you come back and boom, you've already begun!
Certainly, the variety of foods/how they're cooked etc. is important to a healthy lifestyle. And you will, later on, be able to concentrate on that more carefully. But the amount of whatever we put into our stomachs is the very first issue to deal with--and the cutting out snacks and seconds is huge (in relation to our hugeness!)
Check out the podcasts--lots of relatively short comments from Reinhard that will answer a lot of questions. Also read old posts when you can to get a feel for ways you can tweak choices later--I rarely see a question asked that I haven't already seen an answer for. . . somewhere! The search option works well!
So . . . don't think too much (for now) about WHAT to eat. Get used to following the No S's until it doesn't even occur to you to eat a snack or have seconds or dessert. . .THEN you can consider more options.
LA Loser. . . well on my way to becoming an LA Winner. 
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Blithe Morning
- Posts: 1221
- Joined: Wed Apr 02, 2008 10:56 pm
- Location: South Dakota
I like to have protein and carbs in the morning. I usually include fruit and veggies with lunch and dinner in addition to a protein and carb.
I do eat potatoes (chips, fries, and mashed) but I try not to have them be the biggest portion on my plate.
Think of your third grade nutrition class and do what you learned there.
I do eat potatoes (chips, fries, and mashed) but I try not to have them be the biggest portion on my plate.
Think of your third grade nutrition class and do what you learned there.
Denise,
I agree with Tiger Crane: eat what you want. In the beginning you may find yourself wanting chips fries pizza, all those things that you might have denied yourself or felt guilty about in the past.
As time goes on, you may find yourself wanting other things, more "healthy" things.
I find that without sugar I eat a whole lot more fruit. Without snacks, I'm hungrier for "real" meals.
Try it and see what happens. If, after a month, you're still eating fries every single night, you could think about restricting them. But wait and see what you REALLY want before second guessing yourself
Betty
I agree with Tiger Crane: eat what you want. In the beginning you may find yourself wanting chips fries pizza, all those things that you might have denied yourself or felt guilty about in the past.
As time goes on, you may find yourself wanting other things, more "healthy" things.
I find that without sugar I eat a whole lot more fruit. Without snacks, I'm hungrier for "real" meals.
Try it and see what happens. If, after a month, you're still eating fries every single night, you could think about restricting them. But wait and see what you REALLY want before second guessing yourself
Betty
Be your own best friend and advocate. Be gentle and kind to yourself. Your weight is not the problem.
Before: 140
During: 140 (again!)
Before: 140
During: 140 (again!)
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DeniseInVA
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:10 pm
Thanks!
Thanks to all for your feedback. I don't typically eat that stuff, but would like to be able to and not feel too guilty occasionally.
I have been doing the "5 small meals" thing so I am hoping I can adjust to 3 again. Did pretty good this past weekend....
Thanks again!
I have been doing the "5 small meals" thing so I am hoping I can adjust to 3 again. Did pretty good this past weekend....
Thanks again!
When I started No S, I indulged in everything I denied myself.
Bacon, nachos loaded with cheese, cheese enchiladas.
Over time, meals no longer had the same appeal to me.
I make healthier choices now naturally.
However, I slowly went down several sizes eating grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese burgers, and cheese enchiladas!
Now, to me an S day is not so much about snacks or sweets but indulging in heavier and richer fare like the foods listed above.
Bacon, nachos loaded with cheese, cheese enchiladas.
Over time, meals no longer had the same appeal to me.
I make healthier choices now naturally.
However, I slowly went down several sizes eating grilled cheese sandwiches, cheese burgers, and cheese enchiladas!
Now, to me an S day is not so much about snacks or sweets but indulging in heavier and richer fare like the foods listed above.