I have taken a page from LA Loser, and set up a HabitCal for "non-idiotic S-days" to track whether they are reasonable or over the top. I only make an entry on S-days, and make a judgment call as to whether they were idiotic or not. There are still a lot that are idiotic - particularly now, when life is stressful - but more greens are showing up on weekends overall.
This process has led me to think about what I consider a non-idiotic S-day. I'm resistant to counting "S's," as some do, because I think that will backfire on me given my own diet history and temperament. The minute I feel closed in by a count, I'm in trouble. But I find I have no trouble deciding whether a day was idiotic or not.
My criteria don't concern amount as much they do purposefulness and effect. What I mean by purposefulness is that each treat is a conscious decision, something I truly want, not just a handful of something as I pass by where it's stored. What I mean by effect is simply that I don't feel ill from eating. I may be a little more full than normal, but I don't get to the "gosh, I wish I hadn't eaten that" stage. Even if I consume a lot of calories, if I meet those criteria, I feel that I've had a non-idiotic day.
So, yesterday I had three (yes, THREE) pieces of home-made pumpkin pie, and I consider it a very non-idiotic day. I totally love pumpkin pie, so chose to make it in the morning. I had a piece after lunch, one after dinner, and another later in the evening... and I enjoyed EVERY bite. After the last, I was QUITE done. Later today, I'll probably have another (I made 2 pies, so even with company last night, there's some left) and then I'll be ready for N-days.
I probably had seconds as well - in fact, I know I did, on my home-made bread at dinner - but as long as I don't hit the groaning-stuffed point, I consider it good.
So that's my personal non-idiot criteria, for now at least. I expect to see a good bit of variation on what each of us considers non-idiotic, depending on where people are in their No-S journeys, how much freedom they need (or can tolerate), how much they're used to eating prior to No-S, etc. I've just found it useful to identify "what non-idiotic means to me."
On not being an idiot
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Thanks, KCCC, for posting this.
I just finished week 1 of No S so this is my first S weekend. Yesterday I didn't go too crazy but today I've already eaten quite a bit of sugary stuff (chocolate bars) and salty, fatty things (cashews) and it's only 10:30 am (EST). I actually have a headache from all the salt and sugar. I'm not freaking out because it is my first S weekend but I've already started to figure out what is good for me on S days. The main thing is to stick to the 3-meal a day structure - otherwise I'll permasnack all day. I also need to buy snack things in single serving packages, otherwise I'll binge, especially on days like today where the weather is crappy and I feel like hibernating. Thank God I have a dog so I have to get out at least twice today.
I'm glad I read the book and many of the posts on this site. I keep rereading the S day stuff because this is my biggest worry - that in one weekend I'll undo all the progress I made during the week. I'm learning as I go!
I just finished week 1 of No S so this is my first S weekend. Yesterday I didn't go too crazy but today I've already eaten quite a bit of sugary stuff (chocolate bars) and salty, fatty things (cashews) and it's only 10:30 am (EST). I actually have a headache from all the salt and sugar. I'm not freaking out because it is my first S weekend but I've already started to figure out what is good for me on S days. The main thing is to stick to the 3-meal a day structure - otherwise I'll permasnack all day. I also need to buy snack things in single serving packages, otherwise I'll binge, especially on days like today where the weather is crappy and I feel like hibernating. Thank God I have a dog so I have to get out at least twice today.
I'm glad I read the book and many of the posts on this site. I keep rereading the S day stuff because this is my biggest worry - that in one weekend I'll undo all the progress I made during the week. I'm learning as I go!
Last edited by amelie on Sun Mar 01, 2009 4:43 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I should probably add that I think it's OK to be an idiot when you need to be. I said that on the other thread, and I do think so.
Like Kathleen says, it's a self-correcting problem.
Over time, the N-days WILL carry over - even if it takes a while, as it did for me.
Don't worry about "undoing" at first. You may. So what? Over time, you'll stop WANTING to eat at that level. (And it's really difficult to do too much damage in two days, so if you're N-days are on target, you'll probably be okay in the long haul. Just don't get hung up on the short-term variations.)
Like Kathleen says, it's a self-correcting problem.
Over time, the N-days WILL carry over - even if it takes a while, as it did for me.Don't worry about "undoing" at first. You may. So what? Over time, you'll stop WANTING to eat at that level. (And it's really difficult to do too much damage in two days, so if you're N-days are on target, you'll probably be okay in the long haul. Just don't get hung up on the short-term variations.)
I've had a string of NWS days, along with one RED day. Snow days, followed by a conference.
However, even the red day was not idiotic. The red and the yellows generally represent one extra something. One S-event. Most are due to a meal big enough to have to be counted as seconds. Even when it was early in the day, I didn't use it as an excuse to continue eating.
Though I need to be careful (all those "yellows" mean "caution!" - just like traffic lights!), I really am pleased at how my boundaries have moved over time. Strings of treats still aren't a great pattern, but a handful of S-events over several days are much, much better than the kind of failures I used to have.
However, even the red day was not idiotic. The red and the yellows generally represent one extra something. One S-event. Most are due to a meal big enough to have to be counted as seconds. Even when it was early in the day, I didn't use it as an excuse to continue eating.
Though I need to be careful (all those "yellows" mean "caution!" - just like traffic lights!), I really am pleased at how my boundaries have moved over time. Strings of treats still aren't a great pattern, but a handful of S-events over several days are much, much better than the kind of failures I used to have.
Excellent!
KCCC,
I'm glad my HabitCal for Non-Idiotic S Days idea has helped. It certainly did me. And I love your breaking it down to purposefulness and effect. I think I'm not a very analytical person so I wouldn't have thought of putting it that way, but as I consider how I have determined what to mark those S days, I realize that's pretty much what I've been doing.
I haven't been No-Sing near as long as you have KCCC -- just seriously since June, 2008 -- but for those newer folks who have been concerned about their S days going wild, I can vouch that with a number of months under your belt-(groan!), it really will level out. You just get to where you don't want to relive those "OMG, I can't believe I ate all that" feelings.
And as long as we're taking lines from other people, VMSurbat said (and you always remind us!), I just "mark it and move on" even on my Non-Idiot HabitCal. To me, it's so freeing to be able to do that on any day without guilt or bashing myself or thinking, I've blown, oh, well. . .
Hope your life calms down a bit this week. Mine is getting ready to heat up for a few days so here goes!
I'm glad my HabitCal for Non-Idiotic S Days idea has helped. It certainly did me. And I love your breaking it down to purposefulness and effect. I think I'm not a very analytical person so I wouldn't have thought of putting it that way, but as I consider how I have determined what to mark those S days, I realize that's pretty much what I've been doing.
I haven't been No-Sing near as long as you have KCCC -- just seriously since June, 2008 -- but for those newer folks who have been concerned about their S days going wild, I can vouch that with a number of months under your belt-(groan!), it really will level out. You just get to where you don't want to relive those "OMG, I can't believe I ate all that" feelings.
And as long as we're taking lines from other people, VMSurbat said (and you always remind us!), I just "mark it and move on" even on my Non-Idiot HabitCal. To me, it's so freeing to be able to do that on any day without guilt or bashing myself or thinking, I've blown, oh, well. . .
Hope your life calms down a bit this week. Mine is getting ready to heat up for a few days so here goes!
LA Loser. . . well on my way to becoming an LA Winner. 
emily,
I'm new also to NoS (one month). I just passed my third weekend. My first one had no ill effects, my second one gave me a mild headache all weekend and my last one gave me my heartburn back, a sleepless night and throwing up because the heartburn was making me nauseous. Tums didn't help but a pill did. I didn't binge all weekend but I was still idiotic with sweets and it's more than I'd eat before NoS. I hope I learned my lesson but when the weekend rolls around again...
Today is my son's birthday and he wants to go the Chinese Buffet and have his favorite cake at home. Sigh. I'll eat NoS until I go out tonight so I'm hungry enough for this. This is an S day and I don't want to put a damper on it.
I'm new also to NoS (one month). I just passed my third weekend. My first one had no ill effects, my second one gave me a mild headache all weekend and my last one gave me my heartburn back, a sleepless night and throwing up because the heartburn was making me nauseous. Tums didn't help but a pill did. I didn't binge all weekend but I was still idiotic with sweets and it's more than I'd eat before NoS. I hope I learned my lesson but when the weekend rolls around again...
Today is my son's birthday and he wants to go the Chinese Buffet and have his favorite cake at home. Sigh. I'll eat NoS until I go out tonight so I'm hungry enough for this. This is an S day and I don't want to put a damper on it.