Everyday Systems

Bluesighs has an absolutely wonderful entry in her Blog today
about using "Common Sense" in the No S Diet.

http://www.nosdiet.blogspot.com/

Many of my posts within this forum about the No S diet have been devoted to this area.
In my 60 years of living, I've discovered that many people have NO common sense,
and now I never assume anyone has it.

For example, my first husband (18 year marriage) had almost no common sense,
which gave him a life full of problems.
I'm sad to say that both of my adult children seem biologically similiar to their father,
as no amount of environmental instruction has been able to remedy their condition.
In fact, their inability to learn "common sense" has been the major sadness of my life.

I believe that, personally, I have a great deal of common sense.
However, I still struggle with common sense food and diet concepts,
like:

• A broken cookie, or one that's fallen on the floor,
  or food left on someone else's plate
  has fewer calories.

OR

• If I've been deprived of anything at all, I deserve a food treat.

OR

• The No S Diet SAID
  I can have 3 plates-full-of-any-kind-of-food-I-like,
  anything-I-want-to-eat every Weekend and Special day,
  and I'll still lose weight.

Do any of the rest of you struggle with such "common sense" issues?

Thanks BrightAngel and BlueSkighs for these posts!

I think it use to be easier, back in the days when scarcity and tradition propped up common sense (there was of course a downside to this -- the odd death by starvation etc.). Now the external pressures are in the opposite direction.

But I do think, by carefully, consciously following the rules of no-s (or other everyday systems, whether mine or your own) you slowly restore the intuitiveness of common sense. You may not prevent all excesses, but you prevent many, and those that you don't you shine a spotlight on that makes them seem egregious and absurd. I think most people if they're strict with the literal rules over time will find that common sense slowly does become at least partially automatic again.

Reinahrd

BrightAngel wrote:

• A broken cookie, or one that's fallen on the floor,
  or food left on someone else's plate
  has fewer calories.

• If I've been deprived of anything at all, I deserve a food treat.

These seem like magical thinking; believing something to be true just because you wish it so.

• The No S Diet SAID
  I can have 3 plates-full-of-any-kind-of-food-I-like,
  anything-I-want-to-eat every Weekend and Special day,
  and I'll still lose weight.

The relation between eating 3 plates-full-of-any-kind-of-food and weight loss is that regular eating is the first step to keeping your eating in check. It establishes a habit. Once your habit is more or less on track, then many (most?) people stop overthinking food and start eating a more nutritious and balanced diet, allowing their food choices to be framed by common sense rather than "nutritionism" and findings from arcane food research.

We've known for a long time that we need veggies, fruit, protein and complex carbs and just enough fat and salt to enhance rather than overwhelm flavors.

reinhard wrote: I think it used to be easier, back in the days when scarcity and tradition propped up common sense.

I think most people ... will find that common sense slowly does become at least partially automatic again.

Reinhard

Webster's definition of Common Sense is:

• "sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts."

I envy your belief that the majority of people posess this characteristic.
My own life experiences have led me to a different opinion.
In fact I've found "common sense" to be rather uncommon.

BrightAngel wrote:

In fact I've found "common sense" to be rather uncommon.

That's exactly what I was going to post the first time I read this!

by carefully, consciously following the rules of no-s (or other everyday systems, whether mine or your own) you slowly restore the intuitiveness of common sense. You may not prevent all excesses, but you prevent many, and those that you don't you shine a spotlight on that makes them seem egregious and absurd. I think most people if they're strict with the literal rules over time will find that common sense slowly does become at least partially automatic again.

This is it ... this is exactly what happens when you keep your N days green! Very well put Reinhard

I especially love ... "you may not prevent all excess, but you prevent many, and THOSE THAT YOU DON'T YOU SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON THAT MAKES THEM SEEM EGREGIOUS AND ABSURD"

I love that!

Blueskighs