Everyday Systems

I'm not quite sure what to call today (Wednesday). It was intended to be an N-Day, but even though I didn't Snack, or have Sweets or Seconds, I ate so much more than I usually do, I'm a bit perplexed.

I was quite hungry when I got up, and purposely when out to a favorite diner for breakfast. Had the Breakfast Special (2 eggs over easy, 2 slices of toast, 3 slices of bacon, a smallish portion of home fries and orange juice). (Usually have oatmeal & blueberries & walnuts).

Ended up doing a 1-hour walk at the mall as it wasn't a very nice day for walking outside. By the time I got through with that, it was 2 pm, so I decided to have lunch out at a hamburger place in the mall that I've been intrigued by. Had a hamburger and a medium-ish portion of french fries. (Usually have vegetable soup with a little protein like chicken or beans, and an apple).

Had supper about 7 pm. Wasn't very hungry, as you might imagine, so just had some soup with minced claims in it.

I'm inclined to call this an N-Day success, as I didn't have any S's -- only the 3 meals. And although it was more than I usually eat, the portions weren't out-of-control crazy, and I was not stuffed to gills.

I think one of the points of No-S is that all meals don't have to consist of lettuce and carrot sticks ... I know I could have made better choices, nutritionally, but the eggs and hamburger were things that I thought would taste good (they did!) and be satisfying (they were!)

I would be interested to know if anyone else has had a day like this, and how you treated it. (Thanks for listening).

As long as the meals fit on one plate -- virtual or actual -- it was a successful N day. Good for you!

That's how I would treat it, too. Heck, some of my N Day successes were platefuls that had food rising four inches off the plate! What's nice about this diet is you can base how much you eat on how hungry you are, knowing that you are guaranteed another shot at eating at the next meal. You don't need to stuff yourself.
Kathleen

N Day

Definitely a success - I have days like that fairly regularly!

Thanks to all for your replies. I had decided to treat the day as a success, but needed some moral support. (And yes, everything fit nicely on one plate).

I think there are 3 things that happened here:

(1) The previous night I got home late, and just didn't want to cook a piece of chicken, so just had roasted green beans and sweet potato for supper. Since it appears that I need at least a bit of protein, I really need to make the effort to cook that piece of chicken (or whatever) so I don't wake up ravenous in the morning.

(2) I'm so used to avoiding a long list of "no-no" foods (e.g. hash browns & french fries) that when I had several things from that list in one day, I couldn't get over the "failure" hurdle. Need to lose the list! Not that I'll abandon more healthful eating, but have to get it through my head that it's ok to eat a wind range of foods.

(3) I must admit I did look up the calories, etc. for the burger & fries on the restaurant's website, and that little lunch adventure came in at a whopping 32 points. Add in breakfast, and the total for the day was almost 3 times my "allowance". I need to stop looking at food this way! Old habits die hard, however.

Today am feeling fine -- kind of pleased that I've learned a few things, and back on my usual track. Not to try to compensate for yesterday, but because I've had my fatty-food fling and am now craving healthier fare. (In the "olden days", this would have turned into a five-day binge!)

As always, posting has helped me to clarify my own thinking, and the replies have been so helpful. Thanks again!

Winnie,

I'm not quite sure what to call today (Wednesday). It was intended to be an N-Day, but even though I didn't Snack, or have Sweets or Seconds,

That's a clear success. Relax!

I ate so much more than I usually do,

And it was very obvious, wasn't it? That obviousness will keep you in line long term. Just make excess obvious and human nature will take care of the rest. If you can't look good without being good you'll be good. The literal no-s rules force the two to go together. You can boil the psychology of the no-s diet down to a mere 2 words: "no sneaking."

Reinhard

We've ALL been there. You don't even want to know how much food was piled on my plate when I started. You really don't want to know how much food is piled on my husband's plate now that he is trying this (again).

Really, it's normal and as everyone else said, successful.