"December Experiment" Peppemint Striped No-S

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.

Moderators: Soprano, automatedeating

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

"December Experiment" Peppemint Striped No-S

Post by blueskighs » Sat Nov 29, 2008 8:43 pm

I have recently been have a problem with squeezing in three meals every N day. I am pretty sure that it is because I have made the decision to cut WAY BACK on my cardio exercise. I am doing a good full body but fairly short (30-35 minutes) weight session three times a week and I top that off with a 20 minute high intensity cardio session and that's it.

doing a total of 60 minutes of cardio a week, my appetite, well, it kind of plummets and on the days I don't work out and the two days in a row I don't work out my appetite is "very small"

Compound all that with: this is all just very new for me. (i.e. having a small appetite) I have found myself naturally pushing my breakfasts and lunches later and when dinner time comes I am just often not hungry. Like last night I ate at 9:00, I wasn't hungry until then and if it had been a normal N day, I would have already been in bed! :D

SO ... after giving it some serious consideration and discussing it with my husband, I am going to experiment for the month of December with giving myself the "option" of two or three meals on N days. Of course the risk here is that of, as my husband pointed out, feeling "cheated" of a meal which would then set me up for overeating.

I definitely think there is such a risk, that is why I am going to initially limit this "experiment" to the month of December and then evaluate to see how I am doing.

I am certain this would NOT have worked when I first started NO S. I am certain my old bad habits would have been too slippery. But the truth is, after 8 months I am much more in tune with my hunger and I am really struggling with getting in three meals a day every single N day.

To keep myself honest, I'll post my meals and the number I had each N day and just see how it goes. IF i eat 2 OR 3 meals on an N day I will consider it safely GREEN.

In honor of the holidays and it being a "December Experiment" I will call it "Peppermint Striped No S" :P

If I start "getting into trouble" or "veering off" I think it will be pretty obvious. But I have really reached the point in my life I do NOT want to exercise more so that I can eat more. IN fact, I would much rather exercise less and eat less. (OH MY GOSH! WHO SAID THAT?!?!?!?!?)

I am posting this to be "crystal clear" about what I am doing and "to keep myself honest",

comments, of course, are always welcome!

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

User avatar
BrightAngel
Posts: 2093
Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 4:22 pm
Location: Central California
Contact:

Re: "December Experiment" Peppemint Striped No-S

Post by BrightAngel » Sat Nov 29, 2008 9:36 pm

blueskighs wrote:I have really reached the point in my life I do NOT want to exercise more so that I can eat more.
IN fact, I would much rather exercise less and eat less.
(OH MY GOSH! WHO SAID THAT?!?!?!?!?)

Blueskighs
Blue,

I had to laugh when I read this statement,
because that is exactly what I feel right now,
and I've never heard anyone else say it.
BrightAngel - (Dr. Collins)
See: DietHobby. com

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

Post by blueskighs » Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:47 am

Bright Angel,

thank you for understanding,

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

User avatar
Nichole
Posts: 1154
Joined: Fri Apr 04, 2008 12:37 pm
Location: PENNSYLVANIA
Contact:

Post by Nichole » Mon Dec 01, 2008 8:29 pm

I feel the same way!!! I started to do P90X, which is an extreme fitness routine, and was muuuccch more hungry and HAD TO snack. Why exercise a ton more to have to eat a ton more? What's the difference? You know? So I think I'm going to go back to my cardio sprinkled with arm exercises throughout the week.
"Anyone can cook." ~ Chef Gusteau, Ratatouille

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

Post by blueskighs » Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:18 am

Nichole,

I guess the only thing is if you wanted to be super buff! :D But I just want to be slim and toned ... I did si6 and my husband did p90 a few years ago ...

did you like p90x?

i didn't like si6 ... i think it was so intense i started secreting cortisol ate like crazy and didn't get any good results ... oh well, I am sure it works great for some people.

CONGRATULATIONS on not overeating on Thanksgiving ... isn't your wedding soon? Are you excited?

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

User avatar
Mavilu
Posts: 319
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: California

Post by Mavilu » Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:55 am

Since I had to be very careful about activity this past month, my appetite has dwindled too, and I've been having just two meals a day, too.
It feels fine, I feel fine and you always know that if you do get hungry, you can have a third meal, so, why not?.
I have really reached the point in my life I do NOT want to exercise more so that I can eat more.
Yeah, I understand that, too; unless you are competing or just starting and finding your exercise personality I don't see how exercising a lot for the sake of it makes any sense; as I reach my forties, I fell that I'm fine with brisk walking and two-three weightlifting sessions a week, whereas when I first started exercising in my late twenties, the more seemed the better.

Good luck on your experiment!.

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

Post by blueskighs » Tue Dec 02, 2008 5:52 pm

Since I had to be very careful about activity this past month, my appetite has dwindled too, and I've been having just two meals a day, too.
It feels fine, I feel fine and you always know that if you do get hungry, you can have a third meal, so, why not?.
Very well put Mavilu, and thank you for your support. I appreciate it. Also good to hear from you!
unless you are competing or just starting and finding your exercise personality I don't see how exercising a lot for the sake of it makes any sense; as I reach my forties, I fell that I'm fine with brisk walking and two-three weightlifting sessions a week, whereas when I first started exercising in my late twenties, the more seemed the better.
this is a good point. In my twenties I exercised A LOT at times and in my thirties I slowed down a bit, did more things like Bikram's Yoga, etc...

but now at 46 (egads! unbeleivable :D ) there are just so many things I want to do and am interested in that I prefer to minimize the time I spend exercising when and where I can ... and of course ... if you are "moving less" you are not going to want to "eat more" hahahahahh

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

Amyliz
Posts: 168
Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 4:52 pm
Location: New York

Post by Amyliz » Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:38 pm

Hey Blue,
great post! it really made me think - wow i could eat just 2 meals if i feel like it?? and in the few days since thanksgiving i have NOT been hungry at all, but trying to stick to three meals that don't feel like snacks.

the question is, which meal to skip? my hunger would tell me to skip breakfast, but my brain says thats not a good idea.

what are you trying?

Amyliz
Amyliz

START: 03/30/08 - 158- 161lbs range
Current: 145-148lbs range
On 12/22/09 I saw 145 on the scale for the first time in 7 years!

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

Post by blueskighs » Wed Dec 03, 2008 4:38 am

Amyliz,

I am "skipping" breakfast ... actually just pushing it later, would probably depend on your schedule, today I had coffee and juice and it worked great!

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

User avatar
reinhard
Site Admin
Posts: 5918
Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2005 7:38 pm
Location: Cambridge, MA
Contact:

Post by reinhard » Wed Dec 03, 2008 3:02 pm

Blue,

Best of luck with your mod!

But as I mentioned in another thread, please do be careful.

2 meals makes me even more nervous than 4. There's not only the danger of "cracking," but also of being too successful and undereating.

Reinhard

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

Post by blueskighs » Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:05 pm

Reinhard,

thank you for your support,

I do agree. THere is definitely danger and need to be careful ... at the same time, there is a possibility that this will work for me, since I tend to drift to two meals a day on S days it would make me more consistent across the board,
but that is why I am giving it a thirty day "experiment"
right now I feel "happy and excited" about the mod ... less time in the kitchen ALWAYS makes me smile :D

ANYWAY day 1 down and good ...
oh, I am very aware this WOULD not have worked AT ALL if I had attempted this BEFORE I had somewhat established the basic N day habits of no snacks, no sweets and no seconds!

Probably the most critical thing will be to have the humility to admit it does not work if it does not!

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

User avatar
gratefuldeb67
Posts: 6256
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:26 pm
Location: Great Neck, NY

Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:32 pm

Hi Blue, good luck with your experiment.
May I suggest that it's the consistency of daily routines that will be the foundation of true habit forming.
I understand you don't have that much of an appetite these days, so you are basing it on this. But when we change these structures often enough, they just never stick unconsciously, because you are bringing them back into your daily planning etc.. not letting them run in the background on "auto pilot" (but obviously in this case "autopilot" in your favour)

Consider if you think you would want to live eating 2 meals a day for your whole life?
If not, maybe just finagle with the timing, as you have already mentioned before, starting your meal whenever you are actually feeling hungry.. I think that's good, but sticking with three "meals" a day.. Even if this means one of your meals is a handful of carrots/cup of tea with toast/bowl of watermelon (your favourite hahha) or really *anything*...
Just to solidify the structure and habit of regular meals.

I myself included, have tried to tweak NoS in these kinds of ways that might be okay for the time being, but not really livable in the long run.
So just decide if you really feel this would be suitable for you long term.

Love,

8) Debs
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

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

Post by blueskighs » Wed Dec 03, 2008 5:36 pm

May I just suggest that you consider if you think you would want to live eating 2 meals a day for your whole life?
Debs,

Actually, that is PRECISELY what I am considering ... the actuality of eating three meals a day and just grabbing a handful of carrots to be "legalistic" doesn't feel honest, truthful or even necessary to me,

SO the reason I am doing this is PRECISELY because I think it is more realistic that I will eat two meals a day for the rest of my life, rather than three :D
I understand you don't have that much of an appetite these days, so you are basing it on this.
And actually it would be more accurate to say that I am basing this on my lifestyle rather than my appetite ... because to say that I don't have much of an appetite is simply not true! :D

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

User avatar
NoelFigart
Posts: 1639
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:23 pm
Location: Lebanon, NH
Contact:

Post by NoelFigart » Wed Dec 03, 2008 6:56 pm

There are cultures that did have two meals a day. (The Oneida Community had a two meal a day schedule, but the meals were relatively substantial). So there is some level of cultural precedent behind it, though not very direct derivation.

I don't know how to put this gently, so I won't. If you're at goal weight and are now challenging yourself to eat less and less, or you're making your goal body fat percentage below about 15%, you might want to take a good hard look at your motivations.

I used to be a diet counselor, and I had a client who was of the constant "Just five more pounds" philosophy. We had a an agreement that as long as she was menstruating normally, that'd be okay, but if she stopped, it was time to see some health care professionals and re-evaluate weight goals. I've always thought that was a good benchmark.

Is it your JOB to be thin and are willing to take the health risk? Are you an actress or a mode or an endurance athlete? I forget.
------
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

User avatar
gratefuldeb67
Posts: 6256
Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 9:26 pm
Location: Great Neck, NY

Post by gratefuldeb67 » Wed Dec 03, 2008 7:10 pm

Okay then, good for you! :wink:
8) Debs x
There is no Wisdom greater than Kindness

gingercake
Posts: 110
Joined: Fri May 30, 2008 5:19 am
Location: western U.S.

Post by gingercake » Wed Dec 03, 2008 8:50 pm

I think two meals a day is actually pretty common in lots of non-European cultures. (At least the ones that have not completely imported American culture.)

But I also think that those of us with eating disorder histories need to be careful.

But also I'm not worried about you, Blue, because you seem very aware of your mind/body thing and will know if you wind up on some kind of slippery slope and will make the appropriate adjustments.

User avatar
Mavilu
Posts: 319
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: California

Post by Mavilu » Wed Dec 03, 2008 9:13 pm

Wowzers, people, why are you all so scared?.
I don't get it, now a days, people is afraid that you'll go either morbidly obese or anoxeric and wither and die, can't it just be a middle common?.
I don't know Blueskighs very well, I know she has had problem with binging but I'm confident that she knows what she is doing, she is experimenting and won't go to either extreme, I don't know, maybe I'm wrong and I should be scared any time anyone strays from the three meals pattern?, maybe experimentation and malleability in your life are bad things?.
It is exactly this kind of fear that makes people believe that yeah, they should eat every two hours or else die at the third hour and it's this kind of mindset that makes them mortally afraid of changing their eating pattern.

User avatar
NoelFigart
Posts: 1639
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 1:23 pm
Location: Lebanon, NH
Contact:

Post by NoelFigart » Wed Dec 03, 2008 9:20 pm

Mavilu wrote:Wowzers, people, why are you all so scared?.
I don't get it, now a days, people is afraid that you'll go either morbidly obese or anoxeric and wither and die, can't it just be a middle common?
I will point out that I did say that there were people who did the two meal a day thing just fine.

I will also point out that I outlined rather specifically conditions under which the behavior was a concern. If those conditions are met, it most certainly IS a serious concern.

If those conditions are not met, then the behavior is NOT a concern. I guess I fell down on the job there for not stating that explicitly.
------
My blog https://noelfigart.com/wordpress/ I talk about being a freelance writer, working out and cooking mostly. The language is not always drawing room fashion. Just sayin'.

User avatar
Mavilu
Posts: 319
Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2008 11:57 pm
Location: California

Post by Mavilu » Wed Dec 03, 2008 9:30 pm

Noel, it's not aimed at you (especially since people that work in couseling and well, with people with eating disorders know how ugly it can get), but rather aimed at everyone around, I don't mean around here in the forum, either, rather around everywhere.
It bothers me that people in general is so afraid of food, if you have no food issues (and no, invented ones as excuse for your bad behavior don't count, as it seems that now most of the population suffers from some kind of food issue that strays them from eating normally), what is there to be so scared of?.
Have a structure but not so stiff a structure that you become a slave of it, eat according to it, make changes if you have to and be done with it!.

User avatar
burlsgirl
Posts: 17
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:39 am

Post by burlsgirl » Thu Dec 04, 2008 1:32 am

Blue, I know how you feel. Sometimes, I'm just not *that* hungry at breakfast. One thing that works for me on those days is cafe au lait. I use a small amount of really strong coffee added to about a cup of hot, whole milk. It makes a big ol' mug full, and is quite filling.

I could easily eat only two meals a day, and sometimes I do. I started out worrying about it, then decided it didn't have to be an all or nothing type thing. One day, I'm hungry so I eat... the next day, not so hungry, so drink a cafe au lait. No biggie, and no mental energy exerted.

I'm with whoever said they don't worry about you. I think you know yourself quite well by now. Good luck with your experiment. I'll be looking forward to hearing you debrief about it.

Em

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

Post by blueskighs » Thu Dec 04, 2008 6:16 am

Hey everyone,

just want to say thank you for your postive support and feedback. IT is hugely helpful!

I do want to make a point that when I started on the NO S Diet I was uncertain as to whether I could "follow" the diet but I chose to proceed anyway :D I also decided to blog about my own personal journey on the NO S Diet and I wanted to do that as honestly and truthfully as possible.

As I result of keeping my N days green and not logging in any red days for just over eight months I have pretty much reached maintenance. This is part of my journey. To create a sustainable lifestyle. I beleive in and value the NO S principles of No Sweets, No Snacks and No Seconds except for days that start with S.

Having had a binge eating disorder for YEARS I have often used exercise to "cover" my dietary indiscretions with varying levels of succes and failure. But in the end, exercise was never really an option with the way that I ate. It was really a necessity.

This past year has been a huge year of healing for me in my eating disorder. After completing the Shrink Yourself online program in February and then stumbling upon the NO S diet in March, there have simply been profound changes in my life and a "SYMPTOM" of that has been a profound change in my relationship with food and eating.

There is a sadness and sense of loss though when I turn around and look behind me and realize all of the time I "wasted" on binging, dieting and exercising.

I am done with that lifestyle. I am done with using exercise to compensate for overeating. I love to workout, but it is time for exercise to find its right size place in my life. I am thrilled that I don't want to do one, two, three or four more hours of exercise a week so I can have that one more plate of food. I am BEYOND THRILLED.

I am grateful.

Eating two meals a day and exercising the minimum amount possible to reach my personal fitness goals sounds like heaven to me. I am so glad to be here.

This experiment is part of my journey and I am sharing that. Have other people reached this point, it sounds like maybe they have. Will other people reach this point? Maybe the will. But maybe they won't.

I am not recommending this, I am sharing it. My journey, my process, where I am at.

And I am happy to do so. That is all, :D

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

connorcream
Posts: 540
Joined: Sat May 03, 2008 9:57 pm
Location: San Antonio

Post by connorcream » Fri Dec 05, 2008 1:56 pm

blueskighs-
always enjoy reading your thoughts. Thank you for taking the time to post them.
connorcream
5'8.5"
48 yrs
Started calorie counting
10/6/2009
start/current
192/mid 120's maintaining
Maintaining a year

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

Post by blueskighs » Sat Dec 06, 2008 8:21 am

Connorcream,

thank you and Burlsgirl, I am having a nice cup of coffee and soymilk in the morning.

Mavilu, I really appreciate your thougths on our sensitivity to the extremes of eating and I love what you wrote:
I don't know, maybe I'm wrong and I should be scared any time anyone strays from the three meals pattern?, maybe experimentation and malleability in your life are bad things?.
It is exactly this kind of fear that makes people believe that yeah, they should eat every two hours or else die at the third hour and it's this kind of mindset that makes them mortally afraid of changing their eating pattern.
excellent point!

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

Post Reply