Everyday Systems

Hi,

I was wondering if you would count a restaurant-bought muffin (the big ones) like sweets if it's eaten for breakfast? I often buy one for breakfast at the cafeteria at work and I've been wondering how it should be treated on the No S Diet. I know I should be eating a healthier breakfast (and I'd like to work towards that -- but right now I have trouble just getting a green day! ) -- and I think that some of those muffins are cake disguised as a muffin -- so I feel guilty when I eat it.
Any input on this would be appreciated.

Thanks.

If you feel guilty eating it....that's probably your answer.

Unless you make it yourself, from scratch, you don't know how much sugar is in it.. Chances are, as you say, it's like eating cake in disguise..
I'd personally save it for S days.
Especially if it's a large restaurant style one..
Debs

butterfly1000 wrote:Hi,

I was wondering if you would count a restaurant-bought muffin (the big ones) like sweets if it's eaten for breakfast? I often buy one for breakfast at the cafeteria at work and I've been wondering how it should be treated on the No S Diet. I know I should be eating a healthier breakfast (and I'd like to work towards that -- but right now I have trouble just getting a green day! ) -- and I think that some of those muffins are cake disguised as a muffin -- so I feel guilty when I eat it.
Any input on this would be appreciated.

Thanks.

We regularly eat *homemade* muffins for breakfast (along with a glass of milk, small glass of juice, and maybe one egg). So I am not against muffins per se.

BUT, I can guarantee that a large, restaurant-style muffin *IS* a Sweet--it is like a gigantic non-frosted cupcake.

Thus, you have three options:

1. Quit buying them cold-turkey style and find an acceptable breakfast at the cafeteria or begin home-cooking your breakfast. Eggs, toast, hash browns, some cereals and yogurts are all non-sweet items.

2. You can slowly ease into a better breakfast by buying your muffin, cutting into halves, thirds, or even fourths, eating only one part for breakfast, saving the rest for the following day(s). Obviously, a third or fourth of a even a large muffin is not going to be very sustaining, so you will need to begin improving your breakfast menu right away: eggs (in almost any style) and fruit would be two easy first steps.

3. Keep buying them FOR NOW while working on achieving the three meals a day habit. (You said you are having a hard time getting a green day in). Once you have a stretch of green N days, you can work on improving the quality of your breakfast. Note: this route will make for slower visible results.

I personally recommend quitting cold-turkey. A big sweet like that tends to beget the desire for more sweets which makes for a vicious cycle.

Best wishes for your success,

I would consider it a sweet. Years ago when I was in my 20's (I won't say how many years ago ), I was following a homemade plan somewhat like No-S in that I ate three, one-plate meals a day, but I allowed myself fruit in-between, and I did allow myself to eat sweets for breakfast. I got down to the lowest weight I've ever been in my adult life ---something like 115 (I looked WAY too skinny at that weight).

When I did the above, I must say that I never did lose or diminish my penchant for sweets, and perhaps eating them for breakfast was one reason that I didn't. It's something to consider.

By the way, after two years on that plan, I ended up gaining all my weight back and then some probably because I didn't allow myself any days off the plan. No-S is more sensible.

Thank you all for your helpful replies. I think I'm going to try quitting the muffins "cold turkey" and keep them only for an occasional treat on S Days. And I'm also going to work really hard on getting more green days.

Good choice!

Do you have better choices at the cafeteria, or are you going to need to look for breakfast options?

KCCC:
Yes, there are better choices in the cafeteria. Yesterday I ordered toast instead and today I'm bringing cereal from home. It's not so much the choices that are lacking, it's the fact that I LOVE those freshly baked muffins in the morning. It's kind of become a ritual, where I get my muffin and coffee and then start up the computer, check e-mails and plan my work day -- while enjoying a delicious muffin. Mmmm, I'm getting hungry ... LOL ...

Hi Butterfly!
I know you would probably prefer to have then whenever you please, but if you save them for S days you will really be cutting your sugar intake each week and doing yourself a whole lot of good.
Plus, the amazing thing about saving stuff for S days is, if you enjoyed them a lot before, you will *really* enjoy them on S days, cos not only do they still taste good, they may even taste better and due to the fact that you earned them and they won't be contributing to your weight.
Even if you have two muffins on each S day, that's still better than 7 a week.
You'll adjust quickly.. Promise!
Me and my Son really enjoy S days!
They will become the ritual you now enjoy during the week, but even more fun because instead of having treats always, they are just for "special days"... It's weird, but actually waiting to have them makes them more enjoyable.
The beauty about this diet is that you aren't stuck with diet foods during the week.. If it means you need to resist on the sweets for five days, believe me, that's worth it just so you can eat like a normal person for the rest of your life and still be healthy.
Debs

Deb, I feel like I just want to follow you around the board today and say "Yeah, what she said!" That was a great post -- and yeah, treats really are a TREAT now, instead of something I just eat because it's there.

Haha, yeah.. whether it be muffins, or whatever else you like to indulge in,
there seems to be a very Universal response with people on NoS on the "sweets taste better when limited front", and also on the "I'm glad tomorrow is an N day" front as well, after a weekend.
You grow to appreciate them as they should be.
As treats.
If I had chocolate every day, I know it just wouldn't be as good as if I have it on special days.


Debs

I know this has kind of been resolved, but I fantasize about order a muffin almost every morning at dunkin donuts. But I don't buy one because 1) sugar! and 2) if I eat one, I'll be hungry two hours later. And it doesn't "feel" like a meal to me. So they're also unsatisfying.